Optimizing Acute Malnutrition Management in Children Aged 6 to 59 Months in Niger (OptIMA Niger)
Condition: Acute Malnutrition in Infancy (Disorder)
MeSH terms: Malnutrition
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Acute malnutrition (AM) is a continuum condition, arbitrarily divided into severe and
      moderate categories (SAM, MAM) which are managed separately, with programs overseen by
      different agencies with different products and supply chains. Such separation complicates
      delivery of care, contributes to poor program performance, and creates confusion among
      caregivers. Reduction in the mortality burden from AM will stem from improved simplicity,
      efficiency and cost-effectiveness of current protocols.

      Eligibility for SAM treatment in the current Niger protocol is complex. It is determined by 3
      independent criteria: nutritional oedema, Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) < 115 mm or
      weight-height Z score (WHZ) <-3. Also, the Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) ration in
      Niger protocol (130-200 kcal/kg/d) is paradoxical. The amount of RUTF prescribed in the first
      weeks of treatment is often less than what given to child reaching recovery (MUAC > 125 and
      WHZ >-2), because weekly ration is determined by the child's weight. Rate of weight gain is
      highest in the first two weeks of treatment, then plateaus - suggesting no benefit of
      increased RUTF ration at the end of treatment. Progressive reduction is a more rational use
      of RUTF and this supplement is equally effective for SAM and MAM.

      This community-based non-inferiority trial will compare two strategies for the treatment of
      AM to the Niger protocol for SAM and MAM. The Optimizing treatment for acute MAlnutrition
      (OptiMA) strategy uses MUAC < 125 mm or nutritional oedema as admission criteria and
      optimizes RUTF by adapting doses to the degree of malnutrition. RUTF dose for MUAC < 115 mm
      or oedema is 170 kcal/kg/d and progressively reduces to 75 kcal/kg/d as MUAC increases. The
      Combined Protocol for Acute Malnutrition Study (ComPAS) uses the same eligibility criteria
      like OptiMA, but simplifies more the RUTF ration by providing 1000 kcal/d for children with
      oedema or MUAC < 115 mm and 500 kg/d for children with MUAC 115-124 mm. Children are
      considered recovered if they have 2 consecutive weekly MUAC measures ≥ 125 mm.

      Children will be individually randomized to treatment in one of the 3 study arms and will
      attend clinic visits weekly until nutritional recovery. After discharged, they will be
      monitored monthly via a nurse-conducted home visits until 6 months post-inclusion. The trial
      arms will be compared using a composite outcome indicator that includes vital status,
      anthropometric measures and relapse following the index AM episode.

      The hypothesis is that simplified strategies could substantially increase the number of
      children in care compared to current SAM programs without requiring additional RUTF or
      staffing while maintaining recovery rates in line with current programs.
    

Detailed description: 
      The main outcome, the success rate, is defined by a composite of three endpoints : alive, not
      acutely malnourished per the definition applied at inclusion and not having an additional
      episode of AM throughout the 6- month observation period. All other children are classified
      as 'unsuccessful'.

      The secondary major outcome, the recovery rate, is defined by reaching during the 6 month
      follow-up a MUAC>=125 and no oedema during two consecutive weeks, a minimum RUTF treatment
      period of 4 weeks and good clinical condition.

      Sample size:

      For the main objective, the expected success rate is 68% with a statistical power of 90%. For
      the secondary priority objective n°1, the expected recovery rate is 82% and for the secondary
      priority objective n°2, the expected recovery rate is 74% with a statistical power of 80%.
      For all objectives, the margin of non-inferiority set is 10% with a level of significance set
      at 1.25% unilaterally. An inflation of 5% to account for unexploitable data was also added.
      The number of randomized subjects required is:

        -  568 participants to meet the main objective;

        -  295 participants with severe acute malnutrition to meet the secondary priority objective
           n°1.

        -  384 participants with MUAC<115mm at admission to meet the secondary priority objective
           n°2.

      Data collection and monitoring :

      A paper form will be completed by the trial nurses during the outpatient follow-up or at home
      visits. Data will be recorded by data entry agents supervised by a data manager using RedCAP
      software.

      Data monitoring will be performed every week at each site by clinical trial monitors under
      the responsibility of the research activities manager, according to the recommendations of
      Good Clinical Practices. All data entered in the database will be checked for completeness
      and consistency. The methods of data entry, coding, control, validation and database freezing
      will be described in a "data management" guide. Before the implementation of the trial, a
      monitoring plan will be established.

      Analysis :

      Before the end of the inclusion period, a statistical analysis plan will be established.

      The occurrence of the primary endpoint (success rate) will be compared between the OptiMA and
      ComPAS strategies to the standard protocol.

      The occurrence of the primary secondary endpoint (recovery rate) will be compared between the
      OptiMA and ComPAS strategies to the standard protocol, for children randomized in the severe
      acute malnourished stratum and for children admitted with a MUAC<115mm.

      These comparisons will be made by Intention To Treat (ITT) (including all randomized
      participants), and Per-Protocol (PP) (including only those participants who received the full
      randomized treatment strategy).

      The primary analysis (success in the overall population regardless of the level of
      malnutrition) and the main secondary analysis (recovery rate in the "severely malnourished"
      stratum) in ITT and PP are non-inferiority analyses.

      The OptiMA and ComPAS strategies will be deemed non-inferior to the standard strategy if the
      primary and main secondary analysis statistically demonstrate non-inferiority in both ITT and
      PP.

      The primary analyses in terms of success and recovery will be performed on available data. In
      case of missing data, a sensitivity analysis will be performed using the maximum bias method.
      Missing data can be vital status if the child is absent at the last visit, and anthropometric
      data (weight, MUAC, height). In the case of missing height data, the last available height
      can be taken into consideration given the low variability of this value from one month to the
      next.

      The probabilities of success, recovery and relapse in each of the strategies and the
      quantities of RUTF consumed per child to achieve recovery will serve to construct a
      cost-effectiveness model.
    

Intervention name(s): Nutritional Strategy - OptiMA; Nutritional Strategy - ComPAS; National nutritional Strategy (Niger)
Intervention type(s): Dietary Supplement; Dietary Supplement; Other
Intervention description(s): All children randomized to this arm will be treated with a RUTF, with weekly ration determined according to MUAC, weight and presence of nutritional edema. Ration will be adjusted weekly according to the change in MUAC and weight throughout the outpatient follow-up until the child achieves nutritional recovery.
RUTF dosage will 170 kcal/kg/d for the most severely wasted (MUAC < 115 mm or edema) and reduced to 125 kcal/kg/d for children with MUAC 115-119mm and 75 kcal/kg/d for children with MUAC 120-124 mm.
All children will be followed-up for 6 months following randomization. They will have weekly outpatient visit in the health facility until they meet nutritional recovery criteria, and then a monthly community-based follow-up in their villages (vital status, anthropometric measures and clinical condition). Referral to the health facility for appropriate nutritional/medical care if illness or acute malnutrition relapse detected).; All children randomized to this arm will be treated with RUTF, with weekly ration determined according to MUAC and presence of nutritional edema. Children enrolled with MUAC < 115 mm or edema will receive 1000 kcal/d (2 sachets/day) RUTF until MUAC has surpassed 115 mm and/or edema is resolved for 2 weeks at which time ration will be reduced to 500 kcal/d (1 sachet/day) until MUAC > or = to 125 mm is achieved for 2 consecutive weeks. Children enrolled with MUAC 115-124 mm will receive 1 sachet/day until MUAC > or = 125 mm is achieved for 2 consecutive weeks and clinically well. Following nutritional recovery, a study nurse will conduct monthly community-based follow-up in their villages (vital status, anthropometric measures and clinical condition) with referral to the health facility for appropriate nutritional/medical care if illness or acute malnutrition relapse detected) for the remainder of the 6 month period following inclusion.; Different protocols for SAM and MAM comprise the Niger National Nutrition Protocol:
SAM: Children with MUAC<115 or WHZ<-3 or nutritional edema, will be treated with RUTF, according to a dosage table based on weight at each visit.
MAM: Children aged between 6-24 months with MUAC between 115 -124 mm and WHZ>-3 will be treated with RUSF. Children with the same anthropometry but age 24-59 m will only receive supplementation if they develop criteria for SAM during the 6 month study period. They will be monitored via monthly home visits by a study nurse.
All children will be followed-up for 6 months following randomization. Children eligible for RUTF at randomization will have a weekly outpatient visit in the health facility until they meet discharge criteria, and then a bi-monthly community-based follow-up in their villages (vital & anthropometric status and referral to the health facility for appropriate nutritional/medical care if indicated).
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Acute malnutrition; Randomized Clinical Trial; Child Malnutrition; Severe acute malnutrition; Moderate acute malnutrition; Niger; Sub-Saharan Africa; MUAC