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Defining and Assessing Skin Changes in Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM)

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Handbook of Famine, Starvation, and Nutrient Deprivation

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Abstract

Specific skin changes in severe acute malnutrition have been known since the earliest publication on the subject in 1933. They vary from mild dryness or pigmentary changes to severe and widespread erosions. A common standardized way to document the skin changes observed in severe acute malnutrition is still under development. Currently five specific skin changes, characteristic to severe acute malnutrition, have been identified in African children. There is no knowledge of the global prevalence, but most reports on severe skin affections are from sub-Saharan countries.

The etiology is still unknown and the recommendations on treatment are mostly based on expert opinion. Skin changes in severe acute malnutrition have proven to be a prognostic marker for the risk of death. The mortality rate for patients treated for severe acute malnutrition is persistently high and thus the skin is a target for new treatment approaches. The skin is easily accessible for administration of treatment and assessment and is potentially a good additional target to the existing treatment protocols.

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Abbreviations

BSA:

Body surface area

SCORDoK:

Clinical score for SAM specific skin changes

EFAD:

Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency

HR:

Hazard ratio

MUAC:

Mid Upper Arm Circumference

F75 and F100:

Milk based therapeutic diets

SAM:

Severe acute malnutrition

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Aarhus University Hospital, P.P. Oerumsgade 11, Building 15B, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    Sofine Heilskov, Christian Vestergaard & Mette Soendergaard Deleuran

Authors
  1. Sofine Heilskov
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  2. Christian Vestergaard
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  3. Mette Soendergaard Deleuran
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sofine Heilskov .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Diabetes & Nutritional Sci Div Sch, King's College London, London, United Kingdom

    Victor Preedy

  2. Clinical Biochemistry, University of Westminster, Westminster, United Kingdom

    Vinood B. Patel

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Heilskov, S., Vestergaard, C., Deleuran, M.S. (2017). Defining and Assessing Skin Changes in Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). In: Preedy, V., Patel, V. (eds) Handbook of Famine, Starvation, and Nutrient Deprivation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40007-5_12-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40007-5_12-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-40007-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-40007-5

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