Effectiveness of Albendazole in Improving Nutritional Status of Pre-School Children in Urban Slums of Darbhanga, Bihar

摘要

Objective : To study the clinical efficacy of albendazole in improving the nutritional status of pre-school children. Design : Single blind, placebo-controlled trial with child as the unit of randomization. Setting: In the Anganwadi centers of the Integrated Child Development Services situated in the urban slums of Darbhanga, Bihar. Subjects & Methods : Fifty Anganwadi centers were randomly selected for the trial. Included were registered resident children between 2 to 5 years of age with informed and written parental consent. The intervention group received 400 mg of albendazole powder every six months while the placebo group received same quantity of calcium powder. Enrolled children were contacted once in six months from )une2011 to May 2013 and given treatment. The outcome measure were change in the proportion of underweight (weight for age <-2.00z )and stunted (height for age <-2.00z) children. Results: There were 610 and 451 children in the albendazole and placebo groups, respectively. Mean age at recruitment was 31.8 months (SD: 9.7). Follow-up and compliance in both the groups was >95%. During the 2 year follow-up, the proportion of stunted children increased by 11.44% and 2.06% in the placebo and albendazole groups, respectively, and the difference was 9.38% (95% Cl 6.01% to 12.75%; p value <0.0001). Direct fecal smear was positive for the ova of ascaris in 41.2% and 55.3% children in the albendazole and placebo groups respectively at the end of the study (p value <0.001). Conclusions : Six monthly albendazole reduces the risk of stunting in pre-school children .