Table 2.
Summary of the results from longitudinal studies with anthropometric measures as exposures and malaria-related outcomes
| Identification | Country | Age group/follow-up time | Plasmodium species | Sample size | Exposure (undernutrition) | Outcome | Effect measure/intensity | Result | Covariates tested or adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pazzaglia et al. [28] | Vietnam | Follow-up of 28 days | P. falciparum | Grams/day | Multiple regression | Age, race, total duration of infection, duration of primary attack, pre-patent period, incubation period, peak of fever | |||
| 58 | Increment on weight | Time to peak parasite density | NI (p = 0.050) | Protection | |||||
| 42 | Increment on weight | Time to peak gametocytaemia | NI (p = 0.050) | Risk | |||||
| Snow et al. [29] | Gambia | 1 to 4 years (Follow-up of 4 months) | P. falciparum | Z-score (mean with SD) (NCHS, 1977) | “t” Test (mean z-score at baseline anthropometry) | None | |||
| 138 | H/A | Incidence (clinical malaria vs no malaria) | −0.96 vs −0.89 | No association | |||||
| 138 | W/H | Incidence (clinical malaria vs no malaria) | −1.03 vs −1.18 | No association | |||||
| 138 | W/A | Incidence (clinical malaria vs no malaria) | −1.39 vs −1.47 | No association | |||||
| 34 | H/A | Incidence (asymptomatic malaria vs no malaria) | −0.97 vs −0.89 | No association | |||||
| 34 | W/H | Incidence (asymptomatic malaria vs no malaria) | −0.96 vs −1.18 | No association | |||||
| 34 | W/A | Incidence (asymptomatic malaria vs no malaria) | −1.35 vs −1.47 | No association | |||||
| 59 | H/A | High parasite density in clinical malaria (≥5000/µL) | −1.03 vs −0.94 | No association | |||||
| 59 | W/H | High parasite density in clinical malaria (≥5000/µL) | −1.32 vs −0.91 | No association | |||||
| 59 | W/A | High parasite density in clinical malaria (≥5000/µL) | −1.67 vs −1.28 | No association | |||||
| 15 | H/A | High parasite density on asymptomatic infection (≥5000/µL) | −1.84 vs −0.81 | No association | |||||
| 15 | W/H | High parasite density on asymptomatic infection (≥5000/µL) | −0.89 vs −1.06 | No association | |||||
| 15 | W/A | High parasite density on asymptomatic infection (≥5000/µL) | −1.34 vs −1.36 | No association | |||||
| Van den Broeck et al. [21] | Congo | <5 years | P. falciparum | Z-score (<−2) (NCHS, 1977) | RR | None | |||
| 64 | H/A | Mortality (3 months follow up) | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| 64 | W/H | Mortality (3 months follow up) | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| 64 | W/A | Mortality (3 months follow up) | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| 64 | AC/A | Mortality (3 months follow up) | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| 64 | H/A | Mortality (3–30 months follow up) | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| 64 | W/H | Mortality (3–30 months follow up) | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| 64 | W/A | Mortality (3–30 months follow up) | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| 64 | AC/A | Mortality (3–30 months follow up) | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| Genton et al. [22] | Papua New Guinea | 11 months to 11 years | P. falciparum | Z-score (<−2) (NCHS, 1977) | OR | Age, duration of symptoms, temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate, parasite density, glycaemia, haemoglobin, maematocri, white cell count | |||
| 121 | W/A | Mortality (cerebral malaria) | 0.98 (0.65–1.49) | No association | |||||
| Olumese et al. [7] | Nigeria | 1 to 5 years | P. falciparum | Percentile ≤80 % (NCHS, 1977) | Fisher’s exact test | None | |||
| 57 | W/A | Death or recover with neurological deficit on cerebral malaria | NI (p = 0.037) | Risk | |||||
| Renaudin et al. [20] | Chad | <5 years | P. falciparum | Z-score (<−2) (NCHS, 1977) | X2 (Chi-square) | None | |||
| 227 | W/H | Mortality | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| Williams et al. [30] | Vanuatu | <10 years | P. falciparum/P. vivax | Z-score (<−2) (NCHS, 1977) | RR | None | |||
| 702 | W/H | Incidence (P. falciparum | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| 702 | W/A | Incidence (P. falciparum | 1.1 (0.57–2.1) | No association | |||||
| 702 | W/H | Incidence (P.vivax ) | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| 702 | W/A | Incidence (P.vivax ) | 2.6 (1.5–4.4) | Risk | |||||
| Man et al. [2] | Gambia | <5 years | P. falciparum | Z-score (<−2) (NCHS, 1977) | RR | None | |||
| 5,620 | W/A | Mortality | NI (S) | Risk | |||||
| 1,292 | W/A | Cerebral malaria | NI (S) | Risk | |||||
| 1,473 | W/A | Malarial anaemia | NI (S) | Risk | |||||
| Genton et al. [16] | Papua New Guinea | 10 months to 10 years | P. falciparum/ vivax/malariae | Z-score (<−2) (NCHS, 1977) | RR | Age, bednet use | |||
| 136 | H/A | Incidence (P. spp.) | 1.1 (0.97–1.24) | No association | |||||
| 136 | W/H | Incidence (P. spp.) | 0.95 (0.81–1.11) | No association | |||||
| 136 | H/A | Incidence (P. falciparum ) | 1.13 (0.98–1.29) | No association | |||||
| 136 | W/H | Incidence (P. falciparum) | 0.92 (0.77–1.11) | No association | |||||
| 136 | H/A | High parasite density (P. falciparum≥5,000/µL) | 1.19 (1.01–1.40) | Protection | |||||
| 136 | W/H | High parasite density (P. falciparum≥5,000/µL) | 0.96 (0.77–1.19) | No association | |||||
| 136 | H/A | High parasite density (P. falciparum≥10,000/µL) | 1.18 (0.98–1.41) | No association | |||||
| 136 | W/H | High parasite density (P. falciparum≥10,000/µL) | 0.97 (0.75–1.24) | No association | |||||
| 136 | H/A | Incidence (P. vivax) | 0.96 (0.73–1.25) | No association | |||||
| 136 | W/H | Incidence (P. vivax) | 0.95 (0.70–1.28) | No association | |||||
| 136 | H/A | Incidence (P.malariae) | 0.83 (0.44–1.57) | No association | |||||
| 136 | W/H | Incidence (P.malariae) | 0.90 (0.49–1.63) | No association | |||||
| Schellenberg et al. [31] | Tanzania | <4 years (Follow-up of 1 year) | P. falciparum | Percentile ≤25 (NCHS, 1977) | OR | None | |||
| 651 | W/A (1-7 months) | Mortality | 3.2 (1.2–8.9) | Risk | |||||
| 1,620 | W/A (8 months–4 years) | Mortality | 3 (1.5–6.2) | Risk | |||||
| Percentile >25–50 (NCHS, 1977) | |||||||||
| 651 | W/A (1–7 months) | Mortality | 2.6 (1–6.9) | No association | |||||
| 651 | W/A (8 months–4 years) | Mortality | 1.9 (0.8–4.2) | No association | |||||
| Tonglet et al. [32] | Congo | <2 years (Follow-up of 3 months) | P. falciparum | 842 | Median <25 (NCHS, 1977) <9 months | OR | Age, gender, time of enrolment, malaria during preceding month, diet, adequate growth as judged by care-taker | ||
| 842 | H/A | Incidence | 1.16 (0.54–1.77) | No association | |||||
| 842 | H/A increment | Incidence | 1.53 (0.95–2.11) | No association | |||||
| 842 | W/A | Incidence | 1.31 (0.68–1.94) | No association | |||||
| 842 | W/A increment | Incidence | 1.05 (0.40–1.69) | No association | |||||
| 842 | AC/A | Incidence | 2.32 (1.68–2.97) | Risk | |||||
| 842 | AC/A increment | Incidence | 0.98 (0.35–1.60) | No association | |||||
| Median <25 (NCHS, 1977) ≥9 months | |||||||||
| 842 | H/A | Incidence | 0.71 (0.28–1.14) | No association | |||||
| 842 | H/A increment | Incidence | 0.74 (0.31–1.16) | No association | |||||
| 842 | W/A | Incidence | 0.68 (0.24–1.11) | No association | |||||
| 842 | W/A increment | Incidence | 0.70 (0.28–1.13) | No association | |||||
| 842 | AC/A | Incidence | 0.97 (0.54–1.40) | No association | |||||
| 842 | AC/A increment | Incidence | 1.10 (0.68–1.51) | No association | |||||
| Deen et al. [33] | Gambia | <5 years (Follow-up of 20 weeks) | P. falciparum | Z-score (<−2) (NCHS, 1977) | RR | Age, gender, ethnicity | |||
| 487 | H/A | Incidence | 1.35 (1.08–1.69) | Risk | |||||
| 487 | W/H | Incidence | 0.87 (0.69–1.10) | No association | |||||
| 487 | W/A | Incidence | 1.01 (0.82–1.26) | No association | |||||
| Muller et al. [34] | Burkina Faso | 6 to 30 months (Follow-up of 6 months) | P. falciparum | Z-score (≤−2) (NCHS, 1977) | RR | Age, gender, bednet use, socioeconomic status, ethnicity | |||
| 685 | H/A | Incidence | 1 (0.9–1.1) | No association | |||||
| 685 | W/H | Incidence | 1 (0.9–1.1) | No association | |||||
| 685 | W/A | Incidence | 1 (0.9–1.2) | No association | |||||
| 685 | H/A | High parasite density (≥5,000/µL) | 1 (0.9–1.2) | No association | |||||
| 685 | W/H | High parasite density (≥5,000/µL) | 1 (0.9–1.2) | No association | |||||
| 685 | W/A | High parasite density (≥5,000/µL) | 1 (0.9–1.2) | No association | |||||
| 685 | H/A | High parasite density (≥10,000/µL) | 0.8 (0.5–1.4) | No association | |||||
| 685 | W/H | High parasite density (≥10,000/µL) | 0.8 (0.5–1.4) | No association | |||||
| 685 | W/A | High parasite density (≥10,000/µL) | 1 (0.5–1.8) | No association | |||||
| Mockenhaupt et al. [35] | Ghana | 6 months to 9 years | P. falciparum | Z-score (<−2) (NCHS, 1977) | OR | Age, gender, shock, respiratory distress, haemoglobinuria, multiple convulsions, severe anemia, jaundice, prostration, cerebral malaria, impaired consciousness, hyperlactataemia hyperparasitaemia hypoglycaemia, hyperpyrexia | |||
| 285 | W/H | Mortality (severe malaria) | 2.8 (1.1–7.0) | Risk | |||||
| Nyakeriga et al. [36] | Kenia | 28 to 60 months (Follow-up of 1 year and 5 months) | P. falciparum | Z-score (<−2) (NCHS, 1977) | Incidence | RR | Age, ethnicity, season, haemoglobin genotype | ||
| 341 | H/A | Incidence | 1.09 (0.92–1.28) | No association | |||||
| 341 | W/A | Incidence | 0.96 (0.78–1.19) | No association | |||||
| Danquah et al. [37] | Ghana | 3 months to 2 years (Follow-up of 1 year and 9 months) | P. falciparum | Z-score (≤−2) (WHO, 2006) | RR | Season, food availability | |||
| 1,200 | H/A, L/A, W/H and W/A combined index | Incidence (non-severe malaria) | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| 1,200 | H/A, L/A, W/H and W/A combined index | Incidence (assymptomatic malaria) | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| Fillol et al. [17] | Senegal | 12 to 70 months (Follow-up of 25 weeks) | P. falciparum | Z-score (<−2) (WHO, 2006) | OR | Age, gender, site of residence, presumptive antimalarial treatment | |||
| 874 | H/A | Incidence | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| 874 | W/H | Incidence | 0.33 (0.13–0.81) | Protection | |||||
| 874 | W/A | Incidence | NI (NS) | No association | |||||
| 874 | H/A | High parasite density (>300 parasites/µL) | 2.42 (1.12–5.24) | Risk | |||||
| 874 | W/H | High parasite density (>300 parasites/µL) | 0.48 (0.04–5.34) | No association | |||||
| 874 | W/A | High parasite density (>300 parasites/µL) | 0.55 (0.35–2.66) | No association | |||||
| Arinaitwe et al. [38] | Uganda | 6 weeks to 1 year (Follow-up of 1 year and 4 months) | P. falciparum | Z-score (<−2) (WHO, 2006) | RR | Age, site of residence, chemoprophylaxis, breastfeeding, HIV status | |||
| 99 | H/A | Incidence | 1.24 (1.03–1.48) | Risk | |||||
| 99 | W/A | Incidence | 1.12 (0.86–1.46) | No association | |||||
| Mitangala et al. [15] | Congo | 6 to 59 months (Follow-up of 1 year) | P. falciparum (99 %)/malariae/mixed malaria (P. falciparum + P. ovale) | Z-score (<−3) (WHO, 2006) | OR | Age, season | |||
| 790 | H/A | Incidence | 1.21 (0.76–1.92) | No association | |||||
| 790 | W/H | Incidence | 1.46 (0.84–2.53) | No association | |||||
| 790 | W/A | Incidence | 1.13 (0.82–1.55) | No association | |||||
| 790 | AC | Incidence | 1.14 (0.71–1.83) | No association | |||||
| 787 | H/A | Incidence (high parasite density -≥5000/µL) | 0.48 (0.25–0.91) | Protection | |||||
| 787 | W/H | Incidence (high parasite density -≥5000/µL) | 0.87 (0.38–1.99) | No association | |||||
| 787 | W/A | Incidence (high parasite density -≥5000/µL) | 0.85 (0.53–1.35) | No association | |||||
| 787 | AC | Incidence (high parasite density -≥5000/µL) | 0.83 (0.44–1.55) | No association | |||||
| Alexandre et al. [39] | Brazil | 1 month to 14 years (Follow-up of 12 months) | P. vivax (72.6 %)/P. falciparum(22.5 %)/Mixed malaria P. vivax + P. falciparum(4.9 %) | Z-score (<−2) (WHO, 2006; WHO, 2007) | HR | Age, gender, maternal education, socioeconomic status | |||
| 202 | H/A | Incidence | 0.31 (0.10–0.99) | Protection |
BMI body mass index, H/A height/age, W/H weight/height, W/A weight/age, AC/A arm circumference/age, L/A length/age, SD standard-deviation, NS non-significant, NI non-informed