Efficacy of Ampicillin and Gentamycin Combination Therapy in Children Having Severe Acute Malnutrition Presenting with Acute Diarrhea at Civil Hospital Hyderabad

Abstract

Objective: To assess the Efficacy of Ampicillin and Gentamycin combination therapy in children having severe 
acute malnutrition presenting with Acute Diarrhea at Civil Hospital Hyderabad 
Study Design: Descriptive / case series study 
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Paediatric Department, Liaquat University of 
Medical and Health Sciences Hospital Hyderabad from 1st July 2017 to 31st December 2017.  
Materials and Methods: This study was done by Non-probability, consecutive sampling technique in 145 children 
with the diagnosis of severe under nutrition presenting with acute diarrhea. History and physical examination was 
carried out. Patients were treated as per the standard guidelines by the WHO and Ampicillin+Gentamycin were 
given. Weight and height was plotted on the standard growth charts and centiles for age and gender for screening of 
malnutrition. 
Results: The average age of the patients was 14.81±7.67 months. Out of 145 under nourished children 85(58.62%) 
showed satisfactory outcome at the end of 48 hours of therapy 
Conclusion: In conclusion, treatment with intravenous ampicillin and gentamycin showed improvement in only 
58.6% children at the end of 48 hours of therapy. Further large scale studies are needed to review the response of 
these antibiotics in children having Severe Acute Malnutrition with acute diarrhea, hence to review for any possible 
change in the current protocol.