A recent study conducted in Zambia and Zimbabwe sheds light on malnutrition enteropathy in children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. The multi-arm randomized phase II trial, which concluded in 2021, aimed to evaluate different interventions for malnutrition enteropathy to pave the way for potential phase III trials.

The trial included children aged 6–59 months who were hospitalized with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and consented by their primary caregivers. A total of 125 children with complicated SAM were randomly assigned to receive treatment with bovine colostrum, N-acetyl glucosamine, subcutaneous teduglutide, budesonide, or standard care only.

The primary endpoint of the study was a composite of faecal biomarkers indicating mucosal damage. The results showed that teduglutide demonstrated a reduction in the biomarkers of mucosal damage, suggesting a potential benefit in treating enteropathy in children with complicated malnutrition.

Overall, the interventions were deemed safe, with teduglutide showing promising results in addressing enteropathy in these vulnerable children. The findings of this trial highlight the importance of exploring effective therapies for malnutrition-related complications in young patients.

This significant research contributes to the understanding of malnutrition enteropathy and its potential treatments, offering hope for improved outcomes in children battling severe acute malnutrition.