Children with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency are frequently malnourished (EPI). Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) is the primary treatment for acute malnutrition in children who have a condition that is strongly related to EPI. The purpose of this study was to look at the efficacy of PERT on weight gain and EPI in children who were classed as moderately or severely malnourished by the World Health Organization (WHO). The study involved 40 children aged 2 to 16 years who were categorised as moderately or severely malnourished by the World Health Organization. The patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the PERT group got 2000 U lipase/kg/day in addition to hypercaloric enteral supplements, while the control group received just hypercaloric enteral supplements. Anthropometric measures and faecal elastase-1 (FE-1) levels were measured in both groups at the beginning and conclusion of the 8-week treatment period. EPI was seen in all of the patients, with 24 of them having severe EPI. Bodyweight, height, and body mass index (BMI) rose considerably in both groups at the conclusion of the treatment compared to their pre-treatment values, although there was no significant change in waist circumference (WC) or FE-1 levels. Similarly, no significant difference was detected between pre-and post-treatment measures of the PERT and control groups, as well as between pre-and post-treatment measurements of patients with moderate and severe malnutrition.
Malnutrition is a significant public health issue, thus the development of innovative treatment approaches is critical. Although there is minimal evidence of PERT in the literature, it is one of the most often regarded options. Although PERT resulted in more weight gain in the current research, there was no significant difference between the two groups.
