Table 1

Characteristics, clinical and laboratory diagnosis and outcome of severely malnourished children below 60 months of age by presence or absence of blood stream infections, Mulago hospital, Uganda.

Blood bacterial pathogens

Odds Ratio (95% Confidence interval)

Characteristics

Present n/total (%)

Absent n/total (%)

Unadjusted

Adjusted

Age ≤ 24 months

59/353 (16.7)

17/92 (18.5)

0.89 (0.49–1.61)

0.78 (0.40–1.54)

Sex: male

48/279 (17.2)

28/166 (16.9)

1.02 (0.61–1.71)

0.99 (0.54–1.80)

Oedema

47/251 (18.7)

29/194 (14.9)

1.31 (0.79–2.18)

1.55 (0.81–2.96)

Hypothermia

3/24 (12.5)

21/327 (18.6)

0.62 (0.18–2.15)

Oral thrush

15/54 (27.8)

61/391 (15.6)

2.08 (1.08–4.01)*

2.31 (1.04–5.11)*

Acute diarrhoea†

16/91 (17.6)

75/354 (21.2)

1.05 (0.57–1.92)

Persistent diarrhoea††

15/81 (18.5)

66/364 (18.1)

1.13 (0.61–2.11)

Respiratory infections

47/277 (17.0)

15/93 (16.1)

1.06 (0.56–2.01)

Bacteruria

13/79 (16.5)

47/207 (22.7)

0.96 (0.49–1.89)

Severe anaemia

2/56 (9.1)

20/253 (07.9)

2.3 (0.53–10.2)

Malaria

5/36 (13.9)

71/406 (17.5)

0.76 (0.29–2.03)

Hypokalaemia

38/178 (21.4)

38/262 (14.5)

1.60 (0.78–2.17)

1.44 (0.79–2.61)

Hypoalbuminaemia

71/367 (19.3)

5/73 (6.9)

3.26 (1.27–8.39)*

3.54 (1.04–12.1)*

Positive HIV status

30/149 (20.1)

39/259 (15.1)

0.42 (0.84–2.41)

1.67 (0.88–3.15)

CD4<15%

15/58 (13.8)

58/274 (21.2)

0.61 (0.27–1.36)

1.99 (0.76–5.22)

* p-value < 0.05, † frequent loose watery stools lasting ≤ 14 days, †† frequent loose watery stools lasting >14 days

Bachou et al. BMC Infectious Diseases 2006 6:160   doi:10.1186/1471-2334-6-160