Effect of Malnutrition on Liver and Spleen Stiffness in Children

Launched by MEHMET AKIF AĞIR · Apr 10, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how malnutrition affects the stiffness of the liver and spleen in children. Researchers want to understand if malnutrition makes these organs stiffer, which could indicate that they are not working properly. To do this, they will compare two groups of children: those who are diagnosed with malnutrition and healthy children of the same age. The study will use a special technique called shear wave elastography, which is a non-invasive way to measure how stiff these organs are.

To participate in this trial, children must be between 6 and 18 years old. Those in the malnutrition group will have been diagnosed with malnutrition according to guidelines from the World Health Organization. Healthy children without any chronic illnesses will be included in the control group. Children with ongoing health issues, previous surgeries on their liver or spleen, or who may have difficulty cooperating during the tests will not be eligible. Participants can expect to undergo painless tests to measure the stiffness of their organs, helping researchers learn more about the effects of malnutrition.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Children aged 6 to 18 years.
• • Diagnosis of malnutrition based on World Health Organization (WHO) criteria (for malnutrition group).
• • Healthy children without any chronic illness (for control group).
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Children with chronic diseases (e.g., liver disease, diabetes, immunocompromised conditions).
• • Children who have previously undergone liver or spleen surgery.
• • Children with inability to cooperate during elastography measurement.