68682
document
Anthropometric indices of Gambian children after one or three annual rounds of mass drug administration with azithromycin for trachoma control . BACKGROUND Mass drug administration ( MDA ) with azithromycin , carried out for the control of blinding trachoma , has been linked to reduced mortality in children . While the mechanism behind this reduction is unclear , it may be due , in part , to improved nutritional status via a potential reduction in the community burden of infectious disease . To determine whether MDA with azithromycin improves anthropometric indices at the community level , we measured the heights and weights of children aged 1 to 4 years in communities where one ( single MDA arm ) or three annual rounds ( annual MDA arm ) of azithromycin had been distributed . METHODS Data collection took place three years after treatment in the single MDA arm and one year after the final round of treatment in the annual MDA arm . Mean height-for-age , weight-for-age and weight-for-height z scores were compared between treatment arms . RESULTS No significant differences in mean height-for-age , weight-for-age or weight-for-height z scores were found between the annual MDA and single MDA arms , nor was there a significant reduction in prevalence of stunting , wasting or underweight between arms . CONCLUSIONS Our data do not provide evidence that community MDA with azithromycin improved anthropometric outcomes of children in The Gambia . This may suggest reductions in mortality associated with azithromycin MDA are due to a mechanism other than improved nutritional status .
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Intervention_Pharmacological
mass drug administration
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Intervention_Pharmacological
azithromycin
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Intervention_Pharmacological
azithromycin
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Intervention_Pharmacological
MDA with azithromycin
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Intervention_Pharmacological
azithromycin
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Intervention_Pharmacological
MDA with azithromycin
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Intervention_Pharmacological
azithromycin MDA
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Outcome_Physical
heights and weights
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Outcome_Other
Mean height-for-age
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Outcome_Other
weight-for-age
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Outcome_Other
weight-for-height z scores
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Outcome_Other
significant differences
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Outcome_Other
mean height-for-age
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Outcome_Other
weight-for-age
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Outcome_Other
weight-for-height z scores
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Outcome_Other
significant reduction
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Outcome_Physical
anthropometric outcomes
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Participant_Age
children
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Participant_Condition
trachoma
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Participant_Age
children
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Participant_Age
children aged 1 to 4 years
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Participant_Condition
azithromycin
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Participant_Age
children