Oedematous malnutrition among admitted low birth weight neonates receiving parenteral feeding in selected hospitals in Ethiopia

Oedematous malnutrition is a severe form of malnutrition characterized by generalized swelling, fluid retention and nutritional deficiencies, which affects preterm and low‐birth‐weight (LBW) infants significantly. However, there is limited data among LBW neonates in low‐income countries.To identify the prevalence and factors associated with oedematous malnutrition among LBW neonates receiving parenteral feeding in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of public hospitals in Addis Ababa City.An institution‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted from March to June 2022. A multistage sampling technique was utilized to select samples, and a pretested questionnaire and checklist were used to collect the data. Bi‐variable and multivariable logistic regression were done to identify factors associated with oedematous malnutrition. Statistical significance was declared at a p‐value less than 0.05.Two hundred eighty‐nine LBW neonates receiving parenteral feeding were evaluated for oedematous malnutrition, of which 27 (9.34%) neonates developed it. Gestational age less than 32 weeks (adjusted odd ratios [AOR]: 6.74 95% CI: 1.456−31.27) and above 37 weeks (AOR: 12.36 95% CI: 1.44−105.69), thrombocytopenia (AOR: 4.208 95% CI: 1.12−15.78), receiving parenteral feeding for 7−14 days (AOR: 8.61 95% CI: 1.33−55.52) and more than 14 days (AOR: 21.10 95% CI: 2.89−153.94) were significantly associated with oedematous malnutrition.This study identified that a significant number of neonates developed oedematous malnutrition, and gestational age, thrombocytopenia and length of admission had a significant association with oedematous malnutrition among LBW neonates. It is crucial to reevaluate the quality of care in the NICU and implement an improvement project to decrease the length of parenteral feedings.