Risk factors and mortality rate of acute cancrum oris (noma) in Sokoto North-West Nigeria: A 13-year survey

Noma is commonly seen in children with extreme poverty, severe malnutrition, and limited access to quality health care. To review the records of children with acute noma and associated risk factors at Noma Children Hospital, Sokoto, North-West Nigeria. A retrospective study of acute noma at NOMA Children Hospital, Sokoto between 1999 and 2011. Age, gender, associated risk factors, and number of deaths were retrieved and data analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows Version 20 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corporation, NY, USA). Correlation and linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between risk factor and mortality. Results were presented as simple frequencies and descriptive statistics. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. A total of 159 cases had acute cancrum oris during the study. Mean age was 3.34 ± 2.2. There is female preponderance with a female to male ratio of 1.24:1. Measles as risk factor constitute the majority of the patients 75 (47.2%), followed by protein-energy-malnutrition 67 (42.1%). No risk factor in 11 (6.9%) cases. One hundred and twenty patients (75.5%) survived the disease while 29 (18.2%) died. Measles and malnutrition have been identified as the most common risk factors, and mortality rate of 24.5% reported. Efforts should be made by medical professionals to correct acute malnutrition.