Inflammation: the driver of poor outcomes among children with severe acute malnutrition?

This narrative review summarizes evidence on the role of inflammation in the multisystem pathophysiology of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children. The authors synthesize findings indicating that SAM is characterized by heightened intestinal and systemic inflammation, which may explain the increased morbidity and mortality from infections both during hospitalization and after discharge. Limitations include the difficulty in distinguishing effects of malnutrition alone from those of concurrent infections, and the heterogeneity of study populations. The authors conclude that recognizing inflammation's role is critical for developing new therapeutic targets and that anti-inflammatory treatments are not currently part of standard care.