Background: Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) is one of the most common health problems. Children suffering
from SAM frequently exhibit cardiovascular abnormalities leading to morbidity and mortality. We evaluated
myocardial performance index (MPI) to measure both systolic and diastolic functions of the heart.
Methods: Hospital based prospective study in which we enrolled 100 children with SAM aged 6 months to 5 years
admitted in malnutrition treatment centre (MTC), Bal Chikitaslya, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. All the children
underwent a detailed clinical and echocardiographic evaluation. The different echocardiographic variables along with
MPI were calculated.
Results: Out of 100 children majority of study population was in <-3SD, Z-score and <-4 SD, Z-score (63%),
although extremes like <-5 SD to <-7SD, Z-score were also noted in 35% of children. In echocardigraphic variables
ventricular function as mean ejection fraction was normal (70.69±9.57). The mean MPI was 0.41±0.11 with p-value
of <0.001.
Conclusions: MPI in SAM children was abnormally high inspite of normal ejection fraction. This can be used in
children with SAM as early marker of ventricular dysfunction even before ejection fraction starts declining.