Asociación entre el estado nutricional y la gastroenteritis por rotavirus en menores de 5 años, internados en el Hospital del Niño Dr. Francisco de Icaza Bustamante, período 2022-2024.

Abstract

Introduction: rotavirus gastroenteritis is one of the leading causes of childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in children under 5 years of age. In Ecuador, poor nutritional status modifies the clinical expression of this infection, increasing the risk of complications and prolonging hospitalization. Objective: to determine the association between nutritional status and the clinical severity of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children under 5 years of age hospitalized at the hospital del Niño Dr. Francisco De Icaza Bustamante, 2022-2024 period. Methods: observational, analytical, retrospective historical cohort study. A total of 200 patients under 5 years of age with confirmed rotavirus gastroenteritis were analyzed. Nutritional status was assessed using WHO anthropometric standards. Associations between nutritional status and severity variables were analyzed using the chi-square test and odds ratio (OR) with a 95 % confidence interval and p < 0.05. Results: the 12-23-month age group (41.0 %), male sex (56.5 %), and urban origin (75.5 %) predominated. Malnutrition affected 36.5 % of patients (undernutrition 28.0 %; overweight 8.5 %). Moderate or severe dehydration was present in 56.5 % and a severe Vesikari score in 81.0 %; mean hospital stay was 3.5 days and no deaths were recorded. Undernourished children had moderate/severe dehydration in 87.5 % of cases versus 44.1 % of well-nourished children (χ² = 29.94; p < 0.001; OR = 8.88; 95 % CI: 3.73-21.10) and longer hospital stays (4.5 vs. 3.1 days; p < 0.001). Lack of vaccination was associated with greater dehydration (OR = 3.65; 95 % CI: 1.73-7.72). Conclusion: deficient nutritional status was significantly associated with greater clinical severity of rotavirus gastroenteritis, confirming the study hypothesis. The coexistence of malnutrition and rotavirus infection constitutes a risk binomial that demands integrated strategies of nutritional screening, vaccination, and differentiated management.