Background
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a disease caused by a protozoa parasite. VL can lead to death if untreated. Poor nutritional status hastens the progression of VL infection, and VL worsens malnutrition status. Moreover, malnutrition is one of the poor prognostic factors identified for Leishmaniasis treatment. However, the effects of nutritional supplementation in people treated for VL are not known.
Objectives
To assess the effects of oral nutritional supplements in people being treated with anti-leishmanial drug therapy for VL.
Search methods
We searched CENTRAL, the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group (CIDG) Specialized Register, MEDLINE, Embase, and LILACS, and two trial registers up to September 2017, together with conference proceedings, WHO consultative meetings reports, reference checking, and contact with experts and nutritional supplements companies.
Selection criteria
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-randomised controlled trials (quasi-RCTs), and non-randomized controlled trials (NRCTs) of any oral nutritional supplement, as compared to no nutritional intervention, placebo, or dietary advice alone, in people being treated for visceral leishmaniasis.
Data collection and analysis
Two review authors independently decided on the selection of the studies. We planned to extract data and assess the risk of bias of the included studies by two review authors independently. We foresaw to follow the Cochrane standard methodological procedures for assessing risk of bias and analysing the data.
Main results
We identified no eligible studies for this review, either completed or ongoing.
Authors' conclusions
We found no studies, either completed or ongoing, assessing the effects of oral nutritional supplements in people with VL being treated with anti-leishmanial drug therapy. Thus, we cannot conclude on the impact of these interventions in terms of primary cure of VL, definitive cure of VL, treatment completion, self-reported recovery from illness or resolution of symptoms, weight gain, increased skinfold thickness, or other measures of lean or total mass, or growth in children.
CUSTODIO CEREZALES Estefania;
LOPEZ ALCALDE Jesus;
HERRERO Merce;
BOUZA Carmen;
JIMENEZ Carolina;
STORCKSDIECK GENANNT BONSMANN Stefan;
MOURATIDOU Theodora;
LOPEZ-CUADRADO Teresa;
BENITO Agustin;
ALVAR Jorge;
2018-07-19
WILEY-BLACKWELL
JRC111123
1469-493X,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29578237,
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC111123,
10.1002/14651858.CD012261.pub2,
