Table 3 Thymus size and other characteristics in children during treatment of severe acute malnutrition, and in a group of healthy children^a

No. of children scanned

85

54

34

20

No. of children with visible thymus

74 (63)

87 (47)

100 (34)

100 (20)

Thymus area, cm^{2 b}

1.3 (1.0; 1.7)

1.6 (1.4; 2.1)

2.5 (2.1; 3.3)

3.5 (3.1; 3.8)

Time from admission scanned, days

1 (1; 1)

14 (12; 20)

56 (50; 57)

-

Time admitted, days

-

16 (13;22)

-

Weight gain, g/kg/day

-

5.9 (3.7; 8.3)

4.7 (3.0; 6.4)

-

Weight, kg

6.8 ± 1.5

7.6 ± 1.4

8.5 ± 1.3

11.2

Length, cm

72.7 ± 5.7

72.2 ± 5.2

73.6 ± 5.6

80.7 ± 9.3

Weight-for-age, z-score^c

- 3.9 ± 1.2

- 3.1 ± 1.1

−2.2 ± 1.0

0.0 ± 1.0

Length-for-age, z-score

- 3.1 ± 1.4

−3.4 ± 1.2

−3.2 ± 1.1

−0.9 ± 1.2

Weight-for-length, z-score^c

- 3.4 ± 1.4

- 1.78 ± 1.1

−0.7 ± 0.9

0.6 ± 0.9

  < −2 and > −3

23 (20)

22 (12)

9 (3)

0 (0)

  < − 3

60 (52)

17 (9)

0 (0)

0 (0)

Mid-upper arm circumference, cm

11.6 ± 1.4

12.0 ± 1.1

12.9 ± 1.1

14.9

Boys

66 (69)

65 (35)

56 (19)

55 (11)

Age, months

16.0 (13.0; 22.7)

16.7 (13.5; 23.9)

17.8 (14.9; 26.0)

20.6 (12.0; 34.4)

Currently breastfeeding

16 (13)

-

-

50 (10)

Hemoglobin, g/dl

9.0 ± 2.3

9.7 ± 1.9

-

10.2 ± 1.5

Plasma C-reactive protein, mg/L

19.6 (8.8; 31.2)

0.4 (0.2; 1.9)

-

0.8 (0.2;2.8)

Plasma α₁-acid glycoprotein, g/L

2.37 ± 0.73

1.09 ± 0.39

-

0.83 ± 0.30