CHAIN Network / CHAIN Cohort
A multinational collaboration studying why acutely ill or undernourished young children remain at risk during hospitalisation and for months after discharge.
Why this research began
A child who survives an acute admission may remain at considerable risk after going home. CHAIN studies the full pathway from acute illness through discharge and community recovery.
What the study asks
Which biological, nutritional, social and health-system factors contribute to mortality, readmission, poor growth and delayed recovery?
How the research works
The core cohort followed children across nutritional status during admission, discharge and scheduled follow-up around days 45, 90 and 180. Data include clinical, demographic, anthropometric, laboratory and social information with biological samples.
Who contributes
Young children admitted with acute illness across sites in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Where it takes place
The Malawi site at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital contributed alongside the wider CHAIN network.
Study objectives
Identify risks for death, readmission and poor recovery.
Connect clinical, nutritional, biological and social determinants.
Develop actionable targets for intervention studies.
Principal and contributing research team
Status and study timeline
- 01Hospital admission
- 02Discharge
- 03Day 45
- 04Day 90
- 05Day 180 and follow-on research
Participating and collaborating institutions
Publications and findings
task_altCHAIN has generated clinical, nutritional, biological and social evidence on vulnerability during admission and after discharge.
task_altFollow-on analyses and mechanistic studies continue through the wider network.
Patterns of dysglycemia identified by continuous glucose monitoring among critically ill children in Malawi and Bangladesh
Harawa, P.P.; Bourdon, C.; Khoshnevisan, F.; et al. — Preprint
Ten-year trends in clinical characteristics and outcome of children hospitalized with severe wasting or nutritional edema in Malawi (2011–2021)
Chisala, M.N.; Bourdon, C.; Chimwezi, E.; Daniel, A.I.; Makwinja, C.; et al. — PLOS ONE 19(12): e0311534
Childhood growth during recovery from acute illness in Africa and South Asia
CHAIN Network investigators — EClinicalMedicine
Predicting the risk of mortality during hospitalization in sick severely malnourished children using daily evaluation of key clinical warning signs
MNRG and collaborating investigators — BMC Medicine
Related news, documents and contact
Related updates
No related public updates have been published yet.
Study documents
Approved protocols, public summaries and shareable study materials are published through the research resources library.
Browse research resources arrow_forwardResearch contact
Contact MNRG for collaboration, study information or approved document requests.
Contact the research team arrow_forwardWhy it matters
CHAIN provides a platform for risk identification, mechanistic studies, multi-omics and trials targeting actionable intervention points.