Azithromycin as extra treatment for uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition
Azithromycin as adjunctive treatment for uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition: the AMOUR trial
This project compares giving azithromycin, amoxicillin, or a placebo to young children with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition to see which helps them gain weight and recover.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11462170 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If your child has uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition, they could be randomly assigned to receive a single course of azithromycin, amoxicillin, or a placebo and then followed over time. Researchers will track weight gain, nutritional recovery, and changes in the gut microbiome. The work builds on prior findings that mass azithromycin reduced child mortality in parts of sub‑Saharan Africa and on a pilot showing rapid enrollment is possible. The goal is to find whether azithromycin helps children with SAM recover better than amoxicillin or no antibiotic.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Young children in the trial area who have uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition and meet the outpatient treatment criteria would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Children with complicated SAM who need inpatient medical care, or those with other serious illnesses, would not be expected to benefit from this outpatient-focused trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the trial could identify a more effective antibiotic approach that improves recovery and survival for children with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition.
How similar studies have performed: Previous randomized trials of amoxicillin for uncomplicated SAM gave mixed results, while separate large programs of mass azithromycin have reduced child mortality, so using azithromycin for SAM is promising but not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Oldenburg, Catherine Elizabeth — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Oldenburg, Catherine Elizabeth
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.