Bioelectrical impedance phase angle and nutritional status in children with intestinal failure on prolonged parenteral nutrition

TL;DR

This study compares the bioelectrical impedance phase angle in children with intestinal failure on long-term nutrition support versus healthy children.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into nutritional status and bioelectrical impedance in children with intestinal failure.

Findings

Children with intestinal failure had significantly lower weight and height z-scores compared to controls.

There was no significant difference in phase angle between the study and control groups.

Prematurity was more common in children with intestinal failure but not correlated with phase angle.

Abstract

To compare the phase angle (PhA) through bioelectrical impedance (BIA) of children with intestinal failure (IF) using prolonged parenteral nutrition (PN) followed by an Intestinal Rehabilitation Program, with a control group.

Children under 10 years of age with IF using prolonged PN for >60 days (study group) were included. The control group consisted of healthy children without chronic pathologies, matched by sex and age. Anthropometric parameters evaluated were: weight, height, weight/age z-score (W/A), height/age z-score (H/A), BMI, BMI/A z-score, arm circumference, triceps skinfold, subscapular skinfold, mid-arm muscle circumference. BIA parameters were resistance (R), reactance (Xc), and phase angle (PhA).

Twenty-eight children were included in the study group, median (IQR) age was 11 (8–27) months, 53.6 % were male. In the control group, 28 children were included, median (IQR) age was 12.5 (8–24.7) months, 50 % were male. Children from the study group had W/A z-scores and H/A z-scores significantly lower than controls. There was no significant difference between PhA in the study group and controls, [median (IQR) 4.3° (3.8;4.6) vs 4.0° (3.8;5.4) respectively, p = 0.980]. Prematurity was significantly higher in the study group than in the controls, but there was no significant correlation between gestational age at birth and PhA of the children from the study group.

Children with IF using prolonged PN showed lower W/A and H/A compared to the control group, but without significant difference between the PhA of children with IF compared to controls.