1. ¹Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Royal Children's Hospital, Herston, Qld, Australia
2. ²Children's Nutrition Research Centre, Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Royal Children's Hospital, University of Queensland, Herston, Qld, Australia
3. ³Haematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant Unit, Royal Children's Hospital, Herston, Qld, Australia
4. ⁴Education and Staff Development Centre, Royal Children's Hospital, Herston, Qld, Australia

Correspondence: Dr M White, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Royal Children's Hospital, 3rd Floor Coles Building, Herston, Brisbane, Qld 4029, Australia. E-mail: Melinda_White@health.qld.gov.au

Received 16 August 2004; Accepted 21 December 2004; Published online 14 March 2005.

Abstract

The aims of this study were to establish the nutritional status of children pre-BMT and to determine whether predictive methods of assessing nutritional status and resting energy expenditure (REE) are accurate in this population. We analysed the body cell mass (BCM) (n=26) and REE (n=24) in children undergoing BMT. BCM was adjusted for height (BCM/HT^p) and expressed as a Z score to represent nutritional status. To determine whether body mass index (BMI) was indicative of nutritional status in children undergoing BMT, BMI Z scores were compared to the reference method of BCM/HT^p Z scores. Schofield predictive equations of basal metabolic rate (BMR) were compared to measured REE to evaluate the accuracy of the predictive equations. The mean BCM/HT^p Z score for the subject population was -1.091.28. There was no significant relationship between BCM/HT^p Z score and BMI Z score (r=0.34; P>0.05); however there was minimal difference between measured REE and predicted BMR (bias=-11149 kcal/day). The results of this study demonstrate that children undergoing BMT may have suboptimal nutritional status and that BMI is not an accurate indication of nutritional status in this population. However, Schofield equations were found to be suitable for representing REE in children pre-BMT.