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Prediction of body water compartments in preterm infants by bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 67, pages S47–S53 (2013)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

To evaluate nutritional interventions in preterm infants, a simple, accurate assessment of the type of growth, that is, change in body composition through the relative contributions of lean body tissue and fat mass to weight gain, is needed. Bioelectrical impedance may provide such a method. The aim of this study was to develop resistivity coefficients appropriate for use in bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS) analysis of body water volumes in preterm infants.

Subjects/Methods:

A total of 99 preterm infants were enrolled (mean gestational age 32 completed weeks). Total body water (TBW) and extracellular water (ECW) were determined using the reference methods of deuterium and bromide dilution. BIS measurements taken at the same time allowed calculation of resistivity coefficients. Predictions of TBW and ECW obtained using these coefficients were then validated against volumes determined using the reference methods in a separate cohort of infants.

Results:

Data were available for 91 preterm infants. BIS-predicted TBW and ECW correlated well with the measured volumes (Pearson’s rp=0.825 and 0.75, respectively). There was a small bias (TBW 10 ml and ECW 40 ml) but large limits of agreement (TBW±650 ml and ECW ±360 ml).

Conclusions:

BIS appears to have limited clinical utility; however, the relatively small bias means that it may be useful for measurements within a population or for comparisons between groups in which population means rather than individual values are compared.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation, Adelaide, South Australia, the International Atomic Energy Association and the Department of Neonatal Medicine, Women’s and Children’s Hospital Consultant’s Fund. Publication of this article was supported by a grant from seca Gmbh & Co. KG, Hamburg, Germany.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. FOODplus Research Centre, Women’s and Children’s Health Research Institute, Women’s and Children’s Hospital and Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    C T Collins, J Reid & M Makrides

  2. Discipline of Paediatrics, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    C T Collins, J Reid & M Makrides

  3. UQ Centre for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    B E Lingwood

  4. Department Neonatal Medicine, Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    A J McPhee

  5. Centre for Perinatal Medicine Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    S A Morris

  6. FOODplus Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    R A Gibson

  7. School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    L C Ward

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Correspondence to C T Collins.

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Competing interests

MM has received grant support from Mead Johnson Nutrition and the Australian Egg Corporation Limited (AECL). MM’s host institution received consultant fees from Fonterra and Nestle Nutrition Institute. RAG’s host institution received consultant fees from Fonterra. LCW has consulted to ImpediMed Ltd. ImpediMed Ltd. had no involvement in the conception and execution of this study, analysis, interpretation or in the preparation of the manuscript. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Collins, C., Reid, J., Makrides, M. et al. Prediction of body water compartments in preterm infants by bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy. Eur J Clin Nutr 67 (Suppl 1), S47–S53 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2012.164

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