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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #289443
Title: Evaluation of air-displacement plethysmography for body composition assessment in preterm infants

Author
item ROGGERO, PAOLA - University Of Milan
item GIANNI, MARIA - University Of Milan
item AMATO, ORSOLA - University Of Milan
item PIEMONTESE, PASQUA - University Of Milan
item MORNIROLI, DANIELA - University Of Milan
item WONG, WILLIAM - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item MOSCA, FABIO - University Of Milan

Submitted to: Pediatric Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/26/2012
Publication Date: 9/1/2012
Citation: Roggero, P., Gianni, M.L., Amato, O., Piemontese, P., Morniroli, D., Wong, W.W., Mosca, F. 2012. Evaluation of air-displacement plethysmography for body composition assessment in preterm infants. Pediatric Research. 72(3):316-320.

Interpretive Summary: To monitor growth in preterm infants, accurate and noninvasive method is needed to measure the amount of body fat and muscle mass in these tiny infants. We tested an air-displacement plethysmography system to measure body fat in 70 preterm and 9 full-term infants. The method is based on pressure changes when an infant is placed inside the clear chamber of the instrument. The results were compared to those obtained using the reference stable oxygen-18 isotope dilution method. Percent body fat measured using the air-displacement plethysmography agreed with those obtained using the reference method. More importantly, no difference was found in the percent body fat measured by two different air-displacement plethysmorgraphy instruments. Therefore, our results showed that air-displacement plethysmorgraphy is a noninvasive, reliable and accurate method to measure body fat in preterm infants.

Technical Abstract: Adiposity may contribute to the future risk of disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of an air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) system to estimate percentage fat mass (%FM) in preterm infants and to evaluate interdevice reliability in infants. A total of 70 preterm and 9 full-term infants were assessed. The accuracy of ADP measurements was assessed by determining reference %FM values using H2 18O dilution measurement. Mean %FM by ADP was 5.67 +/- 1.84 and mean %FM by H2 18O dilution was 5.99 +/- 2.56. Regression analysis showed that %FM by ADP was associated with %FM by H2 18O dilution (R2 = 0.63, SE of estimate (SEE) = 1.65, P = 0.006). Bland–Altman analysis showed no bias (r = -0.48, P = 0.16) and 95% limits of agreement were -3.40 to 2.76 %FM. There was no difference in mean interdevice reliability %FM values (8.97 vs. 8.55 %FM) between ADP 1 and 2. Regression analysis indicated a low SEE (1.14% FM) and high R2 (0.91); 95% limits of agreement were -1.87 to 2.71 %FM. The regression line did not differ significantly from the line of identity. ADP is a noninvasive, reliable, and accurate technique to measure preterm infants’ body composition in both research and clinical settings.