Body water distribution in newborn infants appropriate for gestational age.
Total body water (TBW), extracellular water (ECW) and intracellular water (ICW) were measured within 6 h of birth in 99 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants. The two groups of infants included were term (mean +/- SD gestation 272 +/- 7 days) and preterm (mean +/- SD gestation 238 +/- 11 days) infants. The mean TBW +/- SD was 777 +/- 26 ml/kg in preterm infants and 737 +/- 26 ml/kg in term infants. The corresponding ECW was 349 +/- 26 ml/kg and 331 +/- 30 ml/kg respectively. Weight was the best correlate of TBW (r = 0.98) and ECW (r = 0.92) volumes. TBW per unit of body weight showed significant decline with increasing gestation (r = -0.54) and birth weight (r = -0.51). ICW per kg showed a moderate correlation with TBW (r = 0.63), whereas ECW per kg had a low correlation (r = 0.35) with it. TBW/kg in our infants was comparable to infants from other ethnic groups. ICW/kg, however, was consistently higher and ECW/kg lower at all stages of maturation in Indian infants as compared to Caucacian and Negroid infants.
Singhi
S C
SC
Department of Paediatrics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh.
Ganguli
N K
NK
Bhakoo
O N
ON
Dhall
K
K
Sood
V
V
Kaur
A
A
D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D001834:Body Water / Q000378:metabolism*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*