The interobserver reproducibility of bioelectrical impedance analysis measurements in infants and toddlers.
Although nomograms to convert readings of resistance (R) and reactance (Xc) into estimates of body composition have begun to emerge for children as well as adults, there has been reluctance to use bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in very young children due to the irritability of children, measurement instability, positioning of electrodes, and, of course, reproducibility of measurements. The precision of completely independent measurements of BIA indices was evaluated by two observers by comparing a series of 40 measurements of R and Xc and 36 measurements for weight in four malnourished children on 10 different days during the course of their nutritional recuperation. For weight, the CV (coefficient of variation) was 3.5% for observer A and 3.8% for observer B. There were no differences in the means across observers with respect to weight, R, and Xc. The results obtained in this study illustrate that properly trained observers following the same standards can produce equivalent data for BIA and weight measurements even in sick children.
Vettorazzi
C
C
Center for Studies of Sensory Impairment, Aging, and Metabolism, Research Branch, Dr. Rodolfo Robles V Hospital, Guatemala City, Guatemala.
Smits
E
E
Solomons
N W
NW
D001823:Body Composition; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results