title: Bioelectrical impedance analysis of the body composition of Nigerian children with calcium-deficiency rickets.
abstract: Children with calcium-deficiency rickets experience increased urinary excretion of both essential and non-essential amino acids compared to non-rachitic children of the same age. Chronic wastage of amino acids into the urine could lead to a deficit in fat-free mass (FFM) in rachitic children. We therefore determined the FFM of children with calcium-deficiency rickets in northern Nigeria using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Because of the leg deformities present in the rachitic subjects, we calculated a 'corrected' height for each rachitic subject using the relationship between arm length and height in non-rachitic subjects over the same age range (r = 0.94). A total of 28 children (4 male and 24 female), 2-9 years of age with calcium-deficiency rickets and an equal number of age- and gender-matched controls were recruited into the study. Resistance and reactance measurements were obtained for all subjects and the total body water was calculated using age-specific equations. FFM was then calculated using age- and gender-specific hydration constants. No significant differences were found in the weights or FFM between the rachitic subjects and the controls (8.41 kg +/- 2.19 vs. 8.85 kg +/- 1.90, respectively). We conclude that chronic urinary wastage of amino acids by rachitic children does not result in a deficit in FFM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of New Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque 87131, USA.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: VanderJagt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Thacher
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Glew
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000652:urine; D001823:Body Composition; D001835:Body Weight; D002118:Calcium / Q000172:deficiency*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D012279:Rickets / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D002118:Calcium