[Study of body proportionality using Rohrer s Ponderal Index and degree of intrauterine growth retardation in full-term neonates].
An observational, cross-sectional study was used to describe the anthropometric characteristics of 549 full-term neonates with respect to body proportionality. The anthropometric measures used were: weight (W), length (L), head circumference (HC), Rohrer s Ponderal Index (PI), W/HC ratio, and L/HC ratio. Severity of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) was studied through z-score distribution. Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) was defined as a z-score value < -2, and the cutoff for PI, W/HC, and L/HC was determined as the mean minus one standard deviation for the local reference population. Based on PI, 72.8% of SGA neonates and 12.8% of appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) neonates were disproportionate. Based on the L/HC ratio the results were 25.6% and 11.6%, respectively, while with the W/HC ratio, all SGA and 16.3% of AGA neonates were disproportionate. According to all criteria there was an observed significant linear tendency to increase the disproportionality as IUGR increased.
Leão Filho
José Carneiro
JC
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, 50670-901, Brasil. joseleao@bol.com.br
de Lira
Pedro Israel Cabral
PI
D000886:Anthropometry; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D001824:Body Constitution; D001827:Body Height; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008297:Male; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors