[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.
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, 50670-901, Brasil. joseleao@bol.com.br
José Carneiro
JC
Leão Filho
Pedro Israel Cabral
PI
de Lira
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