title: Standardized phase angle from bioelectrical impedance analysis as prognostic factor for survival in patients with cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Phase angle (PA), determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), has been considered as a prognostic factor in several clinical conditions. The purpose of this study is to investigate PA, after adjusting for sex and age (standardized phase angle; SPA) as a prognostic factor for survival in cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was conducted in 195 patients before the first chemotherapy course. BIA was performed in all patients and SPA was calculated. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival. The Cox regression method was used to evaluate the independent prognostic effect of PA after adjustment for other variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with SPA < -1.65 had a smaller survival rate than those with SPA ≥ -1.65 (p < 0.001). Using Cox regression, the mortality rate was higher in patients with SPA < -1.65 (RR 3.12 CI: 2.03-4.79; p < 0.001). After multivariate analysis, patients with PA < -1.65 still presented a higher mortality rate (RR 2.35 CI: 1.41-3.90; p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrates that PA, used as SPA, is an independent prognostic indicator in this group of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy treatment even after adjustment for other prognostic variables.
authors.affiliation: Post-graduate Program, Health and Behaviour, Catholic University of Pelotas, Rua Porto Alegre 492, 96090-520 Pelotas, RS, Brazil. vanapaiva@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Silvana Iturriet
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Paiva
authors.forename: Lúcia R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Halpern-Silveira
authors.forename: M Cecília F
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Assunção
authors.forename: Aluisio J D
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: M Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D055815:Young Adult