Static skinfold thickness in African newborns as an index of fetal nutritional assessment.
BACKGROUND
Fetal malnutrition (FM) has grave implications for the neonate and is reliably assessed by the CANSCORE which is time-consuming. Static skinfold thickness, a measure of adiposity, is a validated method of assessing malnutrition in older children.


OBJECTIVE
To establish if static skinfold measurements in neonates can serve as a reliable measure of FM.


OBJECTIVE
To compare static skinfold thickness measurements in neonates using the CANSCORE for the identification of FM.


METHODS
252 consecutive term neonates delivered at University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria had their CANSCOREs and static skinfold thickness measured within 24 hours of delivery. Using correlation and linear regression analysis, static skinfold thickness cut-off points for FM were determined using a reference CANSCORE of <25.


RESULTS
Prevalence of FM was 20.2% and 26.2% using the CANSCORE and the sum of five skinfold thickness measurements, respectively. The mean (SD) skinfold thicknesses were triceps 3.91 mm (0.74), biceps 2.84 mm (0.55), subscapular 3.79 mm (0.91), supra-iliac 2.64 mm (0.62), quadriceps 4.43 mm (1) and the sum of all measurements 17.61 mm (3.16). All the skinfold thickness measurements correlated significantly with the CANSCORE, but the sum of the five had the best correlation. The quadriceps had the highest specificity of 85.6% and lowest sensitivity of 54.9%, while the sum of all had a sensitivity of 66.7% and specificity of 84.0%.


CONCLUSIONS
The sum of all five skinfold measurements might be a useful screening tool for FM in view of its objectivity, convenience and simplicity, but it is not sufficiently sensitive or specific to replace the CANSCORE in the identification of FM in neonates.
College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. ktongo2@yahoo.com
Olukemi O
OO
Tongo
Samuel O
SO
Ajayi
Babatunde O
BO
Ogunbosi
Adebola E
AE
Orimadegun
Olusegun O
OO
Akinyinka
D015510:Clinical Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D048070:Fetal Nutrition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012885:Skinfold Thickness