Assessing malnutrition in gastric carcinoma: bioelectrical impedance or clinical impression?

• Published in: Australian and New Zealand journal of surgery Vol. 62; no. 5; p. 390
• Main Authors: Crowe, P J, Snyman, A M, Dent, D M, Bunn, A E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia 01-05-1992
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Body Composition; Body Mass Index; Carcinoma - complications; Carcinoma - pathology; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nutrition Assessment; Plethysmography, Whole Body - standards; Protein-Energy Malnutrition - diagnosis; Protein-Energy Malnutrition - epidemiology; Protein-Energy Malnutrition - etiology; Sensitivity and Specificity; Serum Albumin - analysis; Skinfold Thickness; South Africa - epidemiology; Stomach Neoplasms - complications; Stomach Neoplasms - pathology; Transferrin - analysis; Weight Loss; South Africa
• ISSN: 0004-8682
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1992.tb07209.x

The value of bioelectrical impedance (BI) as an index of body composition was assessed in 32 patients with gastric carcinoma, 20 with advanced disease. Bioelectrical impedance was compared with standard nutritional parameters: weight, body mass index (BMI), albumin, transferrin and triceps skinfold thickness. There was no correlation between BI and these parameters with the exception of weight and BMI in the male patients. Clinical assessment of nutrition on the other hand correlated well with the standard parameters. Although BI may be a useful adjunct to the routine assessment of nutritional status in normal subjects, its use in clinical patients should be treated with caution, particularly in those with advanced gastrointestinal malignancy.