Validation of skinfold measurements and bioelectrical impedance analysis in children with severe cerebral palsy: A review

• Published in: Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Vol. 29; no. 2; pp. 217 - 221
• Main Authors: Rieken, Rob, Calis, Elsbeth A.C, Tibboel, Dick, Evenhuis, Heleen M, Penning, Corine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-04-2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Body Composition; Cerebral palsy; Cerebral Palsy - physiopathology; Child; Child, Preschool; Electric Impedance; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy; Humans; Medical sciences; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Nutrition Assessment; Nutritional assessment; Nutritional Status; Physical Examination - methods; Skinfold Thickness; Validation Studies as Topic; Validity; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Cerebral palsy; percentage body fat; BF; FM; fat mass; FFM; DLW; Skinfold thickness; doubly labeled water; bioelectrical impedance analysis; dual x-ray absorptiometry; BIA; extracellular water; correlation coefficient; CC; fat free mass; TBW; CP; gastro-oesophageal reflux disease; Validity; Nutritional assessment; DEXA; ECW; total body water; GORD; Electric impedance; Human; Validation; Nervous system diseases; Central nervous system disease; Metabolic diseases; Review; Severe; Impedance; Child; Cerebral disorder
• ISSN: 0261-5614; 1532-1983
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2009.07.009

Summary Background & aims Accurately measuring nutritional status in children with severe cerebral palsy (CP) is a challenge. This review seeks to assess the validity of skinfold measurements and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) for measuring body composition in children with severe CP. Methods We executed a literature search on the validation of both methods in children with severe CP. To be eligible for inclusion, a study had to report on a statistical comparison between these two methods and any method of reference. The QUADAS tool was used for quality assessment. Results The search strategy resulted in 1549 studies of which 5 studies eventually met the inclusion criteria. When comparing body composition outcomes of skinfold measurements to a reference method, correlation coefficients were found ranging from 0.406 to 0.988. Correlation coefficients between body composition data of BIA and a reference method ranged from 0.515 to 0.95. Conclusions Although a number of authors found favorable agreement between skinfold measurements and BIA in comparison with reference methods, the small numbers studied, the lack of methodological quality measured by QUADAS, and the use of inappropriate analytical methods hamper solid conclusions.