[A comparison of 2 reference tables in nutritional anthropometric assessment]

The valuation of nutritional state of an individual is necessary to performed a correct diagnostic approach and therapy in each case. This valuation can be performed by biochemical or anthropometric methods. In our country two tables of anthropometric values are used (Alastrue et al. and Frisancho et al.). The aim of our work was to compare the utility of both tables in the nutritional valuation of a urban and rural population of Valladolid.

A total of 110 patients were valued biochemically and anthropometrically, presenting 65.5% pathology tumoral, with a 61.41 +/- 16.73 year old half age.

Tricipital pleat classified the patients in a similar way (agreement 76.5%, kappa 0.68), however the muscular circumference of the arm didn't classify the patients in a same way (agreement 23%, kappa 0.02). in the correlation analysis among anthropometrics and biochemical parameters, positive correlations were detected between tricipital pleat and the index of corporal mass with the glucemia and cholesterol values. Positive correlations were also detected between the muscular circumference of the arm and urea and potassium levels.

The anthropometric parameters are useful for the nutritional valuation of these patients but it is necessary to keep in mind the possible variations that can exist in function of the used tables. For it Would be useful that each geographical area and each group of pathologies even had its own table of percentiles in its normal population's function.