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Published on: December 31, 2015
Evaluation of air-displacement plethysmography for body composition assessment in preterm infants
Paola Roggero1, Maria L Giannì, Orsola Amato
1Department of Maternal and Pediatric Sciences, Fondazione IRCCS Ca'Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Italy. paola.roggero@unimi.it
Insights
Air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) accurately measures fat mass in preterm infants. This reliable, noninvasive method is suitable for research and clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neonatology
- Body Composition Analysis
Background:
- Adiposity is linked to future disease risk.
- Accurate body composition assessment is crucial for infant health.
- Preterm infants require specialized methods for body composition analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the accuracy of air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) for estimating fat mass in preterm infants.
- To assess the reliability of ADP in measuring body composition.
- To determine interdevice reliability of ADP systems in infants.
Main Methods:
- Seventy preterm and 9 full-term infants were included.
- Air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) was used to measure body composition.
- H(2)(18)O dilution was employed as the reference method for fat mass (FM) determination.
Main Results:
- ADP measurements of %FM showed strong association with H(2)(18)O dilution (R2 = 0.63).
- Bland-Altman analysis indicated no significant bias between ADP and reference methods.
- Interdevice reliability for ADP was high, with a low SEE (1.14% FM) and high R2 (0.91).
Conclusions:
- Air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) is a reliable and accurate noninvasive technique.
- ADP is suitable for measuring body composition in preterm infants.
- The findings support the use of ADP in both research and clinical settings for preterm infants.
Background:
Adiposity may contribute to the future risk of disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of an air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) system to estimate percentage fat mass (%FM) in preterm infants and to evaluate interdevice reliability in infants.
Methods:
A total of 70 preterm and 9 full-term infants were assessed. The accuracy of ADP measurements was assessed by determining reference %FM values using H(2)(18)O dilution measurement.
Results:
Mean %FM by ADP was 5.67 ± 1.84 and mean %FM by H(2)18O dilution was 5.99 ± 2.56. Regression analysis showed that %FM by ADP was associated with %FM by H(2)(18)O dilution (R2 = 0.63, SE of estimate (SEE) = 1.65, P = 0.006). Bland-Altman analysis showed no bias (r = -0.48, P = 0.16) and 95% limits of agreement were -3.40 to 2.76 %FM. There was no difference in mean interdevice reliability %FM values (8.97 vs. 8.55 %FM) between ADP 1 and 2. Regression analysis indicated a low SEE (1.14% FM) and high R2 (0.91); 95% limits of agreement were -1.87 to 2.71 %FM. The regression line did not differ significantly from the line of identity.
Conclusion:
ADP is a noninvasive, reliable, and accurate technique to measure preterm infants' body composition in both research and clinical settings.
