Decreased Bioelectrical Impedance Phase Angle in Hospitalized Children and Adolescents with Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the body composition and nutritional status of hospitalized pediatric patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes by using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) with phase angle (PA) calculation. PA is considered to be a useful and very sensitive indicator of the nutritional and functional status, and it has not yet been evaluated in such a population. Sixty-three pediatric patients aged 4 to 18 years, with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes, were included in the study. The control group consisted of 63 healthy children and adolescents strictly matched by gender and age in a 1:1 case: control manner. In both groups, BIA with PA calculation was performed. Diabetic patients, in comparison to control subjects, had a highly significantly lower PA of 4.85 ± 0.86 vs. 5.62 ± 0.81, p < 0.001. They also demonstrated a lower percentage of body cell mass (BCM%), 46.89 ± 5.67% vs. 51.40 ± 4.19%, p < 0.001; a lower body cell mass index (BCMI), 6.57 ± 1.80% vs. 7.37 ± 1.72%, p = 0.004; and a lower percentage of muscle mass (MM%), 44.61 ± 6.58% vs. 49.40 ± 7.59%, p < 0.001, compared to non-diabetic controls. The significantly lower PA value in diabetic patients indicate their worse nutritional and functional status compared to healthy subjects. To assess the predictive and prognostic value of this finding in this population, further prospective studies involving larger sample of patients are required.

Body Composition Characteristics of Type 1 Diabetes Children and Adolescents: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study in Uganda

“…High HbA1c values reflect a general lack of tight glycaemic control among the diabetic children in our sample. This corresponded to the lower phase angle observed among diabetic children as similarly reported by [ 10 , 21 , 36 ]. Bioelectrical phase angle represents a clinically important indicator independent of regression algorithms and assumptions that can be used as a diagnostic tool and a marker of cell mass and general health status [ 37 , 38 ].…”

Malnutrition-Inflammation Score VS Phase Angle in the Era of GLIM Criteria: A Cross-Sectional Study among Hemodialysis Patients in UAE

“…PhA is proportional to the ratio of reactance and resistance between body cell mass and fat-free mass [14], and is assumed to indicate cell integrity [15]. In various clinical fields, PhA was shown to be a reliable marker for the detection of early malnutrition [16,17].…”

The nutritional status of healthy children using bioelectrical impedance and anthropometric measurement

“… 6 BIA can be successfully used in healthy 7 and sick children, 8 as published by the authors’ research team in the last 3 years. 9 , 10 , 11 …”