Nuchal Skinfold Thickness: A Novel Parameter for Assessment of Body Composition in Childhood Craniopharyngioma

Abstract

Context:Hypothalamic obesity, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and relapse/progression have a major impact on prognosis in childhood-onset craniopharyngioma (CP). We analyzed nuchal skinfold thickness (NST) on magnetic resonance imaging performed for follow-up monitoring as a novel parameter for body composition (BC) and CVD in CP.Objective:The objective of the study was to identify the association of NST with body mass index (BMI), waist to height ratio (WHtR), functional capacity, and blood pressure (BP) in CP and controls.Design:This was a cross-sectional and longitudinal prospective study in CP patients.Setting:The study was conducted at HIT-Endo, KRANIOPHARYNGEOM 2000/2007.Patients:Participants included 94 CP patients and 75 controls.Interventions:There were no interventions.Main Outcome Measures:Association of NST with BC and BP in 43 CP and 43 controls was measured.Results:NST correlated with BMI SD score (SDS; r = 0.78; P < .001; n = 169) and WHtR (r = 0.85; P < .001; n = 86) in the total cohort and CP patients (NST-BMI SDS: r = 0.77, P < .001, n = 94); NST-WHtR: r = 0.835, P < .001, n=43) and controls (NST-BMI SDS: r = 0.792, P < .001, n = 75; NST-WHtR: r = 0.671, P < .001, n = 43). In CP, systolic BP correlated with NST (r = 0.575, P < .001), BMI SDS (r = 0.434, P = .004), and WHtR (r = 0.386, P = .011). Similar results were observed for diastolic BP in CP. In multivariate analyses, NST had a predictive value for hypertension in postpubertal CP and controls (odds ratio 6.98, 95% confidence interval [1.65, 29.5], P = .008). During a longitudinal follow-up, changes in NST correlated with changes in BMI SDS (P < .001) and WHtR (P = .01) but not with changes in BP and functional capacity.Conclusions:Because monitoring of magnetic resonance imaging and BC is essential for follow-up in CP, NST could serve as a novel and clinically relevant parameter for longitudinal assessment of BC and CVD risk in CP.

Machine learning improves early prediction of small‐for‐gestational‐age births and reveals nuchal fold thickness as unexpected predictor

“…There is scarce literature on reduced fetal nuchal fold thickness, but a recent study in adults found that nuchal fold thickness was positively correlated with body mass index. 53 We hypothesize that the reduced nuchal fold thickness in SGA is likely due to reduced nuchal adipose tissue, which would be a logical consequence of the reduced growth rates.…”

Body composition and nuchal skinfold thickness in pediatric brain tumor patients

“…In our previous study 25 , analyzing NST on cranial MRIs of craniopharyngioma patients performed during follow-up monitoring, we reported on NST as a new parameter for body composition assessment. We observed that NST was associated with other parameters of body composition such as body mass index, caliper-measured skinfold thickness, and waist-to-height ratio.…”

“…Serum concentrations of free fatty acid are mainly determined by the upper-body subcutaneous fat compartment, indicating that this compartment plays an important role as speci c risk factor for cardiovascular disease 20 . We could previously show that nuchal skinfold thickness (NST) -as assessed in MRI of craniopharyngioma patients -serves as a predictor of metabolic risk above and beyond waist circumference and body mass index in craniopharyngioma patients [21][22][23][24][25] .…”

Nuchal Skinfold Thickness in Pediatric Brain Tumor Patients

“…In our previous study ( 27 ), analyzing NST on cranial MRIs of craniopharyngioma patients performed during follow-up monitoring, we reported on NST as a new parameter for body composition assessment. We observed that NST was associated with other parameters of body composition such as BMI, caliper-measured skinfold thickness, and waist-to-height ratio.…”

“…Serum concentrations of free fatty acid are mainly determined by the upper-body subcutaneous fat compartment, indicating that this compartment plays an important role as specific risk factor for cardiovascular disease ( 22 ). We could previously show that nuchal skinfold thickness (NST) – as assessed in MRI of craniopharyngioma patients – serves as a predictor of metabolic risk above and beyond waist circumference and BMI in craniopharyngioma patients ( 23 – 27 ).…”