Three-month experience of an outpatient office of nutritional support after evaluation of body synthesis with bioelectrical impedance analysis under the auspices of the ICU

Objective

To show our experience gained during a 3-month service of an outpatient office of nutritional support under the auspices of the ICU. We examined body synthesis with the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) apparatus in relation with a medical history and nutritional habits, and we tried to find any significant difference in body components according to their main disease.

Materials and methods

Seventy-seven patients were examined and we obtained their BIA analysis (64 females [F], 13 males [M]). We categorised the patients in groups from Group A, as control, to Group H, according to their disease owing to which they wanted to know their body profile. We present their BIA values (body mass index [BMI], TBW, FM, ECM, BCM, ECM/BCM, PA, and BMR), giving descriptive statistics about age, height, and weight. Group A: healthy persons, 37/77. Group B: thyroid disease, 6/77. Group C: arterial hypertension, 4/77. Group D: hyperlipidemia, 4/77. Group E: diabetes mellitus, 3/77. Group F: postmenopausal syndrome, 3/77. Group G: combined diseases, 13/77. Group H: others, 8/77. Then we applied a t test between Group A and each of the other Groups B, C, D, E, F, G, and H, between males and females of group A.

Results

Demographic data are similar between groups. Mean values for each group and parameter measured are: Group A: BMI 27.78 (M = 30.10, F = 27.03), TBW 39.33 (M = 51.17, F = 35.53), FM 23.37 (M = 22.97, F = 23.50), PA 6.03 (M = 6.79, F = 5.79), ECM 25.5 (M = 30.91, F = 23.81), BCM 28.19 (M = 39.00, F = 24.71), ECM/BCM 0.94 (M = 0.82, F = 0.97), BMR 1506.76 (M = 1847, F = 1397). Group B: BMI 29.38, TBW 34.88, FM 29.36, PA 6.06, ECM 22.7, BCM 24.9, ECM/BCM 0.91, BMR 1401.67. Group C: BMI 29.65, TBW 40.95, FM 26.8, PA 6.02, ECM 26.9, BCM 29.05, ECM/BCM 0.96, BMR 1532.5. Group D: BMI 28.4, TBW 34.7, FM 26, PA 6.76, ECM 21.2, BCM 26.4, ECM/BCM 0.82, BMR 1450. Group E: BMI 25.36, TBW 44.16, FM 14.9, PA 6.43, ECM 27.43, BCM 32.9, ECM/BCM 0.8, BMR 1656.6. Group F: BMI 30.4, TBW 37.6, FM 31.56, PA 6.2, ECM 24.36, BCM 27.06, ECM/BCM 0.9, BMR 1473.3. Group G: BMI 31.9, TBW 36.07, FM 30.93, PA 5.86, ECM 23.96, BCM 25.3, ECM/BCM 0.96, BMR 1416.15. Group H: BMI 24.56, TBW 36.2, FM 19.1, PA 6.4, ECM 22.5, BCM 26.8, ECM/BCM 0.8, BMR 1466.2. SPSS8 statistical analysis revealed t-test statistical significant differences of TBW, PA, ECM, BCM, ECM/BCM, and BMR between male and female participants of group A. The t test between the control and other groups, showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) only between group A (female) and group D of the PA, ECM/BCM values as well as of the BMI value of groups A and G.

Conclusion

BIA measurements of body synthesis are important and a useful tool for the nutritional support of medical patients. The existence of such an outpatient office gave the opportunity to 5/77 patients having chronic cachectic disease to undergo home nutrition with appropriate enteric formulas, 3/77 patients with morbid obesity to be on a strict weight loss program with one balanced meal and two meal substitutes, and 52/77 patients to receive advice about modification of their eating habits plus limitation of caloric intake.