Arm fat index as an alternative parameter in the assessment of nutritional status of hospitalized patients
1992
Vannucchi, H. | Cunha, D.F. | Dutra de Oliveira, J.E. | Marchini, J.S.
Hospitalized patients often have to stay in bed for long periods. This is particularly, true in the most debilitated patients, when it is impossible to obtain their height and weight. The present study was conducted to assess the use of an alternative anthropometric guideline to evaluate the nutritional status of hospitalized patients. A proposed index, referred to as arm fat index (AFI), is the quotient of triceps skinfold thickness (in mm) and the olecranon-acromial distance (in dm) squared. The AFI was evaluated on 256 adults and after clinical examination 104 adults were classified as normal, 61 as obese and 18 as having protein-calorie malnutrition. AFI values (mean +/- SD) for adult women and men were obtained: 1.49 +/- 0.39 mm dm-2 for 38 normal healthy, women, 2.98 +/- 0.67 mm dm-2 for 38 obese women, and 0.53 +/- 0.27 mm dm-2 for 10 female Patients with protein-calorie malnutrition; 0.78 +/- 0.28 mm dm-2 for 66 normal healthy men; 1.93 +/- 0.75 mm dm-2 for 23 obese men, and 0.37 +/- 0.22 mm dm-2 for 8 male Patients with protein-calorie malnutrition. Considering that AFI is easily obtained, is useful for differentiation between normal, obese and malnourished adults and can be obtained in bed-ridden patients, we suggest it is an alternative parameter in the assessment of nutritional status of hospitalized patients.
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