USING SKINFOLDS TO SCREEN FOR MALNUTRITION IN HOSPITALISED INFANTS

Background and Aim: Skinfold thickness is relatively simple and appropriate measurement for all age groups, including infants, but WHO norms are available only from age 3 months. The aim of this study was to test the applicability of skinfolds to screen hospitalized infants who are malnourished. Methods: as part of a program of work to explore nutritional screening in hospitalized infants aged 1-12 months weight, length and skinfold thickness (subscapular and triceps) were collected in Iran, UK and Greece. Using SGNA with an additional question about recent weight gain, infants were categorized into borderline, moderate or high risk for undernutrition.Results: There were 499 infants in total, (210 UK, 187 Iran, 102 Greece) of whom 259 (52%) were at low risk for undernutrition. Mean sum skinfolds in low risk infants rose slightly in the first 6 months and were fairly stable after that. Only 10 (3.3%) low risk infants had sum skinfolds lower than 10mm and 22 (8.9%) below 11mm. Significantly more very young low risk infants were below 11mm (p chi² trend = 0.008). Overall in the total cohort, 77 infants (16.2%) had sum skinfolds <10mm. The prevalence rose with increasing nutrition risk (p chi² <0.001), most strikingly in Greece and Iran. Conclusion: A 10mm cutoff for sum of skinfolds seems valid, but would tend to identify more very young infants, who are most vulnerable. Where sensitivity was of greater importance than specificity, a cutoff of 11m could be used.

کلیدواژه ها:

malnutrition ، hospitalized infants ، skinfold