Assessment of Body Fat in Children with Neuropathy using Deuterium Oxide Dilution

Purpose: Evaluate nutritional status by anthropometry and body fat by isotopic dilution with deuterium oxide in children with chronic neuropathies.

Method: Study of a series of cases of children hospitalized with a diagnosis of severe chronic neuropathy due to cerebral asphyxia, cerebral palsy and spinal muscular atrophy. Weight, height, age, and gender data were obtained and analysed according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (2006, 2007) and anthropometric indices were obtained using the Anthro and AnthroPlus software. To analyze body fat, 4mL of saliva was collected at baseline and three hours after the administration of a dose of deuterium oxide (0.5g/kg/weight). The samples were analysed using the SHIMATZU FTIR IRAfinit-1 ® equipment and IRsolution software. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Hospital Infantil Nossa Senhora da Glória (CAAE 18593013.7.0000.5069).

Results: eight mixed race patients included, half male, mean age 36.25±32.39 months, height 85.75±19.95 cm, weight 17.60±9.50 kg, BMI-for-age 17.35±4.40 kg/m2, body fat 5.89±5.04 kg and body fat percentage 35.76±16.10 %. Half of the patients were malnourished, and of these, some had a fat percentage higher than expected. The height was adequate in 5/8. Conclusion: Low weight is common among patients with spastic paralysis, while in those with type I progressive spinal muscular atrophy type I, there is a predominance of obesity. Height/length is preserved in most patients, regardless of the type of neuropathy. A body fat percentage of over 30% was found, even among those who were underweight.