| [ Summary ] |
Assessment of body composition is necessary for evaluating the nutritional status of patients with chronic kidney diseases (CKD). Anthropometric measurements such as height, body weight, body mass index and upper-arm muscle area are essential assessments of body composition. These measurements can be easily applied to patients anytime and anywhere by trained examiners. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry produces accurate measurements of bone mass, and fat versus lean body mass. Thus, these values are recognized as the reference standard. However, the equipment needed to make these evaluations is very expensive. Bioelectrical impedance analysis can also measure total body-water ratios and fat mass versus lean body mass with relatively high precision. This method is now widely used in various clinical settings because of its easy application. X-ray computed tomography is useful for measuring visceral fat area, subcutaneous fat area and thigh muscle area. Repeated measurements using these methods are important for nutritional assessment of CKD patients. |