Bioelectrical impedance analysis of head and neck cancer patients at presentation

Conclusion: Finnish head and neck cancer (HNC) patients show signs of severe malnutrition already at presentation, measured by bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA). BIA may be a practical method to detect malnutrition, analyze body composition, and to identify high-risk patients in this population. Objectives: BIA is a validated method for evaluating body composition and detecting malnutrition. Low phase angle (PA) is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Vector analysis (BIVA) provides a qualitative measure for hydration and cell mass, independent of body size. This study describes BIA results in Finnish HNC patients at presentation. Methods: Forty-one newly-diagnosed HNC patients at the Helsinki University Hospital were included. BIA measures (resistance, reactance, PA, fat-free mass index [FFMI], and fat mass index [FMI]), body mass index (BMI), and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) were determined. Results: The majority of patients were men (78%), with a normal average BMI of 25.2. Low FFMI was seen in 44% of women and 28% of men. The PA (median=4.6; IQ range=4-5) was lower than the reference values in 76% (n=31) of cases. In BIVA, only 13 (32%) of the patients were within normal range and 15 (37%) were plotted in the quadrant indicating malnutrition.