Body composition by bioelectrical impedance analysis in renal transplant recipients

Bioelectrical impedance analysis was introduced more than a decade ago to measure body composition and nutritional status. There are presently limited data on the nutritional status and body composition measured with bioelectrical impedance analysis in renal transplant recipients, especially among the Asian population. The normal values for these data in renal transplant recipients remain unknown. Methods. All renal transplant recipients with stable graft function who attended the outpatient renal transplant clinic in June 2003 were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from participating patients and their outpatient clinic notes. Body composition and bioelectrical impedance data were obtained using the Metron BioScan 916 v3 analyzer. Results. Out of a total of 168 renal transplant recipients, 110 participated in this study of body composition and bioelectrical impedance for comparison with data from a previous study of 419 normal healthy volunteer controls. When compared to the healthy Malaysians, renal transplant recipients showed similar body composition in terms of body mass index, body cell mass, muscle bulk, percentage of body fat, percentage of fat free mass, and percentage of total body water. However, renal transplant recipients have more extracellular water, a lower phase angle, and a lower reactant. Conclusion. Malaysians who have undergone renal transplantation have similar body composition to the healthy Malaysians when measurements are obtained using bioelectrical impedance analysis.