Assessment of water content and its distribution in the body by using multifrequency whole-body impedance

Abstract

The monitoring of hydration status and distribution of total body water (TBW) into extracellular (ECW) and intracellular (ICW) compartment is very important for patient undergoing chronic dialysis. The multifrequency whole-body impedance is an useful method for body composition determination and mainly for assessment of hydration status, determination of TBW and its parts and generally for water distribution in the body.

Measurement was performed in 20 patients (mean age 62.9±14.6 yrs) undergoing chronic dialysis pre and post haemodialisis (HD). The bioimpedance analyzer BIA 2000 M (Datainput, Germany) was used in this study.

This equipment determine the whole impedance values and is working at four frequencies - 1, 5, 50 and 100 kHz. The mean difference between delta pre-post HD gravimetric weight loss (2.0 kg) and delta pre-post HD total body water loss (2.1 kg) was not significant (0.1 kg).

Multifrequency whole-body impedance was found suitable for monitoring of water content and distribution in the body. It could be used for determination of wet body mass and it could be useful in the planning fluid intake during athletic training.