Malnutrition in tuberculosis: Value of fat- free mass and creatinine-height index assessment

Abstract

Background: The association between tuberculosis and undernutrition has long been known. TB makes undernutrition worse and under-nutrition weakens immunity, thereby increasing the likelihood that latent TB will develop into active disease. Objective: To measure the fat- free mass, creatinine- height index, other anthropometric measures and serum albumin to assess the nutritional status of TB patients,and to estimate the value of these indices as prognostic factors of TB. Patients and Methods: The present prospective analytic case- control study was conducted in Chest department, Assuit University Hospital. The nutritional status of 61 TB patients and 68 controls was assessed.Ideal body weight (IBW), body mass index (BMI), triceps skinfold thickness, Arm muscle area (AMA), fat mass index (FMI), and fat-free mass index (FFMI) were recorded as well as f creatinine-height index (CHI) and serum albumin. Results: There is significant decrease in BMI and IBW% (P Conclusion: Tuberculous patients have significantly decreased body weight with loss of both lean body mass and fat mass. The loss of CHI is more significant marker than FFMI in this group of patients. These indices as well as serum albumin may play an important role as prognostic markers in TB.