INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes for Turner syndrome (TS) mortality and the evaluation of its risk factors such as excess body fat and its distribution is considered one of the major aspects of the adult patient care. OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a specific bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) equation to predict body composition in TS patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Clinical and anthropometric data, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for total fat-free mass (FFM) and BIA for resistance and reactance were obtained from 50 adult TS patients. Linear regression analysis was performed with multiple clinical and BIA data to obtain a predicting equation. RESULTS: The equation developed to estimate FFM in adult TS patients showed great consistency with DXA, elevated correlation (r = 0. 974) and determination (r² = 0. 948) coefficients and an adequate standard error estimate (SEE = 1.52 kg). CONCLUSIONS: The specific equation developed here allowed making an adequate FFM estimate in adult TS patients.
Turner syndrome; body composition; densitometry; electric impedance
