Relationship between newborn mid-upper-arm circumference and birth weight
Abstract
Background Recording an accurate birth weight by primaryhealth care workers has been a problem in rural areas, leading
to a search for an alternative, inexpensive, age independent and
noninvasive method to predict neonatal well being. Mid-upper-arm
circumference (MUAC) might be an alternative anthropometric
measurement useful to estimate the state of nutrition.
Objective To evaluate the relationship between MUAC and
birth weight in low birth weight (LBW) and normal birth weight
(NBW) infants.
Methods We measured birth weight and MUAC of newborn
babies of various gestational ages at Siti Fatimah Maternity and
Children's Hospital and Dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo General
Hospital, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Correlation
tests and diagnostic accuracy using different cut-off points were
performed
Results There were 892 live birth newborns (117 LBW and 775
NBW) included in the study. The sensitivity, specificity, positive
predictive value, and negative value for MUACs of< 10.3 em were
94.9 %, 99.9%, 99.1%, and 99.2%, respectively. The sensitivity,
specificity, positive predictive value, and negative value for MUAC
< 10.4 em were 99.1 %, 99.6%, 97.5%, and 99.9%, respectively.
The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative
value for MUAC < 10.5 em were 100%,99.4%, 95.9%, and 100%,
respectively.
Conclusion There is a strong correlation between MUAC and
birth weight. Birth weight can be predicted with the following
equation: Birth weight= -1776.383 + (416.95 newborn MUAC
value). The optimal cut-off point for the newborn MUAC value for
LBW infants is< 10.5 em.
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Accepted 2016-09-05
Published 2009-03-01