Usefulness of bioelectrical impedance analysis for monitoring patients with refractory ascites

• Published in: Revista española de enfermedades digestivas Vol. 111; no. 3; pp. 223 - 227
• Main Authors: Ontanilla-Clavijo, Guillermo, Ampuero, Javier, Borreguero, Samuel, Rosell, Javier, Romero-Gómez, Manuel
• Format: Journal Article Publication
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: Spain Sociedad Espanola de Patologia Digestivas 01.03.2019
• Subjects: Ascites - etiology; Ascites - mortality; Ascites - physiopathology; Ascites - therapy; Bioelectrical analysis; Bioimpedance; Blood Pressure; Cirrhosis; Edema - diagnosis; Electric Impedance; Enginyeria elèctrica; Female; Heart Rate; Humans; Impedance (Electricity); Impedància (Electricitat); Liver Cirrhosis - complications; Male; Middle Aged; Paracentesis; Proof of Concept Study; Prospective Studies; Refractory ascites; Àrees temàtiques de la UPC
• ISSN: 1130-0108
• DOI: 10.17235/reed.2018.5634/2018

bioelectrical impedance analysis is a technique for the determination of the hydropic component. The hydropic component, determined by blood volume, could be a reflection of the hemodynamic situation. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of peripheral bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) for the prediction of hemodynamic changes in large-volume paracentesis and prognosis. this was a proof-of-concept prospective study of 14 patients with liver cirrhosis and refractory ascites. Peripheral bioimpedance was measured three times using a portable device, IVOL®, before and after large-volume paracentesis, at different frequencies (5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 kHz). Consequently, resistance, reactance and phase angle were obtained, both pre- and post-paracentesis (the difference between them was defined as Δ). the mean age of patients was 62.2 ± 9.6 years, the Child-Pugh was 8.4 ± 1.3 and the MELD score was 15.2 ± 3.9. A direct correlation between the extraction of ascitic fluid and Δresistance (10 kHz [r = 0.722; n = 12; p = 0.008], 20 kHz [r = 0.658; n = 12; p = 0.020] and 50 kHz [r = 0.519; n = 14; p = 0.057]) was observed. The presence of edema was related to lower values of both pre-paracentesis resistance (10 Hz [23.9  8 vs 32.2  4; p = 0.043]) and phase angle (5 kHz [-1.9 2.8 vs 5.9  7.3; p = 0.032]). Pre-paracentesis phase angle was directly correlated with the decline in blood pressure after paracentesis at lower frequencies (5 kHz [r = 0.694; n = 13; p = 0.008] and 10 kHz [r = 0.661; n = 13; p = 0.014]). Lower frequencies of Δphase-angle impacted on patient prognosis (5 kHz [-8.6 ± 5 vs -2.5 ± 2.7; p = 0.021]), patients with Δphase-angle 5 kHz > -4 had a higher rate of mortality (83.3% [5/6] vs 0% [0/6]; logRank 7.306, p = 0.007). Δresistance values were associated with overt HE at six months (10 kHz [4.9  2.5 vs -0.4  4.7; p = 0.046]). in conclusion, a significant correlation between peripheral impedance and hemodynamic changes was found. Impedance was also significantly related to prognosis and overt hepatic encephalopathy.