Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Anthropometric parameters such like BMI aren’t suitable enough for each type of figure and leads to misinformation about body composition. Body Adiposity Index (BAI) is suggested as an alternative for BMI.

Aim: The aim of the study was to compare the usefulness of BAI in context to body composition parameters.

Materials and methods: The BAI index was calculated for 86 patients according to previously described formula. The patients were divided into three examined groups: autoimmune thyroid disorders (including Hashimoto disease, Graves Basedow disease) (AITD) (n=40), non autoimmunological diseases of thyroid gland like thyroid goiter (non AITD) (n=16), and controls without thyroid dysfunction (n=30). The body analysis was done in the morning in light clothes by specialist equipment with Medical Device Directive. Spearman’s rank correlation was used. The collected data were statistically analysed, α=0.05.

Results: The mean age in group with autoimmune thyroid diseases AITD was 46.5±15.97, BAI 34.33±7.29%, the mean of age in group with non autoimmunological diseases was 43.75±17, 81, BAI 34.03±6.25% among patients without thyroid diseases the mean age was 28.17±9.78, BAI 30.38±5.22%. In each group BAI correlates with parameters obtained from body analyzer. Strong positive correlation was observed between BAI and % amount of body fat in group of patients with AITD (r=0.86, P=0.0000), non AITD (r=0.713, P=0.0001), patients without thyroid diseases (r=0.84, P=0.0000). Positive correlations were also observed in each groups between BAI and free fatty mas, muscle mass (P<0.05). Strong negative correlation was observed between BAI and % of body fat in each group (P<0.05).

Conclusions: BAI could be useful tool for evaluation of patients percentage amount of fat. Moreover BAI could be used when patient weighing is difficult because the body mass is not used in formula. BAI as a new marker should be validated for proper use.