An evaluation of phase angle, bioelectrical impedance vector analysis and impedance ratio for the assessment of disease status in children with nephrotic syndrome

Background Oedema, characterized by accumulation of extracellular water (ECW), is one of the major clinical manifestations in children suffering from nephrotic syndrome (NS). The lack of a simple, inexpensive and harmless method for assessing ECW may be solved by the use of the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) technique. The aims of this study were to examine whether phase angle (PA), bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) and the impedance ratio (IR) reflect change in disease status in children with NS.