[Measurement of rest energy expanditure in pediatric oncological patients: concordance between indirect calorimetry and predictive equations].

INTRODUCTION: in childhood cancer, the disease impacts resting energy expenditure (GER) in a way that is not estimable by predictive equations.

OBJECTIVE: the aim of this study is to determine the concordance between the measurement of resting energy expenditure (REE) by indirect calorimetry in pediatric oncology patients versus the World Health Organization (WHO) and Schofield predictive equations.

METHOD: cross-sectional study in children aged 5-15 years receiving chemotherapy, in outpatient Clínica Las Condes and Hospital Dr. Sótero del Río, from July 2013 to July 2015. REE measurement was performed by indirect calorimetry and WHO and Schofield equations. Concordance analysis, with clinically relevant cut-off point and concordance coefficient of 90%.

RESULTS: twenty-seven children were included and 27 calorimetries were performed; 66% of these children were diagnosed with leukemia, 15% with central nervous system tumor and 81% were in the maintenance stage of their treatment. There is no significant difference between indirect calorimetry measurement versus WHO (p 0.18) or Schofield (p 0.07), neither when stratifying by nutritional status or type of cancer diagnosis. Concordance was calculated between calorimetry and Schofield, with a concordance coefficient of Lin = 79.4% (95% CI = 65.2-93.6) and versus WHO = 78% (95% CI = 62.9-93.2).

CONCLUSION: this level of agreement, less than 80% in both cases, is insufficient. With both equations for estimating REE, there is overestimation or underestimation of energy requirements in more than 20% of cases. There is no agreement between the measurement of REE measured with indirect calorimetry versus its estimation with Schofield's and the WHO equations. Consequently, indirect calorimetry is required as part of the nutritional assessment in a nutritionally at-risk population such as pediatric patients with oncological pathology.