Singhi, S CGanguli, N KBhakoo, O NDhall, KSood, VKaur, A1995-05-012009-05-271995-05-012009-05-271995-05-01Singhi SC, Ganguli NK, Bhakoo ON, Dhall K, Sood V, Kaur A. Body water distribution in newborn infants appropriate for gestational age. Indian Journal of Medical Research. 1995 May; 101(): 193-200http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/23673Total body water (TBW), extracellular water (ECW) and intracellular water (ICW) were measured within 6 h of birth in 99 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants. The two groups of infants included were term (mean +/- SD gestation 272 +/- 7 days) and preterm (mean +/- SD gestation 238 +/- 11 days) infants. The mean TBW +/- SD was 777 +/- 26 ml/kg in preterm infants and 737 +/- 26 ml/kg in term infants. The corresponding ECW was 349 +/- 26 ml/kg and 331 +/- 30 ml/kg respectively. Weight was the best correlate of TBW (r = 0.98) and ECW (r = 0.92) volumes. TBW per unit of body weight showed significant decline with increasing gestation (r = -0.54) and birth weight (r = -0.51). ICW per kg showed a moderate correlation with TBW (r = 0.63), whereas ECW per kg had a low correlation (r = 0.35) with it. TBW/kg in our infants was comparable to infants from other ethnic groups. ICW/kg, however, was consistently higher and ECW/kg lower at all stages of maturation in Indian infants as compared to Caucacian and Negroid infants.engBody Composition --physiologyBody Water --metabolismGestational AgeHumansInfant, Newborn --metabolismJournal Article