Comparative analysis of specific resistivity and phase angle among individuals of different age groups

Abstract

The Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis method can determine the phase angle, which has a significant predictive value for an individual's survival. This parameter also helps to diagnose clinical status and predict nutritional status. The aim of this article is to determine whether specific resistivity is an experimental bioelectrical parameter characteristic of a healthy Cuban population, regardless of their age and sex. The study involved 3370 healthy individuals of both genders and six patients with various pathologies. The bioelectrical parameters of electrical bioimpedance, phase angle, and specific resistivity were determined. The results show that individuals with associated pathologies had lower mean values of specific resistivity than those of the healthy population, and there was a lower dispersion than that obtained for the phase angle. The main conclusion is that specific resistivity could be used as a survival and life quality predictor, just like the phase angle. However, more studies are needed to confirm this.