Abstract Objective: To review the technical aspects of body composition assessment by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and other methods based on the most recent scientific evidence. Materials and methods: This Official Position is a result of efforts by the Scientific Committee of the Brazilian Association of Bone Assessment and Metabolism (Associação Brasileira de Avaliação Óssea e Osteometabolismo, ABRASSO) and health care professionals with expertise in body composition assessment who were invited to contribute to the preparation of this document. The authors searched current databases for relevant publications. In this first part of the Official Position, the authors discuss the different methods and parameters used for body composition assessment, general principles of DXA, and aspects of the acquisition and analysis of DXA scans. Conclusion: Considering aspects of accuracy, precision, cost, duration, and ability to evaluate all three compartments, DXA is considered the gold-standard method for body composition assessment, particularly for the evaluation of fat mass. In order to ensure reliable, adequate, and reproducible DXA reports, great attention is required regarding quality control procedures, preparation, removal of external artifacts, imaging acquisition, and data analysis and interpretation.

Abstract Objective: To present an updated and evidence-based guideline for the use of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to assess body composition in clinical practice. Materials and methods: This Official Position was developed by the Scientific Committee of the Brazilian Association of Bone Assessment and Metabolism ( Associação Brasileira de Avaliação Óssea e Osteometabolismo , ABRASSO) and experts in the field who were invited to contribute to the preparation of this document. The authors searched current databases for relevant publications in the area of body composition assessment. In this second part of the Official Position, the authors discuss the interpretation and reporting of body composition parameters assessed by DXA and the use of DXA for body composition evaluation in special situations, including evaluation of children, persons with HIV, and animals. Conclusion: This document offers recommendations for the use of DXA in body composition evaluation, including indications, interpretation, and applications, to serve as a guiding tool in clinical practice and research for health care professionals in Brazil.

OBJETIVO: avaliar a freqüência de lúpus neonatal, prematuridade, natimortalidade, abortamento e baixo peso em gestações de pacientes com LES atendidas num serviço terciário. MÉTODOS: estudo retrospectivo dos atendimentos a pacientes com LES realizados no centro obstétrico do Hospital São Paulo/Unifesp/ EPM, entre novembro de 1991 e abril de 2003. Os dados clínicos e laboratoriais referentes à mãe e fetos foram obtidos através da revisão de prontuários médicos. RESULTADOS: foram identificadas 60 mulheres com LES que tiveram 75 gestações. A média de idade das mães por ocasião das gestações foi de 27,1± 6,1 anos e a mediana de tempo da doença foi de 48 meses. Duas gestantes necessitaram de diálise peritoneal. Sessenta e três pacientes fizeram uso de prednisona, 4 pacientes receberam pulsoterapia com solumedrol e 2 receberam azatioprina durante a gravidez. No primeiro trimestre da gestação, 6 pacientes haviam feito uso de difosfato de cloroquina e 2 utilizaram hidroxicloroquina. Uma paciente que havia recebido pulso de ciclofosfamida e outra que havia utilizado metotrexato desconhecendo a gravidez evoluíram com abortamento fetal espontâneo. Foram encontrados 13 óbitos intra-uterinos e 7 abordamentos. O parto foi prematuro em 57% das gestações e a média de tempo de gestação foi de 35 semanas. A média de peso ao nascer foi de 2.332±961g (variando de 525 a 3.620g). Foram detectados 5 casos de lúpus neonatal (8,9%), sendo um bloqueio cardíaco congênito (BCC) com óbito intrauterino na 29ª semana e 3 plaquetopenias associadas à anti-Ro/ SSA e 1 neutropenia associada ao anti-RNP. Com exceção do caso com BCC, estes anticorpos foram detectados no soro materno e no sangue do cordão umbilical. Ao final do estudo, foram detectados dois óbitos de recém-nascidos, com 9 e 130 dias de vida, em decorrência de complicações com a prematuridade. CONCLUSÕES: com relação à literatura, este estudo mostrou similar prevalência de perda fetal (aborto e óbito intra-uterino), entretanto, a freqüência de prematuridade foi maior que a média referida em outros trabalhos. Manifestações hematológicas do lúpus neonatal, como leucopenia e plaquetopenia foram observadas em freqüência maior do que a referida na literatura. Por serem transitórias e assintomáticas, estas alterações podem ter sido subdiagnosticadas.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the frequency of neonatal lupus, prematurity, fetal loss, and low weight in pregnancies of SLE patients attended at a tertiary health service. MEHTODS: it is a retrospective study evaluating all SLE patients attended at obstetric center of Hospital São Paulo/Unifesp/EPM from November, 1991 to April, 2003. The mother and children's clinical and laboratory data were obtained reviewing medical records. RESULTS: sixty women and 75 pregnancies were identified. The mother age average during the pregnancies was 27.1±6.1 years old and the median of disease duration was 48 months. Two patients needed to be submitted to dialysis during the pregnancy. Sixty-three patients used prednisone, 4 received methilprednisolone pulsetherapy and 2 received azathioprine during the pregnancy. During the first trimester of pregnancy, 6 patients received diphosphate chloroquine and 2 received hidroxychloroquine. Two patients unknowing pregnancy received pulse of cyclophosphamide and another one had used methotrexate and both presented spontaneous abortion. It was observed 13 cases of intrauterine death and 7 abortions. Preterm birth occurred in 57% of pregnancies and the average duration of gestation was 35 weeks. The mean weight of the newborns was 2,332±961g (ranging from 525 to 3,620g). Five cases of neonatal lupus were identified (8,9%). One with congenital heart block (CHB) had intrauterine death at the 29th week of gestation, had 3 babies with thrombocytopenia associated with anti-Ro/SSA antibodies and one with neutropenia associated with anti-RNP antibody. Excepting the case of CHB with intrauterine death, these antibodies were detected on maternal and newborn blood sample. At the end of the study, it was detected two deaths of children with 9 and 130 days of life, due to complications related to prematurity. CONCLUSIONS: comparing with published reports this study showed a similar frequency of fetal loss (abortion and intrauterine death), however the frequency of prematurity was higher than the mean reported in the literature. Hematological features of neonatal lupus, as leucopenia and thrombocytopenia were observed at higher frequency than reported in the literature. As transitory and asymptomatic features, they could have been under-diagnosed.