ArticleBMC pediatrics2019
Anthropometric measurements can identify small for gestational age newborns: a cohort study in rural Tanzania.
Article in BMC pediatrics, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT02191683 (Foetal Exposure and Epidemiological Transition), which is not on this map. Cited by 11 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Foetal Exposure and Epidemiological Transition: the Role of Anaemia in Early Life for Non-communicable Diseases in Later Life
Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Accuracy and clinical effectiveness of fetal growth monitoring strategies for the prediction of small for gestational age at birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2025Pooled it
- Feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of neonatal anthropometric measurements in identifying low birthweight and preterm infants in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ paediatrics open · 2024Pooled it
- Assessing the diagnostic accuracy of postnatal clinical scoring methods and foot length measurement for estimating gestational age and birthweight of newborns in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ paediatrics open · 2024Pooled it
- Diagnostic accuracy of neonatal foot length to identify preterm and low birthweight infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ global health · 2020Pooled it
- Diagnostic accuracy of newborn foot length measurement in identifying low birth weight and preterm infants in Sidama Region, Ethiopia.BMJ paediatrics open · 2025Article
- Predicting early and late neonatal mortality using machine learning models in Oman.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Observational
- Diagnostic accuracy of foot length measurement for identification of preterm newborn in rural Sindh, Pakistan.BMJ paediatrics open · 2024Article
- The use of newborn foot length to identify low birth weight and preterm babies in Papua New Guinea: A diagnostic accuracy study.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
- Newborn Mid-Upper Arm Circumference Identifies Low-Birth Weight and Vulnerable Infants: A Secondary Analysis.Current developments in nutrition · 2022Article
- Utility of anthropometric measures to identify small for gestational age newborns: A study from Eastern India.Journal of family medicine and primary care · 2022Article
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10 authors.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSmall-for-gestational-age (SGA) is associated with increased neonatal mortality and morbidity. In low and middle income countries an accurate gestational age is often not known, making the identification of SGA newborns difficult. Measuring foot length, chest circumference and mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) of the newborn have previously been shown to be reasonable methods for detecting low birth weight (< 2500 g) and prematurity (gestational age < 37 weeks). The aim of this study was to investigate if the three anthropometric measurements could also correctly identify SGA newborns.
methodsIn the current study from a rural area of northeastern Tanzania, 376 live newborns had foot length, chest circumference, and MUAC measured within 24 h of birth. Gestational age was estimated by transabdominal ultrasound in early pregnancy and SGA was diagnosed using a sex-specific weight reference chart previously developed in the study area. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated for each of the anthropometric measurements and the area under the curve (AUC) compared. Operational cutoffs for foot length, chest circumference, and MUAC were defined while balancing as high as possible sensitivity and specificity for identifying SGA. Positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) were then calculated.
resultsOf the 376 newborns, 68 (18.4%) were SGA. The AUC for detecting SGA was 0.78 for foot length, 0.88 for chest circumference, and 0.85 for MUAC. Operational cut-offs to detect SGA newborns were defined as ≤7.7 cm for foot length, ≤31.6 cm for chest circumference and ≤ 10.1 cm for MUAC. Foot length had 74% sensitivity, 69% specificity, PPV of 0.35 and NPV of 0.92 for identifying SGA. Chest circumference had 79% sensitivity, 81% specificity, PPV of 0.49 and NPV of 0.95 for identifying SGA. Finally, MUAC had 76% sensitivity, 77% specificity, PPV of 0.43 and NPV of 0.94 for identifying SGA.
conclusionIn a setting with limited availability of an accurate gestational age, all three methods had a high NPV and could be used to rule out the newborn as being SGA. Overall, chest circumference was the best method to identify SGA newborns, whereas foot length and MUAC had lower detection ability.
trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov ( NCT02191683 ). Registered 2 July 2014.
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