Suitability of CANSCORE for the assessment of the nutritional status of newborns.

The suitability of Clinical Assessment of Nutritional Status Score (CANSCORE) for the assessment of foetal malnutrition among 372 local Hyderabad newborns was studied. Details of length, weight and body mass index (BMI) at birth were related to total CANSCORE which consisted of scores ranging from 1 to 4 based on the grades of clinical status of hair, cheeks, buttocks, chest, legs, back, neck, arms and skin of anterior abdominal wall. The correlation coefficients of CANSCORE with the length, weight and BMI of newborns indicated that score of hair was least correlated with nutritional status. Normal newborns were found to have the lowest prevalence of foetal malnutrition. In those with retarded measurements of length and weight or BMI, the prevalence of foetal malnutrition was higher. The newborns with retardation of both length and BMI had higher prevalence of foetal malnutrition. The feasibility of the suggested limits of CANSCORE for the foetal malnutrition was assessed. Values of 24 for total CANSCORE and of 22 for "Modified CANSCORE" (score excluding hair as a parameter) were found appropriate for the assessment of foetal malnutrition. Modified CANSCORE is a simple, rapid and quantifiable method for the assessment of foetal malnutrition in term newborns.