TITLE:
Change of Subcutaneous Tissue Mass at the Deltoid and Thigh Areas in Japanese Infants Followed from 2 to 15 Months
AUTHORS:
Tetsuo Nakayama, Toshihiro Tanaka, Motoko Fujino, Minoru Kino, Yuka Kunitomi, Keitaro Yatabe
KEYWORDS:
Intramuscular Injection, Subcutaneous Mass, Muscle Mass, Vaccines
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.8 No.4,
December
4,
2018
ABSTRACT: We previously investigated the thickness of the epidermis and lengths
from the skin surface to the muscle fascia and bone based on measurements taken
from the ultrasonic echograms of Japanese infants aged 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 12 -
15 months. The appropriate needle length for intramuscular injection was 16 mm
(5/8 inch) in Japanese infants at any age and site. In the present study, we
examined these lengths in 21 infants with physical growth from 2 to 15 months.
Average height increased from 58.5 to 73.6 cm and average body weight from 5835
to 9226 g until 15 months. The circumference of the thigh increased from 22.3
cm at 2 months to a maximum of 25.9 cm at 6 months, while that of the deltoid
area was 15.2 cm at 2 months and 15.9 cm at 6 months. Subcutaneous mass (length
from the skin surface to the muscle fascia) at the thigh increased between 3
and 4 months and decreased at 12 - 15 months and showed good relationship to
the circumference of the thigh. Subcutaneous mass at the center of the deltoid
area showed the same size until 6 months. Muscle mass (lengths from the muscle
fascia to the bone) at thigh and deltoid areas remained
the same until 6 months. Ultrasonic echogram is an effective tool for
evaluating subcutaneous and muscle mass in young infants.