Determination of body fluid compartments by impedance measurements: differences in the repartition of water between Duchenne muscular dystrophy and some neurological diseases.

Body fluid volumes were determined by impedance measurements in several groups of patients. Boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy had decreased intracellular and extracellular fluid volumes. Patients with severe sequelae of poliomyelitis and with other severely disabling neurological diseases did not exhibit such profound alterations of their body fluid compartments.