Fig. 1.

The relation between inflammation, oxidative stress, cellular damage, low phase angle, and poor outcomes. Pathogens, environmental factors, high fat mass and lifestyle factors, such as alcohol consumption or smoking, can trigger an inflammatory and oxidative stress responses, and both can promote damage in several cellular structures, prompting cell death. This proinflammatory signaling, when chronically maintained, is related to several diseases, such as cardiovascular, metabolic, neurodegenerative disease, and cancer. Prolonged proinflammatory signaling can also lead to muscle wasting, lower physical function, sarcopenia, and increased length of hospitalization and mortality. Additionally, the cellular damage promoted by the inflammatory response can contribute to a low phase angle. For this reason, phase angle has been associated with several chronic diseases and mortality, including inflammation and oxidative stress. Note that the figure depicts phase angle being measured by a tetrapolar bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) device; although other BIA devices can also be used, PhA is always obtained at a frequency of 50 kHz. Images retrieved from smart.servier.com