Validation of APLS, Argall and Luscombe Formulae for Estimating Weight among Indian Children

• Published in: Indian journal of pediatrics 2019-07, Vol.86 (7), p.648-650
• Main Authors: Sharma, Saurabh, Arlappa, Nimmathota, Balakrishna, Nagalla, Misra, Aroonima, Laxmaiah, Avula
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Factors; Algorithms; Anthropometry - methods; Body Weight; Child, Preschool; Clinical Brief; Data Accuracy; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Electric Countershock; Emergency Service, Hospital; Fluid Therapy; Gynecology; Humans; India; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Pediatric Emergency Medicine; Pediatrics
• ISSN: 0019-5456; 0973-7693
• DOI: 10.1007/s12098-019-02913-8

Weight estimation in pediatric emergencies is often required for calculation of drug dosages, fluid therapy and defibrillation. The ‘gold standard’ of actually weighing the patient is not practically possible in emergency conditions. The aim of this study is to validate common age-based formulae (APLS, Luscombe and Argall’s) and their accuracy in estimating weight of under 5-y-old Indian children by secondary data analysis from a cross-sectional study conducted by the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB), National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, in 10 states of India in 2011–12 among under five-year-old children. Their measured weights were compared to their estimated weights as calculated using the APLS formula, the Luscombe and Argall formulae. There is a need to adjust the formulae for accurate estimation of weight among Indian children as all the three age-based weight formulae namely APLS, Argyll and Luscombe overestimated the weight among the Indian children.