Mid-arm circumference method is invalid to estimate the body weight of elderly Emergency Department patients in the Netherlands

Abstract In the Emergency Department (ED) actual body weight (ABW) is essential for accurate drug dosing. Frequently, the ABW is unknown and direct measurement troublesome. A method using the mid-arm circumference (MAC) to estimate ABW has been developed and validated in the United States of America (USA). This study aimed to validate the MAC-formula for estimating ABW in the Dutch population and compare its performance within the American population. Data were obtained from the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and extracted from the American National Healt... Mehr ...