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A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
06:59

A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings

Published on: November 9, 2016

Paediatric analgesia in the emergency department, are we getting it right?

Colin Donald1, Russell Duncan, Lorraine Blair

  • 1Accident and Emergency, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Scotland, UK. colin.donald@tuht.scot.nhs.uk

European Journal of Emergency Medicine : Official Journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
|May 3, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Prescribing paediatric analgesia by age often leads to underdosing. A common weight-estimation formula also underestimates children's weight, potentially causing further underdosing of medications like paracetamol and ibuprofen.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Clinical Pharmacology
  • Evidence-Based Dosing

Background:

  • Accurate dosing of paediatric analgesia is crucial for effective pain management in emergency settings.
  • Current prescribing practices for simple analgesics in children often rely on age rather than weight.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify dose discrepancies in paediatric analgesia prescribing by comparing age-based versus weight-based dosing.
  • To evaluate the accuracy of a common weight-estimation formula for children in a clinical setting.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective survey of 247 children receiving paracetamol and/or ibuprofen in UK emergency departments.
  • Prescribed doses were compared to optimal weight-based doses; actual weights were compared to formula-estimated weights.

Main Results:

  • Age-based dosing resulted in significant underdosing: paracetamol at 67% (P<0.001) and ibuprofen at 51% (P<0.001) of optimal doses.
  • The weight-estimation formula [weight kg=2 (age years+4)] underestimated children's weight by 16% (P<0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Age-based prescribing of paediatric analgesia frequently leads to substantial underdosing.
  • Relying on the tested weight-estimation formula may also contribute to underdosing.
Abstract

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