Use of two-dimensional projection for estimating hand surface area of Chinese adults

Accurate estimates of the surface area of burns are important for initial fluid resuscitation and prognosis of burn victims. The area of the surface of the open hand is often used to estimate the area of a burn. Although it is accepted that hand surface area is generally equal to 1% of total body surface area among Caucasians, this ratio has not been verified for Chinese people. We used two-dimensional projection to estimate the hand surface areas of Chinese adults. The area of the palm was 0.44% of total body surface area among men and 0.42% among women. The area of the hand, including that of the thumb and fingers, was 0.76% of total body surface area among men and 0.73% among women. We conclude that the ratio between hand and total body surface area among Chinese adults differs from the ratio among Caucasians, and suggest an adjustment of the ratio for use with Chinese people.