Quality of anthropometric measurements in Spanish Intensive Care Units (The CAMIES Study)

Real body weight and height are essential data to be obtained in all critically ill patients (CIP), due to their influence in the designing of therapies and monitoring. Visual estimation is a very inaccurate practice. No precise descriptions of anthropometric measurements among CIP are available in the clinical practice guides.

To describe anthropometric quality in CIP, health professional perception of such quality, and its influencing factors.

Computer-assisted telephone or self-interviewing.

Doctors and nurses of all Spanish Intensive Care Units (ICU) attending adults.

Anthropometric practices were described in detail, along with the proclivity to obtain real measurements, and the influence of professional experience, the number of ICU beds, and the health professional group involved.

A total of 481 questionnaires were collected from 176 hospitals (36.8% from physicians). The availability of measuring tools is limited (weight 68.7% - height 76.7%), with no relation to the number of ICU beds (weight P=.343, height P=.61). Visual estimation was the most frequent way of obtaining measurements (weight 65.9% - height 64.8%), even when measuring tools were available. Willingness to take real measurements was very low, especially among physicians, and professional experience was associated to increased rejection (P<.001).

Visually estimated measurements exceed real measurements in the routine practice of Spanish ICUs. Measurement tools are not widely available in the ICU, and even when available, their use is not guaranteed. The surveyed population does not view anthropometric measures as being important for clinical practice. An effort should be made by scientific societies to promote reliable anthropometric practice in Spanish ICUs.