Comparison of paediatric weight estimation methods at a tertiary hospital in Ghana

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Clinical Biometrics
• Global Health

Background:

• Accurate weight estimation in children is vital for emergency medical care.
• Existing weight estimation tools, like the Broselow Tape (BT), may overestimate weights in low-income populations.
• This study addresses the need for validated weight estimation methods in Ghanaian children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the 2017 Broselow Tape (BT) and eight age-based weight estimation formulas in Ghanaian children.
• To compare the accuracy of these methods against actual measured weights.
• To derive a new, localized weight estimation formula for Ghanaian children.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted at Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ghana.
• Weight estimations using the 2017 BT and eight age-based formulas were performed on 775 children (2 months to 13 years).
• Estimated weights were compared to actual weights measured by a calibrated scale, using metrics like Mean Percentage Error (MPE) and percentage within 10%/20%.

Main Results:

• The 2017 Broselow Tape (BT), Original APLS (APLS1), and Nelson's formulas demonstrated the highest accuracy, with 47.5%, 51.1%, and 47.5% of estimates within 10% of actual weight, respectively.
• A new formula was derived: W_E = 3A_m/10 + 5 (infants <12 months), W_E = 2A + 7 (1-4 years), and W_E = 2A + 9 (5-13 years).
• The newly derived formula showed comparable accuracy to the best-performing existing methods.

Conclusions:

• The Broselow Tape (BT), APLS1, and Nelson's formulas were the most accurate weight estimation methods in this Ghanaian cohort.
• APLS1 and the Broselow Tape (BT) are recommended for weight estimation in Ghanaian children when other methods are unavailable.
• The study highlights the importance of local validation for pediatric weight estimation tools.