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[Assessment of blood volume in children by means of different prediction formulas]
M Figueredo Ruiz1, T Fundora Sarraff, L Pérez Mora
1Instituto de Hematología Inmunología, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba. M.Figueredo@hemato.sld.cu
Insights
Adult formulas for blood volume (BV) prediction are inaccurate for children. Height-based equations are recommended for accurate pediatric BV estimation, improving diagnoses like anemia and polycythemia.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Pediatric Physiology
Context:
- Accurate blood volume (BV) estimation is crucial for diagnosing hematological conditions in children, such as anemia and polycythemia.
- Existing prediction formulas (PF) for BV are often derived from adult populations, potentially limiting their applicability to pediatric patients.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the accuracy of various prediction formulas (PF) in estimating blood volume (BV) in children.
- To determine the suitability of adult-derived BV formulas for pediatric use and identify reliable methods for pediatric reference estimates.
Summary:
- Nineteen children underwent blood volume (BV) measurements to assess anemia or polycythemia.
- Four adult and two pediatric formulas were used to estimate reference BV, with comparisons made between measured red cell volume (RCV) and plasma volume (PV) against these estimates.
- Results indicated that adult formulas yielded significantly different RCV and PV estimates compared to pediatric data, with commonly decreased PV values.
Impact:
- The study highlights that adult-based prediction formulas (PF) are inappropriate for estimating blood volume (BV) in children.
- Height-based prediction equations are recommended for more accurate BV assessment in pediatric populations.
- This research aids in refining diagnostic criteria and improving the accuracy of hematological assessments in children.
Purpose:
To assess the blood volume (BV) of children by using different prediction formulas (PF) and to confirm the value of these in providing reference estimates.
Patients And Methods:
The results of BV measurements in 19 children, performed at the Department of Physiology of the Haematology and Immunology Institute, were studied. The children had been sent to this centre to define the diagnosis of anaemia (11 cases) or polycythaemia (8 cases). Four adult and 2 children formulas based on body measurements were applied in order to estimate the reference BV. The relationship between the measured red cell volume (RCV) and plasma volume (PV) and the reference values was calculated for each formula, and the results were evaluated by establishing the normality criteria.
Results:
The PF used provided reference estimates of the different BV for a given patient. It was found that most adult formulas gave RCV and PV estimates which differ from those of children. PV was commonly decreased with all the formulas.
Conclusions:
The different PF provide distinct BV estimates in most patients, and coincidentally the results differ in any given child. The formulas applied to adults, based on weight and height or body surface, should not be applied to estimate the BV in children. The use of equations based on height is recommended, correlating the BV assessment with the results of other studies.