Pediatr Emerg Med J.  2017 Dec;4(2):58-66. 10.22470/pemj.2017.00150.

Validation of the finger counting method using the Monte Carlo simulation

• Kang H
• Cho Y
• Lee J
• Cha H
• Lee H
• Choi D
• Cho GC
• Lee D
• Ahn JY
• Sohn Y

• KMID: 2402329
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22470/pemj.2017.00150

Abstract

PURPOSE
The dose of drug and the size of instrument are determined based on children's weight. We aimed to validate the finger counting method (FCM) for weight estimation in Korean children using the Monte Carlo simulation.
METHODS
We estimated the weight of Korean children aged 1 to 9 years by the FCM. These measurements were compared with the weight extracted by the Monte Carlo simulation applied to the "2007 Korean Children and Adolescents Growth Standard". Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were measured to assess the correlation between the weight extracted by the simulation and that estimated by FCM. Bland-Altman analyses were performed to assess the agreement between the weight extracted by the simulation and that estimated by FCM and 2 other well-known pediatric weight estimation formulas (the Advanced Pediatric Life Support and Luscombe formulas).
RESULTS
Data regarding 9,000 children's weight selected by age and gender was randomly extracted using the simulation. We found a positive correlation between the weight estimated by the FCM and the weight extracted (in boys, r = 0.896, P < 0.001; in girls, r = 0.899, P < 0.001). The FCM tended to underestimate weight in the children aged 7 years or old.
CONCLUSION
This article suggests the usefulness of FCM in weight estimation, particularly in children younger than 7 years. With appreciation of the limitation in older children, the FCM could be applied to emergency practice.

Keyword

Body Weight; Child; Emergency Service, Hospital; Monte Carlo Method; Resuscitation

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Body Weight
Child
Emergencies
Emergency Service, Hospital
Female
Fingers*
Humans
Methods*
Monte Carlo Method
Resuscitation