Micheli S Tarnowski1, Estela I Rabito2, Daieni Fernandes3, Mariane Rosa4, Manoela L Oliveira5, Vânia N Hirakata6, Aline Marcadenti7. 1. Health Multidisciplinary Residence Program in Intensive Therapy, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. 2. Department of Nutrition and Postgraduate Program in Food and Nutrition, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil. 3. Division of Nutrition, Brotherhood of the Santa Casa of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. 4. Unimed Grande Florianopolis Hospital, São José, Brazil. 5. Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. 6. Clinics Hospital of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. 7. Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, and Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences: Cardiology, Institute of Cardiology of the Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Ulna length (UL) has been used in mathematical formulas to predict the body height of healthy and sick individuals. However, the evaluation of its use with patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) is scarce. The objective of this study was to develop a mathematical equation to estimate critically ill patients' height using the UL measure and to evaluate its agreement with measured standing height. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed at the ICU of a tertiary hospital in Brazil. A total of 100 patients aged ≥18 years who had their body height measured before ICU admission were enrolled. The equation was developed through multiple linear regression, and its agreement was assessed through paired Student's t test and Bland-Altman plot. RESULTS: The following formula was obtained: height in cm = 153.492 - (7.97 × sex [sex: male = 1, female = 2]) + (0.974 × UL [in cm]). The difference between means of measured height (MH) and height estimated from UL was not significant (166.26 ± 8.75 cm and 166.30 ± 5.29 cm, respectively, P = .96), and a significant correlation (r = 0.624, P < .001) was detected. In the Bland-Altman analysis, UL was in agreement with MH; however, there was a significant bias (P < .001) suggesting that it may be disproportional and dependent on the average's height value. CONCLUSION: The mathematical equation for height estimation using UL developed in this study matched the MH of critically ill patients. However, we suggest more studies for its validation.
BACKGROUND: Ulna length (UL) has been used in mathematical formulas to predict the body height of healthy and sick individuals. However, the evaluation of its use with patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) is scarce. The objective of this study was to develop a mathematical equation to estimate critically illpatients' height using the UL measure and to evaluate its agreement with measured standing height. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed at the ICU of a tertiary hospital in Brazil. A total of 100 patients aged ≥18 years who had their body height measured before ICU admission were enrolled. The equation was developed through multiple linear regression, and its agreement was assessed through paired Student's t test and Bland-Altman plot. RESULTS: The following formula was obtained: height in cm = 153.492 - (7.97 × sex [sex: male = 1, female = 2]) + (0.974 × UL [in cm]). The difference between means of measured height (MH) and height estimated from UL was not significant (166.26 ± 8.75 cm and 166.30 ± 5.29 cm, respectively, P = .96), and a significant correlation (r = 0.624, P < .001) was detected. In the Bland-Altman analysis, UL was in agreement with MH; however, there was a significant bias (P < .001) suggesting that it may be disproportional and dependent on the average's height value. CONCLUSION: The mathematical equation for height estimation using UL developed in this study matched the MH of critically illpatients. However, we suggest more studies for its validation.