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Agreement Between Paramedic-Estimated Weights and Subsequent Hospital Measurements in Adults with Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Daniel R. Martin ,
David M. Soria ,
Charles G. Brown ,
Paul E. Pepe ,
Edgar Gonzalez ,
Michael Jastremski ,
Harlan Stueven  and
Richard O. Cummins
Daniel R. Martin*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
David M. Soria
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
Charles G. Brown
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
Paul E. Pepe
Affiliation:
City of Houston Emergency Medical Services, Departments of Medicine, Surgery and Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
Edgar Gonzalez
Affiliation:
Section of Emergency Medical Services, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Va.
Michael Jastremski
Affiliation:
Program in Multidisciplinary Critical Care, State University of New York Health Sciences Center at Syracuse, Syracuse, N.Y.
Harlan Stueven
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wis.
Richard O. Cummins
Affiliation:
Emergency Medical Services, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.
*
Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University, 108 Means Hall, 1654 Upham Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
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Abstract

Objective:

To assess the accuracy of paramedic estimates of adult body weights in cardiac arrest cases.

Hypothesis:

Paramedics could accurately estimate the weights of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients.

Design:

Retrospective data analysis of a 15-month, multicenter study involving nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. Paramedic estimates of body weights were compared to weights measured in the hospital. Patients were included in the analysis only if both a paramedic weight and a measured in-hospital weight were recorded.

Setting:

Six urban emergency medical services systems.

Participants:

The study population included adults with return of spontaneous circulation who subsequently were admitted to the hospital.

Measurements:

Pearson correlation analysis of paramedic-estimated weights and measured weights.

Results:

Among the 133 study patients, the correlation coefficient (R) for paramedic estimates and the actual measured weight was 0.93. Paramedic estimates of weight were within 10% of the measured weights in 74% of the patients, and within 20% of measured weights in 93% of the patients.

Conclusion:

Paramedic weight estimates correlated well with measured weights.

Keywords

advanced cardiac life supportcardiac arrestcardiopulmonary resuscitationdrug dosageparamedicprehospital
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 9 , Issue 1 , March 1994 , pp. 54 - 56
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 1994

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References

1. American Heart Association: Textbook of Advanced Cardiac Life Support. 2d ed. Dallas: American Heart Association, 1987, p 203.Google Scholar
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5. Brown, CG, Martin, DR, Pepe, PE et al. : A comparison of standard dose and high-dose epinephrine in cardiac arrest outside the hospital. N Engl J Med 1992;327:1051–1055.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed