Getting the dose right for obese children

A survey conducted by Collier et al1 highlights the problem of drug dosing in obese children. The authors identify two aspects that require greater attention from paediatric practitioners: the identification of the obese child and the lack of use of ideal body weight (IBW) for drug calculation in that obese child. Both involve effort from prescribers to go beyond simply measuring total body weight (TBW). There remains a question about the benefits of using IBW compared with using TBW or any other measure of body mass. The lack of enthusiasm to calculate IBW obvious from the Collier et al survey is reflective of uncertainty concerning dose calculation in the obese child. Collier et al propose anecdotally that using IBW rather than TBW would have avoided toxicity from an overdose of aminophylline. While we agree that aminophylline maintenance doses using TBW may be over-predicted in obesity, initial dosing...

Source: Archives of Disease in Childhood - December 13, 2016 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Anderson, B. J., Holford, N. H. Tags: Obesity (nutrition), Child health, Other anaesthesia, Poisoning, Occupational and environmental medicine, Health education, Obesity (public health), Health promotion Drug therapy Source Type: research