Comparison of Harris Benedict and Mifflin-ST Jeor equations with indirect calorimetry in evaluating resting energy expenditure.
BACKGROUND
An understanding of energy expenditure in hospitalized patients is necessary to determine optimal energy supply. The metabolic rate can be measured or estimated by equations, but estimation is by far the most common method.


OBJECTIVE
This study tests the degree of agreement between measured resting energy expenditure by indirect calorimetry and predicted resting energy expenditure by Harris Benedict and Mifflin-St Jeor equations. Patients were categorized according to sex and diagnosis.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
In 60 randomly selected patients, aged between 18 and 83 years, resting energy expenditure (REE) was measured by indirect calorimetry and compared with the predicted equations of Harris Benedict and Mifflin-St Jeor.


METHODS
Statistical analysis was performed by using the method of Bland-Altman, one sample t-test and Pearson's correlation.


RESULTS
There was no statistically significant difference between measured and predicted resting energy expenditure by both equations, in all cases as a whole and each group. The only statistically significant difference was seen between measured resting energy expenditure and its predicted equivalent by Mifflin-St equation when patients were categorized according to their sex. Limits of agreements were wide for both equations in all cases and each category so clinical significance was considerable.


CONCLUSIONS
At a group level Harris-Benedict equation is suitable for predicting REE but at an individual level, both equations have wide limits of agreement and clinically important differences in REE would be obtained.
Amirkalali
Bahareh
B
The Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Centre (EMRC) of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Shariati Hospital, North Kargar St., Tehran 1411713137, Iran. saeedhmdphd@hotmail.com
Hosseini
Saeed
S
Heshmat
Ramin
R
Larijani
Bagher
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002153:Calorimetry, Indirect; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013223:Statistics as Topic