title: Evaluation of the Mercy TAPE: performance against the standard for pediatric weight estimation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assessed the performance of 2 new devices (2D- and 3D-Mercy TAPE) to implement the Mercy Method for pediatric weight estimation and contrasted their accuracy with the Broselow method.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled children aged 2 months through 16 years in this prospective, multicenter, observational study. Height/length, weight, humeral length, and mid-upper arm circumference were obtained for each child, using calibrated scales and measures. We then made measurements with blinded versions of the 2D- and 3D-TAPEs. Using height/length data, we calculated the weight estimated by the Broselow method. We contrasted measures with mean error, mean percentage error, and percentage predicted within 10% and 20% of actual.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six hundred twenty-four participants (median 8.5 years, 27.6 kg, 17.3 kg/m(2)) completed the study. Mean error was 0.3 kg (mean percentage error 1.6%), 0.2 kg (mean percentage error 1.9%), and -1.3 kg (mean percentage error -4.1%) for 2D-, 3D-, and Broselow, respectively. Concordance between both TAPE devices and the Mercy Method was greater than 0.99. The proportion of children predicted within 10% and 20% of actual weight was 76% and 98% for the 2D-TAPE and 65% and 93% for the 3D-TAPE. Excluding the 209 (33%) children who were too tall for the device, Broselow predictions were within 10% and 20% of actual weight in 59% and 91%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 2D- and 3D-Mercy TAPEs outperform the Broselow tape for pediatric weight estimation and can be used in a wider range of children.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Medical Toxicology, Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Kansas City, MO, and the Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO. Electronic address: srahman@cmh.edu.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Abdel-Rahman
authors.forename: Ian M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Laura P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lewandowski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results