title: Accurate estimation of body surface area in under-5 children with non-edematous severe acute malnutrition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the accuracy of commonly used body surface area (BSA) equations and to devise a new equation for BSA calculation in non-edematous severe acute malnourished (NE-SAM) children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children aged between 2 months and 5 years fulfilling World Health Organization criteria for NE-SAM were included. Seven commonly used equations were used for calculating the BSA. Mean BSA from the equations was used as reference for comparison. A new equation SAM Mosteller modified was also derived.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 471 children were included. Of the seven equations, Mosteller had minimum root mean square error (RMSE) value of 2.89. The goodness of SAM Mosteller modified equation was subsequently compared with Mosteller and Boyd in 66 NE-SAM children. The SAM Mosteller modified showed least RMSE (2.65), whereas Boyd had maximum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among seven equations, Mosteller is useful for BSA calculation in NE-SAM. SAM Mosteller modified equation (164.551 × [Ht × Wt](0.5)) has least error and can serve as best measure of BSA in SAM children.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Intensive Care, Department of Pediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Associated Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital, New Delhi 110001, India.
authors.forename: Viswas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chhapola
authors.forename: Sandeep Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kanwal
authors.forename: Obeid Mohammad
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Shafi
authors.forename: Praveen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D001830:Body Surface Area; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008433:Mathematics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: BSA; Mosteller; body surface area; severe acute malnutrition