'RAW' Formula for Calculating Maintenance Fluid Volumes in Low Birth-Weight and Premature Babies Derived
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Abstract
Background: Hitherto only Tables existed for estimating Maintenance Fluid volume requirements in Low Birth-Weight and Premature Babies.
Objectives: This work presents a Formula, derived by the author, which can be used for such calculations in this category of babies
Methods: One of the most developed Tables on this subject matter, "Pediatric Surgical Unit Guidelines, Sheffield Children's Hospital was selected, subjected to analysis and reconstituted until the Formula was derived.
Results: This formula, 20{(R+A)-W}, ml kg-1 day-1 was derived from the table. This translates to 0.8(R+A-W) ml -1 kg _1 Hr .Where R = Rehydration factor. [R= 5 for Liberal & 4 to 1 for Restricted Regimens], A = the age (in days) of the baby, W = premature baby's actual weight. The proposed formula was validated for its accuracy by reconstructing a table (vide infra), using the derived formula and compared with the original table. A paired sample T- test, using variation in days and in weights, did not show any statistically significant (p<0.05) difference between the two tables.
Conclusion: The derived formula is recommended for calculating maintenance fluid volumes in premature and Low Birth weight babies.
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