Excess Body Weight in Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Marcus J. Schultz, Esther K. Wolthuis
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2004)

Letters21 September 2004Excess Body Weight in Critically Ill PatientsMarcus J. Schultz, MD, PhD and Esther K. Wolthuis, MDMarcus J. Schultz, MD, PhDFrom Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Search for more papers by this author and Esther K. Wolthuis, MDFrom Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-141-6-200409210-00026 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:In a secondary analysis of a randomized trial of ventilator management in patients with acute lung injury, O'Brien and colleagues (1) demonstrated that excess body weight was not independently associated with clinical outcomes. Lack of interaction between body mass index (BMI) and ventilator protocol assignment may indicate that the benefit of lower tidal volumes was similar for all patients. However, we have some doubts about whether BMI was calculated adequately. From the manuscript, it is unclear how weight was calculated or measured, although it mentions that there were adjustments for fluid balances. In our experience, it is ...References1. O'Brien JM, Welsh CH, Fish RH, Ancukiewicz M, Kramer AM. Excess body weight is not independently associated with outcome in mechanically ventilated patients with acute lung injury. Ann Intern Med. 2004;140:338-45. [PMID: 14996675] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Ventilation with lower tidal volumes as compared with traditional tidal volumes for acute lung injury and the acute respiratory distress syndrome. The Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network. N Engl J Med. 2000;342:1301-8. [PMID: 10793162] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoExcess Body Weight Is Not Independently Associated with Outcome in Mechanically Ventilated Patients with Acute Lung Injury James M. O'Brien Jr. , Carolyn H. Welsh , Ronald H. Fish , Marek Ancukiewicz , Andrew M. Kramer , and Excess Body Weight in Critically Ill Patients James M. O'Brien Jr and Carolyn H. Welsh Metrics Cited byAccuracy of height estimation and tidal volume setting using anthropometric formulas in an ICU Caucasian populationEvaluation of a clinical nursing practice guideline for preventing deep vein thrombosis in critically ill trauma patientsAccuracy of weight and height estimation in an intensive care unit: Implications for clinical practice and research*Tidal Volumes and the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome 21 September 2004Volume 141, Issue 6Page: 485KeywordsBody mass indexBody weightClinical trialsLungsOverweightRandomized trialsTidal volumeVentilators ePublished: 21 September 2004 Issue Published: 21 September 2004 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2004 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...