Agreement between paramedic-estimated weights and subsequent hospital measurements in adults with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Objective: To assess the accuracy of paramedic estimates of adult body weights in cardiac arrest cases.

Hypothesis: Paramedics could accurately estimate the weights of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients.

Design: Retrospective data analysis of a 15-month, multicenter study involving nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. Paramedic estimates of body weights were compared to weights measured in the hospital. Patients were included in the analysis only if both a paramedic weight and a measured in-hospital weight were recorded.

Setting: Six urban emergency medical services systems.

Participants: The study population included adults with return of spontaneous circulation who subsequently were admitted to the hospital.

Measurements: Pearson correlation analysis of paramedic-estimated weights and measured weights.

Results: Among the 133 study patients, the correlation coefficient (R) for paramedic estimates and the actual measured weight was 0.93. Paramedic estimates of weight were within 10% of the measured weights in 74% of the patients, and within 20% of measured weights in 93% of the patients.

Conclusion: Paramedic weight estimates correlated well with measured weights.