Abstract Introduction: in emergencies or in situations involving critically ill patients, an accurate calculation of body weight is essential to ensure adequate medical care. Generally, simple techniques are used to determine weight. Aim: to evaluate the weight estimation methods Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) Update, Luscombe and Owens, Best Guess, and the Broselow tape, comparing measured weight with the weight estimated by each method in hospitalized Brazilian children and adolescents. Methods: an observational study in which anthropometric data were collected from patients of 0-14 years of age between August 2016 and January 2017. The paired t-test was used to compare the patients' measured weight with their estimated weight. The accuracy of each method was analyzed using Bland-Altman plots and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient. Results: the sample consisted of 446 patients. Most of the patients were male (58.1 %), of 1-5 years of age (43 %) and well nourished (85 %). For those under 12 months of age, the APLS Update and Best Guess methods performed best, with the difference in means of measured weight and estimated weight being 0.4 kg (p = 0.183) and -0.2 kg (p = 0.140), respectively. In the 1-5 years of age group only the APLS Update yielded satisfactory results (0.2 kg; p = 0.200). The best agreement with measured weight, according to the Bland-Altman plots and Lin's coefficient, was found for the Broselow tape (CC = 0.96). Conclusion: of the estimation methods evaluated the Broselow tape was the most accurate one. Further studies are required to adapt this method for use in the Brazilian population, thus ensuring its appropriate application in this country.

Resumen Introducción: en las emergencias o en las situaciones que involucran a pacientes críticamente enfermos, el cálculo preciso del peso corporal es esencial para garantizar una atención médica adecuada. En general se utilizan técnicas simples para determinar el peso. Objetivo: evaluar los métodos de estimación del peso Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) Update, Luscombe y Owens, Best Guess y la cinta Broselow, comparando el peso medido con el peso estimado por cada método en los pacientes hospitalizados. Métodos: estudio observacional en el que se recopilaron datos antropométricos de pacientes de 0 a 14 años de edad entre agosto de 2016 y enero de 2017. Se utilizó la prueba t pareada para comparar el peso medido de los pacientes con su peso estimado. La precisión de cada método se analizó mediante gráficos de Bland-Altman y el coeficiente de correlación de concordancia de Lin. Resultados: la muestra estuvo constituida por 446 pacientes. La mayoría eran varones (58,1 %) de 1 a 5 años (43 %) y bien nutridos (85 %). Para los menores de 12 meses de edad, los métodos APLS Update y Best Guess obtuvieron los mejores resultados, siendo la diferencia entre las medias de peso medido y peso estimado de 0,4 kg (p = 0,183) y -0,2 kg (p = 0,140), respectivamente. En el grupo de 1 a 5 años, solo el método APLS Update arrojó resultados satisfactorios (0,2 kg; p = 0,200). El mejor acuerdo con el peso medido, según las gráficas de Bland-Altman y el coeficiente de Lin, se encontró al utilizar la cinta Broselow (CC = 0,96). Conclusión: de los métodos de estimación evaluados, la cinta Broselow fue la más precisa. Se requieren estudios adicionales para adaptar este método para su uso en la población brasileña.

INTRODUÇÃO: A síndrome de realimentação caracteriza-se por alterações neurológicas, sintomas respiratórios, arritmias e falência cardíacas, poucos dias após a realimentação. Ocorre em consequência do suporte nutricional (oral, enteral ou parenteral) em pacientes severamente desnutridos. OBJETIVO: Avaliar de suas causas e a aplicação das medidas dietéticas profiláticas apropriadas visando a prevenção e diminuição da morbimortalidade desta condição. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado levantamento bibliográfico na SciELO, LILACS, Medline/Pubmed, Biblioteca Cochrane e sites governamentais nos idiomas português, inglês e espanhol. Os levantamentos foram sobre os últimos 15 anos, selecionando os descritores: síndrome de realimentação, desnutrição, hipofosfatemia, hipocalemia, hipomagnesemia. CONCLUSÃO: O acompanhamento de parâmetros metabólicos e de níveis de eletrólitos antes do início do suporte nutricional e periodicamente durante a alimentação deve ser baseado em protocolos, no estado da doença subjacente e na duração da terapia. Equipe multidisciplinar de terapia nutricional pode orientar e educar outros profissionais de saúde na prevenção, diagnóstico e tratamento dessa síndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Feedback syndrome is characterized clinically by neurological alterations, respiratory symptoms, arrhythmias and heart failure few days after refeeding. It happens due to severe electrolyte changes, such as hypophosphatemia, hypomagnesemia and hypokalemia associated with metabolic abnormalities that may occur as a result of nutritional support (oral, enteral or parenteral) in severely malnourished patients. OBJETIVE: To evaluate its causes and the preventive dietary measures aiming to reduce the morbimortality. METHODS: Was conducted literature review in SciELO, LILACS, Medline / Pubmed, Cochrane Library and government websites in Portuguese, English and Spanish. The survey was about the last 15 years, selecting the headings: refeeding syndrome, malnutrition, hypophosphatemia, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia. CONCLUSION: The monitoring of metabolic parameters and electrolyte levels before starting nutritional support and periodically during feeding should be based on protocols and the duration of therapy. Patients at high risk and other metabolic complications should be followed closely, and depletion of minerals and electrolytes should be replaced before starting the diet. A multidisciplinary team of nutrition therapy can guide and educate other health professionals in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the syndrome.