TY - JOUR
T1 - The origin of the 1.73-m2 body surface area normalization
T2 - Problems and implications
AU - Heaf, James G.
PY - 2007/5/1
Y1 - 2007/5/1
N2 - A historical review of the origins of body surface area (BSA) determination reveals a number of theoretical and methodological errors, as does the choice of 1.73 m2 as the normal BSA for humans. BSA normalization is justifiable for some physiological variables, e.g. glomerular filtration rate and cardiac output, but not all. However, other normalization indices, in particular extracellular volume, offer theoretical and practical advantages compared with BSA. While the choice of the figure 1.73 m2 is essentially arbitrary, and inapplicable to modern Western populations, its retention as a permanent physiological constant is recommended, in order to permit international and historical comparisons.
AB - A historical review of the origins of body surface area (BSA) determination reveals a number of theoretical and methodological errors, as does the choice of 1.73 m2 as the normal BSA for humans. BSA normalization is justifiable for some physiological variables, e.g. glomerular filtration rate and cardiac output, but not all. However, other normalization indices, in particular extracellular volume, offer theoretical and practical advantages compared with BSA. While the choice of the figure 1.73 m2 is essentially arbitrary, and inapplicable to modern Western populations, its retention as a permanent physiological constant is recommended, in order to permit international and historical comparisons.
KW - Body surface area
KW - Glomerular filtration rate
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34247241145&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1475-097X.2006.00718.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1475-097X.2006.00718.x
M3 - Review
C2 - 17445062
AN - SCOPUS:34247241145
SN - 1475-0961
VL - 27
SP - 135
EP - 137
JO - Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging
JF - Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging
IS - 3
ER -