1. What is mg/kg to mg/m² Conversion?

The mg/kg to mg/m² conversion is used to adjust medication doses based on body surface area (BSA) rather than body weight alone. This is particularly important in chemotherapy and pediatric dosing where BSA provides a more accurate measure of metabolic mass.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the following formula:

Where:

• \( mg/kg \) — Dose per kilogram of body weight
• \( Weight\_kg \) — Patient's weight in kilograms
• \( BSA\_m² \) — Patient's body surface area in square meters

Explanation: The formula converts a weight-based dose to a body surface area-based dose, which often correlates better with metabolic rate and drug clearance.

3. Importance of Dose Conversion

Details: Many medications, especially chemotherapeutic agents, are dosed based on body surface area because it better reflects metabolic activity and drug clearance than body weight alone.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the dose in mg/kg, the patient's weight in kg, and their BSA in m². All values must be positive numbers. BSA can be calculated using various formulas (Mosteller, DuBois, etc.).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why convert from mg/kg to mg/m²?
A: BSA dosing often correlates better with drug metabolism and toxicity profiles, especially for chemotherapy and pediatric medications.

Q2: How is BSA calculated?
A: Common formulas include Mosteller (√[height(cm)×weight(kg)/3600]) and DuBois (0.007184×weight^0.425×height^0.725).

Q3: When is weight-based dosing preferred?
A: For drugs with wide therapeutic windows or those primarily distributed in body water rather than metabolized.

Q4: Are there limitations to BSA dosing?
A: BSA may not be ideal for obese patients or drugs with non-linear pharmacokinetics.

Q5: Should this be used for all medications?
A: No, only for medications specifically indicated for BSA-based dosing. Always follow prescribing guidelines.