381

APPENDIX A
CONVERSION FACTORS AND ANTHROPOMETRICS*

Approximate Milliequivalents
CONVERSION FACTORS
Weights of Selected Ions
쐽 SI Units
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Salt mEq/g Salt mg Salt/mEq

SI (le Système International d’Unités) units are used in many coun- Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) 20.0 50.0
tries to express clinical laboratory and serum drug concentration Calcium chloride (CaCl2 · 2H2O) 13.6 73.5
data. Instead of employing units of mass (such as micrograms), the Calcium gluceptate (Ca[C7H13O8]2) 4.1 245.2
SI system uses moles (mol) to represent the amount of a substance. Calcium gluconate (Ca[C6H11O7]2 · H2O) 4.5 224.1
A molar solution contains 1 mol (the molecular weight of the Calcium lactate (Ca[C3H5O3]2 · 5H2O) 6.5 154.1
substance in grams) of the solute in 1 L of solution. The following Magnesium gluconate
formula is used to convert units of mass to moles (mcg/mL to μmol/ (Mg[C6H11O7]2 · H2O) 4.6 216.3
L or, by substitution of terms, mg/mL to mmol/L or ng/mL to Magnesium oxide (MgO) 49.6 20.2
Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) 16.6 60.2
nmol/L).
Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4 · 7H2O) 8.1 123.2
Potassium acetate (K[C2H3O2]) 10.2 98.1
Micromoles per Liter ( μmol/L) Potassium chloride (KCI) 13.4 74.6
Potassium citrate (K3[C6H5O7] · H2O) 9.2 108.1
concentration (mcg/mL) × 1,000
μ mol/L = drug
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Potassium iodide (KI) 6.0 166.0
molecular weight of drug (g/mol) Sodium acetate (Na[C2H3O2]) 12.2 82.0
Sodium acetate (Na[C2H3O2] · 3H2O) 7.3 136.1
Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) 11.9 84.0
Sodium chloride (NaCI) 17.1 58.4
Milliequivalents Sodium citrate (Na3[C6H5O7] · 2H2O) 10.2 98.0
An equivalent weight of a substance is that weight which will Sodium iodide (Nal) 6.7 149.9
combine with or replace 1 g of hydrogen; a milliequivalent is 1/1,000 Sodium lactate (Na[C3H5O3]) 8.9 112.1
except fair uses permitted under U.S. or applicable copyright law.

of an equivalent weight. Zinc sulfate (ZnSO4 · 7H2O) 7.0 143.8

Milliequivalents per Liter (mEq/L) 쐽 Valences and Atomic Weights of Selected Ions
Substance Electrolyte Valence Molecular Weight
of salt (g) × valence of ion × 1,000 Calcium Ca 2+
2 40.1
mEq/L = weight
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
molecular weight of salt Chloride CI– 1 35.5
Magnesium Mg2+ 2 24.3
Phosphate HPO–4 (80%) 1.8 96.0a
× molecular weight of salt
weight of salt (g) = mEq/L
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (pH = 7.4) H2PO– (20%)
4
valence of ion × 1,000 Potassium K+ 1 39.1
Sodium Na+ 1 23.0
Sulfate SO– 4 2 96.0a
a
The molecular weight of phosphorus only is 31; that of sulfur only is 32.1.

∗
This appendix contains information from Appendices 1 and 2 of Anderson PO, Knoben JE, Troutman WG, et al (eds). Handbook of Clinical Drug Data, 10th
ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002:1053–1058, with permission.

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쐽 Anion Gap Weight/Volume Equivalents
1 mg/dL = 10 mcg/mL
APPENDIX A

The anion gap is the concentration of plasma anions not routinely

measured by laboratory screening. It is useful in the evaluation of 1 mg/dL = 1 mg%
acid-base disorders. The anion gap is greater with increased plasma 1 ppm = 1 mg/L
concentrations of endogenous species (e.g., phosphate, sulfate,
Conversion Equivalents
lactate, and ketoacids) or exogenous species (e.g., salicylate, penicil-
lin, ethylene glycol, ethanol, and methanol). The formulas for 1 gram (g) = 15.43 grains
calculating the anion gap are as follows: 1 grain (gr) = 64.8 milligrams
1 ounce ( ) = 31.1 grams
Anion gap = (Na+ + K+) – (Cl– + HCO3–)
1 ounce (oz) = 28.35 grams
or
Conversion Factors and Anthropometrics

1 pound (lb) = 453.6 grams

Anion gap = Na+ – (Cl– + HCO3) 1 kilogram (kg) = 2.2 pounds
1 milliliter (mL) = 16.23 minims
where the expected normal value for the first equation is 11 to 20
1 minim ( ) = 0.06 milliliter
mmol/L, and the expected normal value for the second equation is
1 fluid ounce (fl oz) = 29.57 milliliter
7 to 16 mmol/L. Note that there is a variation in the upper and lower
1 pint (pt) = 473.2 milliliter
limits of the normal range.
0.1 milligram = 1/600 grain
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쐽 Temperature 0.12 milligram = 1/500 grain

0.15 milligram = 1/400 grain
Fahrenheit to Centigrade: (°F – 32) × 5/9 = °C
0.2 milligram = 1/300 grain
Centigrade to Fahrenheit: (°C × 9/5) + 32 = °F
0.3 milligram = 1/200 grain
Centigrade to Kelvin: °C + 273 = °K
0.4 milligram = 1/150 grain
쐽 Calories 0.5 milligram = 1/120 grain
0.6 milligram = 1/100 grain
1 calorie = 1 kilocalorie = 1,000 calories = 4.184 kilojoules (kJ)
0.8 milligram = 1/80 grain
1 kilojoule = 0.239 calories = 0.239 kilocalories = 239 calories
1 milligram = 1/65 grain
쐽 Weights and Measures Metric Length Equivalents
Metric Weight Equivalents 2.54 cm = 1 inch
1 kilogram (kg) = 1,000 grams 30.48 cm = 1 foot
1 gram (g) = 1,000 milligrams 1.6 km = 1 mile
1 milligram (mg) = 0.001 gram
1 microgram (mcg, μg) = 0.001 milligram
1 nanogram (ng) = 0.001 microgram ANTHROPOMETRICS
1 picogram (pg) = 0.001 nanogram
1 femtogram (fg) = 0.001 picogram 쐽 Creatinine Clearance Formulas

Metric Volume Equivalents Formulas for Estimating Creatinine Clearance

except fair uses permitted under U.S. or applicable copyright law.

1 liter (L) = 1,000 milliliters in Patients with Stable Renal Function

1 deciliter (dL) = 100 milliliters Cockroft-Gault Formula
1 milliliter (mL) = 0.001 liter
1 microliter ( μL) = 0.001 milliliter Adults (age 18 years and older)1:
1 nanoliter (nL) = 0.001 microliter – age) × weight
1 picoliter (pL) = 0.001 nanoliter CLcr (males) = (140
-------------------------------------------------
Cr s × 72
1 femtoliter (fL) = 0.001 picoliter
Apothecary Weight Equivalents CLcr (females) = 0.85 × above value*
1 scruple (∋) = 20 grains (gr) where CLcr is creatinine clearance (in mL/minute), Crs is serum
60 grains (gr) = 1 dram ( ) creatinine (in mg/dL), age is in years, and weight is in kilograms.
8 drams ( ) = 1 ounce (fl )
*Some studies suggest that the predictive accuracy of this formula for women
1 ounce ( ) = 480 grains is better without the correction factor of 0.85.
12 ounces ( ) = 1 pound (lb)
Children (age 1 to 18 years)2:
Apothecary Volume Equivalents
60 minims ( ) = 1 fluidram (fl ) 0.48 × height × BSA
CLcr = ------------------------------------------------
-
8 fluidrams (fl ) = 1 fluid ounce (fl ) Cr s × 1.73
1 fluid ounce (ft ) = 480 minims
16 fluid ounces (fl ) = 1 pint (pt) where BSA is body surface area (in m2), CLcr is creatinine clearance
(in mL/minute), Crs is serum creatinine (in mg/dL), and height is in
Avoirdupois Equivalents centimeters.
1 ounce (oz) = 437.5 grains
16 ounces (oz) = 1 pound (lb)

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 383
Formula for Estimating Creatinine Clearance where X is the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), constant for white
from a Measured Urine Collection males is 1 and for females is 0.742, and constant for African

APPENDIX A
Americans is 1.21.
CLcr (mL/minute) = U × V*
-----------------
P×T 쐽 Ideal Body Weight (IBW)
where U is the concentration of creatinine in a urine specimen (in same IBW is the weight expected for a nonobese person of a given height.
units as P), V is the volume of urine (in mL), P is the concentration of The IBW formulas below and various life insurance tables can be
creatinine in serum at the midpoint of the urine collection period (in used to estimate IBW. Dosing methods described in the literature
same units as U ), and T is the time of the urine collection period in may use IBW as a method in dosing obese patients.
minutes (e.g., 6 hours = 360 minutes; 24 hours = 1,440 minutes).
Adults (age 18 years and older)4:

Conversion Factors and Anthropometrics

*The product of U × V equals the production of creatinine during the IBW (males) = 50 + (2.3 × height in inches over 5 ft)
collection period and, at steady state, should equal 20 to 25 mg/kg per day
for ideal body weight (IBW) in males and 15 to 20 mg/kg per day for IBW IBW (females) = 45.5 + (2.3 × height in inches over 5 ft)
in females. If it is less than this, inadequate urine collection may have
occurred, and CLcr will be underestimated. where IBW is in kilograms.
MDRD Formula for Estimating Glomerular Filtration Rate Children (age 1 to 18 years)2:
Copyright © 2009. McGraw-Hill Medical All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher,

(from the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study)3

Under 5 feet tall:
Conventional calibration MDRD equation (used only with those 2
height × 1.65
creatinine methods that have not been recalibrated to be traceable IBW = ---------------------------------
-
1,000
to isotope dilution mass spectrometry [IDMS]).
For creatinine in mg/dL: where IBW is in kilograms and height is in centimeters.

X = 186 creatinine –1.154

× age–0.203
× constant Five feet or taller:
For creatinine in μmol/L: IBW (males) = 39 + (2.27 × height in inches over 5 ft)
X = 32,788 × creatinine –1.154
× age –0.203
× constant IBW (females) = 42.2 + (2.27 × height in inches over 5 ft)
where X is the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), constant for white where IBW is in kilograms.
males is 1 and for females is 0.742, and constant for African
Americans is 1.21. Creatinine levels in μmol/L can be converted to
mg/dL by dividing by 88.4. REFERENCES
IDMS-Traceable MDRD Equation (Used Only with Creatinine Methods 1. Cockcroft DW, Gault MH. Prediction of creatinine clearance from serum
That Have Been Recalibrated to Be Traceable to IDMS) creatinine. Nephron 1976;16:31–41.
2. Traub SI, Johnson CE. Comparison of methods of estimating creatinine
For creatinine in mg/dL: clearance in children. Am J Hosp Pharm 1980;37:195–201.
3. Levey AS, Bosch JP, Lewis JB, et al. A more accurate method to estimate
X = 175 × creatinine–1.154 × age–0.203 × constant
glomerular filtration rate from serum creatinine: A new prediction
except fair uses permitted under U.S. or applicable copyright law.

For creatinine in μmol/L: equation. Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study Group. Ann
Intern Med 1999;130:461–470.
X = 175 × (creatinine/88.4)–1.154 × age–0.203 × constant 4. Devine BJ. Gentamicin therapy. Drug Intell Clin Pharm 1974;8:650–655.

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