To determine the pediatric dose of methotrexate for a child who weighs 85 pounds, based on body surface area, the safe adult dose of 10 mg/m2 is used. The formula for calculating body surface area is:
BSA (m2) = (height (cm) x weight (kg)) / 3600
First, the weight of the child in kilograms needs to be calculated. Since 1 pound is equal to 0.453592 kilograms, the weight of the child in kilograms is:
85 pounds x 0.453592 kg/1 pound = 38.55532 kg
Next, the height of the child in centimeters is needed. Assuming an average height for a child of this weight, let's use 125 cm.
Now, the body surface area can be calculated:
BSA (m2) = (125 cm x 38.55532 kg) / 3600
BSA (m2) = 4819.415 / 3600
BSA (m2) = 1.3387 m2
Finally, the pediatric dose of methotrexate for the child can be calculated by multiplying the BSA by the safe adult dose:
Pediatric dose = 1.3387 m2 x 10 mg/m2
Pediatric dose = 13.387 mg
Rounding to the nearest tenth, the pediatric dose of methotrexate for the child is 13.4 mg.