A new approach of estimating insertion length for intermittent orogastric tube feeding in adult patients

Abstract Objective: To determine the association between human external anthropometry and the in vivo length between the incisor and cardia and develop a new approach for estimating the insertion length of the orogastric tube in adult patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among participants from the digestive endoscopy department of a tertiary hospital in China. The in vivo length between the incisor and cardia was measured through a digestive endoscopy examination. External anthropometric data were obtained using a weighing scale and a soft ruler. The univariate analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis were performed to establish a prediction model of the in vivo length between the incisor and cardia. Results: A total of 327 participants were recruited in this study. The in vivo length between the incisor and cardia ranged from 35 to 46 cm (average 40.57 cm). The highest correlation coefficient was observed for height (r=0.71, P<0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that weight, sex, height, sitting height, and the nose-umbilicus distance could predict the in vivo length between the incisor and cardia, and the prediction equation was as follows: 6.990−0.066×weight−1.049×sex + 0.124×height + 0.135×sitting height + 0.128×nose-umbilicus distance (sex=0 if the participant was male; sex=1 if the participant was female). Conclusion: The prediction equation for the in vivo length between the incisor and cardia proposed in this study can provide an evidence-based approach for estimating the insertion length of the orogastric tube.