title: Experience with the APACHE II severity of disease scoring system in predicting outcome in a surgical intensive therapy unit.
abstract: The APACHE II system, a severity of disease scoring system, has been used to identify intensive therapy unit patients in whom prolonged treatment is unlikely to be beneficial. Fifty-nine surgical patients admitted to the intensive care unit over a 6-month period underwent a single APACHE II scoring in the first 24 h. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 34%. The range of APACHE II scores was 3-29. The survivors had significantly lower scores (mean 11) than those who died (mean 19). Most patients (53%) had a score greater than or equal to 11 to less than or equal to 22 and had an equal chance of living or dying. No patient with a score greater than 22 survived and at this level the APACHE II score was highly specific (100%) but with a very low sensitivity (30%). APACHE II scores greater than 22 may be useful as an adjunct to a clinical decision to withhold treatment, but scores below that level lack the specificity and sensitivity to be of any value.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, UK.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shandall
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Price-Thomas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000401:mortality*; D015996:Survival Rate