title: Use of scoring systems to assess patients with surgical sepsis.
abstract: Several scoring systems for patients with severe surgical infections are described, compared, and contrasted. All show a strong relation between a high score and high mortality risk. Each has strengths and weaknesses. All of the systems need further refinement. Future investigations of patients with serious infections should incorporate one of the published severity scores as part of the patient description.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle.
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Dellinger
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care; D006801:Humans; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality