title: Discriminant function for prognostic indexes and probability of death in chronic severe hepatitis B.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to determine a discriminant function for prognosis in chronic severe hepatitis B (CSHB), by discriminant analysis of prognostic indexes and probability of death.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 205 patients with chronic severe hepatitis B (101 patients in the survival group and 104 patients in the death group), we carried out discriminant analysis of serum total bilirubin, prothrombin activity, white blood cells, creatinine, maximum depth of ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, singultus, and digestive tract hemorrhage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The discriminant function was V=0.00043 x total bilirubin (microM) - 0.025 x prothrombin activity (%) + 0.056 x white blood cells (10(9)/l) + 0.00284 x creatinine (microM) + 0.0014 x maximum depth of ascites (mm) + 0.724 x hepatic encephalopathy score + 0.078 x singultus score + 0.457 x digestive tract hemorrhage score - 2.488. The correctness of the function for predicting death in the death group was 92.3%, and that for predicting survival in the survival group was 96.0%. When the V values were -infinity, -4.595, -2.197, -1.386, -0.405, 0.405, 1.386, 2.197, 2.944, 4.595, and infinity, a posterior probabilities of death were 0%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 99%, and 100%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The discriminant function is an objective, convenient, and practical method to assess the prognosis of chronic severe hepatitis B.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shipai, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510630, P R China.
authors.forename: Wei-Min
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.forename: Yi-Nong
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016019:Survival Analysis