title: [Role of the severity score and of the multiple organ dysfunctions in the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis and its infective complications].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is considerable controversy about timing of surgery in acute pancreatitis. Scoring system is widely used in Intensive Care Units (ICU) but above all in order to assess the severity of disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this prospective clinical study, modification of clinical evolution and scores (APACHE II, SAPS II and SOFA) are analyzed. Scores were computed, daily or every other day. Two particular phases were observed: the day of ICU admission and the day of surgical treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one patients are studied; they were all surgically treated only after identification of positive pancreatic coltures. Open-packing was performed 2-6 weeks after the beginning of acute pancreatitis. In six patients who died, a progressive deterioration was noticed between admission and identification of infected necrosis. All scores were higher in patients who died, in particular a significant difference was found between SOFA score at admission and at treatment (mean +/- SD: 5.0 +/- 3.2 vs 8.5 +/- 3.0, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion when clinical conditions are critical a high SOFA score could contribute to indicate surgical treatment even without identification of sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chirurgia Generale e di Chirurgia d'Urgenza, Ospedale Maggiore, IRCCS, Milano. pietro.pad@tiscali.it
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Padalino
authors.forename: Osvaldo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Chiara
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ravizzini
authors.forename: Maria Paola
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Gattinoni
authors.forename: Tiberio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Canini
authors.forename: Gianguido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montagnolo
authors.forename: Aldo Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Marini
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index