title: Application of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score in patients with advanced cancer who present to the ED.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is limited literature describing clinical predictors for critically ill patients with cancer who present to the emergency department (ED).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score at the time of ED presentation for predicting short-term mortality in patients with advanced cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective observational study of 108 consecutive patients with advanced cancer who presented to the ED. The outcome was defined as death within 14 days after admission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median survival time of the study subjects was 26.5 days (interquartile range, 9.0-78.0 days), and 31 patients (28.7%) died within 14 days after admission. In univariate analysis, SOFA score (≥4), previous chemotherapy, and altered mental status were predictive of 14-day mortality. Of those variables, only SOFA score was an independent predictor in multivariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of the SOFA score is an acceptable method for risk stratification and prognosis of patients with advanced cancer in the ED. This score can help clinicians to predict 14-day mortality and plan appropriate treatment for critically ill patients with cancer who present to the ED.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701,Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Oh Young
authors.initials: OY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Han Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hoon Pyo
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Young Gwan
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Ko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D055815:Young Adult