Comparison of the APACHE III, APACHE II and Glasgow Coma Scale in acute head injury for prediction of mortality and functional outcome

Objectives: This study examines the efficacy of the predicting power for hospital mortality and functional outcome of three different scoring systems for head injury in a neurosurgical intensive care unit (NICU). Design: On the day of admission, data were collected from each patient to compute the Acute Physiology, Age, and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and III, and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores. Hospital mortality was defined as the deaths of patients before discharge from hospital. Early mortality was defined as death before the 14th day after admission. Late mortality was defined as death after the 15th day from admission. Functional outcome was evaluated by Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (Index of ADL). Setting: An 8-bed NICU in a 1270-bed medical center in Taichung Veterans General Hospital. Patients and participants: Two hundred non-selected patients with acute head injury were included in our study in a consecutive period of 2 years. Patients less than 14 years old were not included. Interventions: None. Measurements and results: Sensitivity, specificity and correct prediction outcome were measured by the chi-square method in three scoring systems. The Youden index was also obtained. The best cut-off point in each scoring system was determined by the Youden index. The difference in Youden index was calculated by Z score. A difference was also considered if the probability value was less than 0.05. The area under Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was computed. Then the area under ROC of each scoring system was compared by Z score. There was statistical significance if p was less than 0.05. For prediction of hospital mortality, the best cut-off points are 55 for APACHE III, 17 for APACHE II and 5 for GCS. The correct prediction outcome is 82.4% in APACHE III, 78.4% in APACHE II and 81.9% in the GCS. The Youden index has best cut-off points at 0.68 for APACHE III, 0.59 for APACHE II, and 0.56 for GCS. The area under Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve is 0.90 in the APACHE III, 0.84 in the APACHE II and 0.86 in the GCS. There are no statistical differences among APACHE III and II, and GCS in terms of correct prediction outcome, Youden Index and the area under the ROC curve. Other physiological variables excluding GCS in APACHE III and II (AP III-GCS, AP II-GCS) have less statistical value in the determination of mortality for acute head injury. For the prediction of late mortality, APACHE III and II yield significantly better results in the area under the ROC curve, correct prediction and Youden index than those of GCS. Other physiological variables (AP III-GCS and AP II-GCS) play an important role in the prediction of late mortality in APACHE scores. For prediction of the functional outcome of surviving patients with acute head injury, the APACHE III yields the best results of correct prediction outcome, Youden index and the area under the ROC curve. Conclusion: The APACHE III and II may not replace the role of GCS in cases of acute head injury for hospital or early mortality assessment. But for prediction of the late mortality, the APACHE III and II have better accuracy than GCS. Other physiological variables excluding GCS in the APACHE system play a crucial contribution for late mortality. GCS is simple, less time-consuming and economical for patients with acute head injury for the prediction of hospital and early mortality. The APACHE III provides better prediction for severe morbidity than GCS and APACHE II. Therefore, the APACHE III provides a good assessment not only for hospital and late mortality, but also for functional outcome. Received: 22 May 1995 Accepted: 2 September 1996     

Criteria for intensive care unit admission and severity of illness

Intensive care is a specialist area of the hospital with concentration of resources and expertise to look after critically unwell patients. No set criteria exist for admission to intensive care, although patients usually have severe illness associated with physiological dysfunction and actual or impending organ failure. There are multiple scoring systems designed to assess severity of illness, all with significant limitations. The National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS-2) is a commonly used ‘track and trigger’ system designed to detect and respond to the unwell or deteriorating patient. NEWS-2 is marker of physiological disturbance and high scores correlate with intensive care admission and mortality. Looking at the elective and emergency surgical population, patients at high risk of complications should be admitted to intensive care postoperatively. Increasing age, comorbidities, poor exercise tolerance and major surgical intervention are associated with adverse outcomes. Admission to intensive care often requires difficult time-critical decisions to be made with limited information. Intensive care admission can be the difference between life and death, but there are both physical and psychological harm associated with invasive organ support. The four pillars of medical ethics – autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice – can be used to guide these decisions.     

APACHE Ⅲ评分法在急性重症胆管炎中的应用

目的探讨急性生理学及慢性健康状况评分系统(APACHEⅢ)对急性重症胆管炎(ACST)患者病情严重程度和预后的价值。方法收集本院收治的有完整的APACHEⅢ生理学指标的96例ACST患者进行评分及回顾性分析研究。结果本组存活81例,死亡15例,死亡率为15.62%。存活组与死亡组APACHEⅢ分值有显著差异(P<0.01);手术组73例与非手术组23例APACHEⅢ分值比较有显著差异(P<0.01)、病死率比较也有显著差异(P<0.01);急症手术组与择期手术组APACHEⅢ分值有显著差异(P<0.01),病死率比较无显著差异(P>0.05)。结论APACHEⅢ评分可作为ACST生存预测和治疗决策选择的可行性量化指标,对APACHEⅢ评分值>60分者,术前的综合治疗非常重要。     

Evaluation of nosocomial infection risk using APACHE II scores in the neurological intensive care unit

To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of using the Acute Physiology, Age and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scoring system for predicting the risk of nosocomial infection in the neurological intensive care unit (NICU), 216 patients transferred to NICU within 24 hours of admission were retrospectively evaluated. Based on admission APACHE II scores, they were classified into three groups, with higher APACHE II scores representing higher infectious risk. The device utilization ratios and device-associated infection ratios of NICU patients were analyzed and compared with published reports on patient outcome. Statistical analysis of nosocomial infection ratios showed obvious differences between the high-risk, middle-risk and low-risk groups (p < 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the APACHE II model in predicting the risk of nosocomial infection was 0.81, which proved to be reliable and consistent with the expectation. In addition, we found statistical differences in the duration of hospital stay (patient-days) and device utilization (device-days) between different risk groups (p < 0.05). Thus the APACHE II scoring system was validated in predicting the risk of nosocomial infection, duration of patient-days and device-days, and providing accurate assessment of patients’ condition, so that appropriate prevention strategies can be implemented based on admission APACHE II scores.     

The Endocrinologic Changes in Critically Ill Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients

ABSTRACT

Background: Alterations in the neuroendocrine system occur during critical illness. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) itself causes hormonal changes. The aim of this study was to determine neu roendocrine hormones of COPD patients with acute respiratory failure and to investigate the relationship between hormonal changes, mortality, and morbidity.Methods: We enrolled 21 patients (13 F/8 M) with COPD exacerbation requiring artificial airway support. Blood samples were collected on admission to the ICU, and on the day of hospital discharge. Eighteen healthy people were included as controls. Results: Female patients had lower luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and free triiodothyronine (fT3), and higher prolactin (PRL) levels than controls on admission to the ICU (FSH: 70.3 vs. 29.3 mlU/mL; LH: 26.6 vs. 6.8 mlU/mL; fT3: 2.9 vs. 2.0 pg/mL; PRL: 12.4 vs. 21.3 ng/mL). Male patients had low testosterone and TSH and high PRL but only changes in TSH and PRL reached statistical significance (testosterone: 3.5 vs. 1.5 ng/mL, TSH: 1.1 vs. 0.5 ulU/mL, PRL: 9.7 vs. 14.2 ng/mL). Female patients had lower fT3 than males (fT3_female: 2.7 vs. fT3_male: 2.0 pg/mL). On follow-up, significantly elevated FSH and fT3 and decreased estradiol concentrations were documented among recovered women (FSH: 28.4 vs. 46.6 mlU/mL, fT3,: 2.0 vs. 2.6 pg/mL, E₂: 27.7 vs. 19.0 pg/mL). Patients had high C-reactive protein levels and acute physiologic and chronic health evaluation II scores. Mortality rate was 9.5% and a negative correlation between E₂ and duration of noninvasive mechanical ventilation and length of hospital stay was found in male patients. Conclusion: Men and women with acute respiratory failure in the presence of COPD develop significant changes in the neuroendocrine axis. Hormonal suppression vanishes with disease improvement.     

外周血CD4+CXCR5+Tfh水平对肺炎克雷伯菌感染者预后的影响

目的　检测肺炎克雷伯菌感染者外周血CD4+CXCR5+滤泡辅助性T细胞（T follicular helper cell, Tfh）水平，探讨其对患者预后的影响。方法　选取2017年7月—2019年5月于本院ICU住院治疗的147例患者为研究对象，根据患者入院后是否出现肺炎克雷伯菌感染，将其分为感染组（69例）和未感染组（78例）。采用流式细胞术检测147例患者外周血CD4+CXCR5+Tfh水平。采用单因素分析肺炎克雷伯菌感染的影响因素；采用单因素分析和多因素Logistic回归分析肺炎克雷伯菌感染者预后的影响因素。结果　感染组的住院时间、入住ICU时间、入住ICU时APACHE II评分、机械通气时间及心血管疾病、多器官功能障碍综合征、接受手术、恶性肿瘤患者比例均高于未感染组，差异均有统计学意义（P均＜0.05）。感染组外周血CD4+CXCR5+Tfh水平、死亡患者比例均高于未感染组（P均＜0.05）。感染组中死亡患者外周血CD4+CXCR5+Tfh水平高于生存患者（P＜0.05）。CD4+CXCR5+Tfh、碳青霉烯类耐药、入住ICU时APACHE II评分是影响肺炎克雷伯菌感染者死亡的独立危险因素（P均＜0.05）。结论　外周血CD4+CXCR5+Tfh水平在肺炎克雷伯菌感染者中显著升高，CD4+CXCR5+Tfh可能通过参与机体免疫应答影响感染者的预后。检测CD4+CXCR5+Tfh水平不仅对判断感染者的免疫状态有重要意义，也可为肺炎克雷伯菌感染者治疗提供依据。     

早期乳酸清除率及APACHEⅡ评分对老年重症肺炎患者预后判断的研究

目的:探讨早期乳酸清除率和急性生理学和慢性健康状况Ⅱ(APACHEⅡ)评分对老年重症肺炎患者预后的临床意义。方法:对重症医学科收治的47例老年重症肺炎患者,平均年龄(83.1±8.4)岁,分别于入院时和明确诊断后6 h测定动脉血乳酸,计算乳酸清除率。在患者入院第1个24 h内进行APACHEⅡ评分。以患者入院后28 d预后为研究终点,将患者分为存活组和死亡组,比较两组患者早期乳酸清除率及APACHEⅡ评分。根据明确诊断后6 h乳酸清除率将患者分为高乳酸清除率组(乳酸清除率≥10%)和低乳酸清除率组(乳酸清除率<10%),比较两组患者APACHEⅡ评分、机械通气率、病死率。采用受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线分析乳酸清除率预测老年重症肺炎患者预后的价值。结果:存活组和死亡组的乳酸清除率分别为(19.7±6.4)%和(7.7±10.1)%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);高乳酸清除率组和低乳酸清除率组28 d病死率分别为26.7%(8/30)和58.8%(10/17),高乳酸清除率组低于低乳酸清除率组(P<0.05);乳酸清除率预测老年重症肺炎患者28 d病死率最佳临界点为20%,敏感性68.9%,特异性67.9%。结论:早期乳酸清除率与APACHEⅡ评分正相关,两者可作为判断老年重症肺炎患者预后的指标。     

Evaluation of prognostic score based on the Japanese criteria for the severity of acute pancreatitis. Part I. Retrospective study

We used the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare criteria for acute pancreatitis to obtain a “prognosis score” for disease severity in 63 individuals with severe pancreatitis and we assessed the usefulness of these scores. To convert the Japanese criteria into a score, we excluded the CT grade classification, assigned a value of 1 point to the prognostic factors designated , and a value of 0.5 points to the prognostic factors designated , and added the number of points to obtain the “prognosis score”. The results showed a clear difference in prognosis between patients who had scores of 1.5 or less and those whose scores were 2.0 or more. These prognosis scores were useful both in rating the efficacy of treatment and in selecting the method of treatment in the early stage. To confirm the value of these scores, it will be necessary to accumulate more cases prospectively and to conduct additional assessments.