Clinical Scoring Systems
Contents
In-Shorts
Pulmonary Embolism Rule out Criteria (PERC)
- Age greater than or equal to 50 years
- Heart rate greater than or equal to 100 beats per minute
- Arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) on room air less than 95%
- Venous thromboembolism
- Recent (< 28 days) trauma or surgery
- Unilateral leg swelling
- Hemoptysis
- Oral hormone use
Pulmonary embolism workup can be ruled out if
(1) none of the above eight variables is positive and
(2) there is a less than 15% (very low) pretest probability that the patient has a pulmonary embolism.
A PERC evaluation is considered positive if any one of the eight criteria are met.
Ranson criteria
Acute pancreatitis not secondary to gallstones
At admission:
- Blood glucose > 11.11 mmol/L (> 200 mg/dL)
- Age > 55 years
- Serum LDH > 350 IU/L
- Serum AST > 250 IU/L
- WBC count > 16000 cells/mm3
Within 48 hours:
- Serum calcium < 2.0 mmol/L (< 8.0 mg/dL)
- Hematocrit decreased by > 10%
- Oxygen (hypoxemia with PaO2 < 60 mmHg) BUN increased by 1.8 or more mmol/L (5 or more mg/dL) after IV fluid hydration
- Base deficit (negative base excess) > 4 mEq/L
- Sequestration of fluids > 6 L
- Acute pancreatitis secondary to gallstones
At admission:
- Glucose > 220 mg/dl
- Age > 70 years
- LDH > 400 IU/L
- AST > 250 IU/ 100 ml
- WBC count > 18000 cells/mm3
Within 48 hours:
- Serum calcium < 8 mg/dL Hematocrit decreased by > 10%
- Base deficit > 4 mEq/L
- BUN increased by > 2 mg/dL
- Sequestered fluid > 6L
Interpretation
- If the score ≥ 3, severe pancreatitis likely.
- If the score < 3, severe pancreatitis is unlikely
Or
- Score 0 to 2 : 2% mortality
- Score 3 to 4 : 15% mortality
- Score 5 to 6 : 40% mortality
- Score 7 to 8 : 100% mortality
Pancreatitis severity can be assessed by any of the following:
- Ranson criteria
- APACHE II score ≥ 8
- Balthazar computed tomography severity index (CTSI)
- BISAP score
- Organ failure
- Substantial pancreatic necrosis (at least 30% glandular necrosis according to contrast-enhanced CT)