[The multiple-organ failure syndrome in intra-abdominal infections]

A specific clinical picture, characterized by affection of parenchymatous organ functions, named "multiple organ deficiency syndrome" was studied in 68 patients with intraabdominal infections. The severity of the infection was determined by practicable quantitative tests, furnishing objective assessment of the function of all affected organs. Reliable correlation was found between the number of affected organs and quantitative testing values as to the outcome of the disease. This approach however is not recommended for individual prognosis, but for classifying the patient into group with presumable mortality rate. Apart from giving precise description of the severity of infection and the patient's state, the testing is convenient for comparing groups of patients with similar diseases, also for assessment of different treatment schemes and for comparing the results of personal experience with that of other authors.