[Study on preanesthetic risk evaluation in dogs using the ASA-classification system in Germany]

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Anesthesiology
• Animal Health
• Veterinary Medicine

Background:

• The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)-classification system is widely used for preanesthetic risk evaluation in veterinary medicine.
• Concerns regarding subjectivity and variance in ASA-classification exist, similar to human medicine.
• This study investigates the applicability and consistency of the ASA-classification system in canine patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the accuracy and consistency of the ASA-classification system for anesthetic risk evaluation in dogs.
• To identify potential subjectivity and variance in veterinary ASA-classification.
• To compare the application of the ASA-classification system in dogs to findings in human medicine.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was distributed to small animal practitioners in Germany.
• Veterinarians classified 15 canine patients using the ASA-classification scheme based on provided patient data.
• Statistical analysis included independent t-test, ANOVA, and Fleiss' Kappa (κ) to evaluate consistency.

Main Results:

• A low consistency (κ = 0.33) was observed in the assigned ASA-classes among veterinarians.
• Each patient was assigned to at least three different ASA-classes, with some receiving all five possible classifications.
• Veterinarian's gender, clinical experience, or confidence level did not significantly impact classification accuracy.

Conclusions:

• The ASA-classification system demonstrates considerable subjectivity and variance when applied to dogs.
• The findings suggest a need for more objective criteria in preanesthetic evaluations for precise and reproducible canine risk assessment.
• Enhancing objectivity in preanesthetic evaluations is crucial for improving the reliability of the ASA-classification system in veterinary practice.