MONTH Score in Predicting Difficult Intubations in Emergency Department; a Prognostic Accuracy Study

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Anesthesiology
• Critical Care

Background:

• Difficult intubation poses significant risks in emergency settings.
• Effective prediction tools are crucial for patient safety during airway management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of the MONTH Difficult Laryngoscopy Score.
• To assess its performance in predicting difficult intubations within the emergency department (ED).

Main Methods:

• Prospective data collection of intubated patients in the ED.
• Analysis of screening performance characteristics of the MONTH score.
• Statistical analysis using STATA software.

Main Results:

• 324 patients studied; 19.44% experienced difficult intubations.
• MONTH score demonstrated 74.6% sensitivity and 92.8% specificity.
• High specificity (98.5%) observed in patients with Intubation Difficulty Scale score ≥ 6.

Conclusions:

• The MONTH Difficult Laryngoscopy Score is a valuable tool for identifying difficult intubations in the ED.
• It exhibits high specificity and positive predictive value.
• Supports its use in clinical practice for airway management.