Comparison of the Modified Aldrete Score and White Fast-Track Score in the Determination of Post-Anaesthesia Care...

Safe and timely discharge from the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) is essential for optimal recovery and efficient resource utilization. This study compared the Modified Aldrete Score (MAS) and White Fast-Track Score (WFTS) in the assessment of PACU discharge readiness, using the conventional 60-minute time-based discharge criterion as a reference benchmark.

In this prospective observational study, 128 adults aged 18-60 years with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-II who underwent elective surgery under general anaesthesia were evaluated. Recovery in all patients was assessed simultaneously using both the MAS and WFTS at predefined PACU intervals. The primary outcome was time to discharge readiness, defined as MAS ≥9 or WFTS ≥12 with no component score <1, against conventional 60-minute time-based discharge criteria. Secondary outcomes included comparison of recovery assessment between the two scoring systems and documentation of events associated with prolonged PACU stay.

The mean age of participants was 33.83 ± 11.59 years, and 73 (57.0%) were female. Mean time to discharge readiness was 11.56 ± 5.05 minutes using MAS and 12.54 ± 6.55 minutes using WFTS, with no significant difference between the scores (t = 1.336, p = 0.183). No significant differences were observed in the proportions of patients meeting discharge criteria at any assessment interval (all p > 0.05). Both scoring systems identified discharge readiness significantly earlier than the conventional 60-minute criterion (p < 0.001).

MAS and WFTS demonstrated comparable performance in assessing PACU discharge readiness and identified discharge readiness significantly earlier than conventional time-based criteria, supporting a criteria-based approach to PACU discharge.