Predicting the prognosis with trauma indices in surgical patients treated in the intensive care unit

Trauma indices, acute trauma, CHOP (Creatinine, Haematocrit, Osmolality, Pressure), respiratory and renal indices, based on routinely used biochemical and physiological data, are mathematical quantities which have been developed for predicting the outcome of critically ill patients. We evaluated the use of these indices in 212 surgical intensive care patients. By fitting the index value, the age and sex of the patient to a logistic model, the probability of death (PD) was obtained. Poorest values of various indices and highest PD values were observed in postoperative abdominal surgery patients both on admission and during intensive care. Lower PD values were found in multiple trauma and brain injury patients. The outcome of a patient can be predicted already by means of the admission values. These indices are feasible since they require only easily available data. Before use, their validity must be checked at the hospital concerned.