[The ASA index as an indicator of nosocomial infection risk in non-surgical patients]

To determine the relation between health status of patients from a non-surgical unit, measured with the ASA score, and the presence on nosocomial infection (NI).

Our ability to measure the health status with the ASA score was done with a sample of 150 surgical patients, using the Kappa test for interobserver agreement. We assigned the ASA score both cases (patients with NI) and controls to evaluate health status ad admission in the Internal Medicine Unit of our hospital. Statistical analysis was performed with the Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test, odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (95%OR(CI)), and the chi-square test for linear association.

We observed a global kappa value of 0.81 (p < 0.1), that meant high agreement in ASA score assignation, and statistical association between health status and the presence of NI (Weighted MH(OR) = 4.88; 95%OR(CI): 2.34-10.19).

Health status, measured with the ASA score is statistically related with the presence of NI in non-surgical patients and could be useful as a comparison indicator of different levels of NI.