Usefulness of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) Score in Patients with Sepsis due to Intra-abdominal Infection

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To determine the usefulness of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score for prediction of mortality in operated patients with sepsis due to intra-abdominal infection. METHODS: Eighty-eight septic patients operated on from January 2004 to June 2008 were evaluated retrospectively. The SOFA scores were measured four times in each patient initial score, post-op (post-operation) score, POD1 (first post-operative day) score, and POD2 (second post-operative day) score. The maximum score and mean score were obtained from these measurements. These scores were compared between groups of patients classified by mortality. D scores (D0, D1, D2) reflecting the differences between subsequent scores were compared between the surviving group and deceased group according to re-operation. RESULTS: The initial, post-op, POD1, POD2, maximum, and mean scores showed statistically significant differences between the surviving group and deceased group. D1 and D2 showed statistically significant differences between surviving group and deceased group. CONCLUSION: The sequential measurement of SOFA score is a useful prediction system for patients with sepsis due to intra-abdominal infection.