Evaluation of patient mortality in intensive care units using the APACHE IIscoring system

Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) scoring system has been proposed in order to estimate the outcome of patients admitted in the intensive care units. This study was purposed to evaluate correlation between APACHE II score and mortality rate in patients admitted in intensive care units. This retrospective study was conducted with the records of the patients who were admitted in surgical and medical ICUs, Semnan University of Medical Sciences. For each patient, outcome data (survival or death) was extracted and Apache II score was calculated. Data were analysed by SPSS 17 software, using unpaired t-test and spearman’s correlation coefficient. Significant level was set at P<0.05. A total of 195 patients including 99 in the surgical ICU and 96 in the medical ICU were evaluated. Mortality rate was 18.2% and 43.8% in the surgical and the medical ICUs, respectively. Observed mortality was significantly lower in the surgical ICU (P=0.001), and higher in the medical ICU (P<0.001) than expected levels. The APACHE score was significantly correlated to mortality rate in surgical ICU (r=0.421; P<0.001) and in medical ICU (r=0.928; P=0.004). The mortality rate was as well as expected levels in surgical ICU but higher than standard in medical ICU. It is proposed to improve quality of cares in order to decline mortality in medical ICU