The role of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II in intensive care for critically ill obstetric patients

Objective To determine the outcome predictability and the intensive care grade given in critically ill obstetric patients admitted to GICU using the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scoring system. Methods Consecutive critically ill obstetric patients (n=82) admitted to general intensive care unit from Jan 2000 to Apr 2004 were studied to determine whether mortality prediction is feasible in critically ill obstetric patients based on APACHE II. Furthermore, the intensive care grade was given for the patients depended on APACHE II. Results APACHE II scores of these critically ill obstetric patients were in the range of 6 to 56, average (20.02±9.55), with average score of (18.24±6.95) for 65 survivors and (30.39±10.54 ) for 17 death cases. There was a significant difference between the two groups of patients (P0.01). Actual and predicted mortality increased along with the increase in APACHE II scores. The mortality in the patients with intensive care grade A, in which APACHE II 21, was only 45.45%. Conclusion APACHE II can be used to predict the prognosis of critically ill obstetric patients admitted to GICU and to determine the intensive care grade given for the patients. Our results also suggested that the patients with APACHE II10 should not be admitted to ICU.