1. What is the APACHE II Score?

The APACHE II (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II) is a severity-of-disease classification system that estimates ICU mortality based on several physiological measurements, age, and chronic health conditions.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the APACHE II equation:

Where:

• Acute Physiology Score — Based on 12 physiological variables (0-60 points)
• Age Points — Points assigned based on patient's age (0-6 points)
• Chronic Health Points — Points for severe organ insufficiency (0-5 points)

Explanation: The score ranges from 0 to 71, with higher scores indicating more severe disease and higher risk of death.

3. Importance of APACHE II Score

Details: The APACHE II score is widely used in ICUs to predict mortality risk, compare illness severity between patient groups, and evaluate ICU performance.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the Acute Physiology Score (0-60), Age Points (0-6), and Chronic Health Points (0-5) to calculate the total APACHE II score.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a normal APACHE II score?
A: There is no "normal" score as it's a severity measure. Lower scores (<15) indicate lower mortality risk, while higher scores (>35) indicate high mortality risk.

Q2: How accurate is APACHE II for mortality prediction?
A: It has good discrimination (AUC ~0.85) but should be used cautiously for individual patients as it was designed for population-level predictions.

Q3: What are the components of Acute Physiology Score?
A: It includes vital signs, laboratory values (like creatinine, WBC), and Glasgow Coma Scale measured in the first 24 hours of ICU admission.

Q4: What are the limitations of APACHE II?
A: It may be less accurate for specific populations (e.g., cardiac surgery patients) and doesn't account for ICU therapies or pre-ICU length of stay.

Q5: Has APACHE II been replaced by newer versions?
A: While APACHE III and IV exist, APACHE II remains widely used due to its simplicity and extensive validation.