Predictive value of the APACHE and TISS indices on the postoperative morbidity in vascular surgery

: The predictive value of age, weight, APACHE score (preoperative and 48 hours after surgery), and TISS index (24 and 48 hours after surgery) on morbidity has been studied on a group of 101 patients undergoing diverse vascular surgical procedures, with a complication rate of 47%. The 48 hour after surgery TISS alone, could correctly predict the postoperative course in 78% of the cases. This index, combined with the preoperative APACHE score, adequately predicted the course in 79% of the patients. When the 48 hour postoperative APACHE score was added to these two, the prediction was correct in 80%. A discriminant function including both APACHE scores, the 24 hour postoperative TISS, and age allows a proper classification in 81% of the cases. When the same criteria were used in another group of 56 patients--with 38% of postoperative complications--the results obtained showed no statistically significant difference. We conclude that both, the bayesian criterium, and the discriminant function can successfully be used for the prediction of the postoperative morbidity in vascular surgery.