Table 4.

Clinical criteria for high-risk surgical patients used by Shoemaker and colleagues [6] and adapted by Boyd and colleagues [7]

Previous severe cardiorespiratory illness – acute myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or stroke

Late-stage vascular disease involving aorta

Age > 70 years with limited physiological reserve in one or more vital organs

Extensive surgery for carcinoma (e.g. oesophagectomy, gastrectomy cystectomy)

Acute abdominal catastrophe with haemodynamic instability (e.g. peritonitis, perforated viscus, pancreatitis)

Acute massive blood loss > 8 units

Septicaemia

Positive blood culture or septic focus

Respiratory failure: PaO2 < 8.0 kPa on FIO2 > 0.4 or mechanical ventilation > 48 hours

Acute renal failure: urea > 20 mmol/l or creatinine > 260 mmol/l