World’s First Prognosis Score Predicts Life Expectancy In Hospitalized Patients

The life expectancy of hospitalized patients can now be predicted within 30 days using the World’s first prognosis scoring system (PANDORA score). Michael Hiesmayr, Head of the Clinical Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, in collaboration with Karin Schindler at the MedUni Vienna launched the "nutritionDay worldwide" project, ten years ago and PANDORA is the first initiative.

The aim of the project is to create a global map detailing the frequency of malnutrition, the nutritional condition of patients and the care structures in hospitals and care homes that are of relevance to nutrition. 59 countries - from Albania to China, from India to the USA and a total of 32 European countries - are involved in the project.

"To date, around two million sets of data have been anonymously captured online in 32 languages", said Hiesmayr. The data includes age, height, weight, mobility and eating behavior.

Using a weighted points system, a general risk score was derived which can be used in the hospital to ensure quality and whether special attention needs to be paid to special risk groups.

The score also helps to obtain indicators of any possible as-yet-undetected background condition or other problems. "It may even be conceivable in future to develop an online risk calculator which patients can complete themselves if they are able to. The results could in future also be factored into patients’ files. The score is currently a tool for describing the severity of a condition more clearly and allows it to be expressed in numbers."

The data obtained by ‘nutritionDay’ over the years show that weight loss in hospital associated with a condition increases the risk of mortality. "Most patients arrive in hospital with an existing nutrition problem," says Hiesmayr.

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Karin Schindler, co-founder of the project at the MedUni Vienna’s Department of Internal Medicine III, said, "On many wards, we have already been able to adapt the routines based on these numbers, furthermore nutritional risks are documented on admission, the amount of food eaten is monitored and the patient’s nutritional status and treatment plan are included in the discharge summary."

Source-Medindia