Evaluation of the quick sequential organ failure assessment score plus lactate in critically ill dogs.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To apply the quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) score to dogs admitted to a veterinary ICU, and evaluate whether the addition of lactate increased the predictive ability of the score. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A quick sequential organ failure assessment score of 0, 1, 2, or 3 was assigned to each dog based on the following criteria: respiratory rate >22 breaths per minute, altered mentation, systolic blood pressure <100&#x2009;mmHg. Lactate was added to quick sequential organ failure assessment in an LqSOFA model and assigned to each patient. Disease processes evaluated included sepsis, congestive heart failure, pneumonia and pancreatitis. RESULTS: Two hundred and sixty-seven client-owned dogs met the inclusion criteria. There was no significant difference in quick sequential organ failure assessment score between survivors and non-survivors. The use of lactate >3, 4, and 5&#x2009;mmol/L incorporated into the quick sequential organ&#xa0;failure assessment score (L3qSOFA, L4qSOFA, L5qSOFA) distinguished between survival and non-survival (AUC=0.62; AUC=0.64; AUC=0.62, respectively). Lactate alone distinguished between survival and non-survival (AUC=0.63). Lactate concentration was significantly lower in survivors. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: In this study, quick sequential organ failure assessment was not able to predict survival in a general population of critically ill patients. The addition of lactate to the quick sequential organ failure assessment score slightly increased the predictive ability of the score.