Can physiological variables and early warning scoring systems allow early recognition of the deteriorating surgical patient?
Some commonly used physiologic variables have reasonable power in determining the difference between patients requiring intensive care unit admission, but others are poor. Existing early warning scores have comparatively good discriminatory power. We have derived functions with excellent predictive power in this derivation cohort.
Keeping a dog or a cat in the home is consistent with higher exposure to endotoxin and might therefore contribute to the lower risk of atopy in later life.