The CANUKA score is a scoring system used to assess the risk of complications in patients with acute cholangitis (inflammation of the bile duct) before they undergo endoscopic treatment. It helps determine which patients might be safely discharged from the emergency department.
Here's a breakdown:
- Purpose: To predict the likelihood of adverse outcomes in patients with acute cholangitis prior to endoscopic intervention.
- Calculation: The score is calculated using 10 pre-endoscopic admission variables. While the specifics of these variables are not included in the provided reference, they likely encompass clinical and laboratory findings indicative of the patient's overall condition.
- Scoring Range: The CANUKA score ranges from 0 to 20.
- Interpretation: A CANUKA score of ≤ 1 is considered a low-risk score, suggesting that the patient may be safely discharged from the emergency department. This implies that patients with very low scores are likely to have a favorable prognosis without immediate, invasive intervention.
In essence, the CANUKA score is a tool used to stratify risk in patients with acute cholangitis, assisting clinicians in making informed decisions regarding patient management and discharge.
