Patient selection: SLE with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage
Risk factors associated with increased mortality:
(1) elevated APACHE II score
(2) need for mechanical ventilation (respiratory failure, odds ratio 15)
(3) renal failure (which may be due to lupus nephritis, odds ratio 4.9)
(4) bacterial and/or fungal infection (odds ratio 3.2)
(5) thrombocytopenia (odds ratio 4.3)
where:
• The mean APACHE II for survivors was 16 with range 12 to 21.
• The mean APACHE II for nonsurvivors was 23 with range 16 to 24 (which suggests that most patients had scores of 23 or 24).
• An APACHE II score >= 20 will be used to indicate increased risk.
