Palliative Prognostic Index

PPI Score Predicts survival in terminally ill patients based on five criteria.

The PPI predicts survival in terminally ill oncologic patients based on the score in the Palliative Performance Scale, and four other clinical symptoms: oral intake, oedema, dyspnea at rest and delirium:

Palliative Performance Scale: 10-20 (+4), 30-50 (+2.5),>60 (0);

Oral Intake: Severely Reduced (< mouthfuls) (+2.5), Moderately Reduced (> mouthfuls) (+1), Normal (0);

Oedema: Present (+1), Absent (0);

Dyspnea at rest: Present (+3.5), Absent (0);

Delirium: Present (+4), Absent (0).

The PPI can acceptably predict whether or not a patient will survive >3 or >6 weeks.

PPI results range from 0 to 15 with the indication that scores greater than 6.0 survival is less than three weeks (Sensitivity - 80%; Specificity - 85%).

The existence of concomitant diseases has not been taken into account in the building of the majority of survival prognostic scores, although acute concomitant diseases can impact scoring and survival.