Ranson criteria for acute pancreatitis
Mortality risk in acute pancreatitis from admission and 48-hour criteria.
Inputs
Age over 55At admission
WBC over 16,000/mm³At admission
Glucose over 200 mg/dLAt admission
LDH over 350 IU/LAt admission
AST over 250 IU/LAt admission
Hematocrit fall over 10 pointsWithin 48 h
BUN rise over 5 mg/dLWithin 48 h
Calcium below 8 mg/dLWithin 48 h
PaO₂ below 60 mmHgWithin 48 h
Base deficit over 4 mEq/LWithin 48 h
Fluid sequestration over 6 LWithin 48 h
Worked calculation
Your values are highlighted.
- Points
When to use
- Non-gallstone acute pancreatitis (criteria differ slightly for gallstone pancreatitis).
Pearls and pitfalls
- Needs 48 hours to complete; BISAP or the revised Atlanta classification are faster.
Why use
Classic, still widely taught.
| Criterion | Points |
|---|---|
| Age over 55 | +1 |
| WBC over 16,000/mm³ | +1 |
| Glucose over 200 mg/dL | +1 |
| LDH over 350 IU/L | +1 |
| AST over 250 IU/L | +1 |
| Hematocrit fall over 10 points | +1 |
| BUN rise over 5 mg/dL | +1 |
| Calcium below 8 mg/dL | +1 |
| PaO₂ below 60 mmHg | +1 |
| Base deficit over 4 mEq/L | +1 |
| Fluid sequestration over 6 L | +1 |
Mortality figures are from the 1970s derivation cohorts.