Which age is included in Ranson's criteria for acute pancreatitis severity evaluation?

Ranson's criteria for assessing the severity of acute pancreatitis include various clinical parameters, one of which is age. Specifically, one of the criteria indicates that patients who are over 55 years old are at an increased risk of severe disease and complications. This inclusion is based on studies that have shown higher morbidity and mortality rates in older patients who experience acute pancreatitis.

Understanding the significance of age in this evaluation helps healthcare providers stratify risk and implement timely and appropriate interventions. In practice, the age criterion serves as an important factor among the other clinical indicators, such as white blood cell count, blood glucose levels, and serum lactate dehydrogenase levels, to predict the severity of the condition and guide management strategies.