Silverman-Andersen retraction score
Paediatrics
Also known as: Silverman-Andersen-Score · Silverman-Andersen skoru · Silverman-Andersen score (neonatal respiratory distress)
What it is for
The Silverman-Andersen score (1956) grades respiratory distress in newborns, originally preterm infants, from five observed signs, each scored 0 (absent), 1 (moderate) or 2 (marked); total 0–10.
Classification
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Signs | upper chest movement (chest–abdomen synchrony), lower chest (intercostal) retraction, xiphoid retraction, nasal flaring (dilatation of the nares), expiratory grunt. |
| Scoring | each sign 0 = absent, 1 = moderate effort, 2 = maximal effort; the total runs from 0 (no distress) to 10 (most severe). |
| Direction | unlike the Apgar score, a higher Silverman-Andersen total is worse. |
| Bands | severity bands are not part of the original score and differ between sources. |
Source
A controlled clinical trial of effects of water mist on obstructive respiratory signs, death rate and necropsy findings among premature infants
Pediatrics 1956;17:1–10 (Silverman WA, Andersen DH)
PMID: 13353856
- Edition
- Silverman and Andersen 1956 (original five-sign retraction score)
- Checked on
Summary of the published classification in our own words. Not a substitute for the original publication.
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