The ARISCAT score evaluates the respiratory risk for patients undergoing surgery by examining several preoperative and surgical factors. These inputs include the patient's age, preoperative oxygen saturation, recent respiratory infections, anemia status, type of surgical incision, estimated surgery duration, and whether the surgery is an emergency.

Each factor is assigned a specific score:

- **Age in years:**
  - <= 50: 0 points
  - 51-80: 3 points
  - > 80: 16 points

- **Preoperative SpO₂:**
  - >= 96%: 0 points
  - 91-95%: 8 points
  - <= 90%: 24 points

- **Respiratory infection in the last month:**
  - Yes: 17 points
  - No: 0 points

- **Preoperative anemia (hemoglobin <= 10 g/dL):**
  - Yes: 11 points
  - No: 0 points

- **Surgical incision:**
  - Peripheral: 0 points
  - Upper abdominal: 15 points
  - Intrathoracic: 24 points

- **Duration of surgery:**
  - <= 2 hours: 0 points
  - 2-3 hours: 16 points
  - > 3 hours: 23 points

- **Emergency surgery:**
  - Yes: 8 points
  - No: 0 points

By totaling the scores from these criteria, the ARISCAT score estimates the risk of in-hospital postoperative pulmonary complications. Interpretation is straightforward:

- A score less than 26 indicates a 1.6% risk.
- Scores between 26 and 44 suggest a 13.3% risk.
- Scores over 44 are associated with a 42.1% risk.

This risk evaluation assists healthcare providers in tailoring preoperative and postoperative care to mitigate potential respiratory complications.

The Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia score (ARISCAT score) is a clinical tool designed to stratify the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications in surgical patients. The ARISCAT score is particularly useful in preoperative assessment, aiding clinicians in decision-making processes and patient counseling.

The primary components of the ARISCAT score include patient age, preoperative oxygen saturation (SpO₂), presence of respiratory infection in the last month, preoperative anemia (hemoglobin <= 10 g/dL), type of surgical incision, duration of surgery, and whether the surgery is an emergency. Each of these components contributes to the overall risk assessment, with higher scores indicating a greater risk of postoperative pulmonary complications.