Response on: C-reactive Protein as a Predictor for Complications Following Esophagectomy

Excerpt

With pleasure, we respond to the comment of Straatman et al. on our study on the diagnostic value of C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels post-esophagectomy.1 The first issue raised by Straatman et al. is the classification of postoperative complications. As mentioned in the “Methods” section of the article, we have used the Accordion severity grading scale to score complication severity.2 The Accordion severity grading is a 5-point grading scale comparable in its definitions of complications and severity to the Clavien-Dindo classification for postoperative complications.3 ^, 4 We are unaware of any literature suggesting one being superior to the other. As only complications considered grade 2 or higher were used in the primary outcome, the resulting cutoff values in our study in fact do differentiate between minor and major complications. …