Table 2

Strengths and limitations of prognostic risk scores

AdvantagesDisadvantages
Allows for individualised therapy for a disease that has a wide spectrum of presentation.Current evidence base involving prospective use of risk scores is weak.
Removes subjectivity of clinicians from the decision-making process.Current risk scores fail to capture key prognostic variables and overemphasise on other variables.
Scores can be modified easily to include future prognostic risk factors using machine learning, maintaining the accuracy of clinical decision-making.Physicians might find it inconvenient and time-consuming to do a full history to ascertain presence of risk factors.