To evaluate the diagnostic value of the Vesikari Scoring System (VSS) as an early predictor of pathogens in children with acute gastroenteritis (AG).

In this retrospective study, the VSS score, absolute neutrophil count (ANC), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were analyzed in 107 hospitalized children with AG, aged 6 months to 17 years. Patients were divided into nonspecific, viral, and bacterial groups according to the pathogens detected using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.

Patients in the bacterial group had significantly higher CRP values and VSS scores compared to those in the viral group and significantly higher VSS scores compared to those in the nonspecific group ( P <0.05). Patients in the viral group had significantly higher VSS scores than those in the nonspecific group ( P <0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that VSS was the most effective diagnostic tool for predicting the type of pathogen ( P <0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of VSS was significantly greater than that for ANC and CRP ( P <0.05). At a cutoff point of 10 in the VSS, an acceptable diagnostic accuracy could be achieved for distinguishing between bacterial and viral pathogens in AG.

VSS can be considered a useful and reliable infectious marker for pediatric gastroenteritis. VSS may be a good early predictor of the type of pathogen, enabling development of a treatment plan before results from a stool culture or PCR test are available.