What is the Bush/Jacoby classification (Burch/Jacoby classification)?

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Last updated: April 3, 2025View editorial policy

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From the Guidelines

The Bush/Jacoby classification should not be used in clinical practice due to its lack of external validation, variable correlation with clinical symptoms, and inability to predict treatment outcomes or prognosis. This classification system, along with other historic and minor systems, has been deemed insufficient for guiding clinical decisions, as noted in the World Endometriosis Society consensus on the classification of endometriosis 1. The key points to consider when evaluating classification systems for endometriosis include their ability to:

  • Correlate with clinical symptoms
  • Predict treatment outcomes
  • Provide prognostic information
  • Have gained wide acceptance in the medical community Given that the Bush/Jacoby classification falls short in these areas, it is not recommended for use in clinical practice, according to the consensus published in Human Reproduction Update in 2017 1. Instead, clinicians should rely on more widely accepted and validated classification systems that can better inform treatment decisions and improve patient outcomes. Some of the limitations of the Bush/Jacoby classification include:
  • Lack of external validation
  • Variable correlation with clinical symptoms
  • Inability to predict treatment outcomes or prognosis
  • Limited acceptance in the medical community These limitations highlight the need for a more robust and reliable classification system for endometriosis, as emphasized by the World Endometriosis Society consensus 1.

From the Research

Bush/Jacoby Classification

The Bush/Jacoby classification is not directly mentioned in the provided studies. However, the studies discuss various classification systems for acute pancreatitis, including:

  • Revised Atlanta classification 2, 3
  • Determinant-based classification (DBC) 4, 3
  • Bedside Index of Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) 5, 4
  • Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II 5
  • Harmless AP Score (HAPS) 4
  • Japanese Severity Score (JSS) 4
  • Symptoms Nutrition Necrosis Antibiotics and Pain (SNNAP) 4
  • PANC 3 4
  • Original Atlanta classification (OAC) 4, 3

Classification Systems

These classification systems aim to stratify patients with acute pancreatitis into coherent risk groups. The studies compare the effectiveness of these systems in predicting outcomes, such as:

  • Need for surgery 4, 3
  • Intensive care unit (ICU) admission 4, 3
  • Readmission within 30 days 4
  • Length of hospital stay 4, 3
  • In-hospital mortality 3

Key Findings

The studies suggest that:

  • The revised Atlanta classification and DBC system perform equally well for classification of disease severity in acute pancreatitis 3
  • The DBC system identifies patients with the most severe disease 3
  • Early and aggressive fluid resuscitation and early enteral nutrition are associated with lower rates of mortality and infectious complications 5
  • The underlying etiology of acute pancreatitis should be sought in all patients, and risk-reduction strategies should be used during and after hospitalization 5, 2

References

Guideline

Guideline Directed Topic Overview

Dr.Oracle Medical Advisory Board & Editors, 2025

Research

Classification, Severity Assessment, and Prevention of Recurrences in Acute Pancreatitis.

Scandinavian journal of surgery : SJS : official organ for the Finnish Surgical Society and the Scandinavian Surgical Society, 2020

Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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