Association of triage hypothermia with in-hospital mortality among patients in the emergency department with suspected sepsis

PurposeTo identify if triage hypothermia (<36.0 °C) among emergency department (ED) encounters with sepsis are independently associated with mortality.MethodsWe analyzed data from a multi-stage probability sample survey of visits to United States EDs between 2007 and 2015, using two inclusion approaches: an explicit definition based on diagnosis codes for sepsis and a severe sepsis definition, combining evidence of infection with organ dysfunction. We used multivariable regression to determine an association between hypothermia and in-hospital mortality.ResultsOf 1.2 billion ED encounters (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0–1.3 billion), 3.1 million (95% CI 2.7–3.5 million) met the explicit sepsis definition; 7.4% (95% CI 75.2–9.7%) had triage hypothermia. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for hypothermia for in-hospital mortality was 6.82 (95% CI 3.08–15.22). The severe sepsis definition identified 3.5 million (95% 3.1–4.0 million) encounters; 30.3% (95% CI 25.0–34.6%) had triage hypothermia. The aOR for hypothermia with mortality was 4.08 (95% CI 2.09–7.95). Depending on sepsis definition, 78.1–84.4% had other systemic inflammatory response syndrome vital sign abnormalities.ConclusionUp to one in three patients with sepsis have triage hypothermia, which is independently associated with mortality. 10–20% of patients with hypothermic sepsis do not have other vital sign abnormalities.     

Blood urea nitrogen to albumin ratio is a predictor of in-hospital mortality in older emergency department patients

IntroductionIn this study, we aimed to evaluate the first measured blood urea nitrogen (BUN)/albumin ratio in the emergency department (ED) as a predictor of in-hospital mortality in older ED patients.MethodsThis retrospective observational study was conducted at a university hospital ED. Consecutive patients aged 65 and over who visited the ED in a three-month period were included in the study. The BUN, albumin, creatinine, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of patients were recorded. The primary end point of the study was in-hospital mortality.ResultsA total of 1253 patients were included in the statistical analyses of the study. Non-survivors had increased BUN levels (32.9 (23.3–55.4) vs. 20.2 (15.4–28.3) mg/dL, p < 0.001), decreased albumin levels (3.27 (2.74–3.75) vs. 3.96 (3.52–4.25) g/dL, p < 0.001), and increased BUN/albumin ratios (10.19 (6.56–18.94) vs. 5.21 (3.88–7.72) mg/g, p < 0.001) compared to survivors. An increased BUN/albumin ratio was a powerful predictor of in-hospital mortality with an area under the curve of 0.793 (95% CI: 0.753–0.833). Malignancy (OR: 2.39; 95% CI: 1.59–3.74, p < 0.001), albumin level < 3.5 g/dL (OR: 2.75; 95% CI: 1.74–4.36, p < 0.001), and BUN/albumin ratio > 6.25 (OR: 2.82; 95% CI: 1.22–6.50, p < 0.015) were found to be independent predictors of in-hospital mortality in older ED patients.ConclusionAccording to our findings, older patients with a BUN level > 23 mg/dL, an albumin level < 3.5 g/dL, and a BUN/albumin ratio > 6.25 mg/g in the ED have a higher risk of in-hospital mortality. Additionally, the BUN/albumin ratio is a more powerful independent predictor of in-hospital mortality than the BUN level, albumin level, creatinine level, and eGFR in older ED patients.     

Arterial lactate as a predictor of mortality in emergency department patients with paraquat intoxication

Context. Plasma paraquat concentration is recognized as the best prognostic indicator in patients with acute paraquat poisoning, but it cannot be measured in many hospitals due to limited medical resources. By contrast, arterial lactate is easily obtainable, even in local hospitals. Objective. To evaluate whether initial arterial lactate concentration is a good predictor of mortality in patients with acute paraquat poisoning. Materials and methods. A total of 272 patients with acute paraquat poisoning were admitted to the emergency department of Samsung Changwon Hospital from January 2005 to January 2011. Initial arterial lactate in the emergency department was compared in survivors and non-survivors. Initial arterial lactate and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score system were compared by analyzing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results. The overall rate of mortality was calculated to be 81.6%; 222 out of 272 patients died. The arterial lactate was higher in non-survivors (8.30 ± 4.04 mmol/L) than survivors (2.81 ± 1.95 mmol/L) (p < 0.001). The arterial lactate was found to be associated with a significantly higher risk of death in a multiple logistic regression (odds ratio (OR) = 7.02, 95% confidence interval = 2.06–23.91, p = 0.002). For the ROC curve analysis, the arterial lactate had an area of 0.886 and the cut-off concentration was 4.4 mmol/L (sensitivity 82%, specificity 88%, the best Youden index was 0.7). The APACHE II score system had an area of 0.859 and the cut off was 9 (sensitivity 75%, specificity 84%, and the best Youden index was 0.59). Discussion and conclusion. The arterial lactate had a good predictive power in evaluating the prognosis of patients with acute paraquat poisoning. In the case of hospitals without facilities to test plasma paraquat concentration, measurement of the arterial lactate may be a simple and practical tool for assessing the severity of paraquat poisoning.     

急诊脓毒症病死率评分在急诊脓毒症患者中的应用

目的 验证急诊脓毒症病死率评分(mortality in emergency department sepsis score,MEDS)对于急诊脓毒症患者病情评估的应用价值,并将其对患者28 d病死率的预测效果进行比较。方法 对2009年9月至2010年9月首都医科大学附属北京朝阳医院急诊抢救室救治的613例脓毒症患者进行前瞻性研究。记录患者的证急诊脓毒症病死率评分(MEDS)、急性生理学与慢性健康情况评价系统Ⅱ（acute physiology and chronic health evaluation,APACHEⅡ）、简化急性生理学评分Ⅱ（simplified acute physiology score,SAPSⅡ）和改良早期预警评分(modified early warning score,MEWS)。随访28 d转归。根据患者MEDS评分分值将死亡风险分级：极低危险组(0 ～4分)、低度危险组（5～7分）、中度危险组（8～12分）、高度危险组（13 ～ 15分）、极高危险组（大于15分）,各组间实际病死率采用X2检验比较。再对生存组和死亡组进行比较,通过logistic 回归分析确定预测死亡的独立因素,应用受试者工作特征曲线（ROC曲线）比较MEDS与APACHEⅡ,SAPSⅡ和MEWS评分对预后的预测能力。结果 失访10例,完整记录603例。MEDS评分患者各组实际病死率分别为0％,7.7％,18.5％,46.7％,63％,各组间实际病死率有显著区别。生存组（440例）与死亡组（163例）之间年龄和四种评分差异均具有统计学意义(P＜0.01)。MEDS,APACHEⅡ,SAPSⅡ、MEWS评分均是预测死亡的独立因素,ROC曲线下的面积(AUC)分别为0.767,0.743,0.741和0.636。结论 MEDS评分可以对脓毒症患者死亡风险进行分级,在患者28 d病死率方面有较好的预测能力,适用于急诊脓毒症患者。     

Serum cholesterol as a predictor of mortality among the elderly patients with pneumonia in the emergency department

BackgroundReduced cholesterol levels are associated with poor outcomes in critically ill patients. However, the effect of reduced cholesterol levels on the prognosis of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum total cholesterol levels and the clinical outcomes of elderly patients with CAP.MethodsThis was a retrospective observational study that included elderly (≥65 years) CAP patients hospitalized through emergency department between January 2016 and December 2019. We collected their baseline characteristics and laboratory data, including total cholesterol levels at the time of admission. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the association between total cholesterol levels and 14-day in-hospital mortality.ResultsA total of 380 patients were included. The overall 14-day in-hospital mortality rate was 12.37%. Survivors had higher total cholesterol levels than non-survivors (median, 125 mg/dL; interquartile range [IQR], 102–151 mg/dL versus median, 100 mg/dL; IQR, 83–126 mg/dL; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis using a logistic regression model showed that a total cholesterol level of <97 mg/dL was independently associated with 14-day in-hospital mortality in patients with CAP (odds ratio, 2.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.13–7.599; p = 0.027).ConclusionsA decreased level of total cholesterol was associated with increased short-term mortality in elderly patients with CAP. Initial total cholesterol levels may be a useful biomarker to predict the outcome of patients with CAP.     

Emergency Department Triage Early Warning Score (TREWS) predicts in-hospital mortality in the emergency department

AimThe purpose is to assess the adequacy of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) in the emergency department (ED) and the usefulness of the Triage in Emergency Department Early Warning Score (TREWS) that has been developed using the NEWS in the ED.MethodsIn this retrospective observational cohort study, we performed univariable and multivariable regression analyses with 81,520 consecutive ED patients to develop a new scoring system, the TREWS. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality within 24 h, and secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality within 48 h, 7 days, and 30 days. The prognostic properties of the TREWS were compared with those of the NEWS, Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), and Rapid Emergency Medicine Score (REMS) using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) technique.ResultsThe AUC of the TREWS for in-hospital mortality within 24 h was 0.906 (95% CI, 0.903–0.908), those of the NEWS, MEWS, and REMS were 0.878 (95% CI, 0.875–0.881), 0.857 (95% CI, 0.854–0.860), and 0.834 (95% CI, 0.831–0.837), respectively. Differences in the AUC between the TREWS and NEWS, the TREWS and MEWS, and the TREWS and REMS were 0.028 (95% CI, 0.022–0.033; p < .001), 0.049 (95% CI, 0.041–0.057; p < .001), and 0.072 (95% CI, 0.063–0.080; p < .001), respectively. The TREWS showed significantly superior performance in predicting secondary outcomes.ConclusionThe TREWS predicts in-hospital mortality within 24 h, 48 h, 7 days, and 30 days better than the NEWS, MEWS, and REMS for patients arriving at the ED.     

Different triage categorization using Emergency Severity Index (ESI) method in emergency department

Objective

Triage is basically a categorization process to prioritize various treatments for patients based on the types of disease, severity, prognosis and resource availability. However, the term triage is more appropriate to be used in the context of natural disaster or mass casualties. Within the context of emergency situation in emergency department, the term triage refers to a method used to assess the severity of patients’ condition, determine the level of priority, and mobilize the patients to the suitable care unit. ESI is a new concept of triage using five scales in classifying the patients in emergency department. The real implementation of this concept demands nurses have to immediately make assessment about patients’ condition right away, besides they must give their final decision, whether to move the patients to the ward or to let them leave the hospital.

Nucleated red blood cells as predictor of all-cause mortality in emergency department

BacgroundNucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) are immature erythrocytes that are not normally detected in the blood of healthy adults. The detection of these cells in peripheral blood is associated with increased mortality and poor prognosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether NRBCs predict for all causes of death in patients admitted to the emergency department (ED).MethodThis study was conducted retrospectively between January 2019 and December 2019 in academic emergency department, faculty of medicine. We included all patients who died of non-traumatic causes and The control group consisted of patients discharged from the ED. NRBCs and other laboratory parameters were compared between the two groups. The primary outcome is all-cause mortality in the ED. Multivariate logistic analysis was performed.ResultsA total of 204 patients (119 male) were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 66.7 ± 14.6 years. NRBC value was higher in those who died (678.43 ± 655.16/ μl) compared to the control group (22.55 ± 57.86/ μl) (P < 0.001). According to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis (ROC) performed for the prediction all cause mortality in the ED, the best cut-off point for NRBC was >0 /μl (sensitivity 94,12%, specificity 82,35%, Area Under Curve (AUC) =0.97). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the NRBC was associated with all-cause mortality in the ED (odds ratio,OR = 1.020, confidence interval, CI = 1.012–1.028).ConclusıonsHigh blood levels of nucleated red blood cells at admission to the emergency department may be associated with increased mortality.     

Prognostic value of mortality in emergency department sepsis score, procalcitonin, and C-reactive protein in patients with sepsis at the emergency department

The prognostic value of procalcitonin (PCT) in patients with sepsis at the emergency department (ED) has not been evaluated. We conducted a prospective observational study to compare the prognostic value of PCT on sepsis and compared with a validated score, Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis (MEDS) score, and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the setting of ED of an urban, university-based medical center. Five hundred twenty-five consecutive adult patients admitted to the ED fulfilling the American College of Clinical Pharmacists/Society of Critical Care Medicine Consensus Conference definition of sepsis were prospectively enrolled. Serum PCT and CRP were evaluated for each patient. Clinical characteristics and laboratory results on ED admission were recorded using a standardized form. Each patient was followed for at least 30 days. The main outcome was early (5-day) and late (6- to 30-day) mortality. The median age of the study sample was 64.0 (interquartile range, 47-76) years old, and the overall 30-day mortality rate was 10.5%. The c-statistic in the prediction of early mortality was 0.89 for MEDS, 0.76 for PCT, and 0.68 for CRP. The c-statistic in the prediction of late mortality was 0.78 for MEDS, 0.70 for PCT, and 0.63 for CRP. Overall, MEDS score has the best discriminative capability among the three tested markers. Under the best cutoff value, PCT was the most sensitive, and MEDS score was the most specific marker. We suggest further combining the information on PCT and MEDS score to enhance the accuracy in predicting ED sepsis mortality.     

Choice of resuscitative fluids and mortality in emergency department patients with sepsis

Objective

Balanced resuscitative fluids (BF) have been associated with decreased incidence of hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis in sepsis. We hypothesized that higher proportions of BF during resuscitation would thus be associated with improved mortality in Emergency Department (ED) patients with sepsis.

Pre-hospital qSOFA as a predictor of sepsis and mortality

BackgroundThe quick sequential organ failure assessment score (qSOFA) has been proposed as a simple tool to identify patients with sepsis who are at risk for poor outcomes. Its utility in the pre-hospital setting has not been fully elucidated.MethodsThis is a retrospective observational study of adult patients arriving by ambulance in September 2016 to an academic emergency department in Fresno, California. The qSOFA score was calculated from pre-hospital vital signs. We investigated its association with sepsis, ED diagnosis of infection, and mortality.ResultsOf 2292 adult medical patients transported by ambulance during the study period, the sensitivity of qSOFA for sepsis and in-hospital mortality were 42.9% and 40.6%, respectively. Specificity of qSOFA for sepsis and mortality were 93.8% and 91.9%, respectively. Of those with an ED diagnosis of infection compared to all patients, qSOFA was more specific but less sensitive for sepsis. Increasing qSOFA score was associated with a discharge diagnosis of sepsis (OR 4.21, 95% CI 3.41–5.21, p < 0.001), in-hospital mortality (OR 3.30, 95% CI 2.28–4.78, p < 0.001), and ED diagnosis of infection (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.18–1.58, p < 0.001). Higher qSOFA score was associated with triage to a higher acuity zone and longer hospital and ICU length of stay, but not up-triage during ED stay.ConclusionsPre-hospital qSOFA is specific, but poorly sensitive, for sepsis and sepsis outcomes, especially among patients with an ED diagnosis of infection. Higher qSOFA score was associated with worse outcomes.     

急诊脓毒症改良死亡风险评分对急诊脓毒症患者危险分层的应用

目的 探讨急诊脓毒症改良死亡风险评分(NMEDS)对急诊脓毒症患者危险分层的应用价值.方法 连续入选海南省农垦总医院急诊科2015年1月1日至2015年8月31日急诊就诊并且明确诊断为脓毒症患者164例,随访28 d按照患者预后分为死亡组(48例)和存活组(116例)两组,比较两组患者入院后24h内NMEDS与急性生理学与慢性健康状况评分系统Ⅱ(APACHEⅡ)评分;并描绘受试者工作特征曲线(ROC曲线),分析NMEDS与APACHEⅡ评分对急诊脓毒症患者死亡危险预后能力的比较.结果 死亡组患者在入院24h内NMEDS分值明显高于存活组(13.4±1.8)vs.(5.8±2.1),P ＜0.01;APACHEⅡ评分相比较,死亡组(27.4±3.6)分较存活组(17.6±4.1)分高,P=0.003;NMEDS评分不同分值28 d患者病死率:≤4分为4.5％,5～8分为10.0％,9～12分为19.4％,13～16分为42.4％,≥17分为66.7％.NMEDS对患者28 d死亡风险预测的ROC曲线下面积为0.788,数值上较APACHEⅡ评分曲线下面积为0.701高,但差异无统计学意义,P=0.056.结论 NMEDS对急诊脓毒症患者是可以应用的危险分层评分系统,在急诊临床工作中具有应用价值.     

急诊脓毒症死亡风险评分对急诊脓毒症患者危险分层的价值研究

目的 探讨急诊脓毒症死亡风险(MEDS)评分对急诊脓毒症患者危险分层的价值.方法 选取2010-03～2010-10就诊于苏北医院急诊室、拟诊为脓毒症并住院的586例患者,进行MEDS评分、急性生理学与慢性健康状况评分Ⅱ(APACHEⅡ)和动脉血乳酸测定,记录28 d转归情况.通过Logistic回归分析评价各预测因子分值与预后的关系,通过受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线对三种独立预测因子的预后能力进行比较.结果 586例患者28 d死亡54例,死亡组三个预测因子均明显高于存活组(MEDS评分11.5分比4.2分,APACHEⅡ评分24.9分比19.2分,乳酸4.8 mmol/L比3.3 mmol/L,P均＜0.01).MEDS评分≤4分患者病死率为2.7％,5～7分为4.7％,8～12分为13.8％,13～15分为30.0％,＞15分达60.0％,趋势检验P＜0.001.MEDS评分、APACHEⅡ评分及血乳酸的ROC曲线下面积(AUC)分别为0.86、0.72、0.76,MEDS评分对28 d病死率预测能力优于血乳酸(P=0.017)及APACHEⅡ评分(P =0.008).结论 MEDS评分对急诊脓毒症患者是良好的危险分层工具,预测预后能力优于APACHEⅡ评分和血乳酸.     

GRACE risk score as predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients with chest pain

Introduction  

Chest pain and chest discomfort are common problems in the acute care setting. Life-threatening causes of chest pain must be quickly differentiated from other less serious causes. There is a need to stratify risk rapidly in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with chest pain. This study evaluates the relationship between the GRACE risk score (GRS) and in-hospital mortality in patients presenting to the ED with chest pain of all causes.     

Elevated bands as a predictor of bloodstream infection and in-hospital mortality

ObjectiveAlthough >10% bands on a CBC has been a part of the definition for sepsis, scant data exists regarding the clinical significance of lower percentages of bands. Our aim was to determine whether any associations exist between percentage of bands on an initial CBC and likelihood of a bloodstream infection and in-hospital mortality.MethodsWe performed a retrospective study of emergency department adults from January 1, 2016 to September 1, 2019 who had a CBC with manual differential and blood cultures obtained during their initial evaluation. Band percentages were grouped into zero (0% bands), minimal (1–2% bands), mild (3–4% bands), moderate (5–10% bands) and high (>10% bands). The primary outcomes were bloodstream infections and in-hospital mortality.ResultsIncreasing rates of bloodstream infections were observed as bands went from zero (95% CI: 9.3%–10.5%) to minimal (17.5%–19.1%, p < 0.0001), minimal to mild (19.2%–22.0%, p = 0.0039), mild to moderate (23.5%–26.7%, p < 0.0001), and moderate to high (33.0%–37.4%, p < 0.0001). Similar observations were seen when comparing mortality. The most common bloodstream infections were due to Gram-negative bacilli.ConclusionElevated bands on an initial CBC were correlated with the likelihood of a concurrent bloodstream infection and in-hospital mortality, even at levels below 10%. Our results suggest that clinical suspicion for a bloodstream infection due to Gram-negative bacilli should rise if bands are elevated on an initial CBC. Therefore, clinicians should consider obtaining blood cultures if bands are elevated on an initial CBC.