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.     

Risk assessment in the first fifteen minutes: a prospective cohort study of a simple physiological scoring system in the emergency department

Introduction  

The survival of patients admitted to an emergency department is determined by the severity of acute illness and the quality of care provided. The high number and the wide spectrum of severity of illness of admitted patients make an immediate assessment of all patients unrealistic. The aim of this study is to evaluate a scoring system based on readily available physiological parameters immediately after admission to an emergency department (ED) for the purpose of identification of at-risk patients.     

Risk stratification of severe sepsis patients in the emergency department

Objective

To determine the efficacy of the Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis (MEDS) score in the stratification of patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) with severe sepsis.

Methods

Adults who presented to the ED with severe sepsis were retrospectively recruited and divided into group A (MEDS score <12) and group B (MEDS score ⩾12). Their outcomes were evaluated with 28 day hospital mortality rate, length of hospital stay, Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Discriminatory power of the MEDS score in mortality prediction was further compared with the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II model.

Results

In total, 276 patients (44.6% men and 55.4% women) were analysed, with 143 patients placed in group A and 133 patients in group B. Patients with MEDS score ⩾12 had a significantly higher mortality rate (48.9% v 17.5%, p<0.01) and higher median APACHE II score (25 v 20 points, p<0.01). Significant difference in mortality risk was also demonstrated with Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis (log rank test, p<0.01). No difference in the length of hospital stay was found between the groups. ROC analysis indicated a better performance in mortality prediction by the MEDS score compared with the APACHE II score (ROC 0.75 v 0.62, p<0.01).

Conclusion

Our results showed that mortality risk stratification of severe sepsis patients in the ED with MEDS score is effective. The MEDS score also discriminated better than the APACHE II model in mortality prediction.     

急诊成人多器官功能障碍综合征患者临床特征及预后的相关因素

目的:分析急诊成人多器官功能障碍综合征(multiple organ dysfunction syndrome,MODS)患者临床特征及预后相关因素。方法:选取2018年4月至2020年4月急诊科收治的86例成人MODS患者,回顾性研究患者的临床特征及住院28 d死亡情况,并分析预后的相关因素。结果:患者就诊原因以重症肺炎(24.42%)和重症胰腺炎(17.44%)较多,受累器官系统数量>3个的患者占47.67%。患者入院时以代谢性酸中毒和心、肝、肾、凝血等靶器官损害为主要特征。入院28 d内29例患者死亡,病死率为33.72%。急诊成人MODS患者入院28 d内死亡与受累器官系统数量、入院时急性生理学与慢性健康状况评分(Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Ⅱ,APACHE Ⅱ)、谷丙转氨酶(alanine aminotransferase,ALT)水平、乳酸(lactic acid,LAC)水平、氨基氮端前体脑钠肽(N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide,NT-proBNP)水平具有相关性(P<0.05)。结论:急诊成人MODS患者具有特异性的临床特征,其预后与多种因素有关,临床医生应密切监测患者的生理状态、肝功能指标、酸中毒程度和相关靶器官损害指标,及时纠正组织灌注不足和缺氧状态,监测靶器官损害指标并做好重要器官功能支持,努力减少受累器官组织,改善患者的预后。     

Risk stratification of patients with atrial fibrillation in the emergency department

Introduction and methodsEarly and accurate risk stratification of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in the emergency department (ED) could aid the physician in determining a timely treatment strategy appropriate to the severity of disease. We conducted a retrospective review of 243 adult patients who presented to a tertiary ED with AF in 2017. Primary outcome studied was 30-day adverse event (a composite outcome of repeat visit to the ED, cardiovascular complications, and all-cause mortality).Secondary outcome studied was 90-day all-cause mortality. We compared the performance of the RED-AF, AFTER and CHA2DS2-VASc score by plotting receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and estimating the areas under curves (AUC), and assessed the potential to further improve the tools with their incorporation of new variables.ResultsExisting scoring tools had poor predictive value for 30-day adverse events, with the RED-AF score performing comparatively better, followed by the AFTER and CHA2DS2-VASc score. All scores performed collectively better to predict 90-day mortality, with the AFTER score performing the best, followed by the RED-AF and CHA2DS2-VASc score. By incorporating heart rate at initial presentation to the ED as a variable into the AFTER Score, we generated a Modified AFTER Score with superior predictive performance above existing scores for 90-day mortality.ConclusionExisting scores collectively performed poorly to predict 30-day adverse outcomes, but the AFTER and Modified AFTER score showed good predictive value for 90-day mortality. Further studies should be done to validate their use in guiding clinician’s disposition of patients with AF in the ED.     

Elevated troponin in septic patients in the emergency department: frequency,causes, and prognostic implications

Background

According to the “Third Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction”, cardiac troponin (cTn) is defined to be elevated, if the value is above the 99th percentile of a normal reference population. Especially in emergency medicine, this leads to pathological values more often than before this definition has been founded. Severe sepsis and septic shock frequently cause a rise of cTn, but there is only limited data about its role in septic patients in the emergency department (ED). Therefore, we investigated the frequency, main causes, and prognostic relevance of elevated high-sensitive troponin T (hsTnT) in septic patients in the ED.

Methods

Adults presenting at the ED with sepsis were included in the study. HsTnT was measured soon after admission. Main influencing factors were investigated, and the prognostic value was evaluated.

Results

197 of the 313 analysed patients (62.9 %) showed an elevated hsTnT, with significantly higher rates in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock than in uncomplicated sepsis. APACHE II score, creatinine, and coronary heart disease were found to influence hsTnT independently. Nevertheless, patients with uncomplicated sepsis and without relevant renal insufficiency also showed notable rates of elevated hsTnT: 51.6 % (uncomplicated sepsis) and 34.5 % (no relevant renal failure), respectively. HsTnT showed a prognostic value with higher levels in non-survivors and an AUC of 0.72, p < 0.001.

Conclusions

In the ED, sepsis is a relevant cause of elevated cTn, which underlines the role of sepsis as a differential diagnosis in non-ACS patients with positive cTn. A rise of cTn may be an indicator of poor outcome.     

Risk stratification of patients with syncope in an accident and emergency department

Objectives: This study categorised syncopal patients, in a British accident and emergency (A&E) department, into three prognostic groups, using American College of Physicians (ACP) guidelines. The one year mortality of the three groups was studied to see if risk stratification using these guidelines is applicable to these patients and also whether admission improved outcome.

Methods: The records of all syncopal patients presenting to the Leeds General Infirmary A&E department during an eight week period from 2 November 1998 were identified. The cohort was grouped according to ACP guidelines into those who had an absolute indication for admission (group 1), a probable indication for admission (group 2) and no indication for admission (group 3). The actual disposal was recorded and for each patient mortality data were retrieved from general practices or health authorities one year later. The three groups were compared.

Results: Two hundred and ten records (1.7% of all new patients aged 16 years or above) were analysed. Forty per cent of the cohort were not assigned a diagnosis after their assessment in A&E. Forty seven (22%) were placed in ACP group 1, 63 (30%) in ACP group 2 and 100 (48%) in ACP group 3. Thirty six per cent of those in group 1 had died within a year, 14% of those in group 2 and none of those in group 3. In neither group 1 patients ("high risk") nor group 2 patients ("moderate risk") did admission to the hospital seem to influence outcome. However, three patients died within a week of their presentation, and two of them had been discharged from A&E.

Conclusion: It is possible to stratify syncopal patients presenting acutely to A&E, according to prognosis, using ACP guidelines. Disposal decisions for these patients should be based on their apparent prognosis (as defined in the ACP guidelines) and not on the diagnosis, which is often difficult to make.

     

Role of predisposition,injury, response and organ failure in the prognosis of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure: a prospective cohort study

Introduction

Acute deterioration of cirrhosis is associated with high mortality rates particularly in the patients who develop organ failure (OF), a condition that is referred to as acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), which is currently not completely defined. This study aimed to determine the role of predisposing factors, the nature of the precipitating illness and inflammatory response in the progression to OF according to the PIRO (predisposition, injury, response, organ failure) concept to define the risk of in-hospital mortality.

Methods

A total of 477 patients admitted with acute deterioration of cirrhosis following a defined precipitant over a 5.5-year period were prospectively studied. Baseline clinical, demographic and biochemical data were recorded for all patients and extended serial data from the group that progressed to OF were analysed to define the role of PIRO in determining in-hospital mortality.

Results

One hundred and fifty-nine (33%) patients developed OF, of whom 93 patients died (58%) compared with 25/318 (8%) deaths in the non-OF group (P < 0.0001). Progression to OF was associated with more severe underlying liver disease and inflammation. In the OF group, previous hospitalisation (P of PIRO); severity of inflammation and lack of its resolution (R of PIRO); and severity of organ failure (O of PIRO) were associated with significantly greater risk of death. In the patients who recovered from OF, mortality at three years was almost universal.

Conclusions

The results of this prospective study shows that the occurrence of OF alters the natural history of cirrhosis. A classification based on the PIRO concept may allow categorization of patients into distinct pathophysiologic and prognostic groups and allow a multidimensional definition of ACLF.     

The accuracy of pulse oximetry in emergency department patients with severe sepsis and septic shock: a retrospective cohort study

Background

Many Finnish emergency departments (ED) serve both primary and secondary health care patients and are therefore referred to as combined emergency departments. Primary care specialists are responsible for the initial assessment and treatment. They, thereby, also regulate referral and access to tertiary care. Primary health care EDs are easy for the public to access, leading to non-acute patient visits to the emergency department. This has caused increased queues and unnecessary difficulties in providing immediate treatment for those patients who need it the most.

Methods

A face-to-face triage system based on the letters A (patient directly to secondary care), B (to be examined within 10 min), C (to be examined within 1 h), D (to be examined within 2 h) and E (no need for immediate treatment) for assessing the urgency of patients' treatment needs was applied in the main ED in the City of Vantaa, Finland (Peijas Hospital) as an attempt to provide immediate treatment for the most acute patients. The first step was an initial patient assessment by a health care professional (triage nurse). If the patient was not considered to be in need of immediate care (i.e. A-D) he was allocated to group E and examined after the more urgent patients were treated. The introduction of this triage system was combined with information to the public on the "correct" use of emergency services. The primary aim of this study was to assess whether the flow of patients was changed by implementing the ABCDE-triage system in the combined ED. To study the effect of the intervention on patient flow, numbers monthly visits to doctors were recorded before and after intervention in Peijas ED and, simultaneously, in control EDs (Myyrmäki in Vantaa, Jorvi and Puolarmetsä in Espoo). To study does the implementation of the triage system redirect patients to other health services, numbers of monthly visits to doctors were also scored in the private health care and public office hour services of Vantaa primary care.

Results

The number of patient visits to a primary care doctor in 2004 decreased by up to eight percent (340 visits/month) as compared to the previous year in the Peijas ED after implementation of the ABCDE-triage system. Simultaneously, doctor visits in tertiary health care ED increased by ten percent (125 visits/month). ABCDE-triage was not associated with a subsequent increase in the number of patient visits in the private health care or office hour services. The number of ED visits in the City of Espoo, used as a control where no triage was applied, remained unchanged.

Conclusions

The present ABCDE-triage system combined with public guidance may reduce patient visits to primary health care EDs but not to the tertiary health care EDs.     

Speckle-tracking echocardiography for detecting myocardial dysfunction in sepsis and septic shock patients:A single emergency department study

BACKGROUND:Septic cardiomyopathy(SCM)occurs in the early stage of sepsis and septic shock,which has implications for treatment strategies and prognosis.Addition...     

Risk stratification of patients in an emergency department chest pain unit: prognostic value of exercise treadmill testing using the Duke score

Background

Exercise treadmill testing (ETT) has been standard for evaluating outpatients at risk for cardiovascular events. Few studies have demonstrated its prognostic usefulness in emergency department chest pain units or have used the Duke score [(exercise duration in minutes) ? (5 × ST-segment deviation in millimeters) ? (4 × treadmill angina index)] to grade its performance.

Aims

Our objective was to assess the usefulness of this score in a chest pain unit to predict cardiovascular events.

Methods

From November 2000 to October 2001, we retrospectively studied consecutive patients in the chest pain unit. Those undergoing ETT were stratified into “low” (Duke score ≥?5) and “moderate/high” risk groups (?24 h after presentation, revascularization, acute congestive heart failure, stroke or arrhythmia were identified within 1 year after presentation. Differences in risk of having a cardiovascular event among low-risk and moderate/high-risk groups are presented.

Results

During the study period, 1,048 patients entered the chest pain unit; 800 met inclusion criteria. Of these, 599 received ETT and 201 had contraindications or a positive finding in the chest pain unit protocol before ETT. Cardiovascular event rates were 0.7% (3/454), 15.2% (22/145) and 14.9% (30/201) after 1 month of follow-up for low-risk, moderate/high-risk and no-ETT groups, respectively.

Conclusions

According to the Duke score, the low-risk group developed minimal cardiovascular events compared with the moderate/high-risk group. The Duke score appears effective for risk stratification of chest pain patients in chest pain units.     

The prognostic value of the lactate/albumin ratio for predicting mortality in septic patients presenting to the emergency department: a prospective study

ObjectivesLactate/albumin (L/A) ratio is a biomarker in sepsis that has been shown to outperform lactate. This prospective study aims to validate the superior prognostic value of the L/A ratio to lactate in sepsis and septic shock.MethodsProspective cohort conducted from September 2018 till February 2021 on adult patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) at a tertiary care centre with sepsis or septic shock. The primary outcome was the prognostic value of the L/A ratio compared to lactate with regards to mortality.ResultsA total of 939 septic patients were included throughout the study period. A total of 236 patients developed septic shock. The AUC value of the L/A ratio in septic patients was 0.65 (95% CI 0.61–0.70) and was higher than that of lactate alone 0.60 (95% CI 0.55–0.64) with a p < .0001. The optimal L/A ratio cut-off threshold that separated survivors from non-survivors was found to be 0.115 for all septic patients. The AUC of the L/A ratio was significantly higher for patients with a lactate ≥2 mmol/L: 0.69 (95% CI 0.64–0.74) versus 0.60 (95% CI 0.54–0.66) with a p < .0001 as well as for patients with an albumin level less than 30 g/L (AUC = 0.69 95% CI= 0.62–0.75 vs AUC= 0.66 95% CI= 0.59–0.73, p = .04). Among septic shock patients there was no statically significant difference in the AUC value of the L/A ratio compared to lactate (0.53 95% CI 0.45–0.61 vs 0.50 95% CI 0.43–0.58 respectively with a p-value = .11).ConclusionsThe L/A ratio is a better predictor of in-patient mortality than lactate in sepsis patients. This superiority was not found in the septic shock subgroup. Our results encourage the use of the ratio early in the ED as a superior prognostic tool in sepsis patients.

Key messages

1. We aimed to assess the prognostic usefulness of the Lactate/Albumin ratio compared to lactate alone in septic and septic shock patients.
2. The L/A ratio proved to be a better predictor of in-patient mortality than lactate alone in sepsis patients. This pattern also applies across various subgroups in our study (malignancy, diabetics, age above 65, lactate level less than 2 mmol/L, albumin less than 30 g/L). Our results favour the use of the L/A ratio over lactate alone in patients with sepsis and the previously mentioned subgroups.
3. Our results do not favour the use of the ratio instead of lactate in septic shock patients as there was no statistically significant difference between the AUCs of the ratio and lactate alone.

     

Risk stratification of chest pain patients in the emergency department by a nurse utilizing a point of care protocol.

OBJECTIVE: Risk stratification of patients with ischaemic type chest pain assessed in the emergency department utilizing a point of care (POC) protocol. METHODS: Patient demographics, cardiac biomarkers, management and follow-up at 6 months were reviewed for patients seen over 20 months. RESULTS: Out of 546 patients, 351 (64%) were admitted. The diagnoses after admission were confirmed as acute myocardial infarction in 59 patients and unstable angina, (cTroponin T<0.09 ng/ml) in 92 patients. The c-statistic of the receiver operating curves for myocardial infarction (myocardial infarction, cTroponinT at 12 h >0.09 ng/ml) as determined by the POC assay was cTroponin I=0.884, CK-MB=0.883, myoglobin=0.845 and beta-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)=0.755. The c-statistic for the same sample assessed by the hospital laboratory was cTroponin T=0.893: for CK-MB within 12 h of admission it was 0.918; the 12 h cTroponin T was 0.982 and within 24 h of admission NT pro-BNP was 0.789. POC BNP in patients admitted was 68 ng/l (median) vs. 24 ng/l (median) for those not admitted, (P<0.001). POC BNP for patients admitted with unstable angina (12 h cTroponin T <0.09 ng/ml) was 47 ng/l (median, P<0.001). At 6 months, 14 patients had died; five during admission, two within 30 days and seven up to 6 months. During admission two died from heart failure, two with respiratory tract infection and one from carcinoma. Of those not admitted one had died from asbestosis. CONCLUSION: Risk stratification by a specialist nurse utilizing a POC protocol is an appropriate means of assessing patients with chest pain.     

The risk stratification and prognostic evaluation of soluble programmed death-1 on patients with sepsis in emergency department

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of soluble programmed death-1 (sPD-1) for risk stratification and prediction of 28-day mortality in patients with sepsis, we compared serum sPD-1 with procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and the Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis (MEDS) score.

An observational cohort study of the performance of the REDS score compared to the SIRS criteria,NEWS2, CURB65, SOFA,MEDS and PIRO scores to risk-stratify emergency department suspected sepsis

ObjectiveTo compare the performance of the Risk-stratification of Emergency Department suspected Sepsis (REDS) score to the SIRS criteria, NEWS2, CURB65, SOFA, MEDS and PIRO scores, to risk-stratify Emergency Department (ED) suspected sepsis patients for mortality.MethodA retrospective observational cohort study of prospectively collected data. Adult patients admitted from the ED after receiving intravenous antibiotics for suspected sepsis in the year 2020, were studied. Patients with COVID-19 were excluded. The scores stated above were calculated for each patient. Receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curves were constructed for each score for the primary outcome measure, all-cause in-hospital mortality. The area under the ROC (AUROC) curves and cut-off points were identified by the statistical software. Scores above the cut-off point were deemed high-risk. The test characteristics of the high-risk groups were calculated. Comparisons were based on the AUROC curve and sensitivity for mortality of the high-risk groups. Previously published cut-off points were also studied. Calibration was also studied.ResultsOf the 2594 patients studied, 332 (12.8%) died. The AUROC curve for the REDS score 0.73 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72–0.75) was significantly greater than the AUROC curve for the SIRS criteria 0.51 (95% CI 0.49–0.53), p < .0001 and the NEWS2 score 0.69 (95% CI 0.67–0.70), p = .005, and similar to all other scores studied. Sensitivity for mortality at the respective cut-off points identified (REDS ≥3, NEWS2 ≥ 8, CURB65 ≥ 3, SOFA ≥3, MEDS ≥10 and PIRO ≥10) was greatest for the REDS score at 80.1% (95% CI 75.4–84.3) and significantly greater than the other scores. The sensitivity for mortality for an increase of two points from baseline in the SOFA score was 63% (95% CI 57.5–68.2).ConclusionsIn this single centre study, the REDS score had either a greater AUROC curve or sensitivity for mortality compared to the comparator scores, at the respective cut-off points identified.

KEY MESSAGES

• The REDS score is a simple and objective scoring system to risk-stratify for mortality in emergency department (MED) patients with suspected sepsis.
• The REDS score is better or equivalent to existing scoring systems in its discrimination for mortality.

     

Prognostic performance of disease severity scores in patients with septic shock presenting to the emergency department

BackgroundAn accurate disease severity score that can quickly predict the prognosis of patients with sepsis in the emergency department (ED) can aid clinicians in distributing resources appropriately or making decisions for active resuscitation measures. This study aimed to compare the prognostic performance of quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) with that of other disease severity scores in patients with septic shock presenting to an ED.MethodsWe performed a prospective, observational, registry-based study. The discriminative ability of each disease severity score to predict 28-day mortality was evaluated in the overall cohort (which included patients who fulfilled previously defined criteria for septic shock), the newly defined sepsis subgroup, and the newly defined septic shock subgroup.ResultsA total of 991 patients were included. All disease severity scores had poor discriminative ability for 28-day mortality. The sequential organ failure assessment and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II scores had the highest area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) values, which were significantly higher than the AUC values of other disease severity scores in the overall cohort and the sepsis and septic shock subgroups. The discriminative ability of each disease severity score decreased as the mortality rate of each subgroup increased.ConclusionsAll disease severity scores, including qSOFA, did not display good discrimination for 28-day mortality in patients with serious infection and refractory hypotension or hypoperfusion; additionally, none of the included scoring tools in this study could consistently predict 28-day mortality in the newly defined sepsis and septic shock subgroups.