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Table 2 Appraisal of scientific evidence according to GRADE - Association between vital signs/chief complaints and acute mortality after arrival at the emergency department.

From: Emergency Department Triage Scales and Their Components: A Systematic Review of the Scientific Evidence

Effect measure (endpoint)

No. Patients (no. Studies) Reference

Effect (OR, odds ratio*)

Scientific evidence

Comments

Respiratory rate predicts 30-day mortality

11 751

1 study [22]

1.9

Insufficient

Only one study (-1)

Oxygen saturation predicts 48-hour mortality or in-hospital mortality

17 334

2 studies [22, 23]

1.4

1.7

Limited

 

Pulse predicts 30-day mortality

11 751

1 study [22]

1.7

Insufficient

Only one study (-1)

Level of consciousness predicts 48-hour mortality or in-hospital mortality

18 320

3 studies [2224]

2.1

1.7

11.7

Limited

 

Age predicts 30-day mortality

28 446

4 studies [2225]

1.7

1.3

2.6

1.1

Moderate

Upgrading due to effect size and dose-response effect (+1)

  1. All studies are observational.
  2. * OR indicates each step of change in RAPS (Rapid Acute Physiology Score) or REMS (Rapid Emergency Medicine Score).