Table 3 A-C. The association of vital signs, categorised according to RETTS-A, and 1-day mortality (A), 30-day mortality (B), and ICU admission (C), expressed as OR. The tables shows both the crude univariable model and an adjusted multivariable model for each vital sign. The adjusted multivariable model was adjusted for all other vital signs, age, gender, and co-morbidities. The number of patients included in the crude models were up to 96,512 patients; in the adjusted models 90,612 were included because data on one or more variable were missing for 5,900 patients. Each vital sign value was matched to a RETTS-A priority (green, yellow, orange, red), and the patient’s presenting symptom was also matched to a RETTS-A priority. The more urgent of the two became the patient’s final priority

Vital sign

Categorization (RETTS-A priority)

1-day Crude, univariate

P for crude model

1-day Adjusted, multivariate

P for adjusted model

Airway

Open (G)

1

1

Threatened (R)

29.3 (6.9 to 124.4)

<0.001

5.1 (0.8 to 34.1)

0.093

SpO2 (%)

>95 (G)

1

1

90–95 (Y)

5.8 (4.2 to 7.9)

<0.001

1.9 (1.3 to 2.7)

<0.001

<90 (O)

24.7 (17.5 to 34.9)

<0.001

3.0 (2.0 to 4.7)

<0.001

<90 with O2 (R)

92.2 (62.2 to 136.5)

<0.001

5.2 (3.1 to 9.0)

<0.001

RR (min⁻¹)

<8 (R)

24.0 (3.3 to 177.4)

0.002

18.1 (2.1 to 155.5)

0.008

8–25 (G)

1

<0.001

1

<0.001

26–30 (O)

9.5 (6.7 to 13.5)

<0.001

2.4 (1.6 to 3.7)

<0.001

>30 (R)

33.1 (25.0 to 43.8)

<0.001

4.9 (3.4 to 7.3)

<0.001

PR (min⁻¹)

<40 (O)

12.0 (3.8 to 38.0)

<0.001

4.1 (1.2 to 14.4)

0.029

40–49 (Y)

0.8 (0.1 to 5.9)

0.842

0.4 (0.1 to 3.0)

0.355

50–110 (G)

1

1

111–120 (Y)

3.9 (2.7 to 5.7)

<0.001

1.9 (1.2 to 3.0)

0.009

121–130 (O)

5.7 (3.8 to 8.5)

<0.001

1.5 (0.9 to 2.5)

0.138

RR > 130/IR > 150 (R)

11.2 (7.3 to 17.1)

<0.001

2.8 (1.6 to 4.7)

<0.001

SBP (mmHg)

<90 (R)

28.5 (19.9 to 40.7)

<0.001

2.9 (1.8 to 4.9)

<0.001

≥90 (G)

1

1

AVPU

A (G)

1

1

V (Y)

15.9 (11.7 to 21.7)

<0.001

4.9 (3.3 to 7.1)

<0.001

P (O)

22.3 (13.6 to 36.7)

<0.001

5.4 (2.8 to 10.5)

<0.001

U (R)

101.7 (67.3 to 153.7)

<0.001

31.0 (16.9 to 56.8)

<0.001

Temp (°C)

<35 (O)

20.4 (12.6 to 32.9)

<0.001

4.7 (2.6 to 8.5)

<0.001

35–38.5 (G)

1

1

38.6–41 (Y)

2.4 (1.4 to 4.2)

0.002

0.4 (0.2 to 0.8)

0.011

>41 (O)

0 (0 to)

0.999

0 (0 to)

0.999

Age

<50^a

1

1

50–64^a

5.2 (2.2 to 12.3)

<0.001

7.0 (2.0 to 25.0)

0.003

65–79^a

19.7 (9.1 to 42.7)

<0.001

14.0 (4.1 to 47.3)

<0.001

≥80^a

53.3 (25.0 to 113.4)

<0.001

35.9 (10.7 to 120.2)

<0.001

Vital sign

Categorization (RETTS-A priority)

30-day Crude (univariate)

P for crude

30-day Adjusted (multivariate)

P for adjusted

Airway

Open (G)

1

1

Threatened (R)

5.8 (1.7 to 19.3)

0.004

0.6 (0.1 to 4.1)

0.627

SpO2 (%)

>95 (G)

1

1

90–95 (Y)

4.8 (4.3 to 5.3)

<0.001

1.8 (1.6 to 2.0)

<0.001

<90 (O)

15.0 (13.0 to 17.2)

<0.001

3.1 (2.6 to 3.7)

<0.001

<90 with O2 (R)

31.4 (25.1 to 39.3)

<0.001

3.7 (2.8 to 5.0)

<0.001

RR (min⁻¹)

<8 (R)

2.0 (0.3 to 14.8)

0.491

1.1 (0.1 to 9.5)

0.899

8–25 (G)

1

1

26–30 (O)

6.3 (5.5 to 7.1)

<0.001

2.1 (1.8 to 2.4)

<0.001

>30 (R)

13.6 (12.0 to 15.4)

<0.001

3.1 (2.6 to 3.6)

<0.001

PR (min⁻¹)

<40 (O)

4.5 (2.4 to 8.6)

<0.001

1.9 (0.9 to 3.9)

0.085

40–49 (Y)

1.8 (1.2 to 2.8)

0.01

1.1 (0.7 to 1.9)

0.645

50–110 (G)

1

1

111–120 (Y)

2.4 (2.0 to 2.8)

<0.001

1.7 (1.4 to 2.1)

<0.001

121–130 (O)

4.3 (3.7 to 5.0)

<0.001

2.1 (1.7 to 2.5)

<0.001

RR > 130/IR > 150 (R)

5.5 (4.5 to 6.8)

<0.001

2.3 (1.8 to 3.1)

<0.001

SBP (mmHg)

<90 (R)

12.1 (9.9 to 14.9)

<0.001

2.9 (2.2 to 3.8)

<0.001

≥90 (G)

1

1

AVPU

A (G)

1

<0.001

1

V (Y)

8.1 (7.1 to 9.3)

<0.001

3.9 (3.3 to 4.6)

<0.001

P (O)

13.0 (10.3 to 16.4)

<0.001

7.4 (5.3 to 10.1)

<0.001

U (R)

28.4 (21.2 to 38.1)

<0.001

17.3 (11.2 to 26.7)

<0.001

Temp (°C)

<35 (O)

9.2 (7.1 to 12.1)

<0.001

3.2 (2.2 to 4.5)

<0.001

35–38.5 (G)

1

1

38.6–41 (Y)

1.6 (1.2 to 2.0)

<0.001

0.4 (0.3 to 0.6)

<0.001

>41 (O)

0 (0 to)

0.999

0 (0 to)

0.999

Age

<50^a

1

1

50–64^a

4.9 (3.6 to 6.6)

<0.001

2.9 (2.1 to 4.0)

<0.001

65–79^a

18.0 (13.7 to 23.6)

<0.001

7.5 (5.6 to 10.2)

<0.001

≥80^a

53.9 (41.4 to 70.2)

<0.001

21.2 (15.7 to 28.6)

<0.001

Vital sign

Categorization (RETTS-A priority)

ICU admission Crude (univariate)

P for crude

ICU admission Adjusted (multivariate)

P for adjusted

Airway

Open (G)

1

1

Threatened (R)

9.4 (3.8 to 23.5)

<0.001

1.7 (0.4 to 7.1)

0.463

SpO2 (%)

>95 (G)

1

1

90–95 (Y)

2.0 (1.8 to 2.2)

<0.001

1.4 (1.2 to 1.5)

<0.001

<90 (O)

5.5 (4.7 to 6.3)

<0.001

2.6 (2.1 to 3.1)

<0.001

<90 with O2 (R)

16.9 (13.6 to 21.1)

<0.001

4.1 (3.0 to 5.6)

<0.001

RR (min⁻¹)

<8 (R)

13.0 (5.8 to 29.0)

<0.001

2.0 (0.7 to 5.2)

0.180

8–25 (G)

1

1

26–30 (O)

3.1 (2.7 to 3.6)

<0.001

1.7 (1.4 to 2.0)

<0.001

>30 (R)

7.3 (6.4 to 8.3)

<0.001

2.4 (2.0 to 2.9)

<0.001

PR (min⁻¹)

<40 (O)

16.0 (10.8 to 23.7)

<0.001

17.2 (11.0 to 26.7)

<0.001

40–49 (Y)

3.4 (2.5 to 4.6)

<0.001

2.9 (2.0 to 4.1)

<0.001

50–110 (G)

1

1

111–120 (Y)

3.0 (2.7 to 3.5)

<0.001

2.3 (2.0 to 2.6)

<0.001

121–130 (O)

4.9 (4.3 to 5.7)

<0.001

3.4 (2.9 to 4.0)

<0.001

RR > 130/IR > 150 (R)

11.6 (10.0 to 13.4)

<0.001

6.2 (5.1 to 7.4)

<0.001

SBP (mmHg)

<90 (R)

8.0 (6.5 to 9.9)

<0.001

2.4 (1.8 to 3.2)

<0.001

≥90 (G)

1

1

AVPU

A (G)

1

1

V (Y)

8.6 (7.6 to 9.7)

<0.001

5.9 (5.1 to 6.8)

<0.001

P (O)

24.1 (19.9 to 29.2)

<0.001

16.6 (13.2 to 20.8)

<0.001

U (R)

64.8 (48.8 to 86.2)

<0.001

48.9 (34.4 to 69.5)

<0.001

Temp (°C)

<35 (O)

9.4 (7.4 to 12.0)

<0.001

3.2 (2.3 to 4.3)

<0.001

35–38.5 (G)

1

1

38.6–41 (Y)

2.1 (1.7 to 12.5)

<0.001

0.8 (0.6 to 1.0)

0.05

>41 (O)

11.3 (1.2 to 108.4)

0.036

2.4 (0.1 to 40.5)

0.538

Age

<50^a

1

1

50–64^a

1.6 (1.4 to 1.7)

<0.001

1.1 (0.96 to 1.2)

0.2

65–79^a

1.8 (1.6 to 2.0)

<0.001

0.9 (0.8 to 1.1)

0.212

≥80^a

1.0 (0.9 to 1.1)

0.896

0.3 (0.3 to 0.4)

<0.001