Characteristics of the study population and comparison between ADE and no ADE groups
| Study population (n=423) | ADE group (n=95) | No ADE group (n=328) | p Value | |
| Female sex, n (%) | 210 (49.7) | 44 (46.3) | 166 (50.6) | 0.46 |
| Age in years, mean (SD) | 62.4 (±22.2) | 67.4 (±21.8) | 61.0 (±22.2) | 0.013 |
| Triage acuity score*, median (minimum–maximum) | 2 (1–4) | 2 (1–3) | 2 (1–4) | 0.58 |
| Final ED diagnosis, n (%) | ||||
| Polypathology | 36 (8.5) | 15 (15.8) | 21 (6.4) | 0.0039 |
| Involuntary intoxications | 12 (2.8) | 6 (6.3) | 6 (1.8) | 0.020 |
| Endocrine and metabolic diseases | 14 (3.3) | 8 (8.4) | 6 (1.8) | 0.0016 |
| Other diagnosis classes | 361 (85.4) | 66 (69.5) | 295 (90.0) | – |
| ED outcome, n (%) | ||||
| Discharge | 165 (39.0) | 25 (26.3) | 140 (42.7) | 0.0040 |
| Hospitalisation | 258 (61.0) | 70 (73.7) | 188 (57.3) | |
| Death | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Number of daily medications, mean (SD) | 4.7 (±3.7) | 6.0 (±3.6) | 4.3 (±3.6) | 0.0025 |
| ATC category of daily medications, n (%) | ||||
| ATM drugs (ATC A) | 193 (45.6) | 54 (56.8) | 139 (42.4) | 0.0013 |
| Blood and blood forming organs (ATC B) | 133 (31.4) | 36 (37.9) | 97 (29.6) | 0.13 |
| Cardiovascular drugs (ATC C) | 233 (55.1) | 69 (72.6) | 164 (50.0) | <0.0001 |
| Musculo-skeletal drugs (ATC M) | 71 (16.8) | 21 (22.1) | 50 (15.2) | 0.11 |
| Nervous system drugs (ATC N) | 218 (51.5) | 58 (61.1) | 160 (48.8) | 0.0035 |
| Self-medication, n (%) | ||||
| Yes | 72 (17.0) | 14 (14.7) | 58 (17.7) | 0.63 |
| No | 254 (60.1) | 61 (64.2) | 193 (58.8) | |
| Unknown | 97 (22.9) | 20 (21.1) | 77 (23.5) | |
↵* Our ED triage acuity score includes four stages of increasing priority: (1) life-threatening situation; (2) situation with no life-threat but rapid care is needed; (3) situation within emergency ability but care can be delayed; (4) situation not within emergency ability but within ambulatory setting ability. Data were missing for 15 patients.
ADE, adverse drug event; ATC, Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical; ATM, alimentary tract or metabolism; ED, emergency department.