Waiting times, baseline physiological data and outcome per ATS triage category of all patients with severe sepsis at triage and ED
| Variable | ATS1 | ATS2 | ATS3 | ATS4 | ATS5 | p Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases per ATS category n (%)* | 172 (17%) | 319 (32%) | 258 (26%) | 205 (21%) | 41 (4%) | 0.0516 |
| Recommended MWT per ATS, minutes | 1 | 10 | 30 | 60 | 120 | – |
| Actual waiting time, minutes | 5 (±5) | 24 (±5) | 36 (±15) | 68 (±16) | 148 (±29) | <0.0001 |
| Severe sepsis identified at triage | 45 (26) | 192 (60) | 183 (71) | 114 (56) | 15 (40) | <0.0001 |
| Appropriate empiric antimicrobial prescription† | 22 (13) | 136 (43) | 108 (42) | 92 (45) | 15 (40) | 0.9053 |
| Time to first antimicrobial therapy, minutes | 128 (±57) | 109 (±63) | 136 (±55) | 182 (±80) | 197 (±78) | 0.0011 |
| Lactate >4 mmol, sepsis related | 150 (87) | 265 (83) | 183 (71) | 112 (55) | 5 (13) | <0.0001 |
| BGL >10 mmol | 96 (52) | 194 (61) | 121 (46) | 78 (34) | 5 (13) | <0.0001 |
| Systolic BP, mm Hg | 87 (±17) | 94 (±17) | 105 (±25) | 128 (±32) | 125 (±35) | <0.0031 |
| Circulatory compromise‡ | 162 (94) | 306 (96) | 106 (41) | 59 (28) | 8 (19) | <0.0001 |
| Temperature >38°C | 49 (28) | 102 (31) | 147 (56) | 84 (40) | 6 (14) | <0.0001 |
| Temperature <36°C | 63 (36) | 149 (47) | 35 (13) | 2 (0.09) | 1 (0.04) | <0.0066 |
| GCS | 9 (±2) | 9 (±3) | 11 (±2) | 12 (±1) | 13 (±1) | 0.0384 |
| RR>30 breaths/min | 95 (55) | 204 (63) | 16 (6) | – | – | <0.0001 |
| RR<10 | 43 (25) | 8 (0.02) | – | – | – | <0.0001 |
| Nausea/vomiting symptoms | 123 (72) | 187 (58) | 74 (28) | 81 (39) | 20 (50) | 0.0123 |
| Pain score>8 | 46 (26) | 79 (25) | 54 (21) | 16 (8) | – | 0.2585 |
| Mean time in ED, hours | 1.2 (±0.2) | 3 (±0.2) | 3.8 (±2.7) | 6 (±2.9) | 10 (±3.6) | <0.0001 |
| Mean APACHE II score (ICU) | 26 (±12) | 21 (±8) | 18 (±9) | 11 (±5) | 10 (±8) | <0.0001 |
| Mean SOFA score (ICU) | 9 (±4.9) | 8 (±3.6) | 5 (±3.3) | 3 (±3.1) | 3 (±3.8) | 0.0103 |
| Hospital mortality n (%) | 77 (45) | 99 (31) | 49 (9) | 10 (5) | – | 0.0024 |
Values expressed as mean±SD or n (%) of ATS category unless stipulated.
p Value=differences in means and proportions at the 0.5 level.
*Includes all patients with severe sepsis.
†Prescribed and administered in the ED according to hospital guidelines.
‡Circulatory compromise: clammy or mottled skin, poor perfusion, HR<50 or >150, hypotension with haemodynamic effects.
ATS, Australasian Triage Scale; BGL, blood glucose level; ED, emergency department; ICU, measured on admission to the intensive care unit; MWT, minimum waiting time to be seen in the ED.