Characteristics | Total (N=708) | Missing, n (%) | Usual care (n=346) | Missing, n (%) | CPAP (n=362) | Missing, n (%) |
Age (median, IQR) | 77.3 (68.3 to 84.3) | 0 | 77.6 (68.0 to 84.8) | 0 | 77.0 (68.7 to 83.9) | 0 |
Female, n (%) | 311 (43.9) | 0 | 154 (44.5) | 0 | 157 (43.4) | 0 |
Participants by year, n (%) | ||||||
2016 | 159 (22.5) | 0 | 76 (22.0) | 0 | 83 (22.9) | 0 |
2017 | 266 (37.6) | 0 | 138 (39.9) | 0 | 128 (35.4) | 0 |
2018 | 283 (40.0) | 0 | 132 (38.2) | 0 | 151 (41.7) | 0 |
Rural cases, n (%) | 36 (5.1) | 0 | 15 (4.3) | 0 | 21 (5.8) | 0 |
Dispatch priority 1, n (%) | 665 (94.1) | 1 (0.1) | 327 (94.8) | 1 (0.3) | 338 (93.4) | 0 |
Daytime (7:00–19:00), n (%) | 327 (46.2) | 0 | 161 (46.5) | 0 | 166 (45.9) | 0 |
Initial observations | ||||||
Systolic BP <100 mm Hg, n (%) | 13 (1.8) | 5 (0.7) | 8 (2.3) | 2 (0.6%) | 5 (1.4) | 3 (0.8) |
Dyspnoea VAS, median (IQR) | 9.0 (8.0 to 10.0) | 43 (6.1) | 9.0 (8.0 to 10.0) | 23 (6.6) | 9.0 (8.0 to 10.0) | 20 (5.5) |
RR, median (IQR) | 40.0 (32.0 to 44.0) | 0 | 38.0 (32.0 to 42.0) | 0 | 40.0 (32.0 to 45.0) | 0 |
RR ≥30, n (%) | 609 (86.0) | 0 | 290 (83.8) | 0 | 319 (88.1) | 0 |
Temperature ≥38°C, n (%) | 122 (18.7) | 56 (7.9) | 59 (18.4) | 25 (7.2) | 63 (19.0) | 31 (8.6) |
SpO2, median (IQR) | 85.0 (78.0 to 90.0) | 2 (0.3) | 85.0 (78.0 to 90.0) | 0 | 84.0 (76.0 to 90.0) | 2 (0.6) |
Paramedic problem code, n (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Acute pulmonary oedema | 226 (31.9) | 101 (29.2) | 125 (34.5) | |||
Asthma | 42 (5.9) | 24 (6.9) | 18 (5.0) | |||
COPD | 213 (30.1) | 102 (29.5) | 111 (30.7) | |||
Respiratory infection | 86 (12.1) | 45 (13.0) | 41 (11.3) | |||
Other respiratory problem | 78 (11.0) | 34 (9.8) | 44 (12.2) | |||
Other | 63 (8.9) | 40 (11.6) | 23 (6.4) | |||
Hospital diagnosis, n (%)* | Total (n=624) | Usual care (n=307) | CPAP (n=317) | |||
COPD | 214 (34.3) | 103 (33.6) | 111 (35.0) | |||
Heart failure | 134 (21.5) | 65 (21.2) | 69 (21.8) | |||
Other respiratory disorders | 83 (13.3) | 46 (15.0) | 37 (11.7) | |||
Influenza/Pneumonia | 81 (13.0) | 39 (12.7) | 42 (13.2) | |||
AMI | 33 (5.3) | 12 (3.9) | 21 (6.6) | |||
Other circulatory disorders | 27 (4.3) | 15 (4.9) | 12 (3.8) | |||
Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases | 12 (1.9) | 6 (2.0) | 6 (1.9) | |||
Infectious and parasitic diseases | 9 (1.4) | 5 (1.6) | 4 (1.3) | |||
Other diseases | 29 (4.6) | 15 (4.9) | 14 (4.4) | |||
Unknown | 2 (0.3) | 1 (0.3) | 1 (0.3) |
*Hospital diagnosis is available for only those eligible for in-hospital analysis (n=624).
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure; SpO2, peripheral capillary oxygen saturation; VAS, Visual Analogue Scale.