AORs for the association between vital signs and ICU/MCU admission by different age groups
| Total cohort | 18–65 years | 66–80 years | >80 years | |
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | ||||
| >140* | 1.00 | |||
| 121–140 | 0.89 (0.82–0.97) | 0.90 (0.79–1.03) | 0.95 (0.83–1.09) | 0.94 (0.75–1.17) |
| 101–120 | 0.98 (0.89–1.08) | 1.01 (0.88–1.17) | 0.95 (0.81–1.12) | 1.14 (0.88–1.46) |
| 81–100 | 0.97 (0.84–1.11) | 0.97 (0.79–1.18) | 0.93 (0.74–1.16) | 1.21 (0.86–1.72) |
| 0–80 | 1.94 (1.64–2.30) | 2.11 (1.63–2.72) | 1.98 (1.50–2.60) | 1.88 (1.21–2.94) |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | ||||
| >120 | 2.18 (1.85–2.58) | 2.34 (1.83–3.00) | 2.31 (1.76–3.03) | 1.54 (0.98–2.40) |
| 101–120 | 1.34 (1.21–1.48) | 1.30 (1.12–1.51) | 1.36 (1.15–1.61) | 1.34 (1.01–1.77) |
| 81–100* | 1.00 | |||
| 61–80 | 0.93 (0.86–1.00) | 0.99 (0.88–1.12) | 0.82 (0.72–0.93) | 1.00 (0.81–1.22) |
| 0–60 | 1.32 (1.18–1.49) | 1.71 (1.41–2.07) | 1.32 (1.10–1.58) | 1.04 (0.78–1.37) |
| Mean arterial blood pressure (mm Hg) | ||||
| >120* | 1.00 | |||
| 101–120 | 0.74 (0.67–0.82) | 0.69 (0.60–0.81) | 0.81 (0.70–0.95) | 0.73 (0.56–0.93) |
| 81–100 | 0.64 (0.57–0.70) | 0.65 (0.56–0.76) | 0.62 (0.52–0.73) | 0.72 (0.56–0.93) |
| 61–80 | 0.76 (0.67–0.86) | 0.78 (0.64–0.95) | 0.80 (0.66–0.98) | 0.73 (0.53–1.00) |
| 0–60 | 1.70 (1.40–2.06) | 2.18 (1.61–2.96) | 1.89 (1.38–2.58) | 1.28 (0.81–2.02) |
| Peripheral oxygen saturation (%) | ||||
| 96–100* | 1.00 | |||
| 91–95 | 1.16 (1.06–1.26) | 1.15 (1.00–1.32) | 1.16 (1.02–1.32) | 1.04 (0.85–1.26) |
| 86–90 | 1.39 (1.18–1.65) | 1.35 (1.00–1.84) | 1.41 (1.10–1.82) | 1.44 (1.01–2.05) |
| 81–85 | 2.43 (1.90–3.10) | 3.72 (2.48–5.60) | 2.18 (1.49–3.19) | 1.67 (0.97–2.90) |
| 0–80 | 3.00 (2.41–3.74) | 3.34 (2.33–4.81) | 3.55 (2.55–4.95) | 1.92 (1.11–3.32) |
| Respiratory rate (/min) | ||||
| Not registered* | 1.00 | |||
| 0–9 | 4.15 (2.96–5.82) | 3.71 (2.37–5.81) | 4.29 (2.38–7.74) | 6.59 (2.02–21.50) |
| 10–19 | 2.37 (2.01–2.79) | 2.28 (1.82–2.87) | 2.27 (1.73–2.97) | 2.58 (1.58–4.19) |
| 20–29 | 3.15 (2.66–3.73) | 3.11 (2.45–3.96) | 2.96 (2.25–3.90) | 3.53 (2.16–5.76) |
| >30 | 5.16 (4.19–6.35) | 5.59 (4.07–7.69) | 5.61 (4.03–7.81) | 5.20 (3.00–9.03) |
| Heart rate (beats/min) | ||||
| >125 | 2.53 (2.23–2.87) | 2.69 (2.23–3.24) | 2.10 (1.71–2.59) | 2.92 (2.11–4.02) |
| 101–125 | 1.52 (1.36–1.68) | 1.45 (1.24–1.69) | 1.55 (1.31–1.83) | 1.37 (1.03–1.81) |
| 76–100 | 1.10 (1.01–1.19) | 1.00 (0.88–1.13) | 1.20 (1.05–1.37) | 1.18 (0.96–1.46) |
| 51–75* | 1.00 | |||
| 0–50 | 1.34 (1.08–1.65) | 1.10 (0.74–1.62) | 1.25 (0.90–1.74) | 2.11 (1.38–3.23) |
| Temperature (°C) | ||||
| Not registered* | 1.00 | |||
| ≥40 | 0.50 (0.32–0.78) | 0.53 (0.29–0.97) | 0.53 (0.25–1.14) | 0.30 (0.07–1.28) |
| 38–39 | 0.35 (0.30–0.41) | 0.38 (0.30–0.49) | 0.37 (0.28–0.47) | 0.28 (0.18–0.43) |
| 35–37 | 0.64 (0.59–0.70) | 0.63 (0.56–0.71) | 0.66 (0.58–0.76) | 0.64 (0.51–0.79) |
| 31–34 | 1.36 (1.00–1.84) | 1.58 (1.02–2.43) | 1.14 (0.67–1.92) | 1.41 (0.62–3.17) |
| 0–30 | 3.95 (1.59–9.82) | 5.90 (1.36–25.66) | 1.89 (0.36–9.95) | 11.6 (1.64–81.7) |
The following potential confounders were entered in the model for through backward stepwise regression: age, gender, top 10 chief complaints, hospital, treating specialty, SpO2, temperature, proxies of disease severity (triage level, fluid administration, Glasgow Coma Scale, blood gas analyses) and proxies of disease comorbidities/complexity (number of consultations, lab tests, performed radiological tests).
*Reference category in the regression analyses.
AORs, adjusted odds ratios; ICU, intensive care unit; MCU, medium care unit.