Table 1.
Characterization of Neurological Referrals to the IED in a 12-Month Period
| Urgent N=1896 |
Non-urgent N=2427 | P value | Non-neurological N=890 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographic features | ||||
| Age, mean (SD) | 63.7 (18.92) | 49.6 (20.23) | <0.001 | 60.4 (22.43) |
| ≤65, N (%) | 887 (46.8) | 1816 (74.8) | <0.001 | 446 (50.1) |
| >65, N (%) | 1009 (53.2) | 611 (25.2) | <0.001 | 444 (49.9) |
| Sex, M, N (%) | 968 (51.1) | 1135 (46.8) | 0.005 | 423 (47.5) |
| Service times | ||||
| Door-to-doctor time, min, mean (SD) | 33.7 (68.03) | 43.7 (69.82) | <0.001 | 36.7 (64.56) |
| Length of treatment, min, mean (SD) | 253.5 (190.84) | 250.1 (164.11) | 0.528 | 305.9 (188.95) |
| Chief complaint, N (%) | ||||
| Ataxia/disorder of movement | 29 (1.5) | 29 (1.2) | 0.343 | 0 (0.0) |
| Impaired consciousness | 102 (5.4) | 44 (1.8) | <0.001 | 3 (0.3) |
| Seizure | 182 (9.6) | 378 (15.6) | <0.001 | 98 (11) |
| Headache | 81 (4.3) | 510 (21) | <0.001 | 30 (3.4) |
| Other pain | 25 (1.3) | 68 (2.8) | 0.001 | 72 (8.1) |
| Motor deficit | 478 (25.2) | 164 (6.8) | <0.001 | 30 (3.4) |
| Amnesia/Disorientation | 122 (6.4) | 123 (5.1) | 0.054 | 40 (4.5) |
| Visual disturbance | 159 (8.4) | 80 (3.3) | <0.001 | 29 (3.3) |
| Sensory disturbance | 173 (9.1) | 253 (10.4) | 0.155 | 26 (2.9) |
| Impaired speech, language, swallowing | 356 (18.8) | 75 (3.1) | <0.001 | 72 (8.1) |
| Dizziness/vertigo | 100 (5.3) | 561 (23.1) | <0.001 | 132 (14.8) |
| Other | 75 (4) | 132 (5.4) | 0.023 | 76 (8.5) |
| Complaint not neurological | 14 (0.7) | 10 (0.4) | 0.152 | 230 (25.8) |
| Disposition, N (%) | ||||
| Hospital admission | 1764 (93.0) | 451 (18.6) | <0.001 | 315 (35.4) |
| Discharge | 132 (7.0) | 1976 (81.4) | <0.001 | 575 (64.6) |
| Resources, N (%) | ||||
| CCT/CTA | 922 (48.7) | 704 (29) | <0.001 | 384 (43.1) |
| MRI | 705 (37.2) | 396 (16.3) | <0.001 | 58 (6.5) |
| LP | 91 (4.8) | 91 (3.8) | 0.088 | 43 (4.8) |
| EEG | 6 (0.3) | 4 (0.2) | 0.350 | 0 (0.0) |
| No additional consultation | 1242 (65.6) | 1486 (61.3) | 0.004 | 195 (21.9) |
| 1 additional consultation | 585 (30.9) | 830 (34.2) | 0.020 | 616 (62.9) |
| >1 additional consultation | 67 (3.5) | 109 (4.5) | 0.114 | 79 (8.9) |
Note: Bold printed p-values indicate statistical significance in case of multiple testing after Bonferroni correction.
Abbreviations: IED, interdisciplinary emergency department; SD, standard deviation; CT, computed tomography; CTA, computed tomography angiography; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; LP, lumbar puncture; EEG = electroencephalography.