The publisher regrets the below abstract was missed to be included in the article.
Background and objective
Shock Index is a ratio obtained by dividing the pulse rate by the systolic blood pressure. It is known as a simple and effective way of measuring the degree of hypovolemia in cases of hemorrhagic and infectious shock. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the Shock Index measured in triage at the time of first admission and mortality in patients with COVID-19.
Materials and methods
This retrospective observational study was conducted with patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 in the emergency department of a tertiary hospital. The study was continued with the remaining 489 patients after using the inclusion and exclusion criteria. CHAID analysis was used as the decision tree method in analyzing the data. The relationship between mortality and the data obtained during the emergency department triage such as age, gender, SpO2, Shock Index and chronic diseases were evaluated.
Results
CHAID analysis identified 3 classifying variables that have a dominant effect on death. These parameters are age, Shock Index and SpO2 values. In the classification made according to age, which is the first classification variable, 3 groups were formed as younger than 56, between 56 and 77 and older than 77. It was observed that the mortality rate increased as the age got older. The cut-off value for Shock Index, which is the second classifier variable, was determined as 0.93. In all three age groups, patients with a Shock Index value greater than 0.93 in triage measurements were found to have higher mortality rates. SpO2 is the most influential variable on the mortality of patients under the age of 56 and with a shock index value of 0.93 and below. Patients with a Shock Index value greater than 0.93 and younger than 56 years had a mortality rate of 15.9% with SpO2 ≤95%, and none of the patients with SpO2> 95% died.
Conclusion
Old age, increased Shock Index and low SpO2 values are parameters associated with high mortality in patients diagnosed with COVID-19. The Shock Index rate can be a useful parameter in determining both emergency triage and hospitalization needs of patients presenting with suspected COVID-19.
The publisher would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.
____________________________.
DOI of original article: < https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2020.12.053>.