Table 2 Appraisal of scientific evidence according to GRADE - Association between vital signs/chief complaints and acute mortality after arrival at the emergency department.
| Effect measure (endpoint) | No. Patients (no. Studies) Reference | Effect (OR, odds ratio*) | Scientific evidence | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Respiratory rate predicts 30-day mortality |
11 751 1 study [22] | 1.9 |
Insufficient ⊕○○○ | Only one study (-1) |
| Oxygen saturation predicts 48-hour mortality or in-hospital mortality |
17 334 2 studies [22, 23] |
1.4 1.7 |
Limited ⊕⊕○○ | |
| Pulse predicts 30-day mortality |
11 751 1 study [22] | 1.7 |
Insufficient ⊕○○○ | Only one study (-1) |
| Level of consciousness predicts 48-hour mortality or in-hospital mortality |
18 320 3 studies [22–24] |
2.1 1.7 11.7 |
Limited ⊕⊕○○ | |
| Age predicts 30-day mortality |
28 446 4 studies [22–25] |
1.7 1.3 2.6 1.1 |
Moderate ⊕⊕⊕○ | Upgrading due to effect size and dose-response effect (+1) |