Table 1 Patients’ characteristics

Male sex, no. (%)

51 (57)

Age, mean (± SD) - year

76 (15)

Past medical history, no. (%)

Acute pulmonary edema

27 (29)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

27 (29)

Ischemic heart disease

21 (23)

Home oxygen

16 (17)

Clinical data at admission, median (IQR)

Heart rate - beats/min.

94 (80–110)

Systolic blood pressure - mm Hg

122 (106–144)

Diastolic blood pressure - mm Hg

69 (60–78)

Respiratory rate - breaths/min.

24 (19–28)

Glasgow coma scale

15 (14–15)

Temperature - °C

37.0 (36.2–37.6)

Laboratory values, median (IQR)

PaCO₂ - mm Hg

46.2 (37.6–66.8)

PtCO₂ - mm Hg

47.2 (42.1–60.0)

PaO₂ - mm Hg

73.5 (63.0–89.0)

pH

7.37 (7.30–7.43)

HCO₃ - mEq/L

26.0 (22.8–29.7)

Base excess - mmol/L

1.9 (-1.9–5.8)

Lactate - mmol/L

1.3 (0.7–2.2)

Hemoglobin - g/dL

12.3 (10.9–13.8)

White blood cells - G/L

12.4 (7.9–15.5)

C-reactive protein

41 (8–122)

Glycemia - g/L

1.4 (1.2–1.7)

Brain natriuretic peptide - ng/L

1704 (579–6200)

Diagnosis, no. (%)

Heart failure

25 (27)

COPD

14 (15)

Pneumonia

42 (46)

Pulmonary embolism

5 (5)

Outcome, no. (%)

Noninvasive ventilation required

41 (45)

Intubation required

4 (4)

Admitted to hospital

61 (66)

Admitted to ICU

19 (21)

Discharged from ED

10 (11)

Death at the ED

2 (2)

Inpatient mortality

9 (10)