Table 3 Distribution of ‘events’ according to Triage stage

Panel A - Events qualifying for a necessary admission

Green (n = 1978)

Yellow (n = 2386)

Orange (n = 1616)

Red (n = 25)

p-value*

 No events, n (%)

904 (45.7)

1087 (45.6)

663 (41.0)

0 (0)

<0.001

 Acute surgery, n (%)

51 (2.6)

71 (3.0)

80 (5.0)

4 (16)

<0.001

 Surgery during admission, n (%)

125 (6.3)

135 (5.7)

115 (7.1)

2 (8)

0.305

 Non-scheduled surgery within 14 days, n (%)

37 (1.8)

46 (1.9)

37 (2.3)

2 (8)

0.145

 Trombolysis, n (%)

6 (0.3)

11 (0.5)

11 (0.7)

0 (0)

0.415

 Endovascular procedure, n (%)

38 (1.9)

50 (2.1)

133 (8.3)

2 (8)

<0.001

 Antibiotics > 24 h within 7 days, n (%)

367 (18.5)

575 (24.1)

284 (17.6)

9 (36)

<0.001

 i.v.-treatment with diuretics > 1 times within 14 days, n (%)

36 (1.8)

84 (3.5)

73 (4.5)

12 (48)

<0.001

 Other i.v.-treatment > 1 times within 14 days, n (%)

414 (20.9)

487 (20.4)

318 (19.7)

14 (56)

<0.001

 Admissions lasting more than 3 days, not due to social factors or complications due or to initiated treatments or investigations within 30 days, n (%)

465 (23.5)

672 (28.2)

513 (31.7)

18 (72)

<0.001

 Endoscopy detecting GI bleeding within 7 days, n (%)

22 (1.1)

13 (0.5)

6 (0.4)

0 (0)

0.036

 Acute myocardial infarction within 30 days, n (%)

1 (0.1)

3 (0.1)

42 (2.6)

0 (0)

<0.001

 Ventricular tachycardia within 30 days, n (%)

0 (0)

5 (0.2)

13 (0.8)

1 (4)

<0.001

 Cardiac arrest within 30 days, n (%)

5 (0.2)

4 (0.2)

6 (0.4)

1 (4)

0.002

 Stroke within 30 days, n (%)

11 (0.6)

23 (1.0)

22 (1.4)

2 (8)

<0.001

 Transitory Cerebral Ischemia within 30 days, n (%)

5 (0.2)

14 (0.6)

7 (0.4)

0 (0)

0.406

 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring non invasive ventilation within 7 days, n (%)

1 (0.1)

12 (0.5)

27 (1.7)

3 (12)

<0.001

 Transfer to another hospital (apart for rehabilitation) within the current hospitalization, n (%)

62 (3.1)

90 (3.8)

188 (11.6)

7 (28)

<0.001

 Admission to intensive care unit within 30 days, n (%)

5 (0.2)

22 (0.9)

47 (2.9)

12 (48)

<0.001

 Admission to intermediate-intensive care unit within 14 days, n (%)

6 (0.3)

28 (1.2)

53 (3.3)

6 (24)

<0.001

 Death within 30 days, n (%)

44 (2.2)

86 (3.6)

82 (5.1)

7 (28)

<0.001

Panel B: Events, which identifies a high-risk patient

 Admission to intensive care unit within 30 days or semi-intensive care unit within 14 days, n (%)

11 (0.5)

43 (1.8)

90 (5.6)

14 (56)

<0.001

 Death within 30 days, n (%)

44 (2.2)

86 (3.6)

82 (5.1)

7 (28)

<0.001