Table 1 Population’s characteristics assessed via telephone call
Population | No respiratory support | Respiratory support required | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
(n = 649) | (n = 600) | (n = 49) | ||
Age (years old) | 77 (65 - 87) | 78 (64 - 87) | 72 (65 - 78) | 0.04 |
Women | 366 (56) | 341 (57) | 25 (51) | 0.430 |
Medical history: | ||||
- Heart disease | 344 (53) | 316 (53) | 28 (57) | 0.546 |
- Lung disease | 307 (47) | 277 (46) | 30 (61) | 0.042 |
- Chronic renal failure | 51 (8) | 47 (8) | 4 (8) | 0.934 |
- Diabetes | 107 (17) | 96 (16) | 11 (23) | 0.242 |
- Dementia | 49 (8) | 46 (8) | 3 (6) | 0.694 |
Usual treatment: | ||||
- Furosemide | 182 (28) | 172 (29) | 10 (20) | 0.216 |
- B2-mimetics | 179 (28) | 164 (27) | 15 (31) | 0.621 |
Duration of symptoms before call (hours) | 13 (2 - 57) | 13 (2 - 57) | 5 (1 - 23) | 0.014 |
Duration of symptoms ≥ 5 h | 406 (63) | 382 (64) | 24 (50) | 0.041 |
Tachypnea: | 407 (63) | 365 (61) | 42 (86) | 0.001 |
- Not evaluated | 36 (6) | 34 (6) | 2 (4) | 1 |
Abnormal respiratory noises: | 316 (49) | 284 (47) | 32 (65) | 0.005 |
- Wheezing | 135 (21) | 123 (21) | 12 (25) | 0.008 |
- Crackling | 177 (27) | 158 (26) | 19 (40) | |
- No | 308 (47) | 295 (49) | 13 (27) | |
- Not evaluated | 29 (5) | 24 (4) | 5 (10) | |
Unable to speak: | 249 (38) | 206 (34) | 43 (88) | < 0.001 |
- Not evaluated | 34 (5) | 34 (6) | 0 | 0.100 |
Cyanosis: | 90 (14) | 79 (13) | 11 (22) | 0.071 |
- Not evaluated | 44 (7) | 38 (6) | 6 (12) | 0.132 |
Sweats: | 104 (16) | 90 (15) | 14 (29) | 0.013 |
- Not evaluated | 60 (9) | 54 (9) | 6 (12) | 0.440 |
Abdominal respiration: | 223 (34) | 189 (32) | 34 (69) | < 0.001 |
- Not evaluated | 120 (18) | 111 (19) | 9 (18) | 1 |
Altered consciousness: | 56 (9) | 46 (8) | 10 (20) | 0.002 |
- Not evaluated | 10 (2) | 10 (2) | 0 | 1 |
Breathing discomfort (0 to 10) | 7 (5 - 8) | 7 (5 - 8) | 8 (7 - 10) | < 0.001 |
- Breathing discomfort > 7 | 178 (27) | 153 (26) | 25 (51) | < 0.001 |
- Not evaluated | 168 (26) | 152 (25) | 14 (29) | 0.869 |
Medical dispatcher intuition (0 to 10) | 2 (1 - 5) | 2 (1 - 4) | 7 (5 - 8) | < 0.001 |
EMCC final decision: | ||||
- Medical advise or GP alone | 104 (16) | 103 (17) | 1 (2) | N.A |
- Dispatch of an ambulance alone | 463 (71) | 448 (75) | 15 (31) | |
- Dispatch of a MICU after ambulance assesment | 30 (5) | 14 (2) | 16 (33) | |
- Dispatch of a MICU immediatly after call | 52 (8) | 35 (6) | 17 (35) |