Blood pressure, oxygen saturation and heart rate were measured using a fully automated oscillometric device (CARESCAPE Monitor B850 or B650, General Electric Healthcare) [10 , 11 ]. Level of consciousness was determined using the “Reaction Level Scale” (RLS) [12 (link)]. Respiratory rate was manually counted by an ED nurse. After study inclusion, patients were interviewed regarding their smoking status (never smoked/former smoker/active smoker, which included occasional smoker), prevalence of chronic diseases known to cause dyspnea (including congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillation, restrictive lung disease, cancer, thromboembolic disease, and rheumatic disease), and current medications. The research nurses also examined the patient’s medical records validating any previously reported diagnoses.
The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality within 90 days from presentation to the ED. The patients’ personal identification numbers, linked to Swedish the national civil registry, were used to retrospectively collect survival status up to 90 days after presentation, as well as date of death, if the patient was deceased.
The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality within 90 days from presentation to the ED. The patients’ personal identification numbers, linked to Swedish the national civil registry, were used to retrospectively collect survival status up to 90 days after presentation, as well as date of death, if the patient was deceased.