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Table 1 Decision rule

From: Prediction of bacteremia in emergency department patients with suspected infection: an external validation of a clinical decision rule

Major criteria

Minor criteria (1 point each)

Suspected endocarditis (3 points)

Age >65 years

Temperature >39.4°C (103.0°F) (3 points)

Temperature 38.3 to 39.3°C

Indwelling vascular catheter (2 points)

Chills

 

Vomiting

 

Hypotension (systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg)

 

White blood cell count >18,000 cells/mm3

 

Bands >5% (in our setting, immature cells >0.5%)

 

Platelets <150,000 cells/mm3

 

Creatinine >2.0 mg/dl (177 µl/l)

  1. A blood culture is indicated by the rule if at least one major criterion or two minor criteria are present. Otherwise, cultures may be omitted. Points used to calculate the total score.