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Table 1 Characteristics of Code Blue calls over the study period

From: Long term effect of a medical emergency team on cardiac arrests in a teaching hospital

 

Pre-METa

Education phasea

Post-MET implementationa

Code Blue calls

100

116

327

Documented cardiac arrests

66

51

162

Missing data

1

11

36

NFR patients (arrests in NFR patients)

4 (2)

7 (5)

18 (17)

Not cardiac arrests

31

49

112

   Faint

4

4

11

   Seizure

7

2

11

   H&M

1

3

5

   Surgical bleeding

2

0

10

   Respiratory distress

13

19

38

   Change GCS

1

8

13

   Hypotension

2

10

17

   Arrhythmia

1

2

7

   Chest pain

0

1

0

Admissions

16,246

25,216

104,001

Cardiac arrestsb

   

   Number

66

62

198

   Number/1,000 admissions

4.06

2.45

1.90

Odds ratio for risk of cardiac arrest compared to before MET

 

0.60

(95% CI 0.43–0.86)

p = 0.004

0.47

(95% CI 0.35–0.62)

p < 0.0001

  1. aThe three study periods cover the dates: pre-MET, 1 January 1999 to 31 August 1999; education phase, 1 September 1999 to 31 August 2000; post-MET implementation, 1 September 2000 to 31 October 2004. bCardiac arrests represent the combined number of 'documented cardiac arrests' and 'insufficient data' for 'during' and 'after' MET implementation phases. Odds ratios are for comparisons with 'before' MET data. GCS, Glasgow coma score; H&M, hematemesis and melena; NFR, not for resuscitation.