Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients

Age

67.0 ± 15.4

66.1 ± 16.6

67.8 ± 15.5

66.0 ± 14.9

0.06

0.58

Sex, male (%)

747 (60.1)

48 (64)

412 (57.3)

287 (64.1)

0.02

0.48

APACHE II score

22.3 ± 8.2

22.8 ± 8.1

21.0 ± 7.6

24.1 ± 8.7

<0.01

0.56

Triage (%)

Level 1

656 (52.8)

47 (62.7)

370 (51.5)

239 (53.4)

0.33

0.16

Level 2

398 (32.1)

21 (28.0)

243 (33.8)

134 (29.9)

Level 3,4,5

188 (15.1)

7 (9.3)

106 (14.7)

75 (16.7)

Unplanned ED Re-visit ^a (%)

26 (2.1)

0 (0)

14 (2.0)

12 (2.7)

0.41

0.19

Re-admission ^b (%)

13 (1.1)

1 (1.3)

8 (1.1)

4 (0.9)

0.71

0.80

ED arrival to ventilator, hours (Q1-Q3)

2.1 (0.4-11.6)

1.8 (0.4-6.2)

2.0 (0.5-11.4)

2.6 (0.4-15.4)

0.44^c

0.20^c

Ventilator to leaving ED, hours (Q1-Q3)

10.2 (3.9-28.1)

12.9 (2.7-37.4)

10.8 (3.4-28.9)

9.7 (4.0-21.7)

0.02^c

0.86^c

ED stay, hours (Q1-Q3)

21.7 (6.8-49.9)

19.6 (5.7-53.0)

22.1 (6.5-49.7)

21.8 (7.4-49.7 )

0.07^c

0.76^c

Principal diagnostic categories (%)

Respiratory infection

343 (26.6)

21 (28)

220 (30.6)

102 (22.8)

<0.01

0.35

Sepsis

274 (22.1)

12 (16)

124 (17.3)

138 (30.8)

ICH/SAH/SDH

113 (9.1)

8 (10.7)

61 (8.5)

44 (9.8)

CAD

73 (5.9)

3 (4.0)

53 (7.4)

17 (3.8)

CHF

58 (4.7)

0 (0)

50 (7.0)

8 (1.8)

Postcardiac arrest

56 (5.1)

2 (2.7)

15 (2.1)

39 (8.7)

COPD

47 (3.8)

4 (5.3)

34 (4.7)

9 (2.0)

GI bleeding

44 (3.5)

2 (2.7)

18 (2.5)

24 (5.4)

Neurologic (NOS)

41 (3.3)

6 (8.0)

27 (3.8)

8 (1.8)

Else

38 (3.1)

1 (1.3)

23 (3.2)

14 (3.1)

Respiratory (NOS)

31 (2.5)

4 (5.3)

17 (2.4)

10 (2.2)

Renal/metabolic

24 (1.9)

2 (2.7)

20 (2.8)

2 (0.5)

GI (NOS)

23 (1.9)

3 (4.0)

6 (0.8)

14 (3.1)

Aspiration pneumonia/poisoning/toxicity

23 (1.9)

3 (4.0)

16 (2.2)

4 (0.9)

Seizure

21 (1.7)

2 (2.7)

18 (2.5)

1 (0.2)

Neoplasm

12 (1.0)

1 (1.3)

7 (1.0)

4 (0.9)

Cardiovascular (NOS)

11 (0.9)

0 (0)

3 (0.4)

8 (1.8)

Drug overdose

10 (0.8)

1 (1.3)

7 (1.0)

2 (0.5)