Comparison of the Quick Sepsis-related Organ Dysfunction score and severity levels assigned with the Andorran Triage Model in an urban tertiary care hospital emergency department

Objective. To compare the usefulness of the Quick Sepsis-related Organ Dysfunction (qSOFA) score and the Andorran Triage Model in a hospital emergency department. Methods. Patients who came to emergency department of a tertiary-eme hospital during the first hour of the morning shift over a 6-month period were included in the study if severity was assessed as level 2 or 3 according to the Andorran model. The qSOFA score was also assessed on arrival. The patients were then followed prospectively in the department and if they were admitted, follow-up continued on the ward. Thirty-day mortality was analyzed with Kaplan-Meier curves and the Cox multiple-variable regression model. Results. A total of 322 patients with a mean age of 61 years were included. The qSOFA scores on arrival in the department were 0-1 points in 294 patients (91%) and 2-3 points in 28 (9%). Fourteen patients died as a consequence of the emergency. The 30-day probability of survival was calculated to be 97%. Factors related to mortality were level-2 triage classification, a qSOFA score of 2-3 points, age 70 years or older, and an abbreviated Charlson index of 4 points or higher. A qSOFA score of 2-3 points was the only independent variable associated with mortality in the Cox model. Conclusion. The qSOFA score is a useful triage indicator in patients who come to a hospital emergency department. It identifies patients with a worse prognosis.