Arterial pH Selectively Predicts Intensive Care Unit Transfer From the Emergency Department in Obese Patients With Acute Dyspnea
Arterial pH Selectively Predicts Intensive Care Unit Transfer From the Emergency Department in Obese Patients With Acute Dyspnea
This study evaluates the prognostic value of arterial blood gas analysis in a cohort of
 Emergency Department patients presenting with shortness of breath of any cause, comparing
 obese and non-obese patients.
Factors associated with admission to intensive care unit (ICU) or ED mortality before
 transfer to the ICU are analyzed in obese (BMI ≥ 30kg.m-2) and non-obese patients subgroups.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  patients who presented with acute dyspnea in the ED

 -  patients who had an ABG analysis as part of the ED standard management

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Patients with treatment limitation decisions made by the medical teams against ICU
 admission, including severe cognitive impairment or palliative care ,

 -  Patients with immediate transfer to ICU due to shock and hemodynamic instability at ED
 admission