• Brit Long, Samuel M Keim, Michael Gottlieb, Jestin Carlson, John Bedolla, and Earl J Reisdorff.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
• J Emerg Med. 2024 Nov 1; 67 (5): e487e493e487-e493.

BackgroundVital signs are an essential component of the emergency department (ED) assessment. Vital sign abnormalities are associated with adverse events in the ED setting and may indicate a risk of poor outcomes after ED discharge.Clinical QuestionWhat is the risk of adverse events among adult patients with abnormal vital signs at the time of ED discharge?Evidence ReviewStudies retrieved included 6 retrospective studies with adult patients discharged from the ED. These studies evaluated adverse outcomes in adult patients discharged from the ED with abnormal vital signs. Hypotension at discharge was associated with the highest odds of adverse events after discharge. Tachycardia was also a key predictor of adverse events after discharge and may be easily missed by ED clinicians.ConclusionBased on the available evidence, the specific vital sign abnormality and the number of total abnormalities influence the risk of adverse outcomes after discharge. Vital sign abnormalities at the time of discharge also increase the risk of ED revisit. The most common abnormal vital sign at the time of discharge is tachycardia.Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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