• J G Sirois and L Pimentel.
• Joint Military Medical Centers, San Antonio, Texas.
• Ann Emerg Med. 1993 Oct 1; 22 (10): 1568-72.

Study ObjectiveTo identify patients who are admitted from the emergency department with chest discomfort who are at low risk for life-threatening complications.DesignRetrospective chart review.SettingA 450-bed military medical center providing active duty and military beneficiaries.Type Of ParticipantsSix hundred twenty-one patients admitted to an ICU from the ED with the chief compliant of chest discomfort.Measurements And Main ResultsStudy participants were placed into low- and high-risk groups based on clinical criteria and ECGs. The groups were compared with respect to occurrence of life-threatening complications during the hospital course. Three of the 262 patients in the low-risk group experienced life-threatening events; two died. Twenty-nine of the 224 high-risk patients experienced life-threatening events; 17 died . Results were statistically evaluated using Fisher's exact test. Significance was achieved at a value of P < .01.ConclusionPatients who meet low-risk group criteria have a low likelihood of immediate life-threatening events and could be admitted to an intermediate care unit.

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