Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29212452›Full record

SynthesisBMC emergency medicine2017

The effectiveness of physiologically based early warning or track and trigger systems after triage in adult patients presenting to emergency departments: a systematic review.

Francesca Wuytack, Pauline Meskell, Aislinn Conway, Fiona McDaid, Nancy Santesso, Fergal G Hickey, Paddy Gillespie, Adam J N Raymakers, Valerie Smith, Declan Devane

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC emergency medicine, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. [Early warning scores: a rapid umbrella review].Medizinische Klinik, Intensivmedizin und Notfallmedizin · 2025
    Review
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  7. Article
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  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Observational
  12. Article
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  16. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Francesca WuytackSchool of Nursing & Midwifery, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, County Galway, Ireland. wuytacf@tcd.ie.ORCID 0000-0001-7720-1722
Pauline MeskellSchool of Nursing & Midwifery, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, County Galway, Ireland.
Aislinn ConwayHealth Research Board Trials Methodology Research Network, Galway, Ireland.
Fiona McDaidNurse Lead, National Emergency Medicine Programme/Clinical Nurse Manager, Emergency Department, Naas General Hospital, Naas, County Kildare, Ireland.
Nancy SantessoDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., HSC-2C15, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.
Fergal G HickeySligo University Hospital, Sligo, Ireland.
Paddy GillespieHealth Economics & Policy Analysis Centre (HEPAC), School of Business & Economics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, County Galway, Ireland.
Adam J N RaymakersHealth Economics & Policy Analysis Centre (HEPAC), School of Business & Economics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, County Galway, Ireland.
Valerie SmithSchool of Nursing & Midwifery, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, County Galway, Ireland.
Declan DevaneSchool of Nursing & Midwifery, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, County Galway, Ireland.

Funding

Department of Health
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChanges to physiological parameters precede deterioration of ill patients. Early warning and track and trigger systems (TTS) use routine physiological measurements with pre-specified thresholds to identify deteriorating patients and trigger appropriate and timely escalation of care. Patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) are undiagnosed, undifferentiated and of varying acuity, yet the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of using early warning systems and TTS in this setting is unclear. We aimed to systematically review the evidence on the use, development/validation, clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of physiologically based early warning systems and TTS for the detection of deterioration in adult patients presenting to EDs.

methodsWe searched for any study design in scientific databases and grey literature resources up to March 2016. Two reviewers independently screened results and conducted quality assessment. One reviewer extracted data with independent verification of 50% by a second reviewer. Only information available in English was included. Due to the heterogeneity of reporting across studies, results were synthesised narratively and in evidence tables.

resultsWe identified 6397 citations of which 47 studies and 1 clinical trial registration were included. Although early warning systems are increasingly used in EDs, compliance varies. One non-randomised controlled trial found that using an early warning system in the ED may lead to a change in patient management but may not reduce adverse events; however, this is uncertain, considering the very low quality of evidence. Twenty-eight different early warning systems were developed/validated in 36 studies. There is relatively good evidence on the predictive ability of certain early warning systems on mortality and ICU/hospital admission. No health economic data were identified.

conclusionsEarly warning systems seem to predict adverse outcomes in adult patients of varying acuity presenting to the ED but there is a lack of high quality comparative studies to examine the effect of using early warning systems on patient outcomes. Such studies should include health economics assessments.

Indexed as

Clinical DeteriorationEmergency Service, HospitalHumansMonitoring, PhysiologicSeverity of Illness IndexTriageEarly warning systemsEmergency departmentSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID29212452
PMCPMC5719672

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.