Shock Index: A Simple and Effective Clinical Adjunct in Predicting 60-Day Mortality in Advanced Cancer Patients at the Emergency Department

Tzu-Heng Cheng, Yi-Da Sie, Kuang-Hung Hsu, Zhong Ning Leonard Goh, Cheng-Yu Chien, Hsien-Yi Chen, Chip-Jin Ng, Chih-Huang Li, Joanna Chen-Yeen Seak, Chen-Ken Seak, Yi-Tung Liu, Chen-June Seak and Investigators Spot
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Tzu-Heng Cheng: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lin-Kou Medical Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
Yi-Da Sie: Department of Emergency Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404332, Taiwan
Kuang-Hung Hsu: Laboratory for Epidemiology, Department of Health Care Management, and Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
Zhong Ning Leonard Goh: Sarawak General Hospital, Kuching, Sarawak 93586, Malaysia
Cheng-Yu Chien: Department of Emergency Medicine, Ton-Yen General Hospital, Zhubei, Hsinchu County 30268, Taiwan
Hsien-Yi Chen: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lin-Kou Medical Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
Chip-Jin Ng: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lin-Kou Medical Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
Chih-Huang Li: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lin-Kou Medical Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
Joanna Chen-Yeen Seak: Sarawak General Hospital, Kuching, Sarawak 93586, Malaysia
Chen-Ken Seak: Sarawak General Hospital, Kuching, Sarawak 93586, Malaysia
Yi-Tung Liu: School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
Chen-June Seak: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lin-Kou Medical Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
Investigators Spot: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lin-Kou Medical Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-10

Abstract: Deciding between palliative and overly aggressive therapies for advanced cancer patients who present to the emergency department (ED) with acute issues requires a prediction of their short-term survival. Various scoring systems have previously been studied in hospices or intensive care units, though they are unsuitable for use in the ED. We aim to examine the use of a shock index (SI) in predicting the 60-day survival of advanced cancer patients presenting to the ED. Identified high-risk patients and their families can then be counseled accordingly. Three hundred and five advanced cancer patients who presented to the EDs of three tertiary hospitals were recruited, and their data retrospectively analyzed. Relevant data regarding medical history and clinical presentation were extracted, and respective shock indices calculated. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to evaluate the predictive performance of the SI. Nonsurvivors within 60 days had significantly lower body temperatures and blood pressure, as well as higher pulse rates, respiratory rates, and SI. Each 0.1 SI increment had an odds ratio of 1.39 with respect to 60-day mortality. The area under the ROC curve was 0.7511. At the optimal cut-off point of 0.94, the SI had 81.38% sensitivity and 73.11% accuracy. This makes the SI an ideal evaluation tool for rapidly predicting the 60-day mortality risk of advanced cancer patients presenting to the ED. Identified patients can be counseled accordingly, and they can be assisted in making informed decisions on the appropriate treatment goals reflective of their prognoses.

Keywords: shock index; advanced cancer; emergency physicians; emergency department; 60-day survival; Stratification to Prevent Overcrowding Taskforce (SPOT) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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