Table 1

Clinical characteristics. Clinical characteristics of St George emergency department patients with triage code 1 or 2 and provisional ED diagnosis of chest pain or cardiovascular disease.


Comparison period (April & May 2002–2004)
 Outbreak period (April & May 2005)




Average count per year
 %
 Count
 %
Age in years
 (median; IQR)
 71; 56–81
70; 55–82
Age group
 0–34 years
 7.0
 5%
 9
 4%

35–64 years
 51.3
 35%
 87
 35%

65 years and over
 87.7
 60%
 151
 61%
Male
92.0
 63 %
 134
 54%
Disposition from ED
 Discharged from ED
 26.3
 18%
 20
 8%

Admitted to ward
 55.3
 38%
 89
 36%

Admitted to critical care
 51.7
 35%
 128
 52%

Died in ED
 11.3
 8%
 7
 3%

Transferred to other facility
 1.3
 1%
 3
 1%
Hospital length of stay in days
 (median; IQR)
 4; 2–8
4; 1–8
Major procedures in hospital
 Coronary angiography +/- stent insertion
 27.0
 25%
 48
 22%

Coronary artery bypass grafting
 6.7
 6%
 10
 5%

Cardioversion
 1.0
 1%
 3
 1%

Insertion of pacemaker
 2.0
 2%
 4
 2%
Final disposition from hospital
 Home
 92.3
 86%
 179
 82%

Transferred to other facility
 8.3
 8%
 26
 12%

Died
 6.3
 6%
 12
 6%
Final discharge diagnosis
 Acute myocardial infarction
 29.3
 27%
 51
 24%

Angina
 14.3
 13%
 29
 13%

Non cardiac chest pain
 11.7
 11%
 40
 18%

Arrhythmia
 14.7
 14%
 26
 12%

Cardiac failure
 10.3
 10%
 15
 7%

Other
 26.7
 25%
 56
 26%
Total
146.0
 100%
 247
 100%

Length of stay, procedures and final disposition and diagnosis only available for patients admitted to an inpatient ward

Turner et al. Environmental Health 2007 6:37   doi:10.1186/1476-069X-6-37

Open Data