Recognising severe XXXX with simple clinical and biochemical measurements.

@entity1 @entity1133 @entity55 @entity497 @entity911 @entity204
@entity497 ( @entity497 ) is the most common reason for acute admission to hospital and the fourth most common cause of @entity204 in the UK. It is important to identify @entity1 with severe @entity55 and the worst prognosis. We conducted this study to validate a rule designed to do this devised in New Zealand. @entity497 was defined by evidence of new shadowing on the chest X-ray and clinical features of @entity55 . A standardised proforma was completed documenting clinical features and investigation results. Severe @entity55 was identified by two or more of the following: @entity911 ; respiratory rate > or = 30/min; diastolic blood pressure < or = 60 mmHg; @entity1133 >7 mmol/l. One hundred @entity1 (mean age 58.8 years) were included; 32 satisfied the rule. Seven died, all of whom satisfied the rule. Ten @entity1 received intensive care, including six who died. Of 11 @entity1 who died and/or received intensive care, nine satisfied the rule. The sensitivity and specificity of the rule for predicting @entity204 and/or intensive care were 82% and 73% respectively.
