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Table 2 Diagnoses of 1833 callers to OHS-PC with shortness of breath, stratified by NTS urgency level

From: Accuracy of urgency allocation in patients with shortness of breath calling out-of-hours primary care: a cross-sectional study

 

Total

n = 1833

High NTS urgency level

n = 766 (41.8%)

Low NTS urgency level

n = 1067 (58.2%)

p-value

Life-threatening events

Cardiovascular disorders

Acute coronary syndrome

13 (0.7%)

8 (1.0%)

5 (0.5%)

0.166

Acute heart failure

47 (2.6%)

30 (3.9%)

17 (1.6%)

0.002

Respiratory tract disorders

Severe asthma exacerbation

11 (0.6%)

6 (0.8%)

5 (0.5%)

0.542

Severe COPD exacerbation

38 (2.1%)

26 (3.4%)

12 (1.1%)

< 0.001

Severe COVID-19 infection

110 (6.0%)

56 (7.3%)

54 (5.1%)

0.045

Severe pneumonia

34 (1.9%)

23 (3.0%)

11 (1.0%)

0.002

Other disorders

Anaphylaxis

14 (0.8%)

1 (0.1%)

13 (1.2%)

0.011

Pulmonary embolism

16 (0.9%)

6 (0.8%)

10 (0.9%)

0.804

Sepsis

10 (0.5%)

7 (0.9%)

3 (0.3%)

0.070

Other life-threatening events (LTEs)*

12 (0.7%)

7 (0.9%)

5 (0.5%)

0.256

Non-urgent disorders

Cardiovascular disorders

Stable heart failure

39 (2.1%)

14 (1.8%)

25 (2.3%)

0.451

Respiratory tract disorders

Mild or moderate asthma exacerbation

117 (6.4%)

39 (5.1%)

78 (7.3%)

0.055

Mild or moderate COPD exacerbation

94 (5.1%)

57 (7.4%)

37 (3.5%)

< 0.001

Mild or moderate COVID-19 infection**

387 (21.1%)

141 (18.4%)

246 (23.1%)

0.016

Mild or moderate pneumonia

80 (4.4%)

37 (4.8%)

43 (4.0%)

0.408

Upper respiratory tract infection

103 (5.6%)

26 (3.4%)

77 (7.2%)

< 0.001

Other disorders

Hyperventilation/anxiety/stress

136 (7.4%)

41 (5.4%)

95 (8.9%)

0.004

Shortness of breath due to (existing) cancer

34 (1.9%)

19 (2.5%)

15 (1.4%)

0.093

Unspecified chest pain***

85 (4.6%)

43 (5.6%)

42 (3.9%)

0.092

Unspecified shortness of breath***

208 (11.3%)

63 (8.2%)

145 (13.6%)

< 0.001

Other non-urgent disorders****

245 (13.4%)

116 (15.1%)

129 (12.1%)

0.058

  1. LTE life-threatening event, OHS-PC out-of-hours primary care
  2. *transient ischaemic attack, stroke, pneumothorax, subcutaneous emphysema, gastro-intestinal bleeding, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, perforated diverticulitis, respiratory insufficiency due to reduced consciousness, severe anaemia
  3. **Proven (most cases) and suspected COVID-19 infections
  4. **Cardiac pathology unlikely after cardiologist’s or GP’s diagnostic work-up, including those with musculoskeletal chest pain
  5. ***Cardiac or pulmonary pathology unlikely after cardiologist’s, pulmonologists, or GP’s diagnostic work-up
  6. ****Amongst others: atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, gastro-oesophageal reflux, costal contusion/fracture, bronchitis or bronchial hyperreactivity, shortness of breath due to terminal phase, hay fever
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