title: The ability of traditional vital signs and shock index to identify ruptured ectopic pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the correlation between vital signs and hemoperitoneum and the association between abnormal vital signs and tubal rupture.
  
  
  METHODS
  With the use of a retrospective case-control design, the initial heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and heart rate/systolic blood pressure were correlated with respect to degree of hemoperitoneum; predictive values were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-two patients were studied (25 ruptured pregnancies and 27 unruptured ectopic pregnancies). Correlation coefficients were heart rate (r=0.50; 95% CI, 0.26-0.68), systolic blood pressure (r=-0.34; 95% CI, -0.56 to -0.08), and heart rate/systolic blood pressure (r=0.69; 95% CI, 0.51-0.81). The sensitivity for heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and heart rate/systolic blood pressure was 28%, 36%, and 72% respectively; the specificity was 96%, 96%, and 67%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Normal vital signs alone are poor predictors of ruptured ectopic pregnancy; the heart rate/systolic blood pressure correlates best with the quantity of intraperitoneal hemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, NY 11215, USA. rhbirkhahn@pol.net
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Birkhahn
authors.forename: Theodore J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Gaeta
authors.forename: Shawn K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Van Deusen
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tloczkowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006465:Hemoperitoneum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012421:Rupture / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013599:Systole