Predictive validity of the triage risk screening tool for elderly patients in a Canadian emergency department.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to externally evaluate the predictive validity of the Triage Risk Screening Tool (TRST) for elderly patients in a Canadian setting.


METHODS
A prospective, observational cohort study of a convenience sample of patients more than 64 years old was assessed using the TRST before discharge. The composite outcome of any emergency department (ED) revisit, hospital admission, or long-term care placement at 30 and 120 days was measured. Likelihood ratios (LRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.


RESULTS
Of 218 patients screened, 120 patients were enrolled. At 30 and 120 days, the positive LRs were 1.4 (95% CI, 0.9-2.0) and 1.4 (95% CI, 1.0-1.9), respectively. The negative LRs were 0.7 (95% CI, 0.4-1.3) and 0.7 (95% CI, 0.4-1.0), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The TRST cannot be used as a single diagnostic test to predict whether Canadian ED elders will have an ED revisit, hospital admission, or long-term care placement at 30 or 120 days.
Fan
Jerome
J
Department of Emergency Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8N 3Z5.
Worster
Andrew
A
Fernandes
Christopher M B
CM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016529:Emergency Nursing / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009864:Ontario; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D014218:Triage / Q000379:methods*