COVID-19: association of the National Early Warning Score with triage categories, severity and outcomes.
Luiz Humberto Vieri Piacezzi, Jaine Novaes da Silva, Rui Carlos Negrão Baptista and 4 others
PMID 40802436WHAT IT FOUND
Higher NEWS2 and NEWS Age scores in adults with COVID-19 in a Brazilian emergency department were linked with red or orange triage, early deterioration, acute respiratory failure, ventilation and death.
Key findings
01Higher NEWS2 and NEWS Age risk categories were associated with red or orange triage rather than blue/green or yellow triage.
02High NEWS2 and NEWS Age risk were associated with clinical deterioration, including acute respiratory failure.
03High NEWS2 and NEWS Age risk were associated with mechanical ventilation, prone positioning and death.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Single-centre retrospective study at one Brazilian emergency department, so results may not apply to other settings. Patients with incomplete score data, pregnant patients and patients in palliative care were excluded. The study did not test sensitivity, specificity or predictive accuracy of NEWS2 or NEWS Age. Associations were reported from existing records, so the study cannot show that the scores caused or predicted outcomes beyond other patient differences.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that NEWS2 or NEWS Age are proven tools that prevent deterioration or death. The study found associations in hospital records and did not test whether acting on the scores improves patient outcomes.