Prognostic value of the calling criteria in patients receiving a medical emergency team review.

Aim: To describe the reasons for medical emergency team (MET) activation, and to verify the association of the MET score with 30-day mortality.

Methods: This retrospective observational study took place in a 794-bed university-affiliated hospital. The population included all adult admissions reviewed by the MET during the period between January 2007 and June 2008. MET score was defined as the sum of each of the physiological triggers, and score zero was considered the calls made due to concern about the patient, without any physiological alteration.

Results: During the period of the study, 1051 calls were generated for 901 patients. Respiratory distress and hypotension accounted for most of MET calls. The triggers that showed an independent association with mortality were threatened airway, systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg, decrease in Glasgow Coma Scale score > or =2 points and respiratory frequency >36 breaths/min. Logistic regression analysis revealed MET score, age, medical patient, documented do not resuscitate orders and MET decision to transfer to the intensive care unit to be significant predictors of 30-day mortality.

Conclusions: MET score presents a strong association with 30-day mortality in patients seen on the ward.