Comparison of National Early Warning Score (NEWS) & Sepsis Patient Evaluation in the Emergency Department (SPEED) for The Early Identification of Sepsis in the Emergency Department

There are a relatively large number of conditions where urgent intervention is required in order to secure the best outcome for the patient. Examples include sepsis, myocardial infarction (MI). Clinical diagnosis of some of these conditions is not always straightforward, but a common theme is that many present with deranged physiology and vital signs. Implementation of an early warning score on arrival at hospital has helped to identify seriously ill patients .

There is a high mortality rate associated with severe infection at all ages Sepsis occurs when life-threatening organ dysfunction is associated with infection.

What is a national early warning score (NEWS)? The following six simple physiological parameters are included in the scoring system: respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, temperature; the normal human body temperature range is typically stated as 36.5-37 °C( ), systolic blood pressure, pulse rate & level of consciousness.

What is a sepsis patient evaluation in the emergency department (SPEED)? The following simple clinical, physiological and laboratory parameters are included in the scoring system : hypotension (systolic pressure <90 mmHg) hypothermia (body temperature <36.0°C) , hypoxemia (pulse oximetry <90%), low hematocrit (hematocrit <0.38), Acidosis (blood PH < 7.35), elevated blood lactate >2.4 mmol/L & source of infection as pneumonia.