Role of Venous Blood Gase (VBG) Analysis in Patient Triage in the Adult Emergency Department

Abstract

Background: In emergency and critical care settings, can a venous blood gas analysis improve clinical decision-making and patient outcomes? Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, conducted between January and June 2022 at a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia. Results: A total of 100 patients were included, using a convenience sample technique. Their mean age was 54 years, and theirmain chief complaints were shortness of breath (30%), abdominal pain (15%), and altered level of consciousness (14%). The venous blood gas (VBG) result was abnormal in 86 patients, and predicted the need for early intervention in 69 patients (69.7%). A significant association was found between patients requiring early intervention and those with an abnormal VBG (p=0.0005). Furthermore, the VBG results changed the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) level in 32 patients (33.68%). A logistic regression analysis revealed that pre-testing factors such as age, gender, comorbidities, and chief complaints were not predictors of VBG results, the need for early intervention, or altered CTAS level. Conclusion: Our study concludes that VBG analysis can play an important role in patient triage in the emergency department (ED), allowing for earlier intervention and potentially improving outcomes.