Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients transferred from other hospital compared with those with direct admission from emergency department and hospital wards

Age, mean (SD), yr

46.3±22.5

47.9±22.1

0.12

58.2±18.7

<0.0001

Female gender, no. (%)

192 (31.4)

859 (31.8)

0.86

1938 (44.7)

<0.0001

Height (cm), mean (SD)

160.6±24.3

161.0±23.3

0.75

157.8±22.2

0.01

Weight (Kg), mean (SD)

73.6±21.5

72.6±20.7

0.31

69.5±21.1

<0.0001

APACHE II score, mean (SD)

21.7±8.5

21.2±8.8

0.26

26.6±9.0

<0.0001

 Chronic liver disease

41 (6.7)

204 (7.7)

0.44

796 (18.5)

<0.0001

 Chronic cardiovascular disease

57 (9.4)

388 (14.5)

0.0008

971 (22.6)

<0.0001

 Chronic respiratory disease

61 (10)

377 (14.1)

0.008

860 (20)

<0.0001

 Chronic renal disease

42 (6.9)

265 (9.9)

0.02

903 (21)

<0.0001

 Chronic Immunocompromised

33 (5.4)

158 (5.9)

0.64

662 (15.4)

<0.0001

 Respiratory

140 (23)

638 (23.6)

0.007

1421 (32.7)

<0.0001

 Cardiovascular

141 (23.1)

727 (26.9)

2114 (48.7)

 Neurological

62 (10.2)

304 (11.3)

334 (7.7)

 Other medical

40 (6.6)

185 (6.9)

311 (7.2)

 Non-operative trauma

185 (30.3)

746 (27.6)

29 (0.7)

 Post-operative

42 (6.9)

101 (3.7)

42 (6.9)

Diabetes mellitus, no. (%)

154 (25.2)

687 (25.4)

0.91

1734 (40)

<0.0001

Admitted post-cardiac arrest, no. (%)

36 (5.9)

172 (6.4)

0.66

439 (10.1)

0.0009

Mechanical ventilation, no. (%)

451 (73.9)

2170 (80.3)

0.0005

2839 (65.5)

<0.0001

 Coma (GCS <6)

250 (41.0)

1179 (43.6)

0.23

1430 (33)

<0.0001

 Heart rate >150 per minute

18 (3)

103 (3.8)

0.31

324 (7.5)

<0.0001

 SBP <90 mm Hg

102 (16.7)

591 (21.9)

0.005

1665 (38.4)

<0.0001

 Acute kidney injury, no. (%)

77 (12.6)

380 (14.1)

0.35

1003 (23.1)

<0.0001