J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2004 Oct;15(5):317-320.

Usefulness of Blood Cultures in the Emergency Department

• Moon TI
• Lee JH
• Chu YS
• Bae JK
• Kim OJ
• Choi SW
• Jo YK

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to derive and validate a clinical prediction rule for blood cultures obtained in the emergency department.
METHODS
We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients with a fever who underwent blood cultures from August 2002 through July 2003. The student t-test, coefficient of correlation, ROC (receiver operatics characteristic) curve, and Chi-square statistics were used for the analyses.
RESULTS
Included in the study were 108 patients, of whom 47 were men and 61 were women. The mean age was 45.30+/-26.21 years old. The most common diagnoses were pneumonia and acute gastroenteritis. The usefulness of blood cultures in the emergency department was statistically significant in patients with fever or with higher levels of band form.
CONCLUSION
We determined that blood cultures are uncommonly useful for febrile patients and that a need rule is needed for the use of blood cutures in the emergency department

Keyword

Blood; Emergency department; Fever

MeSH Terms

Decision Support Techniques
Diagnosis
Emergencies*
Emergency Service, Hospital*
Female
Fever
Gastroenteritis
Humans
Male
Pneumonia
Retrospective Studies