Table 6 Predictors of hospital admission in children from multivariate modelling studies from Ireland, USA, Australia and Sweden

ED type (Children only or mixed children and adults)

N/A (single site; children’s only ED)

N/A (single site studies) [15]

Not reported (multi-site studies) [16, 19, 20]

Yes: children’s only

N/A (single site; mixed ED)

Age

EFM

Yes [19]^a; younger (< 3 months) [15, 16, 20]

Yes: older child ^{ED: A,B,C,D}

Yes: older child

Sex

EFM

EFM [15]

Yes: female ^{ED: B}

EFM

Arrival mode

EFM

Yes: ambulance [16, 19] EFM [15]

Yes: ambulance ^{ED: A,B,C,D}

Yes: ambulance

Referral source

Yes^a

Yes: physician / other ED [20]

Yes: primary care ^{ED: A,B,C,D}

Yes: primary care

Triage category

Yes^a

Yes [15]^a; higher acuity [16]

Yes: higher acuity ^{ED: A,B,C,D}

Yes: higher acuity

Presenting/chief complaint

Yes^a

Yes [15]^a; altered mental status [16, 20], chronic disease, fever (neonate), pregnancy, psychological/behavioural [16], psychiatric reasons [19], abdominal pain (in adolescents), immunodeficiency [20]

Yes: Infectious ^{ED: C}

Gastrointestinal ^{ED: A,B,C,D}

Respiratory ^{ED: A,B,C,D}

EFM

Weekday presentation

Yes

Yes ^{ED: A,B,C}

EFM

In-hours presentation

Yes ^{ED: A,C}

EFM

Insurance status

Yes: Private ^{ED: C}

NC

Race / Ethnicity

Yes (Aboriginal / Torres Strait Islander) ^ED:A,C

NC

Language spoken at home

Yes: English ^{ED: B,C}

NC

Distance travelled

Yes^a

Registration month

Yes^a

ED location

Yes^a

Previous admission

Yes

Vital signs

Yes: HR [16, 19], temperature [16], pulse oximetry [15, 19], respiratory rate [19], systolic BP [19, 20], diastolic BP [19, 20]

EFM: GCS [15, 16], BP [15, 16], HR [15], pulse oximetry [16]

Currently taking prescription medicines

Yes [16]

Yes (for asthma) [20]

EFM [15]

Past medical history

Yes [15]

EFM [16]

Abnormal laboratory values

Yes: low serum bicarbonate, high potassium, blood urea nitrogen, white blood cell count [20]

Oxygen requirement in ED

Yes [20]

Other

Indwelling medical device [20]