The body undergoes a systemic adaptation response to severe illness. Elevated cortisol and systemic inflammation are two key responses. Along with hypotension, this triad can lead to end-organ failure and death in critical illness. In critical illness, serum cortisol is dissociated from its tissular activity. We have developed a formula that calculates tissular action of cortisol called the cortisol index. It correlates in chronic ambulatory illness, and acute illness such as myocardial infarction (manuscript pending). Elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ration (NLR) is a marker of systemic inflammation and predictor of mortality on admission to the emergency department. We have confirmed this in a retrospective and prospective study (manuscript pending, data available upon request).
The purpose of this study is to evaluate a triage score (STC-19) based on patients' biological state at the time of diagnosis, to objectively determine which patients are most likely to require intensive medical services within 24-48 hours of presentation of the emergency department.
