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Table 4 Characteristics of study patients according to category of diagnosis (categorical variables) (N = cardiac 43, non-cardiac 29. Both cardiac and non-cardiac 28)

From: Approach to undifferentiated dyspnea in emergency department: aids in rapid clinical decision-making

Variable

Category of diagnosis

Cardiac

Non-cardiac

Both

P value

Exertional dyspnea

23

6

13

.019

Orthopnea

29

8

17

.003

Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea

9

2

3

.204

Previous heart failure

6

0

2

.093

Chronic kidney disease

0

0

4

NA

Chronic respiratory disease

2

0

3

.185

Coronary artery disease

5

0

0

.031

Fever and cough

2

16

12

.000

Any cardiac murmur

1

0

1

.616

Peripheral edema

23

7

11

.045

Jugular venous distension

18

1

7

.001

Displaced apex beat

10

0

4

.020

S3

3

0

0

.133

Wheeze

3

6

5

.203

Rhonchi and rales

0

2

3

.110

Basal rales

13

3

6

.135

Rales > 1/3 lung fields

4

3

8

.060

ECG abnormality

27

10

20

.011

Lung sliding (absent to decreased)

3

10

0

.002

Pleural effusion

3

3

3

.827

B profile

 Bilateral

31

12

20

.07

 Focal

2

4

2

 

 A lines

10

13

6

 

EF eyeball method

 Severe LV dysfunction

19

0

6

.000

 Moderate LV dysfunction

9

2

8

 

 Normal

13

29

14

 

 Need for ABG analysis

2

13

16

.000

 Dilated RV

15

7

15

.06

 Increased kidney echotexture

13

12

15

.144

  1. ECG electrocardiogram, EF ejection fraction, LV left ventricle, ABG arterial blood gas, RV right ventricle