Work of Breathing Assessment in Triage Scale

The proposed research study will be a prospective observational study designed to validate the Canadian Triage Assessment Scale (CTAS) in regard to work of breathing in patients in the emergency department. The investigators will assess inter-rater agreement between nurses & emergency physicians for assessment of work of breathing.

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

Key information

Conditions

Shortness of Breath Cough Difficulty Breathing Disease Attributes Dyspnea Emergencies Hypoxemia Hypoxia Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Respiration Disorders Respiratory Symptoms Respiratory Tract Diseases Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital

Corpus Christi, Texas, 78405, United States

About this study

Investigators will enroll a convenience sample of consenting patients who present to the emergency department with a chief complaint related to respiratory symptoms, including shortness of breath, cough, difficulty breathing, hypoxemia, or any other respiratory related complaint.

Following consent and in a blinded fashion, the nurse & emergency physician will be asked to evaluate the patient's work of breathing into three subjective categories: mild, moderate, or severe. The two evaluators will not be aware of the others evaluation of the patient. Evaluators will also be asked to predict the patients likely need for intervention & disposition.

Subsequently, investigators will perform a chart review to determine the patient's clinical interventions, outcomes, and dispositions, and evaluate the assessment of the patients work of breathing.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

18 years of age of older
Presenting to the emergency department with a chief complaint of any type of respiratory symptom.

Exclusion criteria

Under 18 years of age
Refusal to consent to study
Incarcerated patients
Pregnant patients
Unable to complete survey due to clinical instability, severe pain, or disorientation determined by a study physician.

Treatment and study plan

Canadian Triage Assessment Scale (CTAS)

Other

The CTAS incorporates work of breathing into a subjective measurement in its assessment of patients and triaged.

Primary outcomes

Inter-rater agreement between nurses and emergency physicians for the respiratory component of the Canadian Assessment Scale (CTAS)

Time frame: 24 months

The CTAS is utilized to qualitatively define work of breathing as severe, moderate, or mild. Kappa will be calculated to assess inter-rater reliability

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

CHRISTUS Health

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2020
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Jul 29, 2022
Registry last updated: Mar 6, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Recruiting