Material and methods
Study design and patients
Clinical data was collected from all critically ill patients
managed in the resuscitation room of the Emergency
Department of Xinhua Hospital (affiliated to Shanghai
Jiaotong University) during the period from 1st
December 2008 to 31st March 2009. Exclusion criteria
were: (1) those patients who died on or before arrival;
(2) those who were transferred out of critical care area
within two hours of arrival; (3) patients with "Do Not
Resuscitate" orders; and (4) conscious stroke patients.