Age-adjusted interpretation of biomarkers of renal function and homeostasis, inflammation, and circulation in Emergency Department patients

Appropriate interpretation of blood tests is important for risk stratification and guidelines used in the Emergency Department (ED) (such as SIRS or CURB-65). The impact of abnormal blood test values on mortality may change with increasing age due to (patho)-physiologic changes. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the effect of age on the case-mix adjusted association between biomarkers of renal function and homeostasis, inflammation and circulation and in-hospital mortality. This observational multi-center cohort study has used the Netherlands Emergency department Evaluation Database (NEED), including all consecutive ED patients ≥ 18 years of three hospitals. A generalized additive logistic regression model was used to visualize the association between in-hospital mortality, age and five blood tests (creatinine, sodium, leukocytes, C-reactive Protein, and hemoglobin). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association between the number of abnormal blood test values and mortality per age category (18–50; 51–65; 66–80; > 80 years). Of the 94,974 included patients, 2550 (2.7%) patients died in-hospital. Mortality increased gradually for C-reactive Protein (CRP), and had a U-shaped association for creatinine, sodium, leukocytes, and hemoglobin. Age significantly affected the associations of all studied blood tests except in leukocytes. In addition, with increasing age categories, case-mix adjusted mortality increased with the number of abnormal blood tests. In summary, the association between blood tests and (adjusted) mortality depends on age. Mortality increases gradually or in a U-shaped manner with increasing blood test values. Age-adjusted numerical scores may improve risk stratification. Our results have implications for interpretation of blood tests and their use in risk stratification tools and acute care guidelines. Trial registration number Netherlands Trial Register (NTR) NL8422, 03/2020.