Diagnostic accuracy of emergency department triage systems for predicting clinical severity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of five-level triage scales.
Am J Emerg MedJun 21, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchEmergency Medicine
Shen Yueqin, Li Juan
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the diagnostic accuracy of five-level emergency department triage systems in predicting clinical severity among patients. The analysis included 25 studies and found a pooled sensitivity of 0.84 and specificity of 0.72 for various surrogate outcomes, indicating moderate accuracy but potential for under-triage.
Key findings
- Pooled sensitivity for triage systems was 0.84 (95% CI 0.80-0.88) and specificity was 0.72 (95% CI 0.67-0.77).
- For ICU admission/critical intervention, sensitivity was 0.87 and specificity was 0.70.
- Hospital admission sensitivity was 0.82 and specificity was 0.74.
- Short-term mortality sensitivity was 0.79 and specificity was 0.76.
Why it matters
Understanding the accuracy of triage systems is crucial for emergency departments to prioritize patient care effectively. This study highlights the variability in performance, which can impact patient outcomes and resource allocation.