To investigate the general information and death causes in the emergency department (ED) with an epidemiological study in the death cases.

The clinical records of 1007 death cases in the ED admitted in three years from 2011 to 2013 were collected and statistically analyzed.Methods The clinical records of 1 007 death cases in the ED admitted in three years from 2011 to 2013 were collected and statistically analyzed.

The mean age of the 1 007 deaths was (75.95±13.89)ears, and the mean score of APACHEⅡ at admission was (27.19±6.44). Malignant neoplasm, pulmonary infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, sepsis, acute coronary syndromes were main underlying causes of death, while respiratory failure, circulatory collapse, generalized debility, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, emaciation from malignant neoplasm, septic shock, severe pulmonary infection were main direct lethal causes of death. Most patients were vulnerable to be dead in the spring season, January and around midnight from 23: 00 to 1: 00 (zi time). It is noteworthy that pulmonary infection accounted for 74.75%(151/202)of the nosocomial infection. Hyperlactacidemia and low oxygenation index indicated a poor prognosis.

The deaths were predominant in old age, and the order of incidence of the underlying death causes from high to low arranged was consistent with the sequence of death causes of the cities in China in 2010. To identify carefully the risk factors of death and concern about the early symptoms of exacerbation of underlying diseases can make a big difference in enhancing the success rate of rescuing the critical emergency patients. Besides, it's worth pondering over that the medical care of patients with malignant neoplasm spent abundant emergency resources.

Guangdong Provincial Hospital of TCM; Emergency department; Patients in admission; Analysis of death cases; Fundamental causes of death; Direct causes of death; Malignant neoplasm; Emergency resources