Table 1

Baseline characteristics of 993 (55.3%) female and 802 (44.7%) male patients contacting the OHS-PC with chest discomfort (pain, pressure, tightness or discomfort)

Characteristics993 womenDifference (95% CI)802 menDifference (95% CI)P value interaction gender
ACSNo ACSP valueACSNo ACSP value
n=85 (8.6%)n=908 (91.4%)n=120 (15.0%)n=682 (85.0%)
Mean age in years (SD)73.6 (±14.1)57.8 (±20.1)<0.00115.8 (11.4 to 20.2)67.2 (±13.0)56.9 (±19.2)<0.00110.3 (6.7 to 13.9)0.094
Call characteristics
 Call duration min mean (SD)6:47 (±5:16)7:47 (±3:48)0.0211.00 (0.19 to 1.80)6:31 (±3:13)7:33 (±3:42)0.0041.02 (0.37 to 1.68)0.803
 Patient’s introduction min mean (SD)0:14 (±0:08)0:19 (±0:13)<0.0010.05 (0.02 to 0.09)0:16 (±0:11)0:19 (±0:14)0.060.03 (0.00 to 0.06)0.042
 Triage nurse consulted the GP35 (41.2)483 (53.2)0.03412.0 (0.3 to 22.9)64 (53.3)381 (55.9)0.6072.5 (–7.3 to 12.6)0.208
 Someone else called on behalf of patient59 (69.4)433 (47.7)<0.00121.7 (10.1 to 31.6)79 (65.8)360 (52.8)0.00813.0 (3.0 to 22.2)0.251
The patient or person who called expressed concern (n=922)36 (97.3)409 (88.9)0.1098.4 (–5.0 to 12.6)52 (96.3)321 (86.5)0.0419.8 (–0.9 to 14.8)0.935
Chest pain (n=1739)81 (98.8)817 (93.1)0.0555.7 (–0.8 to 8.0)110 (92.4)624 (94.5)0.3642.1 (–2.3 to 9.0)0.048
Severe pain (>7 on a scale of 0–10) (n=753)17 (65.4)147 (38.1)0.00627.3 (5.7 to 44.7)13 (23.6)87 (30.4)0.3126.8 (–7.9 to 18.3)0.007
Duration
 >15 min (n=1501)66 (100)729 (95.8)0.1024.2 (–2.8 to 6.0)99 (97.1)541 (94.6)0.2922.5 (–3.8 to 5.6)0.998
 <12 hours (n=1563)60 (85.7)575 (72.7)0.01813.0 (1.7 to 20.6)88 (81.5)431 (72.6)0.0528.9 (–0.6 to 16.5)0.49
Location (n=1267)*
 Retrosternal33 (62.3)263 (40.3)0.00222.0 (7.1 to 35.2)42 (52.5)191 (39.7)0.03212.8 (0.5 to 24.8)0.323
 Right or left side thorax14 (26.4)260 (39.8)0.05413.4 (–1.2 to 24.8)26 (32.5)211 (43.9)0.05711.4 (–1.0 to 22.2)0.757
Type of pain (n=1334)†
 Pressing/heavy/tightening44 (78.6)423 (61.5)0.01117.1 (3.2 to 27.2)78 (82.1)284 (57.4)<0.00124.7 (14.3 to 32.9)0.368
 Stabbing8 (14.3)155 (22.5)0.1528.2 (–4.6 to 16.4)8 (8.4)131 (26.5)<0.00118.1 (9.2 to 24.1)0.141
Radiation of chest pain (n=1391)‡
 Any location61 (85.9)485 (68.6)0.00217.3 (6.0 to 25.0)65 (63.7)292 (57.1)0.2186.6 (–4.5 to 16.7)0.071
 Arm31 (75.6)188 (45.9)<0.00129.7 (12.8 to 42.2)47 (56.0)117 (34.8)<0.00121.1 (8.7 to 32.9)0.339
 Between the shoulder blades11 (52.4)159 (41.7)0.33610.7 (–12.0 to 32.5)14 (27.5)91 (29.4)0.7811.9 (–13.4 to 14.3)0.352
 Jaws10 (50.0)66 (22.9)0.00727.1 (4.3 to 49.7)1 (2.6)28 (11.3)0.0988.7 (–4.6 to 14.1)0.015
Shortness of breath (n=1365)47 (72.3)455 (66.3)0.3286.0 (–7.2 to 16.7)53 (60.9)329 (62.4)0.7881.5 (–9.5 to 13.3)0.355
Symptoms similar to previous cardiac event (n=748)13 (32.5)79 (21.4)0.10811.1 (–3.0 to 28.4)27 (52.9)92 (32.1)0.00420.8 (5.4 to 35.8)0.532
ANS-related symptoms
 Sweating (n=1130)28 (49.1)234 (42.5)0.346.6 (–7.4 to 20.7)43 (52.4)170 (38.5)0.01513.9 (16.7 to 25.8)0.418
 Nausea or vomiting (n=808)16 (44.4)240 (56.2)0.17311.8 (–6.2 to 28.6)27 (45.8)122 (42.7)0.6613.1 (–11.1 to 17.7)0.186
 Pallor or ashen skin (n=652)20 (55.6)110 (35.5)0.01920.1 (1.9 to 37.0)28 (53.8)103 (40.6)0.07813.2 (–2.3 to 28.3)0.545
 Dizziness or near fainting n=1599)13 (18.6)197 (24.4)0.2775.8 (–6.0 to 14.3)17 (15.9)127 (20.7)0.2494.8 (–4.3 to 11.9)0.963
Medical history
 CV disease or risk factors (n=1461)54 (78.3)407 (57.5)0.00120.8 (8.4 to 30.2)75 (72.1)359 (61.9)0.04610.2 (–0.3 to 19.3)0.179
 Coronary artery disease (n=966)17 (42.5)114 (25.1)0.01717.4 (1.7 to 34.3)45 (57.0)151 (38.4)0.00218.6 (5.9 to 30.5)0.927
 Hypertension (n=756)22 (71.0)142 (35.1)<0.00135.9 (16.0 to 50.7)17 (47.2)94 (33.0)0.09114.2 (–3.0 to 32.1)0.094
 Diabetes mellitus (n=745)12 (41.4)56 (14.6)<0.00126.8 (9.0 to 46.5)12 (28.6)59 (20.3)0.228.3 (–5.1 to 25.1)0.079
 Hypercholesterolaemia (n=679)8 (36.4)81 (23.2)0.16113.1 (–5.8 to 36.4)19 (45.2)62 (23.3)0.00321.9 (5.8 to 38.6)0.527
  • CV disease or risk factors; a history of previous coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke, cardiac arrhythmia, hypertension and/or diabetes (patient reported).

  • Coronary artery disease: history of prior MI, PCI, CABG, stable or unstable angina pectoris (patient reported).

  • *P value comparing retrosternal or left/right side thorax versus other locations of pain together (restrosternal, left/right side thorax, back/shoulder, epigastric region).

  • †Pressing/heavy/tightening pain versus other types of pain (stabbing, burning, cramping, tearing). Stabbing pain: stabbing versus other types of pain (pressing/heavy/tightening, burning, cramping, tearing).

  • ‡P value comparing radiation arm or back/shoulder or jaws versus no radiation.

  • ACS, acute coronary syndrome; ANS, autonomous nervous system; CABG, coronary artery bypass graft; CV, cardiovascular; MI, myocardial infarction; OHS-PC, out-of-hours primary care; PCI, Percutaneous coronary intervention.