Table 3 Comparison of patients with an urgent and non–urgent condition*

Age (years) – median

(IQR; 5° − 95°)

6.9

(5.0; 1.5–13.1)

5.7

(5.8; 0.5–14.0)

0.027

Males – no. (%)

47 (60.3)

621 (46.7)

0.234

Higher priority (code Blue or higher) – no. (%)

29 (37.7)

101 (7.6)

< 0.001

History of trauma – no. (%)

32 (41.0)

362 (27.2)

0.008

Time from onset to referral (days) – median

(IQR; 5° – 95° centile)

Time from onset to referral (< 24 h) – no. (%)

3.5

(14.3; 0–60)

23 (29.5)

0

(1.0; 0–10)

799 (60.0)

< 0.001

< 0.001

Clinical presentation – no. (%)

 - Head deviation

  - to the right

  - to the left

 - Pain

 - Sore throat

 - Fever (> 38 °C)

 - Cervical tumefaction/lymphadenopathy

 - Headache

 - Earache

 - Vomiting

 - Dizziness/vertigo

 - Other

62 (79.5)

24 (38.7)

33 (53.2)

62 (79.5)

13 (16.7)

14 (17.9)

6 (7.7)

9 (11.5)

2 (2.6)

10 (12.8)

4 (5.1)

19 (24.4)

1117 (83.9)

461 (41.3)

401 (35.9)

1115 (83.7)

212 (15.9)

145 (10.9)

85 (6.3)

63 (4.7)

67 (5.0)

34 (2.6)

15 (1.1)

106 (8.0)

0.303

0.690

0.006

0.586

0.865

0.157

0.631

0.015

0.584

< 0.001

0.018

< 0.001

Laboratory workup

 - WBC (cells/µl) – median

  (IQR; 5° – 95°)

 - Neutrophils (%) – median

  (IQR; 5° – 95°)

 - Leukocytosis – no. (%)*

 - CRP ≥ 0.5 mg/dl – no. (%)*

9350

(7240; 4010–21,500)

62.0

(21.1; 31.5–88.1)

10 (28.6)

16 (50.0)

9530

(5030; 5641–18,538)

57.0

(27.6; 21.4 − 83.4)

58 (31.4)

89 (49.7)

0.789

0.008

0.856

1.000

Medical imaging – no. (%)

 - Radiography

  with findings

 - CT scan

  with findings

 - Ultrasound

  with findings

 - MRI

  with findings

75 (96.2)

65 (83.3)

60 (76.9)

37 (47.4)

34 (43.6)

15 (19.2)

7 (9.0)

26 (33.8)

21 (26.9)

587 (44.1)

110 (8.3)

22 (1.7)

39 (2.9)

8 (0.6)

150 (11.3)

104 (7.8)

369 (27.8)

61 (4.6)

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

0.034

0.712

0.256

< 0.001

Specialist consultation – no. (%)

 - Orthopedic

 - Neurologist

 - Otolaryngologist

 - Neurosurgeon

 - Ophthalmologist

 - Oncologist

 - Anesthesiologist

 - Other

69 (88.5)

44 (56.4)

18 (23.1)

9 (11.5)

26 (33.3)

11 (14.1)

15 (19.2)

3 (3.8)

11 (14.1)

290 (21.8)

188 (14.1)

94 (7.1)

40 (3.0)

11 (0.8)

24 (1.8)

1 (0.1)

4 (0.3)

18 (1.4)

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

0.005

< 0.001

Etiology – no. (%)

 - Postural

 - Traumatic

 - Infective

 - Neurologic

 - Oncologic

 - Congenital

 - Other

0 (0)

35 (44.9)

15 (19.2)

8 (10.3)

17(21.8)

0 (0)

3 (3.9)

607 (45.6)

380 (28.5)

254 (19.1)

38 (2.9)

0 (0)

35 (2.6)

17 (1.3)

< 0.001

0.002

0.974

0.003

< 0.001

0.257

0.118

Treatment of torticollis – no. (%)

 - Ibuprofen

 - Acetaminophen

 - Antibiotics

 - Cervical collar

 - Surgery – no. (%)

63 (80.8)

45 (57.7)

4 (5.1)

21 (26.9)

45 (57.7)

18 (23.1)

1192 (89.6)

1076 (80.8)

107 (8.0)

104 (7.8)

761 (57.2)

0 (0)

0.016

< 0.001

0.354

< 0.001

0.928

< 0.001

 - Hospitalization – no. (%)

 - Hospitalization (days) – median (IQR; 5° − 95°)

 - Sequelae – no. (%)

61 (78.2)

7 (11; 1–39)

18 (23.1)

95 (7.1)

3 (4; 1–12)

11 (0.8)

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001