Home > Bibliographic references

Swiss Emergency Research collection

2024

  • Volkert, D., Delzenne, N., Demirkan, K., Schneider, S., Abbasoglu, O., Bahat, G., Barazzoni, R., et al. “Nutrition For The Older Adult - Current Concepts. Report From An Espen Symposium”. Clin Nutr 43, no. 8: 1815-1824. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2024.06.020.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND & AIMS: In view of the global demographic shift, a scientific symposium was organised by the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) to address nutrition-related challenges of the older population and provide an overview of the current state of knowledge. METHODS: Eighteen nutrition-related issues of the ageing global society were presented by international experts during the symposium and summarised in this report. RESULTS: Anorexia of ageing, dysphagia, malnutrition, frailty, sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity, and the metabolic syndrome were highlighted as major nutrition-related geriatric syndromes. Great progress has been made in recent years through standardised definitions of some but not all syndromes. Regarding malnutrition, the GLIM approach has shown to be suitable also in older adults, justifying its continuous implementation. For anorexia of ageing, a consensus definition is still required. Intervention approaches should be integrated and person-centered with the aim of optimizing intrinsic capacity and maintaining functional capacity. Landmark studies like EFFORT and FINGER have impressively documented the potential of individualised and multifactorial interventions for functional and health benefits. Combining nutritional intervention with physical training seems particularly important whereas restrictive diets and drug treatment should generally be used with caution because of undesirable risks. Obesity management in older adults should take into account the risk of promoting sarcopenia. CONCLUSIONS: In the future, even more individualised approaches like precision nutrition may enable better nutritional care. Meanwhile all stakeholders should focus on a better implementation of currently available strategies and work closely together to improve nutritional care for older adults.
    Tags: *Malnutrition/prevention & control/therapy, *Sarcopenia/therapy, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Ageing, Aging/physiology, Editors (ICMJE). None of the expert panel had to be excluded from the symposium, faculty or from coauthorship because of serious conflicts. The conflict of, Frailty, Geriatric Assessment/methods, Humans, interest according to the rules of the International Committee of Medical Journal, interest forms are stored at the ESPEN office and can be reviewed with legitimate, interest upon request to the ESPEN executive., Nutritional intervention, Nutritional Status, Obesity, Older adults, Report.
  • Ziaka, M., and Exadaktylos, A. “Gut-Derived Immune Cells And The Gut-Lung Axis In Ards”. Crit Care 28, no. 1: 220. doi:10.1186/s13054-024-05006-x.
    Abstract: The gut serves as a vital immunological organ orchestrating immune responses and influencing distant mucosal sites, notably the respiratory mucosa. It is increasingly recognized as a central driver of critical illnesses, with intestinal hyperpermeability facilitating bacterial translocation, systemic inflammation, and organ damage. The "gut-lung" axis emerges as a pivotal pathway, where gut-derived injurious factors trigger acute lung injury (ALI) through the systemic circulation. Direct and indirect effects of gut microbiota significantly impact immune responses. Dysbiosis, particularly intestinal dysbiosis, termed as an imbalance of microbial species and a reduction in microbial diversity within certain bodily microbiomes, influences adaptive immune responses, including differentiating T regulatory cells (Tregs) and T helper 17 (Th17) cells, which are critical in various lung inflammatory conditions. Additionally, gut and bone marrow immune cells impact pulmonary immune activity, underscoring the complex gut-lung interplay. Moreover, lung microbiota alterations are implicated in diverse gut pathologies, affecting local and systemic immune landscapes. Notably, lung dysbiosis can reciprocally influence gut microbiota composition, indicating bidirectional gut-lung communication. In this review, we investigate the pathophysiology of ALI/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), elucidating the role of immune cells in the gut-lung axis based on recent experimental and clinical research. This exploration aims to enhance understanding of ALI/ARDS pathogenesis and to underscore the significance of gut-lung interactions in respiratory diseases.
    Tags: *Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology/immunology, *Respiratory Distress Syndrome/immunology/physiopathology/microbiology, Animals, Dysbiosis/physiopathology/immunology/complications, Humans, Lung/immunology/physiopathology/microbiology.
  • Magyar, U., Stalder, O., Baumgartner, C., Mean, M., Righini, M., Schuetz, P., Bassetti, S., Rodondi, N., Tritschler, T., and Aujesky, D. “Association Between Severity Of Pulmonary Embolism And Health-Related Quality Of Life”. J Thromb Haemost 22, no. 2: 516-525. doi:10.1016/j.jtha.2023.10.016.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (QoL) impairment is common after pulmonary embolism (PE). Whether the severity of the initial PE has an impact on QoL is unknown. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between severity of PE and QoL over time. METHODS: We prospectively assessed PE-specific QoL using the Pulmonary Embolism Quality of Life (lower scores indicate better QoL) questionnaire and generic QoL using the Short Form 36 (higher scores indicate better QoL) questionnaire at baseline and 3 and 12 months in older patients with acute PE. We examined whether QoL differed by PE severity based on hemodynamic status, simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (sPESI), right ventricular function, and high-sensitivity troponin T in mixed-effects models, adjusting for known QoL predictors after PE. RESULTS: Among 546 patients with PE (median age, 74 years), severe vs nonsevere PE based on the sPESI was associated with a worse PE-specific (adjusted mean Pulmonary Embolism Quality of Life score difference of 6.1 [95% CI, 2.4-9.8] at baseline, 7.6 [95% CI, 4.0-11.3] at 3 months, and 6.7 [95% CI, 2.9-10.4] at 12 months) and physical generic QoL (adjusted mean Short Form 36 Physical Component Summary score difference of -3.8 [95% CI, -5.5 to -2.1] at baseline, -4.8 [95% CI, -6.4 to -3.1] at 3 months, and -4.1 [95% CI, -5.8 to -2.3] at 12 months). Elevated troponin levels were also associated with lower PE-specific QoL at 3 months and lower physical generic QoL at 3 and 12 months. QoL did not differ by hemodynamic status or right ventricular function. CONCLUSION: Severe PE based on the sPESI was consistently associated with worse PE-specific and physical generic QoL over time as compared to nonsevere PE.
    Tags: *Pulmonary Embolism/blood, *Quality of Life, *Severity of Illness Index, *Troponin T/blood, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Biomarkers/blood, disease severity, dyspnea, elderly, Female, Hemodynamics, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies, pulmonary embolism, quality of life, Surveys and Questionnaires, Time Factors, Ventricular Function, Right.
  • Terhalle, L., Arntz, L., Hoffmann, F., Arnold, I., Hafner, L., Picking-Pitasch, L., Zuppinger, J., et al. “Nonspecific Stress Biomarkers For Mortality Prediction In Older Emergency Department Patients Presenting With Falls: A Prospective Multicenter Observational Study”. Intern Emerg Med 20, no. 2: 585-595. doi:10.1007/s11739-024-03693-6.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Older patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) after falling are increasingly prevalent. Falls are associated with functional decline and death. Biomarkers predicting short-term mortality might facilitate decisions regarding resource allocation and disposition. D-dimer levels are used to rule out thromboembolic disease, while copeptin and adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) may be used as measures of the patient;s stress level. These nonspecific biomarkers were selected as potential predictors for mortality. METHODS: Prospective, international, multicenter, cross-sectional observation was performed in two tertiary and two regional hospitals in Germany and Switzerland. Patients aged 65 years or older presenting to the ED after a fall were enrolled. Demographic data, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and D-dimers were collected upon presentation. Copeptin and MR-proADM levels were determined from frozen samples. Primary outcome was 30-day mortality; and secondary outcomes were mortality at 90, 180, and 365 days. RESULTS: Five hundred and seventy-two patients were included. Median age was 83 [IQR 78, 89] years, 236 (67.7%) were female. Mortality overall was 3.1% (30 d), 5.4% (90 d), 7.5% (180 d), and 13.8% (365 d), respectively. Non-survivors were older, had a lower ADL index and higher levels of all three biomarkers. Elevated levels of MR-proADM and D-dimer were associated with higher risk of mortality. MR-proADM and D-dimer showed high sensitivity and low negative likelihood ratio regarding short-term mortality, whereas copeptin did not. CONCLUSION: D-dimer and MR-proADM levels might be useful as prognostic markers in older patients presenting to the ED after a fall, by identifying patients at low risk of short-term mortality. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02244983.
    Tags: *Accidental Falls/mortality/statistics & numerical data, *Biomarkers/blood/analysis, *Mortality/trends, according to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent:, Adrenomedullin, Adrenomedullin/blood/analysis, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Biomarkers, Copeptin, Cross-Sectional Studies, D-dimer, data, disclose. Ethical approval, Human and animal rights: This study was approved by, Emergency department, Emergency Service, Hospital/organization & administration/statistics & numerical, fall and provided informed consent, were enrolled in the study, Female, Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products/analysis, Germany, Glycopeptides/blood/analysis, Humans, Male, Mortality prediction, Patients, aged 65 years and older, who presented to the ED within 24 h after a, Peptide Fragments/blood/analysis, Prospective Studies, Switzerland, the local ethics committee (identifier 2014-184, ww.eknz.ch) and conducted.
  • Donner, V., Beuret, H., Savoy, S., Ribordy, V., and Sadeghi, C. D. “The Wolf In Sheep's Clothing: Vasovagal Syncope In Acute Aortic Dissection”. Int J Emerg Med 17, no. 1: 80. doi:10.1186/s12245-024-00664-8.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: The presentation of acute aortic dissection can pose a challenge for emergency physicians, as it may occur without pain. Atypical presentations can lead to significant delays in diagnosis and increased mortality rates. CASE DESCRIPTION: Our case illustrates that isolated painless syncope can be a rare presenting symptom of acute aortic dissection type A. What is unique about our case is the limited extension of the dissection tear and the availability of Holter monitoring during the syncopal episode. CONCLUSION: This constellation provides insight into the pathophysiological mechanism of the syncope in this patient. Mechanisms of syncope related to acute aortic dissection are diverse. We show that vasovagal activation not related to pain can be the underlying mechanism of syncope in acute aortic dissection type A. Although excessive vasovagal tone in the setting of aortic dissection has been hypothesized in the past, it has never been as clearly illustrated as in the present case. This also highlights the challenge in risk stratification of syncope in the emergency department.
    Tags: Acute aortic dissection, Aortic arch baroreflex, Aortic depressor nerve, Painless aortic dissection, Risk stratification, Vasovagal syncope.
  • Cazzaniga, S., Heidemeyer, K., Zahn, C. A., Seyed Jafari, S. M., Sauter, T. C., Naldi, L., and Borradori, L. “Dermatological Emergencies And Determinants Of Hospitalization In Switzerland: A Retrospective Study”. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 39, no. 5: 1001-1010. doi:10.1111/jdv.20176.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Dermatologic conditions are estimated to account worldwide for approximately 8% of all visits at emergency departments (EDs). Although rarely life-threatening, several dermatologic emergencies may have a high morbidity. Little is known about ED consultations of patients with dermatological emergencies and their subsequent hospital disposal. OBJECTIVE: We explore determinants and clinical variables affecting patients' disposal and hospitalization of people attending the ED at a Swiss University Hospital, over a 56-month observational period, for a dermatological problem. METHODS: De-identified patients' information was extracted from the hospital electronic medical record system. Generalized estimating equations were used to explore determinants of patient's disposition. RESULTS: Out of 5096 consecutive patients with a dermatological main problem evaluated at the ED, 79% of patients were hospitalized after initial assessment. In multivariable analyses, factors which were significantly associated with an increased admission rate included length of ED stay, age >/= 45 years, male sex, distinct vital signs, high body mass index, low oxygen saturation, admission time in the ED and number and type of dermatological diagnoses. Only 2.2% of the hospitalized patients were admitted to a dermatology ward, despite the fact that they had dermatological diagnoses critically determining the diagnostic related group (DRG) payment. The number of patients managed by dermatologists during in-patient treatment significantly decreased over the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identifies a number of independent predictors affecting the risk of hospital admission for patients with dermatological conditions, which may be useful to improve patients' disposal in EDs. The results indicate that the dermatological specialty is becoming increasingly marginalized in the management of patients in the Swiss hospital setting. This trend may have significant implications for the delivery of adequate medical care, outcomes and cost-effectiveness. Dermatologists should be more engaged to better position their specialty and to effectively collaborate with nondermatologists to enhance patient care.
    Tags: *Emergencies, *Emergency Service, Hospital/statistics & numerical data, *Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data, *Skin Diseases/therapy/epidemiology/diagnosis, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Humans, Length of Stay, Male, Middle Aged, Retrospective Studies, Switzerland, Young Adult.
  • Kammer, J. E., Boos, M., and Seelandt, J. C. “Editorial: Promoting Teamwork In Healthcare”. Front Psychol 15: 1422543. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1422543.
    Tags: commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential, conflict of interest., healthcare (MeSH), interprofessional collaboration, Interprofessional communication, Interprofessional education (IPE), patient safety, team performance analysis, teamwork.
  • Germann, S., Wimmer, R., Laager, R., Mueller, B., Schuetz, P., Kaegi-Braun, N., and Kutz, A. “Long-Term Outcomes In Patients With Cushing's Disease Vs Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenoma After Pituitary Surgery: An Active-Comparator Cohort Study”. Eur J Endocrinol 191, no. 1: 97-105. doi:10.1093/ejendo/lvae069.
    Abstract: OBJECTIVE: There is increasing evidence that multisystem morbidity in patients with Cushing's disease (CD) is only partially reversible following treatment. We investigated complications from multiple organs in hospitalized patients with CD compared to patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA) after pituitary surgery. DESIGN: Population-based retrospective cohort study using data from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office between January 2012 and December 2021. METHODS: Through 1:5 propensity score matching, we compared hospitalized patients undergoing pituitary surgery for CD or NFPA, addressing demographic differences. The primary composite endpoint included all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiac events (ie, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, heart failure, cardiac arrest, and ischemic stroke), hospitalization for psychiatric disorders, sepsis, severe thromboembolic events, and fractures in need of hospitalization. Secondary endpoints comprised individual components of the primary endpoint and surgical reintervention due to disease persistence or recurrence. RESULTS: After matching, 116 patients with CD (mean age 45.4 years [SD, 14.4], 75.0% female) and 396 with NFPA (47.3 years [14.3], 69.7% female) were included and followed for a median time of 50.0 months (IQR 23.5, 82.0) after pituitary surgery. Cushing's disease presence was associated with a higher incidence rate of the primary endpoint (40.6 vs 15.7 events per 1000 person-years, hazard ratio [HR] 2.75; 95% CI, 1.54-4.90). Cushing's disease patients also showed increased hospitalization rates for psychiatric disorders (HR 3.27; 95% CI, 1.59-6.71) and a trend for sepsis (HR 3.15; 95% CI, .95-10.40). CONCLUSIONS: Even after pituitary surgery, CD patients faced a higher hazard of complications, especially psychiatric hospitalizations and sepsis.
    Tags: *Adenoma/surgery/complications, *Pituitary ACTH Hypersecretion/surgery/epidemiology, *Pituitary Neoplasms/surgery/complications, Adult, Aged, Cohort Studies, Cushing's disease, Female, Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data, Humans, long-term-outcome, Male, Middle Aged, Pituitary Gland/surgery, pituitary surgery, Postoperative Complications/epidemiology/etiology, psychiatric disorders, Retrospective Studies, sepsis, Switzerland/epidemiology, Treatment Outcome.
  • Waters, M. L., Dargan, P. I., Yates, C., Dines, A. M., Eyer, F., Giraudon, I., Heyerdahl, F., et al. “Clinical Effects Of Cannabis Compared To Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists (Scras): A Retrospective Cohort Study Of Presentations With Acute Toxicity To European Hospitals Between 2013 And 2020”. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 62, no. 6: 378-384. doi:10.1080/15563650.2024.2346125.
    Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Cannabis is the most common recreational drug worldwide and synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists are currently the largest group of new psychoactive substances. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical features and outcomes of lone acute cannabis toxicity with lone acute synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist toxicity in a large series of presentations to European emergency departments between 2013-2020. METHODS: Self-reported drug exposure, clinical, and outcome data were extracted from the European Drug Emergencies Network Plus which is a surveillance network that records data on drug-related emergency department presentations to 36 centres in 24 European countries. Cannabis exposure was considered the control in all analyses. To compare the lone cannabis and lone synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist groups, univariate analysis using chi squared testing was used for categorical variables and non-parametric Mann-Whitney U- testing for continuous variables. Statistical significance was defined as a P value of <0.05. RESULTS: Between 2013-2020 there were 54,314 drug related presentations of which 2,657 were lone cannabis exposures and 503 lone synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist exposures. Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist presentations had statistically significantly higher rates of drowsiness, coma, agitation, seizures and bradycardia at the time of presentation. Cannabis presentations were significantly more likely to have palpitations, chest pain, hypertension, tachycardia, anxiety, vomiting and headache. DISCUSSION: Emergency department presentations involving lone synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist exposures were more likely to have neuropsychiatric features and be admitted to a psychiatric ward, and lone cannabis exposures were more likely to have cardiovascular features. Previous studies have shown variability in the acute toxicity of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists compared with cannabis but there is little comparative data available on lone exposures. There is limited direct comparison in the current literature between lone synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist and lone cannabis exposure, with only two previous poison centre series and two clinical series. Whilst this study is limited by self-report being used to identify the drug(s) involved in the presentations, previous studies have demonstrated that self-report is reliable in emergency department presentations with acute drug toxicity. CONCLUSION: This study directly compares presentations with acute drug toxicity related to the lone use of cannabis or synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists. It supports previous findings of increased neuropsychiatric toxicity from synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists compared to cannabis and provides further data on cardiovascular toxicity in lone cannabis use.
    Tags: *Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists/toxicity, *Emergency Service, Hospital, acute toxicity, Adolescent, Adult, Cannabinoids/toxicity, cannabis, Cannabis/toxicity, cardiotoxicity, Euro-DEN, Europe/epidemiology, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, neurotoxicity, new psychoactive substances, Nps, overdose, Retrospective Studies, Scra, Synthetic cannabinoid receptor antagonist, Young Adult.
  • Taheri, O., Mauny, F., Ray, P., and Desmettre, T. “Authors' Response To Comment On 'Acute Heart Failure In Elderly Patients Admitted To The Emergency Department With Acute Dyspnea: A Multimarker Approach Diagnostic Study'”. Eur J Emerg Med 31, no. 4: 297-298. doi:10.1097/MEJ.0000000000001125.
    Tags: *Biomarkers/blood, *Dyspnea/etiology/diagnosis, *Emergency Service, Hospital, *Heart Failure/diagnosis, Acute Disease, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Humans, Male, Natriuretic Peptide, Brain/blood.
  • Pfister, J., Shazwani, F. N., Muller, M., and Burkhard, J. P. “Clinical Results Of Two Different Three-Dimensional Plate Types For The Treatment Of Mandibular Angle Fractures: A Retrospective Analysis”. Oral Maxillofac Surg 28, no. 4: 1501-1507. doi:10.1007/s10006-024-01275-6.
    Abstract: OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare two different designs of three-dimensional osteosynthesis plates for their suitability in the treatment of mandibular angle fractures in terms of sufficient fracture healing and concomitant complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospectively a total of 54 patients with 56 mandibular angle fractures were evaluated. Two different types of three-dimensional plates from the Medartis Trilock system were analyzed: (A) Square design plate (☐-plate) with a thickness of 1.0 mm, and (B) triangular-shaped 3D-plate ( big up tri, open-plate) with a thickness of 1.3 mm. Patient demographics, fracture mechanism and intraoperative details were recorded during an average follow-up period of 1 year. RESULTS: The utilization of big up tri, open-plates was observed to entail a considerably lengthier surgical time in contrast to ☐-plate systems (P = 0.037). The application of big up tri, open-plate showed a tendency of higher incidence of major complications than ☐-plate (P = 0.06), as evidenced by the occurrence of non-union in 2 out of 22 cases, resulting in higher surgical revision rate for big up tri, open-plate (P = 0.027). CONCLUSION: Sufficient treatment of mandibular angle fractures is feasible by using 1.0 mm thick, square shaped three-dimensional plate systems. The use of thicker three-dimensional osteosynthesis plates seems to significantly increase the operating time and complication rates, whereby the geometry of the plate seems to have an influence. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The plate design could have an impact on treatment outcomes of mandibular angle fractures. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Not applicable.
    Tags: *Bone Plates, *Fracture Fixation, Internal/instrumentation/methods, *Mandibular Fractures/surgery/diagnostic imaging, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Female, Fracture Healing/physiology, Humans, interests., Male, Mandibular angle fracture, Middle Aged, Operative Time, Plate design, Postoperative Complications/etiology, Retrospective Studies, Stress shielding, Three-dimensional plate types, Treatment Outcome, Young Adult.
  • Lopez-Ayala, P., Boeddinghaus, J., Nestelberger, T., Koechlin, L., Zimmermann, T., Bima, P., Glaeser, J., et al. “External Validation Of The Myocardial-Ischaemic-Injury-Index Machine Learning Algorithm For The Early Diagnosis Of Myocardial Infarction: A Multicentre Cohort Study”. Lancet Digit Health 6, no. 7: e480-e488. doi:10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00088-8.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: The myocardial-ischaemic-injury-index (MI(3)) is a novel machine learning algorithm for the early diagnosis of type 1 non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). The performance of MI(3), both when using early serial blood draws (eg, at 1 h or 2 h) and in direct comparison with guideline-recommended algorithms, remains unknown. Our aim was to externally validate MI(3) and compare its performance with that of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 0/1h-algorithm. METHODS: In this secondary analysis of a multicentre international diagnostic cohort study, adult patients (age >18 years) presenting to the emergency department with symptoms suggestive of myocardial infarction were prospectively enrolled from April 21, 2006, to Feb 27, 2019 in 12 centres from five European countries (Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Poland, and Czech Republic). Patients were excluded if they presented with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, did not have at least two serial high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) measurements, or if the final diagnosis remained unclear. The final diagnosis was centrally adjudicated by two independent cardiologists using all available medical records, including serial hs-cTnI measurements and cardiac imaging. The primary outcome was type 1 NSTEMI. The performance of MI(3) was directly compared with that of the ESC 0/1h-algorithm. FINDINGS: Among 6487 patients, (median age 61.0 years [IQR 49.0-73.0]; 2122 [33%] female and 4365 [67%] male), 882 (13.6%) patients had type 1 NSTEMI. The median time difference between the first and second hs-cTnI measurement was 60.0 mins (IQR 57.0-70.0). MI(3) performance was very good, with an area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve of 0.961 (95% CI 0.957 to 0.965) and a good overall calibration (intercept -0.09 [-0.2 to 0.02]; slope 1.02 [0.97 to 1.08]). The originally defined MI(3) score of less than 1.6 identified 4186 (64.5%) patients as low probability of having a type 1 NSTEMI (sensitivity 99.1% [95% CI 98.2 to 99.5]; negative predictive value [NPV] 99.8% [95% CI 99.6 to 99.9]) and an MI(3) score of 49.7 or more identified 915 (14.1%) patients as high probability of having a type 1 NSTEMI (specificity 95.0% [94.3 to 95.5]; positive predictive value [PPV] 69.1% [66.0-72.0]). The sensitivity and NPV of the ESC 0/1h-algorithm were higher than that of MI(3) (difference for sensitivity 0.88% [0.19 to 1.60], p=0.0082; difference for NPV 0.18% [0.05 to 0.32], p=0.016), and the rule-out efficacy was higher for MI(3) (11% difference, p<0.0001). Specificity and PPV for MI(3) were superior (difference for specificity 3.80% [3.24 to 4.36], p<0.0001; difference for PPV 7.84% [5.86 to 9.97], p<0.0001), and the rule-in efficacy was higher for the ESC 0/1h-algorithm (5.4% difference, p<0.0001). INTERPRETATION: MI(3) performs very well in diagnosing type 1 NSTEMI, demonstrating comparability to the ESC 0/1h-algorithm in an emergency department setting when using early serial blood draws. FUNDING: Swiss National Science Foundation, Swiss Heart Foundation, the EU, the University Hospital Basel, the University of Basel, Abbott, Beckman Coulter, Roche, Idorsia, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Quidel, Siemens, and Singulex.
    Tags: *Algorithms, *Early Diagnosis, *Machine Learning, *Non-ST Elevated Myocardial Infarction/diagnosis, Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Gottfried and Julia, Aged, and speaker honoraria from Roche Diagnostics, Abbott, and Siemens, paid to their, and speaker honoraria from Siemens, outside the, and speaker honoraria or consulting honoraria, and speaker or consulting honoraria or research support from Edwards, Bangerter-Rhyner-Foundation, Bangerter-Rhyner-Foundation, and the Freiwillige Akademische Gesellschaft Basel, Biomarkers/blood, Clinical Diagnostics, and Orion Pharma, outside the submitted work. LK has, Cohort Studies, Emergency Service, Hospital, Europe, Female, Foundation (FF20079 and FF21103) and speaker's honoraria from Quidel, paid to, Foundation (P400PM_191037/1), the Prof Dr Max Cloetta Foundation, the Margarete, from Abbott, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers, from the University of Basel and the Division of Internal Medicine, the Swiss, Humans, Idorsia, LSI Medience Corporation, Novartis, Ortho Diagnostics, Quidel, Roche,, institution and outside the submitted work. PB has received a research grant from, institution. All other authors declare no competing interests., Lifesciences, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Abbott, Beckman Coulter, Bayer, Ortho, Male, Middle Aged, Myocardial Infarction/diagnosis, of Basel, the University Hospital Basel, Abbott, Beckman Coulter, Brahms,, Prospective Studies, received a research grant from the Swiss Heart Foundation, University of Basel,, Siemens, Singulex, and Sphingotec, Squibb, Idorsia, Novartis, Osler, Roche, and Sanofi, all paid to their, submitted work. TN has received research support from the Swiss National Science, the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences, the Gottfried and Julia, the Swiss Heart Foundation (FF23062). CM reports receiving research support from, the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Swiss Heart Foundation, the University, their institution and outside the submitted work. JB has received research grants, Troponin I/blood, und Walter Lichtenstein-Stiftung (3MS1038), and the University Hospital Basel.
  • Chrobok, L., Espejo, T., Riedel, H. B., Kirchberger, J., Overberg, J. A., Felber, F., Perrot, G., Nickel, C. H., and Bingisser, R. “On-Site Physiotherapy In Emergency Department Patients Presenting With Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial”. J Clin Med 13, no. 11. doi:10.3390/jcm13113149.
    Abstract: Background: There is a high incidence of nonspecific Low Back Pain (LBP) in patients visiting Emergency Departments (EDs), but there is a lack of knowledge regarding emergency physiotherapy for LBP. The effect of on-site physiotherapy in these patients was therefore never demonstrated. We assessed short-term outcomes, feasibility and patient satisfaction with physiotherapy in ED patients presenting with nonspecific LBP. Methods: A block-randomized, controlled, open-label trial with a follow-up of 42 days. Patients aged 18 years or older presenting to an ED with nonspecific LBP were prospectively enrolled. Both groups received the same booklet with written information on LBP management and exercises. Patients in the intervention group were given additional instructions by a certified physiotherapist. Results: We included 86 patients in the primary analysis. The median age was 40, and 40.7% were female. At day 7, the median Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was 2 points lower in the intervention group compared to the control group, which was not statistically significant. There was no between-group difference in pain at day 7. Patients who received physiotherapy felt significantly more confident with the exercises they were taught (p = 0.004, effect size = 0.3 [95% CI 0.1 to 0.5]). Conclusions: On-site physiotherapy in ED patients presenting with nonspecific low back pain is associated with higher patient satisfaction, compared to standard of care. The effect of physiotherapy was small, with only minimal improvement in disability, but without a reduction in pain. Despite the very small effect size, physiotherapeutic interventions should be investigated in larger cohorts with an extended intervention including patient education, exercises, and other physiotherapeutic modalities.
    Tags: disability, emergency department, feasibility, nonspecific low back pain, physiotherapy, randomized controlled trial, satisfaction.
  • Xourgia, E., Exadaktylos, A. K., Chalkias, A., and Ziaka, M. “Angiotensin Ii In The Treatment Of Distributive Shock: A Systematic-Review And Meta-Analysis”. Shock 62, no. 2: 155-164. doi:10.1097/SHK.0000000000002384.
    Abstract: Objective: While nonnorepinephrine vasopressors are increasingly used as a rescue therapy in cases of norepinephrine-refractory shock, data on their efficacy are limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to synthesize existing literature on the efficacy of angiotensin II (ATII) in distributive shock. Methods: We preregistered our meta-analysis with PROSPERO (CRD42023456136). We searched PubMed, Scopus, and gray literature for studies presenting outcomes on ATII use in distributive shock. The primary outcome of the meta-analysis was all-cause mortality. We used a random effects model to calculate pooled risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: By incorporating data from 1,555 patients included in 10 studies, we found that however, all-cause mortality was similar among patients receiving ATII and controls (RR = 1.02; 95% CI: 0.89 to 1.16, P = 0.81), the reduction in norepinephrine or norepinephrine-equivalent dose at 3 h after treatment initiation was greater among patients receiving ATII (MD = -0.06; 95% CI: -0.11 to -0.02, P = 0.008), while there were no higher rates of adverse events reported among ATII patients. Conclusions: While ATII did not reduce mortality among distributive shock patients, it allowed for significant adjunctive vasopressor reduction at 3 h without an increase in reported adverse events, deeming it a viable alternative for the increasingly adopted multimodal vasopressor for minimizing catecholamine exposure and its adverse events.
    Tags: *Angiotensin II/therapeutic use, *Shock/drug therapy, *Vasoconstrictor Agents/therapeutic use, Humans, Norepinephrine/therapeutic use.
  • Lidzba, K., Afridi, Z., Romano, F., Wingeier, K., Bigi, S., and Studer, M. “Impaired Episodic Verbal Memory Recall After 1 Week And Elevated Forgetting In Children After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury - Results From A Short-Term Longitudinal Study”. Front Psychol 15: 1359566. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1359566.
    Abstract: OBJECTIVE: There is preliminary evidence that children after traumatic brain injury (TBI) have accelerated long-term forgetting (ALF), i.e., an adequate learning and memory performance in standardized memory tests, but an excessive rate of forgetting over delays of days or weeks. The main aim of this study was to investigate episodic memory performance, including delayed retrieval 1 week after learning, in children after mild TBI (mTBI). METHODS: This prospective study with two time-points (T1: 1 week after injury and T2: 3-6 months after injury), included data of 64 children after mTBI and 57 healthy control children aged between 8 and 16 years. We assessed episodic learning and memory using an auditory word learning test and compared executive functions (interference control, working memory, semantic fluency and flexibility) and divided attention between groups. We explored correlations between memory performance and executive functions. Furthermore, we examined predictive factors for delayed memory retrieval 1 week after learning as well as for forgetting over time. RESULTS: Compared to healthy controls, patients showed an impaired delayed recall and recognition performance 3-6 months after injury. Executive functions, but not divided attention, were reduced in children after mTBI. Furthermore, parents rated episodic memory as impaired 3-6 months after injury. Additionally, verbal learning and group, but not executive functions, were predictive for delayed recall performance at both time-points, whereas forgetting was predicted by group. DISCUSSION: Delayed recall and forgetting over time were significantly different between groups, both post-acutely and in the chronic phase after pediatric mTBI, even in a very mildly injured patient sample. Delayed memory performance should be included in clinical evaluations of episodic memory and further research is needed to understand the mechanisms of ALF.
    Tags: accelerated long-term forgetting, commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential, conflict of interest., delayed episodic memory recall, executive functions, memory consolidation, mild traumatic brain injury.
  • Birrenbach, T., Stuber, R., Muller, C. E., Sutter, P. M., Hautz, W. E., Exadaktylos, A. K., Muller, M., Wespi, R., and Sauter, T. C. “Virtual Reality Simulation To Enhance Advanced Trauma Life Support Trainings - A Randomized Controlled Trial”. Bmc Med Educ 24, no. 1: 666. doi:10.1186/s12909-024-05645-2.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) is the gold standard of initial assessment of trauma patients and therefore a widely used training program for medical professionals. Practical application of the knowledge taught can be challenging for medical students and inexperienced clinicians. Simulation-based training, including virtual reality (VR), has proven to be a valuable adjunct to real-world experiences in trauma education. Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of VR simulations for surgical and technical skills training. However, there is limited evidence on VR simulation training specifically for trauma education, particularly within the ATLS curriculum. The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness, and acceptance of using a fully immersive VR trauma simulation to prepare medical students for the ATLS course. METHODS: This was a prospective randomised controlled pilot study on a convenience sample of advanced medical students (n = 56; intervention group with adjunct training using a commercially available semi-automated trauma VR simulation, n = 28, vs control group, n = 28) taking part in the ATLS course of the Military Physician Officer School. Feasibility was assessed by evaluating factors related to technical factors of the VR training (e.g. rate of interruptions and premature termination). Objective and subjective effectiveness was assessed using confidence ratings at four pre-specified points in the curriculum, validated surveys, clinical scenario scores, multiple choice knowledge tests, and ATLS final clinical scenario and course pass rates. Acceptance was measured using validated instruments to assess variables of media use (Technology acceptance, usability, presence and immersion, workload, and user satisfaction). RESULTS: The feasibility assessment demonstrated that only one premature termination occurred and that all remaining participants in the intervention group correctly stabilised the patient. No significant differences between the two groups in terms of objective effectiveness were observed (p = 0.832 and p = 0.237 for the pretest and final knowledge test, respectively; p = 0.485 for the pass rates for the final clinical scenario on the first attempt; all participants passed the ATLS course). In terms of subjective effectiveness, the authors found significantly improved confidence post-VR intervention (p < .001) in providing emergency care using the ATLS principles. Perceived usefulness in the TEI was stated with a mean of 4 (SD 0.8; range 0-5). Overall acceptance and usability of the VR simulation was rated as positive (System Usability Scale total score mean 79.4 (SD 11.3, range 0-100). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this prospective pilot study indicate the potential of using VR trauma simulations as a feasible and acceptable supplementary tool for the ATLS training course. Where objective effectiveness regarding test and scenario scores remained unchanged, subjective effectiveness demonstrated improvement. Future research should focus on identifying specific scenarios and domains where VR can outperform or enhance traditional learning methods in trauma simulation.
    Tags: (grant TCR 14/17) as well with an in-house grant of the Clinical Trial Unit and, *Advanced Trauma Life Support Care, *Simulation Training, *Virtual Reality, Academy of Medical Sciences through the "Young Talents in Clinical Research", Adult, Atls, Clinical Competence, Curriculum, decision to publish. The other authors declare that they have no competing, Educational Measurement, Feasibility Studies, Female, Healthcare UK, Mundipharma Medical Switzerland, VisualDx USA, all outside the, Humans, interests., Male, MDI International Australia, and SIWF, all outside the submitted work.WEH has, Medical education, Pilot Projects, professorship of emergency telemedicine at the University of Bern sponsored by, Prospective Studies, received financial support for a congress he chaired from EBSCO Germany, Isabel, research grants from the Swiss heart foundation.TCS holds the endowed, Science foundation, Zoll foundation, Drager Medical Germany, Mundipharma Research, Simulation, Students, Medical, submitted work. WEH has provided paid consultancies to AO foundation Switzerland,, submitted work.MM has been funded by the Bangerter Foundation and the Swiss, the Touring Club Switzerland. The sponsor has no influence on the research or, Trauma management, UK, MDI International Australia, Roche Diagnostics Germany, all outside the, Virtual reality, Young Adult.
  • Girardello, C., Carron, P. N., Dami, F., Darioli, V., Pasquier, M., and Ageron, F. X. “Evaluation Of The Prehospital Administration Of Tranexamic Acid For Injured Patients: A State-Wide Observational Study With Sex And Age-Disaggregated Analysis”. Emerg Med J 41, no. 8: 452-458. doi:10.1136/emermed-2023-213806.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Tranexamic acid (TXA) decreases mortality in injured patients and should be administered as soon as possible. Despite international guidelines recommending TXA in the prehospital setting, its use remains low. The aim of this study was to assess the prehospital administration of TXA for injured patients in a Swiss region. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study in Switzerland between 2018 and 2021. Inclusion criteria were injured patients >/=18 years for whom an ambulance or helicopter was dispatched. The exclusion criterion was minor injury defined by a National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics score <3. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients treated with TXA according to guidelines. The European guidelines were represented by the risk of death from bleeding (calculated retrospectively using the Bleeding Audit for Trauma and Triage (BATT) score). Factors impacting the likelihood of receiving TXA were assessed by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Of 13 944 patients included in the study, 2401 (17.2%) were considered at risk of death from bleeding. Among these, 257 (11%) received prehospital TXA. This represented 38% of those meeting US guidelines. For European guidelines, the treatment rate increased with the risk of death from bleeding: 6% (95% CI 4.4% to 7.0%) for low risk (BATT score 3-4); 13% (95% CI 11.1% to 15.9%) for intermediate risk (BATT score 5-7); and 21% (95% CI 17.6% to 25.6%) for high risk (BATT score >/=8) (p<0.01). Women and the elderly were treated less often than men and younger patients, irrespective of the risk of death from bleeding and the mechanism of injury. CONCLUSION: The proportion of injured patients receiving TXA in the prehospital setting of the State of Vaud in Switzerland was low, with even lower rates for women and older patients. The reasons for this undertreatment are probably multifactorial and would require specific studies to clarify and correct them.
    Tags: *Antifibrinolytic Agents/therapeutic use/administration & dosage, *Emergency Medical Services/methods/standards/statistics & numerical data, *Tranexamic Acid/administration & dosage/therapeutic use, *Wounds and Injuries/drug therapy/complications, Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Hemorrhage/drug therapy, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Observational Study, pre-hospital, Retrospective Studies, Sex Factors, Switzerland, trauma.
  • Riedel, H. B., Espejo, T., Dreher-Hummel, T., Bingisser, R., and Nickel, C. H. “Screening For Elder Mistreatment In A Swiss Emergency Department: A Prospective Cohort Study”. Swiss Med Wkly 154, no. 6: 3775. doi:10.57187/s.3775.
    Abstract: AIM OF THE STUDY: The mistreatment of older adults is a global and complex problem with varying prevalence. As there are no data on the prevalence of elder mistreatment in European emergency department populations, we aimed to translate and culturally adapt the Emergency Department Senior Abuse Identification (ED Senior AID) tool for German use, assess the positive screen rate for elder mistreatment with the German version, and compare characteristics of patients who screened positive and negative. METHODS: To assess the prevalence of elder mistreatment, we created a German version of the ED Senior AID tool. This tool identifies intentional or negligent actions by a caregiver or trusted person that cause harm or risk to an older adult. Then, the German ED Senior AID tool was applied to all consecutively presenting patients aged >/=65 years at our academic emergency department in the Northwest of Switzerland from 25 April to 30 May 2022. Usability was defined as the percentage of patients with completed assessments using the German ED Senior AID tool. RESULTS: We included 1010 patients aged >/=65 years, of whom 29 (2.9%) screened positive with the ED Senior AID tool. The patients who screened positive were older, more severely cognitively impaired, hospitalised more frequently, and presented with higher frailty scores than those who screened negative. Mortality up to 100 days after presentation was comparable in all patients (p = 0.861), regardless of their screening result. The tool showed good usability, with 73% of assessments completed. CONCLUSION: This is the first prospective investigation on the prevalence of elder mistreatment in a European emergency department setting. Overall, 2.9% of patients screened positive using a validated screening tool translated into German. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered with the National Institute of Health on ClinicalTrials.gov with the registration number NCT05400707.
    Tags: *Elder Abuse/diagnosis/statistics & numerical data, *Emergency Service, Hospital/statistics & numerical data, *Mass Screening/methods, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Geriatric Assessment/methods, Humans, Male, Prevalence, Prospective Studies, Switzerland/epidemiology.
  • Klug, J., and Pietsch, U. “Can Artificial Intelligence Help For Scientific Illustration? Details Matter”. Crit Care 28, no. 1: 196. doi:10.1186/s13054-024-04970-8.
    Tags: *Artificial Intelligence/trends/standards.
  • Schuetz, P. “More Effort Is Needed To Understand How To Individualize Optimal Protein Targets To The Needs Of Patients Who Are Critically Ill”. Chest 165, no. 6: 1280-1281. doi:10.1016/j.chest.2024.02.021.
    Tags: *Critical Illness/therapy, Abbott Nutrition., Critical Care/methods, following: P. S. has received research support from Nestle Health Science and, Humans, Precision Medicine/methods.
  • Ahmad, S. J., Degiannis, J. R., Borucki, J., Pouwels, S., Rawaf, D. L., Lala, A., Whiteley, G. S., et al. “Fatality Rates After Infection With The Omicron Variant (B.1.1.529): How Deadly Has It Been? A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis”. J Acute Med 14, no. 2: 51-60. doi:10.6705/j.jacme.202406_14(2).0001.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Since late 2019, the global community has been gripped by the uncertainty surrounding the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In November 2021, the emergence of the Omicron variant in South Africa added a new dimension. This study aims to assess the disease's severity and determine the extent to which vaccinations contribute to reducing mortality rates. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the epidemiological implications of the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 were performed, incorporating an analysis of articles from November 2021that address mortality rates. RESULTS: The analysis incorporated data from 3,214,869 patients infected with omicron, as presented in 270 articles. A total of 6,782 deaths from the virus were recorded (0.21%). In the analysed articles, the pooled mortality rate was 0.003 and the pooled in-house mortality rate was 0.036. Vaccination is an effective step in preventing death (odds ratio: 0.391, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The mortality rates for the omicron variant are lower than for the preceding delta variant. mRNA vaccination affords secure and effective protection against severe disease and death from omicron.
    Tags: B.1.1.529, Covid-19, ICU care, intensive care, Omicron, SARS-CoV-2.
  • Ahmad, S. J., Head, M., and Ahmed, A. R. “Understanding Early Predictors And Inflammatory Markers For Mid-Term Outcomes In Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy”. Obes Surg 34, no. 7: 2329-2330. doi:10.1007/s11695-024-07347-6.
    Tags: *Biomarkers/blood, *Laparoscopy, *Obesity, Morbid/surgery, Adult, Female, Gastrectomy/methods, Humans, Male, Treatment Outcome, Weight Loss.
  • Camporesi, S., Xin, L., Golay, P., Eap, C. B., Cleusix, M., Cuenod, M., Fournier, M., et al. “Neurocognition And Nmdar Co-Agonists Pathways In Individuals With Treatment Resistant First-Episode Psychosis: A 3-Year Follow-Up Longitudinal Study”. Mol Psychiatry 29, no. 11: 3669-3679. doi:10.1038/s41380-024-02631-4.
    Abstract: This study aims to determine whether 1) individuals with treatment-resistant schizophrenia display early cognitive impairment compared to treatment-responders and healthy controls and 2) N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptor hypofunction is an underlying mechanism of cognitive deficits in treatment-resistance. In this case‒control 3-year-follow-up longitudinal study, n = 697 patients with first-episode psychosis, aged 18 to 35, were screened for Treatment Response and Resistance in Psychosis criteria through an algorithm that assigns patients to responder, limited-response or treatment-resistant category (respectively resistant to 0, 1 or 2 antipsychotics). Assessments at baseline: MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery; N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptor co-agonists biomarkers in brain by MRS (prefrontal glutamate levels) and plasma (D-serine and glutamate pathways key markers). Patients were compared to age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 114). Results: patient mean age 23, 27% female. Treatment-resistant (n = 51) showed lower scores than responders (n = 183) in processing speed, attention/vigilance, working memory, verbal learning and visual learning. Limited responders (n = 59) displayed an intermediary phenotype. Treatment-resistant and limited responders were merged in one group for the subsequent D-serine and glutamate pathway analyses. This group showed D-serine pathway dysregulation, with lower levels of the enzymes serine racemase and serine-hydroxymethyltransferase 1, and higher levels of the glutamate-cysteine transporter 3 than in responders. Better cognition was associated with higher D-serine and lower glutamate-cysteine transporter 3 levels only in responders; this association was disrupted in the treatment resistant group. Treatment resistant patients and limited responders displayed early cognitive and persistent functioning impairment. The dysregulation of NMDAR co-agonist pathways provides underlying molecular mechanisms for cognitive deficits in treatment-resistant first-episode psychosis. If replicated, our findings would open ways to mechanistic biomarkers guiding response-based patient stratification and targeting cognitive improvement in clinical trials.
    Tags: *Antipsychotic Agents/therapeutic use/pharmacology, *Cognitive Dysfunction/drug therapy/metabolism, *Psychotic Disorders/drug therapy/metabolism, *Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate/metabolism, Adolescent, Adult, Brain/metabolism, Case-Control Studies, Cognition/physiology/drug effects, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Glutamic Acid/metabolism, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Schizophrenia, Treatment-Resistant/drug therapy/metabolism, Schizophrenia/drug therapy/metabolism, Young Adult.
  • Seidenfeld, J., Lee, S., Ragsdale, L., Nickel, C. H., Liu, S. W., and Kennedy, M. “Risk Factors And Risk Stratification Approaches For Delirium Screening: A Geriatric Emergency Department Guidelines 2.0 Systematic Review”. Acad Emerg Med 31, no. 10: 969-984. doi:10.1111/acem.14939.
    Abstract: OBJECTIVE: As part of the Geriatric Emergency Department (ED) Guidelines 2.0 project, we conducted a systematic review to find risk factors or risk stratification approaches that can be used to identify subsets of older adults who may benefit from targeted ED delirium screening. METHODS: An electronic search strategy was developed with a medical librarian, conducted in April 2021 and November 2022. Full-text studies of patients >/=65 years assessed for prevalent delirium in the ED were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the McMaster University Clarity Group tool. Outcomes measures pertained to the risk stratification method used. Due to heterogeneity of patient populations, risk stratification methods, and outcomes, a meta-analysis was not conducted. RESULTS: Our search yielded 1878 unique citations, of which 13 were included. Six studies developed a novel delirium risk score with or without evaluation of specific risk factors, six studies evaluated specific risk factors only, and one study evaluated an existing nondelirium risk score for association with delirium. The most common risk factor was history of dementia, with odds ratios ranging from 3.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-8.9) to 18.33 (95% CI 8.08-43.64). Other risk factors that were consistently associated with increased risk of delirium included older age, use of certain medications (such as antipsychotics, antidepressants, and opioids, among others), and functional impairments. Of the studies that developed novel risk scores, the reported area under the curve ranged from 0.77 to 0.90. Only two studies reported potential impact of the risk stratification tool on screening burden. CONCLUSIONS: There is significant heterogeneity, but results suggest that factors such as dementia, age over 75, and functional impairments should be used to identify older adults who are at highest risk for ED delirium. No studies evaluated implementation of a risk stratification method for delirium screening or evaluated patient-oriented outcomes.
    Tags: *Delirium/diagnosis/epidemiology, *Emergency Service, Hospital, *Mass Screening/methods, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Geriatric Assessment/methods, Humans, Risk Assessment/methods, Risk Factors.
  • Haidinger, M., Putallaz, E., Ravioli, S., Exadaktylos, A., and Lindner, G. “Severe Hypocalcemia In The Emergency Department: A Retrospective Cohort Study Of Prevalence, Etiology, Treatment And Outcome”. Intern Emerg Med 20, no. 1: 273-279. doi:10.1007/s11739-024-03659-8.
    Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of severe hypocalcemia in patients attending the emergency department. Symptoms, causes, treatment, and outcome of severe hypocalcemia as well as course of calcium concentrations were assessed. This retrospective case series included all adult patients with measurements of serum calcium concentrations presenting to the emergency department of the Burgerspital Solothurn between January 01 in 2017 and December 31 in 2020. Medical record reviews were performed of all patients with severe hypocalcemia, defined by a serum calcium concentration < 1.9 mmol/L, to assess clinical presentation and management. 1265 (3.95%) patients had a serum calcium concentration of < 2.1 mmol/L of which 139 (11%) had severe hypocalcemia of < 1.9 mmol/L. 113 patients had at least one measurement of albumin. Of these, 43 (3.4%) had an albumin-corrected serum calcium < 1.9 mmol/L defining true, severe hypocalcemia. Hypocalcemia was identified and documented in 35% of all cases. The mean serum calcium concentration was 1.74 +/- 0.14 mmol/L. Calcium concentrations in malignancy-related hypocalcemia were similar to non-malignancy-related hypocalcemia. The main symptoms attributed to hypocalcemia were cardiac and neurologic. 12% of patients with severe hypocalcemia received intravenous and 23% oral calcium replacement. Active malignancy was the main cause of severe hypocalcemia in 28%, while in most cases, the main cause remained unclear. 41.9% of severely hypocalcemic patients reattended the emergency department for another episode of hypocalcemia within 1 year. Hypocalcemia is common in patients attending the emergency department, however, appears to be neglected frequently. The disorder is often a manifestation of severe disease, triggered by multiple causes. Calcium replacement was administered in less than half of the patients with severe hypocalcemia in this study. Due to frequent readmissions to the emergency department and a high mortality, increased awareness of the disorder and careful follow-up are desirable.
    Tags: *Hypocalcemia/epidemiology/etiology/therapy, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Calcium, Calcium/blood/analysis, Cohort Studies, committee Ethikkommission Nordwest- und Zentralschweiz and the need for, data, Electrolytes, Emergency, Emergency Service, Hospital/organization & administration/statistics & numerical, Female, Humans, Hypocalcemia, individual patients' consent was waived (EKNZ 201-02186) and according to the, Male, Middle Aged, Prevalence, principles established by the Declaration of Helsinki., Retrospective Studies, rights statement and Informed consent: The study was approved by the local ethics.
  • Singer Harel, D., Lin, Y., Lo, C. Y., Cheng, A., Davidson, J., Chang, T. P., Matava, C., et al. “Aerosol Box Use In Reducing Health Care Worker Contamination During Airway Procedures (Airway) Study: Secondary Workload And Provider Outcomes In A Simulation-Based Trial”. Pediatr Crit Care Med 25, no. 10: 918-927. doi:10.1097/PCC.0000000000003535.
    Abstract: OBJECTIVES: An aerosol box aims to reduce the risk of healthcare provider (HCP) exposure to infections during aerosol generating medical procedures (AGMPs), but little is known about its impact on workload of team members. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial evaluating the impact of aerosol box use on patterns of HCP contamination during AGMPs. The objectives of this study are to: 1) evaluate the effect of aerosol box use on HCP workload, 2) identify factors associated with HCP workload when using an aerosol box, and 3) describe the challenges perceived by HCPs of aerosol box use. DESIGN: Simulation-based randomized trial, conducted from May to December 2021. SETTING: Four pediatric simulation centers. SUBJECTS: Teams of two HCPs were randomly assigned to control (no aerosol box) or intervention groups (aerosol box). INTERVENTIONS: Each team performed three scenarios requiring different pediatric airway management (bag-valve-mask [BVM] ventilation, laryngeal mask airway [LMA] insertion, and endotracheal intubation [ETI] with video laryngoscopy) on a simulated COVID-19 patient. National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) is a standard tool that measures subjective workload with six subscales. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 64 teams (128 participants) were recruited. The use of aerosol box was associated with significantly higher frustration during LMA insertion (28.71 vs. 17.42; mean difference, 11.29; 95% CI, 0.92-21.66; p = 0.033). For ETI, there was a significant increase in most subscales in the intervention group, but there was no significant difference for BMV. Average NASA-TLX scores were all in the "low" range for both groups (range: control BVM 23.06, sd 13.91 to intervention ETI 38.15; sd 20.45). The effect of provider role on workloads was statistically significant only for physical demand ( p = 0.001). As the complexity of procedure increased (BVM --> LMA --> ETI), the workload increased in all six subscales ( p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The use of aerosol box increased workload during ETI but not with BVM and LMA insertion. Overall workload scores remained in the "low" range, and there was no significant difference between airway provider and assistant.
    Tags: *Aerosols, *Airway Management/methods, *Workload/statistics & numerical data, COVID-19/prevention & control, disclosed that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest., Female, from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. Dr. Cheng's institution, Health Personnel/statistics & numerical data, Humans, Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional/prevention & control, Innovation, Research, and Education (INSPIRE). The remaining authors have, Intubation, Intratracheal/methods, Male, Prospective Studies, received funding from the International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric.
  • Ehrhard, S., Eyb, V., Gautschi, D., Schauber, S. K., Ricklin, M. E., Klukowska-Rotzler, J., Exadaktylos, A. K., and Helbling, A. “Anaphylaxis In A Swiss University Emergency Department: Clinical Characteristics And Supposed Triggers”. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol 20, no. 1: 35. doi:10.1186/s13223-024-00901-y.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of acute systemic and potentially life-threatening reactions triggered by mast and basophilic cells. Recent studies show a worldwide incidence between 50 and 112 occurrences per 100,000 person-years. The most identified triggers are food, medications, and insect venoms. We aimed to analyze triggers and clinical symptoms of patients presenting to a Swiss university emergency department for adults. METHODS: Six-year retrospective analysis (01/2013 to 12/2018) of all patients (> 16 years of age) admitted with moderate or severe anaphylaxis (classification of Ring and Messmer >/= 2) to the emergency department. Patient and clinical data were extracted from the electronic medical database of the emergency department. RESULTS: Of the 531 includes patients, 53.3% were female, the median age was 38 [IQR 26-51] years. The most common suspected triggers were medications (31.8%), food (25.6%), and insect stings (17.1%). Organ manifestations varied among the different suspected triggers: for medications, 90.5% of the patients had skin symptoms, followed by respiratory (62.7%), cardiovascular (44.4%) and gastrointestinal symptoms (33.7%); for food, gastrointestinal symptoms (39.7%) were more frequent than cardiovascular symptoms (36.8%) and for insect stings cardiovascular symptoms were apparent in 63.8% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: Average annual incidence of moderate to severe anaphylaxis during the 6-year period in subjects > 16 years of age was 10.67 per 100,000 inhabitants. Medications (antibiotics, NSAID and radiocontrast agents) were the most frequently suspected triggers. Anaphylaxis due to insect stings was more frequently than in other studies. Regarding clinical symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms need to be better considered, especially that initial treatment with epinephrine is not delayed.
    Tags: Allergic reaction, Anaphylaxis, Emergency medicine, Symptoms, Triggers.
  • Studer, M., Heussler, M., Romano, F., Lidzba, K., and Bigi, S. “Processing Speed And Its Association With Working Memory And Episodic Memory 3-6 Months After Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury”. Brain Inj 38, no. 11: 928-937. doi:10.1080/02699052.2024.2361626.
    Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), children show reduced processing speed (PS). Evidence suggests that slowed PS after TBI is associated with working memory deficits. Our aim was to investigate several forms of PS and to examine its impact on working and episodic memory performance in children after mTBI. METHOD: We included data of 64 children after mTBI and 57 healthy control children aged 8-16 years. PS (Color Naming, Coding, Symbol Search, Alertness) was compared between groups 1 week (T1) and 3-6 months (T2) after the injury; working and episodic memory outcome was compared between groups at T2. RESULTS: Alertness at T1 and Color Naming at T1 and T2 were significantly reduced following mTBI compared to controls, although most group differences in PS disappeared when patients with previous impairments and mTBI were excluded. PS was predictive for episodic and working memory performance 3-6 months after injury, whereas group was a significant predictor of working memory. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to healthy controls, children after mTBI showed reduced performance in verbal PS, which was associated with working memory. In children who are symptomatic after mTBI, diagnostic screening of PS could be helpful in identifying patients that could profit from speed-improving strategies.
    Tags: *Brain Concussion/psychology/complications/physiopathology, *Memory, Episodic, *Memory, Short-Term/physiology, *Neuropsychological Tests, Adolescent, Child, color naming, episodic memory, Female, Humans, Male, Memory Disorders/etiology, Pediatric mild traumatic brain injury, Processing Speed, working memory.
  • Stocker, M., Zimmermann, S. E., Laager, R., Gregoriano, C., Mueller, B., Schuetz, P., and Kutz, A. “Cardiovascular Risk In Patients With Acromegaly Vs. Non-Functioning Pituitary Adenoma Following Pituitary Surgery: An Active-Comparator Cohort Study”. Pituitary 27, no. 5: 518-526. doi:10.1007/s11102-024-01405-z.
    Abstract: PURPOSE: Given the increased cardio-metabolic risk in patients with acromegaly, this study compared cardiovascular outcomes, mortality, and in-hospital outcomes between patients with acromegaly and non-functioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA) following pituitary surgery. METHODS: This was a nationwide cohort study using data from hospitalized patients with acromegaly or NFPA undergoing pituitary surgery in Switzerland between January 2012 and December 2021. Using 1:3 propensity score matching, eligible acromegaly patients were paired with NFPA patients who underwent pituitary surgery, respectively. The primary outcome comprised a composite of cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, ischemic stroke, hospitalization for heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmias, intracranial hemorrhage, hospitalization for hypertensive crisis) and all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included individual components of the primary outcome, surgical re-operation, and various hospital-associated outcomes. RESULTS: Among 231 propensity score-matched patients with acromegaly and 491 with NFPA, the incidence rate of the primary outcome was 8.18 versus 12.73 per 1,000 person-years (hazard ratio [HR], 0.64; [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31-1.32]). Mortality rates were numerically lower in acromegaly patients (2.43 vs. 7.05 deaths per 1,000 person-years; HR, 0.34; [95% CI, 0.10-1.17]). Individual components of the primary outcome and in-hospital outcomes showed no significant differences between the groups. CONCLUSION: This cohort study did not find an increased risk of cardiovascular outcomes and mortality in patients with acromegaly undergoing pituitary surgery compared to surgically treated NFPA patients. These findings suggest that there is no legacy effect regarding higher cardio-metabolic risk in individuals with acromegaly once they receive surgical treatment.
    Tags: *Acromegaly/surgery/complications, *Pituitary Neoplasms/surgery/complications, Acromegaly, Adenoma/surgery/complications, Adult, Aged, Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology/mortality/etiology, Cardiovascular outcomes, Cohort Studies, Female, Heart Disease Risk Factors, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mortality, Nfpa, Pituitary surgery, Propensity Score, Risk Factors, Switzerland/epidemiology.
  • Graf, C., Rust, C. A., Koppenberg, J., Filipovic, M., Hautz, W., Kaemmer, J., and Pietsch, U. “Enhancing Patient Safety: Detection Of In-Hospital Hazards And Effect Of Training On Detection (By Training In A Low-Fidelity Simulation Room Of Improvement Based On Hospital-Specific Cirs Cases)”. Bmj Open Qual 13, no. 2. doi:10.1136/bmjoq-2023-002608.
    Abstract: IMPORTANCE: Adequate situational awareness in patient care increases patient safety and quality of care. To improve situational awareness, an innovative, low-fidelity simulation method referred to as Room of Improvement, has proven effective in various clinical settings. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact after 3 months of Room of Improvement training on the ability to detect patient safety hazards during an intensive care unit shift handover, based on critical incident reporting system (CIRS) cases reported in the same hospital. METHODS: In this educational intervention, 130 healthcare professionals observed safety hazards in a Room of Improvement in a 2 (time 1 vs time 2)x2 (alone vs in a team) factorial design. The hazards were divided into immediately critical and non-critical. RESULTS: The results of 130 participants were included in the analysis. At time 1, no statistically significant differences were found between individuals and teams, either overall or for non-critical errors. At time 2, there was an increase in the detection rate of all implemented errors for teams compared with time 1, but not for individuals. The detection rate for critical errors was higher than for non-critical errors at both time points, with individual and group results at time 2 not significantly different from those at time 1. An increase in the perception of safety culture was found in the pre-post test for the questions whether the handling of errors is open and professional and whether errors are discussed in the team. DISCUSSION: Our results indicate a sustained learning effect after 12 weeks, with collaboration in teams leading to a significantly better outcome. The training improved the actual error detection rates, and participants reported improved handling and discussion of errors in their daily work. This indicates a subjectively improved safety culture among healthcare workers as a result of the situational awareness training in the Room of Improvement. As this method promotes a culture of safety, it is a promising tool for a well-functioning CIRS that closes the loop.
    Tags: *Patient Safety/statistics & numerical data/standards, *Quality Improvement, hospital medicine, Hospitals/statistics & numerical data, human factors, Humans, incident reporting, Intensive Care Units/statistics & numerical data/organization & administration, Male, medical education, Medical Errors/prevention & control/statistics & numerical data, Patient Handoff/standards/statistics & numerical data, patient safety, Risk Management/methods/statistics & numerical data/standards, Simulation Training/methods/statistics & numerical data/standards.
  • Garcia-Martinez, A., Garcia-Rosa, S., Gil-Rodrigo, A., Machado, V. T., Perez-Fonseca, C., Nickel, C. H., Artajona, L., et al. “Prevalence And Outcomes Of Fear Of Falling In Older Adults With Falls At The Emergency Department: A Multicentric Observational Study”. Eur Geriatr Med 15, no. 5: 1281-1289. doi:10.1007/s41999-024-00992-1.
    Abstract: PURPOSE: Fear of falling (FOF) may result in activity restriction and deconditioning. The aim of the study was to identify factors associated with FOF in older patients and to investigate if FOF influenced long-term outcomes. METHODS: Multicentric, observational, prospective study including patients 65 years or older attending the emergency department (ED) after a fall. Demographical, patient- and fall-related features were recorded at the ED. FOF was assessed using a single question. The primary outcome was all-cause death. Secondary outcomes included new fall-related visit, fall-related hospitalisation, and admission to residential care. Logistic regression and Cox regression models were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Overall, 1464 patients were included (47.1% with FOF), followed for a median of 6.2 years (2.2-7.9). Seven variables (age, female sex, living alone, previous falls, sedative medications, urinary incontinence, and intrinsic cause of the fall) were directly associated with FOF whereas use of walking aids and living in residential care were inversely associated. After the index episode, 748 patients (51%) died (median 3.2 years), 677 (46.2%) had a new fall-related ED visit (median 1.7 years), 251 (17.1%) were hospitalised (median 2.8 years), and 197 (19.4%) were admitted to care (median 2.1 years). FOF was associated with death (HR 1.239, 95% CI 1.073-1.431), hospitalisation (HR 1.407, 95% CI 1.097-1.806) and institutionalisation (HR 1.578, 95% CI 1.192-2.088), but significance was lost after adjustment. CONCLUSION: FOF is a prevalent condition in older patients presenting to the ED after a fall. However, it was not associated with long-term outcomes. Future research is needed to understand the influence of FOF in maintenance of functional capacity or quality of life.
    Tags: *Accidental Falls/statistics & numerical data, *Emergency Service, Hospital/statistics & numerical data, *Fear, 14/371-E_BS). Informed consent: Patients or patient representatives gave informed, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, committee of each participating hospital approved the study protocol (C.I., Concerns about falling, consent to participate., declare. Ethics approval: The present study followed the Declaration of Helsinki, Emergency care, Female, Geriatric Assessment, Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data, Humans, Male, Older fallers, on Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects. The ethics, Prevalence, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors.
  • Ziaka, M., and Exadaktylos, A. “Exploring The Lung-Gut Direction Of The Gut-Lung Axis In Patients With Ards”. Crit Care 28, no. 1: 179. doi:10.1186/s13054-024-04966-4.
    Abstract: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) represents a life-threatening inflammatory reaction marked by refractory hypoxaemia and pulmonary oedema. Despite advancements in treatment perspectives, ARDS still carries a high mortality rate, often due to systemic inflammatory responses leading to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Indeed, the deterioration and associated mortality in patients with acute lung injury (LI)/ARDS is believed to originate alongside respiratory failure mainly from the involvement of extrapulmonary organs, a consequence of the complex interaction between initial inflammatory cascades related to the primary event and ongoing mechanical ventilation-induced injury resulting in multiple organ failure (MOF) and potentially death. Even though recent research has increasingly highlighted the role of the gastrointestinal tract in this process, the pathophysiology of gut dysfunction in patients with ARDS remains mainly underexplored. This review aims to elucidate the complex interplay between lung and gut in patients with LI/ARDS. We will examine various factors, including systemic inflammation, epithelial barrier dysfunction, the effects of mechanical ventilation (MV), hypercapnia, and gut dysbiosis. Understanding these factors and their interaction may provide valuable insights into the pathophysiology of ARDS and potential therapeutic strategies to improve patient outcomes.
    Tags: *Respiratory Distress Syndrome/physiopathology/therapy, Gastrointestinal Tract/physiopathology, Humans, Lung/physiopathology, Respiration, Artificial/methods/adverse effects.
  • Makowska, A., Treumann, T., Venturini, S., and Christ, M. “Pulmonary Embolism In Pregnancy: A Review For Clinical Practitioners”. J Clin Med 13, no. 10. doi:10.3390/jcm13102863.
    Abstract: Diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making in pregnancy with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) is challenging. European and other international professional societies have proposed various recommendations that are ambiguous, probably due to the unavailability of randomized controlled trials. In the following sections, we discuss the supporting diagnostic steps and treatments. We suggest a standardized diagnostic work-up in pregnant patients presenting with symptoms of PE to make evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. We strongly recommend that clinical decisions on treatment in pregnant patients with intermediate- or high-risk pulmonary embolism should include a multidisciplinary team approach involving emergency physicians, pulmonologists, angiologist, cardiologists, thoracic and/or cardiovascular surgeons, radiologists, and obstetricians to choose a tailored management option including an interventional treatment. It is important to be aware of the differences among guidelines and to assess each case individually, considering the specific views of the different specialties. This review summarizes key concepts of the diagnostics and acute management of pregnant women with suspected PE that are supportive for the clinician on duty.
    Tags: management, multidisciplinary team, pregnancy, pulmonary embolism, review.
  • Fernandes, S., Bula, C., Krief, H., Carron, P. N., and Seematter-Bagnoud, L. “Unplanned Transfer To Acute Care During Inpatient Geriatric Rehabilitation: Incidence, Risk Factors, And Associated Short-Term Outcomes”. Bmc Geriatr 24, no. 1: 456. doi:10.1186/s12877-024-05081-3.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Information is scarce on unplanned transfers from geriatric rehabilitation back to acute care despite their potential impact on patients' functional recovery. This study aimed 1) to determine the incidence rate and causes of unplanned transfers; 2) to compare the characteristics and outcomes of patients with and without unplanned transfer. METHODS: Consecutive stays (n = 2375) in a tertiary geriatric rehabilitation unit were included. Unplanned transfers to acute care and their causes were analyzed from discharge summaries. Data on patients' socio-demographics, health, functional, and mental status; length of stay; discharge destination; and death, were extracted from the hospital database. Bi- and multi-variable analyses investigated the association between patients' characteristics and unplanned transfers. RESULTS: One in six (16.7%) rehabilitation stays was interrupted by a transfer, most often secondary to infections (19.3%), cardiac (16.8%), abdominal (12.7%), trauma (12.2%), and neurological problems (9.4%). Older patients (AdjOR(age>/=85): 0.70; 95%CI: 0. 53-0.94, P = .016), and those admitted for gait disorders (AdjOR: 0.73; 95%CI: 0.53-0.99, P = .046) had lower odds of transfer to acute care. In contrast, men (AdjOR: 1.71; 95%CI: 1.29-2.26, P < .001), patients with more severe disease (AdjOR(CIRS): 1.05; 95%CI: 1.02-1.07, P < .001), functional impairment before (AdjOR: 1.69; 95%CI: 1.05-2.70, P = .029) and at rehabilitation admission (AdjOR: 2.07; 95%CI: 1.56- 2.76, P < .001) had higher odds of transfer. Transferred patients were significantly more likely to die than those without transfer (AdjOR 13.78; 95%CI: 6.46-29.42, P < .001) during their stay, but those surviving had similar functional performance and rate of home discharge at the end of the stay. CONCLUSION: A significant minority of patients experienced an unplanned transfer that potentially interfered with their rehabilitation and was associated with poorer outcomes. Men, patients with more severe disease and functional impairment appear at increased risk. Further studies should investigate whether interventions targeting these patients may prevent unplanned transfers and modify associated adverse outcomes.
    Tags: *Patient Transfer/trends/methods, Acute transfers, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Geriatrics, Humans, Incidence, Infections, Inpatients, Length of Stay/trends/statistics & numerical data, Male, Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Centers/trends, Retrospective Studies, Risk Factors, Time Factors, Treatment Outcome.
  • Ehrhard, S., Herren, L., Ricklin, M. E., Suter-Riniker, F., Exadaktylos, A. K., Hautz, W., Muller, M., and Jent, P. “Do All Emergency Room Patients With Influenza-Like Symptoms Need Blood Cultures? A Retrospective Cohort Study Of 2 Annual Influenza Seasons”. Open Forum Infect Dis 11, no. 5: ofae242. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofae242.
    Abstract: In this retrospective cohort study, we evaluated risk factors for bacteremia in emergency department patients presenting with influenza-like symptoms during influenza epidemic seasons. In patients without fever, chronic heart or chronic liver disease, blood culture collection might be omitted.
    Tags: bacteremia, Covid-19, diagnostic stewardship, flu, influenza.
  • Frau, E. D., Degabriel, D., Luvini, G., Petrino, R., and Uccella, L. “Asking Patients If They Have Any Questions Can Help Improve Patient Satisfaction With Medical Team Communication In The Emergency Department”. Bmc Emerg Med 24, no. 1: 85. doi:10.1186/s12873-024-01001-1.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: It is well known that patient satisfaction with medical communication in the emergency department (ED) improves patient experience. Investing in good communication practices is highly desirable in the emergency setting. In the literature, very few studies offer evidence of effective interventions to achieve this outcome. Aim of the study is to evaluate whether encouraging emergency physicians to ask if patients have questions at the end of the visit would improve patient satisfaction with medical communication. METHODS: The physicians of two EDs in Lugano, Switzerland, were invited by various methods (mailing, newsletter, memo pens and posters, coloured bracelets etc.) to implement the new practice of asking patients if they had questions before the end of the visit. Patients discharged were consecutively enrolled. Participants completed the modified CAT-T questionnaire rating their satisfaction with medical communication from 1 (very poor) to 5 (excellent). Data such as age, means of arrival, seniority of the physician etc. were also collected. Statistical analysis was performed with Bayesian methodology. The results were compared with those of a similar study conducted one year earlier. RESULTS: 517 patients returned the questionnaire. Overall, patients' satisfaction with communication in the ED was very good and improved from the previous year (percentage of fully satisfied patients: 68% vs. 57%). The result is statistically significant (C: I: 51.8 - 61.3% vs. 63.9 - 71.8% p = 0.000). Younger patients (< 30 ye22ars old) were slightly less satisfied. Waiting time did not affect perception of communication. CONCLUSION: This study implements a concrete way to improve patients' satisfaction with medical communication in the ED. The intervention targeted only one item of the CAT-T ("Encouraged me to ask questions") but it generated an overall perception of better communication from patients discharged from the ED. The study also confirms that there are some objective elements that can alter perception of quality of medical communication by patients (age, seniority of the physician), in agreement with the literature. In conclusion, focusing physicians' attention on asking patients whether they have questions before discharge helps improving overall patient satisfaction with medical communication in the ED. This may lead to changes in physicians' clinical practice.
    Tags: *Communication, *Emergency Service, Hospital, *Patient Satisfaction, *Physician-Patient Relations, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Bayes Theorem, Communication, Emergency department, Female, financial or non-financial interests to disclose., Humans, Intervention, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Care Team, Patient experience, Patient satisfaction, Surveys and Questionnaires, Switzerland, Young Adult.
  • Buchkremer, F., Schuetz, P., Mueller, B., and Segerer, S. “Corrigendum To "Classifying Hypotonic Hyponatremia By Projected Treatment Effects - A Quantitative 3-Dimensional Framework" [Kidney International Reports Volume 8, Issue 12, December 2023, Pages 2720-2732]”. Kidney Int Rep 9, no. 4: 1142-1143. doi:10.1016/j.ekir.2024.02.001.
    Abstract: [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2023.09.002.].
    Tags: clinical trial, controlled study, erratum, fluid balance, human, hyponatremia, kidney, major clinical study, muscle hypotonia, surgery, therapy effect, urea.
  • Collaborators, G. B. D. Forecasting. “Burden Of Disease Scenarios For 204 Countries And Territories, 2022-2050: A Forecasting Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2021”. Lancet 403, no. 10440: 2204-2256. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00685-8.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Future trends in disease burden and drivers of health are of great interest to policy makers and the public at large. This information can be used for policy and long-term health investment, planning, and prioritisation. We have expanded and improved upon previous forecasts produced as part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) and provide a reference forecast (the most likely future), and alternative scenarios assessing disease burden trajectories if selected sets of risk factors were eliminated from current levels by 2050. METHODS: Using forecasts of major drivers of health such as the Socio-demographic Index (SDI; a composite measure of lag-distributed income per capita, mean years of education, and total fertility under 25 years of age) and the full set of risk factor exposures captured by GBD, we provide cause-specific forecasts of mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) by age and sex from 2022 to 2050 for 204 countries and territories, 21 GBD regions, seven super-regions, and the world. All analyses were done at the cause-specific level so that only risk factors deemed causal by the GBD comparative risk assessment influenced future trajectories of mortality for each disease. Cause-specific mortality was modelled using mixed-effects models with SDI and time as the main covariates, and the combined impact of causal risk factors as an offset in the model. At the all-cause mortality level, we captured unexplained variation by modelling residuals with an autoregressive integrated moving average model with drift attenuation. These all-cause forecasts constrained the cause-specific forecasts at successively deeper levels of the GBD cause hierarchy using cascading mortality models, thus ensuring a robust estimate of cause-specific mortality. For non-fatal measures (eg, low back pain), incidence and prevalence were forecasted from mixed-effects models with SDI as the main covariate, and YLDs were computed from the resulting prevalence forecasts and average disability weights from GBD. Alternative future scenarios were constructed by replacing appropriate reference trajectories for risk factors with hypothetical trajectories of gradual elimination of risk factor exposure from current levels to 2050. The scenarios were constructed from various sets of risk factors: environmental risks (Safer Environment scenario), risks associated with communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases (CMNNs; Improved Childhood Nutrition and Vaccination scenario), risks associated with major non-communicable diseases (NCDs; Improved Behavioural and Metabolic Risks scenario), and the combined effects of these three scenarios. Using the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways climate scenarios SSP2-4.5 as reference and SSP1-1.9 as an optimistic alternative in the Safer Environment scenario, we accounted for climate change impact on health by using the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change temperature forecasts and published trajectories of ambient air pollution for the same two scenarios. Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy were computed using standard methods. The forecasting framework includes computing the age-sex-specific future population for each location and separately for each scenario. 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) for each individual future estimate were derived from the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles of distributions generated from propagating 500 draws through the multistage computational pipeline. FINDINGS: In the reference scenario forecast, global and super-regional life expectancy increased from 2022 to 2050, but improvement was at a slower pace than in the three decades preceding the COVID-19 pandemic (beginning in 2020). Gains in future life expectancy were forecasted to be greatest in super-regions with comparatively low life expectancies (such as sub-Saharan Africa) compared with super-regions with higher life expectancies (such as the high-income super-region), leading to a trend towards convergence in life expectancy across locations between now and 2050. At the super-region level, forecasted healthy life expectancy patterns were similar to those of life expectancies. Forecasts for the reference scenario found that health will improve in the coming decades, with all-cause age-standardised DALY rates decreasing in every GBD super-region. The total DALY burden measured in counts, however, will increase in every super-region, largely a function of population ageing and growth. We also forecasted that both DALY counts and age-standardised DALY rates will continue to shift from CMNNs to NCDs, with the most pronounced shifts occurring in sub-Saharan Africa (60.1% [95% UI 56.8-63.1] of DALYs were from CMNNs in 2022 compared with 35.8% [31.0-45.0] in 2050) and south Asia (31.7% [29.2-34.1] to 15.5% [13.7-17.5]). This shift is reflected in the leading global causes of DALYs, with the top four causes in 2050 being ischaemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, compared with 2022, with ischaemic heart disease, neonatal disorders, stroke, and lower respiratory infections at the top. The global proportion of DALYs due to YLDs likewise increased from 33.8% (27.4-40.3) to 41.1% (33.9-48.1) from 2022 to 2050, demonstrating an important shift in overall disease burden towards morbidity and away from premature death. The largest shift of this kind was forecasted for sub-Saharan Africa, from 20.1% (15.6-25.3) of DALYs due to YLDs in 2022 to 35.6% (26.5-43.0) in 2050. In the assessment of alternative future scenarios, the combined effects of the scenarios (Safer Environment, Improved Childhood Nutrition and Vaccination, and Improved Behavioural and Metabolic Risks scenarios) demonstrated an important decrease in the global burden of DALYs in 2050 of 15.4% (13.5-17.5) compared with the reference scenario, with decreases across super-regions ranging from 10.4% (9.7-11.3) in the high-income super-region to 23.9% (20.7-27.3) in north Africa and the Middle East. The Safer Environment scenario had its largest decrease in sub-Saharan Africa (5.2% [3.5-6.8]), the Improved Behavioural and Metabolic Risks scenario in north Africa and the Middle East (23.2% [20.2-26.5]), and the Improved Nutrition and Vaccination scenario in sub-Saharan Africa (2.0% [-0.6 to 3.6]). INTERPRETATION: Globally, life expectancy and age-standardised disease burden were forecasted to improve between 2022 and 2050, with the majority of the burden continuing to shift from CMNNs to NCDs. That said, continued progress on reducing the CMNN disease burden will be dependent on maintaining investment in and policy emphasis on CMNN disease prevention and treatment. Mostly due to growth and ageing of populations, the number of deaths and DALYs due to all causes combined will generally increase. By constructing alternative future scenarios wherein certain risk exposures are eliminated by 2050, we have shown that opportunities exist to substantially improve health outcomes in the future through concerted efforts to prevent exposure to well established risk factors and to expand access to key health interventions. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
    Tags: *Forecasting, *Global Burden of Disease/trends, *Global Health, Adult, Aged, Disability-Adjusted Life Years, Female, Humans, Life Expectancy/trends, Male, Middle Aged, Mortality/trends, Risk Factors, Young Adult.
  • von Rhein, M., Chaouch, A., Oros, V., Manzano, S., Gualco, G., Sidler, M., Laasner, U., et al. “The Effect Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Pediatric Emergency Department Utilization In Three Regions In Switzerland”. Int J Emerg Med 17, no. 1: 64. doi:10.1186/s12245-024-00640-2.
    Abstract: PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a decrease in emergency department (ED) visits. However, contradictory, and sparse data regarding children could not yet answer the question, how pediatric ED utilization evolved throughout the pandemic. Our objectives were to investigate the impact of the pandemic in three language regions of Switzerland by analyzing trends over time, describe regional differences, and address implications for future healthcare. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, longitudinal cohort study at three Swiss tertiary pediatric EDs (March 1st, 2018-February 28th, 2022), analyzing the numbers of ED visits (including patients; age, triage categories, and urgent vs. non-urgent cases). The impact of COVID-19 related non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on pediatric ED utilization was assessed by interrupted time series (ITS) modelling. RESULTS: Based on 304'438 ED visits, we found a drop of nearly 50% at the onset of NPIs, followed by a gradual recovery. This primarily affected children 0-4 years, and both non-urgent and urgent cases. However, the decline in urgent visits appeared to be more pronounced in two centers compared to a third, where also hospitalization rates did not decrease significantly during the pandemic. A subgroup analysis showed a significant decrease in respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases, and an increase in the proportion of trauma patients during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic had substantial effects on number and reasons for pediatric ED visits, particularly among children 0-4 years. Despite equal regulatory conditions, the utilization dynamics varied markedly between the three regions, highlighting the multifactorial modification of pediatric ED utilization during the pandemic. Furthermore, future policy decisions should take regional differences into account.
    Tags: Children, Covid-19, Emergency department, Pandemic, Utilization, Variation.
  • Heymann, E. P., Romann, V., Lim, R., Van Aarsen, K., Khatib, N., Sauter, T., Schild, B., and Mueller, S. “Physician Wellbeing And Burnout In Emergency Medicine In Switzerland”. Swiss Med Wkly 154, no. 5: 3421. doi:10.57187/s.3421.
    Abstract: Emergency physicians are the most at-risk medical specialist group for burnout. Given its consequences for patient care and physician health and its resulting increased attrition rates, ensuring the wellbeing of emergency physicians is vital for preserving the integrity of the safety net for the healthcare system that is emergency medicine. In an effort to understand the current state of practicing physicians, this study reviews the results of the first national e-survey on physician wellbeing and burnout in emergency medicine in Switzerland. Addressed to all emergency physicians between March and April 2023, it received 611 complete responses. More than half of respondents met at least one criterion for burnout according to the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (59.2%) and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (54.1%). In addition, more than half reported symptoms suggestive of mild to severe depression, with close to 20% screening positively for moderate to severe depression, nearly 4 times the incidence in the general population, according to the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. We found that 10.8% of respondents reported having considered suicide at some point in their career, with nearly half having considered this in the previous 12 months. The resulting high attrition rates (40.6% of respondents had considered leaving emergency medicine because of their working conditions) call into question the sustainability of the system. Coinciding with trends observed in other international studies on burnout in emergency medicine, this study reinforces the fact that certain factors associated with wellbeing are intrinsic to emergency medicine working conditions.
    Tags: *Burnout, Professional/epidemiology/psychology, *Depression/epidemiology/psychology, *Emergency Medicine, *Physicians/psychology/statistics & numerical data, Adult, Female, Humans, Job Satisfaction, Male, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, Switzerland/epidemiology.
  • Becker, C., Beck, K., Moser, C., Lessing, C., Arpagaus, A., Gross, S., Urben, T., et al. “The Association Of Vaccination Status With Perceived Discrimination In Patients With Covid-19: Results From A Cross-Sectional Study”. Swiss Med Wkly 154, no. 5: 3634. doi:10.57187/s.3634.
    Abstract: STUDY AIMS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was increasing pressure to be vaccinated to prevent further spread of the virus and improve outcomes. At the same time, part of the population expressed reluctance to vaccination, for various reasons. Only a few studies have compared the perceptions of vaccinated and non-vaccinated patients being treated in hospitals for COVID-19. Our aim was to investigate the association between vaccination status and perceived healthcare-associated discrimination in patients with COVID-19 receiving hospital treatment. METHODS: Adult patients presenting to the emergency department or hospitalised for inpatient care due to or with COVID-19 from 1 June to 31 December 2021 in two Swiss hospitals were eligible. The primary endpoint was patients' perceived healthcare-associated discrimination, measured with the Discrimination in Medical Settings (DMS) scale. Secondary endpoints included different aspects of perceived quality of care and symptoms of psychological distress measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. RESULTS: Non-vaccinated patients (n = 113) had significantly higher DMS scores compared to vaccinated patients (n = 80) (mean: 9.54 points [SD: 4.84] vs 7.79 points [SD: 1.85]; adjusted difference: 1.18 [95% CI: 0.04-2.33 points]) and 21 of 80 vaccinated patients felt discriminated against vs 54 of 113 non-vaccinated patients (adjusted OR: 2.09 [95% CI: 1.10-3.99 ]). Non-vaccinated patients reported lower scores regarding respectful treatment by the nursing team (mean: 8.39 points [SD: 2.39] vs 9.30 points [SD: 1.09]; adjusted difference: -0.6 [95% CI: -1.18 - -0.02 points]). CONCLUSION: We found an association between vaccination status and perceived healthcare-associated discrimination. Healthcare workers should act in a professional manner regardless of a patient's vaccination status; in doing so, they might prevent the creation of negative perceptions in patients.
    Tags: *COVID-19 Vaccines, *COVID-19/prevention & control/psychology, *SARS-CoV-2, *Vaccination/psychology, Adult, Aged, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Quality of Health Care, Switzerland.
  • Studer, M., Mischler, L., Romano, F., Lidzba, K., and Bigi, S. “Different Trajectories Of Post-Concussive Symptom Subscales After Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Data From A Prospective Longitudinal Study”. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 51: 9-16. doi:10.1016/j.ejpn.2024.05.003.
    Abstract: PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the trajectory of parent-rated post-concussive symptoms (PCS), attentional performance and participation within 6 months in children after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). METHODS: For this prospective longitudinal study, we included data on 64 children after mTBI and 57 healthy control children (age 8-16 years). Parents rated PCS using the Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory (PCSI) immediately (T0), 1 week (T1), and 3-6 months after injury (T2). Attentional performance (alertness, selective and divided attention) was measured using the Test of Attentional Performance (TAP) at T1 and T2 and participation was measured using the Child and Adolescent Scale of Participation (CASP) at T2. RESULTS: Friedman tests showed different trajectories of PCS subscales over time: Compared to pre-injury level, the amount of somatic and cognitive PCS was still elevated at T1, while emotional PCS at T1 were already comparable to pre-injury level. The rating of sleep-related PCS at T2 was significantly elevated compared to the pre-injury rating. Quade ANCOVAs indicated group differences in PCS subscales between patients and controls at T1, but not at T2. Patients and controls showed a similar performance in tests of attention at T1 and T2, but parental rating of participation at school was significantly reduced. Although cognitive PCS and attention were not correlated, there were significantly negative Spearman correlations between participation at home and pre-injury and concurrent PCS at T2. CONCLUSIONS: Our data imply that sleep-related PCS are still elevated weeks after injury and are thus a target for interventions after mTBI.
    Tags: *Attention/physiology, *Brain Concussion/psychology/complications/diagnosis, *Post-Concussion Syndrome/psychology/diagnosis/etiology, Adolescent, Attentional performance, Child, Concussion, Female, Home and school participation, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, post-concussive symptoms, Prospective Studies.
  • Gerber, A. K., Feuz, U., Zimmermann, K., Mitterer, S., Simon, M., von der Weid, N., and Bergstrasser, E. “Work-Related Quality Of Life In Professionals Involved In Pediatric Palliative Care: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Comparative Effectiveness Study”. Palliat Care Soc Pract 18: 26323524241247857. doi:10.1177/26323524241247857.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Working in pediatric palliative care (PPC) impacts healthcare and allied professionals' work-related quality of life (QoL). Professionals who lack specific PPC training but who regularly provide services to the affected children have articulated their need for support from specialized PPC (SPPC) teams. OBJECTIVES: This study had two objectives: (1) to evaluate whether the availability of a SPPC team impacted the work-related QoL of professionals not specialized in PPC; and (2) to explore the work-related QoL of professionals working in PPC without specialized training. DESIGN: Repeated cross-sectional comparative effectiveness design. METHODS: One hospital with an established SPPC program and affiliated institutions provided the intervention group (IG). Three hospitals and affiliated institutions where generalist PPC was offered provided the comparison group (CG). Data were collected by paper-pencil questionnaire in 2021 and 2022. The Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL 5) questionnaire was used to assess work-related QoL, yielding separate scores for burnout (BO), secondary traumatic stress (STS) and compassion satisfaction (CS). A descriptive statistical analysis was performed and general estimation equations were modelled. To increase the comparability of the IG and CG, participants were matched by propensity scores. RESULTS: The 301 participating non-PPC-specialized professionals had overall low to moderate levels of BO and STS and moderate to high levels of CS. However, none of these scores (BO: p = 0.36; STS: p = 0.20; CS: p = 0.65) correlated significantly with support from an SPPC team. Compared to nurses, physicians showed higher levels of BO (1.70; p = 0.02) and STS (2.69; p ⩽ 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although the study sample's overall work-related QoL was satisfactory, it showed a considerable proportion of moderate BO and STS, as well as moderate CS. To provide tailored support to professionals working in PPC, evidence regarding key SPPC support elements and their effectiveness is needed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID, NCT04236180. Work-related quality of life in professionals involved in pediatric palliative care - Why was this study done? Caring for children suffering from life-limiting conditions and their families impacts professionals' work-related Quality of Life (QoL). Professionals without specific training often provide pediatric palliative care (PPC) to children and their families. - What did the researchers do? We aimed to determine whether the work-related the QoL of professionals without specialised PPC training would be positively influenced when they were supported by PPC specialists. We also wanted to explore what person-specific factors might correspond with higher or lower work-related QoL. Work-related QoL was analysed in relation to burnout (BO), secondary traumatic stress (STS), and compassion satisfaction (CS). These variables' levels were assessed with a questionnaire survey in 2021 and 2022. - What did the researchers find? The 301 participating professionals had overall low to moderate levels of BO and STS and moderate to high levels of CS. There was no substantial difference in work-related QoL in the professionals supported by PPC specialists compared to those who did not receive specialist support. Physicians showed higher levels of BO and STS than nurses. - What do the findings mean? Although the studied professionals' overall work-related QoL was satisfactory, there is a considerable proportion of moderate BO and STS scores in professionals working with children suffering from life-limiting conditions. Further research should explore the specific needs of professionals not specialised in PPC. eng
    Tags: compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, health personnel, palliative care, pediatrics, quality of life.
  • De Felice, E. L. T., Toti, G. F., Gatti, B., Gualtieri, R., Camozzi, P., Lava, S. A. G., Milani, G. P., et al. “Acute Aseptic Meningitis Temporally Associated With Intravenous Polyclonal Immunoglobulin Therapy: A Systematic Review”. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 66, no. 2: 241-249. doi:10.1007/s12016-024-08989-1.
    Abstract: An acute aseptic meningitis has been occasionally observed on intravenous polyclonal human immunoglobulin therapy. Since case reports cannot be employed to draw inferences about the relationships between immunoglobulin therapy and meningitis, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. Eligible were cases, case series, and pharmacovigilance studies. We found 71 individually documented cases (36 individuals </= 18 years of age) of meningitis. Ninety percent of cases presented </= 3 days after initiating immunoglobulin therapy and recovered within </= 7 days (with a shorter disease duration in children: </= 3 days in 29 (94%) cases). In 22 (31%) instances, the authors noted a link between the onset of meningitis and a rapid intravenous infusion of immunoglobulins. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed a predominantly neutrophilic (N = 46, 66%) pleocytosis. Recurrences after re-exposure were observed in eight (N = 11%) patients. Eight case series addressed the prevalence of meningitis in 4089 patients treated with immunoglobulins. A pooled prevalence of 0.6% was noted. Finally, pharmacovigilance data revealed that meningitis temporally associated with intravenous immunoglobulin therapy occurred with at least five different products. In conclusion, intravenous immunoglobulin may cause an acute aseptic meningitis. The clinical features remit rapidly after discontinuing the medication.
    Tags: *Immunoglobulins, Intravenous/therapeutic use/adverse effects/administration &, *Meningitis, Aseptic/diagnosis/etiology/therapy, Acute Disease, Adolescent, Aseptic meningitis, Autoimmune disorder, Child, Child, Preschool, dosage, Drug-induced meningitis, Humans, Immunization, Passive/methods, Intravenous polyclonal human immunoglobulin, Meta-analysis, Pharmacovigilance, Systematic review.
  • Amacher, S. A., Sahmer, C., Becker, C., Gross, S., Arpagaus, A., Urben, T., Tisljar, K., et al. “Post-Intensive Care Syndrome And Health-Related Quality Of Life In Long-Term Survivors Of Cardiac Arrest: A Prospective Cohort Study”. Sci Rep 14, no. 1: 10533. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-61146-8.
    Abstract: Patients discharged from intensive care are at risk for post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), which consists of physical, psychological, and/or neurological impairments. This study aimed to analyze PICS at 24 months follow-up, to identify potential risk factors for PICS, and to assess health-related quality of life in a long-term cohort of adult cardiac arrest survivors. This prospective cohort study included adult cardiac arrest survivors admitted to the intensive care unit of a Swiss tertiary academic medical center. The primary endpoint was the prevalence of PICS at 24 months follow-up, defined as impairments in physical (measured through the European Quality of Life 5-Dimensions-3-Levels instrument [EQ-5D-3L]), neurological (defined as Cerebral Performance Category Score > 2 or Modified Rankin Score > 3), and psychological (based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised) domains. Among 107 cardiac arrest survivors that completed the 2-year follow-up, 46 patients (43.0%) had symptoms of PICS, with 41 patients (38.7%) experiencing symptoms in the physical domain, 16 patients (15.4%) in the psychological domain, and 3 patients (2.8%) in the neurological domain. Key predictors for PICS in multivariate analyses were female sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.17, 95% CI 1.08 to 9.3), duration of no-flow interval during cardiac arrest (minutes) (aOR 1.17, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.33), post-discharge job-loss (aOR 31.25, 95% CI 3.63 to 268.83), need for ongoing psychological support (aOR 3.64, 95% CI 1.29 to 10.29) or psychopharmacologic treatment (aOR 9.49, 95% CI 1.9 to 47.3), and EQ-visual analogue scale (points) (aOR 0.88, 95% CI 0.84 to 0.93). More than one-third of cardiac arrest survivors experience symptoms of PICS 2 years after resuscitation, with the highest impairment observed in the physical and psychological domains. However, long-term survivors of cardiac arrest report intact health-related quality of life when compared to the general population. Future research should focus on appropriate prevention, screening, and treatment strategies for PICS in cardiac arrest patients.
    Tags: & Johnson., *Heart Arrest/psychology/epidemiology, *Quality of Life, *Survivors/psychology, 320030_169379), the Research Fund of the University Basel, the Scientific Society, Adult, Aged, Basel, and the Gottfried Julia Bangerter-Rhyner Foundation. He received personal, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Critical Care, Critical Illness, Female, Follow-Up Studies, grants from UCB-pharma and holds stocks from Novartis, Roche, Alcon, and Johnson, Humans, Intensive Care Units, Long-term outcomes, Male, Middle Aged, Post-intensive care syndrome, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors.
  • Hametner, G., Eis, D., Kruijver, M., Stiefel, M., van der Stouwe, J. G., Stussi-Helbling, M., Forrer, A., and Niederseer, D. “A Case Series Of Eight Amateur Athletes: Exercise-Induced Pre-/Syncope During The Zurich Marathon 2023”. Eur Heart J Case Rep 8, no. 5: ytae202. doi:10.1093/ehjcr/ytae202.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Marathon running poses unique cardiovascular challenges, sometimes leading to syncopal episodes. We present a case series of athletes who experienced pre-/syncope during the Zurich Marathon 2023, accompanied by elevated cardiac biomarkers. CASE SUMMARY: Eight athletes (2 females, 6 males) aged 21-35 years, with pre-/syncope and various additional diverse symptoms such as dizziness and palpitations during the (half-)marathon, were admitted to two emergency departments in Zurich, Switzerland. Clinical evaluations included electrocardiogram, echocardiography, telemetry, coronary computed tomography (CT) scans, and cardiac biomarker assessments. High-sensitive troponin T (hs-cTnT) was elevated in all cases at initial assessment and returned to normal at follow-up. All athletes who received CT scans had normal coronary and brain CT results. None of the eight athletes had underlying cardiovascular disease. Renal function normalized post-admission, and neurological symptoms resolved within hours. Creatinine levels indicated transient acute kidney injury. A common feature was inexperience in running, inadequate race preparation, particularly regarding fluid, electrolyte, and carbohydrate intake, along with pacing issues and lack of coping strategies with heat. DISCUSSION: From a clinician perspective, the case series highlights the challenge in the management of patients with a pre-/syncopal event during strenuous exercise and elevated cardiac biomarkers. Diverse initial symptoms prompted tailored investigations. Adequate training, medical assessments, and awareness of syncope triggers are essential for marathon participants. Caution and pacing strategies are crucial, especially among novices in competitive running. This information is pertinent given the growing popularity of marathon events and prompts a standardized diagnostic approach after these events.
    Tags: (GLG) Consulting, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, walk and feel, and Zoll. All, Cardiac biomarkers, Case series, Collapse, from Abbott, Amgen, Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Daiichi Sankyo, Dr, Marathon, other authors have nothing to declare., outside this work he received honoraria, consultant fees and/or travel expenses, Syncope, Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co. KG, Emilwood Service Limited, Gerson Lehman Group.
  • Davis, C. A., Lowry, C., Billin, A., Laskowski-Jones, L., Sheets, A., Fifer, D., and Hawkins, S. C. “Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines For Medical Direction Of Search And Rescue Teams”. Wilderness Environ Med 35, no. 3: 314-327. doi:10.1177/10806032241249126.
    Abstract: The Wilderness Medical Society convened a panel to review available evidence supporting practices for medical direction of search and rescue teams. This panel included of members of the Wilderness Medical Society Search and Rescue Committee, the National Association of EMS Physicians Wilderness Committee, and leadership of the Mountain Rescue Association. Literature about definitions and terminology, epidemiology, currently accepted best practices, and regulatory and legal considerations was reviewed. The panel graded available evidence supporting practices according to the American College of Chest Physicians criteria and then made recommendations based on that evidence. Recommendations were based on the panel's collective clinical experience and judgment when published evidence was lacking.
    Tags: *Rescue Work, *Societies, Medical, *Wilderness Medicine/standards, Humans, medical advisor, mountain rescue, wilderness emergency medical services.
  • Uccella, L., Riboni, C., Polinelli, F., Biondi, C., Uccheddu, G., Petrino, R., and Majno-Hurst, P. “Use Of The Canadian Ct Head Rule For Patients On Anticoagulant/Anti-Platelet Therapy Presenting With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Prospective Observational Study”. Front Neurol 15: 1327871. doi:10.3389/fneur.2024.1327871.
    Tags: anti-platelet, anticoagulants, brain concussion, brain injury, Canadian CT head rule, commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential, conflict of interest., Gcs 15, mild traumatic brain injury.
  • Calvisi, S. L., Olarte, D., Meloni, M., and Bianchi, S. “Sonographic Diagnosis Of Radiographically Undetectable Bennet Fracture”. J Ultrasound 28, no. 1: 239-244. doi:10.1007/s40477-024-00901-z.
    Abstract: Intra-articular fractures of the base of the first metacarpal (Bennet fractures) are prone to dislocation and require surgical reduction and fixation to prevent secondary degenerative joint disease and chronic dysfunction. Therefore, a prompt diagnosis is necessary, mostly achieved by conventional roentgenograms. We report the case of a 62-year-old man in whom a Bennet fracture was highly suspected on ultrasound (US) examination realized after a fall. Standard radiographs, obtained after US to confirm the diagnosis, were interpreted as normal. A computed tomography was then performed showing a typical Bennet fracture. This case report demonstrates that a careful assessment of bones must be an integral part of any routine musculo-skeletal US examination, particularly in post-traumatic patients. US can detect bone fractures where radiograph is not discriminating.
    Tags: *Fractures, Bone/diagnostic imaging, *Intra-Articular Fractures/diagnostic imaging, *Metacarpal Bones/injuries/diagnostic imaging, Accidental Falls, applicable. Consent to publish: Not applicable., Bennet fractures, disclose. Ethical approval: Not applicable. Consent to participate: Not, Humans, Joints, Male, Middle Aged, Musculo-skeletal ultrasound, Radiography, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Trauma, Ultrasonography.
  • Harnik, M. A., Scheidegger, A., Blattler, L., Nemecek, Z., Sauter, T. C., Limacher, A., Reisig, F., Grosse Holtforth, M., and Streitberger, K. “Acceptance, Satisfaction, And Preference With Telemedicine During The Covid-19 Pandemic In 2021-2022: Survey Among Patients With Chronic Pain”. Jmir Form Res 8: e53154. doi:10.2196/53154.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many health care providers to make changes in their treatment, with telemedicine being expanded on a large scale. An earlier study investigated the acceptance of telephone calls but did not record satisfaction with treatment or patients' preferences. This warranted a follow-up study to investigate acceptance, satisfaction, and preferences regarding telemedicine, comprising of phone consultations, among health care recipients. OBJECTIVE: The primary aim was to assess the acceptance and satisfaction of telemedicine during the subsequent months of 2021-2022, after the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland. Furthermore, we aimed to assess patients' preferences and whether these differed in patients who had already experienced telemedicine in the past, as well as correlations between acceptance and satisfaction, pain intensity, general condition, perception of telemedicine, and catastrophizing. Finally, we aimed to investigate whether more governmental restrictions were correlated with higher acceptance. METHODS: An anonymous cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted between January 27, 2021, and February 4, 2022, enrolling patients undergoing outpatient pain therapy in a tertiary university clinic. We conducted a descriptive analysis of acceptance and satisfaction with telemedicine and investigated patients' preferences. Further, we conducted a descriptive and correlational analysis of the COVID-19 stringency index. Spearman correlation analysis and a chi-square test for categorical data were used with Cramer V statistic to assess effect sizes. RESULTS: Our survey was completed by 60 patients. Telemedicine acceptance and satisfaction were high, with an average score of 7.6 (SD 3.3; on an 11-point Numeric Rating Scale from 0=not at all to 10=completely), and 8.8 (SD 1.8), respectively. Respondents generally preferred on-site consultations to telemedicine (n=35, 58% vs n=24, 40%). A subgroup analysis revealed that respondents who already had received phone consultation, showed a higher preference for telemedicine (n/N=21/42, 50% vs n/N=3/18, 17%; chi(2)(2) [N=60]=7.5, P=.02, Cramer V=0.354), as well as those who had been treated for more than 3 months (n/N=17/31, 55% vs n/N=7/29, 24%; chi(2)(2) [N=60]=6.5, P=.04, Cramer V=0.329). Acceptance of telemedicine showed a moderate positive correlation with satisfaction (r(s)58=0.41, P<.05), but there were no correlations between the COVID-19 stringency index and the other variables. CONCLUSIONS: Despite high acceptance of and satisfaction with telemedicine, patients preferred on-site consultations. Preference for telemedicine was markedly higher in patients who had already received phone consultations or had been treated for longer than 3 months. This highlights the need to convey knowledge of eHealth services to patients and the value of building meaningful relationships with patients at the beginning of treatment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the modality of patient care should be discussed individually.
    Tags: acceptance, Bern, Switzerland, founded by the Touring Club Switzerland. The founders do not, chronic pain, COVID-19 pandemic, eHealth services, health care delivery, health care providers, holds the endowed professorship for emergency telemedicine at the University of, influence the general direction of telemedicine research. In particular, there is, no influence on the content of this publication or the decision to conduct or, pain therapy, paper and there are no financial interests to report., patient care, patient preferences, phone consultations, preference, publish this study. All coauthors have seen and agreed with the contents of this, satisfaction, telemedicine.
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