European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
-
Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Comparison of on-scene Glasgow Coma Scale with GCS-motor for prediction of 30-day mortality and functional outcomes of patients with trauma in Asia.
This study compared the on-scene Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and the GCS-motor (GCS-M) for predictive accuracy of mortality and severe disability using a large, multicenter population of trauma patients in Asian countries. ⋯ In the prehospital setting, on-scene GCS-M was comparable to GCS in predicting 30-day mortality and poor functional outcomes among patients with trauma, whether or not there was a TBI.
-
Multicenter Study Observational Study
Prehospital lactate-glucose interaction in acute life-threatening illnesses: metabolic response and short-term mortality.
Lactate is an already recognized biomarker for short-term mortality. However, how glycemia and diabetes affect the predictive ability of lactate needs to be revealed. ⋯ Our results demonstrated that glycemia, but not diabetes, alters the predictive ability of lactate. Therefore, hyperglycemia should be considered when interpreting lactate, since this could improve screening to detect cryptic shock conditions.
-
Observational Study
The association between regional guidelines compliance and mortality in severe trauma patients: an observational, retrospective study.
Trauma is a major cause of mortality and morbidity. Regional trauma systems are the cornerstones of healthcare systems, helping to improve outcomes and avoid preventable deaths in severe trauma patients. ⋯ Increased levels of compliance with the guidelines in severe trauma patients were associated with an increase in survival, notably in the most severe patients.
-
There seems to be evidence of gender and ethnic bias in the early management of acute coronary syndrome. However, whether these differences are related to less severe severity assessment or to less intensive management despite the same severity assessment has not yet been established. ⋯ In this study, the visualization of simulated patients with different characteristics modified the prioritization decision. Compared to White patients, Black patients were less likely to receive emergency treatment. The same was true for women compared with men.
-
Although emergency medical service is focused on providing acute prehospital treatment, it is often used by terminally ill patients and their informal caregivers during the last days of patient's life. Little is known about why they decide to use the emergency medical services. ⋯ For informal caregivers, emergency medical services represented an important source of support while caring for their terminally ill loved ones due to the limited availability of other sources of help, including a lack of specialist palliative care providers. Additionally, informal caregivers had limited knowledge of the dying process and used emergency medical services for professional advice.