Scand J Trauma Resus
-
Scand J Trauma Resus · Jan 2015
Multicenter StudyFactors that may improve outcomes of early traumatic brain injury care: prospective multicenter study in Austria.
Existing evidence concerning the management of traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients underlines the importance of appropriate treatment strategies in both prehospital and early in-hospital care. The objectives of this study were to analyze the current state of early TBI care in Austria with its physician-based emergency medical service. Subsequently, identified areas for improvement were transformed into treatment recommendations. The proposed changes were implemented in participating emergency medical services and hospitals and evaluated for their effect. ⋯ The results of this study clearly demonstrate that the outcomes of TBI patients can be improved with appropriate early care.
-
Scand J Trauma Resus · Jan 2015
Multicenter StudyImplementation of a dispatch-instruction protocol for cardiopulmonary resuscitation according to various abnormal breathing patterns: a population-based study.
We modified the dispatch protocol for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) using results of a retrospective analysis that identified descriptions by laypersons of possible patterns of agonal respiration. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of this modified protocol by comparing the frequency of dispatch instructions for CPR and bystander CPR before and after protocol implementation. We also identified descriptions of abnormal breathing patterns among 'Not in cardiac arrest (CA)' unresponsive cases. ⋯ This modified protocol based on abnormal breathing described by laypersons significantly increased CPR instructions. Considering high sensitivity and low specificity for abnormal breathing to identify CA and the low risk of chest compression for 'Not in CA' cases, our study suggested that dispatchers can provide CPR instruction assertively and safely for those unresponsive individuals with various abnormal breathing patterns.
-
Scand J Trauma Resus · Jan 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyTherapeutic hypothermia after nonshockable cardiac arrest: the HYPERION multicenter, randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded, superiority trial.
Meta-analyses of nonrandomized studies have provided conflicting data on therapeutic hypothermia, or targeted temperature management (TTM), at 33°C in patients successfully resuscitated after nonshockable cardiac arrest. Nevertheless, the latest recommendations issued by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation and by the European Resuscitation Council recommend therapeutic hypothermia. New data are available on the adverse effects of therapeutic hypothermia, notably infectious complications. The risk/benefit ratio of therapeutic hypothermia after nonshockable cardiac arrest is unclear. ⋯ The HYPERION trial is a multicenter, randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded, superiority trial that may provide an answer to an issue of everyday relevance, namely, whether TTM is beneficial in comatose patients resuscitated after nonshockable cardiac arrest. Furthermore, it will provide new data on the tolerance and adverse events (especially infectious complications) of TTM at 32.5-33.5°C.
-
Scand J Trauma Resus · Jan 2015
Multicenter StudyAccidental hypothermia in Poland ¿ estimation of prevalence, diagnostic methods and treatment.
The incidence of hypothermia is difficult to evaluate, and the data concerning the morbidity and mortality rates do not seem to fully represent the problem. The aim of the study was to estimate the actual prevalence of accidental hypothermia in Poland, as well as the methods of diagnosis and management procedures used in emergency rooms (ERs). ⋯ The actual incidence of accidental hypothermia in Polish emergency departments may exceed up to four times the official data. Core temperature is taken only in one third of the patients, the treatment of hypothermic patients is rarely conducted in intensive care wards and extracorporeal rewarming techniques are not used. It may be expected that personnel education and the development of management procedures will brighten the prognosis and increase the survival rate in accidental hypothermia.
-
Scand J Trauma Resus · Jan 2015
Multicenter Study Observational StudyMultiple failed intubation attempts are associated with decreased success rates on the first rescue intubation in the emergency department: a retrospective analysis of multicentre observational data.
Although the international guidelines emphasize early and systematic use of rescue intubation techniques, there is little evidence to support this notion. We aimed to test the hypothesis that preceding multiple failed intubation attempts are associated with a decreased success rate on the first rescue intubation in emergency departments (EDs). ⋯ Preceding multiple failed intubation attempts was independently associated with a decreased success rate on the first rescue intubation in the ED.