Scand J Trauma Resus
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Scand J Trauma Resus · Jul 2015
Multicenter StudyPhysicians using ultrasound in Danish emergency departments are mostly summoned specialists.
Emergency ultrasound is a relatively new diagnostic discipline. It is used as an extension of the clinical examination and is ideal in the setting of acute illness. The objective of this study was to investigate how many Emergency Departments (EDs) in Denmark have implemented emergency ultrasound. We also wanted to give an idea of how many and which physicians have adopted ultrasound as a diagnostic tool so far. ⋯ We have found that although almost all Danish EDs have ultrasound equipment available, few physicians working in the ED seem to have adopted the tool. Emergency Ultrasound is mainly performed by specialists who are summoned to the ED in case of severe acute illness and not by those physicians who comprise the backbone of the ED around the clock.
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Scand J Trauma Resus · Feb 2015
Multicenter StudyAssessment of the breath alcohol concentration in emergency care patients with different level of consciousness.
Many patients seeking emergency care are under the influence of alcohol, which in many cases implies a differential diagnostic problem. For this reason early objective alcohol screening is of importance not to falsely assign the medical condition to intake of alcohol and thus secure a correct medical assessment. ⋯ With use of the expired pCO₂ as a quality marker the BrAC can be reliably assessed in emergency care patients regardless of their cooperation, and type and length of the expiration.
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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.
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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.
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Scand J Trauma Resus · Jan 2015
Multicenter StudyIntestinal fatty acid binding protein as a marker for intra-abdominal pressure-related complications in patients admitted to the intensive care unit; study protocol for a prospective cohort study (I-Fabulous study).
Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) have detrimental effects on all organ systems and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients admitted to an intensive care unit. Intra-bladder measurement of the intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) is currently the gold standard. However, IAH is not always indicative of intestinal ischemia, which is an early and rapidly developing complication. Sensitive biomarkers for intestinal ischemia are needed to be able to intervene before damage becomes irreversible. Gut wall integrity loss, including epithelial cell disruption and tight junctions breakdown, is an early event in intestinal damage. Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein (I-FABP) is excreted in urine and blood specifically from damaged intestinal epithelial cells. Claudin-3 is a specific protein which is excreted in urine following disruption of intercellular tight junctions. This study aims to investigate if I-FABP and Claudin-3 can be used as a diagnostic tool for identifying patients at risk for IAP-related complications. ⋯ Successful completion of this trial will provide evidence on the eventual role of the biomarkers I-FABP and Claudin-3 in predicting the risk of IAP-associated adverse outcome. This may aid early (surgical) intervention.