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Resuscitation Plus Jun 2023The role of early coronary angiography (CAG) in the evaluation of patients presenting with out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and no ST-elevation myocardial...
AIM
The role of early coronary angiography (CAG) in the evaluation of patients presenting with out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and no ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STE) pattern on electrocardiogram (ECG) has been subject to considerable debate. We sought to assess the impact of early versus deferred CAG on mortality and neurological outcomes in patients with OHCA and no STE.
METHODS
OVID MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library Register were searched according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines from inception until July 18, 2022. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of patients with OHCA without STE that compared early CAG with deferred CAG were included. The primary endpoint was 30-day mortality. Secondary endpoints included mortality at discharge or 30-days, favourable neurology at 30-days, major bleeding, renal failure and recurrent cardiac arrest.
RESULTS
Of the 7,998 citations, 5 RCTs randomizing 1524 patients were included. Meta-analysis showed no difference in 30-day mortality with early versus deferred CAG (OR 1.17, CI 0.91 - 1.49, I = 27%). There was no difference in favourable neurological outcome at 30 days (OR 0.88, CI 0.52 - 1.49, I = 63%), major bleeding (OR 0.94, CI 0.33 - 2.68, I = 39%), renal failure (OR 1.14, CI 0.77 - 1.69, I = 0%), and recurrent cardiac arrest (OR 1.39, CI 0.79 - 2.43, I = 0%).
CONCLUSIONS
Early CAG was not associated with improved survival and neurological outcomes among patients with OHCA without STE. This meta-analysis does not support routinely performing early CAG in this select patient cohort.
PubMed: 37091924
DOI: 10.1016/j.resplu.2023.100381 -
Journal of the American College of... Apr 2023We aimed to synthesize the qualitative experiences of patients, their family members, and ambulance staff involved in the prehospital management of acute pain in adults...
BACKGROUND
We aimed to synthesize the qualitative experiences of patients, their family members, and ambulance staff involved in the prehospital management of acute pain in adults and generate recommendations to improve the quality of care.
METHODS
A systematic review was conducted following the enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research (ENTREQ) guidelines. We searched from inception to June 2021: MEDLINE, CINAHL Complete, PsycINFO and Web of Science (search alerts were screened up to December 2021). Articles were eligible for inclusion if they reported qualitative data and were published in the English language. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program for qualitative studies checklist was used to assess risk of bias, thematic synthesis was performed on included studies and recommendations for clinical practice improvement were generated.
RESULTS
Twenty-five articles were included in the review, representing over 464 patients, family members, and ambulance staff from 8 countries. Six analytical themes and several recommendations to improve clinical practice were generated. Strengthening the patient-clinician relationship by building trust, promoting patient empowerment, addressing patient needs and expectations, and providing a holistic approach to pain treatment is key to improving prehospital pain management in adults. Shared pain management guidelines and training across the prehospital and emergency department intersection should improve the patient journey.
CONCLUSION
Interventions and guidelines that strengthen the patient-clinician relationship and span the prehospital and emergency department phase of care are likely to improve the quality of care for adults suffering acute pain in the prehospital setting.
PubMed: 37056718
DOI: 10.1002/emp2.12940 -
BMJ Quality & Safety Oct 2023Extensive research has been conducted into the effects of feedback interventions within many areas of healthcare, but prehospital emergency care has been relatively... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Extensive research has been conducted into the effects of feedback interventions within many areas of healthcare, but prehospital emergency care has been relatively neglected. Exploratory work suggests that enhancing feedback and follow-up to emergency medical service (EMS) staff might provide staff with closure and improve clinical performance. Our aim was to summarise the literature on the types of feedback received by EMS professionals and its effects on the quality and safety of patient care, staff well-being and professional development.
METHODS
A systematic review and meta-analysis, including primary research studies of any method published in peer-reviewed journals. Studies were included if they contained information on systematic feedback to emergency ambulance staff regarding their performance. Databases searched from inception were MEDLINE, Embase, AMED, PsycINFO, HMIC, CINAHL and Web of Science, with searches last updated on 2 August 2022. Study quality was appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data analysis followed a convergent integrated design involving simultaneous narrative synthesis and random effects multilevel meta-analyses.
RESULTS
The search strategy yielded 3183 articles, with 48 studies meeting inclusion criteria after title/abstract screening and full-text review. Interventions were categorised as audit and feedback (n=31), peer-to-peer feedback (n=3), postevent debriefing (n=2), incident-prompted feedback (n=1), patient outcome feedback (n=1) or a combination thereof (n=4). Feedback was found to have a moderate positive effect on quality of care and professional development with a pooled effect of d=0.50 (95% CI 0.34, 0.67). Feedback to EMS professionals had large effects in improving documentation (d=0.73 (0.00, 1.45)) and protocol adherence (d=0.68 (0.12, 1.24)), as well as small effects in enhancing cardiac arrest performance (d=0.46 (0.06, 0.86)), clinical decision-making (d=0.47 (0.23, 0.72)), ambulance times (d=0.43 (0.12, 0.74)) and survival rates (d=0.22 (0.11, 0.33)). The between-study heterogeneity variance was estimated at σ=0.32 (95% CI 0.22, 0.50), with an I value of 99% (95% CI 98%, 99%), indicating substantial statistical heterogeneity.
CONCLUSION
This review demonstrated that the evidence base currently does not support a clear single point estimate of the pooled effect of feedback to EMS staff as a single intervention type due to study heterogeneity. Further research is needed to provide guidance and frameworks supporting better design and evaluation of feedback interventions within EMS.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER
CRD42020162600.
Topics: Humans; Ambulances; Feedback; Emergency Medical Services; Delivery of Health Care
PubMed: 37028937
DOI: 10.1136/bmjqs-2022-015634 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2023Paramedics are at particularly high risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD). Hitherto, evidence for higher prevalence rates in paramedics compared to... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
Paramedics are at particularly high risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD). Hitherto, evidence for higher prevalence rates in paramedics compared to the general population is vague. We aimed to determine and compare 12-month prevalence of PTSD in paramedics and general population from high-income countries.
METHODS
We conducted systematic review processes to identify relevant studies for inclusion. For paramedics, we searched relevant databases, reference lists, and did citation tracking. Inclusion criteria were applied according to PICO. Quality of the studies was assessed using a validated methodological rating tool. Twelve-month prevalence data from all studies were pooled using random effects model. Subgroup analyses were performed to identify sources of heterogeneity.
RESULTS
In total, we found 41 distinct samples with 17,045 paramedics, 55 samples with 311,547 individuals from non-exposed general population, 39 samples with 118,806 individuals from populations affected by natural disasters, and 22 samples with 99,222 individuals from populations affected by human-made disasters. Pooled 12-month prevalence estimates of PTSD were 20.0, 3.1, 15.6, and 12.0%, respectively. Prevalence estimates in paramedics varied with methodological quality and measurement instrument. Paramedics reporting distinct critical incidences had lower pooled prevalence than paramedics reporting indistinct types of exposure.
CONCLUSION
Paramedics have a pooled prevalence of PTSD that is considerably higher than rates of unexposed general population and populations affected by human-made disasters. Chronic exposure to low-threshold traumatic events during daily routine work is a risk factor for developing PTSD. Strategies to ensure long working lifetime are strongly needed.
Topics: Humans; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Paramedics; Anxiety Disorders; Disasters; Prevalence
PubMed: 36969652
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1151248 -
The American Journal of Emergency... Jun 2023Advance care planning can help provide optimal medical care according to a patient's wishes as a part of patient-centered discussions on end-of-life care. This can... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Advance care planning can help provide optimal medical care according to a patient's wishes as a part of patient-centered discussions on end-of-life care. This can prevent undesired transfers to emergency departments. However, the effects of advance care planning on emergency department visits and ambulance calls in various settings or specific conditions remain unclear.
AIM
To evaluate whether advanced care planning affected the frequency of emergency department visits and ambulance calls.
DESIGN
Systematic review. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022340109). We assessed risk of bias using RoB 2.0, ROBINS-I, and ROBINS-E.
DATA SOURCES
We searched the PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, and EMBASE databases from their inception until September 22, 2022 for studies comparing patients with and without advanced care planning and reported the frequency of emergency department visits and ambulance calls as outcomes.
RESULTS
Eight studies were included. Regarding settings, two studies on patients in nursing homes showed that advanced care planning significantly reduced the frequency of emergency department visits and ambulance calls. However, two studies involving several medical care facilities reported inconclusive results. Regarding patient disease, a study on patients with depression or dementia showed that advanced care planning significantly reduced emergency department visits; in contrast, two studies on patients with severe respiratory diseases and serious illnesses showed no significant reduction. Seven studies showed a high risk of bias.
CONCLUSIONS
Advanced care planning may lead to reduced emergency department visits and ambulance calls among nursing home residents and patients with depression or dementia. Further research is warranted to identify the effectiveness of advanced care planning in specific settings and diseases.
Topics: Humans; Emergency Service, Hospital; Nursing Homes; Ambulances; Dementia
PubMed: 36958094
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2023.03.004 -
BJGP Open Jun 2023A significant proportion of emergency medical services (EMS) work is for problems that may be amenable to timely primary care management and could benefit from GP input....
BACKGROUND
A significant proportion of emergency medical services (EMS) work is for problems that may be amenable to timely primary care management and could benefit from GP input. Utilising GPs in EMS may reduce avoidable emergency department (ED) conveyance, releasing emergency ambulances for higher-acuity care, and meeting patient needs earlier in the evolution of an emergency call.
AIM
To collate and summarise evidence on how GPs are utilised in EMS.
DESIGN & SETTING
Systematic mapping review and narrative synthesis.
METHOD
A systematic literature search was conducted using search terms for general practice and emergency care. Primary research articles investigating the utilisation of GPs in non-critical EMS were included. An inductive framework was used to structure the results alongside a narrative synthesis.
RESULTS
Twenty-one articles were included. GPs were embedded in EMS for urgent management of high-acuity patients or used as an intervention to avoid unnecessary ED conveyance in selected lower-acuity patients. The importance of interprofessional relationships and training for GPs involved in EMS was highlighted. No studies explored patient-reported outcomes. Outcomes measured were predominantly ED non-conveyance and admission avoidance, with GP services as an intervention reducing the likelihood of these outcomes.
CONCLUSION
Embedding GPs in EMS might service different purposes depending on context. There is some evidence that GP EMS services may reduce the likelihood of ED conveyance and hospital admission in selected cases; it is unclear whether this is owing to case selection or GP involvement. Future research should incorporate patients' views and experiences.
PubMed: 36931699
DOI: 10.3399/BJGPO.2023.0002 -
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine Apr 2023Proximal femoral fractures are characterized as one of the most common and most painful injuries sustained by patients of all ages and are associated with high rates of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
Proximal femoral fractures are characterized as one of the most common and most painful injuries sustained by patients of all ages and are associated with high rates of oligoanalgesia in the prehospital setting. Current treatments include oral and parenteral opiates and sedative agents, however regional anesthesia techniques for pain relief may provide superior analgesia with lower risk of side effects during patient transportation. The fascia iliaca compartment block (FICB) is an inexpensive treatment which is performed with minimal additional equipment, ultimately making it suitable in prehospital settings.
PROBLEM
In adult patients sustaining proximal femoral fractures in the prehospital setting, what is the effect of the FICB on non-verbal pain scores (NVPS), patient satisfaction, success rate, and adverse events compared to traditional analgesic techniques?
METHODS
A librarian-assisted literature search was conducted of the Cochrane Database, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Ovid EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science indexes. Additionally, reference lists for potential review articles from the , the , the , , and the were reviewed. Databases and journals were searched during the period from January 1, 1980 through July 1, 2022. Each study was scrutinized for quality and validity and was assigned a level of evidence as per Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine guidelines.
RESULTS
Five studies involving 340 patients were included (ie, two randomized control trials [RCTs], two observational studies, and one prospective observational study). Pain scores decreased after prehospital FICB across all included studies by a mean of 6.65 points (5.25 - 7.5) on the NVPS. Out of the total 257 FICBs conducted, there was a success rate of 230 (89.3%). Of these, only two serious adverse events were recorded, both of which related to local analgesia toxicity. Neither resulted in long-term sequelae and only one required treatment.
CONCLUSION
Use of FICBs results in a significant decrease in NVPS in the prehospital setting, and they are ultimately suitable as regional analgesic techniques for proximal femur fractures. It carries a low risk of adverse events and may be performed by health care practitioners of various backgrounds with suitable training. The results suggest that FICBs are more effective for pain management than parenteral or oral opiates and sedative agents alone and can be used as an appropriate adjunct to pain management.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Nerve Block; Femoral Fractures; Proximal Femoral Fractures; Pain; Emergency Medical Services; Fascia; Opiate Alkaloids; Hip Fractures; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Observational Studies as Topic
PubMed: 36912109
DOI: 10.1017/S1049023X23000298 -
International Journal of Environmental... Mar 2023Ambulance services are changing, and the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has been a major challenge in the past three years. Job satisfaction and work engagement are important... (Review)
Review
Ambulance services are changing, and the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has been a major challenge in the past three years. Job satisfaction and work engagement are important characteristics for a healthy organization and success in one's profession. The purpose of the current systematic review was to evaluate the predictors of job satisfaction and work engagement in prehospital emergency medical service personnel. Electronic databases, such as PubMed, Ovid Medline, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX, and Embase, were utilized in this review. Predictors (ß coefficient, odds ratio, rho) of higher job satisfaction and work engagement were examined. Only prehospital emergency medical service personnel were considered. The review included 10 studies worldwide with 8358 prehospital emergency medical service personnel (24.9% female). The main predictor for job satisfaction was supervisors' support. Other predictors were younger or middle age and work experience. Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, as burnout dimensions, were negative predictors for higher job satisfaction or work engagement. Quality demands for health care systems are a significant challenge for future emergency medical services. The psychological and physical strengthening of employees is necessary and includes constant supervision of managers or facilitators.
Topics: Middle Aged; Humans; Female; Male; Work Engagement; Job Satisfaction; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Burnout, Professional; Ambulances; Surveys and Questionnaires; Workload
PubMed: 36901586
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054578 -
British Journal of Anaesthesia May 2023Front-of-neck access (FONA) is an emergency procedure used as a last resort to achieve a patent airway in the prehospital environment. In this systematic review with... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Front-of-neck access (FONA) is an emergency procedure used as a last resort to achieve a patent airway in the prehospital environment. In this systematic review with meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the number and success rate of FONA procedures in the prehospital setting, including changes since 2017, when a surgical technique was outlined as the first-line prehospital method.
METHODS
A systematic literature search (PROSPERO CRD42022348975) was performed from inception of databases to July 2022 to identify studies in patients of any age undergoing prehospital FONA, followed by data extraction. Meta-analysis was used to derive pooled success rates. Methodological quality of included studies was interpreted using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and rated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.
RESULTS
From 909 studies, 69 studies were included (33 low quality; 36 very low quality) with 3292 prehospital FONA attempts described (1229 available for analysis). The crude median success rate increased from 99.2% before 2017 to 100.0% after 2017. Meta-analysis revealed a pooled overall FONA success rate of 88.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 85.0-91.0%). Surgical techniques had the highest success rate at a median of 100.0% (pooled rate=92.0%; 95% CI, 88.0-95.0%) vs 50.0% for needle techniques (pooled rate=52.0%; 95% CI, 28.0-76.0%).
CONCLUSIONS
Despite being a relatively rare procedure in the prehospital setting, the success rate for FONA is high. A surgical technique for FONA appears more successful than needle techniques, and supports existing UK prehospital guidelines.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW PROTOCOL
PROSPERO CRD42022348975.
Topics: Humans; Intubation, Intratracheal; Emergency Medical Services
PubMed: 36858888
DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2023.01.022 -
Journal of Tissue Viability May 2023To develop a systematic review on the prevalence and the incidence of pressure ulcers/injuries in adult patients in hospital emergency services. (Review)
Review
AIM
To develop a systematic review on the prevalence and the incidence of pressure ulcers/injuries in adult patients in hospital emergency services.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Systematic review of prevalence and incidence studies developed according to the Preferred Reporting Items Form Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols and the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. The inclusion criteria were based on the CoCoPop mnemonic. The main variables of interest were the "prevalence" and/or the "incidence" of "pressure ulcers/injuries" (Condition) reported in studies developed in hospital emergency services (Context) with adult participants (Population). The Systematic Review Protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CDR42021252906).
RESULTS
The pressure ulcer/injury (point) prevalence ranged from 5.2% (at admission) to 12.3% (at discharge) and the pressure ulcer/injury incidence ranged from 4.5% to 78.4%. Most of the pressure ulcers/injuries documented were category/stage I. The most problematic anatomical locations were the sacrococcygeal region and the heels. The preventive measures should be implemented as soon as possible and are important in patients older than 75 years, with multiple comorbidities, high C-Reative Protein levels, cervical spine immobilization, presented to hospital emergency service by ambulance or with hypotension at the time of admission.
CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence and incidence of pressure ulcers/injuries in hospital emergency services remains an understudied topic which could limit the generalization of our data. This systematic review highlighted that the management of pressure ulcers/injuries is a real and current challenge in hospital emergency services. It is important to identify the patients at (higher) risk to establish an (earlier) preventive care plan according to patients and emergency services' characteristics.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Cohort Studies; Crush Injuries; Emergency Service, Hospital; Hospitalization; Pressure Ulcer
PubMed: 36792441
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtv.2023.02.001