Emergency Research Networks Research Articles

Presentations and Outcomes Among Infants ≤90 Days With and Without SARS-CoV-2.

To compare symptoms and outcomes among infants aged ≤90 days tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a broad, international sample of emergency departments (EDs). This was a secondary analysis of infants aged 0 to 90 days with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infections tested using molecular approaches and with 14-day follow-up. The parent studies were conducted at 41 EDs in 10 countries (the global Pediatric Emergency Research Network; March 2020-June 2021) and 14 EDs across Canada (Pediatric Emergency Research Canada network; August 2020-February 2022). Symptom profiles included presence and number of presenting symptoms. Clinical outcomes included hospitalization, ICU admission, and severe outcomes (a composite of intensive interventions, severe organ impairment, or death). Among 1048 infants tested for SARS-CoV-2, 1007 (96.1%) were symptomatic at presentation and 432 (41.2%) were SARS-CoV-2-positive. A systemic symptom (any of the following: Apnea, drowsiness, irritability, or lethargy) was most common and present in 646 (61.6%) infants, regardless of SARS-CoV-2 status. Although fever and upper respiratory symptoms were more common among SARS-CoV-2-positive infants, dehydration, gastrointestinal, skin, and oral symptoms, and the overall number of presenting symptoms did not differ between groups. Infants with SARS-CoV-2 infections were less likely to be hospitalized (32.9% vs 44.8%; difference -11.9% [95% confidence interval (CI) -17.9% to -6.0%]), require intensive care (1.4% vs 5.0%; difference -3.6% [95% CI -5.7% to -1.6%]), and experience severe outcomes (1.4% vs 5.4%; difference -4.0% [95% CI -6.1% to -1.9%]). SARS-CoV-2 infections may be difficult to differentiate from similar illnesses among the youngest infants but are generally milder. SARS-CoV-2 testing can help inform clinical management.

Analysis of guideline recommendations for treatment of asthma exacerbations in children: a Pediatric Emergency Research Networks (PERN) study

RationaleThere is significant practice variation in acute paediatric asthma, particularly severe exacerbations. It is unknown whether this is due to differences in clinical guidelines.ObjectivesTo describe and compare the content and...

Emergency department clinicians’ views on implementing psychosocial care following acute paediatric injury: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT Introduction: The early post-trauma period is a key time to provide psychological support to acutely injured children. This is often when they present to emergency departments (EDs) with their families. However, there is limited understanding of the feasibility of implementing psychological support for children and their families in EDs. The aim of this study was to explore UK and Irish ED clinicians’ perspectives on developing and implementing psychosocial care which educates families on their children’s post-trauma psychological recovery. Methods: Semi-structured individual and group interviews were conducted with 24 UK and Irish ED clinicians recruited via a paediatric emergency research network. Results: Clinicians expressed that there is value in offering psychological support for injured children and their families; however, there are barriers which can prevent this from being effectively implemented. Namely, the prioritisation of physical health, time constraints, understaffing, and a lack of training. Therefore, a potential intervention would need to be brief and accessible, and all staff should be empowered to deliver it to all families. Conclusion: Overall, participants’ views are consistent with trauma-informed approaches where a psychosocial intervention should be able to be implemented into the existing ED system and culture. These findings can inform implementation strategies and intervention development to facilitate the development and delivery of an accessible digital intervention for acutely injured children and their families.

Core outcomes and factors influencing the experience of care for children with severe acute exacerbations of asthma: a qualitative study

ObjectiveTo identify the outcomes considered important, and factors influencing the patient experience, for parents and caregivers of children presenting to hospital with a severe acute exacerbation of asthma. This work...

The Irish Trainee Emergency Research Network (ITERN): five years of collaboration

In 2018, a group of Irish emergency medicine (EM) trainees recognised their common interest in collaborative research and the difficulties that trainees can encounter when trying to broaden their research capacity, prompting the beginning of the Irish Trainee Emergency Research Network (ITERN) journey. Trainee-led collaboratives have been shown to be feasible and have the potential to deliver impactful research projects, generating an evidence base that may not have been possible without collaboration. This article describes the successes and achievement of ITERN and describes the processes and challenges that a trainee-led research network can encounter. The authors believe that trainee-led collaboratives can deliver powerful and impactful research for patients and broaden the research capacity of individuals, hospitals, and groups of healthcare professionals.

Liver transaminase concentrations in children with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection

ObjectiveTo evaluate the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and liver injury by comparing transaminase concentrations among children tested for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses in pediatric emergency departments. Design & methodsEligible children were <18 years with suspected SARS-CoV-2, tested using molecular approaches in emergency departments between March 7, 2020, and June 15, 2021 (Pediatric Emergency Research Network), and between August 6, 2020, and February 22, 2022 (Pediatric Emergency Research Canada). We compared aspartate (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentrations at presentation for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses through a multivariate linear regression model, with the natural log of serum transaminase concentrations as dependent variables. ResultsOf 16,892 enrolled children, 2,462 (14.6%) had transaminase concentrations measured; 4318 (25.6%) were SARS-CoV-2 positive, and 3932 (23.3%) were tested for additional respiratory viruses. Among study participants who had additional respiratory virus testing performed, the most frequently identified viruses were enterovirus/rhinovirus [8.7% (343/3,932)], respiratory syncytial virus [4.6% (181/3,932)], and adenovirus [2.6% (103/3,932)]. Transaminase concentrations were elevated in 25.6% (54/211) of children with isolated SARS-CoV-2 detection and 21.6% (117/541) of those with no virus isolated; P = 0.25. In the multivariable model, isolated SARS-CoV-2 detection was not associated with elevated ALT (adjusted geometric mean ratio (IU/L): 0.96; 95%Confidence Interval (CI): 0.84, 1.08) or AST (adjusted geometric mean ratio (IU/L): 1.03; 95%CI: 0.92, 1.16) concentrations, with negative respiratory panel as the referent group. Ninety-day follow-up was completed in 82.2% (3,550/4,318) of SARS-CoV-2 positive children; no cases of new-onset liver disease were reported. ConclusionAmong those tested, transaminase concentrations did not vary between SARS-CoV-2-positive children and those with a negative respiratory viral panel. In multivariate analysis, SARS-CoV-2 infection was not associated with increased initial transaminase concentrations compared to other respiratory viruses.

Attitudes and knowledge of emergency doctors towards the end-of-life care in the emergency department: a national survey.

Emergency departments (EDs) are seeing an increase in patients requiring end-of-life (EOL) care. There is paucity of data of attitudes and knowledge of physicians providing EOL care in the ED both internationally and in Ireland. The aim of this project was to assess the attitudes and knowledge of ED physicians towards EOL care. This was a cross-sectional electronic survey of ED physicians working in Irish EDs and was facilitated through the Irish Trainee Emergency Research Network over a 6-week period. The questionnaire covered the following domains: demographic data, awareness of EOL Care, views and attitudes towards EOL care. In total, 441 responses were received, of which 311 had completed the survey across 23 participant sites. This represented a response rate of 44.8%. Majority of the respondents were under the age of 35 (62%), were male (58%) and at Senior House Officer level (36%). In terms of awareness, 32% (98) of respondents were not aware of palliative care services in their hospitals while only 29% (91) were aware of national EOL guidance. Fifty-five percent (172) reported commencing EOL care in the ED, however 75.5% (234) respondents reported their knowledge of EOL care to be limited or non-existent. Only 30.2% respondents felt comfortable commencing EOL care in the ED without speciality team input. There appears to be a lack of clarity on the roles and responsibilities of emergency medicine nurses and doctors in the care of the dying patient in ED with only 31.2% (95) being clear on this role. Significant differences were observed associated with clinical experience and physician grade. This study has highlighted a lack of awareness and knowledge of EOL care particularly amongst less experienced emergency medicine doctors. Formalized training and education programs in the provision of EOL care in the ED will improve comfort levels and knowledge amongst the emergency medicine doctors and improve the quality of care provided.

Multicentre Delphi study of physicians resulted in quality indicators for young infants with fever without source in emergency departments.

Managing febrile infants has evolved without a generally accepted standard of care. We aimed to design quality indicators for managing infants ≤90 days old presenting to emergency departments (EDs) with fever without source. This multicentre Delphi study was carried out by the Febrile Infant Study Group of the Spanish Paediatric Emergency Research Network, from March 2021 to November 2021, and included paediatric emergency physicians from 24 Spanish EDs. A list of care standards was produced, following an extensive literature review and the involvement of all parties. Indicators were essential if they were voted by four panelists and also received a score of ≥4 from at least 95% of the 24 investigators. We established 20 indicators, including one related to having a protocol, two to triage, nine to diagnostic processes, six to treatment and two to disposition. The following indicators were considered essential: having an ED management protocol, performing urinalysis on every infant, obtaining a blood culture from every infant and administering antibiotics in the ED to any febrile infant who did not appear well. The Delphi method resulted in a comprehensive list of quality indicators for managing febrile young infants in Spanish EDs.

The WHO Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Research Network (Health EDRM RN)

Introduction:WHO Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Research Network (Health EDRM RN) is a global expert network, launched in 2018, aiming to strengthen the scientific evidence for managing health risks associated with all types of emergencies and disasters, and to foster global collaboration among academia, government officials and other stakeholders. The Health EDRM RN’s activities are in line with WHO Health EDRM Framework, which support Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.Method:Health EDRM RN’s strategic direction is discussed and advised by its Core Group that consists of focal points of WHO HQ responsible unit, all six Regional Offices, WHO Center for Health Development (Secretariat), RN co-chairs, and key external stakeholders. Based on the strategic direction, the Secretariat facilitates global, regional, and local collaborative activities with the RN participants and partners. As of 2022, over 250 global experts participate in the network.Results:Following the results of the Core Group Meeting in 2019, 2020 and 2021, multiple activities and results were generated including the identification of five Health EDRM key research areas. WHO Guidance on Research Methods for Health EDRM developed in collaboration with over 150 global experts, initiation of the project to establish WHO Health EDRM Knowledge Hub for developing WHO Health EDRM Research Agenda and aligning with UNDRR research agenda on thematic areas including developing a special supplement on mid-term review of Sendai Framework implementation in health. The 2022 Core Group Meeting, held on October 27, 2022, agreed to promote knowledge dissemination and implementation research for better outputs for regions and countries.Conclusion:WHO Health EDRM RN will continue its unique function as the platform of global experts and stakeholders to produce, disseminate, and apply knowledge. Participation and engagement by more and broader experts are expected.

WHO Health EDRM Research Network and Health Data Management

Introduction:The WHO Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (H-EDRM) Research Network has identified that health data collection during health emergencies and disasters is a key element to enable proper coordination and timely response, and research priorities of the network.Method:Focus group discussion was performed to identify key challenges which hinder accomplishment of the data collection.Results:It was concluded that the issue faces significant challenges including; (1) Access: Logistic issues including safety, transport and communication did not allow experts such as epidemiologists to access onsite and relevant stakeholders. It is also challenging for local public health stakeholders to accept new experts during emergencies. (2) Tools: forms or tools that are concise and operational to be accepted by frontline responders should be provided. (3) Standardization: to set standard forms or tools and its operational mechanism is essential to collect health data, otherwise collected data will be partial and fragmented. (4) Governance: overall governance of procedure and data ownership must be clarified before its implication administratively and legally. These should be endorsed by local health authorities. (5) Ethical procedure: Obtaining informed consent and conducting timely procedures is difficult. Contextually, health data collection during emergencies and disasters in many cases is inappropriate. (6) Operation: Collected data should contribute to ongoing operation in a timely manner. The discussion also found the standard tool of the WHO; the Emergency Medical Teams Minimum Data Set, which has been already used in more than ten countries and has been providing leading examples for this topic.Conclusion:Further research to fulfill the identified challenges and gaps will facilitate the collection and strengthen the health emergency and disaster risk management.

Attitudes and Knowledge of Emergency Physicians Towards End-of-Life Care in the Emergency Department. A National Survey

Introduction:With an aging population and patients on end-of-life care (EOL) pathways, emergency departments (ED) are seeing an increase in patients requiring EOL care. There is paucity of data of attitudes and knowledge of physicians providing EOL care in the ED both internationally and in Ireland. The aim of this project was to assess the attitudes and knowledge of ED physicians towards EOL care.Method:This was a cross-sectional electronic survey of ED physicians working in Irish Eds, facilitated through the Irish Trainee Emergency Research Network (ITERN) over six weeks from September 27, 2021, to November 8, 2021. The questionnaire covered the following domains: Demographic data, Awareness of EOL Care, Views, and attitudes towards EOL care.Results:A total of 311 completed questionnaires across 23 participant sites were analyzed, with a response rate of 45%. The majority of the respondents were under the age of 35 (62%), were male (58%) and at SHO level (36%). In terms of awareness 32% (98) of respondents were not aware of palliative care services in their hospitals while only 29% (91) were aware of national EOL guidance. Fifty-five percent (172) reported commencing EOL care in the ED, however 75.5% (234) respondents reported their knowledge of EOL care to be limited or non-existent. Few (30.2%) respondents felt comfortable commencing EOL care in the ED without speciality team input. There appears to be a lack of clarity on the roles and responsibilities of ED nurses and doctors in the care of the dying patients in ED with only 31.2% (95) being clear on this role. Significant differences were observed with regards to clinical experience and physician grade.Conclusion:This study has highlighted a lack of awareness and knowledge of EOL care, particularly among less experienced ED physicians. However, there was a willingness to commence EOL care in the ED.

Types of diagnostic errors reported by paediatric emergency providers in a global paediatric emergency care research network

BackgroundDiagnostic errors, reframed as missed opportunities for improving diagnosis (MOIDs), are poorly understood in the paediatric emergency department (ED) setting. We investigated the clinical experience, harm and contributing factors related...

International perspective on research priorities and outcome measures of importance in the care of children with acute exacerbations of asthma: a qualitative interview study

BackgroundAcute exacerbations of asthma are common in children, however, treatment decisions for severe exacerbations are challenging due to a lack of robust evidence. In order to create more robust research,...

Top Research Priorities in Prehospital Care in Spain.

The objective is to identify research priorities in prehospital care in Spain. This was a Delphi-type study of three rounds with a panel of experts made up of members of the Red de Investigación en Emergencias Prehospitalarias (RINVEMER; Prehospital Emergency Research Network) Network and the Sociedad Española de Medicina de Urgencias y Emergencias (SEMES; Spanish Society of Emergency Medicine) Emergency Secretariat. In the first round, each participant identified up to 15 priorities. In the second round, they scored the 30 thematic areas on a Likert scale. In the third round, they ordered and scored from one to ten the first ten priorities among those that obtained a median greater than or equal to four in the second round. After adding the assigned scores, the ten priorities with the highest total score were obtained. The ten identified research priorities were: special clinical codes and time-dependent conditions; mass-casualty incident (MCI) coordination and management; innovation in Emergency Medical Services (EMS); human factor in decision making; triage, analysis, and management of calls in the Emergency Call Center; new technologies, telemedicine, and emergencies; adverse events, clinical safety, and quality in emergencies; cardiac arrest; continuous education and training (methodology, quality, and evaluation); and big data and emergencies. The research priorities perceived by emergency professionals are related to clinical care and organizational aspects of EMS, in addition to the need to incorporate innovative aspects and new data analysis technologies.

International variation in evidence-based emergency department management of bronchiolitis: a retrospective cohort study

ObjectivesWe aimed to evaluate the international variation in the use of evidence-based management (EBM) in bronchiolitis. We hypothesised that management consistent with full-EBM practices is associated with the research network...

Trauma emergency thoracotomy for resuscitation in shock—a multi-centre evaluation of current UK practice of pre-hospital and emergency department resuscitative thoracotomy in trauma

Abstract Background Resuscitative thoracotomy (RT) in traumatic cardiac arrest, in particular for penetrating trauma features within several national guidelines. However, evidence surrounding its practice is poor, consisting of predominantly small-scale observational studies. Survival is generally poor, estimated at 3–13%, with better outcomes in penetrating trauma. There is no national RT database and the Trauma Audit Research Network data misses those who have died pre-hospital. It is important that a more in-depth and accurate national picture of thoracotomy practice is developed nationally to guide future practice. Traumatic emergency thoracotomy for resuscitation in shock (TETRiS) is a multi-centre, prospective and observational evaluation of current RT practice in the UK. Aims and objectives The aim of TETRiS is to evaluate the pathway of care for RT patients within the UK. This will be undertaken over a period of 12 months. This project will evaluate thoracotomies undertaken both pre-hospital and in emergency departments, examining various parameters including frequency, who performs the procedure, clinical indications, time from injury to initiation, mechanism of injury, injuries identified, interventions performed and patient outcomes. Methods This project is being conducted as a collaboration between the National Trauma Research and Innovation Collaborative, the Pre-Hospital Trainee Operated Research Network, the Trainee Emergency Research Network and the National HEMS Research and Audit Forum (NHRAF). All UK HEMS, helicopter emergency medicine services and major trauma centre (MTCs) nationally have been recruited, with site investigators identified within each participating unit. Inclusion criteria: All patients undergoing RT, pre-hospital or in an MTC emergency department will be included.

Outcomes of SARS-CoV-2–Positive Youths Tested in Emergency Departments

The Global Pediatric Emergency Research Network (PERN)–COVID-19 Study sought to understand the risk factors for severe SARS-CoV-2 infections in youth by conducting a cohort study including children, with early or mild stages of disease, seeking emergency department (ED) care. The study identifed that risk factors such as age, underlying chronic illness, and symptom duration may be useful to consider when making clinical care decisions.

National Emergency Resuscitation Airway Audit (NERAA): a pilot multicentre analysis of emergency intubations in Irish emergency departments

BackgroundThere is paucity of literature on why and how patients are intubated, and by whom, in Irish Emergency Departments (EDs). The aim of this pilot study was to characterise emergency airway management (EAM) of critically unwell patients presenting to Irish EDs.MethodsA multisite prospective pilot study was undertaken from February 10 to May 10, 2020. This project was facilitated through the Irish Trainee Emergency Research Network (ITERN). All patients over 16 years of age requiring EAM were included. Eleven EDs participated in the project. Data recorded included patients’ demographics, indication for intubation, technique of airway management, medications used to facilitate intubation, level of training and specialty of the intubating clinician, number of attempts, success/complications rates and variation across centres.ResultsOver a 3-month period, 118 patients underwent 131 intubation attempts across 11 EDs. The median age was 57 years (IQR: 40–70). Medical indications were reported in 83% of patients compared to 17% for trauma. Of the 118 patients intubated, Emergency Medicine (EM) doctors performed 54% of initial intubations, while anaesthesiology/intensive care medicine (ICM) doctors performed 46%. The majority (90%) of intubating clinicians were at registrar level. Emergency intubation check lists, video laryngoscopy and bougie were used in 55, 53 and 64% of first attempts, respectively. The first pass success rate was 89%. Intubation complications occurred in 19% of patients. EM doctors undertook a greater proportion of intubations in EDs with > 50,000 attendance (65%) compared to EDs with < 50,000 attendances (16%) (p < 0.000).ConclusionThis is the first study to describe EAM in Irish EDs, and demonstrates comparable first pass success and complication rates to international studies. This study highlights the need for continuous EAM surveillance and could provide a vector for developing national standards for EAM and EAM training in Irish EDs.

Remote, real-time expert elicitation to determine the prior probability distribution for Bayesian sample size determination in international randomised controlled trials: Bronchiolitis in Infants Placebo Versus Epinephrine and Dexamethasone (BIPED) study

BackgroundBayesian methods are increasing in popularity in clinical research. The design of Bayesian clinical trials requires a prior distribution, which can be elicited from experts. In diseases with international differences in management, the elicitation exercise should recruit internationally, making a face-to-face elicitation session expensive and more logistically challenging. Thus, we used a remote, real-time elicitation exercise to construct prior distributions. These elicited distributions were then used to determine the sample size of the Bronchiolitis in Infants with Placebo Versus Epinephrine and Dexamethasone (BIPED) study, an international randomised controlled trial in the Pediatric Emergency Research Network (PERN). The BIPED study aims to determine whether the combination of epinephrine and dexamethasone, compared to placebo, is effective in reducing hospital admission for infants presenting with bronchiolitis to the emergency department.MethodsWe developed a Web-based tool to support the elicitation of the probability of hospitalisation for infants with bronchiolitis. Experts participated in online workshops to specify their individual prior distributions, which were aggregated using the equal-weighted linear pooling method. Experts were then invited to provide their comments on the aggregated distribution. The average length criterion determined the BIPED sample size.ResultsFifteen paediatric emergency medicine clinicians from Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand participated in three workshops to provide their elicited prior distributions. The mean elicited probability of admission for infants with bronchiolitis was slightly lower for those receiving epinephrine and dexamethasone compared to supportive care in the aggregate distribution. There were substantial differences in the individual beliefs but limited differences between North America and Australasia. From this aggregate distribution, a sample size of 410 patients per arm results in an average 95% credible interval length of less than 9% and a relative predictive power of 90%.ConclusionRemote, real-time expert elicitation is a feasible, useful and practical tool to determine a prior distribution for international randomised controlled trials. Bayesian methods can then determine the trial sample size using these elicited prior distributions. The ease and low cost of remote expert elicitation mean that this approach is suitable for future international randomised controlled trials.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.govNCT03567473

Observation unit use among patients with cancer following emergency department visits: Results of a multicenter prospective cohort from CONCERN.

Emergency department (ED) visits by patients with cancer frequently end in hospitalization. As concerns about ED and hospital crowding increase, observation unit care may be an important strategy to deliver safe and efficient treatment for eligible patients. In this investigation, we compared the prevalence and clinical characteristics of cancer patients who received observation unit care with those who were admitted to the hospital from the ED. We performed a multicenter prospective cohort study of patients with cancer presenting to an ED affiliated with one of 18hospitals of the Comprehensive Oncologic Emergency Research Network (CONCERN) between March 1, 2016 and January 30, 2017. We compared patient characteristics with the prevalence of observation unit care usage, hospital admission, and length of stay. Of 1051 enrolled patients, 596 (56.7%) were admitted as inpatients, and 72 (6.9%) were placed in an observation unit. For patients admitted as inpatients, 23.7% had a length of stay ≤2days. The conversion rate from observation to inpatient was 17.1% (95% CI 14.6-19.4) among those receiving care in an observation unit. The average observation unit length of stay was 14.7h. Patient factors associated ED disposition to observation unit care were female gender and low Charlson Comorbidity Index. In this multicenter prospective cohort study, the discrepancy between observation unit care use and short inpatient hospitalization may represent underutilization of this resource and a target for process change.