Medical Emergency Research Articles

Beyond Injuries: February 6th Kahramanmaras Earthquakes and Other Patients Transported by Ambulance.

This study evaluates the Emergency Medical Service system and overall emergency preparedness by analyzing ambulance-transported patients during the February 6, 2023 earthquakes, focusing on those without earthquake-related injuries (medical emergencies and traumas not caused by earthquakes). A retrospective, observational case series was conducted, involving patients aged 18 and above transported by ambulance between February 6 and March 6, 2023. Patient demographic characteristics, vital signs, diagnoses, treatments, and outcomes were recorded. Predisposing factors for ambulance transportation including post-earthquake health facility issues, housing problems, hygiene, heating, and smoke exposure were meticulously analyzed. The study included 1872 patients, with a 55.4% hospitalization rate and a 13.7% mortality rate. Cardiovascular emergencies were the primary reason for admission (28.9%). Patients from the hospital in the study's location form Group 1, whereas those from other earthquake-affected provinces constitute Group 2. Significant predisposing factors for ambulance transportation included post-earthquake health facilities (P < 0.001), housing problems (P < 0.001), hygiene (P < 0.001), heating (P = 0.001), and smoke exposure (P < 0.001). In Group 2, pneumonia (P = 0.001), soft tissue infection (P = 0.002), sepsis (P = 0.004), carbon monoxide poisoning (P < 0.001), and diabetic emergencies (P = 0.013) were statistically significantly more frequent. Analyzing post-earthquake ambulance-transported patients is vital to comprehend the demand for emergency health care and address post-disaster health care challenges.

Testicular Torsion Following MMR Vaccination in an 18-Month-old Infant: A Case Report

Introduction: The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is associated with known complications, such as salivary gland involvement and aseptic meningitis. Isolated reports of epididymal orchitis following MMR vaccination have also been reported, but no reported case of testicular torsion in infancy has been explicitly attributed to the MMR vaccine. Objective: Here, we report an 18-month-old male infant presented with a history of gradually worsening painful left scrotal swelling following a booster dose of MMR that finally led to orchiectomy with the diagnosis of testicular torsion. Case Presentation: An 18-month-old male infant presented with a one-day history of gradually worsening painful left scrotal swelling following a booster dose of MMR. No evidence of blood flow was detected in the left testicle in color Doppler sonography, which was compatible with testicular torsion. In surgical exploration, the left testicle seemed firm and dark in color. The spermatic cord vessels were thrombotic in appearance, and the testicular appendix seemed completely necrotic. The nonviable left testicle was removed. Conclusions: Although testicular torsion after MMR vaccination is rare, in the case of any pain, swelling, and redness of the scrotum, the patient should seek an urgent medical consultation. Physicians should be aware that testicular swelling after the MMR vaccine might not be just epididymal-orchitis but really a medical emergency.

Effects of deferment of clinic visit on cardiovascular outcomes during COVID-19 outbreak: a prospective cohort study

Abstract Background Current guidelines recommend 3-6 months interval outpatient follow-up for patients with cardiovascular (CV) diseases and risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM) and dyslipidemia. The impact of longer follow-up intervals is unclear. From 2020 to 2022, due to the infection control measures for COVID-19 pandemic, many patients voluntarily deferred their scheduled clinic visits. This provided us with an opportunity to study the impact of prolonged visit intervals on management CV risk factors. Purpose We aimed to investigate the impact of prolonged clinic visit intervals on CV outcomes and CV risk factor management among patients with CV diseases. Methods Patients with at least 1 CV risk factor (DM, hypertension, dyslipidemia, or a history of CV disease) were recruited from cardiology outpatient clinics from a tertiary teaching hospital from 2020-2022. Patients who opted to defer their appointment (Deferred group) were compared to those who attended their scheduled appointment (Normal group). The primary outcomes were composite major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) of myocardial infarction, stroke, or CV-related death. The secondary outcomes were any unscheduled hospitalizations, suboptimal DM control (haemoglobin A1C &amp;gt;7%) or hyperlipidemia (LDL &amp;gt; 1.4 mmol/L). Results Out of the 455 patients recruited from outpatient clinics, 162 patients (35.6%) opted to defer their scheduled clinic visit (mean age 64.7 ± 12, 37.7% female), and 293 patients (mean age 64.5 ± 10, 36.2% female) continued to attend their appointments. The mean appointment interval was 226 days for the normal group and 582 days for the deferred group (p&amp;lt; 0.001). There was no significant difference in the primary outcome of MACE between the ‘Normal’ group and the ‘Deferred’ group (2.5% vs 0.6%, p=NS). The number of patients with suboptimal DM control (11.4% vs 21.9%, p = 0.029) was higher in the deferred group, whereas suboptimal hyperlipidemia (73.1% vs 77.1%, p=NS) was not statistically different. There were a total of 27 of unscheduled hospitalizations, among which the majority was for CV-related events (63.0%). Patients in the ‘Deferred’ group had higher rates of unscheduled hospitalization (12.3% vs 2.4%, p &amp;lt; 0.001) and higher rate of CV-related hospitalization compared to the ‘Normal’ group (6.2% vs 2.4%, p=0.041). Conclusion Our prospective data demonstrates that a prolonged clinic visit interval of more than 365 days was not associated with significant increase in adverse CV event or worsening of lipid control. However, prolonged clinic visit interval was associated with worse DM control and more frequent unscheduled hospitalization. More frequent medical contact might allow timely management of medical emergency at the outpatient setting and contribute to the lower rate of hospitalization in the routine follow-up group.

Preventing battery ingestion in children: public health strategies and technological innovations

Abstract Background Accidental ingestion of button batteries can cause severe and sometimes fatal injuries, such as chemical burns, esophageal perforations, and long-term complications. In response to this challenge, prevention strategies have evolved. A recent example of safety-targeted technological innovation includes new coin lithium batteries with more secure packaging, a non-toxic bitter coating to deter ingestion, and a ‘color alert technology’ that activates a blue dye upon contact with saliva. These features are designed to discourage ingestion and facilitate the rapid identification of an injury, allowing for timely medical intervention. Methods This abstract reviews the public health strategies proposed or implemented to prevent this serious type of injury, augmented by an analysis of data from the Susy Safe registry, which identified 1,115 cases of battery ingestion in children, and an additional 94 cases from the literature, totaling 1,209 injuries. Results The review of existing prevention strategies highlights various approaches, including public awareness campaigns, enhanced product regulations, and the implementation of stricter safety standards for batteries and devices. Analysis of Susy Safe data helps characterize the issue, underscoring the frequency and circumstances of battery ingestions and provides an empirical basis to assess the effectiveness of existing prevention strategies and to guide the development of new policies. The combination of technological improvements and legislative initiatives could represent a significant breakthrough in preventing these dangerous injuries. Conclusions While technological innovations are promising, effective prevention of battery ingestion will require a multifaceted approach that integrates technology, education, public policy, and regulatory oversight. Collaboration among manufacturers, lawmakers, health professionals, and the community is essential to reduce the incidence of these medical emergencies. Key messages • Accidental ingestion of button batteries can cause severe and sometimes fatal injuries. • The combination of technological improvements and legislative initiatives could represent a significant breakthrough in preventing button batteries in children.

Accuracy of various matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)-based rapid identification methods—As a tool to augment diagnostic stewardship in blood culture laboratory, South India

BackgroundBlood stream infection is a medical emergency associated with high morbidity and mortality. Prompt identification of bloodstream infection-causing microorganisms directly from positive blood culture will significantly enhance patient care by reducing the turnaround time of pathogen recognition. MethodsA total of 256 freshly flagged positive blood culture bottles were subjected to Gram staining. Direct MALDI-TOF MS analysis was performed following sample preparation techniques such as lysis centrifugation, lysis filtration and VITEK® MS BC kit to directly identify microorganisms from positive blood cultures. Along with these short-term incubation methods of Choco spot and minute colony(8–10h) were also performed. All those positive bottles were identified by the routine (reference) laboratory method. Results177 isolates (69.14 %) were correctly identified by Lysis centrifugation, 163 isolates (63.67 %) were correctly identified by Lysis filtration, 206 isolates (80.47 %) were correctly identified by Choco spot,250 isolates (97.65 %) were correctly identified from minute colony (8–10h) of incubation. Of 162 isolates,115 isolates (70.99 %) were correctly identified by VITEK® MS Blood culture kit, (BioMérieux). VITEK® MS BC kit method revealed higher agreement with the kappa value of 0.697 than lysis centrifugation (0.672) followed by lysis filtration (0.611). ConclusionsIn house method of lysis centrifugation is found to be equivalent to VITEK® MS BC kit method and superior to lysis filtration method in correct direct identification of bacteria from positive blood cultures by MALDI-TOF MS analysis. As lysis centrifugation requires only 10 min of processing time as compared to overnight incubation, thus it offers a less expensive substitute for the VITEK® MS BC kit in the clinical laboratory. As a consequence of this study, we have implemented direct MALDI-TOF-based identification from positive BCs in our daily routine diagnostic management.

Variations in access to acute care services by immigrant background and sociodemographic factors

Abstract Background The Emergency Medical Communication Center (EMCC) plays a vital role in the medical emergency response system by triaging contacts, notifying local physicians, and providing medical advice. The utilization of acute care services and the subsequent care pathway by individuals with immigrant background remains unclear in the Norwegian context. This study aims to investigate whether disparities exist in the acute care pathway for patients with different sociodemographic background who use ambulance services. Methods We examined all code red ambulance dispatches for life-threatening emergencies in 2021 in Norway. These ambulance dispatches were linked to primary health care and specialist health care contacts to trace patient pathways and outcomes. Statistical analyses were conducted using linear regression models, adjusted for patient characteristics, such as immigrant background, age, sex, municipality of residence, living condition, socioeconomic status, comorbidity and cause of emergency contact. Results Preliminary crude findings indicate that patients with immigrant background are overrepresented in the groups receiving acute primary care only and underrepresented in the groups transferred directly to specialist health care, within 8 hours after ambulance arrival at the patients’ location. Conclusions The preliminary results suggest challenges for the EMCC in triaging patients with immigrant background, but further research is needed to explore potential systematic differences. This study aims to improve understanding of disparities in access to acute care and inform targeted interventions to optimize resource allocation in emergency departments. Key messages • This study may improve understanding of disparities in access to acute care in Norway. • This study can inform targeted interventions to improve resource allocation in emergency departments.

A 5-Year retrospective analysis of adverse events in dentistry at the Dental Hospital, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University

BackgroundPatient safety is a critical concern in dentistry. Adverse events (AEs) can harm patients, increase costs, and decrease satisfaction. Understanding AE types and frequencies is crucial for effective risk management and quality improvement. This study analyzes incident reports to identify preliminary incident patterns as a starting point for developing risk management strategies. However, under-reporting limits the ability to identify true incident patterns, highlighting the need for improved reporting systems and encouragement of incident reporting. Further research is underway to develop such a system and promote reporting to ensure sufficient data quality for effective risk management.MethodsA retrospective analysis of 1,618 incident reports from December 2018 to August 2023 was conducted. A validated classification system, developed from a 5-year retrospective analysis and approved by 14 experts, categorized patient safety incidents, aligning with Thailand’s Hospital Accreditation standards. Descriptive statistics summarized AE frequency and distribution.ResultsOf the reports, 752 were patient safety, 503 personnel safety, and 363 organizational safety incidents. Top patient safety incidents included medical record errors (176), accidental damage (66), post-operative complications (65), medical emergencies (64), and communication errors (53). Personnel safety incidents involved inappropriate working conditions (135) and work-related injuries with contact transmission risk (117). Organizational safety incidents mainly concerned policy and operational processes (131).ConclusionsThis study reveals the preliminary patterns of adverse events (AEs) in dental settings and underscores the limitations due to under-reporting, which affect the ability to fully understand true incident patterns. To effectively manage risks, there is a critical need for improving the existing incident reporting system and encouraging a culture of comprehensive reporting among dental professionals. Future efforts should focus on enhancing reporting systems to ensure high-quality data, enabling better identification of incident trends and supporting targeted risk management strategies to improve patient safety in dentistry.

A hybrid decision support system in medical emergencies using artificial neural network and hyperbolic secant grey wolf optimization techniques

A hybrid decision support system in medical emergencies using artificial neural network and hyperbolic secant grey wolf optimization techniques

Outcomes of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Patients with Adrenal Insufficiency

Abstract Background Patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI) have both increased risk of cardiovascular disease and adverse outcomes with many medical emergencies. However, limited data exist specifically regarding ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the context of AI. Methods Admissions for STEMI were identified in the 2016-2019 National Inpatient Sample. In-hospital outcomes were compared between patients with and without AI. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) intervention, acute kidney injury (AKI), vasopressor use, mechanical circulatory support (MCS), mechanical ventilation, ventricular tachycardia (VT), hospital length of stay (LOS), and total charges. Multivariable regression models were used to adjust for potential confounders. Results Among 690,430 STEMI hospitalizations, 1,382 (0.2%) had a diagnosis of AI. AI was associated with higher odds of in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.51, 95% CI 1.03-2.2), lower odds of PCI (aOR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55-0.98), higher odds of CABG (aOR 2.8, 95% CI 1.89-4.2) and, AKI (aOR 2.38, 95% CI 1.72–3.3), VT (aOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.1-2.2), need for vasopressors (aOR 2.34, 95% CI 1.33-4.1), mechanical ventilation (aOR 2.11, 95% CI 1.54-2.89) and MCS (aOR 2.18, 95% CI 1.57–3.03). Patients with AI also had a longer LOS (10 days vs. 4.2 days, p&amp;lt;0.001) and higher charges ($258,475 vs. $115,505, p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusion Patients with AI admitted for STEMI had higher in-hospital mortality, non-fatal adverse outcomes, and resource utilization compared to patients without AI.

Evaluation of relationship between clinical, paraclinical characteristics and treatment outcomes in patients with infective endocarditis at Ha Noi Heart Hospital

Background: Globally, infective endocarditis (IE) patients exhibit a positive blood culture rate of 80-90%, while in Vietnam, this rate is lower at 68-70%. Hanoi Heart Hospital lacks previous evaluations of microbiological outcomes and their correlation with IE treatment. Objective: “Survey of clinical and paraclinical characteristics, microbiological results and treatment outcomes; relationship with clinical outcomes in patients with infective endocarditis”. Methods: A prospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study with longitudinal follow-up was conducted on IE patients diagnosed using the modified Duke criteria between May 2022 and October 2023. Results: Among 63 patients (mean age: 51.03 ± 15.92 years), 63.5% had NYHA class 2, and 93.7% had echocardiographic vegetations. Positive blood cultures were found in 36.5%, with Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and Enterococcus faecalis being the predominant pathogens. Treatment included medical therapy (31.7%), emergency surgery (7.9%), and scheduled surgery (60.3%). Recurrence occurred in 12.7%, and mortality was 9.5%; C-reactive protein (CRP) was significantly associated with clinical outcomes (OR: 1.017, p = 0.003); AUC = 0.731 of negative blood cultures on admission to clinical outcomes. Conclusion: Transthoracic echocardiography effectively detects vegetations, and while positive blood culture rates are lower, overall outcomes are favorable. Elevated CRP and negative blood cultures at admission are significant predictors of clinical outcomes in IE patients.

Mobile computed tomography at the Munich Oktoberfest : From idea to implementation.

The Munich Oktoberfest, the largest folk festival in the world, attracts around 6.2million visitors over 16-18days. Some of the visitors exhibit certain risky behaviors, leading to asignificantly increased number of medical emergencies during the festival. During Oktoberfest, the prehospital and clinical emergency services of the city are heavily strained, as one-third more ambulances are needed, and over 7000 patients must be treated on-site each year. Until 2022, there was no option for guideline-compliant radiological assessment on-site for patients with head or facial trauma and suspected serious trauma-related injuries. This required alarge number of emergency service admissions to hospitals, mostly for outpatient assessments. To relieve the overburdened medical system, amobile computed tomography (CT) scanner was set up on the Oktoberfest grounds in 2022 for the first time. Amobile CT scanner at the Munich Oktoberfest was utilized for diagnosing injuries to the face, cranium, and cervical spine. For an indication of cranial CT, we used acombination of the Canadian CT Head Rule and NEXUS criteria. Despite the complex structural conditions, this integration seamlessly fit into the structured processes of the on-site medical service. Since this deployment was, to our knowledge, the first of its kind globally, we had to develop and implement new clinical concepts and procedures tailored to the unique conditions of afolk festival. We demonstrated that aCT scanner could be effectively integrated into the preclinical processes of amedical service without direct hospital connection. On-site CT diagnostics proved to be ahighly effective means of avoiding unnecessary transportation to the hospital. Consequently, areduction in emergency medical service provision and stabilization of clinical emergency medicine during the Oktoberfest became feasible. From the authors' perspective, establishing amobile CT scanner at events with high or very high demands on preclinical and clinical emergency medicine is feasible and provides significant relief for the system. The primary goal of stabilizing prehospital and clinical emergency structures, as well as improving the detection and treatment of potentially life-threatening patients on-site, was successfully achieved. Careful integration into the overall process flow is essential.

A Cross-Sectional Study of the Perception of Individualized Nursing Care Among Nurses in Acute Medical and Perioperative Settings

Background/Objectives: Individualized nursing care allows for systematic assessment and intervention; considers a patient’s preferences, values, and context; and contributes to a positive care trajectory. However, its operationalization has proven to be challenging. This research aimed to evaluate nurses’ perceptions of individualized care and analyze their relationship with sociodemographic variables. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 122 eligible and registered nurses at a Hospital Center, in the Ophthalmology (operating room and inpatient ward) service, the Cardiology service, the Internal Medicine service, and the Medical Emergency Unit, for adults/older adults in Portugal. The nursing version of the Individualized Care Scale (ICS-Nurse) was used for the assessment, including three sub-dimensions: clinical situation, personal life situation, and decisional control over care-related decisions. Cronbach’s alpha and principal component analysis were used for the data analysis. The STROBE checklist was used to report this study. Results: No statistically significant differences were found based on the age, gender, level of education, or years of professional experience of the nurses within the sub-dimensions of individualization. The nurses overall had a good perception of the importance of individualized care (4.06 ± 0.46 ICS-A-NURSE) but faced difficulties in its implementation during the last shift they worked (3.97 ± 0.49 ICS-B-NURSE). Conclusions: The items considered to be of greatest importance were the response to the physical and emotional needs arising from illness and assistance in decision-making through educational instructions. Aspects related to the personal lives of patients, such as family inclusion in an individual’s care plan, everyday habits, and previous experiences of hospitalization, received the lowest scores. Recognizing priority areas for improvement in the individualization of nursing care can contribute to developing training programs and policies that promote a holistic approach. Future studies should consider patient outcomes related to their needs for individualization.

The Difference Knowledge and Skill to do BLS with Video and Demonstration Methods in Youth Organizations RW 04 Ambengan Tengah Surabaya

Tim Gerak Cepat (TGC) is one of Surabaya's command centers that serves various real time reports related to medical emergencies, one of which is cardiac arrest. Not every time TGC can arrive to provide rapid assistance, which can be influenced by inadequate road access to the location. This causes the provision of help including help for victims of cardiac arrest to be delayed. The objectives is to analyze the video effectiveness and demonstration methods on the ability to perform BLS on youth organizations RW 04 Ambengan Tengah Surabaya. Using pre-experimental using Two Group Pretest-Posttest Design. The study population was all youth organizations in RW 04 Ambengan Tengah Surabaya. The research sample amounted to 36 adolescents who were selected by random sampling by meeting the inclusion criteria. The data analysis used was the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and Mann Whitney test. The Wilcoxon test showed that both methods could improve knowledge about BLS with a significance value of 0.000 (p&lt;0.05) and could improve adolescents' skills in performing BLS with a significance value in the video group of 0.002 while in the demonstration group it was 0.001 (p&lt;0.05). The different results score pre-test post-test knowledge of both methods with the Mann Whitney test showed a significance value in 0.129 (p &lt;0.05) while the skill different score pre-test post-test had a significance 0.500 (p&gt;0.05) value . This shows that between the video and demonstration methods there is no significant difference.

Benzodiazepines: Predominant Reported Acute Poisoning to Private Sector Tertiary Care Hospitals in Karachi

Background: Acute poisoning is a major medical emergency that translates into morbidity and mortality across all age groups, it is a potentially preventable cause of illness and death. This study was carried out to assess the epidemiological information of acute poisoning among the general population presented to the three campuses of a private tertiary care teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted at three campuses of a private tertiary care teaching hospital, Dr. Ziauddin Hospital in Karachi, comprising of records from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2022, of patients reporting acute poisoning. These records were accessed after getting approval from the Ethical review committee. Consecutive sampling technique was applied while data was collected. All cases of acute poisoning reporting to the emergency department with complete records were included. While data of those with any other diagnosis or incomplete record were excluded. Descriptive analysis was performed for quantitative variables. For categorical data frequency and percentages were extracted. The chi-square test was used to associate categorical variables. P value less than 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: The total number of cases was n=518 out of which n=235 (45.4%) were males while n=283 (54.6%) were females and the maximum number of cases n=111 (21.4%) were associated with Benzodiazepines followed by insecticide poisoning and ingestion of rodenticides. Conclusions: The most susceptible groups to acute poisoning were found to be women and children. A prevalent agent that caused toxicity was benzodiazepines; the biggest number of cases occurred in April, while the lowest number occurred in December. The year 2020 was linked to the highest number of cases.

ER and doctors’ preparedness to manage status epilepticus: a multi-institutional survey from the Gaza Strip

BackgroundStatus epilepticus (SE) is a top neurological and medical emergency. Adequate staff knowledge and sufficient hospital resources are mandatory for timely management and better outcomes. This study aims to evaluate Palestinian ER doctors’ knowledge and beliefs towards SE and assess the state and availability of hospital resources needed to manage SE appropriately.MethodsThis cross-sectional study surveyed all ER doctors working in the six governmental hospitals in the Gaza Strip during June 2022. A questionnaire assessed the knowledge and beliefs toward SE and the practice of SE knowledge acquisition. Simultaneous field surveys determined the availability of essential medications and resources at each hospital and doctors’ actual awareness about the status of these resources. Linear regression determined predictors of higher knowledge scores.Results137 doctors participated (response rate 81%). Most were males, had graduated within six years of data collection, and 45.3% worked at Shifa Medical Complex. 63.5% of participants recognized the correct operational definition of status epilepticus. 85.4 and 83.9% recognized that it might cause permanent brain damage or death, respectively. Only 10.9% recognized the average mortality rate of a single convulsive SE episode. 44.5% believed that awaiting spontaneous SE resolution is a valid approach to management. Significant defects were noted in the awareness of subclinical SE, including its recognition and prevalence in ciritcally ill patients. Having a higher qualification and graduating from local medical schools predicted higher scores. In field surveys, EEG was unavailable at all hospitals, while CT scans and a neurologist physician were unavailable at two hospitals. IV phenytoin was the only second-line treatment available at all hospitals. IV valproate and levetiracetam were universally unavailable.ConclusionsThe survey revealed significant defects in Palestinian ER doctors’ knowledge and beliefs towards SE. Several hospitals also demonstrated a critical lack of resources to manage this condition appropriately. This should be addressed by the local health authorities to avoid potentially preventable SE-related mortality and morbidity.

Severity levels of anorexia nervosa and atypical anorexia nervosa in a Korean cohort.

Despite its potential for informing tailored treatments, the severity of eating disorders (EDs) lacks clear conceptualisation. The present retrospective cohort study examined the clinical validity and utility of severity specifiers for anorexia nervosa (AN) and atypical AN in a Korean population. Data from 696 Korean outpatients with AN or atypical AN were analysed. Severity criteria for AN from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, and the Medical Emergencies in Eating Disorders (MEED) guidance were used. Severity criteria applied for atypical AN were the frequency of intermittent fasting (ED Diagnostic Scale item 17), Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire global scores, and the degree of weight suppression. Prevalence of extreme cases of AN in our cohort was higher than in Western populations in previous studies. MEED guidance further subclassified extreme AN, revealing distinct psychopathological profiles across severity levels. The proposed severity classification for atypical AN based on the weight loss behaviour of intermittent fasting showed merit. These findings suggest a potential need for a more nuanced AN severity classification that better represents severe medical aspects and encompasses cultural and ethnic diversities. In atypical AN, there is a need to examine severity indices measuring pathological behaviours.

Epidemiology and outcome of medical emergency team calls within 48 hours of intensive care unit discharge.

Some patients experience early (within 48 h) clinical deterioration and medical emergency team (MET) review following intensive care unit (ICU) discharge. Few studies have explored early MET review, despite it being a recognised quality and safety indicator. To evaluate the (i) proportion of patients discharged from ICU receiving MET review and timing of reviews; (ii) characteristics of patients who received early MET review and (iii) predictors of early MET review and associations with clinical outcomes. This is a retrospective observational study of ICU discharges over 2 years in a tertiary hospital and involves descriptive and inferential statistics, including logistic regression analysis. Of 3712 patients, 312 (8.4%) had an early MET review. Patients with cardiothoracic, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and general surgical diagnoses, higher illness severity or who received invasive ventilation had a higher risk of early MET review. On multivariable analysis, early MET review was associated with an increased risk of ICU re-admission (odds ratio (OR) 6.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.01-9.13, P < 0.001), in-hospital mortality (OR 3.62, 95% CI 2.19-5.99, P < 0.001) and discharge to a nursing home (OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.25-4.97, P = 0.01). Length of stay was longer in patients requiring early post-ICU MET review compared to those who did not (median 16 days vs. 10 days, P < 0.001). One in 12 patients received post-ICU early MET review. This was more likely in patients who were invasively ventilated, had higher illness severity and had certain admission diagnoses. Such patients were at risk for worse outcomes. There is a need to identify reversible factors contributing to such increased risk.

The effect of acceptance and commitment therapy on work-related rumination and job fatigue of medical emergency and accident management center staff: an experimental study

BackgroundWorking in accident management centers and medical emergencies makes employees face psychological tensions and leads to a decrease in their work quality and endangering the lives of patients. Therefore, any solution to reduce their tension will be valuable. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of acceptance and commitment-based therapy (ACT) on work-related rumination and job fatigue among the employees of the Emergency and Medical Accident Management Center of Alborz Province, Iran.MethodsThis study is an experimental research with intervention and control groups conducted between January 16, 2019, and July 8, 2019. Sixty-four employees were selected based on the entry criteria and randomly assigned to two groups. People in the intervention group participated in 8 sessions of 2-hour therapy based on acceptance and commitment. Questionnaires for demographic information, work-related rumination, and occupational recovery/exhaustion were used to collect data. The intervention was conducted with univariate and multivariate covariance analysis.ResultsThe findings showed that the average job fatigue reached 16.78\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\:\\pm\\:$$\\end{document} 11.44 from 37.06 ± 16.70 in the pre-test with a decrease of 20.28 points. Also, the average of all rumination dimensions related to work decreased in the post-test. The findings showed that the effectiveness of treatment based on acceptance and commitment therapy was confirmed on job fatigue and all its components and all dimensions of work-related rumination (p < 0.05). The partial eta square index was greater than 0.14 in all cases and showed the significant effectiveness of the intervention on all components of work-related rumination and job fatigue.ConclusionTreatment based on acceptance and commitment reduced rumination and job fatigue. It is recommended to practice this intervention to improve personnel’s mental health and the quality of services provided to patients.Clinical trial numberNot applicable.

Prehospital management and outcomes of patients calling with chest pain as the main complaint

BackgroundChest pain is a frequent cause of health care contacts. We examined the prehospital management, in-hospital discharge diagnoses, and mortality of patients calling a non-emergency and emergency medical service with chest pain.MethodsThe Copenhagen Emergency Medical Services (EMS) consists of a non-emergency medical helpline (calls to 1813) and emergency medical service (1-1-2 calls). We included all calls to the Copenhagen EMS with a primary complaint of chest pain from 2014 to 2018 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The outcomes were: emergency response (ambulance dispatch, other transports/self-transport/home visits, self-care, and unknown/cancelled response), in-hospital diagnosis within 7 days after the call (cardiovascular, pulmonary, or other non-cardiovascular/pulmonary) and 30-day mortality.ResultsAmong 4,834,071 calls, 91,671 were registered with chest pain at the Copenhagen EMS. The first call for each patient was kept for analysis (n = 66,762). In total, 91.4% were referred to the hospital, 75.8% (n = 50,627) received an ambulance and 15.6% (n = 10,383) received other transport/self-transport/home visits. Overall, 26.9% (n = 17,937) were diagnosed with a cardiovascular disease, 5.2% (n = 3,490) a pulmonary disease, 52.8% (n = 35.242) other non-cardiovascular/pulmonary disease, and 15.1% (n = 10,093) received no diagnosis. Among ambulance-transported patients, the prevalence of cardiovascular discharge diagnoses was higher (32.1%) and fewer received no diagnosis (11.0%). Cardiovascular disease was less prevalent among patients not transported by ambulance and patients not referred to hospital at all (2-13.4%) and in patients ≤ 40 years of age (< 10%). The 30-day mortality was below 5% regardless of diagnosis (0.6-4%), and 65,704 (98.4%) were still alive 30 days later.ConclusionNearly all patients calling with chest pain were referred for treatment. Among ambulance-transported patients, around half of the patients did not have a cardiovascular/pulmonary disease. While current practices appear reasonable, improved differentiation of chest pain patients in telephone consultations could potentially both improve the treatment and management of these patients and reduce the in-hospital burden of non-acute chest pain consultations.

Evaluating the Incidence, Response, and Management Proficiency of Medical Emergencies in Dental Practices

Background: Dental professionals must be ready to respond quickly and effectively to medical emergencies that may arise in unexpected locations, such as dental offices. Given its sizable population and expanding dental sector, Pakistan is not exempt from such potential catastrophes. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of medical emergencies in dental outpatient departments (public and private). In addition, we aimed to pinpoint any inadequacies in procedures that impede efficient administration and offer ideas for enhancing the capacity to handle medical crises in dental offices. Methods: In a six-month cross-sectional study, dental professionals were given a reliable, closed-ended questionnaire to evaluate their attitudes, procedures, and level of expertise in handling medical emergencies. A total of 271 responses were evaluated. Results: Most instances recorded in medical crises were syncope (36%), followed by hypoglycemia (26%). The majority of reported medical situations (77.8%) were managed successfully within the hospital according to the findings of the study. Of the practitioners, approximately 55.9% adhered to all required guidelines for handling medical emergencies, while 34.8% only partially did so. Approximately 69.6% of practitioners did not follow the protocol when it came to using emergency equipment or drugs. Approximately 65% of practitioners stated that the most difficult aspects of handling medical emergencies were panic or disorientation and a lack of training. Dental professionals and personnel were trained in basic life support (39%), demonstration/lectures (21%), and addressing medical crises (figure 2). Conclusion: The fact that medical emergencies at dental offices are uncommon does not mean that a large percentage of dentists are well-equipped to manage these circumstances. By filling these gaps, the dental profession can improve patient safety and emergency practitioner competencies.