The prevalence and determinants of PTSD, anxiety, and depression in Ukrainian civilian physicians and paramedics in wartime-An observational cross-sectional study six months after outbreak.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the largest European land offensive since World War II. Individuals affected by conflicts such as war are at an increased risk of mental disorders, which result from frequent exposure to traumatic events and the breakdown of supportive social networks. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence and determinants of PTSD, anxiety, and depression in Ukrainian civilian physicians and paramedics six months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A cross-sectional study was conducted using validated questionnaires: The Life Events Checklist, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, The International Trauma Questionnaire (ICD-11), The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, The Patient Health Questionnaire-9, The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. The study showed that 61.1 % of participants indicated combat or exposure to a war zone as the most bothersome event in their experience. Physicians and paramedics did not differ in the prevalence of PTSD according to the DSM-5 diagnostic rule and of depression (criteria met by 14.5 % and 9 % of participants, respectively). However, more physicians than paramedics met the criteria of PTSD according to the ICD-11 diagnostic rule (5.1 % vs. 1.2 %) and of anxiety (16.5 % vs. 10.0 %). The risk factors for the mental health problems included personal combat experience, total trauma exposure, parenthood, and economic situation. Despite the differences found in the prevalence of PTSD depending on the criteria used, the severity of mental problems and disability in this group is significant. It is advisable to monitor the mental state and need for help among Ukrainian civilian medical personnel.

Predicting Mortality for COVID-19 Patients Admitted to an Emergency Department Using Early Warning Scores in Poland.

COVID-19 disease is characterised by a wide range of symptoms that in most cases resemble flu or cold. Early detection of infections, monitoring of patients' conditions, and identification of patients with worsening symptoms became crucial during the peak of pandemic. The aim of this study was to assess and compare the performance of common early warning scores at the time of admission to an emergency department in predicting in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19. The study was based on a retrospective analysis of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to an emergency department between March 2020 and April 2022. The prognostic value of early warning scores in predicting in-hospital mortality was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Patients' median age was 59 years, and 52.33% were male. Among all the EWS we assessed, REMS had the highest overall accuracy (AUC 0.84 (0.83-0.85)) and the highest NPV (97.4%). REMS was the most accurate scoring system, characterised by the highest discriminative power and negative predictive value compared to the other analysed scoring systems. Incorporating these tools into clinical practice in a hospital emergency department could provide more effective assessment of mortality and, consequently, avoid delayed medical assistance.

Retrospective Study to Identify Risk Factors for Severe Disease and Mortality Using the Modified Early Warning Score in 5127 Patients with COVID-19 Admitted to an Emergency Department in Poland Between March 2020 and April 2021.

BACKGROUND COVID-19, a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, has posed a threat to global public health. This retrospective study of 5127 patients with COVID-19 admitted to an Emergency Department in Poland between March 2020 and April 2021 aimed to identify risk factors for severe disease and mortality using the modified early warning score (MEWS). MATERIAL AND METHODS The study was based on a retrospective analysis of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to the Emergency Department between March 2020 and April 2021. A total of 5127 cases were included in the final analysis. Identifying the group of high-risk patients with COVID-19 was determined based on the MEWS score. RESULTS Most of the patients studied were male (53.38%). The in-hospital mortality rate among the patients was 21.53%. The factors associated with the risk of in-hospital mortality from COVID-19 were age (>60 years, hazard ratio [HR]=2.27, P<0.001), comorbidities (cancer, HR=1.39, P=0.005; heart failure, HR=1.31, P=0.009; renal failure, HR=1.37, P=0.004), higher MEWS score (MEWS ≥5, HR=1.43, P<0.001), higher percentage of lung parenchyma affected (>50%, HR=2.10, P=0.001), and higher respiratory rate (>24 breaths per min, HR=2.10, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS This study produced real-world data of risk factors for mortality from COVID-19 and the use of the MEWS for a faster identification of patients with COVID-19 requiring more intensive medical care.

Polish Medical Air Rescue Crew Interventions Concerning Neonatal Patients.

The purpose of the study was to present the characteristics of Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) interventions concerning newborns in Poland. The study involved a retrospective analysis of missions by Polish Medical Air Rescue crews concerning newborns, carried out in Poland between January 2011 and December 2020. Polish Medical Air Rescue crews were most commonly dispatched to urban areas (86.83%), for patient transfer (59.67%), using an airplane (65.43%), between 7 AM and 6:59 PM (93.14%), and in the summer (28.67%). Further management involved handing over the neonatal patient to a ground neonatal ambulance team. Most of the patients studied were male (58.02%), and the most common diagnosis requiring the HEMS or EMS intervention was a congenital heart defect (31.41%). The most common medical emergency procedure performed by Polish Medical Air Rescue crew members for the neonatal patients was intravenous cannulation (43.07%). The odds ratio for congenital malformations was higher in male newborns. The type of Polish Medical Air Rescue mission was associated with the location of the call, time of the call, ICD-10 diagnosis associated with the dispatch, selected clinical findings, most commonly performed medical emergency procedures, and mission duration and distance covered.

Analysis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Poland in a 1-year period: data from the POL-OHCA registry.

BACKGROUND: Out­of­hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a severe medical condition. Prehospital care plays an essential role in patient survival. AIMS: First, the study aimed to evaluate cases of OHCA managed by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) attempts in Poland in 2018, including their frequency and patient outcomes in terms of survival until hospital admission or transport to the hospital by helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS). Second, the study was performed to identify the predictors of patient survival until hospital admission or transport by HEMS. METHODS: It was a case­control study based on medical records. In 2018, 3 400 000 emergency visits were registered. Patients who were treated by emergency medical service (EMS) ambulance staff using defibrillation and / or administering at least 1 dose of 1 mg of epinephrine were considered to have OHCA managed by CPR attempts. RESULTS: A total of 26 783 CPR attempts were reported by EMS in Poland in 2018. The incidence of OHCA with CPR attempts in 2018 was 69.7 per 100 000 inhabitants and it varied from 58.9 per 100 000 to 84.5 per 100 000 inhabitants in 16 Polish provinces. The mean survival rate until hospital admission or transport by HEMS was 36.3% and it ranged from 34.5% to 38.3%. Patient survival until hospital admission or transport by HEMS was related to age, sex, emergency site, defibrillation during CPR, the first recorded rhythm, and procedures performed by the EMS personnel. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of OHCA with CPR attempts was similar to that reported in other European countries. Patient survival until hospital admission or transport by HEMS was associated with many well­­known, identified nonmodifiable and modifiable factors.

Characteristics of aeromedical transport, both interhospital and directly from the scene of the incident, in patients with acute myocardial infarction or acute trauma between 2011-2016 in Poland: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or acute trauma (AT) are transported by air to save time. Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) provides both flights to and from the emergency scene, as well as interhospital transport (interHtransport). OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to compare aeromedical transport and HEMS missions of AMI and AT patients regarding safety, medical procedures and the length of flights. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a case-control study analyzing the medical history records of AMI and AT patients transported between hospitals and from the scene identified using ICD-10 codes. Research of customary data (age, sex and general health status measured with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Revised Trauma Score (RTS)) was performed. RESULTS: There were 48,555 flights in the years 2011-2016, of which 7,645 (15.7%) were interhospital (19% AMI and 12% AT). Out of these, 40,910 (84.3%) HEMS missions were to patients on the scene (10% AMI and 13% AT). No fatalities were noted. The AMI GCS score was higher than in AT patients: 15.0 vs 14.0, respectively. The medical procedures during transport of AMI patients between hospitals and from the scene were the following: cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): 6 vs 73 cases (p < 0.001); oxygen therapy: 41.1% vs 50.2%, respectively. The median distance was 59.4 km vs 52.1 km (p < 0.001), while median flight time was 45.0 min vs 38.0 min (p < 0.001), respectively. Regarding AT patients, the procedures performed (during interhospital and from the scene transport) were the following: CPR: 5 vs 244 cases (p < 0.001); intubation: 10.7% vs 17.3% (p < 0.001); sedation: 50.1% vs 24.3% (p < 0.001); oxygen therapy: 17.6% vs 36.6% (p < 0.001); spinal board: 17.1% vs 66% (p < 0.001); cervical collar: 15.9% vs 63.4% (p < 0.001), respectively. Interhospital transport and HEMS mission median flight distance was 135.9 km vs 56.3 km (p < 0.001), while median flight time was 66.0 min vs 45.0 min (p < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Aeromedical transport is safe and very rarely requires resuscitation during the flight. The long distances of flights and time required can reflect the scarcity of trauma centers (TCs) compared to cardiovascular wards. The location of hemodynamic centers in Poland is optimal.

Determinants of occupational burnout among employees of the Emergency Medical Services in Poland.

INTRODUCTION: Occupational burnout is a multifaceted phenomenon and a problem often encountered among medical personnel. An example of such a group are workers of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The aim of the present study was to make an attempt to assess the level of job burnout among professionally active employees of the EMS and to compare the different occupational groups (paramedics, nurses of the system, doctors of the system) according to four analyzed factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed using an on-line questionnaire. Four factors impacting the level of burnout were analyzed: 1) attitude to work; 2) workload; 3) contact with the patient; 4) attitude to stress). The minimum possible result on the scale is 36 points and the maximum - 252. Data were analysed by means of the Cronbach's alpha coefficient, the Spearman correlation, the Ramsey RESET test, the Chow test, VIF statistics. RESULTS: The average score for occupational burnout was 131.0 points (SD ± 31.47). The tool's reliability measured by means of Cronbach's alpha was 0.910). Both nurses and doctors obtained higher results throughout the scale (ßstand.0.147 and 0.215). Significant differences were shown between the group working only in the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) teams and the other services (land EMS, emergency rooms, etc.) at the level of p < 0.000. CONCLUSIONS: EMS employees encounter varying degrees of threat by occupational burnout. Doctors working in the system are shown to have the highest level of burnout, while paramedics the lowest. Among all the jobs analyzed, the lowest level of occupational burnout has been demonstrated by employees of HEMS.

[An assessment of medical rescue actions performed by the students in the sixth year of medicine at the national medical universities in Lviv and ivano-frankivsk in an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (ohca) patient. a simulation study].

OBJECTIVE: Introduction: Sudden cardiac arrest is a condition that requires the implementation of advanced emergency medical procedures. It constitutes a significant medical, economic and social issue. The aim: To assess the medical rescue actions performed by the students in the sixth year of medicine at the National Medical Universities in Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk in an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patient. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Material and methods: The research involved students in the sixth year of medicine at the National Medical Universities in Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk. Participation was voluntary and all students were adult. Consequently, no written parental consent was required. The number of participating students amounted to 17 in Lviv and 16 in Ivano-Frankivsk. There were two stages of the study. The research was conducted in compliance with the 2015 guidelines formulated by the European Resuscitation Council. The adopted level of statistical significance was p<0.05. RESULTS: Results: The pre-test percent average amounted to 60.27% whereas the final test average values were 82.39% in the first stage and 77.96% in the second stage. Higher scores were reported in the case of Lviv students which especially refers to the final tests (p< 0.001). The most important element influencing the effectiveness of the procedures is chest compression (compression location, depth, frequency and relaxation). A higher chest compression effectiveness was reported in each subsequent stage of the research. A higher effectiveness rate was observed in students in Ivano-Frankivsk (p<0.028). The other element with a significant impact on the effectiveness of procedures is ventilation. A higher rate of successful ventilation (breath frequency, volume and strength) was noted in Ivano-Frankivsk, especially as far as the first stage after training was concerned (p<0.038). CONCLUSION: Conclusion: The education of students of medicine in Ukraine is insufficient. The results of the effectiveness of resuscitation are not satisfactory and do not prepare future doctors to perform high quality resuscitation procedures.

[The epidemiology of sudden cardiac arrest in prehospital care in the area of the silesian voivodeship].

OBJECTIVE: Introduction: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a serious medical and social issue. The incidence of SCA varies depending on the location and the circumstances. The aim: A retrospective analysis of non-hospital SCA cases from an epidemiological perspective. The research involved the population monitored by the Voivodeship Rescue Service (VRS) in Katowice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Material and methods The analysis covered dispatch order forms and emergency medical procedure forms of the VRS in Katowice in 2016 (n = 249 872). The retrospective analysis involved cases of non-hospital SCA in adults (n = 1603). Quantitative parameters have been presented as average values with standard deviation. Non-metric variables have been described by means of structure indicators. A comparative analysis was conducted by means of the Student's T-test for the quantitative variables and the Pearson's chisquared test for the non-metric variables. The statistical significance adopted for the purpose of all analyses was 0.05. RESULTS: Results: There were 1005 men (62.7%), 566 women (35.3%) and 32 cases (2.0%) where gender identification was not reported. Female individuals were generally older than male individuals (p = 0.000). Patients' average age was 65.7 years. The SCA attack rate was 59.37/100 000. SCA cases were usually reported in domestic conditions (71.1%, p = 0.000). In a majority of cases, the incident was witnessed by a third person (about 70.0% of cases, p= 0.000). Most of the SCA cases were reported in the first quarter of the year whereas the lowest number of cases was noticed in the third quarter (28.4 % vs 22.5 %). SCA was most frequent during the day. Restoration of spontaneous circulation was reported in 33.4% of the cases. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The incidence of SCA is occasional in the context of all analyzed emergency cases in the period under research. However, SCA cases are related with a high risk of failure. Acting according to the currently available knowledge will probably cause an increase of the restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) rate.