Focusing on experts: Expectations of healthcare professionals regarding the use of telemedicine in intensive care units.

Objectives: Telemedical applications are solutions to challenges in the healthcare system. However, it is unclear what intensive care unit healthcare professionals expect from such solutions. This study investigated the expectations and concerns of nurses and physicians when implementing telemedicine tools in intensive care units (tele-ICU). Methods: The study was conducted in intensive care units in 2020 during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. It used a mixed-methods approach targeted at physicians and nurses and involved 14 qualitative interviews and 63 quantitative questionnaires. Results: The qualitative and quantitative data showed that both nurses and physicians were willing to use tele-ICU. Nurses recognised the advantages of real-time access to expertise offered by tele-ICU, but feared this would reduce physicians' on-site patient time. Physicians, in turn, were concerned that they would be expected to be continuously on call. The majority in both groups agreed that any tele-ICU solution must be simple to use and integrate easily into existing organisational structures, networks, and work routines. Additionally, COVID-19 significantly influenced expectations: those who reported having more personal health concerns during the pandemic were more predisposed to favour the use of tele-ICU. Conclusions: Overall, tele-ICU supports better care, but a successful implementation depends on its ease of use and context-sensitive approaches. Effectively integrating tele-ICU solutions into daily clinical routines requires input from nurses and physicians and their involvement in the implementation process from the outset, as well as consideration of existing organisational structures. Such measures will vastly increase the chance of acceptance and successful adoption of telemedical solutions in clinical practice.

Research areas and trends in family-centered care in the 21st century: a bibliometric review.

Introduction: Family-centered care (FCC) is a model of care provision that sees a patient's loved ones as essential partners to the health care team and positively influences the psychological safety of patients and loved ones. Objectives: This review aims to present an overview of impactful publications, authors, institutions, journals, countries, fields of application and trends of FCC in the 21st century as well as suggestions on further research. Methods: The Web of Science Database was searched for publications on FCC between January 2000 and Dezember 2023. After screening for duplicates, VOS Viewer and CiteSpace were used to analyze and visualize the data. Results: Scientific interest in FCC has grown and resulted in the scientific output of 4,836 publications originating from 103 different countries. Based on the frequent author keywords, FCC was of greatest interest in neonatology and pediatrics, nursing, critical and intensive care, end-of-life and palliative care, and patient-related outcomes. The recent research hotspots are "patient engagement," "qualitative study," and "health literacy." Conclusion: FCC has gained recognition and spread from the pediatric to the adult palliative, intensive, end-of-life and geriatric care settings. This is a very reassuring development since adults, especially when older, want and need the assistance of their social support systems. Recent research directions include the involvement of patients in the development of FCC strategies, health literacy interventions and the uptake of telemedicine solutions.

[Comfort Terminal Care in the intensive care unit: recommendations for practice]. / Comfort Terminal Care auf der Intensivstation: Empfehlungen für die Praxis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The Working Group on Ethics in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine of the Austrian Society for Anesthesiology Resuscitation and Intensive Care Medicine (ÖGARI) already developed documentation tools for the adaption of therapeutic goals 10 years ago. Since then the practical implementation of Comfort Terminal Care in the daily routine in particular has raised numerous questions, which are discussed in this follow-up paper and answered in an evidence-based manner whenever possible. RESULTS: The practical implementation of pain therapy and reduction of anxiety, stress and respiratory distress that are indicated in the context of Comfort Terminal Care are described in more detail. The measures that are not (or no longer) indicated, such as oxygen administration and ventilation as well as the administration of fluids and nutrition, are also commented on. Furthermore, recommendations are given regarding monitoring, (laboratory) findings and drug treatment and the importance of nursing actions in the context of Comfort Terminal Care is mentioned. Finally, the support for the next of kin and the procedure in the time after death are presented. DISCUSSION: A change in treatment goals with a timely switch to Comfort Terminal Care enables good and humane care for seriously ill patients and their relatives at the end of life and the appreciation of their previous life with the possibility of positive experiences until the end.

Concentration-effect relationship for tranexamic acid inhibition of tissue plasminogen activator-induced fibrinolysis in vitro using the viscoelastic ClotPro® TPA-test.

BACKGROUND: Tranexamic acid is an antifibrinolytic drug that is commonly administered for obstetric haemorrhage. Conventional viscoelastic tests are not sensitive to tranexamic acid, but the novel ClotPro® TPA-test can measure tranexamic acid-induced inhibition of fibrinolysis. We aimed to evaluate the TPA-test in pregnant and non-pregnant women. METHODS: We performed an in vitro study of whole blood samples spiked with tranexamic acid from pregnant women in the first, second, and third trimester (n=20 per group) and from non-pregnant women (n=20). We performed ClotPro TPA-tests of whole blood sample and ClotPro EX-tests, FIB-tests, and TPA-tests. RESULTS: Clot lysis was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner up to a tranexamic acid concentration of 6.25 mg L-1. At tranexamic acid concentrations of 12.5 mg L-1 and above, clot lysis was completely inhibited. The concentration-effect relationship of tranexamic acid did not differ in a clinically important manner in blood from pregnant women across all three trimesters or from non-pregnant controls. A median maximum lysis cut-off value of at9 least 16% (25-75th percentiles 15-18), a median clot lysis time of 3600 s (25-75th percentiles 3600-3600), or both was associated with a tranexamic acid concentration of least 12.5 mg L-1. CONCLUSIONS: The ClotPro® TPA-test is sensitive in detecting inhibition of fibrinolysis by tranexamic acid in whole blood samples of pregnant and non-pregnant women. The concentration-effect relationship of tranexamic acid to inhibit fibrinolysis in whole blood did not differ for women in the first, second, and third trimester or for non-pregnant women.

The promise of digital healthcare technologies.

Digital health technologies have been in use for many years in a wide spectrum of healthcare scenarios. This narrative review outlines the current use and the future strategies and significance of digital health technologies in modern healthcare applications. It covers the current state of the scientific field (delineating major strengths, limitations, and applications) and envisions the future impact of relevant emerging key technologies. Furthermore, we attempt to provide recommendations for innovative approaches that would accelerate and benefit the research, translation and utilization of digital health technologies.

Inadequate Energy Delivery Is Frequent among COVID-19 Patients Requiring ECMO Support and Associated with Increased ICU Mortality.

BACKGROUND: Patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support are at high risk for malnutrition. There are currently no general nutrition guidelines for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients during ECMO therapy. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of COVID-19 patients requiring venovenous ECMO support at a large tertiary hospital center. Nutrition goals were calculated using 25 kcal/kg body weight (BW)/day. Associations between nutrition support and outcome were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: Overall, 102 patients accounted for a total of 2344 nutrition support days during ECMO therapy. On 40.6% of these days, nutrition goals were met. Undernutrition was found in 40.8%. Mean daily calorie delivery was 73.7% of calculated requirements, mean daily protein delivery was 0.7 g/kg BW/d. Mean energy intake of ≥70% of calculated targets was associated with significantly lower ICU mortality independently of age, disease severity at ECMO start and body mass index (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.372, p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a mean energy delivery of ≥70% of calculated targets during ECMO therapy had a better ICU survival compared to patients with unmet energy goals. These results indicate that adequate nutritional support needs to be a major priority in the treatment of COVID-19 patients requiring ECMO support.

The Effect of Prone Positioning After Lung Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Prone positioning has become a standard therapy in acute respiratory distress syndrome to improve oxygenation and decrease mortality. However, little is known about prone positioning in lung transplant recipients. This large, singe-center analysis investigated whether prone positioning improves gas exchange after lung transplantation. METHODS: Clinical data of 583 patients were analyzed. Prone position was considered in case of impaired gas exchange Pao2/fraction of oxygen in inhaled air (<250), signs of edema after lung transplantation, and/or evidence of reperfusion injury. Patients with hemodynamic instability or active bleeding were not proned. Impact of prone positioning (n = 165) on gas exchange, early outcome and survival were determined and compared with patients in supine positioning (n = 418). RESULTS: Patients in prone position were younger, more likely to have interstitial lung disease, and had a higher lung allocation score. Patients were proned for a median of 19 hours (interquartile range,15-26) hours). They had significantly lower Pao2/fraction of oxygen in inhaled air (227 ± 96 vs 303 ± 127 mm Hg, P = .004), and lower lung compliance (24.8 ± 9.1 mL/mbar vs 29.8 ± 9.7 mL/mbar, P < .001) immediately after lung transplantation. Both values significantly improved after prone positioning for 24 hours (Pao2/fraction of oxygen ratio: 331 ± 91 mm Hg; lung compliance: 31.7 ± 20.2 mL/mbar). Survival at 90 days was similar between the 2 groups (93% vs 96%, P = .105). CONCLUSIONS: Prone positioning led to a significant improvement in lung compliance and oxygenation after lung transplantation. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the benefit of prone positioning in lung transplantation.

Use of Recombinant Activated Factor VII in Bleeding Lung Transplant Patients Undergoing Perioperative ECMO Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Hemostasis in critically ill patients represents a fragile balance between hypocoagulation and hypercoagulation, and is influenced by various factors. Perioperative use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)-increasingly used in lung transplantation-further destabilizes this balance, not least due to systemic anticoagulation. In the case of massive hemorrhage, guidelines recommend considering recombinant activated Factor VII (rFVIIa) as an ultima ratio treatment only after several preconditions of hemostasis have been established. These conditions are calcium levels ≥ 0.9 mmol/L, fibrinogen levels ≥ 1.5 g/L, hematocrit ≥ 24%, platelet count ≥ 50 G/L, core body temperature ≥ 35 °C, and pH ≥ 7.2. OBJECTIVES: This is the first study to examine the effect of rFVIIa on bleeding lung transplant patients undergoing ECMO therapy. The fulfillment of guideline-recommended preconditions prior to the administration of rFVIIa and its efficacy alongside the incidence of thromboembolic events were investigated. METHODS: In a high-volume lung transplant center, all lung transplant recipients receiving rFVIIa during ECMO therapy between 2013 and 2020 were screened for the effect of rFVIIa on hemorrhage, fulfillment of recommended preconditions, and incidence of thromboembolic events. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Of the 17 patients who received 50 doses of rFVIIa, bleeding ceased in four patients without surgical intervention. Only 14% of rFVIIa administrations resulted in hemorrhage control, whereas 71% of patients required revision surgery for bleeding control. Overall, 84% of all recommended preconditions were fulfilled; however, fulfillment was not associated with rFVIIa efficacy. The incidence of thromboembolic events within five days of rFVIIa administration was comparable to cohorts not receiving rFVIIa.

"Loved ones are not 'visitors' in a patient's life"-The importance of including loved ones in the patient's hospital stay: An international Twitter study of #HospitalsTalkToLovedOnes in times of COVID-19.

Background: Hospitals are institutions whose primary task is to treat patients. Family-centered care, which considers loved ones as equal partners in patient care, has been gaining recognition in the adult care setting. Our aim was to record experiences of and opinions on communication between hospital-based healthcare providers and patients' loved ones, related but not limited to the rigorous mitigation measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The Twitter profile @HospitalsTalkTo and hashtag #HospitalsTalkToLovedOnes were created to interact with the Twitter public between 7 June 2021 and 7 February 2022. Conversations surrounding #HospitalsTalkToLovedOnes were extracted and subjected to natural language processing analysis using term frequency and Markov chain analysis. Qualitative thematic analysis was performed on the 10% most interacted tweets and of tweets mentioning "COVID" from a personal experience-based subset. Results: We collected 4412 unique tweets made or interacted by 7040 Twitter users from 142 different countries. The most frequent words were patient, hospital, care, family, loved and communication. Thematic analysis revealed the importance of communication between patients, patients' loved ones and hospitals; showed that patients and their loved ones need support during a patient's hospital journey; and that pediatric care should be the gold standard for adult care. Visitation restrictions due to COVID-19 are just one barrier to communication, others are a lack of phone signal, no space or time for asking questions, and a complex medical system. We formulate 3 recommendations to improve the inclusion of loved ones into the patient's hospital stay. Conclusions: "Loved ones are not 'visitors' in a patient's life". Irrespective of COVID-19, patient's loved ones need to be included during the patient's hospital journey. Transparent communication and patient empowerment increase patient safety and improve the hospital experience for both the patients and their loved ones. Our findings underline the need for the concept of family-centered care to finally be implemented in adult nursing clinical practice.

External validation of the ProVent score for prognostication of 1-year mortality of critically ill patients with prolonged mechanical ventilation: a single-centre, retrospective observational study in Austria.

OBJECTIVES: In critically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation for at least 21 days, 1-year mortality can be estimated using the ProVent score, calculated from four variables (age, platelet count, vasopressor use and renal replacement therapy). We aimed to externally validate discrimination and calibration of the ProVent score and, if necessary, to update its underlying regression model. DESIGN: Retrospective, observational, single-centre study. SETTING: 11 intensive care units at one tertiary academic hospital. PATIENTS: 780 critically ill adult patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation for at least 21 days. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: 1-year mortality after intensive care unit discharge. RESULTS: 380 patients (49%) had died after 1 year. One-year mortality for ProVent scores from 0 to 5 were: 15%, 27%, 57%, 66%, 72% and 76%. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the ProVent probability model was 0.76 (95% CI 0.72 to 0.79), calibration intercept was -0.43 (95% CI -0.59 to -0.27) and calibration slope was 0.76 (95% CI 0.62 to 0.89). Model recalibration and extension by inclusion of three additional predictors (total bilirubin concentration, enteral nutrition and surgical status) improved model discrimination and calibration. Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the original ProVent model had negative net benefit, which was avoided with the extended ProVent model. CONCLUSIONS: The ProVent probability model had adequate discrimination but was miscalibrated in our patient cohort and, as such, could potentially be harmful. Use of the extended ProVent score developed by us could possibly alleviate this concern.

Characterization of 2 Different Prothrombin Complex Concentrates by Different Hemostatic Assays in an In Vitro Hemodilution Model.

BACKGROUND: Viscoelastically guided coagulation factor concentrate-based algorithms for the treatment of trauma-induced coagulopathy include the administration of prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs). However, the exact role of PCC preparations in this context is a matter of debate. Particularly, the ideal diagnostic trigger for their administration and potential differences between heparin-containing and heparin-free preparations remain unclear. We investigated the hypothesis that 2 different PCCs might have distinct influences on in vitro blood coagulation. METHODS: We conducted a direct comparison of 2 commercially available PCC preparations (the heparin-containing Beriplex P/N and the heparin-free Cofact) in an in vitro hemodilution model. Sole fibrinogen substitution served as the control group. To characterize the hemostatic changes, we utilized conventional coagulation tests, a thrombin generation assay (TGA), and 2 different viscoelastic hemostatic assays (VHAs; ROTEM delta and ClotPro). RESULTS: Irrespective of the diagnostic assay used, no significant differences between the 2 PCC groups were observed. Fibrinogen levels remained stable from the baseline throughout every dilution level. The control group already showed an increased endogenous thrombin potential (ETP; nM·L -1 ·min -1 ) at all dilution levels compared to baseline (baseline, 2829.4 (432.8); 40% dilution, 4211.7 (391.6); 60% dilution, 4290.9 (300.8); 80% dilution, 3861.4 (303.5); all P < .001). Spiking with both PCC preparations led to a further-pronounced thrombin elevation in comparison to the control group (ETP at 40% dilution, PCC1: 4913.3 [370.2], PCC2: 4988.1 [265.7]; 60% dilution, PCC1: 5174.5 [234.7], PCC2: 5390.4 [334.9]; 80% dilution, PCC1: 5253.8 [357.9], PCC2: 5392.6 [313.4]; all P < .001). Conventional coagulation tests did not mirror the TGA results. Despite increased thrombin generation, prothrombin time was significantly prolonged at all dilution levels for the control group, and both PCC groups exhibited significant prolongations at the 60% and 80% dilution levels (all P < .001) compared to baseline. Similarly, VHA did not depict the thrombin elevation. Furthermore, descriptive analyses revealed relevant differences between the 2 VHA devices, particularly at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Both PCC preparations (ie, irrespective of heparin content) induced significant elevation of thrombin generation, which was not depicted by conventional coagulation tests or VHA. Our in vitro results suggest that diagnostic assays routinely used to guide PCC administration might not adequately reflect thrombin generation in bleeding patients.

Subcutaneous Enoxaparin for Systemic Anticoagulation of COVID-19 Patients During Extracorporeal Life Support.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, with an inherent requirement for anticoagulation to avoid circuit thrombosis, is a key element in the treatment of respiratory failure associated with COVID-19. Anticoagulation remains challenging, the standard of care being intravenous continuous administration of unfractionated heparin. Yet regimens vary. Some intensive care units in our center have successfully used enoxaparin subcutaneously in recent years and throughout the pandemic. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed adult COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure who had been systemically anticoagulated using either enoxaparin or unfractionated heparin. The choice of anticoagulant therapy was based on the standard of the intensive care unit. Defined thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events were analyzed as study endpoints. Results: Of 98 patients, 62 had received enoxaparin and 36 unfractionated heparin. All hazard ratios for the thromboembolic (3.43; 95% CI: 1.08-10.87; p = 0.04), hemorrhagic (2.58; 95% CI: 1.03-6.48; p = 0.04), and composite (2.86; 95% CI: 1.41-5.92; p = 0.007) endpoints favored enoxaparin, whose efficient administration was verified by peak levels of anti-factor Xa (median: 0.45 IU ml-1; IQR: 0.38; 0.56). Activated partial thromboplastin time as well as thrombin time differed significantly (both p<0.001) between groups mirroring the effect of unfractionated heparin. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the successful use of subcutaneous enoxaparin for systemic anticoagulation in patients with COVID-19 during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Our findings are to be confirmed by future prospective, randomized, controlled trials.

Assay validity of point-of-care platelet function tests in thrombocytopenic blood samples.

Introduction: Point-of-care (POC) platelet function tests are faster and easier to perform than in-depth assessment by flow cytometry. At low platelet counts, however, POC tests are prone to assess platelet function incorrectly. Lower limits of platelet count required to obtain valid test results were defined and a testing method to facilitate comparability between different tests was established. Materials and methods: We assessed platelet function in whole blood samples of healthy volunteers at decreasing platelet counts (> 100, 80-100, 50-80, 30-50 and < 30 x109/L) using two POC tests: impedance aggregometry and in-vitro bleeding time. Flow cytometry served as the gold standard. The number of platelets needed to reach 50% of the maximum function (ED50) and the lower reference limit (EDref) were calculated to define limits of test validity. Results: The minimal platelet count required for reliable test results was 100 x109/L for impedance aggregometry and in-vitro bleeding time but only 30 x109/L for flow cytometry. Comparison of ED50 and EDref showed significantly lower values for flow cytometry than either POC test (P value < 0.05) but no difference between POC tests nor between the used platelet agonists within a test method. Conclusion: Calculating the ED50 and EDref provides an effective way to compare values from different platelet function assays. Flow cytometry enables correct platelet function testing as long as platelet count is > 30 x109/L whereas impedance aggregometry and in-vitro bleeding time are inconsistent unless platelet count is > 100 x109/L.

Gamma-glutamyltransferase is a strong predictor of secondary sclerosing cholangitis after lung transplantation for COVID-19 ARDS.

BACKGROUND: Lung transplantation (LTx) can be considered for selected patients suffering from COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Secondary sclerosing cholangitis in critically ill (SSC-CIP) patients has been described as a late complication in COVID-19 ARDS survivors, however, rates of SSC-CIP after LTx and factors predicting this detrimental sequela are unknown. METHODS: This retrospective analysis included all LTx performed for post-COVID ARDS at 8 European LTx centers between May 2020 and January 2022. Clinical risk factors for SSC-CIP were analyzed over time. Prediction of SSC-CIP was assessed by ROC-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients were included in the analysis. Fifteen patients (37.5%) developed SSC-CIP. GGT at the time of listing was significantly higher in patients who developed SSC-CIP (median 661 (IQR 324-871) vs 186 (109-346); p = 0.001). Moreover, higher peak values for GGT (585 vs 128.4; p < 0.001) and ALP (325 vs 160.2; p = 0.015) were found in the 'SSC' group during the waiting period. Both, GGT at the time of listing and peak GGT during the waiting time, could predict SSC-CIP with an AUC of 0.797 (95% CI: 0.647-0.947) and 0.851 (95% CI: 0.707-0.995). Survival of 'SSC' patients was severely impaired compared to 'no SSC' patients (1-year: 46.7% vs 90.2%, log-rank p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: SSC-CIP is a severe late complication after LTx for COVID-19 ARDS leading to significant morbidity and mortality. GGT appears to be a sensitive parameter able to predict SSC-CIP even at the time of listing.

Targeted Training for Subspecialist Care in Children With Medical Complexity.

Background: Children with medical complexity (CMC) are prone to medical errors and longer hospital stays, while residents do not feel prepared to provide adequate medical care for this vulnerable population. No educational guidance for the training of future pediatric tertiary care specialists outside their field of expertise involving the multidisciplinary care of CMC exists. We investigated pediatric residents past educational needs and challenges to identify key learning content for future training involving care for CMC. Methods: This was a prospective mixed-methods study at a single pediatric tertiary care center. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with residents were conducted, submitted to thematic content analysis, linked to the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) general pediatrics content outline, and analyzed with importance performance analysis (IPA). Quantitative validation was focused on key themes of pediatric nephrology within the scope of an online survey among pediatric residents and specialists. Results: A total of 16 interviews, median duration 69 min [interquartile range IQR 35], were conducted. The 280 listed themes of the ABP general pediatrics content outline were reduced to 165 themes, with 86% (theoretical) knowledge, 12% practical skills, and 2% soft skills. IPA identified 23 knowledge themes to be of high importance where improvement is necessary and deemed fruitful. Quantitative validation among 84 residents and specialists (response rate 55%) of key themes in nephrology yielded high agreement among specialists in pediatric nephrology but low interrater agreement among trainees and "trained" non-nephrologists. The occurrence of themes in the qualitative interviews and their calculated importance in the quantitative survey were highly correlated (tau = 0.57, p = 0.001). Two clusters of high importance for other pediatric specialties emerged together with a contextual cluster of frequent encounters in both in- and outpatient care. Conclusion: Regarding patient safety, this study revealed the heterogeneous aspects and the importance of training future pediatric tertiary care specialists outside their field of expertise involving the multidisciplinary care of CMC. Our results may lay the groundwork for future detailed analysis and development of training boot camps that might be able to aid the improvement of patient safety by decreasing preventable harm by medical errors, especially for vulnerable patient groups, such as CMC in tertiary care pediatrics.

Anti-factor Xa Activity Is Not Associated With Venous Thromboembolism in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Enoxaparin for Thromboprophylaxis: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Background: Anti-factor Xa activity has been suggested as a surrogate parameter for judging the effectiveness of pharmacological thromboprophylaxis with low molecular weight heparins in critically ill patients. However, this practice is not supported by evidence associating low anti-factor Xa activity with venous thromboembolism. Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study including 1,352 critically ill patients admitted to 6 intensive care units of the Medical University of Vienna, Austria between 01/2015 and 12/2018. Included patients received prophylactically dosed enoxaparin (≤100 IU/kg body weight per day). We analyzed median peak, 12-h trough and 24-h trough anti-factor Xa activity per patient and compared anti-factor Xa activity between patients without vs. with venous thromboembolic events. Results: 19 patients (1.4%) developed a total of 22 venous thromboembolic events. We did not observe a difference of median (IQR) anti-factor Xa activity between patients without venous thromboembolism [peak 0.22 IU/mL (0.14-0.32); 12-h trough 0.1 IU/mL (<0.1-0.17), 24-h trough < 0.1 IU/mL (<0.1- <0.1)] vs. patients with venous thromboembolism [peak 0.33 IU/mL (0.14-0.34); 12-h trough 0.12 IU/mL (<0.1-0.26); 24-h trough < 0.1 IU/mL (<0.1-<0.1)]. Conclusion: Patients who developed venous thromboembolism had anti-factor Xa activities comparable to those who did not suffer from venous thromboembolism.

Mandatory Vaccination Against COVID-19: Twitter Poll Analysis on Public Health Opinion.

BACKGROUND: On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization Emergency Committee declared the rapid worldwide spread of COVID-19 a global health emergency. By December 2020, the safety and efficacy of the first COVID-19 vaccines had been demonstrated. However, international vaccination coverage rates have remained below expectations (in Europe at the time of manuscript submission). Controversial mandatory vaccination is currently being discussed and has already been introduced in some countries (Austria, Greece, and Italy). We used the Twitter survey system as a viable method to quickly and comprehensively gather international public health insights on mandatory vaccination against COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to better understand the public's perception of mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in real time using Twitter polls. METHODS: Two Twitter polls were developed (in the English language) to seek the public's opinion on the possibility of mandatory vaccination. The polls were pinned to the Digital Health and Patient Safety Platform's (based in Vienna, Austria) Twitter timeline for 1 week in mid-November 2021, 3 days after the official public announcement of mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in Austria. Twitter users were asked to participate and retweet the polls to reach the largest possible audience. RESULTS: Our Twitter polls revealed two extremes on the topic of mandatory vaccination against COVID-19. Almost half of the 2545 respondents (n=1246, 49%) favor mandatory vaccination, at least in certain areas. This attitude contrasts with the 45.7% (n=1162) who categorically reject mandatory vaccination. Over one-quarter (n=621, 26.3%) of participating Twitter users said they would never get vaccinated, as reflected by the current Western European and North American vaccination coverage rate. Concatenating interpretation of these two polls should be done cautiously as participating populations might substantially differ. CONCLUSIONS: Mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 (in at least certain areas) is favored by less than 50%, whereas it is opposed by almost half of the surveyed Twitter users. Since (social) media strongly influences public perceptions and views, and social media discussions and surveys are specifically susceptible to the "echo chamber effect," the results should be interpreted as a momentary snapshot. Therefore, the results of this study need to be complemented by long-term surveys to maintain their validity.

Remote real-time supervision of prehospital point-of-care ultrasound: a feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Although prehospital point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is gaining in importance, its rapid interpretation remains challenging in prehospital emergency situations. The technical development of remote real-time supervision potentially offers the possibility to support emergency medicine providers during prehospital emergency ultrasound. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of live data transmission and supervision of prehospital POCUS in an urban environment and so to improve patients' safety. METHODS: Emergency doctors with moderate ultrasound experience performed prehospital POCUS in emergency cases (n = 24) such as trauma, acute dyspnea or cardiac shock using the portable ultrasound device Lumify™. The ultrasound examination was remotely transmitted to an emergency ultrasound expert in the clinic for real-time supervision via a secure video and audio connection. Technical feasibility as well as quality of communication and live stream were analysed. RESULTS: Prehospital POCUS with remote real-time supervision was successfully performed in 17 patients (71%). In 3 cases, the expert was not available on time and in 1 case remote data transmission was not possible due to connection problems. In 3 cases tele-supervision was restricted to video only and no verbal communication was possible via the device itself due to power saving mode of the tablet. CONCLUSION: Remote real-time supervision of prehospital POCUS in an urban environment is feasible most of the time with excellent image and communication quality. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials Number NCT04612816.