Characteristic of school injuries in Asia: a cross-national, multi-center observational study.

BACKGROUND: To prevent school injuries, thorough epidemiological data is an essential foundation. We aimed to investigate the characteristics of school injuries in Asia and explore risk factors for major trauma. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted in the participating centers of the Pan-Asian Trauma Outcome Study from October 2015 to December 2020. Subjects who reported "school" as the site of injury were included. Major trauma was defined as an Injury Severity Score (ISS) value of ≥16. RESULTS: In total, 1305 injury cases (1.0% of 127,715 events) occurred at schools. Among these, 68.2% were children. Unintentional injuries were the leading cause and intentional injuries comprised 7.5% of the cohort. Major trauma accounted for 7.1% of those with documented ISS values. Multivariable regression revealed associations between major trauma and factors, including age, intention of injury (self-harm), type of injury (traffic injuries, falls), and body part injured (head, thorax, and abdomen). Twenty-two (1.7%) died, with six deaths related to self-harm. Females represented 28.4% of injuries but accounted for 40.9% of all deaths. CONCLUSIONS: In Asia, injuries at schools affect a significant number of children. Although the incidence of injuries was higher in males, self-inflicted injuries and mortality cases were relatively higher in females. IMPACT: Epidemiological data and risk factors for major trauma resulting from school injuries in Asia are lacking. This study identified significant risk factors for major trauma occurring at schools, including age, intention of injury (self-harm), injury type (traffic injuries, falls), and body part injured (head, thoracic, and abdominal injuries). Although the incidence of injuries was higher in males, the incidence of self-harm injuries and mortality rates were higher in females. The results of this would make a significant contribution to the development of prevention strategies and relative policies concerning school injuries.

Association between Conversion to Shockable Rhythms and Survival with Favorable Neurological Outcomes for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests.

BACKGROUND: The initial cardiac rhythm in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) portends different prognoses and affects treatment decisions. Initial shockable rhythms are associated with good survival and neurological outcomes but there is conflicting evidence for those who initially present with non-shockable rhythms. The aim of this study is to evaluate if OHCA with conversion from non-shockable (i.e., asystole and pulseless electrical activity) rhythms to shockable rhythms compared to OHCA remaining in non-shockable rhythms is associated with better survival and neurological outcomes. METHOD: OHCA cases from the Pan-Asian Resuscitation Outcomes Study registry in 13 countries between January 2009 and February 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Cases with missing initial rhythms, age <18 years, presumed non-medical cause of arrest, and not conveyed by emergency medical services were excluded. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between initial and subsequent shockable rhythm, survival to discharge, and survival with favorable neurological outcomes (cerebral performance category 1 or 2). RESULTS: Of the 116,387 cases included. 11,153 (9.6%) had initial shockable rhythms and 9,765 (8.4%) subsequently converted to shockable rhythms. Japan had the lowest proportion of OHCA patients with initial shockable rhythms (7.3%). For OHCA with initial shockable rhythm, the adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for survival and good neurological outcomes were 8.11 (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.62-8.63) and 15.4 (95%CI 14.1-16.8) respectively. For OHCA that converted from initial non-shockable to shockable rhythms, the aORs for survival and good neurological outcomes were 1.23 (95%CI 1.10-1.37) and 1.61 (95%CI 1.35-1.91) respectively. The aORs for survival and good neurological outcomes were 1.48 (95%CI 1.22-1.79) and 1.92 (95%CI 1.3 - 2.84) respectively for initial asystole, while the aOR for survival in initial pulseless electrical activity patients was 0.83 (95%CI 0.71-0.98). Prehospital adrenaline administration had the highest aOR (2.05, 95%CI 1.93-2.18) for conversion to shockable rhythm. CONCLUSION: In this ambidirectional cohort study, conversion from non-shockable to shockable rhythm was associated with improved survival and neurologic outcomes compared to rhythms that continued to be non-shockable. Continued advanced resuscitation may be beneficial for OHCA with subsequent conversion to shockable rhythms.

Effect of timing of advanced life support on out-of-hospital cardiac arrests at home in Japan.

AIM: In cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) occurring at home, Japanese emergency medical services personnel decide whether to provide treatment on the scene or during transport based on their judgment. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the timing of advanced life support (ALS) (i.e., endotracheal intubation [ETI] or adrenaline administration) for OHCA at home and prognosis. METHOD: This retrospective cohort study used data from the Japan Utstein Registry and emergency transport data collected from patients who underwent pre-hospital ETI (n = 6806) and received adrenaline (n = 22,636) between 2016 and 2019. The timing of ETI or adrenaline administration was determined as "on the scene" or "in the ambulance." Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association among the timing of ALS implementation, pre-hospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and survival at 1 month. RESULT: ETI on the scene was significantly positively associated with pre-hospital ROSC (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.57-2.09) and survival at 1 month (AOR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.47-2.23). Adrenaline administration on the scene was significantly positively associated with pre-hospital ROSC (AOR, 2.51; 95% CI, 2.33-2.70) and survival at 1 month (AOR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.89-2.40). CONCLUSION: Our analysis suggests performing ALS on the scene was associated with pre-hospital ROSC and survival at 1 month. Further efforts are needed to increase the rate of ALS implementation on the scene by emergency life-saving technicians.

Modified physiologic criteria for the field triage scheme: Efficacy of major trauma recognition in different age groups in Asia.

BACKGROUND: Major trauma is a leading cause of unexpected death globally, with increasing age-adjusted death rates for unintentional injuries. Field triage schemes (FTSs) assist emergency medical technicians in identifying appropriate medical care facilities for patients. While full FTSs may improve sensitivity, step-by-step field triage is time-consuming. A simplified FTS (sFTS) that uses only physiological and anatomical criteria may offer a more rapid decision-making process. However, evidence for this approach is limited, and its performance in identifying all age groups requiring trauma center resources in Asia remains unclear. METHODS: We conducted a multinational retrospective cohort study involving adult trauma patients admitted to emergency departments in the included countries from 2016 to 2020. Prehospital and hospital data were reviewed from the Pan-Asia Trauma Outcomes Study database. Patients aged ≥18 years transported by emergency medical services were included. Patients lacking data regarding age, sex, physiological criteria, or injury severity scores were excluded. We examined the performance of sFTS in all age groups and fine-tuned physiological criteria to improve sFTS performance in identifying high-risk trauma patients in different age groups. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the physiological and anatomical criteria for identifying major trauma (injury severity score ≥ 16) were 80.6% and 58.8%, respectively. The modified sFTS showed increased sensitivity and decreased specificity, with more pronounced changes in the young age group. Adding the shock index further increased sensitivity in both age groups. CONCLUSIONS: sFTS using only physiological and anatomical criteria is suboptimal for Asian adult patients with trauma of all age groups. Adjusting the physiological criteria and adding a shock index as a triage tool can improve the sensitivity of severely injured patients, particularly in young age groups. A swift field triage process can maintain acceptable sensitivity and specificity in severely injured patients.

Characteristics of Fatal Accidents due to Exogenous Causes at Ski Resorts in Japan Over the Past 13 Years: A Retrospective Descriptive Study.

INTRODUCTION: The characteristics of ski- and snowboard-related fatalities at Japanese ski resorts remain unknown. We aimed to analyze the characteristics of this in the current study. METHODS: Using the Ski Resort Injury Report data for the 13-y period between the 2011-12 and 2022-23 seasons, we described the characteristics of fatal accidents due to exogenous causes. RESULTS: Eighty-four subjects (48 skiers and 36 snowboarders) were analyzed. Males accounted for 73 cases of all 84 fatalities (86.9%), including 44 skiers (91.7%) and 29 snowboarders (80.6%). Skiers aged ≥50 y and snowboarders aged 20-35 y had the highest number of fatal accidents (32 and 18 cases, respectively). Regarding location, 26 fatal accidents occurred on slopes, and 58 occurred out of slopes (skiers, 11 and 37 cases; snowboarders, 15 and 21 cases, respectively). Among skiers, head and neck trauma accounted for the cause of death in 13 cases (27.1%) and asphyxiation in 11 cases (22.9%). Among snowboarders, head and neck trauma accounted for the cause of death in 14 cases (38.9%) and asphyxiation in 14 cases (38.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Males, particularly those aged ≥50 among skiers and 20-35 among snowboarders, should be wary of the potential for injuries to the head, neck, and airway when skiing or snowboarding. In this study, traumatic deaths from crashing into trees and asphyxiation from deep snow immersion accidents accounted for approximately half of fatal ski accidents in Japan.

Epidemiology and Prehospital Care of Pediatric Unintentional Injuries Among Countries with Different Economic Status in Asia: A Cross-National, Multi-Center Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: Injury is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. However, the epidemiology and prehospital care for pediatric unintentional injuries in Asia are still unclear. METHODS: A total of 9,737 pediatric patients aged <18 years with unintentional injuries cared for at participating centers of the Pan-Asian Trauma Outcome Study (PATOS) from October 2015 to December 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups: those <8 and those ≥8 years of age. Variables such as patient demographics, injury epidemiology, Injury Severity Score (ISS), and prehospital care were collected. Injury severity and administered prehospital care stratified by gross national income were also analyzed. RESULTS: Pediatric unintentional injuries accounted for 9.4% of EMS-transported trauma cases in the participating Asian centers, and the mortality rate was 0.88%. The leading cause of injury was traffic injuries in older children aged ≥8 years (56.5%), while falls at home were common among young children aged <8 years (43.9%). Compared with younger children, older children with similar ISS tended to receive more prehospital interventions. Uneven disease severity was found in that older children in lower-middle and upper-middle-income countries had higher ISS compared with those in high-income countries. The performance of prehospital interventions also differed among countries with different gross national incomes. Immobilizations were the most performed prehospital intervention followed by oxygen administration, airway management, and pain control; only one patient received prehospital thoracentesis. Procedures were performed more frequently in high-income countries than in upper-middle-income and lower-middle-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: The major cause of injury was road traffic injuries in older children, while falls at home were common among young children. Prehospital care in pediatric unintentional injuries in Asian countries was not standardized and might be insufficient, and the economic status of countries may affect the implementation of prehospital care.

Acute in-competition medical care at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics: a retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse injuries and illnesses during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Summer Games. METHODS: This retrospective descriptive study included 11 420 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees and 312 883 non-athletes. Incidences of injuries and illnesses during the competition period from 21 July to 8 August 2021 were analysed. RESULTS: A total of 567 athletes (416 injuries, 51 non-heat-related illnesses and 100 heat-related illnesses) and 541 non-athletes (255 injuries, 161 non-heat-related illnesses and 125 heat-related illnesses) were treated at the competition venue clinic. Patient presentation and hospital transportation rates per 1000 athletes were 50 and 5.8, respectively. Marathons and race walking had the highest incidence of injury and illness overall (17.9%; n=66). The highest incidence of injury (per participant) was noted in boxing (13.8%; n=40), sport climbing (12.5%; n=5) and skateboarding (11.3%; n=9), excluding golf, with the highest incidence of minor injuries. Fewer infectious illnesses than previous Summer Olympics were reported among the participants. Of the 100 heat-related illnesses in athletes, 50 occurred in the marathon and race walking events. Only six individuals were transported to a hospital due to heat-related illness, and none required hospital admission. CONCLUSION: Injuries and heat-related illnesses were lower than expected at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Summer Games. No catastrophic events occurred. Appropriate preparation including illness prevention protocols, and treatment and transport decisions at each venue by participating medical personnel may have contributed to these positive results.

The association of delayed advanced airway management and neurological outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Japan.

INTRODUCTION: The effectiveness of advanced airway management (AAM) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has been reported differently in each region; however, no study has accounted for the regional differences in the association between the timing of AAM implementation and neurological outcomes. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the association between the timing of patient or prefecture level AAM and a favorableneurological outcome defined by cerebral performance category 1 or 2 (CPC 1-2). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the All-Japan Utstein Registry between 2013 and 2017. We included patients aged ≥8 years with OHCA for whom AAM (i.e., supraglottic airway or endotracheal intubation) was performed in a prehospital setting (n = 182,913). We divided the patients into shockable (n = 11,740) and non-shockable (n = 171,173) cohorts based on the initial electrocardiogram rhythm. Multilevel logistic regression analysis estimated the association between AAM time (patient contact-to-AAM performance interval) at the patient level (1-min unit increments), prefecture level (> 9.2 min vs. ≤ 9.2 min) and CPC 1-2. RESULTS: A delay in AAM time was negatively associated with CPC 1-2 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.92, 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90-0.93, 0.95-0.97, respectively), regardless of initial rhythm. At the prefecture level, a delay in AAM time was negatively associated with CPC 1-2 (AOR, 0.77, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.58-1.04, 0.50-0.94, respectively) only in the non-shockable cohort. CONCLUSION: A delay in AAM performance was negatively associated with CPC 1-2 in both shockable and non-shockable cohorts. Moreover, a delay in AAM performance at the prefecture level was negatively associated with CPC 1-2 in the non-shockable cohort.

Prehospital interventions and neurological outcomes in marathon-related sudden cardiac arrest using a rapid mobile automated external defibrillator system in Japan: a prospective observational study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe neurological outcomes after sudden cardiac arrests (SCAs) in road and long-distance races using a rapid mobile automated external defibrillator system (RMAEDS) intervention. METHODS: A total of 42 SCAs from 3 214 701 runners in 334 road and long-distance races from 1 February 2007 to 29 February 2020 were examined. Demographics, SCA interventions, EMS-related data and SCA-related outcomes were measured. Primary endpoints were favourable neurological outcomes (Cerebral Performance Categories 1-2) at 1-month and 1-year post-SCA. Secondary endpoints were factors related to the field return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and resuscitation characteristics, including the initial ECG waveform classification and resuscitation sequence times according to the initial ECG rhythm. RESULTS: The SCA incidence rate was 1.31 per 100 000 runners (age: median (IQR), 51 (36.5, 58.3) years). Field ROSC and full neurological recovery at 1-month post-SCA was achieved 90.4% and 92.9% of cases, respectively. In 22 cases in which bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated within 1 min and defibrillation performed within 3 min, full neurological recovery was achieved at 1-month and 1-year post-SCA in 95.5.% and 95.5% of cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The RMAEDS successfully treated patients with SCA during road and long-distance races yielding a high survival rate and favourable neurological outcomes. These findings support rapid intervention and the proper placement of healthcare teams along the race course to initiate chest compressions within 1 min and perform defibrillation within 3 min.

Association between prehospital time and outcome of trauma patients in 4 Asian countries: A cross-national, multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Whether rapid transportation can benefit patients with trauma remains controversial. We determined the association between prehospital time and outcome to explore the concept of the "golden hour" for injured patients. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of trauma patients transported from the scene to hospitals by emergency medical service (EMS) from January 1, 2016, to November 30, 2018, using data from the Pan-Asia Trauma Outcomes Study (PATOS) database. Prehospital time intervals were categorized into response time (RT), scene to hospital time (SH), and total prehospital time (TPT). The outcomes were 30-day mortality and functional status at hospital discharge. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the association of prehospital time and outcomes to adjust for factors including age, sex, mechanism and type of injury, Injury Severity Score (ISS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS), and prehospital interventions. Overall, 24,365 patients from 4 countries (645 patients from Japan, 16,476 patients from Korea, 5,358 patients from Malaysia, and 1,886 patients from Taiwan) were included in the analysis. Among included patients, the median age was 45 years (lower quartile [Q1]-upper quartile [Q3]: 25-62), and 15,498 (63.6%) patients were male. Median (Q1-Q3) RT, SH, and TPT were 20 (Q1-Q3: 12-39), 21 (Q1-Q3: 16-29), and 47 (Q1-Q3: 32-60) minutes, respectively. In all, 280 patients (1.1%) died within 30 days after injury. Prehospital time intervals were not associated with 30-day mortality. The adjusted odds ratios (aORs) per 10 minutes of RT, SH, and TPT were 0.99 (95% CI 0.92-1.06, p = 0.740), 1.08 (95% CI 1.00-1.17, p = 0.065), and 1.03 (95% CI 0.98-1.09, p = 0.236), respectively. However, long prehospital time was detrimental to functional survival. The aORs of RT, SH, and TPT per 10-minute delay were 1.06 (95% CI 1.04-1.08, p < 0.001), 1.05 (95% CI 1.01-1.08, p = 0.007), and 1.06 (95% CI 1.04-1.08, p < 0.001), respectively. The key limitation of our study is the missing data inherent to the retrospective design. Another major limitation is the aggregate nature of the data from different countries and unaccounted confounders such as in-hospital management. CONCLUSIONS: Longer prehospital time was not associated with an increased risk of 30-day mortality, but it may be associated with increased risk of poor functional outcomes in injured patients. This finding supports the concept of the "golden hour" for trauma patients during prehospital care in the countries studied.

Modifiable Factors Associated With Survival After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in the Pan-Asian Resuscitation Outcomes Study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The study aims to identify modifiable factors associated with improved out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival among communities in the Pan-Asian Resuscitation Outcomes Study (PAROS) Clinical Research Network: Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates (Dubai). METHODS: This was a prospective, international, multicenter cohort study of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the Asia-Pacific. Arrests caused by trauma, patients who were not transported by emergency medical services (EMS), and pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases (<18 years) were excluded from the analysis. Modifiable out-of-hospital factors (bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR] and defibrillation, out-of-hospital defibrillation, advanced airway, and drug administration) were compared for all out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients presenting to EMS and participating hospitals. The primary outcome measure was survival to hospital discharge or 30 days of hospitalization (if not discharged). We used multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression models to identify factors independently associated with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival, accounting for clustering within each community. RESULTS: Of 66,780 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases reported between January 2009 and December 2012, we included 56,765 in the analysis. In the adjusted model, modifiable factors associated with improved out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes included bystander CPR (odds ratio [OR] 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31 to 1.55), response time less than or equal to 8 minutes (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.35 to 1.71), and out-of-hospital defibrillation (OR 2.31; 95% CI 1.96 to 2.72). Out-of-hospital advanced airway (OR 0.73; 95% CI 0.67 to 0.80) was negatively associated with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival. CONCLUSION: In the PAROS cohort, bystander CPR, out-of-hospital defibrillation, and response time less than or equal to 8 minutes were positively associated with increased out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival, whereas out-of-hospital advanced airway was associated with decreased out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival. Developing EMS systems should focus on basic life support interventions in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest resuscitation.

Pan-Asian Trauma Outcomes Study (PATOS): Rationale and Methodology of an International and Multicenter Trauma Registry.

BACKGROUND: Trauma is a major health burden and a time-dependent critical emergency condition among developing and developed countries. In Asia, trauma has become a rapidly expanding epidemic and has spread out to many underdeveloped and developing countries through rapid urbanization and industrialization. Most casualties of severe trauma, which results in significant mortality and disability are assessed and transported by prehospital providers including physicians, professional providers, and volunteer providers. Trauma registries have been developed in mostly developed countries and measure care quality, process, and outcomes. In general, existing registries tend to focus on inhospital care rather than prehospital care. METHODS: The Pan-Asia Trauma Outcomes Study (PATOS) was proposed in 2013 and initiated in November, 2015 in order to establish a collaborative standardized study to measure the capabilities, processes and outcomes of trauma care throughout Asia. The PATOS is an international, multicenter, and observational research network to collect trauma cases transported by emergency medical services (EMS) providers. Data are collected from the participating hospital emergency departments in various countries in Asia which receive trauma patients from EMS. Data variables collected include 1) injury epidemiologic factors, 2) EMS factors, 3) emergency department care factors, 4) hospital care factors, and 5) trauma system factors. The authors expect to achieve a sample size of 67,230 cases over the next 2 years of data collection to analyze the association between potential risks and outcomes of trauma. CONCLUSION: The PATOS network is expected to provide comparison of the trauma EMS systems and to benchmark best practice with participating communities.

Does dispatcher-assisted CPR generate the same outcomes as spontaneously delivered bystander CPR in Japan?

AIM: We investigated whether DA-CPR would have the same effect as spontaneously-delivered bystander CPR. METHODS: A total of 37,899 witnessed cardiogenic out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) selected from a nationwide Utstein-Japanese database between 2008 and 2012. Patients were divided into four groups as follows: CPR initiated with dispatcher assistance (DA-CPR; n=10,424), no CPR provided with dispatcher assistance (DA-No CPR; n=4658), spontaneously-delivered bystander CPR provided without DA (BCPR; n=6630), and both BCPR and dispatcher assistance was not provided (No BCPR-No DA; n=16,187). The primary endpoint was rate of shockable rhythm on the initial ECG, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) on the field. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) are presented as 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) among the groups. RESULTS: The rate of DA-CPR implementation has gradually increased since 2005. In comparison with DA-No CPR, both spontaneously-delivered BCPR and DA-CPR were significantly associated with the following factors: increased rate of shockable rhythm on the initial ECG (AOR, 1.75 and 1.72; 95% CI, 1.67 to 1.85 and 1.63 to 1.83),improved field ROSC (AOR, 1.42 and 1.40; 95% CI, 1.33 to 1.52 and 1.30 to 1.51) and 1-month favorable neurological outcomes (AOR, 1.72 and 1.80; 95% CI, 1.59 to 1.88 and 1.64 to 1.97), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the spontaneously delivered BCPR group showed favorable results. In comparison to the DA-No BCPR group, DA-CPR group resulted in the nearly equivalent effect as spontaneously-delivered BCPR group. Further standard dispatcher education is indicated.

A case of local recurrence of T1 rectal cancer 10 years after transanal excision.

We report a case of a patient with T1 rectal cancer, which recurred locally after 10 years from the primary operation. A 78-year-old woman was diagnosed with rectal cancer. Transanal excision (TAE) was performed in December 2006. The pathological findings revealed stage I rectal cancer [tub2>muc, pSM (2,510 µm), ly0, v0, pHM0, pVM0]. Because she did not opt for additional treatment, she received follow-up examination. After approximately 10 years from the primary operation, she presented to her physician, complaining of melena, and she was referred to our hospital again in November 2016. She was diagnosed with recurrent rectal cancer. Laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection was performed in December 2016. Pathological findings revealed stage IIIB rectal cancer (tub2>muc, pA, pN1). The reported postoperative local recurrence rate for T1 rectal cancer after TAE is high, but local recurrence after years from the primary operation is rare. In high-risk cases, local recurrence may be observed even after 10 years from the primary operation. Long-term and close postoperative follow-up is important to detect local recurrence early.

Effect of Dispatcher-Assisted Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Program and Location of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest on Survival and Neurologic Outcome.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We study the effect of a nationwide dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) program on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes by arrest location (public and private settings). METHODS: All emergency medical services (EMS)-treated adults in Korea with out-of-hospital cardiac arrests of cardiac cause were enrolled between 2012 and 2013, excluding cases witnessed by EMS providers and those with unknown outcomes. Exposure was bystander CPR categorized into 3 groups: bystander CPR with dispatcher assistance, bystander CPR without dispatcher assistance, and no bystander CPR. The endpoint was good neurologic recovery at discharge. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. The final model with an interaction term was evaluated to compare the effects across settings. RESULTS: A total of 37,924 patients (31.1% bystander CPR with dispatcher assistance, 14.3% bystander CPR without dispatcher assistance, and 54.6% no bystander CPR) were included in the final analysis. The total bystander CPR rate increased from 30.9% in quarter 1 (2012) to 55.7% in quarter 4 (2014). Bystander CPR with and without dispatcher assistance was more likely to result in higher survival with good neurologic recovery (4.8% and 5.2%, respectively) compared with no bystander CPR (2.1%). The adjusted odds ratios for good neurologic recovery were 1.50 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30 to 1.74) in bystander CPR with dispatcher assistance and 1.34 (95% CI 1.12 to 1.60) in bystander CPR without it compared with no bystander CPR. For arrests in private settings, the adjusted odds ratios were 1.58 (95% CI 1.30 to 1.92) in bystander CPR with dispatcher assistance and 1.28 (95% CI 0.98 to 1.67) in bystander CPR without it; in public settings, the adjusted odds ratios were 1.41 (95% CI 1.14 to 1.75) and 1.37 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.72), respectively. CONCLUSION: Bystander CPR regardless of dispatcher assistance was associated with improved neurologic recovery after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. However, for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases in private settings, bystander CPR was associated with improved neurologic recovery only when dispatcher assistance was provided.

Comparison of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Care Systems Among Pan-Asian Countries: An International, Multicenter, Population-Based Survey.

OBJECTIVE: Knowledge on the current trauma systems in Asian countries is limited. The objective of this study was to describe the emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma care systems among countries participating in the Pan-Asian Trauma Outcomes Study (PATOS) Clinical Research Network. METHODS: The PATOS network consists of 33 participating sites from 14 countries. Standardized data was collected from each site using an EMS survey form and included general information (population, population density, urbanization, EMS service fee, etc.), dispatcher system, trauma care practice, trauma education program, existence of a trauma registry, and data on EMS transfers. Data is described with simple descriptive statistics. RESULTS: All countries included urban sites. Nine countries included rural sites and only one country included wilderness site. Of the 33 sties, 18 sites had physician-based EMS systems. EMS services were free in 9 countries. Twelve sites had dispatch centers operated by government health departments. EMS dispatcher certification was required in 29 sites. Thirty-two sites had EMS documented protocols for trauma and 31 sites had field triage tools. Thirty sites had designated trauma centers. Twenty-one sites had helicopter EMS systems. Thirty-one sites require certification for trauma education programs. Only 23 sites maintained EMS-based trauma registries. In 20 sites, EMS medical directors reviewed and assured trauma registry quality. Of patients transported by EMS rate of injured patients ranged from 15% to 59%. CONCLUSION: Substantial variability exists in EMS systems in Asia, especially for injured patients. Futures studies are required to assess the impact of this variability on patient outcomes.

A case of metachronous left ovarian metastasis 8 years after surgery for cecal cancer and right ovarian metastasis: Report of a case.

Metachronous ovarian metastasis of colorectal adenocarcinoma is mostly identified within 3 years. Here we present a case of a 64-year-old woman with cecal cancer who underwent right oophorectomy for ovarian metastasis. Imaging was performed because of abdominal bloating; it detected a swollen right ovary with ascites. On laparotomy, a right ovarian tumor and cecal cancer were identified. After right oophorectomy, a diagnosis of unilateral ovarian metastasis from colon cancer was made. One month later, right hemicolectomy was performed. Eight years after initial surgery, the patient presented with vaginal bleeding. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a pelvic mass approximately 10 cm in diameter, but no mass was evident on a CT image taken 6 months before. The patient was diagnosed with left ovarian metastasis from colon cancer. A third laparotomy revealed a left ovarian tumor, but there was no evidence of other metastases or peritoneal dissemination. Left oophorectomy was performed. Oophorectomy is considered to be associated with a survival benefit in ovarian metastasis without other extensive metastasis. However, ovarian metastasis is often bilateral. Although complete resection was achieved in the present case, the findings support performing prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy if metastasis is identified in a unilateral ovary.

Histopathologic risk stratification of stage IIB colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: To stratify stage IIB (pT4a PN0) colorectal cancer in terms of histopathologic findings. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 80 patients who underwent surgery for stage IIB colorectal cancer. The disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were evaluated and correlated with the presence or absence of "Tumor Necrosis", "Crohn's-like lymphoid reaction", and "Perineural Invasion". RESULTS: Patients with "Tumor Necrosis" had significantly lower DFS rates (p < 0.0001), those with "Crohn's-like lymphoid reaction" had significantly higher DFS rates (p = 0.037), and those with "Perineural Invasion" had significantly lower DFS rates (p < 0.0001). Patients with "Tumor Necrosis" had significantly lower OS rates (p = 0.016), those with "Crohn's-like lymphoid reaction" had significantly higher OS rates (p = 0.022), and those with "Perineural Invasion" had significantly lower OS rates (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Since stage IIB colorectal cancers accompanied by the pathological findings of "Tumor Necrosis" and "Perineural Invasion", but with the absence of "Crohn's-like lymphoid reaction" carried a poor prognosis, the efficacy of adjuvant chemoradiation must be considered for these patients.

Association of the Emergency Medical Services-Related Time Interval with Survival Outcomes of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Cases in Four Asian Metropolitan Cities Using the Scoop-and-Run Emergency Medical Services Model.

BACKGROUND: Response time interval (RTI) and scene time interval (STI) are key time variables in the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) cases treated and transported via emergency medical services (EMS). OBJECTIVE: We evaluated distribution and interactive association of RTI and STI with survival outcomes of OHCA in four Asian metropolitan cities. METHODS: An OHCA cohort from Pan-Asian Resuscitation Outcome Study (PAROS) conducted between January 2009 and December 2011 was analyzed. Adult EMS-treated cardiac arrests with presumed cardiac origin were included. A multivariable logistic regression model with an interaction term was used to evaluate the effect of STI according to different RTI categories on survival outcomes. Risk-adjusted predicted rates of survival outcomes were calculated and compared with observed rate. RESULTS: A total of 16,974 OHCA cases were analyzed after serial exclusion. Median RTI was 6.0 min (interquartile range [IQR] 5.0-8.0 min) and median STI was 12.0 min (IQR 8.0-16.1). The prolonged STI in the longest RTI group was associated with a lower rate of survival to discharge or of survival 30 days after arrest (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.42-0.81), as well as a poorer neurologic outcome (aOR 0.63; 95% CI 0.41-0.97) without an increasing chance of prehospital return of spontaneous circulation (aOR 1.12; 95% CI 0.88-1.45). CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged STI in OHCA with a delayed response time had a negative association with survival outcomes in four Asian metropolitan cities using the scoop-and-run EMS model. Establishing an optimal STI based on the response time could be considered.

L-Carnitine Supplementation Improves Self-Rating Depression Scale Scores in Uremic Male Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: Depression is highly prevalent in uremic patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). We previously found that low free-carnitine levels are associated with depression severity in male patients undergoing HD. However, whether L-carnitine supplementation improves the depression state in male patients undergoing HD remains unclear. METHODS: Sixteen male patients undergoing HD were orally administered 900 mg L-carnitine daily or intravenously administered 1000 mg L-carnitine immediately after undergoing HD for 3 months. The depression state and various types of carnitine levels were evaluated using the self-rating depression scale (SDS) and tandem mass spectrometry, respectively, at baseline and 3 months after treatment. RESULTS: L-carnitine supplementation significantly increased serum levels of free and other acylcarnitine types, associated with improved SDS scores in male patients undergoing HD. Univariate analysis revealed that low baseline butyryl- and isovaleryl-/2-methylbutyryl-carnitine levels were significantly correlated with SDS scores after treatment. Multiple regression analysis revealed that butyryl-carnitine levels were a sole independent predictor of SDS scores after treatment (r2 = 0.533). CONCLUSION: L-carnitine supplementation for 3 months improved the depression state in uremic male patients undergoing HD. Thus, low butyryl-carnitine levels may predict the clinical response to L-carnitine supplementation in male patients undergoing HD and who have mild depression.