Identification of epicardial connections can improve the success rate of first-pass right pulmonary vein isolation.

Background: Epicardial connections between the right pulmonary vein (PV) and the right atrium have been reported. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of our new pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) strategy with identification of these epicardial connections. Methods: Overall, 235 patients with atrial fibrillation were included. High-density mapping of the left atrium was performed to identify the earliest activation sites (EASs) before PVI in all patients. With our new strategy, if EASs around the right PV carina were identified, we ablated these sites and performed usual first-pass circumferential PVI. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the ablation strategy. One hundred fifteen patients underwent first-pass PVI without information on EASs (nonanalyzed group), and 78 patients underwent ablation at EASs around the right PV carina in addition to PVI (analyzed group). After first-pass ablation around the PV antrum, remapping was performed. Results: High-density mapping before PVI showed that the prevalence of EASs around the right PV carina was 10.9% in all patients (9.6% in the nonanalyzed group, 12.8% in the analyzed group; P = .74. The first-pass right PVI success rate was higher in the analyzed group than in the nonanalyzed group (93.6% vs 82.6%; P = .04). The radiofrequency application time for PVI was significantly shorter in the analyzed group than in the nonanalyzed group (45.6 ± 1.0 minutes vs 51.2 ± 0.9 minutes; P <.05). Conclusion: Identification of epicardial connections before ablation could improve the success rate of first-pass right PVI.

Factors associated with difficulty in hospital acceptance during the COVID-19 pandemic period in Osaka Prefecture, Japan: a population-based study.

Background: In many countries, emergency medical systems were responsible for initial treatment of patients with COVID-19. Generally, acceptance by medical institutions may not be sufficient, and it may take much time to determine the medical institution to which to transport the patient. This problem is termed "difficulty in hospital acceptance (DIH)," and it is used as a key performance indicator in the assessment of the EMS in Japan. The purpose of this study was to reveal the factors associated with the DIH during the COVID-19 pandemic using dataset in the ORION (Osaka emergency information Research Intelligent Operation Network system). Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study with a 3-year study period from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. We included patients who were recorded in the ORION system during the study period. The primary endpoint was defined as DIH. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess factors associated with DIH during the COVID-19 pandemic and calculated their adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and associated 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: 1,078,850 patients included in this study. Of them, 41,140 patients (3.8%) experienced DIH and 1,037,710 patients (96.2%) did not experience DIH. The median age was 71 years (IQR: 45-82), and 543,760 patients (50.4%) were male. In this study, SpO2, body temperature, and epidemic period of COVID-19 were associated with difficulty in hospital acceptance. The highest AOR of SpO2 was 80% or less (AOR: 1.636, [95% CI: 1.532-1.748]), followed by 81-85% (AOR: 1.584, [95% CI: 1.459-1.721]). The highest AOR of body temperature was 38.0-38.9°C (AOR: 1.969 [95% CI: 1.897-2.043]), followed by 39°C or higher (AOR: 1.912 [95% CI: 1.829-1.998]). The highest AOR of epidemic period of COVID-19 was the 4th wave (AOR: 2.134, [95% CI: 2.065-2.205]), followed by the 3rd wave (AOR: 1.842, [95% CI: 1.785-1.901]). Conclusion: In this study, we revealed factors associated with the DIH during the COVID-19 pandemic. As various factors are involved in the spread of an unknown infectious disease, it is necessary not only to plan in advance but also to take appropriate measures according to the situation in order to smoothly accept emergency patients.

Impact of pre-existing medical conditions on mortality in geriatric trauma: a nationwide study in Japan.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between pre-existing medical conditions and outcomes in elderly trauma patients in Japan. METHODS: This multicenter observational study utilized data from the Japan Trauma Data Bank (JTDB) from 2019 to 2020. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Factors associated with in-hospital mortality were identified using multivariate logistic regression analysis, from which adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were determined. RESULTS: Of the participants during the study period, 19,598 patients were included in the analysis. Among the pre-existing medical conditions, moderate or severe liver disease showed the strongest positive association with in-hospital mortality (AOR: 7.087, 95% CI: 3.194-15.722), followed by multiple malignancies (AOR: 3.490, 95% CI: 1.046-11.641), congestive heart failure (AOR: 2.572, 95% CI: 1.920-3.445), and moderate or severe renal disease (AOR: 2.256, 95% CI: 1.584-3.215). CONCLUSION: Data from JTDB suggests that pre-existing conditions like moderate or severe liver disease, congestive heart failure, and moderate or severe renal disease in elderly trauma patients are positively correlated with in-hospital mortality.

Effects of Concomitant Traumatic Spinal Cord and Brain Injury on In-Hospital Mortality: A Retrospective Analysis of a Nationwide Trauma Registry in Japan.

Isolated traumatic spinal cord injury (t-SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) represent significant public health concerns, resulting in long-term disabilities and necessitating sophisticated care, particularly when occurring concurrently. The impact of these combined injuries, while crucial in trauma management, on clinical, socioeconomic, and health care outcomes is largely unknown. To address this gap, our secondary retrospective cohort study used data from the Japan Trauma Data Bank, covering patients enrolled over a 13-year period (2006-2018), to elucidate the effects of concurrent t-SCI and TBI on in-hospital mortality. Data on patient demographics, injury characteristics, treatment modalities, and outcomes were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to examine prognostic variables associated with in-hospital mortality, including interaction terms between t-SCI severity and TBI presence. This study included 91,983 patients with neurotrauma, with a median age of 62 years (69.7% men). Among the patients, 9,018 (9.8%) died in the hospital. Concomitant t-SCI and TBI occurred in 2,954 (3.2%) patients. t-SCI only occurred in 9,590 (10.4%) patients, whereas TBI only occurred in the majority of these cases (79,439, 86.4%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed age; sex; total number of comorbidities; systolic blood pressure at presentation; Glasgow coma scale score at presentation; and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) scores for head, face, chest, abdomen, cervical-SCI, thoracic-SCI, and lumbar-SCI as significant independent factors for in-hospital mortality. The odds ratio of cervical-SCI × head AIS as an interaction term was 0.85 (95% confidence interval: 0.77-0.95), indicating a negative interaction. In conclusion, we identified 12 factors associated with in-hospital mortality in patients with t-SCI. In addition, the negative interaction between cervical t-SCI and TBI suggests that the presence of t-SCI in patients with TBI may be underestimated. This study highlights the importance of early recognition and comprehensive management of these complex trauma conditions while considering the possibility of concomitant t-SCI in patients with TBI.

Association between tranexamic acid administration and mortality based on the trauma phenotype: a retrospective analysis of a nationwide trauma registry in Japan.

BACKGROUND: In trauma systems, criteria for individualised and optimised administration of tranexamic acid (TXA), an antifibrinolytic, are yet to be established. This study used nationwide cohort data from Japan to evaluate the association between TXA and in-hospital mortality among all patients with blunt trauma based on clinical phenotypes (trauma phenotypes). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the Japan Trauma Data Bank (JTDB) spanning 2019 to 2021. RESULTS: Of 80,463 patients with trauma registered in the JTDB, 53,703 met the inclusion criteria, and 8046 (15.0%) received TXA treatment. The patients were categorised into eight trauma phenotypes. After adjusting with inverse probability treatment weighting, in-hospital mortality of the following trauma phenotypes significantly reduced with TXA administration: trauma phenotype 1 (odds ratio [OR] 0.68 [95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57-0.81]), trauma phenotype 2 (OR 0.73 [0.66-0.81]), trauma phenotype 6 (OR 0.52 [0.39-0.70]), and trauma phenotype 8 (OR 0.67 [0.60-0.75]). Conversely, trauma phenotypes 3 (OR 2.62 [1.98-3.47]) and 4 (OR 1.39 [1.11-1.74]) exhibited a significant increase in in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to evaluate the association between TXA administration and survival outcomes based on clinical phenotypes. We found an association between trauma phenotypes and in-hospital mortality, indicating that treatment with TXA could potentially influence this relationship. Further studies are needed to assess the usefulness of these phenotypes.

Trends and characteristics of severe road traffic injuries in children: a nationwide cohort study in Japan.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate temporal trends of characteristics of severe road traffic injuries in children and identify factors associated with mortality using a nationwide database in Japan. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of Japan Trauma Data Bank (JTDB) from 2004 to 2018. We included patients with traffic injuries under the age of 18 who were hospitalized. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. We evaluated trends in characteristics and assessed factors associated with in-hospital mortality using a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 4706 patients were analyzed. The most common mechanism of injury was bicycle crash (34.4%), followed by pedestrian (28.3%), and motorcycle crash (21.3%). The overall in-hospital mortality was 11.2%. We found decreasing trends in motorcycle crash and in-hospital mortality and increasing trends in rear passenger seats in cars over the 15-year period. The following factors were associated with in-hospital mortality: car crash (aOR 1.69, 95%CI 1.18-2.40), pedestrian (aOR 1.50, 95%CI 1.13-1.99), motorcycle crash (aOR 1.42, 95%CI 1.03-1.95) [bicycle crash as a reference]; concomitant injuries to head/neck (aOR 5.06, 95%CI 3.81-6.79), thorax (aOR 2.34, 95%CI 1.92-2.87), abdomen (aOR 1.74, 95%CI 1.29-2.33), pelvis/lower-extremity (aOR 1.57, 95%CI 1.23-2.00), spine (aOR 3.01, 95%CI 2.02-4.43); and 5-year increase in time period (aOR 0.80, 95%CI 0.70-0.91). CONCLUSIONS: We found decreasing trends in motorcycle crash and in-hospital mortality, increasing trends in rear passenger seats in cars over the 15-year period, and factors associated with in-hospital mortality such as type of mechanisms and concomitant injuries. Strengthening child road safety measures, particularly for rear passenger seats in vehicles, is imperative to enhance our dedication to injury prevention.

Assessing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on ambulance transports for self-harm: a population-based study in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic might have affected emergency medical services transports for self-harm in Japan. However, the available data are insufficient to fully understand the pandemic's impact on ambulance transports due to self-harm. This study aimed to investigate the change in the incidence of ambulance transports for self-harm from 2018 to 2021 and to identify vulnerable age groups during the pandemic. DESIGN: A population-based observational study using a database from the Osaka Prefectural Government. SETTING: The database covers the entire area of Osaka Prefecture and included information on ambulance transports and hospital details. PARTICIPANTS: Ambulance transport of patients due to self-harm from 2018 through 2021 was investigated. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the incidence of ambulance transport for self-harm. RESULTS: We analysed 10 843 patients. Their median age was 38 years, and 69.0% were female. We observed an increasing trend of the incidence rate in cases per 100 000 population per year from 29.4 in 2018 to 31.2 in 2021. However, after adjusting for age group, sex and month, there was no difference in the incidence of ambulance transport due to self-harm in 2019 (adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) 1.007; 95% CI 0.955 to 1.063), 2020 (aIRR 1.041; 95% CI 0.987 to 1.098) and 2021 (aIRR 1.022; 95% CI 0.968 to 1.078), compared with 2018. We observed no difference in 21-day mortality from 2018 through 2021. In the age group of 20-29 years, despite no difference in 2019 compared with 2018, we found an 11.7% increase in the incidence of ambulance transport due to self-harm in 2020 (aIRR 1.117; 95% CI 1.002 to 1.245) and no difference in 2021. CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in the incidence of ambulance transport due to self-harm and 21-day mortality from 2018 through 2021. However, the incidence rate of ambulance transport due to self-harm in 2020 increased in the age group of 20-29 years.

Short- and long-term outcomes of transanal decompression tube and self-expandable metallic stent for obstructive colorectal cancer based on a multicenter database (KYCC2110).

AIM: There are well-known methods for decompressing the colorectal tract before surgery, including transanal decompression tubes (TDT) and self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS). This study aimed to compare the short and long-term results in patients with malignant large bowel obstruction in whom TDT or SEMS were placed before surgery. METHODS: This retrospective observational study enrolled 225 patients with malignant large bowel obstruction in whom TDT or SEMS were placed preoperatively and underwent R0 resection between 2008 and 2020. One-to-two propensity score matching was performed according to patient characteristics. Short- and long-term outcomes were compared. The primary endpoint was relapse-free survival (RFS). The secondary endpoints were the overall survival (OS) and postoperative complication rate. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients in the TDT group and 114 in the SEMS group were matched. The 3-year RFS rates were 66.7% in the TDT group and 69.9% in the SEMS group (p = 0.54), and the 3-year OS rates were 90.5% in the TDT group and 87.1% in the SEMS group (p = 0.52). No significant differences in the long-term results were observed between the two groups. Regarding short-term results, the SEMS group had significantly fewer stoma construction (p = 0.007) and shorter postoperative hospitalization (p < 0.001). The incidence of postoperative complications (grade ≥ 2) was significantly lower in the SEMS group (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: No significant differences in the long-term results were observed between the TDT and SEMS group. The SEMS showed significant usefulness in terms of improving short-term outcomes.

Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak on Emergency Patients Hospitalized With Cardiocerebrovascular Diseases in Osaka Prefecture, Japan　- A Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the transport and outcomes of emergency patients with cardiocerebrovascular diseases in Japan before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods and Results: Data were extracted from a population-based registry in Osaka, Japan, from 2019 to 2021. There were almost no differences in the numbers of emergency patients hospitalized with myocardial infarction, stroke, or heart failure or their deaths. However, the number of cases of difficulty obtaining patient acceptance by hospitals increased in 2020 and 2021 compared with 2019. CONCLUSIONS: The numbers of emergency patients hospitalized with cardiocerebrovascular diseases and their deaths in Osaka were not affected by the COVID-19 epidemic.

Timing of computed tomography imaging in adult patients with severe trauma: A nationwide cohort study in Japan.

PURPOSE: Computed tomography (CT) has become essential for the management of trauma patients. However, appropriate timing of CT acquisition remains undetermined. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between time to CT acquisition and mortality among adult patients with severe trauma. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the Japan Trauma Data Bank, which had 256 participating institutions from all over Japan between 2004 and 2018. Patients were categorized upon arrival as either severe trunk trauma with signs of shock or severe head trauma with coma and separately analyzed. Cases were further divided into three groups based on time elapsed between arrival at hospital and CT acquisition as immediate (0-29 min), intermediate (30-59 min), or late (≥60 min). Primary outcome was mortality on discharge, and multivariate logistic regression with adjusting for confounders was used for evaluation. RESULTS: A total of 8467 (3640 in immediate group, 3441 in intermediate group, 1386 in late group) with trunk trauma patients and 6762 (4367 in immediate group, 2031 in intermediate group, 364 in late group) with head trauma patients were eligible for analysis included in the trunk and head trauma groups, respectively. The trunk trauma patients with shock on hospital arrival was 56.4% (4773/8467), and the head trauma patients with deep coma upon EMS arrival was 44.2% (2988/6762). Mortality rate gradually increased from 5.7% to 15.8% with prolonged time to CT imaging among trunk trauma patients. Multivariate logistic regression for death on discharge among trunk trauma patients yielded an adjusted odds ratio of 1.79 (95% confidence interval: 1.42-2.27) for the late group compared to the immediate group. In contrast, among head trauma patients, an adjusted odds ratio was 0.93 (95% confidence interval: 0.71-1.20) for the late group compared to the immediate group. CONCLUSION: CT scan at or after 60 min was associated with increased death on discharge among patients with severe trunk trauma but not in those with severe head trauma.

Incidence and outcome of patients with difficulty in hospital acceptance during COVID-19 pandemic in Osaka Prefecture, Japan: A population-based descriptive study.

Aim: The impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on the emergency medical service system in Japan has not been fully revealed. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 on the difficulty in hospital acceptance of patients and patient outcome in Osaka Prefecture. Methods: This study was a descriptive epidemiological study with a 3-year study period from January 2019 to December 2021. We included patients who were transported by ambulance and had registered in the Osaka Emergency Information Research Intelligent Operation Network (ORION) system. The primary end-point of this study was the difficulty in hospital acceptance by month, and the secondary outcome was the mortality of patients who experience difficulty in hospital acceptance in each year. Results: We included 1,302,646 cases in this study. The proportion of cases with difficulty in hospital acceptance was 2.74% (12,829/468,709) in 2019, 3.74% (15,527/414,987) in 2020, and 5.09% (21,311/418,950) in 2021. The crude odds ratio for 2020 was 1.38 (95% confidence interval, 1.35-1.41) and for 2021 was 1.90 (95% confidence interval, 1.86-1.95). In 2019, 218 patients with difficulty in hospital acceptance had died by 21 days after hospitalization, whereas the number increased to 405 in 2020 and 750 in 2021. Conclusion: The number of patients experiencing difficulty in hospital acceptance during the COVID-19 pandemic in Osaka Prefecture increased, and patient outcomes were worse than before the pandemic.

Mapping publications using the Japan Trauma Data Bank: Scoping review of the international literature.

The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of published international literature using the Japan Trauma Data Bank (JTDB). We undertook a scoping review of studies using data from JTDB. We carried out a systematic search of the following databases on November 21, 2022, using search terms that covers trauma registries in Japan: MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library. Two authors independently abstracted the data. We included all original articles written in English. We identified 166 studies from the 456 included articles. From 2010 to 2016, the annual number of published articles was less than 10. In 2017, there were 10 articles published (6.0%). This increased to 18 (10.8%) in 2018, 21 (12.7%) in 2019, 28 (16.9%) in 2020, 33 (19.9%) in 2021, and 37 (22.3%) in 2022. Most articles (n = 138, 83.1%) reported in-hospital mortality as the primary outcome. There were more articles on the adult population (n = 86, 51.8%) than those on the pediatric population (n = 21, 12.7%). Twenty-one articles (12.7%) specified a mechanism of injury for the study population, and three articles (1.8%) focused on burns. Most articles did not specify injury sites for the study population (n = 108, 65.1%) and the most common injury site described in publications was the head (n = 21, 12.7%), followed by the abdomen (n = 13, 7.8%). We observed an increase in international publications using the JTDB and highlighted the major topics and knowledge gaps. Our findings could encourage studies to explore less studied areas in research using the JTDB.

Analysis of surgical outcomes of laparoscopic versus open surgery for locally advanced mid-transverse colon cancer.

PURPOSE: This study compared the surgical outcomes between laparoscopic colectomy (LC) and open colectomy (OC) for mid-transverse colon cancer (MTC). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective study compared the short- and long-term surgical outcomes for patients with advanced MTC (T3 and T4 with or without nodal involvement) who underwent LC or OC between January 2008 and December 2019 using a propensity score-matched analysis. RESULTS: A total of 177 patients with advanced MTC were enrolled. After matching, 58 cases for the OC and LC groups were selected. No significant differences in age, sex, tumor progression, or procedure type (extended resection or segmental resection) existed between groups. The LC group had significantly less blood loss (20 mL vs. 50 mL, p=0.048) and a shorter postoperative hospital stay (8 days vs. 12 days, p<0.001) than the OC group. Postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ 2) occurred in 27.6% and 25.9% of the OC and LC groups respectively (p=1). Three patients (5.2%) and one patient (1.7%) of the OC and LC groups respectively developed anastomotic leakage (p=0.62). Re-operation was required in five patients (8.6%) in the OC group and one patient (1.7%) in the LC group (p=0.21). No surgery-related deaths occurred in either group. The 3-year overall survival rates (stage II: LC 100% vs. OC 92.8%, p=0.15; stage III: 88.9% vs. 84.3%, p=0.88, respectively) were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION: LC is a minimally invasive technique with lesser blood loss, shorter postoperative hospital stays, and oncologic equivalence to OC. Hence, LC is useful for MTC treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN000042676.

Telephone triage service use is associated with better outcomes among patients with cerebrovascular diseases: a propensity score analysis using population-based data.

Introduction: The telephone triage service is an emergency medical system through which citizens consult telephone triage nurses regarding illness, and the nurses determine the urgency and need for an ambulance. Despite being introduced in several countries, its impact on emergency patients has not been reported. We aimed to determine the effect of the telephone triage service on the outcomes of hospitalized patients diagnosed with cerebrovascular disease upon arrival after being transported by an ambulance. Methods: This retrospective study included patients with cerebrovascular disease who were transported by ambulance between January 2016 and December 2019. The primary outcome was discharge to home by day 21 of hospitalization. A total of 344 patients who used the telephone triage service were propensity score-matched to 344 patients who directly called for an ambulance. Results: Telephone triage service use was associated with discharge to home by hospital day 21 (crude odd ratio: 1.8; 95% confidence interval: 1.3-2.4) and was not significantly associated with survival on hospital day 21 in multivariate regression analysis. Conclusion: The prognoses of cerebral infarction, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage depend on the time from symptom onset to treatment. Telephone triage services may allow patients to receive treatment more rapidly than traditional ambulance requests, resulting in improved patient outcomes. The findings of this study suggest that the use of telephone triage services is associated with improved outcomes in patients with cerebrovascular disease and indicate that the costs for medical expenses and disability may be greatly reduced in an aging society.

Prognostic value of the liver fibrosis marker fibrosis-5 index in patients with severe isolated tricuspid regurgitation: comparison with fibrosis-4 index.

The fibrosis-4 index (FIB4), a liver fibrosis maker, has been shown to be associated with the prognosis in patients with severe isolated tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Recent study showed that the fibrosis-5 index (FIB5), which was calculated by albumin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase and platelet count, had better prognostic value than FIB4 in patients with heart failure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of FIB5 index for predicting prognosis in patients with severe isolated TR and compare the prognostic value between the FIB4 and the FIB5 in those patients. This was a dual-center, retrospective study. 113 consecutive outpatients with severe isolated TR (mean age, 65.8 years; 47.8% male) were analyzed. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) were defined as the composite of cardiovascular death, hospitalization for heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke. During a median follow-up of 3.0 years, 41 MACEs occurred. Patients with MACEs had a lower the FIB5 than patients without MACEs. The multivariate Cox analysis revealed that the FIB5 < -4.30 was significantly associated with higher incidence of MACEs after adjusted by confounding factors. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses showed that prognostic values did not differ between the FIB5 and the FIB4 in whole patients and in patients aged ≥ 70 years; while, in patients aged < 70 years, the FIB5 had better prognostic value than the FIB4. The FIB5 may be a useful predictor of MACEs in patients with severe isolated TR.

Identification of interatrial epicardial connections between the right-sided pulmonary veins and right atrium using coherent map.

A 43-year-old man underwent circumferential pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for persistent atrial fibrillation. Although first-pass circumferential PV antrum ablation was performed, complete PVI was not obtained. A gap map showed the site of earliest activation was the right-sided PV carina, which was the same site of breakthrough on the left atrium map before ablation. Using a coherent map enabled us easily and clearly to evaluate the breakthrough sites. To identify whether the conduction from the right PV carina connected to adjacent structures, an activation map was obtained during pacing from the right PV carina. This revealed that the site of earliest activation was the posterior right atrium (RA) and implied a direct connection between the right-sided PVs and RA. The first radiofrequency (RF) application in the posterior RA resulted in only temporary isolation of the right-sided PVs with bi-directional block. Therefore, we performed a second set of RF applications to the right PV carina. PVI was obtained immediately after initiating the second set of applications and no further reconnection was observed. Learning objective: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is widely accepted as an atrial fibrillation ablation procedure. Previous anatomical studies have revealed the presence of epicardial muscular bundles/fibers connecting the right-sided PVs and right atrium. In some patients, the presence of epicardial connections (ECs) precludes successful first-pass PVI. Identification and elimination of these connections is imperative to achieve complete PVI. The coherent map was useful for evaluating ECs.

Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on the mortality of patients who received emergency transportation: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Aim: The spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a widespread impact on emergency medical care systems. However, its effects on the mortality of emergency transportation patients are unclear. This population-based, cross-sectional study investigated how COVID-19 impacted the mortality and outcomes of emergency transportation patients. Methods: We compared mortality in the emergency department and at day 21 after an emergency visit for patients transported by ambulance to medical facilities in the Osaka Prefecture, Japan, between January 29 and December 31, 2020 (first pandemic year) and between January 29 and December 31, 2019 (immediate pre-pandemic year; 804,718 patients in total), using multivariable analysis to adjust for potential confounders. Results: During the first pandemic year, 50,446 fewer patients received emergency transportation compared with the immediate prepandemic year. Emergency department deaths increased by 603 during the first pandemic year (4,922 versus 4,319 deaths) and 640 within 21 days (14,569 versus 13,929 deaths). Multivariable analysis revealed an association between the first pandemic year and increased mortality rates among patients given emergency transportation compared with the immediate prepandemic year (odds ratio for emergency department deaths 1.31; 95% confidence interval 1.26-1.38; odds ratio for deaths within 21 days 1.17; 95% confidence interval 1.14-1.20). Conclusions: The study results indicate that the spread of COVID-19 impacted the mortality of patients who received emergency transportation. Further studies are expected to clarify the impact of COVID-19 on emergency medical care systems.

Epidemiology of patients with dizziness over a 3-year period, requiring utilization of the emergency medical serviced system: A pre- and post-COVID pandemic comparative study using the population-based ORION registry.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify the proportion of each medical condition or disease contributing to dizziness and their disposition in the Emergency Department (ED). METHODS: This retrospective, descriptive study examined data from the Osaka Emergency Information Research Intelligent Operation Network system in Japan for the period from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020. The inclusion criteria were patients with presumptive ICD-10 codes including "dizziness" or "vertigo". Patient demographics were compared using the χ2 test and Kruskal-Wallis test. Logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate disposition from ED (emergency admission or discharge) over the 3-year study period. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using multivariate analyses. RESULTS: During the 3-year study period, a total of 1,346,457 patients (462,773 in 2018, 468,697 in 2019, and 414,987 in 2020; P < 0.001), including 53,190 patients with dizziness (18,396 in 2018, 18,649 in 2019, and 16,145 in 2020; P = 0.058), were identified as having been transported to hospitals by ambulance in Osaka Prefecture. Dizziness and giddiness (R42) was the most common form of dizziness, in 27,075 cases (9,570 in 2018, 9,613 in 2019, and 7,892 in 2020; P < 0.001; Gender composition showed 10,483 males and 16,592 females.) Vestibular Neuronitis (H81.2) showed significant increase in 2020 compared to the two preceding years (91 in 2018, 119 in 2019, and 130 in 2020, P = 0.003; including 174 males and 167 females, respectively). Of the 53,190 patients with dizziness, 11,862 (22.3%; 4,323 males, 7,539 females) were admitted to hospital. The odds ratio (OR) for emergency admission for dizziness in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic was 0.98 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.93- 1.03) with reference to 2018. CONCLUSION: Patients with dizziness accounted approximately 4% of ED transportations, with about 20% requiring hospital admission, irrespective of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vestibular neuronitis was significantly increased in 2020.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on epidemiology, treatment, and outcome of major trauma in Japan in 2020: a retrospective observational nationwide registry-based study.

Aim: The nationwide impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on major trauma in Japan is unknown. The nationwide registry-based data of the Japanese Trauma Data Bank were analyzed to elucidate the impact of COVID-19 on the epidemiology, treatment, and outcomes of major trauma patients. Methods: Among patients transported directly from the injury site by ambulance with an Injury Severity Score of ≥16, we compared patients managed from April to December in 2019 to those managed from April to December in 2020. Results: In total, 9792 patients were included in this study (2019, n = 5194; 2020, n = 4598). There were no significant differences in age or sex, but there were significant differences between 2019 and 2020 in the rates of "self-injury (suicide)", "motor vehicle accident", "fall from height", "fall down", and "fall to the ground", which are factors associated with patient age. Injury severity in 2019 and 2020 did not differ to a statistically significant extent, but the rate of major spinal injury increased. The time of prehospital care significantly increased in 2020 compared to 2019. There was no noticeable change in hospital treatment or in-hospital mortality between 2019 and 2020. Conclusion: This study suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic might have altered the injuries of major trauma; however, medical services for major trauma were well supplied in Japan in 2020.

Characteristics and outcomes of severe sports-related injury in children and adults: a nationwide cohort study in Japan.

PURPOSE: Understanding epidemiological patterns in patients with severe sports-related injuries between children and adults is important for injury prevention. We ought to describe the characteristics and outcomes of patients with severe sports-related injuries and compare the characteristics between children and adults. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the Japan Trauma Data Bank (JTDB). We included patients with sports-related injury and an ISS of at least 16, who were admitted between 2004 and 2018. We compared characteristics between children (< 18 years) and adults (≥ 18 years). We performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis to compare in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: We identified 1369 eligible patients (children, n = 326; adults, n = 1043). The most common season was April-June and July-September in children (28.5% and 27.9%) and January-March in adults (42.1%). Injuries to the head/neck (58.9% vs. 40.8%, p < 0.001) and abdomen (16.0% vs. 8.3%, p < 0.001) were significantly more frequent in children than adults, while injuries to the thorax (8.0% vs. 27.2%, p < 0.001), pelvis/lower extremity (0.6% vs. 6.0%, p < 0.001), and spine (23.9% vs. 35.3%, p < 0.001) were less frequent in children. We did not observe a statistically significant difference in in-hospital mortality between children and adults. CONCLUSIONS: We conducted a comprehensive analysis of severe sports-related injuries using a nationwide trauma database and demonstrated different patterns of severe sports-related injuries in children and adults.