Arterial Blood Gas Analysis for Survival Prediction in Pediatric Patients with Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Arterial blood gas analysis (ABGA) is one of the few tests performed during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). There have been some studies on the prediction of survival outcomes in adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients during CPR using ABGA results. However, in pediatric OHCA patients, the prognosis of survival outcome based on ABGA results during CPR remains unclear. We retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected data from the Korean Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation Consortium (KoCARC) registry, a multicenter OHCA registry of Republic of Korea. We analyzed 108 pediatric (age < 19 years) OHCA patients between October 2015 and June 2022. Using multivariable logistic regression, an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was obtained to validate the ABGA results of survival to hospital admission and survival to discharge. The variables associated with survival to hospital admission were non-comorbidities (aOR 3.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.22-7.53, p = 0.017) and PaO2 > 45.750 mmHg (aOR 2.69, 95% CI 1.13-6.42, p = 0.026). There was no variable that was statistically significant association with survival to discharge. PaO2 > 47.750 mmHg and non-comorbidities may serve as an independent prognostic factor for survival to hospital admission in pediatric OHCA patients. However, the number of cases analyzed in our study was relatively small, and there have been few studies investigating the association between ABGA results during CPR and the survival outcome of pediatric OHCA patients. Therefore, further large-scale studies are needed.

The effect of BMI on COVID-19 outcomes among older patients in South Korea: a nationwide retrospective cohort study.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused deaths and shortages in medical resources worldwide, making the prediction of patient prognosis and the identification of risk factors very important. Increasing age is already known as one of the main risk factors for poor outcomes, but the effect of body mass index (BMI) on COVID-19 outcomes in older patients has not yet been investigated. Aim: We aimed to determine the effect of BMI on the severity and mortality of COVID-19 among older patients in South Korea. Methods: Data from 1272 COVID-19 patients (≥60 years old) were collected by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The odds ratios (ORs) of severe infection and death in the BMI groups were analyzed by logistic regression adjusted for covariates.Results: The underweight group (BMI<18.5 kg/m2) had a higher OR for death (adjusted OR = 2.23, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.06-4.52) than the normal weight group (BMI, 18.5-22.9 kg/m2). Overweight (BMI, 23.0-24.9 kg/m2) was associated with lower risks of both severe infection (adjusted OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.31-0.94) and death (adjusted OR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.27-0.91). Conclusions: Underweight was associated with an increased risk of death, and overweight was related to lower risks of severe infection and death in older COVID-19 patients in Korea. However, this study was limited by the lack of availability of some information, including smoking status.KEY MESSAGESUnderweight is an independent risk factor of death in older COVID-19 patients.Overweight patients have a lower risk of death and severe infection than normal-weight patients.

The Effect of a Modified Constant Flow Insufflation of Oxygen during Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in a Rat Model of Respiratory Cardiac Arrest on Arterial Oxygenation, Alveolar Barotrauma, and Brain Tissue Injury.

AIM: Intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) can adversely affect cardiopulmonary resuscitation outcomes by increasing the intrathoracic pressure. Continuous flow insufflation of oxygen (CFIO) has been investigated as a potential alternative, but evidence supporting its superiority over intermittent positive pressure ventilation in cases of cardiac arrest is scant. The aim of the current study was to compare the effects of continuous flow insufflation of oxygen using a one-way valve during cardiopulmonary-resuscitation with intermittent positive pressure ventilation in a rat model of respiratory arrest. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 400∼450 g (from minimum to maximum) were randomly assigned to either a sham, IPPV, or CFIO group (n = 10 per group). Respiratory arrest was induced by blocking the endotracheal tube. Arterial blood gas analysis was performed during cardiopulmonary resuscitation to compare the oxygenation levels. Tissues were then harvested to compare the degrees of pulmonary barotrauma and ischemic brain injury. RESULTS: Return of spontaneous circulation was observed in 6/10 rats in the IPPV group and 5/10 in the CFIO group. During cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the mean PaO2 was significantly higher in the CFIO group (83.10 mmHg) than in the IPPV group (56.10 mmHg). Lung biopsy revealed more inflammatory cells and marked thickening of the alveolar wall in the IPPV group; the group also exhibited a higher frequency of neuroglial cells and apoptotic bodies of pyramidal cells, resulting from ischemic injury. CONCLUSION: In a rat model of respiratory arrest, CFIO using a one-way valve resulted in a greater level of oxygenation and less lung and brain injuries than with IPPV.

Cardiac arrest associated with pneumorrhachis and pneumocephalus after epidural analgesia: two case reports.

BACKGROUND: Epidural analgesia has become a common procedure to provide excellent pain relief with few complications. Pneumorrhachis and pneumocephalus are rare complications of unintentional dural puncture and injection of air into the subarachnoid or subdural space. No cases of cardiac arrest associated with these complications have been reported in the literature previously. CASE PRESENTATION: We report cases of pneumorrhachis and pneumocephalus in two Korean women who previously visited a local pain clinic and underwent epidural analgesia. Thereafter, they were admitted to the emergency department with cardiac arrest. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed on these patients, and return of spontaneous circulation was achieved. The brain and spine computed tomographic scans showed pneumorrhachis and pneumocephalus, respectively. These cases demonstrate that pneumorrhachis and pneumocephalus may occur after epidural analgesia, which may be associated with cardiac arrest in patients. CONCLUSIONS: If cardiac arrest occurs after epidural analgesia, pneumocephalus and pneumorrhachis should be considered as its cause. Although epidural analgesia is a common procedure, caution is warranted during this procedure.

Comparison of the effectiveness in pain reduction and pulmonary function between a rib splint constructed in the ER and a manufactured rib splint.

BACKGROUND: In the treatment of patients with rib fractures (RFs), pain reduction is the most important consideration. Various studies have examined the effectiveness of treatments administered to RF patients, such as lidocaine patches, IV drugs, nerve blockers, and surgery. In this study, we evaluated the difference in the effectiveness in pain reduction between 2 groups of RF patients: 1 group who received a rib splint constructed in the ER (ER splint) and another group who received a Chrisofix Chest Orthosis (CCO) manufactured rib splint. METHODS: A pilot study for a prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted to compare subjects using the CCO (Group A) with those using the ER splint (Group B) before and after the intervention. The primary outcome was difference in the level of pain based on the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the pulmonary function (PF) variables between before and after intervention in each group during forceful and resting respiration. RESULTS: A total of 24 subjects were enrolled in this study. The VAS results showed that the intervention was significantly effective in each group (before vs after: Group A resting: 8.50 ±â€Š1.05 vs 4.17 ±â€Š1.33, P < .001; Group A forceful: 9.83 ±â€Š0.41 vs 7.17 ±â€Š0.75, P < .001; Group B resting: 8.83 ±â€Š1.60 vs 4.50 ±â€Š1.38, P < .001; and Group B forceful: 9.67 ±â€Š0.82 vs 7.33 ±â€Š1.51, P = .003). The PF variables showed that the intervention was significantly effective in each group (before vs after: Group A, FVC: 2.74 ±â€Š0.92 vs 3.35 ±â€Š0.99, P < .001; FEV1: 2.16 ±â€Š0.74 vs 2.57 ±â€Š0.78, P = .001; PEF: 235.30 ±â€Š43.06 vs 319.00 ±â€Š51.58, P = .004; and Group B, FVC: 2.02 ±â€Š0.49 vs 2.72 ±â€Š0.62, P < .001; FEV1: 1.27 ±â€Š0.25 vs 1.91 ±â€Š0.37, P < .001; PEF: 216.67 ±â€Š67.49 vs 300.33 ±â€Š87.79, P = .003). CONCLUSION: Applying either the CCO or the ER splint to RF patients effectively reduced pain, and no significant differences in pain level were observed between these 2 techniques.

Tension Pneumopericardium after Pericardiocentesis.

Pneumopericardium is defined as the presence of air inside the pericardial space. Usually, it is reported as a complication of blunt or penetrating chest trauma, but rare iatrogenic and spontaneous cases have been reported. Pneumopericardium is relatively stable if it does not generate a tension effect on the heart. However, it may progress to tension pneumopericardium, which requires immediate pericardial aspiration. We report a case of iatrogenic pneumopericardium occurred in a 70-year-old man who presented dyspnea at emergency department. The patient underwent pericardiocentesis for cardiac tamponade due to large pericardial effusion, and iatrogenic tension pneumopericardium occurred due to misuse of the drainage device. After evacuating the pericardial air through the previously implanted catheter, the patient became stable. We report this case to increase the awareness of this fatal condition and to help increase the use of precautions against the development of this condition during emergency procedures.

GlideScope video laryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy in the emergency department: a propensity score-matched analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the use of a GlideScope video laryngoscope (GVL) improves first-attempt intubation success compared with the Macintosh laryngoscope (MAC) in the emergency department (ED). DESIGN: A propensity score-matched analysis of data from a prospective multicentre ED airway registry-the Korean Emergency Airway Management Registry (KEAMR). SETTING: 4 academic EDs located in a metropolitan city and a province in South Korea. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 4041 adult patients without cardiac arrest who underwent emergency intubation from January 2007 to December 2010. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary and secondary outcomes were successful first intubation attempt and intubation failure, respectively. To reduce the selection bias and potential confounding effects, we rigorously adjusted for the baseline differences between two groups using a propensity score matching. RESULTS: Of the 4041 eligible patients, a GVL was initially used in 540 patients (13.4%). Using 1:2 propensity score matching, 363 and 726 patients were assigned to the GVL and MAC groups, respectively. The adjusted relative risks (95% CIs) for the first-attempt success rates with a GVL compared with a MAC were 0.76 (0.56 to 1.04; p=0.084) and the respective intubation failure rates 1.03(0.99 to 1.07; p=0.157). Regarding the subgroups, the first-attempt success of the senior residents and attending physicians was lower with the GVL (0.47 (0.23 to 0.98), p=0.043). In the patients with slight intubation difficulty, the first-attempt success was lower (0.60 (0.41 to 0.88), p=0.008) and the intubation failure was higher with the GVL (1.07 (1.02 to 1.13), p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: In this propensity score-matched analysis of data from a prospective multicentre ED airway registry, the overall first-attempt intubation success and failure rates did not differ significantly between GVL and MAC in the ED setting. Further randomised controlled trials are needed to confirm our findings.

The timing of surgery and mortality in elderly hip fractures: A retrospective, multicenteric cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Early surgery is recommended for elderly hip fracture patients, but some studies show no clear advantage. The benefits of early surgery may differ according to the medical environment in different countries. The purpose of this study was to identify the potential benefits of early surgery in elderly hip fracture patients by evaluating the effect of timing of surgery on mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at multiple centers on hip fracture patients aged over 65 years. The primary outcome was 1 year mortality and the secondary outcomes were 30-day/6-month mortality and complications during admission. The effect of time to surgery on mortality was analyzed using a Cox proportional-hazards model. RESULTS: Among the 874 patients, 162 (18.5%) received surgery within 3 days and their 1-year mortality rate was 9.9%. However, the 1-year mortality rate for the delayed surgery group was 12.5%. After adjustment for potential confounders, the 1-year mortality rates in patients who received surgery in 3-7 days (Hazard ratio = 1.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.7-1.6) and over 7 days (hazard ratio = 1.3; 95% CI: 0.9-1.8) were not significantly different. In addition, the time to surgery did not have a significant effect on 30-day mortality, 60-day mortality or complications arising during hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: The time to surgery did not affect short and long term mortality or the in hospital complication rate in elderly hip fracture patients. We recommend concentrating more on optimizing the condition of patients early with sufficient medical treatment rather than being bound by absolute timing of surgery.

Endotracheal intubation using a GlideScope video laryngoscope by emergency physicians: a multicentre analysis of 345 attempts in adult patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use and success rates of the GlideScope (GVL) by emergency physicians (EPs) during the initial two years after its introduction. METHODS: We performed an observational study using registry data of five emergency departments. The success rates in adult patients were evaluated and compared with those of conventional laryngoscope (CL). RESULTS: The GVL was used in 345 (10.7%) of 3233 intubation attempts by EPs. The overall success rate of the GVL was not higher than a CL (79.1% vs 77.6%, p=0.538). The success rate for the patients with difficult airway was higher in the GVL than a CL (80.0% vs 50.4%, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The GVL was not used frequently by EPs during the initial two years after its introduction. Although the GVL provides a better glottic view, the overall success rates were similar to a CL. The GVL may be useful in patients with difficult airway.