Does Point-of-Care Ultrasonography Improve Clinical Outcomes in Emergency Department Patients With Undifferentiated Hypotension? An International Randomized Controlled Trial From the SHoC-ED Investigators.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Point-of-care ultrasonography protocols are commonly used in the initial management of patients with undifferentiated hypotension in the emergency department (ED). There is little published evidence for any mortality benefit. We compare the effect of a point-of-care ultrasonography protocol versus standard care without point-of-care ultrasonography for survival and clinical outcomes. METHODS: This international, multicenter, randomized controlled trial recruited from 6 centers in North America and South Africa and included selected hypotensive patients (systolic blood pressure <100 mm Hg or shock index >1) randomized to early point-of-care ultrasonography plus standard care versus standard care without point-of-care ultrasonography. Diagnoses were recorded at 0 and 60 minutes. The primary outcome measure was survival to 30 days or hospital discharge. Secondary outcome measures included initial treatment and investigations, admissions, and length of stay. RESULTS: Follow-up was completed for 270 of 273 patients. The most common diagnosis in more than half the patients was occult sepsis. We found no important differences between groups for the primary outcome of survival (point-of-care ultrasonography group 104 of 136 patients versus standard care 102 of 134 patients; difference 0.35%; 95% binomial confidence interval [CI] -10.2% to 11.0%), survival in North America (point-of-care ultrasonography group 76 of 89 patients versus standard care 72 of 88 patients; difference 3.6%; CI -8.1% to 15.3%), and survival in South Africa (point-of-care ultrasonography group 28 of 47 patients versus standard care 30 of 46 patients; difference 5.6%; CI -15.2% to 26.0%). There were no important differences in rates of computed tomography (CT) scanning, inotrope or intravenous fluid use, and ICU or total length of stay. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first randomized controlled trial to compare point-of-care ultrasonography to standard care without point-of-care ultrasonography in undifferentiated hypotensive ED patients. We did not find any benefits for survival, length of stay, rates of CT scanning, inotrope use, or fluid administration. The addition of a point-of-care ultrasonography protocol to standard care may not translate into a survival benefit in this group.

Weather factors associated with paediatric croup presentations to an Australian emergency department.

We examined if croup presentations to the emergency department (ED) were associated with weather changes in a warm temperate climate. We collected data on all 729 cases with an ED discharge or admission diagnosis of croup over a 798 day time period. We obtained detailed climatic records from the New South Wales Meteorological Office for the same time period. Only one daily variable, ground temperature at 9:00, was significantly associated with the number of croup attendances (linear regression -0.2062; 95% CI -0.272 to -0.138). There was a stronger correlation (-0.426; 95% CI -0.684 to -0.072) between the calculated mean monthly temperature and the monthly number of croup admissions. Even in this milder climate, croup is associated with cooler weather. We are unable to conclude that hospital attendances for croup are caused by changes in temperature alone, as other factors such as the prevalence of viral illness also follow a seasonal, and therefore, temperature-related pattern.

To Choose or Not To Choose: Evaluating the Effect of a Choosing Wisely Knowledge Translation Initiative for Imaging in Low Back Pain by Emergency Physicians.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to quantify the baseline familiarity of emergency medicine (EM) physicians with the Choosing Wisely Canada (CWC)-EM recommendations. We then assessed whether a structured knowledge translation (KT) initiative affected awareness, knowledge, and practice patterns for imaging in low back pain. METHODS: We completed a two-center, before and after practice evaluation study. Physicians working in two Canadian emergency departments (EDs) were asked to participate in a survey before a KT initiative, and were surveyed again at a six-month follow up period post-intervention. The primary outcome of physician practice was determined by analyzing the frequency of lumbar X-ray imaging for back pain. RESULTS: A total of 37 physicians were asked to complete the pre- and post-intervention survey. Awareness of the CWC-EM recommendations increased following the intervention (63%; 95%CI: 43-79 at baseline vs. 86%; 66-96 post-intervention). Knowledge increased with 58% (39-76) of physicians responding correctly initially, and 86% (66-96) after the intervention. Despite increases in awareness and knowledge of the guidelines, the lumbar X-ray imaging rate increased from a baseline of 12% (9.9-14.5) to 16.2% (13.6-19.2; p = 0.023) following the intervention. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated some improvements in physician awareness and knowledge of the CWC-EM recommendations following our intervention. Despite these improvements, our KT intervention was associated with an increased frequency of imaging for low back pain, contrary to our expectations.

Does Point-of-care Ultrasound Use Impact Resuscitation Length, Rates of Intervention, and Clinical Outcomes During Cardiac Arrest? A Study from the Sonography in Hypotension and Cardiac Arrest in the Emergency Department (SHoC-ED) Investigators.

Introduction This third study in the Sonography in Hypotension and Cardiac Arrest in the Emergency Department (SHoC-ED) series examined potential relationships between point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) use and the length of resuscitation, the frequency of interventions, and clinical outcomes during cardiac arrest. Methods A health records review was completed for adult patients (>19 years, without a do not resuscitate (DNR) order) who presented to a tertiary emergency department in cardiac arrest between 2010 and 2014. Patients were grouped based on PoCUS use and findings for cardiac activity. Data were analyzed for length of resuscitation, frequency of interventions, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), survival to hospital admission (SHA), and survival to hospital discharge (SHD). Results Of the 223 patients who met inclusion criteria, 180 (80.7%) received assessment by PoCUS during cardiac arrest management in the emergency department (ED). In the PoCUS group, 21 (11.6%) demonstrated cardiac activity and 159 (88.4%) did not. Patients with activity on PoCUS had longer mean resuscitation times (27.3; 95% confidence interval 17.7-37.0 min) than patients with no activity (11.51; 10.2-12.8 min) and patients who did not receive a PoCUS exam (14.36; 9.89-18.8 min). Patients with cardiac activity on PoCUS were more likely to receive endotracheal intubation (ET; 95.23%; 86.13-104.35%) and epinephrine (Epi; 100%; 100-100%) than patients with no activity (ET: 46.54%; 38.8-54.3%; Epi: 82.39%; 76.50-88.31%) and those with no PoCUS (ET: 65.11%; 50.87-79.36%; Epi: 81.39%; 69.76-93.03%). Those with no cardiac activity on PoCUS were much less likely to achieve ROSC (19.5%; 13.4-25.6), SHA (6.9%; 2.97-10.86%) and SHD (0.6%; -0.5-1.8%) compared to those with cardiac activity on PoCUS (ROSC; 76.19%; 57.97-94.4%), SHA (33.3%; 13.2-53.5%), SHD (9.5%; -3-22.07%), and those with no PoCUS (ROSC 39.5%; 24.9-54.1%; SHA 27.9%; 14.5- 41.3%, and SHD 6.9%; -0.6-14.59). Conclusions Emergency department cardiac arrest patients with cardiac activity on PoCUS received longer resuscitation with higher rates of intervention as compared to those with negative findings or when no PoCUS was performed. Patients with cardiac activity on PoCUS had improved clinical outcomes as compared with patients not receiving PoCUS, and patients with no activity on PoCUS.

Can You Teach Yourself Point-of-care Ultrasound to a Level of Clinical Competency? Evaluation of a Self-directed Simulation-based Training Program.

Introduction Self-directed learning in medical professions is established as an effective method of training in certain modalities. Furthermore, simulation technology is becoming widely used and accepted as a valid method of training for various medical skills, with ultrasound being one of the best studied. The use of point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) in the practice of emergency medicine is well established, and PoCUS is a core competency of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada emergency medicine standards. The primary goal of our study was to assess the effectiveness of a self-directed simulation-based training program for medical students, in terms of achieving competency in basic PoCUS scans. Methods Fourteen second-year medical students with no prior ultrasound experience were provided access to online study modules created by SonoSim ultrasound training solutions (SonoSim, Santa Monica, CA, US), covering ultrasound theory and methodology, and attended a two-hour introductory session where they were introduced to the study protocol, simulation equipment, and software. Participants then undertook self-directed ultrasound simulation training throughout the year, using the CAE Vimedix PoCUS simulator (CAE Healthcare, Sarasota, FL, US) and the SonoSim ultrasound training solution system. Upon reaching 10 (and 25) scans in each of the four categories (cardiac, abdomen, aorta, and pelvic), a triggered assessment was arranged in which participants scanned a live volunteer under the direct supervision of PoCUS-certified physicians. The physicians scored the participant attempts in terms of image acquisition, interpretation, and clinical understanding. No feedback was provided to the participants. Following the study, participants submitted feedback regarding the design of the study and were asked to rank their preferred training program protocols out of a provided list of five different options. Results At the first triggered assessment (after completing only 10 scans in each category), four out of 14 participants were scored as competent in the aorta scan, two out of 14 participants were competent in the pelvic scan, and none of the participants were competent in both the cardiac and abdominal scans. Only nine out of 14 participants completed the second triggered assessment (after completing 25 scans in each category). At the second assessment, only three participants were scored as competent in the aorta scan, two participants were competent in the cardiac scan, and one participant was competent in the pelvic scan. None of the 14 learners completed the final phase of the training and assessment protocol. Feedback following the termination of the study showed that none of the participants supported continuing the study protocol as designed originally, and the preferred study design consisted of a full-day introductory course with live models and simulation, followed by self-directed learning with simulation and live models until 50 scans in each category were achieved. Conclusion We were unable to demonstrate the achievement of competence in PoCUS in medical learners engaged in our combined self-directed simulation-based training program. This is in contrast to the considerable literature supporting self-directed learning and simulation-based learning for other skills. Feedback from faculty, curriculum integration, and alignment with clinical experience may be beneficial.

A comparison of work stressors in higher and lower resourced emergency medicine health settings.

OBJECTIVES: The study compares experiences of workplace stressors for emergency medicine trainees and specialists in settings where the specialty is relatively well resourced and established (Canada), and where it is newer and less well resourced (South Africa, (SA)). METHODS: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey of emergency medicine trainees and physicians in both countries for six domains (demands, role, support, change, control, and relationships) using the validated Management Standards Indicator Tool (MSIT, Health, and Safety Executive, United Kingdom). RESULTS: 74 SA and 430 Canadian respondents were included in our analysis. SA trainees (n=38) reported higher stressors (lower MSIT scores) than SA specialists (n=36) for demands (2.2 (95%CI 2.1-2.3) vs. 2.7 (2.5-2.8)), control (2.6 (2.4-2.7) vs. 3.5 (3.3-3.7)) and change (2.4 (2.2-2.6) vs. 3.0 (2.7-3.3)). In Canada, specialists (n=395) had higher demands (2.6 (2.6-2.7) vs. 3.0 (2.8-3.1)) and manager support stressors (3.3 (3.3-3.4) vs. 3.9 (3.6-4.1)) than trainees (n=35). Canadian trainees reported higher role stressors (4.0 (95%CI 3.8-4.1) vs. 4.2 (4.2-4.3)) than Canadian specialists. SA trainees had higher stressors on all domains than Canadian trainees. There was one domain (control) where Canadian specialists scored significantly lower than SA specialists, whereas SA specialists had significantly lower scores on peer support, relationships and role. CONCLUSIONS: Work related stressor domains were different for all four groups. Perceived stressors were higher in all measured domains among SA trainees compared with Canadian trainees. The differences between the SA and Canadian specialists may reflect the developing nature of the specialty in SA, although the Canadian specialists reported less control over their work than SA counterparts.

Do Electrocardiogram Rhythm Findings Predict Cardiac Activity During a Cardiac Arrest? A Study from the Sonography in Cardiac Arrest and Hypotension in the Emergency Department (SHoC-ED) Investigators.

Introduction Electrocardiographic (ECG) rhythms are used during advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) to guide resuscitation management. Survival to hospital discharge has been reported to be better for patients with pulseless electrical activity (PEA) than asystole in out-of-hospital arrests. Despite this, treatment for these two (non-shockable) rhythms is combined in ACLS guidelines. This study examines if the recorded cardiac rhythm of asystole or PEA during ACLS accurately predicts mechanical cardiac activity as determined by point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS). Methods A database review was completed for patients (> 19 years without a do not resuscitate (DNR) order) who presented to a tertiary emergency department in PEA or asystolic cardiac arrest between 2010 and 2014. Patients were separated into two groups: those with electrical cardiac activity (PEA) and those without (asystole). We compared ECG rhythm and PoCUS-documented cardiac activity results (both initial and any) for each case. Results  A total of 186 patients met the study criteria. The 46 patients with PEA on ECG were more likely to have cardiac activity than the 140 patients with asystole (odds ratio 7.22 (95% confidence intervals 2.79-18.7) for activity on initial PoCUS; odds ratio 5.45 (2.49-12.0) for activity on any PoCUS during arrest). ECG alone was poorly sensitive for initial cardiac activity (63.64%; 40.66% to 82.80%) and any cardiac activity (54.29%; 36.65% to 71.17%), with specificity marginally better at 80.49% (73.59% to 86.25%) for initial and 82.12% (75.06% to 87.87%) for any activity. Conclusion Our results suggest that ECG rhythm alone is not an accurate predictor of cardiac activity. This supports the use of PoCUS during cardiac arrest, in addition to ECG, to identify patients with ongoing mechanical cardiac activity and to help determine appropriate treatment for this group.

Do Guidelines Influence Emergency Department Staff Behaviours and Improve Patient Outcomes? Evaluation of a Multifaceted Intervention for the Implementation of Local Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Guidelines.

Introduction Published national guidelines on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) highlight the importance of oxygen therapy, bronchodilators, corticosteroids, and appropriate antibiotics during acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD). We wished to assess how the implementation of local COPD guidelines affects emergency department (ED) staff awareness, knowledge, the use of such guidelines, and patient outcomes, including treatment failure and rates of return to the ED. Methods This study was conducted at a tertiary hospital ED. Local COPD guidelines were developed by a quality improvement group. Guidelines were posted in the department, and educational sessions were provided for staff. We conducted a retrospective chart review and looked at 1849 patient visits before and after COPD guideline implementation. All visits with a diagnosis of COPD or AECOPD were included in the study (for a total of 130 patient visits), and data were collected using a standardized abstraction tool. For non-admitted patients, we recorded 30-day return rates and treatment failures occurring within 30 days of presenting to the ED. Pre- and post-implementation outcomes were analyzed with Fisher's exact tests. We also assessed ED staff awareness, knowledge, and use of COPD guidelines through surveys given out before implementation, and both one and 10 months after the implementation. We calculated proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for our surveys. Pre- and post-implementation survey responses were compared with Fisher's exact tests. Results For ED physicians, the survey response rate was 78%, 79%, and 58% at pre-implementation, one-month follow-up, and 10-month follow-up, respectively. Prior to implementation, 14.3% (95% CI 4.1%-35.5%) were aware and 0% (0%-18.2%) reported using guidelines. One month after implementation, 90.9% (71.0%-98.7%) were aware and 81.8% (60.9%-93.3%) reported using guidelines. At 10 months, 100% (76.1%-100%) were aware and 100% (82%-100%) reported using local guidelines. Similar trends were seen among nurses and respiratory therapists. To assess actual guideline use, 130 visits were evaluated (51 visits prior to implementation and 79 post-implementation). Prior to implementation, 57% (43%-70%) received bronchodilators, systemic steroids, and antibiotics appropriately. Following guideline implementation, 57% (46%-67%) received the respective treatments (p=1.0). For patient-related outcomes, 86 non-admission patient visits were evaluated (35 visits prior to implementation and 51 post-implementation). Prior to guideline implementation, 17% (8%-33%) failed their initial AECOPD treatment, compared to 10% (4%-21%) following guideline implementation (p=0.34). Prior to guideline implementation, 23% (12%-39%) returned to the ED within 30 days in the pre-implementation period while 14% (7%-26%) returned post-implementation (p=0.39). Conclusion Our introduction of local COPD guidelines was successful at increasing self-reported awareness, knowledge, and the use of best practice guidelines among ED staff. At the 10-month follow-up, increased awareness, knowledge, and use of COPD guidelines among ED staff was maintained. However, in practice, guideline adherence, treatment failure, and return rates did not improve significantly after the implementation of local guidelines.

Does Frequency of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Presentation Impact Quality of Care?

Objectives The volume of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarctions (STEMIs) presenting to an emergency department (ED) has been shown to affect treatment quality measures and patient outcomes. Almost half of ST-elevation-myocardial-infarction (STEMI) patients in New Brunswick (NB) present directly to community hospitals. This study seeks to determine if the quality of care received by STEMI patients presenting to EDs in NB is related to the volume of STEMI presentations at that center.  Methods This retrospective registry-based study used data from the STEMI database at the New Brunswick Heart Centre (NBHC), identifying 1196 cases of STEMI in NB, Canada, between December 2010 and April 2013. Patients were stratified into three groups based on the annual volume of STEMIs seen at the presenting center. Quality of care determinants, consisting of the percent of cases adhering to door-to-ECG (D2E), ECG-to-needle (E2N), and door-to-needle (D2N) time guidelines were then compared between groups. Results The mean age of the 1188 cases identified was 61.3 years, 73.8% were male, and 69.0% received thrombolysis. There was no difference in the rate of guideline adherence between the high, medium, and low-volume centers. The total rates of guideline adherence were 43.7%, 44.9%, and 47.5% for the D2E, E2N, and D2N times, respectively. Conclusion We did not identify any relationship between the rates of adherence with STEMI care guidelines and the volume of STEMI patients presenting to a center. Adherence rates were lower than in previously reported series from other regions. Further efforts should be undertaken to identify the causes of delayed STEMI diagnosis and treatment in our population and to implement system changes to improve standards of care.

My patient has abdominal and flank pain: Identifying renal causes.

Acute flank and abdominal pain are common presenting complaints in the emergency department. With increasing access to point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS), emergency physicians have an added tool to help identify renal problems as a cause of a patient's pain. PoCUS for hydronephrosis has a sensitivity of 72-83.3% and a varying specificity, similar to radiology-performed ultrasonography. In addition to assessment for hydronephrosis, PoCUS can help emergency physicians to exclude other serious causes of flank and abdominal pain such as the presence of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, or free fluid in the intraperitoneal space, which could represent hemorrhage. Use of PoCUS for the assessment of flank pain has resulted in more rapid diagnosis, decreased use of computed tomography, and shorter emergency department length of stay.

A method for reviewing the accuracy and reliability of a five-level triage process (canadian triage and acuity scale) in a community emergency department setting: building the crowding measurement infrastructure.

Objectives. Triage data are widely used to evaluate patient flow, disease severity, and emergency department (ED) workload, factors used in ED crowding evaluation and management. We defined an indicator-based methodology that can be easily used to review the accuracy of Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) performance. Methods. A trained nurse reviewer (NR) retrospectively triaged two separate month's ED charts relative to a set of clinical indicators based on CTAS Chief Complaints. Interobserver reliability and accuracy were compared using Kappa and comparative statistics. Results. There were 2838 patients in Trial 1 and 3091 in Trial 2. The rate of inconsistent triage was 14% and 16% (Kappa 0.596 and 0.604). Clinical Indicators "pain scale, chest pain, musculoskeletal injury, respiratory illness, and headache" captured 68% and 62% of visits. Conclusions. We have demonstrated a system to measure the levels of process accuracy and reliability for triage over time. We identified five key clinical indicators which captured over 60% of visits. A simple method for quality review uses a small set of indicators, capturing a majority of cases. Performance consistency and data collection using indicators may be important areas to direct training efforts.

An evaluation of the use of whole-body computed tomography in trauma patients at a United Kingdom trauma centre.

We sought to identify the impact of whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) on working and suspected diagnoses in Emergency Department (ED) trauma patients and to determine the rate of WBCT scans with no detectable traumatic injuries. We performed a retrospective database analysis of all trauma patients who underwent WBCT in 2009, comparing pretest suspicion of specific injury to WBCT findings, looking for the rates of unexpected findings and the absence of traumatic injury in WBCT studies. Our results showed that of the 179 patients who underwent WBCT, no traumatic injury reported in 17 patients while 162 patients demonstrated pathology (47 confirming previously suspected or diagnosed injury and 115 with previously unexpected injury). Overall, WBCT results differed from clinical findings in 130 (72.6%) patients, a statistically significant difference (P<0.0001). In conclusion, WBCT identifies previously unexpected injuries in almost 66% of ED trauma patients, supporting its continued use in the initial assessment of trauma patients.