[A case of high cervical cord infarction presenting with cardiopulmonary arrest due to respiratory dysfunction].

A 46-year-old man with neck pain and impaired physical mobility called for emergency medical services. The patient was able to communicate with the emergency medical team upon their arrival. However, he went into cardiopulmonary arrest 5 minutes later. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was immediately performed, and the patient was admitted to our hospital with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of E1V1M1. His respiratory rate was 5 breaths/minute and his partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood (PaCO2) was 127 |mmHg, necessitating intubation and ventilation. His consciousness improved as the PaCO2 level decreased. However, he was unable to be weaned off the ventilator and breathe independently. Neurological examination revealed flaccid quadriplegia, pain sensation up to the C5 level, absence of deep tendon reflexes, indifferent plantar responses, and absence of the rectoanal inhibitory reflex. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a hyperintense lesion with slight enlargement of the anterior two-thirds of the spinal cord at the C2-C4 level on both T2-weighted and diffusion-weighted images, consistent with a diagnosis of spinal cord infarction. Although the quadriplegia and sensory loss partially improved, the patient was unable to be weaned from the ventilator. Cervical cord infarction of the anterior spinal artery can cause rapid respiratory failure leading to cardiopulmonary arrest. Therefore, cervical cord infarction should be included as a differential diagnosis when examining patients after cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Impact of center volume on in-hospital mortality in adult patients with out­of­hospital cardiac arrest resuscitated using extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a secondary analysis of the SAVE-J II study.

Recently, patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) refractory to conventional resuscitation have started undergoing extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR). However, the mortality rate of these patients remains high. This study aimed to clarify whether a center ECPR volume was associated with the survival rates of adult patients with OHCA resuscitated using ECPR. This was a secondary analysis of a retrospective multicenter registry study, the SAVE-J II study, involving 36 participating institutions in Japan. Centers were divided into three groups according to the tertiles of the annual average number of patients undergoing ECPR: high-volume (≥ 21 sessions per year), medium-volume (11-20 sessions per year), or low-volume (< 11 sessions per year). The primary outcome was survival rate at the time of discharge. Patient characteristics and outcomes were compared among the three groups. Moreover, a multivariable-adjusted logistic regression model was applied to study the impact of center ECPR volume. A total of 1740 patients were included in this study. The center ECPR volume was strongly associated with survival rate at the time of discharge; furthermore, survival rate was best in high-volume compared with medium- and low-volume centers (33.4%, 24.1%, and 26.8%, respectively; P = 0.001). After adjusting for patient characteristics, undergoing ECPR at high-volume centers was associated with an increased likelihood of survival compared to middle- (adjusted odds ratio 0.657; P = 0.003) and low-volume centers (adjusted odds ratio 0.983; P = 0.006). The annual number of ECPR sessions was associated with favorable survival rates and lower complication rates of the ECPR procedure.Clinical trial registration: https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000041577 (unique identifier: UMIN000036490).

Comparison of the effects of using feedback devices for training or simulated cardiopulmonary arrest.

BACKGROUND: High-quality chest compression is essential for successful cardiac arrest resuscitation. High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can effectively improve the survival rate of patients with cardiopulmonary arrest. However, bystanders untrained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation may provide inadequate chest compressions. Previous studies have shown that the use of feedback devices in training alone or in simulated cardiopulmonary arrest alone can improve cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This study aims to determine whether using an audiovisual feedback (AVF) device during CPR training or a simulated cardiopulmonary arrest (CA) scenario would be more effective in improving the quality of chest compressions (CC). METHODS: We use a prospective, randomized, 2 × 2 factorial design trial. A total of 160 participants from Wuhan University and senior clinical medicine undergraduates who had not participated in any CPR training before and had no actual CPR experience are recruited. Each participant is randomized to 1 of 4 permutations, including AVF device vs. no AVF device during CPR training and AVF device vs. no AVF device during simulated CA. Main outcomes and measures are the depth, the percentage of CCs with correct depth (5-6 cm), the rate of CCs, and the percentage of CCs with the correct rate (100-120 cpm). RESULTS: The use of the AVF device during simulated CA resulted in improved CC quality. In CA without AVF device, the average compression depth and the percentage of adequate depth with AVF device are 5.1 cm, 5.0 cm and 55.5%, 56.3%, respectively, which are higher than those without AVF device (4.5 cm, 4.7 cm and 32.8%, 33.6%). (p = 0.011, p = 0.000, both < 0.05).Compared with CA without AVF device, the average compression rate and the percentage of adequate rate with AVF device are 112.3 cpm, 111.2 cpm and 79.4%, 83.1%, respectively. The average compression rate and the percentage of adequate rate without using the AVF device are 112.4 cpm, 110.3 cpm and 71.5%, 68.5%, respectively. (p = 0.567 > 0.05, p = 0.017 < 0.05)Although the average compression rate in group D is slightly lower than that in group C, the percentage of suitable frequency with the feedback device is still higher than that without AVF device. CONCLUSION: Using a feedback device during simulated cardiopulmonary arrest is more effective in improving cardiopulmonary resuscitation than during training.

Differences in Pathophysiology and Treatment Efficacy Based on Heterogeneous Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is heterogeneous in terms of etiology and severity. Owing to this heterogeneity, differences in outcome and treatment efficacy have been reported from case to case; however, few reviews have focused on the heterogeneity of OHCA. We conducted a literature review to identify differences in the prognosis and treatment efficacy in terms of CA-related waveforms (shockable or non-shockable), age (adult or pediatric), and post-CA syndrome severity and to determine the preferred treatment for patients with OHCA to improve outcomes.

[Maternal deaths and management by emergency departments in France 2016-2018]. / Mortalité maternelle et prise en charge par les services d'urgence en France 2016­2018.

In France, 272 maternal deaths occurred during the period 2016-2018, of which 131 were initially treated by healthcare professionals not specialized in obstetric. Fifty-six files were excluded because they did not concern emergency services or because there was insufficient data to allow analysis. Seventy-five cases of maternal deaths initially treated by emergency services (in-hospital emergency department [ED] or emergency medical ambulance [SAMU]) were analyzed. Fifty-six cases were treated by the SAMU and 22 by an ED (both in 3 cases). The causes of death were 20 cardiovascular events, 18 pulmonary embolisms, 9 neurological failures and 8 hemorrhagic shocks. The event occurred during pregnancy in 48 cases (64%) and during per or postpartum period in 27 cases (36%). The motivations for consultation at the ED were mainly pain (n=9), respiratory distress (n=6) or faintness (n=3). The reasons for calling emergency dispatching service (SAMU) were cardiorespiratory arrest in 32 cases (57%) and neurological failure (coma or status epilepticus) in 6 cases (11%). Among the 56 patients treated outside the hospital, 17 died on scene and 39 were transported to a resuscitation room (n=13), a specialized department (n=13), an obstetrics department (n=8) and less often in the ED (n=2). This was considered appropriate in 35 out of 39 cases (90%). Concerning the 75 files analyzed (ED and SAMU), death was considered unavoidable in 37 cases (49%) and potentially avoidable in 29 cases (38%) (maybe=23, probably=6). Avoidability could not be established in 9 cases. Among the 29 potentially avoidable deaths (38%), one of the criteria of avoidability concerned emergency services in 14 cases (ED=9, SAMU/SMUR=5, 18% of the files studied). ED's cares were considered optimal in 11 cases (50%) and non-optimal in 11 cases (50%). SAMU's cares were considered optimal in 45 cases (80%).

Laryngopharyngeal Mucosal Injury Due to Nasogastric Tube Insertion during Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Patients under cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are at high risk of aspirating gastric contents. Nasogastric tube insertion (NGTI) after tracheal intubation is usually performed blindly. This sometimes causes laryngopharyngeal mucosal injury (LPMI), leading to severe bleeding. This study clarified the incidence of LPMI due to blind NGTI during CPR. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 84 patients presenting with cardiopulmonary arrest on arrival, categorized them into a Smooth group (Smooth; blind NGTI was possible within 2 min), and Difficult group (blind NGTI was not possible), and consequently performed video laryngoscope-assisted NGTI. The laryngopharyngeal mucosal condition was recorded using video laryngoscope. Success rates and insertion time for the Smooth group were calculated. Insertion number and LPMI scores were compared between the groups. Each regression line of outcome measurements was obtained using simple regression analysis. We also analyzed the causes of the Difficult group, using recorded video laryngoscope-assisted videos. RESULTS: The success rate was 78.6% (66/84). NGTI time was 48.8 ± 4.0 s in the Smooth group. Insertion number and injury scores in the Smooth group were significantly lower than those in the Difficult group. The severity of LPMI increased with NGT insertion time and insertion number. CONCLUSIONS: Whenever blind NGTI is difficult, switching to other methods is essential to prevent unnecessary persistence.

In-hospital care of children with COVID-19.

Children have been reported to be less affected and to have milder severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection than adults during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, children, and particularly those with underlying disorders, are still likely to develop critical illnesses. In the case of SARS-CoV-2 infection, most previous studies have focused on adult patients. To aid in the knowledge of in-hospital care of children with COVID-19, this study presents an expert review of the literature, including the management of respiratory distress or failure, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), hemodynamic and other organ support, pharmaceutical therapies (anti-viral drugs, anti-inflammatory or antithrombotic therapies) and management of cardiopulmonary arrest.

Evaluation of a modified paediatric early warning score for children with congenital heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Paediatric early warning score systems are used for early detection of clinical deterioration of patients in paediatric wards. Several paediatric early warning scores have been developed, but most of them are not suitable for children with cyanotic CHD who are adapted to lower arterial oxygen saturation. AIM: The present study compared the original paediatric early warning system of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland with a modification for children with cyanotic CHD. DESIGN: Retrospective single-centre study in a paediatric cardiology intermediate care unit at a German university hospital. RESULTS: The distribution of recorded values showed a significant shift towards higher score values in patients with cyanotic CHD (p < 0.001) using the original score, but not with the modification. An analysis of sensitivity and specificity for the factor "requirement of action" showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic for non-cyanotic patients of 0.908 (95% CI 0.862-0.954). For patients with cyanotic CHD, using the original score, the area under the receiver operating characteristic was reduced to 0.731 (95% CI 0.637-0.824, p = 0.001) compared to 0.862 (95% CI 0.809-0.915, p = 0.207), when the modified score was used. Using the critical threshold of scores ≥ 4 in patients with cyanotic CHD, sensitivity and specificity for the modified score was higher than for the original (sensitivity 78.8 versus 72.7%, specificity 78.2 versus 58.4%). CONCLUSION: The modified score is a uniform scoring system for identifying clinical deterioration, which can be used in children with and without cyanotic CHD.

Completeness and accuracy of digital charting vs paper charting in simulated pediatric cardiac arrest: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if data collected through digital charting are more complete and more accurate compared to traditional paper-based charting during simulated pediatric cardiac arrest. METHODS: We performed a single-center simulation-based randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized to a novel handheld digital charting device (intervention group) or to the standard resuscitation paper chart (control group). Participants documented two 15-min simulated pediatric cardiac arrest scenarios. We compared the charting completeness between the two groups. Completeness score (primary outcome) was established by calculating a completeness score for each group based on a list of pre-determined critical tasks. Charting accuracy (secondary outcome) was compared between the two groups, defined as the time interval between the real-time task performance and charted time. RESULTS: Charting data from 34 simulated cardiac arrest events were included in the analysis (n = 18 intervention; n = 16 control). The paper charting group had a higher completeness score (median (IQR) paper vs digital: 72.0% (66.4-76.9%) vs 65.0% (58.5-66.4%), p = 0.015). For accuracy, the digital charting group was superior to the paper charting group for all pre-established critical tasks. CONCLUSION: Compared to paper-based charting, digital charting group captured more critical tasks during pediatric simulated resuscitation and was more accurate in the time intervals between real-time tasks performance and charted time. For tasks charted, paper-based charting was significantly more complete and more detailed during simulated pediatric cardiac arrest.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: Déterminer si les données recueillies au moyen de la cartographie numérique sont plus complètes et plus précises que celles recueillies sur papier lors d'un arrêt cardiaque pédiatrique simulé. MéTHODES: Nous avons réalisé un essai contrôlé randomisé basé sur une simulation à centre unique. Les participants ont été affectés par randomisation à un nouvel appareil de cartographie numérique portatif (groupe d'intervention) ou au tableau papier standard de réanimation (groupe témoin). Les participants ont documenté deux scénarios simulés d'arrêt cardiaque pédiatrique de 15 min. Nous avons comparé l'exhaustivité des dossiers entre les deux groupes. Le score d'exhaustivité (résultat principal) a été établi en calculant un score d'exhaustivité pour chaque groupe en fonction d'une liste de tâches critiques prédéterminées. La précision des graphiques (résultat secondaire) a été comparée entre les deux groupes, définie comme l'intervalle de temps entre la performance de la tâche en temps réel et le temps représenté sur la carte. RéSULTATS: Les données cartographiques de 34 arrêts cardiaques simulés ont été incluses dans l'analyse (n = 18 interventions; n = 16 contrôles). Le groupe de la cartographie papier avait un score d'exhaustivité plus élevé (papier médian (IQR) que numérique: 72,0% (66,4­76,9%) contre 65,0% (58,5­66,4%), p = 0,015). Pour des raisons de précision, le groupe de cartographie numérique était supérieur au groupe de cartographie papier pour toutes les tâches critiques préétablies. CONCLUSION: Par rapport à la cartographie sur papier, le groupe de cartographie numérique a capturé des tâches plus critiques lors de la réanimation pédiatrique simulée et était plus précis dans les intervalles de temps entre les performances des tâches en temps réel et le temps cartographié. Pour les tâches cartographiées, les dossiers papier étaient significativement plus complets et plus détaillés lors de l'arrêt cardiaque pédiatrique simulé.

Artificial intelligence universal biomarker prediction tool.

Through experiencing cardiopulmonary arrest, an artificial intelligence universal biomarker prediction tool was developed to help patients understand improvement in the trends of their disease. PyPI tool handles two biomarkers, hbA1c for diabetes and NP-proBNP for heart failure, to predict the next hospital visit. Predicting improvement in disease is a great hope for patients.

Conhecimento dos profissionais intra-hospitalares acerca do suporte básico de vida em uma parada cardiorrespiratória / In-hospital professionals' knowledge about basic life support in cardiac arrest / Conocimiento de los profesionales intrahospitalarios sobre el soporte vital básico en la parada cardíaca

Objetivo: avaliar o efeito da intervenção educativa no conhecimento da equipe de enfermagem sobre o suporte básico de vida para o atendimento à parada cardiorrespiratória de adultos no ambiente intra-hospitalar. Método: estudo transversal com abordagem quantitativa, realizado com 25 profissionais de enfermagem em dois hospitais de região oeste de Santa Catarina - Brasil. Avaliou-se por meio da aplicação de um pré-teste, intervenção educativa e pós-teste. Resultados: houve aumento significativo no conhecimento dos profissionais. O hospital A obteve a média de acertos de 7,23 no pré-teste, elevando para 11,33 no pós-teste, com valor de p ≤ 0,0001. Já o hospital B pontuou 6,07 no pré-teste, progredindo para 11,15 no pós-teste, valor de p ≤ 0,0006. Conclusão: a intervenção realizada demonstrou ser uma estratégia eficaz, visto que os resultados pré-teste demostravam déficit significativo de conhecimento, e após a intervenção educativa, mostraram melhoria na maioria dos itens avaliados em relação ao atendimento específico.

Objective: to evaluate the effect of an educational intervention on the nursing team's knowledge about basic life support for adult cardiac arrest care in the in-hospital environment. Method: cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, carried out with 25 nursing professionals in two hospitals in the western region of Santa Catarina - Brazil. A pre-test, educational intervention and post-test were applied. Results: there was a significant increase in the professionals' knowledge. Hospital A had a mean score of 7.23 in the pre-test, increasing to 11.33 in the post-test, with p-value ≤ 0.0001. Hospital B scored 6.07 in the pre-test, increasing to 11.15 in the post-test, p-value ≤ 0.0006. Conclusion: the intervention proved to be an effective strategy, since the pre-test results showed significant knowledge deficit, and after the educational intervention, showed improvement in most of the items evaluated in relation to specific care.

Objetivos:evaluar el efecto de una intervención educativa en el conocimiento del equipo de enfermería sobre el soporte vital básico para la atención del paro cardíaco del adulto en el ambiente intrahospitalario. Método: estudio transversal con abordaje cuantitativo, realizado con 25 profesionales de enfermería en dos hospitales de la región oeste de Santa Catarina - Brasil. Se aplicó un pre-test, una intervención educativa y un post-test. Resultados: hubo un aumento significativo de los conocimientos de los profesionales. El Hospital A obtuvo una puntuación media de 7,23 en el pre-test, aumentando a 11,33 en el post-test, con valor p ≤ 0,0001. El Hospital B obtuvo una puntuación de 6,07 en el pre-test, aumentando a 11,15 en el post-test, con valor p ≤ 0,0006. Conclusión: una intervención realizada demostró ser una estrategia eficaz, visto que os resultados previos demostraron un déficit significativo de conhecimento, y después de una intervención educativa, mostraron una mejoría na maioria dos itens avaliados em relação ao atendimento específico.

Cardiac Point-of-Care Ultrasound (P.O.C.U.S.) Utilization for Hospitalists in the Assessment of Patients with Cardiac Complaints: An Educational Overview.

The use of cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (P.O.C.U.S.) is underutilized in the field of internal medicine for the assessment of patients with cardiac complaints. Numerous studies in emergency medicine, anesthesia, and critical care have demonstrated the successful application of cardiac P.O.C.U.S. in resident and attending physicians with limited prior exposure. This article review overviews the practical implementation of cardiac P.O.C.U.S. for hospitalists by discussing proper technique and assessment for common pathology seen in the medical ward setting. We describe how to assess for left ventricular (LV) systolic function, right ventricular (RV) systolic function, suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS), post-myocardial infarction (MI) complications, suspected pulmonary embolus, and assessment of intravascular volume status. In each section, we overview the pertinent literature to show how cardiac P.O.C.U.S. has been used to directly impact patient care.

Changes in vital signs during adrenaline administration for hemostasis in intracordal injection: an observational study with a hypothetical design of endotracheal adrenaline administration in cardiopulmonary arrest.

BACKGROUND: The background is that intravenous adrenaline administration is recommended for advanced cardiovascular life support in adults and endotracheal administration is given low priority. The reason is that the optimal dose of adrenaline in endotracheal administration is unknown, and it is ethically difficult to design studies of endotracheal adrenaline administration with non-cardiopulmonary arrest. We otolaryngologists think so because we administered adrenaline to the vocal folds for hemostasis after intracordal injection under local anesthesia, but have had few cases of vital changes. We hypothesized that examining vital signs before and after adrenaline administration for hemostasis would help determine the optimal dose of endotracheal adrenaline. METHODS: We retrospectively examined the medical records of 79 patients who visited our hospital from January 2018 to December 2020 and received adrenaline in the vocal folds and trachea for hemostasis by intracordal injection under local anesthesia to investigate changes in heart rate and systolic blood pressure before and after the injection. RESULTS: The mean heart rates before and after injection were 83.96 ± 18.51 (standard deviation) beats per minute (bpm) and 81.50 ± 15.38 (standard deviation) bpm, respectively. The mean systolic blood pressure before and after the injection were 138.13 ± 25.33 (standard deviation) mmHg and 135.72 ± 22.19 (standard deviation) mmHg, respectively. Heart rate and systolic blood pressure had P-values of 0.136, and 0.450, respectively, indicating no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: Although this study was an observational, changes in vital signs were investigated assuming endotracheal adrenaline administration. The current recommended dose of adrenaline in endotracheal administration with cardiopulmonary arrest may not be effective. In some cases of cardiopulmonary arrest, intravenous and intraosseous routes of adrenaline administration may be difficult and the opportunity for resuscitation may be missed. Therefore, it is desirable to have many options for adrenaline administration. Therefore, if the optimal dose and efficacy of endotracheal adrenaline administration can be clarified, early adrenaline administration will be possible, which will improve return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival discharge rates.

The Association Between Ventricular Fibrillation and Serum Catecholamine Levels.

Background and objective Epinephrine (Ep) is the first choice as a vasoconstrictor in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for patients with cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA); however, the Ep concentration in the serum of CPA patients is still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between serum Ep levels and achieving the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients with ventricular fibrillation (VF). Methods This was a prospective, observational clinical study involving OHCA patients with VF transferred to our hospital from July 2014 to July 2017. The measurement of serum catecholamines [Ep, norepinephrine (Nep), and dopamine (DOA)] and vasopressin [antidiuretic hormone (ADH)] levels was performed with blood samples obtained immediately upon patients' arrival at our hospital. Patients were classified into two groups: the ROSC(+) group and ROSC(-) group; the serum concentrations of catecholamines and ADH were compared between these two groups. Results The serum Ep and Nep levels were lower in the ROSC(+) group than those in the ROSC(-) group and the difference was statistically significant. On the other hand, no significant differences were found in serum DOA and ADH levels between the two groups. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that an increment in serum Ep levels does not promote achieving ROSC in OHCA patients with VF.

Investigating the outcomes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and factors affecting it: A cross-sectional study at Dr. Moaven Hospital, Sahneh City from 2014 to 2021.

Background and Aims: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is referred to an attempt to maintain the respiratory system and blood circulation active to oxygenate the body's important organs until the heart and blood circulation system return to normal. CPR results are influenced by a variety of circumstances and factors. The purpose of this study was to look into the outcomes of CPR and the factors that influence them at the Dr. Moaven Hospital in Sahneh. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out retrospectively from the start of 2014 to the start of 2021. Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences provides hospitals with a two-page form for data collection. After entering the data into SPSS24, descriptive and inferential statistical tests were applied to analyze the results. Results: Out of 497 patients who referred to Dr. Moaven Hospital in Sahne City, 280 were men and 217 were women, with a resuscitation success rate of 22.5% in men and 23.5% in women. CPR was conducted on 63.2% of patients in the emergency department, with 22.2% of them having successful CPR. The existence of the underlying disease had a statistically significant link with the outcomes of CPR (p = 0.007). The most prevalent cause for visit was cardiorespiratory arrest (30.6%), and there was no statistically significant difference between the diagnostic and reason for visit and the outcome of resuscitation, according to the χ 2 test. Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, increasing age and duration of CPR, the existence of underlying diseases, and the absence of shockable rhythms all reduce the likelihood of success in CPR.

Therapeutic Hypothermia Following Cardiopulmonary Arrest: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis with Trial Sequential Analysis.

Introduction: The risk-benefit profile of therapeutic hypothermia is controversial with several randomized controlled trials providing conflicting results. Aim of Study: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine if therapeutic hypothermia provides beneficial neurologic outcomes relative to adverse effects. Material and Methods: MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for randomized controlled trials of post-cardiac arrest patients comparing therapeutic hypothermia (~33 degrees Celsius) to normothermia or the standard of care (36 - 38 degrees Celsius). Data were collected using the Covidence systematic review software. Statistical analysis was performed by Review Manager software. Risk of bias, sensitivity, and heterogeneity were analyzed using the Cochran's Collaboration tool, trial sequential analysis (TSA) software, and I2 statistic respectively. Results: A total of 1825 studies were screened and 5 studies (n=3614) were included. No significant differences existed between the hypothermia group and normothermia for favorable neurologic outcome (risk ratio [RR] 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97 to 1.41) or all-cause mortality (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.05). When compared to normothermia, the hypothermia group had greater risk of adverse effects (RR 1.16, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.28), which was driven by the onset of arrhythmias. Subgroup analyses revealed that therapeutic hypothermia provided greater neurologic benefit in trials with a higher percentage of subjects with shockable rhythms (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.6 to 0.88). Trial sequential analysis revealed statistical futility for therapeutic hypothermia and favorable neurologic outcome, mortality, and adverse effects. Conclusions: Therapeutic hypothermia does not provide consistent benefit in neurologic outcome or mortality in the general cardiac arrest population. Patients with shockable rhythms may show favorable neurologic outcome with therapeutic hypothermia and further investigation in this population is warranted. Any potential benefit associated with therapeutic hypothermia must be weighed against the increased risk of adverse effects, particularly the onset of arrhythmias.

Effect of a national awareness campaign on ambulance attendances for chest pain and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

AIM: Awareness of heart attack symptoms may enhance health-seeking behaviour and prevent premature deaths from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). We sought to investigate the impact of a national awareness campaign on emergency medical service (EMS) attendances for chest pain and OHCA. METHODS: Between January 2005 and December 2017, we included registry data for 97,860 EMS-attended OHCA cases from 3 Australian regions and dispatch data for 1,631,217 EMS attendances for chest pain across 5 Australian regions. Regions were exposed to between 11 and 28 months of television, radio, and print media activity. Multivariable negative binomial models were used to explore the effect of campaign activity on the monthly incidence of EMS attendances for chest pain and OHCA. RESULTS: Months with campaign activity were associated with an 8.8% (IRR 1.09, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.11) increase in the incidence of EMS attendances for chest pain and a 5.6% (IRR 0.94, 95% CI: 0.92, 0.97) reduction in OHCA attendances. Larger intervention effects were associated with increasing months of campaign activity, increasing monthly media spending and media exposure in 2013. In stratified analyses of OHCA cases, the largest reduction in incidence during campaign months was observed for unwitnessed arrests (IRR 0.93, 95% CI: 0.90, 0.96), initial non-shockable arrests (IRR 0.93, 95% CI: 0.90, 0.97) and arrests occurring in private residences (IRR 0.95, 95% CI: 0.91, 0.98). CONCLUSION: A national awareness campaign targeting knowledge of heart attack symptoms was associated with an increase in EMS use for chest pain and a reduction in OHCA incidence and may serve as an effective primary prevention strategy for OHCA.

Tension pneumothorax caused by the ruptured hydatid cyst of the lung.

Hydatid cyst disease puts a significant burden on the health of humans every year. The lung is the second most common organ of implantation of Echinococcus larvae. Due to the importance of early diagnosis of tension pneumothorax, this paper provides four cases of hydatid disease that presented with tension pneumothorax.

Rapid response events with multiple triggers are associated with poor outcomes in children.

Objective: We describe the characteristics and outcomes of pediatric rapid response team (RRT) events within a single institution, categorized by reason for RRT activation (RRT triggers). We hypothesized that events with multiple triggers are associated with worse outcomes. Patients and Methods: Retrospective 3-year study at a high-volume tertiary academic pediatric hospital. We included all patients with index RRT events during the study period. Results: Association of patient and RRT event characteristics with outcomes including transfers to ICU, need for advanced cardiopulmonary support, ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS), and mortality were studied. We reviewed 2,267 RRT events from 2,088 patients. Most (59%) were males with a median age of 2 years and 57% had complex chronic conditions. RRT triggers were: respiratory (36%) and multiple (35%). Transfer to the ICU occurred after 1,468 events (70%). Median hospital and ICU LOS were 11 and 1 days. Need for advanced cardiopulmonary support was noted in 291 events (14%). Overall mortality was 85 (4.1%), with 61 (2.9%) of patients having cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA). Multiple RRT trigger events were associated with transfer to the ICU (559 events; OR 1.48; p < 0.001), need for advanced cardiopulmonary support (134 events; OR 1.68; p < 0.001), CPA (34 events; OR 2.36; p = 0.001), and longer ICU LOS (2 vs. 1 days; p < 0.001). All categories of triggers have lower odds of need for advanced cardiopulmonary support than multiple triggers (OR 1.73; p < 0.001). Conclusions: RRT events with multiple triggers were associated with cardiopulmonary arrest, transfer to ICU, need for cardiopulmonary support, and longer ICU LOS. Knowledge of these associations can guide clinical decisions, care planning, and resource allocation.