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Swiss Emergency Research collection

2024

  • Bigdon, S. F., Muller, M., and Rutsch, N. “Reply To Letter To The Editor "Cervical Spine Trauma - Evaluating The Diagnostic Power Of Ct, Mri, X-Ray And Lodox"”. Injury 55, no. 4: 111453. doi:10.1016/j.injury.2024.111453.
    Tags: *Magnetic Resonance Imaging, *Spinal Diseases, and writing of this manuscript. They have collectively reviewed and approved the, authors (SFB, MM, and NR) made substantial contributions to the conceptualization, Cervical Vertebrae/diagnostic imaging, final version., Humans, Radiography, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, X-Rays.
  • Schobi, N., Duppenthaler, A., Horn, M., Bartenstein, A., Keitel, K., Kopp, M. V., Agyeman, P., and Aebi, C. “Preadmission Course And Management Of Severe Pediatric Group A Streptococcal Infections During The 2022-2023 Outbreak: A Single-Center Experience”. Infection 52, no. 4: 1397-1405. doi:10.1007/s15010-024-02198-w.
    Abstract: PURPOSE: The massive increase of infections with Group A Streptococcus (GAS) in 2022-2023 coincided in Switzerland with a change of the recommendations for the management of GAS pharyngitis. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to investigate whether the clinical manifestations and management before hospitalization for GAS infection differed in 2022-2023 compared with 2013-2022. METHODS: Retrospective study of GAS infections requiring hospitalization in patients below 16 years. Preadmission illness (modified McIsaac score), oral antibiotic use, and outcome in 2022-2023 were compared with 2013-2022. Time series were compared with surveillance data for respiratory viruses. RESULTS: In 2022-2023, the median modified McIsaac score was lower (2 [IQR 2-3] vs. 3 [IQR 2-4], p = < 0.0001) and the duration of preadmission illness was longer (4 days [3-7] vs. 3 [2-6], p = 0.004) than in 2013-2022. In both periods, withholding of preadmission oral antibiotics despite a modified McIsaac score >/= 3 (12% vs. 18%, n.s.) or >/= 4 (2.4% vs. 10.0%, p = 0.027) was rare. Respiratory disease, skeletal/muscle infection, and invasive GAS disease were significantly more frequent in 2022-2023, but there were no differences in clinical outcome. The time course of GAS cases in 2022-2023 coincided with the activity of influenza A/B. CONCLUSION: We found no evidence supporting the hypothesis that the 2022-2023 GAS outbreak was associated with a change in preadmission management possibly induced by the new recommendation for GAS pharyngitis. However, clinical manifestations before admission and comparative examination of time-series strongly suggest that viral co-circulation played an important role in this outbreak.
    Tags: *Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use, *Disease Outbreaks, *Streptococcal Infections/drug therapy/epidemiology, *Streptococcus pyogenes/drug effects, Adolescent, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Guidelines, Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data, Humans, iGAS, Infant, interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article., Invasive Group A Streptococcus, Male, Outbreak, Pharyngitis/drug therapy/epidemiology/microbiology, Retrospective Studies, Streptococcus pyogenes, Switzerland/epidemiology.
  • Ritz, J., Wunderle, C., Stumpf, F., Laager, R., Tribolet, P., Neyer, P., Bernasconi, L., Stanga, Z., Mueller, B., and Schuetz, P. “Association Of Tryptophan Pathway Metabolites With Mortality And Effectiveness Of Nutritional Support Among Patients At Nutritional Risk: Secondary Analysis Of A Randomized Clinical Trial”. Front Nutr 11: 1335242. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1335242.
    Abstract: Tryptophan is an essential amino acid and is the precursor of many important metabolites and neurotransmitters. In malnutrition, the availability of tryptophan is reduced, potentially putting patients at increased risks. Herein, we investigated the prognostic implications of the tryptophan metabolism in a secondary analysis of the Effect of Early Nutritional Support on Frailty, Functional Outcomes, and Recovery of Malnourished Medical Inpatients Trial (EFFORT), a randomized, controlled trial comparing individualized nutritional support to usual care in patients at risk for malnutrition. Among 238 patients with available measurements, low plasma levels of metabolites were independently associated with 30-day mortality with adjusted hazard ratios (HR) of 1.77 [95% CI 1.05-2.99, p 0.034] for tryptophan, 3.49 [95% CI 1.81-6.74, p < 0.001] for kynurenine and 2.51 [95% CI 1.37-4.63, p 0.003] for serotonin. Nutritional support had more beneficial effects on mortality in patients with high tryptophan compared to patients with low tryptophan levels (adjusted HR 0.61 [95% CI 0.29-1.29] vs. HR 1.72 [95% CI 0.79-3.70], p for interaction 0.047). These results suggest that sufficient circulating levels of tryptophan might be a metabolic prerequisite for the beneficial effect of nutritional interventions in this highly vulnerable patient population.
    Tags: Abbott Nutrition. The institution of ZS received research support from Roche,, biomarker, commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential, conflict of interest., kynurenine, malnutrition, metabolomics, Nestle Health Science, Abbott Nutrition, Fresenius Kabi and B. Braun. The, nutritional support, remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any, serotonin, to this project from Roche, Thermo Fisher, bioMerieux, Nestle Health Science and, tryptophan.
  • Brockhus, L., Hofmann, E., Keitel, K., Bartsch, M., Muller, M., and Klukowska-Rotzler, J. “Emergency Department Utilisation And Treatment For Trauma-Related Presentations Of Adolescents Aged 16-18: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study”. Bmc Emerg Med 24, no. 1: 33. doi:10.1186/s12873-024-00945-8.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: A recent study conducted at our tertiary hospital emergency department (ED) reviewed ED consultations and found that adolescents aged 16-18 years present significantly more often for trauma and psychiatric problems than adults over 18 years. Accidental injuries are one of the greatest health risks for children and adolescents. In view of the increased vulnerability of the adolescent population, this study aimed to further analyse trauma-related presentations in adolescents. METHODS: We conducted a single-centre, retrospective, cross-sectional study of all adolescent trauma patients aged 16 to 18 years presenting to the adult ED at the University Hospital (Inselspital) in Bern, Switzerland, from January 2013 to July 2017. We analysed presentation data as well as inpatient treatment and cost-related data. Data of female and male patients were compared by univariable analysis. A comparison group was formed consisting of 200 randomly chosen patients aged 19-25 years old with the same presentation characteristics. Predictive factors for surgical treatment were obtained by multivariable analysis. RESULTS: The study population included a total of 1,626 adolescent patients aged 16-18 years. The predominant causes for ED presentation were consistent within case and comparison groups for sex and age and were sports accidents, falls and violence. Male patients were more likely to need surgical treatment (OR 1.8 [95% CI: 1.2-2.5], p = 0.001) and consequently inpatient treatment (OR 1.5 [95% CI: 1.1-2.1], p = 0.01), associated with higher costs (median 792 Swiss francs [IQR: 491-1,598]). Other independent risk factors for surgical treatment were violence-related visits (OR 2.1 [95% CI: 1.3-3.5, p = 0.004]) and trauma to the upper extremities (OR 2.02 [95% CI: 1.5-2.8], p < 0.001). Night shift (OR 0.56 [95% CI: 0.37-0.86], 0.008) and walk-in consultations (OR 0.3 [95% CI: 0.2; 0.4, < 0.001] were preventive factors for surgical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Male adolescents account for the majority of emergency visits and appear to be at higher risk for accidents as well as for surgical treatment and/or inpatient admission due to sports accidents or injuries from violence. We suggest that further preventive measures and recommendations should be implemented and that these should focus on sport activities and injuries from violence.
    Tags: *Emergency Service, Hospital, *Hospitalization, Accidents, Adolescent, Adolescents, Adult, Child, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Retrospective Studies, Sex comparison, Trauma, Young Adult.
  • Crisan, I., Slankamenac, K., and Bilotta, F. “How Much Does It Cost To Be Fit For Operation? The Economics Of Prehabilitation”. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol 37, no. 2: 171-176. doi:10.1097/ACO.0000000000001359.
    Abstract: PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Prehabilitation before elective surgery can include physical, nutritional, and psychological interventions or a combination of these to allow patients to return postoperatively to baseline status as soon as possible. The purpose of this review is to analyse the current date related to the cost-effectiveness of such programs. RECENT FINDINGS: The current literature regarding the economics of prehabilitation is limited. However, such programs have been mainly associated with either a reduction in total healthcare related costs or no increase. SUMMARY: Prehabilitation before elective surgery has been shown to minimize the periprocedural complications and optimization of short term follow up after surgical procedures. Recent studies included cost analysis, either based on hospital accounting data or on estimates costs. The healthcare cost was mainly reduced by shortening the number of hospitalization day. Other factors included length of ICU stay, place of the prehabilitation program (in-hospital vs. home-based) and compliance to the program.
    Tags: *Preoperative Care/methods, *Preoperative Exercise, Elective Surgical Procedures/adverse effects, Hospitalization, Humans, Postoperative Complications/epidemiology/etiology/prevention & control.
  • Amacher, S. A., Gross, S., Becker, C., Arpagaus, A., Urben, T., Gaab, J., Emsden, C., et al. “Misconceptions And Do-Not-Resuscitate Preferences Of Healthcare Professionals Commonly Involved In Cardiopulmonary Resuscitations: A National Survey”. Resusc Plus 17: 100575. doi:10.1016/j.resplu.2024.100575.
    Abstract: AIMS: To assess the DNR preferences of critical care-, anesthesia- and emergency medicine practitioners, to identify factors influencing decision-making, and to raise awareness for misconceptions concerning CPR outcomes. METHODS: A nationwide multicenter survey was conducted in Switzerland confronting healthcare professionals with a case vignette of an adult patient with an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The primary outcome was the rate of DNR Code Status vs. CPR Code Status when taking the perspective from a clinical case vignette of a 70-year-old patient. Secondary outcomes were participants' personal preferences for DNR and estimates of survival with good neurological outcome after in- and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. RESULTS: Within 1803 healthcare professionals, DNR code status was preferred in 85% (n = 1532) in the personal perspective of the case vignette and 53.2% (n = 932) when making a decision for themselves. Main predictors for a DNR Code Status regarding the case vignette included preferences for DNR Code Status for themselves (n [%] 896 [58.5] vs. 87 [32.1]; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.25-3.92; p < 0.001) and lower estimated OHCA survival (mean [+/-SD] 12.3% [+/-11.8] vs. 14.7%[+/-12.8]; adjusted OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.99; p = 0.001). Physicians chose a DNR order more often when compared to nurses and paramedics. CONCLUSIONS: The estimation of outcomes following cardiac arrest and personal living conditions are pivotal factors influencing code status preferences in healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals should be aware of cardiac arrest prognosis and potential implications of personal preferences when engaging in code status- and end-of-life discussions with patients and their relatives.
    Tags: Basel, the Scientific Society Basel, and the Gottfried Julia Bangerter- Rhyner, Cardiac arrest, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, End-of-life care, Ethics, Foundation. Sabina Hunziker was supported by the Gottfried Julia Bangerter-, Grant References 10001C_192850/1 and 10531C_182422., grants from the Mach-Gaensslen Foundation Switzerland and the Nora van, Meeuwen-Haefliger Foundation of the University of Basel, Switzerland outside the, Personal preferences, potential conflict of interest relevant to this study. Simon Amacher has received, present work. Raoul Sutter has received research grants from the Swiss National, Rhyner Foundation, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Swiss, Science Foundation (No. 320030_169379), the Research Fund of the University of, Shared decision-making, Society of General Internal Medicine (SSGIM) during the conduct of the study., which may be considered as potential competing interests: The authors disclose no.
  • Espejo, T., Riedel, H. B., Messingschlager, S., Sonnleitner, W., Kellett, J., Brabrand, M., Cooksley, T., Bingisser, R., and Nickel, C. H. “Predictive Value And Interrater Reliability Of Mental Status And Mobility Assessment In The Emergency Department”. Clin Med (Lond) 24, no. 2: 100027. doi:10.1016/j.clinme.2024.100027.
    Abstract: AIM: To investigate the predictive value of both mental status, assessed with the AVPUC (Alert, responds to Voice, responds to Pain, Unresponsive, and new Confusion) scale, and mobility assessments, and their interrater reliability (IRR) between triage clinicians and a research team. METHOD: Prospective study of consecutive patients who presented to an ED. Mental status and mobility were assessed by triage clinicians and by a dedicated research team. RESULTS: 4,191 patients were included. After adjustment for age and sex, patients with altered mental status have an odds ratio of 6.55 [4.09-10.24] to be admitted in the ICU and an odds ratio of 21.16 [12.06-37.01] to die within 30 days; patients with impaired mobility have an odds ratio of 7.08 [4.60-11.12] to be admitted in the ICU and an odds ratio of 12.87 [5.93-32.30] to die within 30 days. The kappa coefficient between triage clinicians and the research team for mental status assessment was 0.75, and 0.80 for mobility. CONCLUSION: Assessment of mental status by the AVPUC scale, and mobility by a simple dichotomous scale are suitable for ED triage. Both altered mental status and impaired mobility are associated with adverse outcomes. Mental status and mobility assessment have good interrater reliability.
    Tags: *Emergency Service, Hospital, *Triage/methods/standards, Acute medicine, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, authors have any conflicts of interest to be declared., Avpuc, AVPUC scale, Emergency department, Female, Geriatric emergency medicine, Humans, Interrater reliability, Male, Mental status, Middle Aged, Mobility, Mobility Limitation, Observer Variation, of Tapa Healthcare DAC, a start-up medical software company. None of the other, Predictive Value of Tests, Prognostication, Prospective Studies, Reproducibility of Results.
  • Schuetz, P., Haenggi, E., and Wunderle, C. “Reply-Letter To The Editor - Red Blood Cell Distribution Width Is An Inflammatory But Not A Nutritional Biomarker”. Clin Nutr 43, no. 4: 1088-1089. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2024.02.012.
    Tags: *Erythrocyte Indices, *Erythrocytes, Biomarker, Biomarkers, Humans, Individual nutrition, Nutrition, Rdw.
  • Papadimitriou-Olivgeris, M., Monney, P., Carron, P. N., Tzimas, G., Beysard, N., Tozzi, P., Kirsch, M., and Guery, B. “Evaluation Of The Clinical Rule For Endocarditis In The Emergency Department Among Patients With Suspected Infective Endocarditis”. J Am Heart Assoc 13, no. 4: e032745. doi:10.1161/JAHA.123.032745.
    Tags: *Endocarditis, Bacterial/diagnosis/therapy, *Endocarditis/diagnosis/therapy, clinical prediction rule, CREED score, emergency department, Emergency Service, Hospital, Humans, infective endocarditis.
  • Magyar, C. T. J., Schnuriger, B., Kohn, N., Jakob, D. A., Candinas, D., Haenggi, M., and Haltmeier, T. “Longitudinal Analysis Of Caloric Requirements In Critically Ill Trauma Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study”. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg 50, no. 3: 913-923. doi:10.1007/s00068-023-02429-z.
    Abstract: PURPOSE: Nutrition is of paramount importance in critically ill trauma patients. However, adequate supply is difficult to achieve, as caloric requirements are unknown. This study investigated caloric requirements over time, based on indirect calorimetry, in critically ill trauma patients. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study at a tertiary trauma center including critically ill trauma patients who underwent indirect calorimetry 2012-2019. Caloric requirements were assessed as resting energy expenditure (REE) during the intensive care unit stay up to 28 days and analyzed in patient-clustered linear regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 129 patients were included. Median REE per day was 2376 kcal. The caloric intake did not meet REE at any time with a median daily deficit of 1167 kcal. In univariable analysis, ISS was not significantly associated with REE over time (RC 0.03, p = 0.600). Multivariable analysis revealed a significant REE increase (RC 0.62, p < 0.001) and subsequent decrease (RC - 0.03, p < 0.001) over time. Age < 65 years (RC 2.07, p = 0.018), male sex (RC 4.38, p < 0.001), and BMI >/= 35 kg/m(2) (RC 6.94, p < 0.001) were identified as independent predictors for higher REE over time. Severe head trauma was associated with lower REE over time (RC - 2.10, p = 0.030). CONCLUSION: In critically ill trauma patients, caloric requirements significantly increased and subsequently decreased over time. Younger age, male sex and higher BMI were identified as independent predictors for higher caloric requirements, whereas severe head trauma was associated with lower caloric requirements over time. These results support the use of IC and will help to adjust nutritional support in critically ill trauma patients.
    Tags: *Calorimetry, Indirect, *Critical Illness, *Energy Intake, *Nutritional Requirements, *Wounds and Injuries, Adult, Aged, Calorimetry, Indirect, Critical Illness, Energy Metabolism, Female, Humans, Intensive Care Units, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Multiple Trauma, Nutritional Support, Retrospective Studies, Trauma Centers, Treatment Outcome.
  • Flueckiger, S., Ravioli, S., Buitrago-Tellez, C., Haidinger, M., and Lindner, G. “Renal Function-Adapted D-Dimer Cutoffs In Combination With A Clinical Prediction Rule To Exclude Pulmonary Embolism In Patients Presenting To The Emergency Department”. Intern Emerg Med 19, no. 5: 1219-1227. doi:10.1007/s11739-023-03521-3.
    Abstract: D-dimer levels significantly increase with declining renal function and hence, renal function-adjusted D-dimer cutoffs to rule out pulmonary embolism were suggested. Aim of this study was to "post hoc" validate previously defined renal function-adjusted D-dimer levels to safely rule out pulmonary embolism in patients presenting to the emergency department. In this retrospective, observational analysis, all patients with low to intermediate pre-test probability receiving D-dimer measurement and computed tomography angiography (CTA) to rule out pulmonary embolism between January 2017 and December 2020 were included. Previously defined renal function-adjusted D-dimer cutoffs (1306 microg/l for moderate and 1663 microg/l for severe renal function impairment) were applied to determine sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values. One thousand, three hundred sixty-nine patients were included of which 229 (17%) were diagnosed with pulmonary embolism. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was >/= 60 ml/min in 1079 (79%), 30-59 ml/min in 266 (19%) and < 30 ml/min in 24 (2%) patients. Only three patients (1.1%) with an eGFR < 60 ml/min had a D-dimer level < 500 microg/l. There was a significant correlation between D-dimer and eGFR (R = - 0.159, p < 0.001). Calculated on the standard D-dimer cutoff value of 500 microg/l, sensitivity of D-dimer testing was 97% for patients with an eGFR >/= 60 ml/min and 100% for those with 30-60 ml/min, while specificity decreased in patients with renal function impairment. A negative predictive value of 0.99 as a premise to safely rule out pulmonary embolism was achieved by applying a D-dimer cutoff of 1480 microg/l for eGFR 30-59 ml/min and 1351 microg/l for eGFR < 30 ml/min. The findings of this study underline that application of renal function-adapted D-dimer levels in combination with a clinical prediction rule appears feasible to rule out pulmonary embolism. Out of the current dataset, renal function-adjusted D-dimer cutoffs to rule out pulmonary embolism were slightly different compared to previously defined cutoffs. Further studies on a larger scale are needed to validate possible renal function-adjusted D-dimer cutoffs.
    Tags: *Emergency Service, Hospital, *Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products/analysis, *Pulmonary Embolism/diagnosis/blood, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Computed Tomography Angiography/methods, D-dimer, Emergency, Female, Glomerular Filtration Rate, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Predictive Value of Tests, Pulmonary embolism, Renal insufficiency, Retrospective Studies.
  • Boeddinghaus, J., Doudesis, D., Lopez-Ayala, P., Lee, K. K., Koechlin, L., Wildi, K., Nestelberger, T., et al. “Machine Learning For Myocardial Infarction Compared With Guideline-Recommended Diagnostic Pathways”. Circulation 149, no. 14: 1090-1101. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.123.066917.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Collaboration for the Diagnosis and Evaluation of Acute Coronary Syndrome (CoDE-ACS) is a validated clinical decision support tool that uses machine learning with or without serial cardiac troponin measurements at a flexible time point to calculate the probability of myocardial infarction (MI). How CoDE-ACS performs at different time points for serial measurement and compares with guideline-recommended diagnostic pathways that rely on fixed thresholds and time points is uncertain. METHODS: Patients with possible MI without ST-segment-elevation were enrolled at 12 sites in 5 countries and underwent serial high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I concentration measurement at 0, 1, and 2 hours. Diagnostic performance of the CoDE-ACS model at each time point was determined for index type 1 MI and the effectiveness of previously validated low- and high-probability scores compared with guideline-recommended European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 0/1-hour, ESC 0/2-hour, and High-STEACS (High-Sensitivity Troponin in the Evaluation of Patients With Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome) pathways. RESULTS: In total, 4105 patients (mean age, 61 years [interquartile range, 50-74]; 32% women) were included, among whom 575 (14%) had type 1 MI. At presentation, CoDE-ACS identified 56% of patients as low probability, with a negative predictive value and sensitivity of 99.7% (95% CI, 99.5%-99.9%) and 99.0% (98.6%-99.2%), ruling out more patients than the ESC 0-hour and High-STEACS (25% and 35%) pathways. Incorporating a second cardiac troponin measurement, CoDE-ACS identified 65% or 68% of patients as low probability at 1 or 2 hours, for an identical negative predictive value of 99.7% (99.5%-99.9%); 19% or 18% as high probability, with a positive predictive value of 64.9% (63.5%-66.4%) and 68.8% (67.3%-70.1%); and 16% or 14% as intermediate probability. In comparison, after serial measurements, the ESC 0/1-hour, ESC 0/2-hour, and High-STEACS pathways identified 49%, 53%, and 71% of patients as low risk, with a negative predictive value of 100% (99.9%-100%), 100% (99.9%-100%), and 99.7% (99.5%-99.8%); and 20%, 19%, or 29% as high risk, with a positive predictive value of 61.5% (60.0%-63.0%), 65.8% (64.3%-67.2%), and 48.3% (46.8%-49.8%), resulting in 31%, 28%, or 0%, who require further observation in the emergency department, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CoDE-ACS performs consistently irrespective of the timing of serial cardiac troponin measurement, identifying more patients as low probability with comparable performance to guideline-recommended pathways for MI. Whether care guided by probabilities can improve the early diagnosis of MI requires prospective evaluation. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT00470587.
    Tags: *Acute Coronary Syndrome/diagnosis, *Myocardial Infarction/diagnosis, Abbott Diagnostics, outside the submitted work. Dr Koechlin received a research, algorithm. The other authors have reported no relationships relevant to the, and travel support from Medtronic, all outside the submitted work. Dr Lopez-Ayala, Biomarkers, Boeddinghaus, Doudesis, Lee, Bularga, Ferry, Tuck, Anand, and Gray are employees, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bayer, BMS, Idorsia, Novartis, Osler, Roche, and Sanofi,, contents of this article to disclose., Coulter, Bayer, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, and Orion Pharma, outside the, Diagnostics, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Quidel Corporation, and Beckman Coulter,, Diagnostics, Siemens Healthineers, and Abbott Diagnostics, outside the submitted, Diagnostics, Siemens Healthineers, and LumiraDx. Dr Mueller has received research, Diagnostics, which had no role in the study design, data analysis, manuscript, Dr Nestelberger has received research support from the Swiss National Science, Edinburgh and honoraria or consultancy from Abbott Diagnostics, Roche, Female, Foundation (grant P400PM_191037/1), the Prof Dr Max Cloetta Foundation, the, Freiwillige Akademische Gesellschaft, as well as speaker honoraria from Roche, grant from the University of Basel, the Swiss Heart Foundation, the SAMW, and the, has received speaker honoraria or consultancy from Quidel, paid to the, Hospital Basel, as well as speaker or consulting honoraria from Siemens, Beckman, Humans, institution, outside the submitted work. Dr Lee has received honoraria from, Machine Learning, Male, Margarete und Walter Lichtenstein-Stiftung (grant 3MS1038), and the University, Middle Aged, myocardial infarction, of the University of Edinburgh, which has filed for a patent on the CoDE-ACS, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Quidel, Roche, Siemens, Singulex, and Sphingotec, as, outside of the submitted work. The cardiac troponin assay was donated by Abbott, preparation, or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. Drs Mills,, submitted work. Dr Mills has received research grants to the University of, support from Abbott Diagnostics, Beckman Coulter, bioMerieux, Idorsia, Novartis,, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, and the University of Basel., Troponin, Troponin T.
  • Stumpf, F., Wunderle, C., Ritz, J., Bernasconi, L., Neyer, P., Tribolet, P., Stanga, Z., Mueller, B., Bischoff, S. C., and Schuetz, P. “Prognostic Implications Of The Arginine Metabolism In Patients At Nutritional Risk: A Secondary Analysis Of The Randomized Effort Trial”. Clin Nutr 43, no. 3: 660-673. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2024.01.012.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Arginine, a conditionally essential amino acid, is key component in metabolic pathways including immune regulation and protein synthesis. Depletion of arginine contributes to worse outcomes in severely ill and surgical patient populations. We assessed prognostic implications of arginine levels and its metabolites and ratios in polymorbid medical inpatients at nutritional risk regarding clinical outcomes and treatment response. METHODS: Within this secondary analysis of the randomized controlled Effect of early nutritional support on Frailty, Functional Outcomes, and Recovery of malnourished medical inpatients Trial (EFFORT), we investigated the association of arginine, its metabolites and ratios (i.e., ADMA and SDMA, ratios of arginine/ADMA, arginine/ornithine, and global arginine bioavailability ratio) measured on hospital admission with short-term and long-term mortality by means of regression analysis. RESULTS: Among the 231 patients with available measurements, low arginine levels </=90.05 mumol/l (n = 86; 37 %) were associated with higher all-cause mortality at 30 days (primary endpoint, adjusted HR 3.27, 95 % CI 1.86 to 5.75, p < 0.001) and at 5 years (adjusted HR 1.50, 95 % CI 1.07 to 2.12, p = 0.020). Arginine metabolites and ratios were also associated with adverse outcome, but had lower prognostic value. There was, however, no evidence that treatment response was influenced by admission arginine levels. CONCLUSION: This secondary analysis focusing on medical inpatients at nutritional risk confirms a strong association of low plasma arginine levels and worse clinical courses. The potential effects of arginine-enriched nutritional supplements should be investigated in this population of patients. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02517476 (registered 7 August 2015).
    Tags: *Arginine, *Inpatients, Amino Acids, Essential, Arginine, Biological Availability, Humans, Immune response, Mortality, Nutritional risk, Nutritional support, Prognosis.
  • Chaibi, S., Roy, P. M., Guenegou, A. A., Tran, Y., Hugli, O., Penaloza, A., Couturaud, F., et al. “Outpatient Management Of Cancer-Associated Pulmonary Embolism: A Post-Hoc Analysis From The Home-Pe Trial”. Thromb Res 235: 79-87. doi:10.1016/j.thromres.2024.01.014.
    Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Cancer-related pulmonary embolism (PE) is associated with poor prognosis. Some decision rules identifying patients eligible for home treatment categorize cancer patients at high risk of complications, precluding home treatment. We sought to assess the effectiveness and the safety of outpatient management of patients with low-risk cancer-associated PE. METHODS: In the HOME-PE trial, hemodynamically stable patients with symptomatic PE were randomized to either triaging with Hestia criteria or sPESI score. We analyzed 3 groups of low-risk PE patients: 47 with active cancer treated at home (group 1), 691 without active cancer treated at home (group 2), and 33 with active cancer as the only sPESI criterion qualifying them for hospitalization (group 3). The main outcome was the composite of recurrent venous thromboembolism, major bleeding, and all-cause death within 30 days after randomization. RESULTS: Patients treated at home had composite outcome rates of 4.3 % (2/47) for those with cancer vs. 1.0 % (7/691) for those without (odds ratio (OR) 4.98, 95%CI 1.15-21.49). Patients with cancer had rates of complications of 4.3 % when treated at home vs. 3.0 % (1/33) when hospitalized (OR 1.19, 95%CI 0.15-9.47). In multivariable analysis, active cancer was associated with an increased risk of complications for patients treated at home (OR 7.95; 95%CI 1.48-42.82). For patients with active cancer, home treatment was not associated with the primary outcome (OR 1.19, 95%CI 0.15-9.74). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients treated at home, active cancer was a risk factor for complications, but among patients with active cancer, home treatment was not associated with adverse outcomes.
    Tags: *Neoplasms/complications/therapy, *Pulmonary Embolism/complications/therapy, Ambulatory Care, board membership, consulting or advisory, and speaking and lecture fees. Olivier, board membership, funding grants, and speaking and lecture fees. Olivier SANCHEZ, cancer, fees. Olivier SANCHEZ reports a relationship with Pfizer France that includes:, Humans, Inc that includes: board membership and funding grants. Olivier SANCHEZ reports a, includes: board membership, funding grants, and speaking and lecture fees., interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the, interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing, interests: Olivier SANCHEZ reports a relationship with Bayer AG that includes:, membership, consulting or advisory, and speaking and lecture fees. Olivier, membership, consulting or advisory, funding grants, and speaking and lecture, membership. Olivier SANCHEZ reports a relationship with Inari Medical Inc that, Olivier SANCHEZ reports a relationship with Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Outpatient treatment, Outpatients, Prognosis, Pulmonary embolism, relationship with LEO Pharma France that includes: speaking and lecture fees. If, reports a relationship with Sanofi Aventis France that includes: board, Risk Factors, SANCHEZ reports a relationship with Boston Scientific Corp that includes: board, SANCHEZ reports a relationship with Bristol Myers Squibb Co that includes: board, there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial, work reported in this paper..
  • Olson, A., Kammer, J. E., Taher, A., Johnston, R., Yang, Q., Mondoux, S., and Monteiro, S. “The Inseparability Of Context And Clinical Reasoning”. J Eval Clin Pract 30, no. 4: 533-538. doi:10.1111/jep.13969.
    Abstract: Early descriptions of clinical reasoning have described a dual process model that relies on analytical or nonanalytical approaches to develop a working diagnosis. In this classic research, clinical reasoning is portrayed as an individual-driven cognitive process based on gathering information from the patient encounter, forming mental representations that rely on previous experience and engaging developed patterns to drive working diagnoses and management plans. Indeed, approaches to patient safety, as well as teaching and assessing clinical reasoning focus on the individual clinician, often ignoring the complexity of the system surrounding the diagnostic process. More recent theories and evidence portray clinical reasoning as a dynamic collection of processes that takes place among and between persons across clinical settings. Yet, clinical reasoning, taken as both an individual and a system process, is insufficiently supported by theories of cognition based on individual clinicals and lacks the specificity needed to describe the phenomenology of clinical reasoning. In this review, we reinforce that the modern healthcare ecosystem - with its people, processes and technology - is the context in which health care encounters and clinical reasoning take place.
    Tags: *Clinical Reasoning, Clinical Competence, Clinical Decision-Making/methods, clinical guidelines, Cognition, diagnostic reasoning, Humans, system dynamics.
  • Wunderle, C., Siegenthaler, J., Seres, D., Owen-Michaane, M., Tribolet, P., Stanga, Z., Mueller, B., and Schuetz, P. “Adaptation Of Nutritional Risk Screening Tools May Better Predict Response To Nutritional Treatment: A Secondary Analysis Of The Randomized Controlled Trial Effect Of Early Nutritional Therapy On Frailty, Functional Outcomes, And Recovery Of Malnourished Medical Inpatients Trial (Effort)”. Am J Clin Nutr 119, no. 3: 800-808. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.01.013.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Nutritional screening tools have proven valuable for predicting clinical outcomes but have failed to determine which patients would be most likely to benefit from nourishment interventions. The Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS) and the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) are 2 of these tools, which are based on both nutritional parameters and parameters reflecting disease severity. OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that the adaptation of nutritional risk scores, by removing parameters reflecting disease severity, would improve their predictive value regarding response to a nutritional intervention while providing similar prognostic information regarding mortality at short and long terms. METHODS: We reanalyzed data of 2028 patients included in the Swiss-wide multicenter, randomized controlled trial EFFORT (Effect of early nutritional therapy on Frailty, Functional Outcomes, and Recovery of malnourished medical inpatients Trial) comparing individualized nutritional support with usual care nutrition in medical inpatients. The primary endpoint was 30-d all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Although stratifying patients by high compared with low NRS score showed no difference in response to nutritional support, patients with high adapted NRS showed substantial benefit, whereas patients with low adapted NRS showed no survival benefit [adjusted hazard ratio: 0.55 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.37, 0.80]] compared with 1.17 (95% CI: 0.70, 1.93), a finding that was significant in an interaction analysis [coefficient: 0.48 (95% CI: 0.25, 0.94), P = 0.031]. A similar effect regarding treatment response was found when stratifying patients on the basis of MNA compared with the adapted MNA. Regarding the prognostic performance, both original scores were slightly superior in predicting mortality than the adapted scores. CONCLUSIONS: Adapting the NRS and MNA by including nutritional parameters only improves their ability to predict response to a nutrition intervention, but slightly reduces their overall prognostic performance. Scores dependent on disease severity may best be considered prognostic scores, whereas nutritional risk scores not including parameters reflecting disease severity may indeed improve a more personalized treatment approach for nourishment interventions. The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02517476.
    Tags: *Frailty, *Malnutrition/therapy/prevention & control, clinical outcome, disease-related malnutrition, Humans, Inpatients, mortality, Nutrition Assessment, nutritional risk screening, Nutritional Status, Nutritional Support, personalized nutrition, polymorbid medical inpatient, Risk Factors, treatment response.
  • Schilter, L. V., Le Boudec, J. A., Hugli, O., Locatelli, I., Staeger, P., Della Santa, V., Frochaux, V., et al. “Gender-Based Differential Management Of Acute Low Back Pain In The Emergency Department: A Survey Based On A Clinical Vignette”. Womens Health (Lond) 20: 17455057231222405. doi:10.1177/17455057231222405.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Women may receive suboptimal pain management compared with men, and this disparity might be related to gender stereotypes. OBJECTIVES: To assess the influence of patient gender on the management of acute low back pain. DESIGN: We assessed pain management by 231 physicians using an online clinical vignette describing a consultation for acute low back pain in a female or male patient. The vignette was followed by a questionnaire that assessed physicians' management decisions and their gender stereotypes. METHODS: We created an online clinical vignette presenting a patient with acute low back pain and assessed the influence of a patient's gender on pain management. We investigated gender-related stereotyping regarding pain care by emergency physicians using the Gender Role Expectation of Pain questionnaire. RESULTS: Both male and female physicians tended to consider that a typical man was more sensitive to pain, had less pain endurance, and was more willing to report pain than a typical woman. These stereotypes did not translate into significant differences in pain management between men and women. However, women tended to be referred less often for imaging examinations than men and were also prescribed lower doses of ibuprofen and opioids. The physician's gender had a modest influence on management decisions, female physicians being more likely to prescribe ancillary examinations. CONCLUSION: We observed gender stereotypes among physicians. Our findings support the hypothesis that social characteristics attributed to men and women influence pain management. Prospective clinical studies are needed to provide a deeper understanding of gender stereotypes and their impact on clinical management.
    Tags: *Low Back Pain/therapy, Emergency Service, Hospital, Female, gender bias, gender management, gender stereotypes, Humans, low back pain, Male, pain, Pain Management/methods, Prospective Studies, research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., Surveys and Questionnaires.
  • Fuchs, A., Albrecht, R., Greif, R., Mueller, M., and Pietsch, U. “Favourable Neurological Outcome Following Paediatric Out-Of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: Authors' Reply”. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 32, no. 1: 8. doi:10.1186/s13049-024-01176-3.
    Tags: *Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, *Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest/therapy, Child, Humans, Retrospective Studies.
  • Hanzalova, I., Bourgeat, M., Demartines, N., Ageron, F. X., and Zingg, T. “The Use Of Whole Body Computed Tomography Does Not Lead To Increased 24-H Mortality In Severely Injured Patients In Circulatory Shock”. Sci Rep 14, no. 1: 2169. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-52657-5.
    Abstract: The Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) approach is generally accepted as the standard of care for the initial management of severely injured patients. While whole body computed tomography (WBCT) is still considered a contraindication in haemodynamically unstable trauma patients, there is a growing amount of data indicating the absence of harm from cross sectional imaging in this patient group. Our study aimed to compare the early mortality of unstable trauma patients undergoing a WBCT during the initial workup with those who did not. Single-center retrospective observational study based on the local trauma registry including 3525 patients with an ISS > 15 from January 2008 to June 2020. We compared the 24-h mortality of injured patients in circulatory shock undergoing WBCT with a control group undergoing standard workup only. Inclusion criteria were the simultaneous presence of a systolic blood pressure < 100 mmHg, lactate > 2.2 mmol/l and base excess < - 2 mmol/l as surrogate markers for circulatory shock. To control for confounding, a propensity score matched analysis with conditional logistic regression for adjustment of residual confounders and a sensitivity analysis using inverse probability weighting (IPW) with and without adjustment were performed. Of the 3525 patients, 161 (4.6%) fulfilled all inclusion criteria. Of these, 132 (82%) underwent WBCT and 29 (18%) standard work-up only. In crude and matched analyses, no difference in early (24 h) mortality was observed (WBCT, 23 (17.4%) and no-WBCT, 8 (27.6%); p = 0.21). After matching and adjustment for main confounders, the odds ratio for the event of death at 24 h in the WBCT group was 0.36 (95% CI 0.07-1.73); p = 0.20. In the present study, WBCT did not increase the risk of death at 24 h among injured patients in shock. This adds to the growing data indicating that WBCT may be offered to trauma patients in circulatory shock without jeopardizing early survival.
    Tags: *Shock/diagnostic imaging, *Whole Body Imaging/methods, Humans, Injury Severity Score, Lactic Acid, Retrospective Studies, Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods.
  • Haidinger, M., Wechsler, P., Ravioli, S., Exadaktylos, A., and Lindner, G. “Gender Equality In Palliative Medicine Editorial Boards, Authorships And National Societies”. Bmj Support Palliat Care 14, no. 2: 243-244. doi:10.1136/spcare-2023-004293.
    Tags: *Authorship, *Gender Equity, *Palliative Medicine, Editorial Policies, Education and training, Female, Humans, Periodicals as Topic, Societies, Medical.
  • Bessat, C., Bingisser, R., Schwendinger, M., Bulaty, T., Fournier, Y., Della Santa, V., Pfeil, M., et al. “Plus-Is-Less Project: Procalcitonin And Lung Ultrasonography-Based Antibiotherapy In Patients With Lower Respiratory Tract Infection In Swiss Emergency Departments: Study Protocol For A Pragmatic Stepped-Wedge Cluster-Randomized Trial”. Trials 25, no. 1: 86. doi:10.1186/s13063-023-07795-y.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are among the most frequent infections and a significant contributor to inappropriate antibiotic prescription. Currently, no single diagnostic tool can reliably identify bacterial pneumonia. We thus evaluate a multimodal approach based on a clinical score, lung ultrasound (LUS), and the inflammatory biomarker, procalcitonin (PCT) to guide prescription of antibiotics. LUS outperforms chest X-ray in the identification of pneumonia, while PCT is known to be elevated in bacterial and/or severe infections. We propose a trial to test their synergistic potential in reducing antibiotic prescription while preserving patient safety in emergency departments (ED). METHODS: The PLUS-IS-LESS study is a pragmatic, stepped-wedge cluster-randomized, clinical trial conducted in 10 Swiss EDs. It assesses the PLUS algorithm, which combines a clinical prediction score, LUS, PCT, and a clinical severity score to guide antibiotics among adults with LRTIs, compared with usual care. The co-primary endpoints are the proportion of patients prescribed antibiotics and the proportion of patients with clinical failure by day 28. Secondary endpoints include measurement of change in quality of life, length of hospital stay, antibiotic-related side effects, barriers and facilitators to the implementation of the algorithm, cost-effectiveness of the intervention, and identification of patterns of pneumonia in LUS using machine learning. DISCUSSION: The PLUS algorithm aims to optimize prescription of antibiotics through improved diagnostic performance and maximization of physician adherence, while ensuring safety. It is based on previously validated tests and does therefore not expose participants to unforeseeable risks. Cluster randomization prevents cross-contamination between study groups, as physicians are not exposed to the intervention during or before the control period. The stepped-wedge implementation of the intervention allows effect calculation from both between- and within-cluster comparisons, which enhances statistical power and allows smaller sample size than a parallel cluster design. Moreover, it enables the training of all centers for the intervention, simplifying implementation if the results prove successful. The PLUS algorithm has the potential to improve the identification of LRTIs that would benefit from antibiotics. When scaled, the expected reduction in the proportion of antibiotics prescribed has the potential to not only decrease side effects and costs but also mitigate antibiotic resistance. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered on July 19, 2022, on the ClinicalTrials.gov registry using reference number: NCT05463406. TRIAL STATUS: Recruitment started on December 5, 2022, and will be completed on November 3, 2024. Current protocol version is version 3.0, dated April 3, 2023.
    Tags: *Pneumonia/diagnostic imaging/drug therapy, *Respiratory Tract Infections/diagnostic imaging/drug therapy, Adult, Algorithm, Anti-Bacterial Agents/adverse effects, Antibiotic prescription, Clinical trial, Community-acquired pneumonia, Diagnostic tool, Emergency department, Emergency Service, Hospital, Humans, Lower respiratory tract infection, Lung ultrasound, Lung/diagnostic imaging, Procalcitonin, Protocol, Quality of Life, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Switzerland, Ultrasonography.
  • Fehlmann, C. A., Garcin, S., Poncet, A., Marti, C., Rutschmann, O. T., Brandle, G., Faundez, T., Simon, J., Delieutraz, T., and Grosgurin, O. “Reliability And Accuracy Of The Pediatric Swiss Emergency Triage Scale-The Setsped Study”. Pediatr Emerg Care 40, no. 5: 353-358. doi:10.1097/PEC.0000000000003127.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: The Swiss Emergency Triage Scale (SETS) is an adult triage tool used in several emergency departments. It has been recently adapted to the pediatric population but, before advocating for its use, performance assessment of this tool is needed. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and the accuracy of the pediatric version of the SETS for the triage of pediatric patients. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This study was a cross-sectional study among a sample of emergency triage nurses (ETNs) exposed to 17 clinical scenarios using a computerized simulator. OUTCOME MEASURES AND ANALYSIS: The primary outcome was the reliability of the triage level performed by the ETNs. It was assessed using an intraclass correlation coefficient.Secondary outcomes included accuracy of triage compared with expert-based triage levels and factors associated with accurate triage. MAIN RESULTS: Eighteen ETNs participated in the study and completed the evaluation of all scenarios, for a total of 306 triage decisions. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.80 (95% confidence interval, 0.69-0.91), with an agreement by scenario ranging from 61.1% to 100%. The overall accuracy was 85.8%, and nurses were more likely to undertriage (16.0%) than to overtriage (4.3%). No factor for accurate triage was identified. CONCLUSIONS: This simulator-based study showed that the SETS is reliable and accurate among a pediatric population. Future research is needed to confirm these results, compare this triage scale head-to-head with other recognized international tools, and study the SETSped in real-life setting.
    Tags: *Emergency Service, Hospital, *Triage/methods, Adult, Child, Computer Simulation, Cross-Sectional Studies, Emergency Nursing, Female, Humans, Male, Reproducibility of Results, Switzerland.
  • Wunderle, C., von Arx, D., Mueller, S. C., Bernasconi, L., Neyer, P., Tribolet, P., Stanga, Z., Mueller, B., and Schuetz, P. “Association Of Glutamine And Glutamate Metabolism With Mortality Among Patients At Nutritional Risk-A Secondary Analysis Of The Randomized Clinical Trial Effort”. Nutrients 16, no. 2. doi:10.3390/nu16020222.
    Abstract: Glutamine and its metabolite glutamate serve as the main energy substrates for immune cells, and their plasma levels drop during severe illness. Therefore, glutamine supplementation in the critical care setting has been advocated. However, little is known about glutamine metabolism in severely but not critically ill medical patients. We investigated the prognostic impact of glutamine metabolism in a secondary analysis of the Effect of Early Nutritional Support on Frailty, Functional Outcomes, and Recovery of Malnourished Medical Inpatients Trial (EFFORT), a randomized controlled trial comparing individualized nutritional support to usual care in patients at nutritional risk. Among 234 patients with available measurements, low plasma levels of glutamate were independently associated with 30-day mortality (adjusted HR 2.35 [95% CI 1.18-4.67, p = 0.015]). The impact on mortality remained consistent long-term for up to 5 years. No significant association was found for circulating glutamine levels and short- or long-term mortality. There was no association of glutamate nor glutamine with malnutrition parameters or with the effectiveness of nutritional support. This secondary analysis found glutamate to be independently prognostic among medical inpatients at nutritional risk but poorly associated with the effectiveness of nutritional support. In contrast to ICU studies, we found no association between glutamine and clinical outcome.
    Tags: *Frailty, *Malnutrition, biomarker, Critical Care, from Nestle Health Science, Abbott Nutrition, Fresenius Kabi, and B. Braun. All, glutamate, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Humans, individualized nutrition support, Inpatients, malnutrition, other authors declare no conflicts of interest., polymorbid patient, Science, and Abbott Nutrition. The institution of Z.S. received research support, unrelated to this project from Roche, Thermo Fisher, bioMerieux, Nestle Health.
  • Pincet, L., Lecca, G., Chrysogelou, I., and Sandu, K. “External Laryngotracheal Trauma: A Case Series And An Algorithmic Management Strategy”. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 281, no. 4: 1895-1904. doi:10.1007/s00405-024-08456-9.
    Abstract: OBJECTIVES: External laryngotracheal trauma (ELT), blunt or penetrating, is a rare but potentially life-threatening injury. Immediate care in the emergency department can be challenging because it requires managing a potentially unstable airway and may have associated vascular injuries with massive bleeding. Here, we look at the details of injury, treatment measures, and outcomes in patients following ELT. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 22 patients treated at our center for ELT from January 2005 up to December 2021 with varying grades of injury. We looked at their status at presentation, management strategy and functional status. RESULTS: In our report, we include 18 men and 4 women having varying Schaefer injury grades. Eight patients had tracheostomy at presentation and eight had vocal fold immobility. Two patients were treated endoscopically, 12 had open surgery and 8 received no treatment. Of the patients undergoing open surgery, thyroid cartilage fracture was seen in 9 patients, thyroid plus cricoid fracture and cricotracheal separation were seen in 3 patients each. All patients were safely decannulated and spontaneous recovery of vocal cord palsy was seen in some patients. CONCLUSION: The success of managing ELT relies on fast decision-making, correct patient evaluation, securing the airway and maintaining the hemodynamic stability. Early surgical intervention must be aimed at optimally treating the larygotracheal injuries to prevent long-term disastrous consequences.
    Tags: *Larynx/surgery/injuries, *Trachea/surgery, Airway management, Female, Humans, indirectly related to the work submitted for publication., Laryngotracheal injury, Male, Retrospective Studies, Thyroid Cartilage, Tracheostomy, Vocal Cords/injuries.
  • Hirt, J., Janiaud, P., Dublin, P., Nicoletti, G. J., Dembowska, K., Nguyen, T. V. T., Woelfle, T., et al. “Use Of Pragmatic Randomized Trials In Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Overview”. Mult Scler 30, no. 4-5: 463-478. doi:10.1177/13524585231221938.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Pragmatic trials are increasingly recognized for providing real-world evidence on treatment choices. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the use and characteristics of pragmatic trials in multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: Systematic literature search and analysis of pragmatic trials on any intervention published up to 2022. The assessment of pragmatism with PRECIS-2 (PRagmatic Explanatory Continuum Indicator Summary-2) is performed. RESULTS: We identified 48 pragmatic trials published 1967-2022 that included a median of 82 participants (interquartile range (IQR) = 42-160) to assess typically supportive care interventions (n = 41; 85%). Only seven trials assessed drugs (15%). Only three trials (6%) included >500 participants. Trials were mostly from the United Kingdom (n = 18; 38%), Italy (n = 6; 13%), the United States and Denmark (each n = 5; 10%). Primary outcomes were diverse, for example, quality-of-life, physical functioning, or disease activity. Only 1 trial (2%) used routinely collected data for outcome ascertainment. No trial was very pragmatic in all design aspects, but 14 trials (29%) were widely pragmatic (i.e. PRECIS-2 score ⩾ 4/5 in all domains). CONCLUSION: Only few and mostly small pragmatic trials exist in MS which rarely assess drugs. Despite the widely available routine data infrastructures, very few trials utilize them. There is an urgent need to leverage the potential of this pioneering study design to provide useful randomized real-world evidence.
    Tags: (1) advisory board and consultancy fees from Actelion, Novartis, Genzyme, and F., (2) speaker fees from Biogen and Genzyme-Sanofi, (Research Center for Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel) is, *Multiple Sclerosis/drug therapy/therapy, *Pragmatic Clinical Trials as Topic, also received speaker honoraria and travel funding by Novartis. J.K. received, and (3), Basel, Free Academy Basel, Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Society, Swiss National, by the Progressive MS Alliance, Swiss MS Society, Swiss National Research, compensation. His institutions (University Hospital Basel/Stiftung, Consulting, Minoryx, Novartis, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Senda Biosciences Inc.,, declares no competing interests. RC2NB (Research Center for Clinical, ECTRIMS/MAGNIMS, University of Basel, Pro Patient Stiftung University Hospital, for Neurostatus-UHB products, Foundation (320030_189140/1), University of Basel, Biogen, Celgene, Merck,, from: Actelion, Bayer, BMS, df-mp Molnia & Pohlmann, Celgene, Eli Lilly, EMD, G.J.N. declares no competing interests. K.D. declares no competing interests., grants from Novartis, InnoSuisse, and Roche. L.G.H., has received the following fees which were used exclusively for research support:, Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Humans, Multiple sclerosis, Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel) have received and used exclusively for, Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel) is supported by Foundation Clinical, Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel., Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel. O.Y. received grants from, Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel. P.D. declares no competing interests., Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel. T.W. declares no competing interests., Novartis, Octave Bioscience, Roche, and Sanofi. L.K. has received no personal, participation, consultancy services, and participation in educational activities, potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or, pragmatic clinical trial, publication of this article: J.H. declares no competing interests. RC2NB, randomized controlled trial, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, RC2NB (Research Center for Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel) is, research support by F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Before my employment at USB, I have, research support payments for steering committee and advisory board, routinely collected health data, Sanofi and Biogen. C.G. as the employer of the University Hospital Basel (USB), Sanofi, Santhera, Shionogi BV, TG Therapeutics, and Wellmera, and license fees, Science Foundation and advisory board/lecture and consultancy fees from Roche,, Serono, Genentech, Glaxo Smith Kline, Janssen, Japan Tobacco, Merck, MH, speaker fees, research support, travel support, and/or served on advisory boards, supported by Foundation Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel. C.A., supported by Foundation Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel. P.J., supported by Foundation Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel. T.V.T.N..
  • Assouline, B., Mentha, N., Wozniak, H., Donner, V., Looyens, C., Suppan, L., Larribau, R., Banfi, C., Bendjelid, K., and Giraud, R. “Improved Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (Ecpr) Outcomes Is Associated With A Restrictive Patient Selection Algorithm”. J Clin Med 13, no. 2. doi:10.3390/jcm13020497.
    Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a leading cause of mortality. Despite decades of intensive research and several technological advancements, survival rates remain low. The integration of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) has been recognized as a promising approach in refractory OHCA. However, evidence from recent randomized controlled trials yielded contradictory results, and the criteria for selecting eligible patients are still a subject of debate. METHODS: This study is a retrospective analysis of refractory OHCA patients treated with ECPR. All adult patients who received ECPR, according to the hospital algorithm, from 2013 to 2021 were included. Two different algorithms were used during this period. A "permissive" algorithm was used from 2013 to mid-2016. Subsequently, a revised algorithm, more "restrictive", based on international guidelines, was implemented from mid-2016 to 2021. Key differences between the two algorithms included reducing the no-flow time from less than three minutes to zero minutes (implying that the cardiac arrests must occur in the presence of a witness with immediate CPR initiation), reducing low-flow duration from 100 to 60 min, and lowering the age limit from 65 to 55 years. The aim of this study is to compare these two algorithms (permissive (1) and restrictive (2)) to determine if the use of a restrictive algorithm was associated with higher survival rates. RESULTS: A total of 48 patients were included in this study, with 23 treated under Algorithm 1 and 25 under Algorithm 2. A significant difference in survival rate was observed in favor of the restrictive algorithm (9% vs. 68%, p < 0.05). Moreover, significant differences emerged between algorithms regarding the no-flow time (0 (0-5) vs. 0 (0-0) minutes, p < 0.05). Survivors had a significantly shorter no-flow and low-flow time (0 (0-0) vs. 0 (0-3) minutes, p < 0.01 and 40 (31-53) vs. 60 (45-80) minutes, p < 0.05), respectively. CONCLUSION: The present study emphasizes that a stricter selection of OHCA patients improves survival rates in ECPR.
    Tags: Ecpr, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, Va-ecmo.
  • Haenggi, E., Kaegi-Braun, N., Wunderle, C., Tribolet, P., Mueller, B., Stanga, Z., and Schuetz, P. “Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (Rdw) - A New Nutritional Biomarker To Assess Nutritional Risk And Response To Nutritional Therapy?”. Clin Nutr 43, no. 2: 575-585. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2024.01.001.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND & AIMS: Red cell distribution width (RDW) has been proposed as a surrogate marker for acute and chronic diseases and may be influenced by nutritional deficits. We assessed the prognostic value of RDW regarding clinical outcomes and nutritional treatment response among medical inpatients at nutritional risk. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of EFFORT, a randomized, controlled, prospective, multicenter trial investigating the effects of nutritional support in patients at nutritional risk in eight Swiss hospitals. We examined the association between RDW and mortality in regression analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,244 included patients (median age 75 years, 46.6 % female), high RDW (>/=15 %) levels were found in 38 % of patients (n = 473) with a significant association of higher malnutrition risk [OR 1.48 (95%CI 1.1 to 1.98); p = 0.009]. Patients with high RDW had a more than doubling in short-term (30 days) mortality risk [adjusted HR 2.12 (95%CI 1.44 to 3.12); p < 0.001] and a signficant increase in long-term (5 years) mortality risk [adjusted HR 1.73 (95%CI 1.49 to 2.01); p < 0.001]. Among patients with high RDW, nutritional support reduced morality within 30 days [adjusted OR 0.56 (95%CI 0.33 to 0.96); p = 0.035], while the effect of the nutritional intervention in patients with low RDW was markedly smaller. CONCLUSIONS: Among medical patients at nutritional risk, RDW correlated with several nutritional parameters and was a strong prognostic marker for adverse clinical outcomes at short- and long-term, respectively. Patients with high baseline RDW levels also showed a strong benefit from the nutritional intervention. Further research is needed to understand whether monitoring of RDW over time severs as a nutritional biomarker to assess effectiveness of nutritional treatment in the long run. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02517476.
    Tags: *Erythrocyte Indices, *Nutritional Support, Aged, Biomarkers, Erythrocytes, Female, Humans, Male, Malnutrition, Nutritional support, Prognosis, Prospective Studies, Rdw.
  • Jaboyedoff, M., Starvaggi, C., Suris, J. C., Kuehni, C. E., Gehri, M., and Keitel, K. “Drivers For Low-Acuity Pediatric Emergency Department Visits In Two Tertiary Hospitals In Switzerland: A Cross-Sectional, Questionnaire-Based Study”. Bmc Health Serv Res 24, no. 1: 103. doi:10.1186/s12913-023-10348-3.
    Abstract: PURPOSE: Low-acuity pediatric emergency department (PED) visits are frequent in high-income countries and have a negative impact on patient care at the individual and health system levels. Knowing what drives low-acuity PED visits is crucial to inform adaptations in health care delivery. We aimed to identify factors associated with low-acuity PED visits in Switzerland, including socioeconomic status, demographic features, and medical resources of families. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, questionnaire-based study in the PEDs of two Swiss tertiary care hospitals, Bern and Lausanne. We invited all consecutive children and their caregiver attending the PED during data collection times representative of the overall PED consultation structure (e.g. day/night, weekdays/weekends) to complete a questionnaire on demographic features, socioeconomic status, and medical resources. We collected medical and administrative data about the visit and defined low-acuity visits as those meeting all of the following criteria: (1) triage category 4 or 5 on the Australasian Triage Scale, (2) no imaging or laboratory test performed, and (3) discharge home. We used a binary multiple logistic regression model to identify factors associated with low-acuity visits. RESULTS: We analysed 778 PED visits (September 2019 to July 2020). Most children visiting our PEDs had a designated primary care provider (92%), with only 6% not having seen them during the last year. Fifty-five per cent of caregivers had asked for medical advice before coming to the PED. The proportion of low-acuity visits was 58%. Low-acuity visits were associated with caregiver's difficulties paying bills (aOR 2.6, 95% CI 1.6 - 4.4), having already visited a PED in the last 6 months (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1 - 2.5) but not with parental education status, nor parental country of birth, parental employment status or absence of family network. CONCLUSION: Economic precariousness is an important driver for low-acuity PED visits in Switzerland, a high-income country with compulsory health coverage where most children have a designated primary care provider and a regular pediatric follow-up. Primary care providers and PEDs should screen families for economic precariousness and offer anticipatory guidance and connect those in financial need to social support.
    Tags: *Emergency Room Visits, *Emergency Service, Hospital, Child, Cross-Sectional Studies, Healthcare use, Hospitals, Pediatric, Humans, Low-acuity, Non-urgent, Pediatric emergency department, Prospective Studies, Socioeconomic status, Surveys and Questionnaires, Switzerland, Tertiary Care Centers.
  • Horn, R., Gorg, C., Prosch, H., Safai Zadeh, E., Jenssen, C., and Dietrich, C. F. “Sonography Of The Pleura”. Ultraschall Med 45, no. 2: 118-146. doi:10.1055/a-2189-5050.
    Abstract: The CME review presented here is intended to explain the significance of pleural sonography to the interested reader and to provide information on its application. At the beginning of sonography in the 80 s of the 20th centuries, with the possible resolution of the devices at that time, the pleura could only be perceived as a white line. Due to the high impedance differences, the pleura can be delineated particularly well. With the increasing high-resolution devices of more than 10 MHz, even a normal pleura with a thickness of 0.2 mm can be assessed. This article explains the special features of the examination technique with knowledge of the pre-test probability and describes the indications for pleural sonography. Pleural sonography has a high value in emergency and intensive care medicine, preclinical, outpatient and inpatient, in the general practitioner as well as in the specialist practice of pneumologists. The special features in childhood (pediatrics) as well as in geriatrics are presented. The recognition of a pneumothorax even in difficult situations as well as the assessment of pleural effusion are explained. With the high-resolution technology, both the pleura itself and small subpleural consolidations can be assessed and used diagnostically. Both the direct and indirect sonographic signs and accompanying symptoms are described, and the concrete clinical significance of sonography is presented. The significance and criteria of conventional brightness-encoded B-scan, colour Doppler sonography (CDS) with or without spectral analysis of the Doppler signal (SDS) and contrast medium ultrasound (CEUS) are outlined. Elastography and ultrasound-guided interventions are also mentioned. A related further paper deals with the diseases of the lung parenchyma and another paper with the diseases of the thoracic wall, diaphragm and mediastinum.
    Tags: *Lung Diseases, *Pleural Effusion/diagnostic imaging, Child, consultant/internal trainer/salaried employee: no, have received lecture honoraria and/or support for ultrasound courses., Humans, interest/shares (author/partner, spouse, children) in company: no, Lung/diagnostic imaging, no.Declaration of non-financial interestsSome of the authors declare that they, paid, patent/business, patent/business interest/shares (author/partner, spouse, children) in sponsor of, payment/financial advantage for providing services as a lecturer: no, Pleura/diagnostic imaging, this CME article or in company whose interests are affected by the CME article:, Thorax, Ultrasonography/methods.
  • Mehra, T., Wekhof, T., and Keller, D. I. “Additional Value From Free-Text Diagnoses In Electronic Health Records: Hybrid Dictionary And Machine Learning Classification Study”. Jmir Med Inform 12, no. 1: e49007. doi:10.2196/49007.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Physicians are hesitant to forgo the opportunity of entering unstructured clinical notes for structured data entry in electronic health records. Does free text increase informational value in comparison with structured data? OBJECTIVE: This study aims to compare information from unstructured text-based chief complaints harvested and processed by a natural language processing (NLP) algorithm with clinician-entered structured diagnoses in terms of their potential utility for automated improvement of patient workflows. METHODS: Electronic health records of 293,298 patient visits at the emergency department of a Swiss university hospital from January 2014 to October 2021 were analyzed. Using emergency department overcrowding as a case in point, we compared supervised NLP-based keyword dictionaries of symptom clusters from unstructured clinical notes and clinician-entered chief complaints from a structured drop-down menu with the following 2 outcomes: hospitalization and high Emergency Severity Index (ESI) score. RESULTS: Of 12 symptom clusters, the NLP cluster was substantial in predicting hospitalization in 11 (92%) clusters; 8 (67%) clusters remained significant even after controlling for the cluster of clinician-determined chief complaints in the model. All 12 NLP symptom clusters were significant in predicting a low ESI score, of which 9 (75%) remained significant when controlling for clinician-determined chief complaints. The correlation between NLP clusters and chief complaints was low (r=-0.04 to 0.6), indicating complementarity of information. CONCLUSIONS: The NLP-derived features and clinicians' knowledge were complementary in explaining patient outcome heterogeneity. They can provide an efficient approach to patient flow management, for example, in an emergency medicine setting. We further demonstrated the feasibility of creating extensive and precise keyword dictionaries with NLP by medical experts without requiring programming knowledge. Using the dictionary, we could classify short and unstructured clinical texts into diagnostic categories defined by the clinician.
    Tags: Ai, artificial intelligence, electronic health records, free text, natural language processing, Nlp.
  • Abbiati, M., Nendaz, M. R., Cerutti, B., Brodmann Mader, M., Spinas, G. A., Vicente Alvarez, D., Teodoro, D., Savoldelli, G. L., and Bajwa, N. M. “Exploring Medical Career Choice To Better Inform Swiss Physician Workforce Planning: Protocol For A National Cohort Study”. Jmir Res Protoc 13, no. 1: e53138. doi:10.2196/53138.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: A medical student's career choice directly influences the physician workforce shortage and the misdistribution of resources. First, individual and contextual factors related to career choice have been evaluated separately, but their interaction over time is unclear. Second, actual career choice, reasons for this choice, and the influence of national political strategies are currently unknown in Switzerland. OBJECTIVE: The overall objective of this study is to better understand the process of Swiss medical students' career choice and to predict this choice. Our specific aims will be to examine the predominately static (ie, sociodemographic and personality traits) and predominately dynamic (ie, learning context perceptions, anxiety state, motivation, and motives for career choice) variables that predict the career choice of Swiss medical school students, as well as their interaction, and to examine the evolution of Swiss medical students' career choice and their ultimate career path, including an international comparison with French medical students. METHODS: The Swiss Medical Career Choice study is a national, multi-institution, and longitudinal study in which all medical students at all medical schools in Switzerland are eligible to participate. Data will be collected over 4 years for 4 cohorts of medical students using questionnaires in years 4 and 6. We will perform a follow-up during postgraduate training year 2 for medical graduates between 2018 and 2022. We will compare the different Swiss medical schools and a French medical school (the University of Strasbourg Faculty of Medicine). We will also examine the effect of new medical master's programs in terms of career choice and location of practice. For aim 2, in collaboration with the Swiss Institute for Medical Education, we will implement a national career choice tracking system and identify the final career choice of 2 cohorts of medical students who graduated from 4 Swiss medical schools from 2010 to 2012. We will also develop a model to predict their final career choice. Data analysis will be conducted using inferential statistics, and machine learning approaches will be used to refine the predictive model. RESULTS: This study was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation in January 2023. Recruitment began in May 2023. Data analysis will begin after the completion of the first cohort data collection. CONCLUSIONS: Our research will inform national stakeholders and medical schools on the prediction of students' future career choice and on key aspects of physician workforce planning. We will identify targeted actions that may be implemented during medical school and may ultimately influence career choice and encourage the correct number of physicians in the right specialties to fulfill the needs of currently underserved regions. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/53138.
    Tags: career choice, machine learning, medical specialty, medical students, medically underserved area, motivation, physician workforce, prediction model, professional practice, residents.
  • Gmunder, M., Gessler, N., Buser, S., Feuz, U., Fayyaz, J., Jachmann, A., Keitel, K., and Brandenberger, J. “Caregivers With Limited Language Proficiency And Their Satisfaction With Paediatric Emergency Care Related To The Use Of Professional Interpreters: A Mixed Methods Study”. Bmj Open 14, no. 1: e077716. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-077716.
    Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Communication is a main challenge in migrant health and essential for patient safety. The aim of this study was to describe the satisfaction of caregivers with limited language proficiency (LLP) with care related to the use of interpreters and to explore underlying and interacting factors influencing satisfaction and self-advocacy. DESIGN: A mixed-methods study. SETTING: Paediatric emergency department (PED) at a tertiary care hospital in Bern, Switzerland. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Caregivers visiting the PED were systematically screened for their language proficiency. Semistructured interviews were conducted with all LLP-caregivers agreeing to participate and their administrative data were extracted. RESULTS: The study included 181 caregivers, 14 of whom received professional language interpretation. Caregivers who were assisted by professional interpretation services were more satisfied than those without (5.5 (SD)+/-1.4 vs 4.8 (SD)+/-1.6). Satisfaction was influenced by five main factors (relationship with health workers, patient management, alignment of health concepts, personal expectations, health outcome of the patient) which were modulated by communication. Of all LLP-caregivers without professional interpretation, 44.9% were satisfied with communication due to low expectations regarding the quality of communication, unawareness of the availability of professional interpretation and overestimation of own language skills, resulting in low self-advocacy. CONCLUSION: The use of professional interpreters had a positive impact on the overall satisfaction of LLP-caregivers with emergency care. LLP-caregivers were not well-positioned to advocate for language interpretation. Healthcare providers must be aware of their responsibility to guarantee good-quality communication to ensure equitable quality of care and patient safety.
    Tags: *Caregivers, *Emergency Medical Services, Accident & emergency medicine, Child, communication, Communication Barriers, Health Equity, Humans, Language, Paediatrics, Personal Satisfaction, Translating.
  • Bettschen, E., Siepen, B. M., Goeldlin, M. B., Mueller, M., Buecke, P., Prange, U., Meinel, T. R., et al. “Time For "Code Ich"? Workflow Metrics Of Hyperacute Treatments And Outcome In Patients With Intracerebral Haemorrhage”. Cerebrovasc Dis 53, no. 6: 693-702. doi:10.1159/000536099.
    Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Knowledge about uptake and workflow metrics of hyperacute treatments in patients with non-traumatic intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) in the emergency department is scarce. METHODS: Single-centre retrospective study of consecutive patients with ICH between 01/2018-08/2020. We assessed uptake and workflow metrics of acute therapies overall and according to referral mode (stroke code, transfer from other hospital, or other). RESULTS: We enrolled 332 patients (age 73 years, IQR: 63-81 and GCS 14 points, IQR: 11-15, onset-to-admission time 284 min, IQR: 111-708 min), of whom 101 patients (35%) had lobar haematoma. Mode of referral was stroke code in 129 patients (38%), transfer from other hospital in 143 patients (43%), and arrival by other means in 60 patients (18%). Overall, 143 of 216 (66%) patients with systolic blood pressure >150 mm Hg received IV-antihypertensive treatment, and 67 of 76 (88%) on therapeutic oral anticoagulation received prothrombin complex concentrate treatment (PCC). Forty-six patients (14%) received any neurosurgical intervention within 3 h of admission. Median treatment times from admission to first IV-antihypertensive treatment were 38 min (IQR: 18-72 min) and 59 min (IQR: 37-111 min) for PCC, with significant differences according to mode of referral (p < 0.001) but not early arrival (</=6 h of onset, p = 0.92). The median time in the emergency department was 139 min (IQR: 85-220 min), and among patients with elevated blood pressure, only 44% achieved a successful control (<140 mm Hg) during ED stay. In multivariate analysis, code ICH concordant treatment was associated with significantly lower odds for in-hospital mortality (aOR 0.30, 95% CI: 0.12-0.73, p = 0.008) and non-significant trends towards better functional outcome measured using the modified Rankin scale score at 3 months (aOR for ordinal shift 0.54, 95% CI: 0.26-1.12, p = 0.097). CONCLUSION: Uptake of hyperacute therapies for ICH treatment in the ED is heterogeneous. Treatment delays are short, but not all patients achieve treatment targets during ED stay. Code ICH-concordant treatment may improve clinical outcomes. Further improvements seem achievable by advocating for a "code ICH" to streamline acute treatments.
    Tags: *Cerebral Hemorrhage/therapy/diagnosis/mortality, *Time-to-Treatment, *Workflow, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Anticoagulants/therapeutic use/adverse effects, Anticoagulation, Antihypertensive Agents/therapeutic use/adverse effects, Blood pressure, Emergency Service, Hospital, Female, Humans, Intracerebral haemorrhage, Male, Middle Aged, Neurosurgical Procedures, Patient Admission, Patient Transfer, Retrospective Studies, Reversal, Time Factors, Treatment, Treatment Outcome.
  • Wunderle, C., Stumpf, F., and Schuetz, P. “Inflammation And Response To Nutrition Interventions”. Jpen J Parenter Enteral Nutr 48, no. 1: 27-36. doi:10.1002/jpen.2534.
    Abstract: The complex interplay between nutrition and inflammation has become a major focus of research in recent years across different clinical settings and patient populations. Inflammation has been identified as a key driver for disease-related malnutrition promoting anorexia, reduced food intake, muscle loss, and on a cellular level, insulin resistance, which together stimulate catabolism. However, these effects may well be bidirectional, and there is strong evidence showing that nutrition influences inflammation. Several single nutrients and dietary patterns with either proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory properties have been studied, such as the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid or docosahexaenoic acid. The Mediterranean diet combines several such nutrients and has been shown to improve medical outcomes in the outpatient setting. In addition, there is increasing evidence suggesting that inflammation affects the metabolism and modulates the response to nutrition support interventions. In fact, recent studies from the medical inpatient setting suggest that inflammation, mirrored by high levels of C-reactive protein, diminishes the positive effects of nutrition support. This may explain the lack of positive effects of some nutrition trials in severely ill patients, whereas similar approaches to nutritional support have shown positive results in less severely ill patients. The use of biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein, may help to identify patients with a lower response to nutrition, in whom other treatment options need to be used. There is need for additional research to understand how to best address the malnourished patient with inflammation by specifically lowering inflammation through anti-inflammatory medical treatments and/or nutrition interventions.
    Tags: *C-Reactive Protein, *Malnutrition, Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use, clinical outcome, disease-related malnutrition, Humans, Inflammation, Inpatients, Nutritional Status, personalized nutrition, treatment response.
  • Milavec, H., Gasser, V. T., Ruder, T. D., Deml, M. C., Hautz, W., Exadaktylos, A., Benneker, L. M., and Albers, C. E. “Supplementary Value And Diagnostic Performance Of Computed Tomography Scout View In The Detection Of Thoracolumbar Spine Injuries”. Emerg Radiol 31, no. 1: 63-71. doi:10.1007/s10140-023-02196-9.
    Abstract: PURPOSE: Assessing the diagnostic performance and supplementary value of whole-body computed tomography scout view (SV) images in the detection of thoracolumbar spine injuries in early resuscitation phase and identifying frequent image quality confounders. METHODS: In this retrospective database analysis at a tertiary emergency center, three blinded senior experts independently assessed SV to detect thoracolumbar spine injuries. The findings were categorized according to the AO Spine classification system. Confounders impacting SV image quality were identified. The suspected injury level and severity, along with the confidence level, were indicated. Diagnostic performance was estimated using the caret package in R programming language. RESULTS: We assessed images of 199 patients, encompassing 1592 vertebrae (T10-L5), and identified 56 spinal injuries (3.5%). Among the 199 cases, 39 (19.6%) exhibited at least one injury in the thoracolumbar spine, with 12 (6.0%) of them displaying multiple spinal injuries. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 47%, 99%, and 97%, respectively. All experts correctly identified the most severe injury of AO type C. The most common image confounders were medical equipment (44.6%), hand position (37.6%), and bowel gas (37.5%). CONCLUSION: SV examination holds potential as a valuable supplementary tool for thoracolumbar spinal injury detection when CT reconstructions are not yet available. Our data show high specificity and accuracy but moderate sensitivity. While not sufficient for standalone screening, reviewing SV images expedites spinal screening in mass casualty incidents. Addressing modifiable factors like medical equipment or hand positioning can enhance SV image quality and assessment.
    Tags: *Multiple Trauma, *Spinal Fractures, *Spinal Injuries/diagnostic imaging, Confidence level, Diagnostic performance, Emergency radiology, Humans, Image confounders, Lumbar Vertebrae/diagnostic imaging/injuries, Retrospective Studies, Thoracic Vertebrae/diagnostic imaging/injuries, Thoracolumbar spinal injuries, Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods, Whole-body computed tomography scout view.
  • Stoller, N., Wertli, M. M., Haynes, A. G., Chiolero, A., Rodondi, N., Panczak, R., and Aujesky, D. “Large Regional Variation In Cardiac Closure Procedures To Prevent Ischemic Stroke In Switzerland A Population-Based Small Area Analysis”. Plos One 19, no. 1: e0291299. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0291299.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Percutaneous closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) or the left atrial appendage (LAA) are controversial procedures to prevent stroke but often used in clinical practice. We assessed the regional variation of these interventions and explored potential determinants of such a variation. METHODS: We conducted a population-based analysis using patient discharge data from all Swiss hospitals from 2013-2018. We derived hospital service areas (HSAs) using patient flows for PFO and LAA closure. We calculated age-standardized mean procedure rates and variation indices (extremal quotient [EQ] and systematic component of variation [SCV]). SCV values >5.4 indicate a high and >10 a very high variation. Because the evidence on the efficacy of PFO closure may differ in patients aged <60 years and >/=60 years, age-stratified analyses were performed. We assessed the influence of potential determinants of variation using multilevel regression models with incremental adjustment for demographics, cultural/socioeconomic, health, and supply factors. RESULTS: Overall, 2574 PFO and 2081 LAA closures from 10 HSAs were analyzed. The fully adjusted PFO and LAA closure rates varied from 3 to 8 and from 1 to 9 procedures per 100,000 persons per year across HSAs, respectively. The regional variation was high with respect to overall PFO closures (EQ 3.0, SCV 8.3) and very high in patients aged >/=60 years (EQ 4.0, SCV 12.3). The variation in LAA closures was very high (EQ 16.2, SCV 32.1). In multivariate analysis, women had a 28% lower PFO and a 59% lower LAA closure rate than men. French/Italian language areas had a 63% lower LAA closure rate than Swiss German speaking regions and areas with a higher proportion of privately insured patients had a 86% higher LAA closure rate. After full adjustment, 44.2% of the variance in PFO closure and 30.3% in LAA closure remained unexplained. CONCLUSIONS: We found a high to very high regional variation in PFO closure and LAA closure rates within Switzerland. Several factors, including sex, language area, and insurance status, were associated with procedure rates. Overall, 30-45% of the regional procedure variation remained unexplained and most probably represents differing physician practices.
    Tags: *Foramen Ovale, Patent/surgery/complications, *Ischemic Stroke/complications, *Stroke/epidemiology/prevention & control/complications, Cardiac Catheterization/methods, Female, Humans, Male, Small-Area Analysis, Switzerland/epidemiology, Treatment Outcome.
  • Kämmer, Juliane E., Ernst, Karin, Grab, Kim, Schauber, Stefan K., Hautz, Stefanie C., Penders, Dorothea, and Hautz, Wolf E. “Collaboration During The Diagnostic Decision‐Making Process: When Does It Help?”. Journal Of Behavioral Decision Making 37, no. 1. doi:10.1002/bdm.2357.
    Abstract: When making complex decisions, such as a medical diagnosis, decision makers typically gather, analyze, and synthesize (integrate) information. In a previous study, we showed that delegating such complex decisions to collaborating pairs increases decision quality substantially compared to that of individuals, without requiring different information gathering. Given the higher costs associated with teamwork, however, it is of great practical interest to understand when in the process the performance benefits of teams may arise, so that particular subtasks can be delegated to teams when most appropriate. We thus conducted an experimental study in which fourth-year medical students (n = 109) worked either in pairs or alone on two separate subtasks of the diagnostic process: (1) analyzing diagnostic test results (e.g., X-rays) and (2) integrating previously interpreted test results into diagnoses. Linear mixed-effects models revealed a small benefit of collaborating pairs over individuals in both subtasks. We conclude that collaborating with a peer may pay off both when analyzing information and when integrating it into a diagnosis as it provides the opportunity to correct each other's errors and to make use of a greater knowledge base. These findings encourage the strategic use of collaboration with a colleague when making complex decisions. Further research into the underlying processes is needed. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
  • Jakob, Dominik A., and Exadaktylos, Aristomenis K. “Bls Versus Als”: 37-43. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-47006-6_4.
    Abstract: Basic life support (BLS) and advanced life support (ALS) were both designed to save life in a prehospital setting. However, BLS and ALS achieve their objective in different ways, especially in patients with trauma. BLS is restricted to basic non-invasive procedures without the administration of medications. ALS provides additional treatment options-including the use of needles for injection, administration of medication, together with airway equipment. ALS may also include decompression of a pneumothorax or performing a cricothyrotomy. In the United States, prehospital care is usually provided by emergency medical technicians for BLS or by trained paramedics for ALS, whereas in most European countries, prehospital care is provided by physicians. Because of these differences between American and European emergency medical service (EMS) systems, as well as the disparate injury patterns, especially in regard to penetrating trauma, there are significant differences between the United States and Europe in prehospital care strategies. This chapter provides an overview of prehospital care strategies in general (BLS vs. ALS), addresses the influence of EMS systems on prehospital care, and discusses different approaches in the United States and Europe in terms of associated outcomes. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.
  • Hêche, Félicien, Barakat, Oussama, Desmettre, Thibaut, Marx, Tania, and Robert-Nicoud, Stephan. “Offline Reinforcement Learning In High-Dimensional Stochastic Environments”. Neural Computing And Applications 36, no. 2: 585-598. doi:10.1007/s00521-023-09029-3.
    Abstract: Offline reinforcement learning (RL) has emerged as a promising paradigm for real-world applications since it aims to train policies directly from datasets of past interactions with the environment. The past few years, algorithms have been introduced to learn from high-dimensional observational states in offline settings. The general idea of these methods is to encode the environment into a latent space and train policies on top of this smaller representation. In this paper, we extend this general method to stochastic environments (i.e., where the reward function is stochastic) and consider a risk measure instead of the classical expected return. First, we show that, under some assumptions, it is equivalent to minimizing a risk measure in the latent space and in the natural space. Based on this result, we present Latent Offline Distributional Actor-Critic (LODAC), an algorithm which is able to train policies in high-dimensional stochastic and offline settings to minimize a given risk measure. Empirically, we show that using LODAC to minimize Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR) outperforms previous methods in terms of CVaR and return on stochastic environments. © 2023, The Author(s).
  • Abdur Rahman, Lubnaa, Papathanail, Ioannis, Brigato, Lorenzo, Spanakis, Elias K., and Mougiakakou, Stavroula. “Food Recognition And Nutritional Apps”: 73-83. doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-13244-5.00015-8.
    Abstract: Food recognition and nutritional smartphone applications (apps) are trending technologies that may revolutionize the way individuals manage their diets. Such apps can monitor food intake as a digital diary and even employ artificial intelligence to assess the diet automatically. Although these apps offer a promising solution for managing diabetes, they are rarely used by people with diabetes. This chapter aims to provide an in-depth assessment of the status of apps for food recognition and nutrition, to identify factors that may facilitate or inhibit their use, complemented by an outline of relevant research and development. © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
    Tags: Apps, Artificial intelligence, Computer vision, Dietary assessment, Digital health, Food recognition, mHealth, Nutrition.

2023

  • Menetrey, A., Landolt, M. A., Buettcher, M., Neuhaus, T. J., and Simma, L. “Vaccine Hesitancy In Central Switzerland: Identifying And Characterizing Undervaccinated Children In A Pediatric Emergency Department”. Pediatr Rep 15, no. 4: 710-721. doi:10.3390/pediatric15040064.
    Abstract: Vaccinations play an important role in the prevention of potentially fatal diseases. Vaccine hesitancy has become an important problem both in the public discourse and for public health. We aimed to identify and characterize this potentially unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated group of children presenting to the pediatric emergency department (PED) of the tertiary children's hospital in central Switzerland, a region that has anecdotally been claimed as a hotspot for vaccine hesitancy. All patients presenting to the PED (N = 20,247) between September 2018 and September 2019 were screened for their vaccination status and categorized as incomplete, unvaccinated, or fully vaccinated in a retrospective cohort study. Some 2.6% (n = 526) visits to the PED were not or incompletely vaccinated according to age, or their vaccination status was unknown. Most of the children in the cohort were not critically ill, and the minority had to be hospitalized. Undervaccinated patients were overrepresented in rural areas. Of all cohort visits, 18 (3.4%) patients received opportunistic vaccination in the PED. No cases of vaccine-preventable diseases were observed. In summary, incompletely vaccinated and unvaccinated status was less frequent than initially expected. The PED may play a role in increasing vaccination coverage by providing opportunistic vaccinations.
    Tags: child, pediatric emergency department, pediatrics, vaccination, vaccine hesitancy.
  • Fuchs, A., Bockemuehl, D., Jegerlehner, S., Both, C. P., Cools, E., Riva, T., Albrecht, R., Greif, R., Mueller, M., and Pietsch, U. “Favourable Neurological Outcome Following Paediatric Out-Of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Retrospective Observational Study”. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 31, no. 1: 106. doi:10.1186/s13049-023-01165-y.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in children is rare and can potentially result in severe neurological impairment. Our study aimed to identify characteristics of and factors associated with favourable neurological outcome following the resuscitation of children by the Swiss helicopter emergency medical service. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective observational study screened the Swiss Air-Ambulance electronic database from 01-01-2011 to 31-12-2021. We included all primary missions for patients </= 16 years with OHCA. The primary outcome was favourable neurological outcome after 30 days (cerebral performance categories (CPC) 1 and 2). Multivariable linear regression identified potential factors associated with favourable outcome (odd ratio - OR). RESULTS: Having screened 110,331 missions, we identified 296 children with OHCA, which we included in the analysis. Patients were 5.0 [1.0; 12.0] years old and 61.5% (n = 182) male. More than two-thirds had a non-traumatic OHCA (67.2%, n = 199), while 32.8% (n = 97) had a traumatic OHCA. Thirty days after the event, 24.0% (n = 71) of patients were alive, 18.9% (n = 56) with a favourable neurological outcome (CPC 1 n = 46, CPC 2 n = 10). Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (OR 10.34; 95%CI 2.29-51.42; p = 0.002) and non-traumatic aetiology (OR 11.07 2.38-51.42; p = 0.002) were the factors most strongly associated with favourable outcome. Factors associated with an unfavourable neurological outcome were initial asystole (OR 0.12; 95%CI 0.04-0.39; p < 0.001), administration of adrenaline (OR 0.14; 95%CI 0.05-0.39; p < 0.001) and ongoing chest compression at HEMS arrival (OR 0.17; 95%CI 0.04-0.65; p = 0.010). CONCLUSION: In this study, 18.9% of paediatric OHCA patients survived with a favourable neurologic outcome 30 days after treatment by the Swiss helicopter emergency medical service. Immediate bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and non-traumatic OHCA aetiology were the factors most strongly associated with a favourable neurological outcome. These results underline the importance of effective bystander and first-responder rescue as the foundation for subsequent professional treatment of children in cardiac arrest.
    Tags: *Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation/methods, *Emergency Medical Services, *Emergency Responders, *Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest/etiology/therapy, Advanced life support, are no conflicts of interest., Chain-of-survival, Child, Child, Preschool, Children, Female, Hems, Humans, Implementation and Team Task Force Chair. All other authors declare that there, Infant, Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) and Guidelines, and ILCOR Education,, Male, Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest, Registries, Resuscitation, Retrospective Studies.
  • Lanter, L., Rutsch, N., Kreuzer, S., Albers, C. E., Obid, P., Henssler, J., Torbahn, G., Muller, M., and Bigdon, S. F. “Impact Of Different Surgical And Non-Surgical Interventions On Health-Related Quality Of Life After Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures Without Neurological Deficit: Protocol For A Comprehensive Systematic Review With Network Meta-Analysis”. Bmj Open 13, no. 12: e078972. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078972.
    Abstract: INTRODUCTION: There is no international consensus on how to treat thoracolumbar burst fractures (TLBFs) without neurological deficits. The planned systematic review with network meta-analyses (NMA) aims to compare the effects on treatment outcomes, focusing on midterm health-related quality of life (HRQoL). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct a comprehensive and systematic literature search, identifying studies comparing two or more treatment modalities. We will search MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science from January 2000 until July 2023 for publications. We will include (randomised and non-randomised) controlled clinical trials assessing surgical and non-surgical treatment methods for adults with TLBF. Screening of references, data extraction and risk of bias (RoB) assessment will be done independently by two reviewers. We will extract relevant studies, participants and intervention characteristics. The RoB will be assessed using the revised Cochrane RoB V.2.0 tool for randomised trials and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for controlled trials. The OR for dichotomous data and standardised mean differences for continuous data will be presented with their respective 95% CIs. We will conduct a random-effects NMA to assess the treatments and determine the superiority of the therapeutic approaches. Our primary outcomes will be midterm (6 months to 2 years after injury) overall HRQoL and pain. Secondary outcomes will include radiological or clinical findings. We will present network graphs, forest plots and relative rankings on plotted rankograms corresponding to the treatment rank probabilities. The ranking results will be represented by the area under the cumulative ranking curve. Analyses will be performed in Stata V.16.1 and R. The quality of the evidence will be evaluated according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations framework. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required. The research will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
    Tags: *Quality of Life, Accident & emergency medicine, Adult, Adult orthopaedics, Humans, Network Meta-Analysis as Topic, Orthopaedic & trauma surgery, Quality of Life, Spine, Systematic Review, Systematic Reviews as Topic.
  • Tan, R., Kavishe, G., Luwanda, L. B., Kulinkina, A. V., Renggli, S., Mangu, C., Ashery, G., et al. “A Digital Health Algorithm To Guide Antibiotic Prescription In Pediatric Outpatient Care: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial”. Nat Med 30, no. 1: 76-84. doi:10.1038/s41591-023-02633-9.
    Abstract: Excessive antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance are major global public health threats. We developed ePOCT+, a digital clinical decision support algorithm in combination with C-reactive protein test, hemoglobin test, pulse oximeter and mentorship, to guide health-care providers in managing acutely sick children under 15 years old. To evaluate the impact of ePOCT+ compared to usual care, we conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial in Tanzanian primary care facilities. Over 11 months, 23,593 consultations were included from 20 ePOCT+ health facilities and 20,713 from 20 usual care facilities. The use of ePOCT+ in intervention facilities resulted in a reduction in the coprimary outcome of antibiotic prescription compared to usual care (23.2% versus 70.1%, adjusted difference -46.4%, 95% confidence interval (CI) -57.6 to -35.2). The coprimary outcome of day 7 clinical failure was noninferior in ePOCT+ facilities compared to usual care facilities (adjusted relative risk 0.97, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.10). There was no difference in the secondary safety outcomes of death and nonreferred secondary hospitalizations by day 7. Using ePOCT+ could help address the urgent problem of antimicrobial resistance by safely reducing antibiotic prescribing. Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT05144763.
    Tags: *Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use, *Digital Health, Adolescent, Algorithms, Ambulatory Care, Child, Humans, Prescriptions, Primary Health Care.
  • Agri, F., Pache, B., Bourgeat, M., Darioli, V., Demartines, N., Schmidt, S., and Zingg, T. “Performance Of Three Predictive Scores To Avoid Delayed Diagnosis Of Significant Blunt Bowel And Mesenteric Injury: A 12-Year Retrospective Cohort Study”. J Trauma Acute Care Surg 96, no. 5: 820-830. doi:10.1097/TA.0000000000004231.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Avoiding missed diagnosis and therapeutic delay for significant blunt bowel and mesenteric injuries (sBBMIs) after trauma is still challenging despite the widespread use of computed tomography (CT). Several scoring tools aiming at reducing this risk have been published. The purpose of the present work was to assess the incidence of delayed (>24 hours) diagnosis for sBBMI patients and to compare the predictive performance of three previously published scores using clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings: the Bowel Injury Prediction Score (BIPS) and the scores developed by Raharimanantsoa Score (RS) and by Faget Score (FS). METHODS: A population-based retrospective observational cohort study was conducted; it included adult trauma patients after road traffic crashes admitted to Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland, between 2008 and 2019 (n = 1,258) with reliable information about sBBMI status (n = 1,164) and for whom all items for score calculation were available (n = 917). The three scores were retrospectively applied on all patients to assess their predictive performance. RESULTS: The incidence of sBBMI after road traffic crash was 3.3% (38 of 1,164), and in 18% (7 of 38), there was a diagnostic and treatment delay of more than 24 hours. The diagnostic performances of the FS, the RS, and the BIPS to predict sBBMI, expressed as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, were 95.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 92.7-97.9%), 89.2% (95% CI, 83.2-95.3%), and 87.6% (95% CI, 81.8-93.3%) respectively. CONCLUSION: The present study confirms that diagnostic delays for sBBMI still occur despite the widespread use of abdominal CT. When CT findings during the initial assessment are negative or equivocal for sBBMI, using a score may be helpful to select patients for early diagnostic laparoscopy. The FS had the best individual diagnostic performance. However, the BIPS or the RS, relying on clinical and laboratory variables, may be helpful to select patients for early diagnostic laparoscopy when there are unspecific CT signs of bowel or mesenteric injury. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level III.
    Tags: *Delayed Diagnosis/statistics & numerical data, *Mesentery/injuries/diagnostic imaging, *Tomography, X-Ray Computed, *Wounds, Nonpenetrating/diagnosis/epidemiology, Abdominal Injuries/diagnosis/epidemiology/diagnostic imaging, Accidents, Traffic/statistics & numerical data, Adult, Aged, Female, Humans, Incidence, Injury Severity Score, Intestines/injuries/diagnostic imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Predictive Value of Tests, Retrospective Studies, Switzerland/epidemiology.
  • Buchkremer, F., Schuetz, P., Mueller, B., and Segerer, S. “Classifying Hypotonic Hyponatremia By Projected Treatment Effects - A Quantitative 3-Dimensional Framework”. Kidney Int Rep 8, no. 12: 2720-2732. doi:10.1016/j.ekir.2023.09.002.
    Abstract: INTRODUCTION: The diagnostic algorithms currently used for hypotonic hyponatremia focus primarily on impaired urinary dilution and often neglect the influence of free water intake and solute excretion. We hypothesized that, in each case of hypotonic hyponatremia different pathophysiological mechanisms play a role simultaneously. METHODS: Using clinical data of the previous observational Co-Med study, we defined each case of hypotonic hyponatremia concurrently in 3 dimensions as follows: (i) high net free water intake (HNFWI), (ii) impaired dilution of the urine (IDU), and (iii) low nonelectrolyte solute excretion (LNESE). For each dimension, a "standard delta sodium" (sdna) was calculated reflecting the expected difference to the serum sodium concentration, that would result from changing a dimension to a specific and equivalent target level. RESULTS: Results from 279 patients were used for this analysis. With target levels of free water intake and urine osmolality at the fifth percentile, and nonelectrolyte solute excretion at the 95th percentile, median (interquartile range) sdna values were 7.1 (4.8-10.2) for HNFWI, 11.8 (7.0-18.6) for IDU and 2.6 (1.6-4.2) mmol/l per 24 hours for LNESE. Sdna results in individual patients were highest with IDU in 68.5%, HNFWI in 30.8% and 0.7% with LNESE. At an sdna-level of at least 4mmol/l per 24 hours, the prevalence of HNFWI was 78.9%, IDU 87.1%, and LNESE 26.5%. 77.5% of patients had 2 or all 3 mechanisms present. Hyponatremia was mostly multifactorial in subgroups according to classic categories of hyponatremia and typical comorbidities as well. CONCLUSION: Hypotonic hyponatremia can be quantitatively defined by 3 dimensions. Most cases should be considered multifactorial.
    Tags: classification, diagnosis, hyponatremia, physiopathology, urine, water-electrolyte imbalance.
  • Coisy, F., Olivier, G., Ageron, F. X., Guillermou, H., Roussel, M., Balen, F., Grau-Mercier, L., and Bobbia, X. “Do Emergency Medicine Health Care Workers Rate Triage Level Of Chest Pain Differently Based Upon Appearance In Simulated Patients?”. Eur J Emerg Med 31, no. 3: 188-194. doi:10.1097/MEJ.0000000000001113.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: There seems to be evidence of gender and ethnic bias in the early management of acute coronary syndrome. However, whether these differences are related to less severe severity assessment or to less intensive management despite the same severity assessment has not yet been established. OBJECTIVE: To show whether viewing an image with characters of different gender appearance or ethnic background changes the prioritization decision in the emergency triage area. METHODS: The responders were offered a standardized clinical case in an emergency triage area. The associated image was randomized among eight standardized images of people presenting with chest pain and differing in gender and ethnic appearance (White, Black, North African and southeast Asian appearance). OUTCOME MEASURES AND ANALYSIS: Each person was asked to respond to a single clinical case, in which the priority level [from 1 (requiring immediate treatment) to 5 (able to wait up to 2 h)] was assessed visually. Priority classes 1 and 2 for vital emergencies and classes 3-5 for nonvital emergencies were grouped together for analysis. RESULTS: Among the 1563 respondents [mean age, 36 +/- 10 years; 867 (55%) women], 777 (50%) were emergency physicians, 180 (11%) emergency medicine residents and 606 (39%) nurses. The priority levels for all responses were 1-5 : 180 (11%), 686 (44%), 539 (34%), 131 (9%) and 27 (2%). There was a higher reported priority in male compared to female [62% vs. 49%, difference 13% (95% confidence interval; CI 8-18%)]. Compared to White people, there was a lower reported priority for Black simulated patients [47% vs. 58%, difference -11% (95% CI -18% to -4%)] but not people of southeast Asian [55% vs. 58%, difference -3% (95% CI -10-5%)] and North African [61% vs. 58%, difference 3% (95% CI -4-10%)] appearance. CONCLUSION: In this study, the visualization of simulated patients with different characteristics modified the prioritization decision. Compared to White patients, Black patients were less likely to receive emergency treatment. The same was true for women compared with men.
    Tags: *Chest Pain/diagnosis, *Triage, Adult, Emergency Medicine, Emergency Service, Hospital/statistics & numerical data, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Simulation, Sex Factors.
  • Altmann-Schneider, I., Kellenberger, C. J., Pistorius, S. M., Saladin, C., Schafer, D., Arslan, N., Fischer, H. L., and Seiler, M. “Artificial Intelligence-Based Detection Of Paediatric Appendicular Skeletal Fractures: Performance And Limitations For Common Fracture Types And Locations”. Pediatr Radiol 54, no. 1: 136-145. doi:10.1007/s00247-023-05822-3.
    Abstract: BACKGROUND: Research into artificial intelligence (AI)-based fracture detection in children is scarce and has disregarded the detection of indirect fracture signs and dislocations. OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of an existing AI-tool for the detection of fractures, indirect fracture signs, and dislocations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An AI software, BoneView (Gleamer, Paris, France), was assessed for diagnostic accuracy of fracture detection using paediatric radiology consensus diagnoses as reference. Radiographs from a single emergency department were enrolled retrospectively going back from December 2021, limited to 1,000 radiographs per body part. Enrolment criteria were as follows: suspected fractures of the forearm, lower leg, or elbow; age 0-18 years; and radiographs in at least two projections. RESULTS: Lower leg radiographs showed 607 fractures. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were high (87.5%, 87.5%, 98.3%, 98.3%, respectively). Detection rate was low for toddler's fractures, trampoline fractures, and proximal tibial Salter-Harris-II fractures. Forearm radiographs showed 1,137 fractures. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were high (92.9%, 98.1%, 98.4%, 91.7%, respectively). Radial and ulnar bowing fractures were not reliably detected (one out of 11 radial bowing fractures and zero out of seven ulnar bowing fractures were correctly detected). Detection rate was low for styloid process avulsions, proximal radial buckle, and complete olecranon fractures. Elbow radiographs showed 517 fractures. Sensitivity and NPV were moderate (80.5%, 84.7%, respectively). Specificity and PPV were high (94.9%, 93.3%, respectively). For joint effusion, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were moderate (85.1%, 85.7%, 89.5%, 80%, respectively). For elbow dislocations, sensitivity and PPV were low (65.8%, 50%, respectively). Specificity and NPV were high (97.7%, 98.8%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic performance of BoneView is promising for forearm and lower leg fractures. However, improvement is mandatory before clinicians can rely solely on AI-based paediatric fracture detection using this software.
    Tags: *Joint Dislocations, *Radius Fractures/diagnostic imaging, *Salter-Harris Fractures, *Ulna Fractures/diagnostic imaging, Adolescent, Appendicular skeleton, Artificial Intelligence, Child, Child, Preschool, Fracture, Gleamer with our study proposal and the software was provided for this, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, investigation free of charge as a trial version. No additional funding was, Paediatric, Radiograph, Radiography, received., Retrospective Studies.
  • Schuetz, P. “The Value Of A Biomarker Should Be Judged On What It Adds To The Clinical Assessment: Not The Area Under The Curve”. Crit Care Med 52, no. 1: e30-e31. doi:10.1097/CCM.0000000000006035.
    Tags: *Biomarkers, Area Under Curve, ROC Curve.
  • Regli, I. B., Oberhammer, R., Zafren, K., Brugger, H., and Strapazzon, G. “Frostbite Treatment: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses”. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 31, no. 1: 96. doi:10.1186/s13049-023-01160-3.
    Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Our objective was to perform a systematic review of the outcomes of various frostbite treatments to determine which treatments are effective. We also planned to perform meta-analyses of the outcomes of individual treatments for which suitable data were available. MAIN BODY: We performed a systematic review and meta-analyses in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. We searched PubMed, Cochrane Trials, and EMBase to identify primary references from January 1, 1900, to June 18, 2022. After eliminating duplicates, we screened abstracts to identify eligible studies containing information on treatment and outcomes of Grade 2 to 4 frostbite. We performed meta-analyses of groups of articles that provided sufficient data. We registered our review in the prospective registry of systematic reviews PROSPERO (Nr. 293,693). We identified 4,835 potentially relevant studies. We excluded 4,610 studies after abstract screening. We evaluated the full text of the remaining 225 studies, excluding 154. Ultimately, we included 71 articles with 978 cases of frostbite originating from 1 randomized controlled trial, 20 cohort studies and 51 case reports. We found wide variations in classifications of treatments and outcomes. The two meta-analyses we performed both found that patients treated with thrombolytics within 24 h had better outcomes than patients treated with other modalities. The one randomized controlled trial found that the prostacyclin analog iloprost was beneficial in severe frostbite if administered within 48 h. CONCLUSIONS: Iloprost and thrombolysis may be beneficial for treating frostbite. The effectiveness of other commonly used treatments has not been validated. More prospective data from clinical trials or an international registry may help to inform optimal treatment.
    Tags: *Iloprost, Cohort Studies, Cold exposure systematic review, Cold injury, Frostbite, Humans, Iloprost, Meta-analysis, Mountain medicine, personal interests that might have influenced the performance or presentation of, Prostacyclin, the work described in this manuscript., Thrombolysis, Wilderness medicine.
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