The analysis of the status of emergency department-based screening clinic according to the spread of coronavirus disease 2019: a retrospective single-center study

Objective@#Emergency department-based screening clinic (ED-BSC) is a new concept. It is a multifunctional clinic at the entrance of the emergency department (ED) that serves as a screening center for suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and triaging patients and provides basic emergency treatment. We aimed to analyze the current status of the COVID-19 ED-BSC and determine the factors when assigning suspected COVID-19 patients to the negative pressure isolation rooms (NPIRs) at the ED. @*Methods@#Data of patients who visited the ED-BSC between February 7, 2020, and April 30, 2020, were obtained retrospectively. The data of the patients who underwent the COVID-19 screening test per the standards of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency were analyzed. @*Results@#A total of 1,378 patients who visited the ED-BSC were included in the study. Of these, 1,226 patients were allowed to go home after the COVID-19 screening test, and 152 patients were assigned to the NPIRs. In univariate analysis, factors influencing the allocation of NPIRs were old age, history of overseas travel within the last 14 days, fever and peripheral oxygen saturation. The multivariate regression analysis confirmed that older adults, history of overseas travel within the last 14 days and fever influenced the allocation of patients to NPIRs. @*Conclusion@#This study elucidates the current status of suspected COVID-19 patient visits to an ED-BSC. This study may serve as a basis for the establishment and revision of clinical guidelines for ED-BSC.

Current status and development direction of hyperbaric medicine in Korea

The indications of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) covered by the health insurance in Korea increased to 16 in 2019, which includes acute central retinal artery obstruction within 24 hours of vision loss; anemia due to excessive bleeding, since blood transfusion is impractical; chronic refractory osteomyelitis (Wagner grade ≥3); and intracranial abscess.Current Concepts: HBOT affects the treatment in the primary and secondary mechanisms. According to the Boyle’s law, the primary mechanism is important in treating decompression sickness and intravascular air embolism by decreasing the volume of air bubbles when pressure increases, whereas the secondary mechanism involves hyperoxygenation of the primary mechanism and various effects, such as vasoconstriction, angiogenesis, immune function enhancement, reperfusion injury prevention, antimicrobial action, and gas washout effect, occur. In the past 5 years, domestic HBOT has made significant progress. However, there are many non-therapeutic lowpressure HBOT facilities that are limited by insurance coverage issues, quality equipment management, and medical personnel in HBOT facilities.Discussion and Conclusion: To solve the problem, the introduction of the definition of therapeutic hyperbaric pressure and certification system of HBOT facilities must be initiated. Moreover, the system should be improved so that insurance can be applied for a more indication of HBOT.

Effects of Emergency Care-related Health Policies during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Korea:a Quasi-Experimental Study

Background@#The purpose of this study was to review the nationwide emergency care-related health policies during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disaster in Korea and to analyze the effects of the policies on the safety of patients who visit emergency departments (EDs) during this period. @*Methods@#This study is a quasi-experiment study. The study population was patients who visited all 402 EDs in Korea between December 31, 2019 and May 13, 2020, using the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS) database. The study period was classified into 5 phases according to the level of national crisis warning of infectious disease and the implementation of emergency care-related health policies, and all study phases were 27 days. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and the secondary outcome was length of stay (LOS) in the ED during the COVID-19 outbreak. @*Results@#The number of ED visits during the study period was 2,636,341, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 1.4%. The number of ED visits decreased from 803,160 in phase 1 to 496,619 in phase 5 during the study period. For in-hospital mortality, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval) was 0.77 (0.74–0.79) in phase 5 compared to phase 3. Additionally, by subgroup, the ORs were 0.69 (0.57–0.83) for the patients with acute myocardial infarction and 0.76 (0.67–0.87) for severe trauma in phase 5 compared to phase 3. The ED LOS increased while the number of ED visits decreased as the COVID-19 pandemic progressed, and the ED LOS declined after policy implementation (beta coefficient: −5.3 [−6.5 to −4.2] minutes in phase 5 compared to phase 3). @*Conclusion@#Implementing appropriate emergency care policies in the COVID-19 pandemic would have contributed to improving the safety of all emergency patients and reducing inhospital mortality by preventing excessive deaths.

Effects of Emergency Care-related Health Policies during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Korea:a Quasi-Experimental Study

Background@#The purpose of this study was to review the nationwide emergency care-related health policies during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disaster in Korea and to analyze the effects of the policies on the safety of patients who visit emergency departments (EDs) during this period. @*Methods@#This study is a quasi-experiment study. The study population was patients who visited all 402 EDs in Korea between December 31, 2019 and May 13, 2020, using the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS) database. The study period was classified into 5 phases according to the level of national crisis warning of infectious disease and the implementation of emergency care-related health policies, and all study phases were 27 days. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and the secondary outcome was length of stay (LOS) in the ED during the COVID-19 outbreak. @*Results@#The number of ED visits during the study period was 2,636,341, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 1.4%. The number of ED visits decreased from 803,160 in phase 1 to 496,619 in phase 5 during the study period. For in-hospital mortality, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval) was 0.77 (0.74–0.79) in phase 5 compared to phase 3. Additionally, by subgroup, the ORs were 0.69 (0.57–0.83) for the patients with acute myocardial infarction and 0.76 (0.67–0.87) for severe trauma in phase 5 compared to phase 3. The ED LOS increased while the number of ED visits decreased as the COVID-19 pandemic progressed, and the ED LOS declined after policy implementation (beta coefficient: −5.3 [−6.5 to −4.2] minutes in phase 5 compared to phase 3). @*Conclusion@#Implementing appropriate emergency care policies in the COVID-19 pandemic would have contributed to improving the safety of all emergency patients and reducing inhospital mortality by preventing excessive deaths.

Performance of four different tools for predicting mortality in elderly patients with severe trauma

Objective@#The present study aimed to analyze and compare the prognostic performances of Revised Trauma Score (RTS), Injury Severity Score (ISS), shock index (SI), and modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) for in-hospital mortality in severe trauma. @*Methods@#This retrospective observational study included elderly (≥65 years) patients admitted for severe trauma between January 2018 and December 2018. Receiver operating characteristics analysis was performed to examine the prognostic performance of the four different tools. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality following an injury. @*Results@#Of the 279 patients included in the study, in-hospital mortality was 20.1% (n=56). In multivariate analysis, age (odds ratio [OR], 1.055; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.004-1.109), ISS (OR, 1.080; 95% CI, 1.008-1.157), Glasgow Coma Scale (OR, 0.842; 95% CI, 0.785-0.904), and respiratory rate (OR, 1.261; 95% CI, 1.071-1.486) were independently associated with in-hospital mortality. The area under the curves (AUCs) of MEWS, RTS, ISS, and SI were 0.851 (95% CI, 0.763-0.857), 0.733 (0.677-0.784), 0.664 (0.606-0.720), and 0.567 (0.506-0.626), respectively. The AUC of MEWS was significantly different from those of RTS (P=0.034), ISS (P=0.001), and SI (P<0.001). @*Conclusion@#MEWS has the highest prognostic performance for in-hospital mortality among four different tools in elderly patients with severe trauma.

Usage patterns of emergency medical services in Korea: analysis of patient flow / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#This study used the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS) data to analyze the flow of emergency and critical emergency patients and to identify the patterns of emergency medical service usage in Korea.@*METHODS@#The relevance index (RI) and commitment index (CI) were calculated from the 2016 NEDIS data. In this study, the number of clusters was determined using NbClust, and cluster analysis was used to analyze the usage patterns of emergency and critical emergency patients.@*RESULTS@#The RI and CI were calculated using 8,389,766 cases of 214 districts. The results of the RI and CI suggested that there were 3 types of clusters among the emergency patients. In Cluster 1, 54 districts (25.2%) had low RI and high CI, and it was of outflow type. Cluster 2 was categorized as the influx-type in 58 districts (27.1%) irrespective of RI and low CI. Cluster 3 was categorized as the self-sufficient type found in 102 districts (47.7%), with high RI and high CI. The cluster analysis of the critical emergency patients was divided into 2 types. Cluster 1 was categorized as outflow type with high CI found in 129 districts (60.3%), while Cluster 2 was categorized as inflow type with low CI found in 85 districts (39.7%).@*CONCLUSIONS@#This study elucidates the regional status of usage patterns of emergency and critical emergency patients in Korea. This study might serve as a basis for the establishment and selection of emergency medical service areas and vulnerable emergency medical service areas.

Effect of pralidoxime on coronary perfusion pressure during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a pig model

OBJECTIVE: Pralidoxime is widely used for the treatment of organophosphate poisoning. Multiple studies have reported its vasoconstrictive property, which may facilitate the restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after cardiac arrest by increasing the coronary perfusion pressure (CPP). 2,3-Butanedione monoxime, which belongs to the same oxime family, has been shown to facilitate ROSC by reducing left ventricular ischemic contracture. Because pralidoxime and 2,3-butanedione monoxime have several common mechanisms of action, both drugs may have similar effects on ischemic contracture. Thus, we investigated the effects of pralidoxime administration during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a pig model with a focus on ischemic contracture and CPP.METHODS: After 14 minutes of untreated ventricular fibrillation, followed by 8 minutes of basic life support, 16 pigs randomly received either 80 mg/kg of pralidoxime (pralidoxime group) or an equivalent volume of saline (control group) during advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS).RESULTS: Mixed-model analyses of left ventricular wall thickness and chamber area during ACLS revealed no significant group effects or group-time interactions, whereas a mixed-model analysis of the CPP during ACLS revealed a significant group effect (P=0.038) and group-time interaction (P<0.001). Post-hoc analyses revealed significant increases in CPP in the pralidoxime group, starting at 5 minutes after pralidoxime administration. No animal, except one in the pralidoxime group, achieved ROSC; thus, the rate of ROSC did not differ between the two groups.CONCLUSION: In a pig model of cardiac arrest, pralidoxime administered during cardiopulmonary resuscitation did not reduce ischemic contracture; however, it significantly improved CPP.

A nationwide study of the emergency department utilization rates according to season, day of the week, time of the day, region, and type of emergency department

OBJECTIVE: The mismatch in the demand and supply of emergency medical resources has been a constant issue in Korean emergency departments (EDs). This study analyzed the characteristics and actual utilization of medical bed resources in these EDs. METHODS: The emergency department utilization (EDU) rate was calculated using the Emergency Medical Resource Information System (EMRIS) on the available beds in EDs from April 2014 to January 2015. The EDU rate was analyzed according to the season, day of the week, time of day, and ED type. Furthermore, the ratio between the maximum and minimum EDU rates was also compared between the regions. RESULTS: A total of 14,889,750 data points were included. The EDU rate was relatively high during winter and on Sundays, and was highest between 20:00 and 22:00. The ratio between the maximum and minimum EDU rates according to the time of day was highest in Gyeongbuk (5.4) and lowest in Daegu (1.4). Moreover, the EDU rate according to the ED type was highest in the regional emergency medical center (66.7%). CONCLUSION: Significant differences were observed in the EDU rates according to the season, day of the week, time of the day, region, and ED type. Therefore, EMRIS should allocate resources based on the data on both the hospital and regional characteristics.

Inflow and outflow type analysis of emergency department patients of the Honam region

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the inflow and outflow patterns of emergency department patients with si-gun-gu in the Gwangju, Jeonbuk, and Jeonnam areas. METHODS: Data from the Gwangju, Jeonbuk, and Jeonnam were extracted from the National Emergency Department Information System in 2016. The extracted data (on 42 areas in Gwangju, Jeonbuk, and Jeonnam) using the variables of the patient's address (zip code) and the emergency medical institution code (emergency medical institution address) were used to calculate the relevance index and commitment index. The calculated indices were classified into the regional types by applying NbClust and cluster analysis (K-means) of the R package. RESULTS: The relevance indices ranged from 12.5% to 90.4%, and the commitment indices ranged from 9.2% to 90.3%. The results of cluster analysis with the relevance indices and commitment indices revealed three types for 39 areas. In cluster 1, the relevance indices ranged from 43.5% to 61.6%, and the commitment indices ranged from 9.2% to 49.5%. Three out of the thirty-nine areas were classified as the inflow type. In cluster 2, the relevance indices ranged from 12.5% to 56.0% and the commitment indices ranged from 62.5% to 90.3%; 12 areas were classified as the outflow type. The areas in cluster 3 were classified as the self-sufficient type, with relevance indices ranging from 60.1% to 90.4% and commitment indices ranging from 59.0% to 89.7% for 24 areas. CONCLUSION: Three area types and 11 out of 12 areas classified as outflow types were found to be emergency medical vulnerable areas. The results of this study can be used to establish local emergency medical policies.

A Study on the Disaster Medical Response during the Mauna Ocean Resort Gymnasium Collapse

PURPOSE: To investigate and document a disaster medical response during the collapse of the Gyeongju Mauna Ocean Resort gymnasium, which occurred on February 17, 2014. METHODS: The official records of each institution were verified to select the study population. All the medical records and emergency medical service records were reviewed by an emergency physician. Personal or telephonic interviews were conducted without a separate questionnaire if the institutions or agencies crucial to disaster response did not have official records or if information from different institutions was inconsistent. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-five accident victims, who were treated at 12 hospitals mostly for minor wounds, were included in this study. The collapse killed 10 people. Although the news of the collapse was disseminated in 4 minutes, it took at lease 69 minutes for a dispatch of 4 disaster medical assistance teams to take action; 4.5% of patients were treated on-site, 56.7% were transferred to 2 nearest hospitals, and 42.6% were transferred to hospitals with poor preparation to handle disaster victims. CONCLUSION: In the collapse of the Gyeongju Mauna Ocean Resort gymnasium, the initial triage and distribution of patients were inefficient, with delayed arrival of medical assistance teams. These problems had also been noted in prior mass casualty incidents. Government agencies are implementing improvements, and this study could aid the implementation process.

Analysis of Emergency Department Utilization Rate by Region, Emergency Medical Center, and Hospital Type

PURPOSE: Overcrowding in urban emergency departments (EDs) while a decline in rural EDs due to mismatch of supply and demand of emergency medical resources are still issues to date. Therefore, this study analyzed the current characteristics and reality of bed utilization in the EDs of Korea. METHODS: Real-time availability of bed information was obtained from the emergency medical resource information system. The data were extracted for 4 weeks every 3 months, from April 2014 to January 2015. We analyzed the emergency department utilization (EDU) rate of emergency medical centers and hospitals based in 16 provinces in Korea. RESULTS: A total of 14,889,750 data were included. The total EDU rate was 20.0% (9.1-43.9%). The EDU rate was 66.7% (40.0-95.0%) for regional emergency medical centers (REMC), 33.3% (15.0-63.3%) for local emergency medical centers (LEMC), 11.1% (0.0-30.0%) for local emergency medical agencies (LEMA). The EDU rate was 71.4.0% (50.0.0-96.7.0%) for tertiary general hospitals (TGH), 20.0% (10.0-36.8%) for general hospitals (GH), and 10.0% (0-20.0%) for hospital & medical centers (HMC). The REMC EDU rate was high in Seoul and Jeonbuk, and low in Jeonnam and Gyeongbuk. The LEMC utilization rate was high in Daegu and Jeonbuk. The LEMA utilization rate was high in Daegu and Ulsan. Moreover, despite the same ED type, the EDU rate of high degree hospitals was higher. CONCLUSION: The EDU rate differed by region, emergency medical center, and hospital type. We should consider investing in appropriate personnel and emergency medical resources in places with suboptimal EDU rate.

A study on the disaster medical response during the Mauna Ocean Resort gymnasium collapse

OBJECTIVE: To investigate and document the disaster medical response during the Gyeongju Mauna Ocean Resort gymnasium collapse on February 17, 2014. METHODS: Official records of each institution were verified to select the study population. All the medical records and emergency medical service run sheets were reviewed by an emergency physician. Personal or telephonic interviews were conducted, without a separate questionnaire, if the institutions or agencies crucial to disaster response did not have official records or if information from different institutions was inconsistent. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-five accident victims treated at 12 hospitals, mostly for minor wounds, were included in this study. The collapse killed 10 people. Although the news of collapse was disseminated in 4 minutes, dispatch of 4 disaster medical assistance teams took at least 69 minutes to take the decision of dispatch. Four point five percent were treated at the accident site, 56.7% were transferred to 2 hospitals that were nearest to the collapse site, and 42.6% were transferred to hospitals that were poorly prepared to handle disaster victims. CONCLUSION: In the Gyeongju Mauna Ocean Resort gymnasium collapse, the initial triage and distribution of patients was inefficient and medical assistance arrived late. These problems had also been noted in prior mass casualty incidents.

The Association between Dyscarbia and Outcome in Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest Survivors Treated with Therapeutic Hypothermia

PURPOSE: There is a lack of clinical evidence in terms of the association between carbon dioxide tension and outcomes in cardiac arrest survivors treated with therapeutic hypothermia (TH). We investigated the association of time-weighted mean carbon dioxide tension (TWMCO2) and outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors treated with TH. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study including 177 OHCA survivors. The patients were divided into three groups according to the values of TWMCO2 (normocarbia, 35~45 mmHg; hypocarbia, 45 mmHg). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality and the secondary outcome was neurologic outcome at discharge. We assessed neurologic outcome at hospital discharge using the Cerebral Performance Categories (CPC). Neurologic outcome was dichotomized as either good neurologic outcome (CPC1 and CPC2) or poor neurologic outcome (CPC 3 to 5). The odds ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated. RESULTS: The median value of PaCO2 was 38.2 (33.9-43.3) mmHg. Among a total of 1,239 PaCO2 values, normocarbia, hypocarbia, and hypercarbia were 618 (49.8%), 380 (30.7%), and 241 (19.5%), respectively. Results of univariate logistic regression analysis showed that hypocarbia had a significantly high odds ratio for in-hospital mortality (2.474 (95% CI, 1.129-5.424), p=0.024) compared with normocarbia. Results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that hypocarbia (2.926; 95% CI, 1.212-7.066; p=0.017) and hypercarbia (4.673; 95% CI, 1.348-16.205; p=0.015) had a significantly high odds ratio for in-hospital mortality compared with normocarbia. CONCLUSION: In OHCA survivors treated with TH, dyscarbia (hypocarbia and hypercarbia) was frequent and dyscarbia showed an association with in-hospital mortality.

The Relation between Time-weighted Mean Oxygen Tension and Outcome in Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest Survivors Treated with Therapeutic Hypothermia

PURPOSE: Studies to determine the relation between oxygen tension and outcome in cardiac arrest survivors treated with therapeutic hypothermia (TH) are lacking. We investigated the relation of time-weighted mean oxygen tension (TWMO2) and outcome in cardiac arrest survivors treated with TH. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study including 177 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors. The patients were divided into four categories according to quartile values of TWMO2. The primary outcome was neurologic outcome at discharge and the secondary outcome was all cause in-hospital mortality. We assessed neurologic outcome using the Cerebral Performance Categories (CPC) at hospital discharge. Neurologic outcome was dichotomised as either good neurologic outcome (CPC1 and CPC2) or poor neurologic outcome (CPC 3 to 5). The odds ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated. RESULTS: The median value of PaO2 was 139(104.5-170.0) mmHg. Among a total of 1,239 PaO2 values, 22(1.8%) values were hypoxia (300 mmHg). Results of univariate logistic regression analysis showed a significantly low odds ratio for poor neurologic outcome [0.353(95% CI, 0.133-0.938) and 0.321(95% CI, 0.121-0.850), respectively] and for in-hospital mortality [0.338(95% CI, 0.132-0.870) and 0.387(95% CI, 0.154-0.975), respectively] for the third quartile and the fourth quartile. However, results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed no significant relation between TWMO2 and outcomes. CONCLUSION: In OHCA survivors treated with TH, time-weighted oxygen tension did not show an association with neurologic outcome and in-hospital mortality.

Early Initiation of Therapeutic Hypothermia after Sudden Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

PURPOSE: Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) improves the probability of survival and neurologic recovery after resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, the best time to initiate TH after the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) remains unknown. METHODS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between TH initiation time after ROSC and the resulting neurological outcome. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 122 OHCA patients enrolled between January 2008 and December 2011. Therapeutic hypothermia (32~34degrees C) was induced immediately after ROSC. The primary measure of outcome was neurological function at hospital discharge, as determined by a cerebral performance category (CPC) scale. RESULTS: Out of the 122 patients, 34 patients (27.9%) had a good neurological outcome at hospital discharge. The initiation time following ROSC was shorter, although not statistically significant, in patients with good neurological outcomes compared to those with poor outcomes. Based on subgroup analysis, only the shockable rhythm group showed a significant difference, in the time after ROSC to TH initiation, between good and poor neurological outcome groups. Receiver operator characteristic analysis suggested that an initiation time of 250 min after ROSC was most predictive of CPC 1-2 outcomes compared to other time points. Furthermore, the 250 min initiation time after ROSC correlated with neurological outcome in patients with OHCA undergoing TH treatment. CONCLUSION: Compared to late initiation, early initiation (within 250 min) with TH had neurologic benefits for patients with OHCA.

Initial Laboratory Parameters and its Correlation to Intermediate Syndrome in Patients with Acute Organophosphate Poisoning

PURPOSE: The association of serial serum cholinesterase (SChE) activity and the occurrence of intermediate syndrome (IMS) in patients orally poisoned with organophosphate (OP) were investigated. In addition, other clinical and laboratory factors were assessed for their ability to predict the subsequent development of IMS. METHODS: A total of 114 patients presented to our emergency department with acute OP ingestion between 2007 and 2012 were enrolled in this prospective study. Of these patients, 67 who needed mechanical ventilation (MV) over five days were divided into the IMS group. The 47 patients weaned from MV within four days after admission, or who did not receive the assistance of MV, were placed in the non-IMS group. The level of SChE at admission, 48 hours, and 96 hours, at discharge after admission were checked. The APACHE II (Acute Physiology, Age, Chronic Health Evaluation II) score, the amount ingested, exposure route, gender, age, and the laboratory test results were collected. All statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 20.0). RESULTS: The mean age of total enrolled patients was 53.7+/-17.9 years and 73 patients (64.0% of total patients) were male. There were 102(89.5%) patients who intentionally ingested the OP and the mean amount ingested was 102.5+/-64.9 mL. The mean time after patients sought medical care was 5.4+/-10.5 hours after ingestion. The level of SChE at admission was 1,586+/-796 U/L and the APACHE II score was 28.81+/-19.7. The arterial pH, bicarbonate and carbon dioxide pressure, and serum protein and albumin were significantly lower in the IMS group than the non-IMS group (p<0.001). In contrast, the serum amylase, lipase, and glucose were higher in the IMS group. The APACHE II score, serum albumin and amylase, arterial bicarbonate, and the SChE at 48 and 96 hours after ingestion were independent factors that predicted the occurrence of IMS in patients with OP poisoning. The rate of recovery was 86.6% in the IMS group and 100% in the non-IMS group (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients with a higher APACHE II score and levels of serum amylase, and lower levels of serum albumin and arterial bicarbonate, may be associated with the occurrence of IMS. Furthermore, when SChE levels after 48 hours and 96 hours did not increase, compared with the level of SChE at admission, patients tended to show IMS.

Initial Laboratory Parameters and its Correlation to Intermediate Syndrome in Patients with Acute Organophosphate Poisoning

PURPOSE: The association of serial serum cholinesterase (SChE) activity and the occurrence of intermediate syndrome (IMS) in patients orally poisoned with organophosphate (OP) were investigated. In addition, other clinical and laboratory factors were assessed for their ability to predict the subsequent development of IMS. METHODS: A total of 114 patients presented to our emergency department with acute OP ingestion between 2007 and 2012 were enrolled in this prospective study. Of these patients, 67 who needed mechanical ventilation (MV) over five days were divided into the IMS group. The 47 patients weaned from MV within four days after admission, or who did not receive the assistance of MV, were placed in the non-IMS group. The level of SChE at admission, 48 hours, and 96 hours, at discharge after admission were checked. The APACHE II (Acute Physiology, Age, Chronic Health Evaluation II) score, the amount ingested, exposure route, gender, age, and the laboratory test results were collected. All statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 20.0). RESULTS: The mean age of total enrolled patients was 53.7+/-17.9 years and 73 patients (64.0% of total patients) were male. There were 102(89.5%) patients who intentionally ingested the OP and the mean amount ingested was 102.5+/-64.9 mL. The mean time after patients sought medical care was 5.4+/-10.5 hours after ingestion. The level of SChE at admission was 1,586+/-796 U/L and the APACHE II score was 28.81+/-19.7. The arterial pH, bicarbonate and carbon dioxide pressure, and serum protein and albumin were significantly lower in the IMS group than the non-IMS group (p<0.001). In contrast, the serum amylase, lipase, and glucose were higher in the IMS group. The APACHE II score, serum albumin and amylase, arterial bicarbonate, and the SChE at 48 and 96 hours after ingestion were independent factors that predicted the occurrence of IMS in patients with OP poisoning. The rate of recovery was 86.6% in the IMS group and 100% in the non-IMS group (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients with a higher APACHE II score and levels of serum amylase, and lower levels of serum albumin and arterial bicarbonate, may be associated with the occurrence of IMS. Furthermore, when SChE levels after 48 hours and 96 hours did not increase, compared with the level of SChE at admission, patients tended to show IMS.

Effect of the Community Education Program on the Attitude on the Emergency Medical Service and Safety in a Rural Emergency Medical Service System

PURPOSE: Compared to urban areas, access to emergency medical services in rural areas is relatively restricted both in quality and quantity. However, based on the aged population model, the need for such services is greater in rural areas, due to accidents and underlying disease. We set out to investigate whether education for emergency medical services would be helpful for utilization of poor resources for emergency medical services in rural areas and how efficient it might be. METHODS: Goheung (n=796) and Haenam (n=819), which appeared to be similar in terms of area, population composition, and quality and quantity of emergency medical services, were selected. While one area received Life Helper for the Village, one of the educational programs for emergency medical services, the other did not. A questionnaire containing items on recognition of emergency medical services and roles of the primary responder was administered. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in the recognition of emergency medical services and safety awareness in Goheung, to which education for emergency medical services was provided. However, we did not find a relationship between injury or accident development and education for the rural emergency medical service system in two areas. CONCLUSION: Thus, provision of education is needed for development of common residents into primary responders in alienated rural and fishing villages, offering them ongoing and repeating education in order to increase their recognition of emergency medical services and safety awareness, and expand such education to areas that are in a similar situation.

Gray/White Matter Ratio as an Outcome Predictor for Cardiac Arrest Patients Treated by Therapeutic Hypothermia

PURPOSE: Ischemic brain injury following cardiac arrest presents as cerebral edema. Cerebral edema can be diagnosed using computed tomography (CT) by evidence of difference in the ratio between gray and white matter density. The prognostic value of CT scan use in determining neurologic outcomes remains unclear for cardiac arrest survivors treated with therapeutic hypothermia. We investigated the density of gray and white matter and found that their ratio was associated with neurologic outcome. METHODS: Our study data included 93 cardiac arrest survivors treated with therapeutic hypothermia from January 2008 to June 2011. Cranial CT was performed after the return of spontaneous circulation. Circular regions of CT measurement (9.4 mm2) evaluated locations of interest including the caudate nucleus, putamen, posterior limb of the internal capsule, and the corpus callosum. The average attenuation in Hounsfield Units (HU) for each region was recorded. Neurological outcome was ranked as good or poor at discharge with neurological outcome assessed according to the Cerebral Performance Category scale (CPC) with a poor outcome defined as a CPC of 3-5. RESULTS: Gray matter attenuation was found to be significantly different between the good and poor outcome cases while white matter attenuation was insignificant. All types of gray/white matter ratio were significantly different between two groups. Receiver operating characteristics analysis determined a cut-off value of gray/white matter ratio at less than 1.11 (sensitivity 29.8%) which results in a poor outcome with a specificity of 100%. CONCLUSION: A low gray/white matter ratio (<1.11), as evaluated by CT scan, is associated with poor outcome after cardiac arrest and therapeutic hypothermia. However, the results of a CT scan should be interpreted with caution as the gray/white matter ratio is a low sensitivity marker.

Neuron Specific Enolase as a Biomarker Predicting Neurological Outcome after Cardiac Arrest in Patients Treated by Therapeutic Hypothermia

PURPOSE: Neurological outcome prediction is an important aspect of post-resuscitation care in cardiac arrest survivors. The appearance of high serum neuron specific enolase (NSE) is known to be associated with ischemic brain injury and poor neurological outcome. The application of therapeutic hypothermia to cardiac arrest survivors has been shown to improve neurological outcomes. As such, we investigated the predictive value of serial serum NSE levels in patients who were resuscitated from cardiac arrest. METHODS: This study included 123 cardiac arrest survivors who were treated by therapeutic hypothermia from January 2008 to June 2011. Blood samples used for evaluating NSE were collected at return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) at 6, 24 and 48 hours after initiation of therapeutic hypothermia. Neurological outcome was graded as 'good' or 'poor' at discharge and assessed according to the Cerebral Performance Category scale (CPC). A poor outcome was defined as a CPC value of 3-5. RESULTS: Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed NSE cut-off values of 53.9 microg/L (sensitivity 14.6%), 48.5 microg/L (sensitivity 30.6%), 80.0 microg/L (sensitivity 40.0%), and 52.7 microg/L (sensitivity 55.5%) for poor outcomes with a specificity of 100%, measured at ROSC of 6, 24 and 48 hours after initiation of therapeutic hypothermia, respectively. The poor outcome group showed significant change in NSE concentration over time (p=0.002), while the good outcome group did not. CONCLUSION: Detection of NSE at the cut-off value, 48 hr after initiation of therapeutic hypothermia was a specific but moderately sensitive marker of poor outcome at discharge. Single measurements of NSE should be cautiously interpreted, but NSE change over time was helpful in predicting the neurologic outcome.