Prediction of Failure to Survive Following In-hospital Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to compare two clinical predictive rules, the pre-arrestmorbidity(PAM) index and the prognosis-after-resuscitation(PAR) score, which predict failure to survive following in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR). METHOD: The study population consisted of 162 consecutive adult patients who underwent CPR at Wonju Christian Hospital over a year period. The PAM index and PAR score were calculated from the most recent data available for each variable prior to cardiac arrest. Each predictive tool was compared between the group of discharge alive and the group of in-hospital mortality. Performance of the predictive scores was also compared by receiver-operating characteristic(ROC) curves where appropriate. RESULTS: PAM index of study population was 4.39+/-2.69 and PAR score was 2.99+/-3.36. PAM index in the group of discharge alive was 1.87+/-2.79, and PAM index in the group of ih-hospital mortality was 4.51+/-2.62. PAR score in the group of discharge alive was 0.75+/-1.75, and PAR score in the group of in-hospital mortality was 3.1+/-3.4. The PAM index identified 15 patients with a score>8, while the PAR score identified 39 patients with a score>4, none of whom survived. The sensitivity of the PAR score for the prediction of failure to survive was 25%, while that of the PAM index was 10%; neither index incorrectly identified a patient as a non-survivor who eventually survived. Both of predictive methods were not significantly different in the ROC curve. CONCLUSION: Although further confirmation is necessary, PAM index and PAR score may provide useful prognostic information to physicians and patients involved with decisions about do-no- resuscitate orders.

Cardiac Functions and Hemodynamic Values Related to Prognosis of The Septic Shock Patients in the Emergency Department

BACKGROUND: Septic shock is characterized by an abnormal vascular tone that has been related to various factors. Myocardial depression can also occur in septic shock. Various experimental studies have indicated that the myocardial depression could be present early in the course of septic shock. This study aimed to assess hemodynamic characteristics according to outcome of septic shock in emergency department. METHOD: The study population comprised 20 patients admitted to our emergency department for septic shock. All patients with septic shock(prolonged hypotension, signs of tissue hypoperfusion, signs of sepsis, suspected source of infection, or documented bacteremia) had conventional serial hemodynamic evaluations in emergency department to identify early hemodynamic variables that predicted outcome. All patients were monitored with a pulmonary artery catheter and an arterial catheter. Hemodynamic measurements and oxygen profile were obtained. RESULTS: There were 9(53%) survivors and 8(47%) nonsurvivors. There were no significant differences in systolic pressure, pulse rate, mean pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, systemic vascular resistance index, and pulmonary vascular resistance index between survivors and nonsurvivors at initial hemodynamic value. However, significant differences were found in cardiac index(4.3+/-0.5 vs. 2.74+/-0.7 L/min/m2), stroke volume index(44+/-10 vs. 23+/-5 ml/beat/m2), left ventricular stroke work index(39+/-11 vs. 15+/-6 gm m/m2), and right ventricular stroke work index(8.1+/-3.0 vs. 5.2+/-2.9 gm m/m2) between survivors and nonsurvivors at initial hemodynamic value. CONCLUSION: Survivors had better myocardial function than nonsurvivors during the early phase of septic shock. This results suggest that myocardial depression during septic shock develops in the early course of septic shock, which is associated with outcome.

Different Clinical Features of Organophosphate Insecticides Intoxication According to The Route of Administration: Disparity Between Clinical Severity And Plasma Cholinesterase Level

BACKGROUND: Organophosphate insecticides poisoning is one of the most common toxicologic emergencies in Korea. There have been few reports of organophosphate intoxication via parenteral route, although many reports on organophosphate intoxication by oral ingestion were present in the literature. This study aimed to validate the clinical characteristics of organophosphage intoxication according to the route of administration to the body. METHOD: Data were collected retrospectively by the review of the medical records from 49 patients with organophosphate intoxication. Severity of intoxication was classified by the Namba's Classification. Collected data were analysed and compared on the clinical features and laboratory findings between the patient intoxicated by inhalation or contact(parenteral group, n=23) and the other oral ingestion(enteral group, n=26). RESULTS: Severity class by clinical features was higher in enteral group than parenteral group. Severity class by serum cholinestetrase level was not positively correlated with severity class by clinical manifestations. Cholinesterase level tended to overestimate the severity of intoxication in parenteral group. Ventilator therapy and admission to intensive care unit were more frequently needed in enteral group than parenteral group in case that the severity class by clinical features was equal. CONCLUSION: In patients with organophosphate intoxication by parenteral route, serum cholinesterase level of the patient had disparity with clinical severity of intoxication. Considering this disparity, clinical severity should be considered as a more important indicator for treatment of organophosphate intoxication including atropinization, rather than serum cholinesterase level in patients intoxicated by parenteral route.

The Factors Associated with Fractures by Ski Injuries

BACKGROUND: Ski injuries depend on many factors which involve the skier's skill, the skiing environment, and skier's equipment. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with fractures by skiing accident. SUBJECT: We evaluated 566 patients with ski injuries who visited to the emergency post located in the YongPyong Ski Resorts from Nov. 1996 to Feb. 1997. Among the patients,379 patients had no fracture(group I) and 187 patients had fracture(group II). RESULT: There was no differences in mean age and sex ratio between two groups. Fractures of the lower extremities were more common than the upper extremities. Slipping was the most common injury mechanism. arming-up was done in 40% of group I and in 17% of group II. The fracture injuries were more common in the skier with intermediate(45%) skill than the beginner(29%) and the ones with advanced skill(12%). The slope with intermediate difficulty was the most frequent site of fracture accidents. The fracture group tended to choose the slope beyond their skiing ability. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that fracture during skiing can be prevented if skiers do warming-up prior to skiing and choose slope appropriate to their skiing skill.

Training Nurses, Trainee for Emergency Medical Technitinan, and Firefighters to use Automated External Defibrillator

BACKGROUND: Automated external defibrillator(AED) represent a major breakdown to permit more widespread application of the principle of early defibrillation. Many recent efforts to improve emergency medical services(EMS) and increase survival rates are simply efforts to get defibrillation to patients as rapidly as possible. AED is major innovation for the prehospital care of ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the course of initial training to three different groups(nurses, firefighters, and EMT trainee) to use AED. METHOD: We studies the efficacy of education of AED to 33 nurses, 15 EMT trainee, and 16 firefighters. Training lasted 75 mins and included 45 mins an overview of defibrillation, protocols for using the AED, and operation of the AED(Laerdal Heartstart 3000),15 mins demonstraion.4 check list was used to grade the performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, operation of the AED, and the time required to deliver the first three defibrillations. RESULT: There were no statistically significant differences in performance and time required to deliver an electrical countershock among the groups(p=0.4). To the second test 92fo of all group completed all steps successfully. The step most often foiled was the preparing of the AED for defibrillation. CONCLUSION: In nurses, EMT trainee, and firefighters, it is both feasible and effective to train AED use irrespective of the degree of the trainee.