Reporting standard for describing first responder systems, smartphone alerting systems, and AED networks.

Standardized reporting of data is crucial for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) research. While the implementation of first responder systems dispatching volunteers to OHCA is encouraged, there is currently no uniform reporting standard for describing these systems. A steering committee established a literature search to identify experts in smartphone alerting systems. These international experts were invited to a conference held in Hinterzarten, Germany, with 40 researchers from 13 countries in attendance. Prior to the conference, participants submitted proposals for parameters to be included in the reporting standard. The conference comprised five workshops covering different aspects of smartphone alerting systems. Proposed parameters were discussed, clarified, and consensus was achieved using the Nominal Group Technique. Participants voted in a modified Delphi approach on including each category as a core or supplementary element in the reporting standard. Results were presented, and a writing group developed definitions for all categories and items, which were sent to participants for revision and final voting using LimeSurvey web-based software. The resulting reporting standard consists of 68 core items and 21 supplementary items grouped into five topics (first responder system, first responder network, technology/algorithm/strategies, reporting data, and automated external defibrillators (AED)). This proposed reporting standard generated by an expert opinion group fills the gap in describing first responder systems. Its adoption in future research will facilitate comparison of systems and research outcomes, enhancing the transfer of scientific findings to clinical practice.

[Vibrio vulnificus, an increasing threat of sepsis in Germany?] / Vibrio vulnificus, eine zunehmende Sepsisgefahr in Deutschland?

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of Vibrio vulnificus heavily depends on the temperature and salinity of the sea water. In the course of climate change an increase in cases of fatal sepsis caused by V. vulnificus at the German Baltic Sea coast could be detected. OBJECTIVE: To generate awareness for a life-threatening infection with increasing incidence in Germany. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This article presents an overview of the current state of the literature followed by an exemplary description of cases with V vulnificus sepsis caused by contact with water in the Baltic Sea, which were treated at the Medical University in Greifswald in summer 2018. RESULTS: In the presence of risk factors, such as liver and kidney diseases, immunosuppression and male sex, there is a danger of severe sepsis if damaged skin comes into contact with contaminated sea water. A pronounced organ dysfunction can frequently be found on admission. In these cases the diagnosis must be made promptly and timely surgical cleansing and antibiotic treatment should be initiated (e.g. a combination of tetracyclines and third generation cephalosporins). CONCLUSION: Sepsis due to V. vulnificus will probably increase over the coming years. Because there is a latency in some cases between infection and onset of sepsis, physicians beyond the coastal region must also be informed about this disease.

[Sepsis detection in emergency medicine : Results of an interprofessional survey on sepsis detection in prehospital emergency medicine and emergency departments]. / Sepsis erkennen im Rettungsdienst : Ergebnisse einer interprofessionellen Befragung zur präklinischen und frühen innerklinischen Sepsiserkennung.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is associated with a high mortality, which can be reduced by starting screening, diagnostics and treatment as early as possible. Due to multiple educational programs and increased awareness, a decreased sepsis mortality on intensive care units has been achieved. Many patients with sepsis are admitted by the prehospital emergency service to hospital emergency departments. Thus, prehospital emergency services and emergency departments provide an opportunity to start screening, diagnosis and treatment earlier. OBJECTIVES: To detect sepsis it is paramount that emergency personnel are aware of the disease and have a profound knowledge regarding symptoms, screening and diagnostics. The objective of this survey was to examine the state of knowledge regarding sepsis among staff working in emergency medicine. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To assess the awareness and knowledge, a paper-based, anonymous survey was conducted among prehospital and emergency department personnel from May to August 2017 in northeastern Germany. Testing of significance was carried out using the χ2-testand Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Out of 411 persons polled 212 answered (response rate 51.6%) and 24 questionnaires were incomplete and thus excluded. A total of 188 questionnaires were included covering 55 emergency physicians, 23 nurses, 82 paramedics and 19 emergency dispatchers. On a 4-point Likert scale 100% of emergency doctors, 96% of nurses, 84% of paramedics and 84% of emergency dispatchers considered early initiation of sepsis treatment to be important. Additionally, 92% of emergency physicians and 65% of nurses had attended educational programs on sepsis within the last year, which is significantly higher than among paramedics (19%, p < 0.01) and emergency dispatchers (21%, p = 0.025). In addition, 38% of paramedics and 47% of emergency dispatchers had never attended lectures on sepsis. The quick sequential (sepsis-related) organ failure assessment (qSOFA) was known by 80% of emergency doctors, thus, significantly more often than by nurses (26%), paramedics (29%) and emergency dispatchers (29%, p < 0.01). The emergency personnel were asked to tick all symptoms they associated with sepsis from a display of 14 symptoms. Among all occupation groups the majority selected "increased body temperature", "drop in blood pressure" and "altered breathing". In relation to "increased body temperature" the symptom "altered mental status" was selected significantly more frequently by emergency doctors than by nurses and paramedics (p = 0.02 and p < 0.01, respectively). The combination of at least all 3 qSOFA parameters was selected significantly more often by emergency doctors (62%) than by nurses (13%) and paramedics (10%, p = 0.017 and p < 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Although emergency personnel rated an early initiation of sepsis treatment as important, sepsis knowledge was limited. While the majority of emergency doctors and many nurses had attended educational programs on sepsis within the last year, an alarmingly high percentage of paramedics and emergency dispatchers had never received sepsis education. Emergency personnel are mostly unfamiliar with the qSOFA score and did not associate an altered mental status with sepsis. In light of the high sepsis morbidity and mortality, further achievements might be made by initiating sepsis screening and diagnostics in the prehospital setting. Analogous to advancements in intensive care units, increased educational programs for emergency personnel might lead to an earlier detection and improved prognosis of sepsis.

Bystander-witnessed cardiac arrest is associated with reported agonal breathing and leads to less frequent bystander CPR.

AIM: Although the importance of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation has been shown in multiple studies, the rate of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation is still relatively low in many countries. Little is known on bystanders' perceptions influencing the decision to start cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Our study aims to determine such factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semi-structured telephone interviews with bystanders of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests between December 2014 and April 2016 were performed in a prospective manner. This single-center survey was conducted in the city of Münster, Germany. The bystander's sex and age, the perception of the victim's breathing and initial condition were correlated with the share of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the corresponding group. RESULTS: 101 telephone interviews were performed with 57 male and 44 female participants showing a mean age of 52.7 (SD ±â€¯16.3). In case of apnoea 38 out of 46 bystanders (82.6%) started cardiopulmonary resuscitation; while in case of descriptions indicating agonal breathing 19 out of 35 bystanders (54.3%) started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (p = .007). If the patient was found unconscious 47 out of 63 bystanders (74.7%) performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, while in cases of witnessed cardiac arrest 19 out of 38 bystanders (50%) attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (p = .012). Witnessed change of consciousness is an independent factor significantly lowering the probability of starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (regression coefficient -1.489, p < .05). CONCLUSION: The witnessed loss of consciousness was independently associated with a significant reduction in the likelihood that bystander-CPR was started. These data reinforce the importance of teaching the recognition of early cardiac arrest.