An Online Training Intervention on Prehospital Stroke Codes in Catalonia to Improve the Knowledge, Pre-Notification Compliance and Time Performance of Emergency Medical Services Professionals.

Strokes are a time-dependent medical emergency. The training of emergency medical service (EMS) professionals is essential to ensure the activation of stroke codes with pre-notification, as well as a rapid transfer to achieve early therapy. New assessment scales for the detection of patients with suspected large vessel occlusion ensures earlier access to endovascular therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact on an online training intervention focused on the Rapid Arterial oCclusion Evaluation (RACE) scoring of EMS professionals based on the prehospital stroke code in Catalonia from 2014 to 2018 in a pre-post intervention study. All Catalonian EMS professionals and the clinical records from primary stroke patients were included. The Kirkpatrick model guided the evaluation of the intervention. Data were collected on the knowledge on stroke recognition and management, pre-notification compliance, activated stroke codes and time performance of EMS professionals. Knowledge improved significatively in most items and across all categories, reaching a global achievement of 82%. Pre-notification compliance also improved significantly and remained high in the long-term. Increasingly higher notification of RACE scores were recorded from 60% at baseline to 96.3% in 2018, and increased on-site clinical care time and global time were also observed. Therefore, the online training intervention was effective for increasing EMS professionals' knowledge and pre-notification compliance upon stroke code activation, and the wide adoption of a new prehospital scale for the assessment of stroke severity (i.e., the RACE scale) was achieved.

Control glucémico en el enfermo crítico: comparación de dos protocolos de insulinización intravenosa / The optimal blood glucose target in critically ill patient: comparison of two intensive insulin therapy protocols

Fundamento y objetivo: Estudios recientes en enfermos críticos tratados con intensive insulin therapy (ITT, «insulina intensiva intravenosa») han observado una mayor incidencia de hipoglucemia grave, mientras que la insulinoterapia intermitente subcutánea con sliding scales (conventional insulin therapy [CIT, «tratamiento convencional de insulina»]) se asocia a hiperglucemia. El objetivo del presente estudio es evaluar si el rango de control glucémico en IIT puede afectar a los valores de glucemia y a su variabilidad y compararlo con CIT. Pacientes y método: Estudio prospectivo comparativo de cohortes en una unidad de cuidados intensivos, con 2 períodos de estudio: Período 1, IIT con intervalo glucémico objetivo de 110-140 mg/dl, y Período 2, con reintervalo glucémico objetivo de 140-180 mg/dl. En ambos períodos la glucemia objetivo para CIT fue de 110-180 mg/dl. Se evaluó la hipoglucemia grave (< 50 mg/dl), moderada (51-79 mg/dl), hiperglucemia (> 216 mg/dl) y la variabilidad de los valores de glucemia. Resultados: Se estudiaron 221 pacientes con 12.825 determinaciones de glucemia. El 26 y 17% de los pacientes requirieron control glucémico mediante IIT en los períodos 1 y 2, respectivamente. La hipoglucemia se relacionó con una ingesta nutricional discontinua, un objetivo glucémico de 110-140 mg/dl y un índice de masa corporal (IMC) bajo (p = 0,002), mientras que la hiperglucemia se relacionó exclusivamente con el antecedente de diabetes mellitus (odds ratio 2,6, intervalo de confianza del 95% 1,6-4,5). La variabilidad de la glucemia se relacionó con una ingesta nutricional discontinua, IMC bajo, insulinización CIT, ser diabético, edad avanzada y APACHE II elevado (p < 0,001). Conclusiones: El uso de IIT es útil para disminuir la variabilidad de la glucemia. Aunque sería más seguro el intervalo 140-180 mg/dl, al presentar mayor variabilidad e hiperglucemia es más idóneo el de 110-140 mg/dl (AU)

Background and objective: Recent studies in critically ill patients receiving insulin intravenous therapy (IIT) have shown an increased incidence of severe hypoglycemia, while intermittent subcutaneous insulin «sliding scales» (conventional insulin therapy [CIT]) is associated with hyperglycemia. The objective of this study is to assess whether glycemic control range IIT can affect glucose levels and their variability and to compare it with CIT. Patients and method: Prospective comparative cohort study in intensive care unit, with 2 study periods: Period 1, IIT with glycemic target range 110-140 mg/dL, and Period 2, IIT of 140-180 mg/dL. In both periods CIT glycemic target was 110-180 mg/dL. We assessed severe hypoglycemia (< 50 mg/dL), moderate hypoglycemia (51-79 mg/dL), hyperglycemia (> 216 mg/L) and the variability of blood glucose. Results: We studied 221 patients with 12.825 blood glucose determinations. Twenty-six and 17% of patients required IIT for glycemic control in Period 1 and 2, respectively. Hypoglycemia was associated with a discontinuous nutritional intake, glycemic target 110-140 mg/dL and low body mass index (BMI) (P = .002). Hyperglycemia was exclusively associated with a history of diabetes mellitus (OR 2.6 [95% CI 1.6 to 4.5]). Glycemic variability was associated with a discontinuous nutritional intake, low BMI, CIT insulinization, diabetes mellitus, elderly and high APACHE II (P < .001). Conclusions: The use of IIT is useful to reduce the variability of blood glucose. Although the 140-180 mg/dL range would be more secure as to presenting greater variability and hyperglycemia, the 110-140 mg/dL range is most suitable (AU)

[The optimal blood glucose target in critically ill patient: comparison of two intensive insulin therapy protocols]. / Control glucémico en el enfermo crítico: comparación de dos protocolos de insulinización intravenosa.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Recent studies in critically ill patients receiving insulin intravenous therapy (IIT) have shown an increased incidence of severe hypoglycemia, while intermittent subcutaneous insulin «sliding scales¼ (conventional insulin therapy [CIT]) is associated with hyperglycemia. The objective of this study is to assess whether glycemic control range IIT can affect glucose levels and their variability and to compare it with CIT. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Prospective comparative cohort study in intensive care unit, with 2 study periods: Period 1, IIT with glycemic target range 110-140 mg/dL, and Period 2, IIT of 140-180 mg/dL. In both periods CIT glycemic target was 110-180 mg/dL. We assessed severe hypoglycemia (< 50 mg/dL), moderate hypoglycemia (51-79 mg/dL), hyperglycemia (> 216 mg/L) and the variability of blood glucose. RESULTS: We studied 221 patients with 12.825 blood glucose determinations. Twenty-six and 17% of patients required IIT for glycemic control in Period 1 and 2, respectively. Hypoglycemia was associated with a discontinuous nutritional intake, glycemic target 110-140 mg/dL and low body mass index (BMI) (P = .002). Hyperglycemia was exclusively associated with a history of diabetes mellitus (OR 2.6 [95% CI 1.6 to 4.5]). Glycemic variability was associated with a discontinuous nutritional intake, low BMI, CIT insulinization, diabetes mellitus, elderly and high APACHE II (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The use of IIT is useful to reduce the variability of blood glucose. Although the 140-180 mg/dL range would be more secure as to presenting greater variability and hyperglycemia, the 110-140 mg/dL range is most suitable.