Indications and measures of medical emergency teams: a retrospective evaluation of in-hospital emergency operations of the German Resuscitation Register

Jansen G, Scholz SS, Rehberg S, Wnent J, Grasner J-T, Seewald S. Indications and measures of medical emergency teams: a retrospective evaluation of in-hospital emergency operations of the German Resuscitation Register. Minerva Anestesiologica. 2022.BACKGROUND: The present study examines characteristics and interventions of medical emergency teams (MET) in in-hospital emergency care.; METHODS: Analysis of all in-hospital emergencies in patients ≥18 years at 62 hospitals with established MET from the database of the German Resuscitation Registry between 2014-2019. The evaluation covered indications for activation using the ABCDE-scheme, time intervals of arrival and patient care as well as the performed invasive/medical interventions.; RESULTS: Out of 62 hospitals 14,166 in-hospital emergencies (male: 8,033 (56.7%); mean age: 64±18 years) were included. Causes of activation were Circulation- [5.760 (40.7%)], Disability- [4.076 (28.8%)], Breathing-[3.649 (25.8%)] and Airway-problems [1.589 (11.2%). Average arrival time at the emergency scene was 4±3 minutes, supply time of MET was 24±23 minutes. Endotracheal intubation was required in 1,757 (12.4%) and difficult intubation occurred in 201 (11.4%) patients with the necessity for cricothyroidotomy in 8 cases (3.9%). Invasive blood-pressure-measurement was indicated in 1,074 (7.6%) patients. Catecholamines were required for haemodynamic stabilization in 2,421 (17.1%) patients [norepinephrine: 1,520 (10.7%), epinephrine: 430 (3.0%), dobutamine: 26 (0.2%)].; CONCLUSIONS: Current in-hospital emergency care requires special skills in invasive haemodynamic and airway interventions. Recommendations from professional societies are necessary to optimise equipment (e.g. videolaryngoscopy, invasive blood pressure management), training, care algorithms and staff composition against the background of an increasing shortage of resources in the healthcare system

The Automated External Defibrillator : Heterogeneity of Legislation, Mapping and Use across Europe. New Insights from the ENSURE Study

Introduction: The rapid use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) is crucial for increased survival after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Many factors could play a role in limiting the chance of an AED use. We aimed to verify the situation regarding AED legislation, the AED mapping system and first responders (FRs) equipped with an AED across European countries. Methods: We performed a survey across Europe entitled "European Study about AED Use by Lay Rescuers " (ENSURE), asking the national coordinators of the European Registry of Cardiac Arrest (EuReCa) program to complete it. Results: Nineteen European countries replied to the survey request for a population covering 128,297,955 inhabitants. The results revealed that every citizen can use an AED in 15 countries whereas a training certificate was required in three countries. In one country, only EMS personnel were allowed to use an AED. An AED mapping system and FRs equipped with an AED were available in only 11 countries. The AED use rate was 12-59% where AED mapping and FR systems were implemented, which was considerably higher than in other countries (0-7.9%), reflecting the difference in OHCA survival. Conclusions: Our survey highlighted a heterogeneity in AED legislation, AED mapping systems and AED use in Europe, which was reflected in different AED use and survival.Peer reviewe

The automated external defibrillator: Heterogeneity of legislation, mapping and use across europe. new insights from the ensure study

Introduction: The rapid use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) is crucial for increased survival after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Many factors could play a role in limiting the chance of an AED use. We aimed to verify the situation regarding AED legislation, the AED mapping system and first responders (FRs) equipped with an AED across European countries. Methods: We performed a survey across Europe entitled “European Study about AED Use by Lay Rescuers” (ENSURE), asking the national coordinators of the European Registry of Cardiac Arrest (EuReCa) program to complete it. Results: Nineteen European countries replied to the survey re-quest for a population covering 128,297,955 inhabitants. The results revealed that every citizen can use an AED in 15 countries whereas a training certificate was required in three countries. In one country, only EMS personnel were allowed to use an AED. An AED mapping system and FRs equipped with an AED were available in only 11 countries. The AED use rate was 12–59% where AED mapping and FR systems were implemented, which was considerably higher than in other countries (0–7.9%), reflecting the difference in OHCA survival. Conclusions: Our survey highlighted a heterogeneity in AED legislation, AED mapping systems and AED use in Europe, which was re-flected in different AED use and survival

Three-year trends in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest across the world : second report from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR)

Background The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) Research and Registries Working Group previously reported data on systems of care and outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in 2015 from 16 national and regional registries. To describe the temporal trends with updated data on OHCA, we report the characteristics of OHCA from 2015 through 2017. Methods We invited national and regional population-based OHCA registries for voluntary participation and included emergency medical services (EMS)-treated OHCA. We collected descriptive summary data of core elements of the latest Utstein style recommendation during 2016 and 2017 at each registry. For registries that participated in the previous 2015 report, we also extracted the 2015 data. Results Eleven national registries in North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania, and 4 regional registries in Europe were included in this report. Across registries, the estimated annual incidence of EMS-treated OHCA was 30.0–97.1 individuals per 100,000 population in 2015, 36.4–97.3 in 2016, and 40.8–100.2 in 2017. The provision of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) varied from 37.2% to 79.0% in 2015, from 2.9% to 78.4% in 2016, and from 4.1% to 80.3% in 2017. Survival to hospital discharge or 30-day survival for EMS-treated OHCA ranged from 5.2% to 15.7% in 2015, from 6.2% to 15.8% in 2016, and from 4.6% to 16.4% in 2017. Conclusion We observed an upward temporal trend in provision of bystander CPR in most registries. Although some registries showed favourable temporal trends in survival, less than half of registries in our study demonstrated such a trend

2015 revised Utstein-style recommended guidelines for uniform reporting of data from drowning-related resuscitation An ILCOR advisory statement

Background: Utstein-style guidelines use an established consensus process, endorsed by the international resuscitation community, to facilitate and structure resuscitation research and publication. The first "Guidelines for Uniform Reporting of Data From Drowning" were published over a decade ago. During the intervening years, resuscitation science has advanced considerably, thus making revision of the guidelines timely. In particular, measurement of cardiopulmonary resuscitation elements and neurological outcomes reporting have advanced substantially. The purpose of this report is to provide updated guidelines for reporting data from studies of resuscitation from drowning. Methods: An international group with scientific expertise in the fields of drowning research, resuscitation research, emergency medical services, public health, and development of guidelines met in Potsdam, Germany, to determine the data that should be reported in scientific articles on the subject of resuscitation from drowning. At the Utstein-style meeting, participants discussed data elements in detail, defined the data, determined data priority, and decided how data should be reported, including scoring methods and category details. Results: The template for reporting data from drowning research was revised extensively, with new emphasis on measurement of quality of resuscitation, neurological outcomes, and deletion of data that have proved to be less relevant or difficult to capture. Conclusions: The report describes the consensus process, rationale for selecting data elements to be reported, definitions and priority of data, and scoring methods. These guidelines are intended to improve the clarity of scientific communication and the comparability of scientific investigations. (C) 2017 European Resuscitation Council and American Heart Association, Inc. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Apples to apples or apples to oranges? International variation in reporting of process and outcome of care for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Objectives: Survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) varies between communities, due in part to variation in the methods of measurement. The Utstein template was disseminated to standardize comparisons of risk factors, quality of care, and outcomes in patients with OHCA. We sought to assess whether OHCA registries are able to collate common data using the Utstein template. A subsequent study will assess whether the Utstein factors explain differences in survival between emergency medical services (EMS) systems. Study design: Retrospective study. Setting: This retrospective analysis of prospective cohorts included adults treated for OHCA, regardless of the etiology of arrest. Data describing the baseline characteristics of patients, and the process and outcome of their care were grouped by EMS system, de-identified, and then collated. Included were core Utstein variables and timed event data from each participating registry. This study was classified as exempt from human subjects’ research by a research ethics committee. Measurements and main results: Thirteen registries with 265 first-responding EMS agencies in 13 countries contributed data describing 125,840 cases of OHCA. Variation in inclusion criteria, definition, coding, and process of care variables were observed. Contributing registries collected 61.9% of recommended core variables and 42.9% of timed event variables. Among core variables, the proportion of missingness was mean 1.9 ± 2.2%. The proportion of unknown was mean 4.8 ± 6.4%. Among time variables, missingness was mean 9.0 ± 6.3%. Conclusions: International differences in measurement of care after OHCA persist. Greater consistency would facilitate improved resuscitation care and comparison within and between communities