Pre-hospital management protocols and perceived difficulty in diagnosing acute heart failure

Aim To illustrate the pre-hospital management arsenals and protocols in different EMS units, and to estimate the perceived difficulty of diagnosing suspected acute heart failure (AHF) compared with other common pre-hospital conditions. Methods and results A multinational survey included 104 emergency medical service (EMS) regions from 18 countries. Diagnostic and therapeutic arsenals related to AHF management were reported for each type of EMS unit. The prevalence and contents of management protocols for common medical conditions treated pre-hospitally was collected. The perceived difficulty of diagnosing AHF and other medical conditions by emergency medical dispatchers and EMS personnel was interrogated. Ultrasound devices and point-of-care testing were available in advanced life support and helicopter EMS units in fewer than 25% of EMS regions. AHF protocols were present in 80.8% of regions. Protocols for ST-elevation myocardial infarction, chest pain, and dyspnoea were present in 95.2, 80.8, and 76.0% of EMS regions, respectively. Protocolized diagnostic actions for AHF management included 12-lead electrocardiogram (92.1% of regions), ultrasound examination (16.0%), and point-of-care testings for troponin and BNP (6.0 and 3.5%). Therapeutic actions included supplementary oxygen (93.2%), non-invasive ventilation (80.7%), intravenous furosemide, opiates, nitroglycerine (69.0, 68.6, and 57.0%), and intubation 71.5%. Diagnosing suspected AHF was considered easy to moderate by EMS personnel and moderate to difficult by emergency medical dispatchers (without significant differences between de novo and decompensated heart failure). In both settings, diagnosis of suspected AHF was considered easier than pulmonary embolism and more difficult than ST-elevation myocardial infarction, asthma, and stroke. Conclusions The prevalence of AHF protocols is rather high but the contents seem to vary. Difficulty of diagnosing suspected AHF seems to be moderate compared with other pre-hospital conditions

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Télémédecine et urgences : pertinence de la réponse d'un centre de réception et de régulation des appels

The principal objective of this study was to assess the adequacy of the response of an Emergency Medical Assistance (EMS) call reception and dispatch centre (CRDC) to telephone calls for medical emergencies. The study also aimed to evaluate the medico-economic consequences of call management by this type of call centre, as well as the impact of unusual public health events on the activities of the CRDC. With a view to this, prospective, comparative and observational clinical studies were conducted. The main results show that the recourse to telemedicine constitutes an appropriate response to emergency medical calls in terms of efficiency and satisfaction. With regard to benign but frequent indicator complaints, such as fever or gastroenteritis, or indeed severe pathologies which arise as part of rare medical conditions such as hereditary angio-oedema, distant telephone advice resulted in excellent patient compliance and was an appropriate response. Medico-economic analysis demonstrated a societal benefit from the medical telephone advice delivered by the CRDC. It was also shown that unusual public health situations could be detected through changes in the activity of a CRDC. Together these studies allow, for the first time, to objectively measure the appropriateness of medical call management. The results demonstrate a real benefit to patients, as well as a medicoeconomic efficiency in terms of healthcare use such as Emergency Department attendances or General Practice consultations. This study opens the path to future research into the efficiency of telemedicine.L’objectif de ce travail était d’évaluer la pertinence de la réponse d’un centre de réception et de régulation des appels (Crra) du service d’aide médicale urgente (SAMU) à des appels pour une urgence médicale. Notre étude a aussi cherché à évaluer les conséquences médico-économiques de la réponse de ce type de centre d’appels ainsi que l’impact d'événements exceptionnels sur l’activité de la régulation médicale. Dans ces buts, nous avons réalisé des études cliniques prospectives, comparatives et observationnelles. Nos principaux résultats ont permis de montrer que le recours à la télémédecine constituait une réponse pertinente en termes d’efficience et de satisfaction. Concernant des pathologies marqueuses bénignes mais fréquentes comme la fièvre ou la gastroentérite ou bien alors des pathologies graves au cours de maladies rares comme la crise d’angiœdème héréditaire, le conseil téléphonique à distance retrouvait une observance excellente et constituait une réponse adaptée. L’analyse médico-économique démontrait un bénéfice sociétal pour le conseil médical téléphonique pratiqué par un Crra. Nous avons montré que des événements sanitaires exceptionnels pouvaient être détectés par des variations d’activités du Crra. L’ensemble de ces recherches a permis, pour la première fois, d’objectiver la pertinence de la régulation médicale. Les résultats démontrent un réel service rendu pour le patient et un impact médico-économique synonyme d’économie en terme de consommation de ressources de santé comme l’hospitalisation aux urgences ou la consultation auprès des médecins généralistes. Notre étude ouvre la voie aux futures recherches sur l’efficience de la télémédecine

Telemedicine and emergencies : relevance of the response of a call reception and dispatch centre

L’objectif de ce travail était d’évaluer la pertinence de la réponse d’un centre de réception et de régulation des appels (Crra) du service d’aide médicale urgente (SAMU) à des appels pour une urgence médicale. Notre étude a aussi cherché à évaluer les conséquences médico-économiques de la réponse de ce type de centre d’appels ainsi que l’impact d'événements exceptionnels sur l’activité de la régulation médicale. Dans ces buts, nous avons réalisé des études cliniques prospectives, comparatives et observationnelles. Nos principaux résultats ont permis de montrer que le recours à la télémédecine constituait une réponse pertinente en termes d’efficience et de satisfaction. Concernant des pathologies marqueuses bénignes mais fréquentes comme la fièvre ou la gastroentérite ou bien alors des pathologies graves au cours de maladies rares comme la crise d’angiœdème héréditaire, le conseil téléphonique à distance retrouvait une observance excellente et constituait une réponse adaptée. L’analyse médico-économique démontrait un bénéfice sociétal pour le conseil médical téléphonique pratiqué par un Crra. Nous avons montré que des événements sanitaires exceptionnels pouvaient être détectés par des variations d’activités du Crra. L’ensemble de ces recherches a permis, pour la première fois, d’objectiver la pertinence de la régulation médicale. Les résultats démontrent un réel service rendu pour le patient et un impact médico-économique synonyme d’économie en terme de consommation de ressources de santé comme l’hospitalisation aux urgences ou la consultation auprès des médecins généralistes. Notre étude ouvre la voie aux futures recherches sur l’efficience de la télémédecine.The principal objective of this study was to assess the adequacy of the response of an Emergency Medical Assistance (EMS) call reception and dispatch centre (CRDC) to telephone calls for medical emergencies. The study also aimed to evaluate the medico-economic consequences of call management by this type of call centre, as well as the impact of unusual public health events on the activities of the CRDC. With a view to this, prospective, comparative and observational clinical studies were conducted. The main results show that the recourse to telemedicine constitutes an appropriate response to emergency medical calls in terms of efficiency and satisfaction. With regard to benign but frequent indicator complaints, such as fever or gastroenteritis, or indeed severe pathologies which arise as part of rare medical conditions such as hereditary angio-oedema, distant telephone advice resulted in excellent patient compliance and was an appropriate response. Medico-economic analysis demonstrated a societal benefit from the medical telephone advice delivered by the CRDC. It was also shown that unusual public health situations could be detected through changes in the activity of a CRDC. Together these studies allow, for the first time, to objectively measure the appropriateness of medical call management. The results demonstrate a real benefit to patients, as well as a medicoeconomic efficiency in terms of healthcare use such as Emergency Department attendances or General Practice consultations. This study opens the path to future research into the efficiency of telemedicine

Detecting cervical esophagus with ultrasound on healthy voluntaries: learning curve

International audienceBackground: The objective of this study was to determine the learning curve of tracheal−esophageal ultrasound by prehospital medical and paramedical staff.Methods: A single-center prospective study was carried out at a French EMS (SAMU 92). Volunteer participants first received a short theoretical training through e-learning, followed by two separate hands-on workshops on healthy volunteers, spaced one to two months apart. Learners were timed to obtain the tracheal–esophageal ultrasound target image 10 consecutive times. The first workshop was intended to perform a learning curve, and the second was to assess unlearning. The secondary objectives were to compare performance by profession and by previous ultrasound experience.Results: We included 32 participants with a mean age of 38 (± 10) years, consisting of 56% men. During the first workshop, the target image acquisition time was 20.4 [IQR: 10.6;41] seconds on the first try and 5.02 [3.72;7.5] seconds on the 10th (p < 0.0001). The image acquisition time during the second workshop was shorter compared to the first one (p = 0.016). In subgroup analyses, we found no significant difference between physicians and nurses (p = 0.055 at the first workshop and p = 0.164 at the second) or according to previous ultrasound experience (p = 0.054 at the first workshop and p = 0.176), counter to multivariate analysis (p = 0.02).Conclusions: A short web-based learning completed by a hands-on workshop made it possible to obtain the ultrasound image in less than 10 s, regardless of the profession or previous experience in ultrasound

Interventional studies performed in emergency medical communication centres: Systematic review

International audienceWe aimed to both quantitatively and qualitatively describe interventional research performed in emergency medical communication centres. We conducted a systematic review of articles published in MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Web of Science. Studies evaluating therapeutic or organizational interventions directed by call centres in the context of emergencies were included. Studies of call centre management for general practice or nonhealthcare agencies were excluded. We assessed general characteristics and methodological information for each study. Quality was evaluated by the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool or the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Among 3896 articles screened, we retained 59; 41 studies were randomized controlled trials (69%) and 18 (31%) were before-after studies; 41 (69%) took place in a single centre. For 33 (56%), 22 (37%) and 4 (7%) studies, the models used were simulation training, patient-based or experimental, respectively. The main topic was cardiac arrests (n = 45, 76%), with outcome measures of cardiopulmonary resuscitation quality and dispatch assistance. Among randomized controlled trials, risk of bias was unclear or high for selective reporting for 37 (90%) studies, low for blinding of outcomes for 34 (83%) and low for incomplete outcomes for 31 (76%). Regarding before-after studies, quality was high in 9 (50%) studies. Few interventional studies have been performed in call centres. Studies mainly involved simulation and focussed on cardiac arrest. The quality of studies needs improvement to allow for a better recognition and understanding of emergency medical call control

Young children are the main victims of fast food induced obesity in Brazil

International audienceINTRODUCTION:Obesity and overweight strongly contribute to increasing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and are becoming a worldwide health issue. The prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically in Latin America. Child obesity is a major issue. Fast food is strongly suspected of contributing to this epidemic of obesity, although there is a lack of evidence.METHODS:We studied the correlation between the number of McDonald restaurants and overweight and obesity prevalence by region stratified by gender and age. Data on prevalences were obtained within national studies conducted by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Three age sub-groups were analyzed: 5 to 9-year-olds, 10 to 19-year-olds and over 19-year-olds.RESULTS:There was a very strong positive correlation between overweight rates and the number of McDonald restaurants for both males and females between 5 and 9 years old (R2 respectively = 0.92 and 0.84) and a strong positive correlation for females between 10 and 19 years old (R2 = 0.68). There was a very strong positive correlation between obesity rates and the number of McDonald restaurants for males between 5 and 9 years old (R2 = 0.95). This positive correlation was strong for both males and females between 10 and 19 years old (R2 respectively = 0.77 and 0.63). Other correlations were not significant.CONCLUSION:A strong correlation between the prevalence of overweight and obesity and the number of McDonald restaurants was found for Brazilian children and was most important within the group of youngest children. These results should be taken into consideration by education and prevention campaigns

[Orientation of patients referred by their general practionner to the public or private hospital sector in France: A prospective epidemiologic study].

International audiencePURPOSE: In-patients characteristics generate cost differences between hospitals. In France, there are few data on the characteristics on the patients referred to hospitals by their general practitioners (GPs) and none on the predictors of referral to the public or for-profit hospitals. The aim of this study was to analyze those characteristics and the predictors of referral to the public or for-profit hospitals. METHODS: We collected, prospectively, the request for hospitalizations made by the GPs of the Sentinelles network in France, from 2007 to 2009. Patients' characteristics and also the reasons for that request were analyzed. A logistic regression was used to compare the population between local hospitals. RESULTS: Ten thousand seven hundred and eighteen statements were collected. The median age was 73 years. Patients were women in 51% of the cases, and only 14% of the hospitalizations had been planned. Hospitalization in the public sector was preferred for young children and the elderly (P<0.001). When compared to the patients referred to the private sector, patients addressed to the public sector were more often seen for emergencies (OR: 2.3 [2.0-2.8]), by a doctor different from their referring GP (OR: 1.7 [1.4-2.1]) and out of the GP's office. The reasons for hospital admission were different depending on the sector of hospitalization (P<0.001), patients addressed to the public sector hospitals presented with greater comorbidity or more complex diagnosis (for example: feeling ill, fainting or syncope and fever) or a greater disability (for example: stroke, neurological and psychiatric diseases). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that GPs send their patients to the public or for-profit hospitals according to criteria of severity, comorbidity and disability