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Background: Cardiac arrests occurring in emergency departments (ED) represent 10–20% of all in-hospital cardiac arrests (IHCA). Yet few studies have examined the characteristics and outcomes of IHCA occurring in the ED. The aim was to describe this population in a nationwide registry covering all EDs in Sweden. Methods: Patients ≥18 years with an IHCA in the ED reported to the Swedish Registry for Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (SRCR) during 2007–2018 were included. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Results: We identified 2,604 (10 % of all IHCA in SRCR) ED arrests; 902 (35%) survived to hospital discharge and 672 (75%) had good neurological outcomes (Cerebral Performance Category 1–2). The national incidence rate 2016–2018 was 1.6 (range 1.60–1.70) cardiac arrests per 10,000 ED visits. Over 90% were witnessed and 26% had a shockable first rhythm. Three presumed aetiologies together explained half of the cases; myocardial ischaemia (30%, n = 789), primary arrhythmia (12%, n = 327) and respiratory insufficiency (10%, n = 265). At a subset of ED arrest at Karolinska University Hospital, half of the cardiac arrests occurred within one hour from arrival to the ED. Conclusion: About 10% of all IHCA occurs in ED, however, from an ED perspective it is a rare event. Cardiac arrests in the ED generally occur within an hour from arrival to the ED. One in three survive to discharge from hospital and the majority of survivors have a good neurological outcome.

Background Cooling thermal burns with running water is a recommended first aid intervention. However, guidance on the ideal duration of cooling remains controversial and inconsistent across organisations. Aim To perform a systematic review of the evidence for the question; Among adults and children with thermal burn, does active cooling using running water as an immediate first aid intervention for 20 minutes or more, compared with active cooling using running water for any other duration, change the outcomes of burn size, burn depth, pain, adverse outcome (hypothermia) or complications? Method We searched Medline, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and used ROBINS-I to assess for risk of bias. We used Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology for determining the certainty of evidence. We included all studies that compared the selected outcomes of the duration of cooling of thermal burns with water in all patient ages. (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021180665). From 560 screened references, we included four observational studies. In these studies, 48% of burns were cooled for 20 minutes or more. We found no benefit for a duration of 20 minutes or more of cooling when compared with less than 20 minutes of cooling for the outcomes of size and depth of burn, re-epithelialization, or the need for skin grafting. The evidence is of very low certainty owing to limitations in study design, risk of bias and indirectness. Conclusion The optimal duration of cooling for thermal burns remains unknown and future prospective research is required to better define this treatment recommendation.

his is the sixth annual summary of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations. This summary addresses the most recently published resuscitation evidence reviewed by International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation Task Force science experts. Topics covered by systematic reviews include cardiopulmonary resuscitation during transport; approach to resuscitation after drowning; passive ventilation; minimizing pauses during cardiopulmonary resuscitation; temperature management after cardiac arrest; use of diagnostic point-of-care ultrasound during cardiac arrest; use of vasopressin and corticosteroids during cardiac arrest; coronary angiography after cardiac arrest; public-access defibrillation devices for children; pediatric early warning systems; maintaining normal temperature immediately after birth; suctioning of amniotic fluid at birth; tactile stimulation for resuscitation immediately after birth; use of continuous positive airway pressure for respiratory distress at term birth; respiratory and heart rate monitoring in the delivery room; supraglottic airway use in neonates; prearrest prediction of in-hospital cardiac arrest mortality; basic life support training for likely rescuers of high-risk populations; effect of resuscitation team training; blended learning for life support training; training and recertification for resuscitation instructors; and recovery position for maintenance of breathing and prevention of cardiac arrest. Members from 6 task forces have assessed, discussed, and debated the quality of the evidence using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria and generated consensus treatment recommendations. Insights into the deliberations of the task forces are provided in the Justification and Evidence-to-Decision Framework Highlights sections, and priority knowledge gaps for future research are listed. This is the sixth annual summary of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations. This summary addresses the most recently published resuscitation evidence reviewed by International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation Task Force science experts. Topics covered by systematic reviews include cardiopulmonary resuscitation during transport; approach to resuscitation after drowning; passive ventilation; minimizing pauses during cardiopulmonary resuscitation; temperature management after cardiac arrest; use of diagnostic point-of-care ultrasound during cardiac arrest; use of vasopressin and corticosteroids during cardiac arrest; coronary angiography after cardiac arrest; public-access defibrillation devices for children; pediatric early warning systems; maintaining normal temperature immediately after birth; suctioning of amniotic fluid at birth; tactile stimulation for resuscitation immediately after birth; use of continuous positive airway pressure for respiratory distress at term birth; respiratory and heart rate monitoring in the delivery room; supraglottic airway use in neonates; prearrest prediction of in-hospital cardiac arrest mortality; basic life support training for likely rescuers of high-risk populations; effect of resuscitation team training; blended learning for life support training; training and recertification for resuscitation instructors; and recovery position for maintenance of breathing and prevention of cardiac arrest. Members from 6 task forces have assessed, discussed, and debated the quality of the evidence using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria and generated consensus treatment recommendations. Insights into the deliberations of the task forces are provided in the Justification and Evidence-to-Decision Framework Highlights sections, and priority knowledge gaps for future research are listed.

Background Historically, resuscitation in traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) has been deemed futile. However, recent literature reports improved but varying survival. Current European guidelines emphasise the addressing of reversible aetiologies in TCA and propose that a resuscitative thoracotomy may be performed within 15 min from last sign of life. To improve clinician understanding of which patients benefit from resuscitative efforts we aimed to describe the characteristics and 30-day survival for traumatic cardiac arrest at a Swedish trauma centre with a particular focus on resuscitative thoracotomy. Methods Retrospective cohort study of adult patients (≥ 15 years) with TCA managed at Karolinska University Hospital Solna between 2011 and 2020. Trauma demographics, intra-arrest factors, lab values and procedures were compared between survivors and non-survivors. Results Among the 284 included patients the median age was 38 years, 82.2% were male and 60.5% were previously healthy. Blunt trauma was the dominant injury in 64.8% and median Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 38. For patients with a documented arrest rhythm, asystole was recorded in 39.2%, pulseless electric activity in 24.8% and a shockable rhythm in 6.8%. Thirty patients (10.6%) survived to 30 days with a Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 3 (n = 23) or 4 (n = 7). The most common causes of death were haemorrhagic shock (50.0%) and traumatic brain injury (25.5%). Survivors had a lower ISS (P Conclusion Survival after TCA is possible. Determining futility in TCA is difficult and this study demonstrates survivors outside of recent guidelines.

Background Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are faced daily with patients presenting with non-specific chief complaints (NSC). Patients presenting with NSCs often have normal vital signs. It has previously been established that NSCs may have a serious underlying condition that has yet to be identified. The aim of the current study was to determine if soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and lactate could be used to identify serious conditions among patients presenting with NSCs to the EMS. The secondary aim was to describe the prognostic value for mortality in the group. Method A blinded prospective observational cohort study was conducted of patients brought to the ED by ambulance after calling the national emergency number 112 and who were assessed as having NSC by the EMS. Biomarkers were measured during index EMS assessment before transportation to the ED. Patients were followed via EMS and hospital electronic health records. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were used. Results A total of 414 patients were included, with a median age of 82 years. A serious condition was present in 15.2% of the patients. Elevated suPAR above 3 ng/ml had a positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of 1.17 and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 17.3% as being predictive of a prevalent serious condition. Elevated suPAR above 9 ng/ml had LR+ 4.67 and a PPV of 16.7% as being predictive of 30-day mortality. Lactate was not significantly predictive. Conclusion Pre-hospital suPAR and lactate cannot differentiate serious conditions in need of urgent treatment and assessment in the ED among patients presenting with non-specific chief complaints. suPAR has shown to be predictive of 30-day mortality, which could add some value to the clinical assessment. Trial registration NCT03089359. Registered 20 March 2017, retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03089359.

Informed by a series of systematic reviews, scoping reviews and evidence updates from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation, the 2021 European Resuscitation Council Guidelines present the most up to date evidence-based guidelines for the practice of resuscitation across Europe. The guidelines cover the epidemiology of cardiac arrest; the role that systems play in saving lives, adult basic life support, adult advanced life support, resuscitation in special circumstances, post resuscitation care, first aid, neonatal life support, paediatric life support, ethics and education.

Objective To determine changes over time in 30-day survival and the incidence of shockable rhythms after in-hospital cardiac arrest, from a countrywide perspective. Methods Patient information from the Swedish Registry for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation was analysed in relation to monitoring level of ward and initial rhythm. The primary outcome was defined as survival at 30 days. Changes in survival and incidence of shockable rhythms were reported per year from 2008 to 2018. Also, epidemiological data were compared between two time periods, 2008–2013 and 2014–2018. Results In all, 23,186 unique patients (38.6% female) were included in the study. The mean age was 72.6 (SD 13.2) years. Adjusted trends indicated an overall increase in 30-day survival from 24.7% in 2008 to 32.5% in 2018, (on monitoring wards from 32.5% to 43.1% and on non-monitoring wards from 17.6% to 23.1%). The proportion of patients found in shockable rhythms decreased overall from 31.6% in 2008 to 23.6% in 2018, (on monitoring wards from 42.5% to 35.8 % and on non-monitoring wards from 20.1% to 12.9%). Among the patients found in shockable rhythms, the proportion of patients defibrillated before the arrival of cardiac arrest team increased from 71.0% to 80.9%. Conclusions In an 11-year perspective, resuscitation in in-hospital cardiac arrest in Sweden was characterised by an overall increase in the adjusted 30-day survival, despite a decrease in shockable rhythms. An increased proportion, among the patients found in a shockable rhythm, who were defibrillated before the arrival of a cardiac arrest team may have contributed to the finding.

Frailty is associated with poor 30-days survival after in-hospital cardiac arrests (IHCA). The aim was to assess how pre-arrest frailty was associated with long-term survival, neurological function and patient-reported outcomes in elderly survivors after IHCA.Patients aged ≥ 65 years with IHCA at Karolinska University Hospital between 2013-2021 were studied. Frailty was assessed by the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) based on clinical records and categorised into non-frail (1-4) or frail (5-7). Survival was assessed in days. Neurological function was assessed by the Cerebral Performance Category scale (CPC). A telephone interview was performed six months post-IHCA and included the questionnaires EuroQoL-5 Dimensions-5 Levels and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.Totally, 232 (28%) out of 817 eligible patients survived to 30-days. Out of 232, 65 (28%) were frail. Long-term survival was better for non-frail than frail patients (6 months (92% versus 75%, p-value 0.01), 3 years (74% vs 22%, p-value 0.01)). The vast majority of both non-frail and frail patients had unchanged CPC from admittance to discharge from hospital (87% and 85%, respectively, p-value 0.52). The 121 non-frail patients reported better health compared to 27 frail patients (EQ-VAS median 70 versus 50 points, p-value 0.01) and less symptoms of depression than frail (16% and 52%, respectively, p-value 0.01).Frail patients suffering IHCA survived with the same neurological function they had at admittance. Although one in five frail patients survived to three years, frailty was associated with a marked decrease in long-term survival as well as increased symptoms of depression and poorer general health.

This is the summary publication of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation's 2020 International Consensus on First Aid Science With Treatment Recommendations. It addresses the most recent published evidence reviewed by the First Aid Task Force science experts. This summary addresses the topics of first aid methods of glucose administration for hypoglycemia; techniques for cooling of exertional hyperthermia and heatstroke; recognition of acute stroke; the use of supplementary oxygen in acute stroke; early or first aid use of aspirin for chest pain; control of life- threatening bleeding through the use of tourniquets, haemostatic dressings, direct pressure, or pressure devices; the use of a compression wrap for closed extremity joint injuries; and temporary storage of an avulsed tooth. Additional summaries of scoping reviews are presented for the use of a recovery position, recognition of a concussion, and 6 other first aid topics. The First Aid Task Force has assessed, discussed, and debated the certainty of evidence on the basis of Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria and present their consensus treatment recommendations with evidence-to-decision highlights and identified priority knowledge gaps for future research. The 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) Science With Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR) is the fourth in a series of annual summary publications from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR). This 2020 CoSTR for first aid includes new topics addressed by systematic reviews performed within the past 12 months. It also includes updates of the first aid treatment recommendations published from 2010 through 2019 that are based on additional evidence evaluations and updates. As a result, this 2020 CoSTR for first aid represents the most comprehensive update since 2010.

Skill decay is a recognised problem in resuscitation training. Spaced learning has been proposed as an intervention to optimise resuscitation skill performance compared to traditional massed learning. A systematic review was performed to answer 'In learners taking resuscitation courses, does spaced learning compared to massed learning improve educational outcomes and clinical outcomes?' This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines. We searched bibliographic databases (Embase, MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library (CENTRAL)) from inception to 2 December 2019. Randomised controlled trials and non-randomised studies were eligible for inclusion. Two reviewers independently scrutinized studies for relevance, extracted data and assessed quality of studies. Risk of bias of studies and quality of evidence were assessed using RoB, ROBINS-I tool and GRADEpro respectively. Educational outcomes studied were skill retention and performance 1 year after completion of training; skill performance between completion of training and 1 year; and knowledge at course conclusion. Clinical outcomes were skill performance at actual resuscitation, patient survival to discharge with favourable neurological outcome. This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42019150358). From 2,042 references, we included data from 17 studies (13 randomised studies, 4 cohort studies) in courses with manikins and simulation in the narrative synthesis. Eight studies reported results from basic life support training (with or without automatic external defibrillator); three studies reported from paediatric life support training; five were in neonatal resuscitation and one study reported results from a bespoke emergency medicine course which included resuscitation teaching. Fifteen out of seventeen studies reported improved performance with the use of spaced learning. The overall certainty of evidence was rated as very low for all outcomes primarily due to a very serious risk of bias. Heterogeneity across studies precluded any meta-analyses. There was a lack of data on the effectiveness of spaced learning on skill acquisition compared to maintaining skill performance and/or preventing skill decay. There was also insufficient data to examine the effectiveness of spaced learning on laypeople compared to healthcare providers. Despite the very low certainty of evidence this systematic review suggests that spaced learning can improve skill performance at 1 year post course conclusion and skill performance between course conclusion and 1 year. There is a lack of data from this educational intervention on skill performance in clinical resuscitation and patient survival at discharge with favourable neurological outcomes. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.]

Study objective We evaluate the importance of hospital bed occupancy for 30-day mortality, inhospital mortality, readmission for inpatient care within 30 days, and revisits to the emergency department (ED) within 7 days among all adult patients visiting the ED. Methods This was an observational cohort study including all adult patients visiting 6 EDs in Stockholm Region, Sweden. ED visits from 2012 to 2016 were categorized into groups by hospital bed occupancy in 5% intervals between 85% and 105%. A proportional hazards model was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The model was stratified by hospital and adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, hospital stays in the year preceding the index visit, marital status, length of education, and weekday/weekend timing of visit. Results A total of 816,832 patients with 2,084,554 visits were included. Mean hospital bed occupancy was 93.3% (SD 3.3%). In total, 28,112 patients died within 30 days, and 17,966 patients died inhospital. Hospital bed occupancy was not associated with 30-day mortality (hazard ratio for highest category of occupancy ≥105% was 1.10; 95% CI 0.96 to 1.27) or inhospital mortality. Patients discharged from the ED at occupancy levels greater than 89% had a 2% to 4% higher risk of revisits to the ED within 7 days. A 10% increase in hospital bed occupancy was associated with a 16-minute increase (95% CI 16 to 17 minutes) in ED length of stay and 1.9-percentage-point decrease (95% CI 1.7 to 2.0 percentage points) in admission rate. Conclusion We did not find an association between increasing hospital bed occupancy and mortality in our sample of 6 EDs in Stockholm Region, Sweden, despite increased length of stay in the ED and a decline in admissions for inpatient care.

Background ECG-monitoring is a strong predictor for 30-days survival after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). The aim of the study is to investigate factors influencing the effect of ECG-monitoring on 30-days survival after IHCA and elements of importance in everyday clinical practice regarding whether patients are ECG-monitored prior to IHCA. Methods In all, 19.225 adult IHCAs registered in the Swedish Registry for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (SRCR) were included. Cox-adjusted survival curves were computed to study survival post IHCA. Logistic regression was used to study the association between 15 predictors and 30-days survival. Using logistic regression we calculated propensity scores (PS) for ECG-monitoring; the PS was used as a covariate in a logistical regression estimating the association between ECG-monitoring and 30-days survival. Gradient boosting was used to study the relative importance of all predictors on ECG-monitoring. Results Overall 30-days survival was 30%. The ECG-monitored group (n = 10.133, 52%) had a 38% lower adjusted mortality (HR 0.62 95% CI 0.60−0.64). We observed tangible variations in ECG-monitoring ratio at different centres. The predictors of most relative influence on ECG-monitoring in IHCA were location in hospital and geographical localization. Conclusion ECG-monitoring in IHCA was associated to a 38% lower adjusted mortality, despite this finding only every other IHCA patient was monitored. The significant variability in the frequency of ECG-monitoring in IHCA at different centres needs to be evaluated in future research. Guidelines for in-hospital ECG-monitoring could contribute to an improved identification and treatment of patients at risk, and possibly to an improved survival.

Background Older adults (age ≥ 65 years) represent a significant proportion of all patients who are not transported to hospital after assessment by ambulance clinicians (non-conveyed patients). This study aimed to fill the knowledge gap in the understanding of the prevalence of older adult non-conveyed patients and investigate their characteristics and risk factors for subsequent and adverse events with those of younger non-conveyed patients comparatively. Methods This population-based retrospective cohort study included all adult non-conveyed patients who availed the ambulance service of Region Stockholm, Sweden in 2015; they were age-stratified into two groups: 18–64 and ≥ 65 years. Inter-group differences in short-term outcomes (i.e. emergency department visits, hospitalisations, and mortality within 7 days following non-conveyance) were assessed using multivariate regression analyses. Results Older adult patients comprised 48% of the 17,809 non-conveyed patients. Dispatch priority levels were generally lower among older non-conveyed patients than among younger patients. Non-conveyance among older patients occurred more often during daytime, and they were more frequently assessed by ambulance clinicians with nonspecific presenting symptoms. Approximately one in five older adults was hospitalised within 7 days following non-conveyance. Patients presenting with infectious symptoms had the highest mortality risk following non-conveyance. Oxygen saturation level 160 mmHg had significantly higher associations with hospitalisation within 7 days following non-conveyance in older adult patients. Conclusions Older adult patients have an increased risk for adverse events following non-conveyance. In combination with a complex and variating presentation of symptoms and vital signs proved difficult for dispatch operators and ambulance clinicians to identify and assess, the identified risks raise questions on the patient safety of older adult non-conveyed patients. The results indicate a system failure that need to be managed within the ambulance service organisation to achieve higher levels of patient safety for older non-conveyed patients.

Background A prearrest prediction tool can aid clinicians in consolidating objective findings with clinical judgement and in balance with the values of the patient be a part of the decision process for do-not-attempt-resuscitation (DNAR) orders. A previous prearrest prediction tool for in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) have not performed satisfactory in external validation in a Swedish cohort. Therefore our aim was to develop a prediction model for the Swedish setting. Methods Model development was based on previous external validation of The Good Outcome Following Attempted Resuscitation (GO-FAR) score, with 717 adult IHCAs. It included redefinition and reduction of predictors, and addition of chronic comorbidity, to create a full model of 9 predictors. Outcome was favourable neurological survival defined as Cerebral Performance Category score 1–2 at discharge. The likelihood of favourable neurological survival was categorised into very low ( 3%). Results We called the model the Prediction of outcome for In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (PIHCA) score. The AUROC was 0.808 (95% CI 0.807–0.810) and calibration was satisfactory. With a cutoff of 3% likelihood of favourable neurological survival sensitivity was 99.4% and specificity 8.4%. Although specificity was limited, predictive value for classification into ≤3% likelihood of favorable neurological survival was high (97.4%) and false classification into ≤3% likelihood of favourable neurological survival was low (0.6%). Conclusion The PIHCA score has the potential to be used as an objective tool in prearrest prediction of outcome after IHCA, as part of the decision process for a DNAR order.

Approximately 10% of sudden cardiac deaths among patients under 35 years of age is owing to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)-related cardiac arrest (CA). CA is often associated with pre-arrest or peri-arrest hypotension and is treated by a set of interventions, including the administration of epinephrine. It is debated whether epinephrine increases or decreases survival to discharge following CA. HCM is associated with septal hypertrophy with a dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and impaired peripheral vasoconstriction in response to α1-adrenergic stimulation, both of which could cause epinephrine to have a different effect than in the general population. This systematic review of the literature aimed to investigate if patients with HCM in CA have a detrimental hemodynamic response to epinephrine. A literature search was performed in October 2016 using Medline (OVID), Embase (Elsevier), and Cochrane Library (Wiley). The initial search generated 2429 articles, of which 22 articles were found to meet inclusion criteria: four physiology studies, 13 case reports of hypotensive HCM patients, and five case reports of HCM patients in CA. The reviewed studies demonstrate that epinephrine effect varies in patients with HCM: in some cases, the expected hypertensive effect was obtained, but in others, a paradoxical hypotensive effect, or no effect, was observed. The probable mechanism of this effect is an increased left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. Other drugs were considered in several of these cases. In summary, the retrieved studies jointly suggest that patients with HCM may respond differently to epinephrine than patients without HCM. The suitability of epinephrine in HCM-associated CA is questionable.

Background Donation after brain death (DBD) is current praxis in Sweden. Circulatory death is far more common. Donation from patients suffering Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) may have the potential to increase the organ-donor pool. The aim of this study was to describe the potential donor pool and its characteristics if uncontrolled donation after circulatory death (uDCD) were to be implemented in the metropolitan area of Stockholm, Sweden. Methods A retrospective analysis was made using data from the Swedish Register for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (SRCR) between 2006 and 2015. Evaluation of potential organ donors was made using selection criteria from five previously published protocols concerning uDCD. Results When applying different criteria from each of the five studied protocols in a total of 9,793 cases of OHCA, between 7.5% (n = 732) and 1.5% (n = 150) of the patients were found to be potential candidates for uDCD. The median age of the sampled uDCD candidates in each protocol was between 48 and 57 years. Male donors were found in 67–76% of all cases. Conclusion Although not taking important real-life limitations into account, our results indicate that implementation of a uDCD programme may substantially increase the number of potential organ donors in Stockholm.

The European Resuscitation Council has produced these first aid guidelines, which are based on the 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Science with Treatment Recommendations. The topics include the first aid management of emergency medicine and trauma. For medical emergencies the following content is covered: recovery position, optimal positioning for shock, bronchodilator administration for asthma, recognition of stroke, early aspirin for chest pain, second dose of adrenaline for anaphylaxis, management of hypoglycaemia, oral rehydration solutions for treating exertion-related dehydration, management of heat stroke by cooling, supplemental oxygen in acute stroke, and presyncope. For trauma related emergencies the following topics are covered: control of life-threatening bleeding, management of open chest wounds, cervical spine motion restriction and stabilisation, recognition of concussion, cooling of thermal burns, dental avulsion, compression wrap for closed extremity joint injuries, straightening an angulated fracture, and eye injury from chemical exposure. ispartof: RESUSCITATION vol:161 pages:270-290 ispartof: location:Ireland status: published

These European Resuscitation Council Advanced Life Support guidelines, are based on the 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Science with Treatment Recommendations. This section provides guidelines on the prevention of and ALS treatments for both in-hospital cardiac arrest and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Objectives There is evidence that emergency department (ED) crowding is associated with increased mortality, however large multicenter studies of high quality are scarce. In a prior study, we introduced a proxy-measure for crowding that was associated with increased mortality. The national registry SVAR enables us to study the association in a more heterogenous group of EDs with more recent data. The aim is to investigate the association between ED crowding and mortality. Methods This was an observational cohort study including visits from 14 EDs in Sweden 2015–2019. Crowding was defined as the mean ED-census divided with expected ED-census during the work-shift that the patient arrived. The crowding exposure was categorized in three groups: low, moderate and high. Hazard ratios (HR) for mortality within 7 and 30 days were estimated with a cox proportional hazards model. The model was adjusted for age, sex, triage priority, arrival hour, weekend, arrival mode and chief complaint. Subgroup analysis by county and for admitted patients by county were performed. Results 2,440,392 visits from 1,142,631 unique patients were analysed. A significant association was found between crowding and 7-day mortality but not with 30-day mortality. Subgroup analysis also yielded mixed results with a clear association in only one of the three counties. The estimated HR (95% CI) for 30-day mortality for admitted patients in this county was 1.06 (1.01–1.12) in the moderate crowding category, and 1.11 (1.01–1.22) in the high category. Conclusions The association between crowding and mortality may not be universal. Factors that influence the association between crowding and mortality at different EDs are still unknown but a high hospital bed occupancy, impacting admitted patients may play a role.

Aim To study the characteristics and outcome among cardiac arrest cases with COVID-19 and differences between the pre-pandemic and the pandemic period in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). Method and results We included all patients reported to the Swedish Registry for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation from 1 January to 20 July 2020. We defined 16 March 2020 as the start of the pandemic. We assessed overall and 30-day mortality using Cox regression and logistic regression, respectively. We studied 1946 cases of OHCA and 1080 cases of IHCA during the entire period. During the pandemic, 88 (10.0%) of OHCAs and 72 (16.1%) of IHCAs had ongoing COVID-19. With regards to OHCA during the pandemic, the odds ratio for 30-day mortality in COVID-19-positive cases, compared with COVID-19-negative cases, was 3.40 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.31–11.64]; the corresponding hazard ratio was 1.45 (95% CI 1.13–1.85). Adjusted 30-day survival was 4.7% for patients with COVID-19, 9.8% for patients without COVID-19, and 7.6% in the pre-pandemic period. With regards to IHCA during the pandemic, the odds ratio for COVID-19-positive cases, compared with COVID-19-negative cases, was 2.27 (95% CI 1.27–4.24); the corresponding hazard ratio was 1.48 (95% CI 1.09–2.01). Adjusted 30-day survival was 23.1% in COVID-19-positive cases, 39.5% in patients without COVID-19, and 36.4% in the pre-pandemic period. Conclusion During the pandemic phase, COVID-19 was involved in at least 10% of all OHCAs and 16% of IHCAs, and, among COVID-19 cases, 30-day mortality was increased 3.4-fold in OHCA and 2.3-fold in IHCA., Graphical Abstract Graphical Abstract

Objectives COVID-19 presents challenges to the emergency care system that could lead to emergency department (ED) crowding. The Huddinge site at the Karolinska university hospital (KH) responded through a rapid transformation of inpatient care capacity together with changing working methods in the ED. The aim is to describe the KH response to the COVID-19 crisis, and how ED crowding, and important input, throughput and output factors for ED crowding developed at KH during a 30-day baseline period followed by the first 60 days of the COVID-19 outbreak in Stockholm Region. Methods Different phases in the development of the crisis were described and identified retrospectively based on major events that changed the conditions for the ED. Results were presented for each phase separately. The outcome ED length of stay (ED LOS) was calculated with mean and 95% confidence intervals. Input, throughput, output and demographic factors were described using distributions, proportions and means. Pearson correlation between ED LOS and emergency ward occupancy by phase was estimated with 95% confidence interval. Results As new working methods were introduced between phase 2 and 3, ED LOS declined from mean (95% CI) 386 (373–399) minutes to 307 (297–317). Imaging proportion was reduced from 29 to 18% and admission rate increased from 34 to 43%. Correlation (95% CI) between emergency ward occupancy and ED LOS by phase was 0.94 (0.55–0.99). Conclusions It is possible to avoid ED crowding, even during extreme and quickly changing conditions by leveraging previously known input, throughput and output factors. One key factor was the change in working methods in the ED with higher competence, less diagnostics and increased focus on rapid clinical admission decisions. Another important factor was the reduction in bed occupancy in emergency wards that enabled a timely admission to inpatient care. A key limitation was the retrospective study design.

For this 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations, the Education, Implementation, and Teams Task Force applied the population, intervention, comparator, outcome, study design, time frame format and performed 15 systematic reviews, applying the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation guidance. Furthermore, 4 scoping reviews and 7 evidence updates assessed any new evidence to determine if a change in any existing treatment recommendation was required. The topics covered included training for the treatment of opioid overdose; basic life support, including automated external defibrillator training; measuring implementation and performance in communities, and cardiac arrest centers; advanced life support training, including team and leadership training and rapid response teams; measuring cardiopulmonary resuscitation performance, feedback devices, and debriefing; and the use of social media to improve cardiopulmonary resuscitation application.

This is the summary publication of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation's 2020 International Consensus on First Aid Science With Treatment Recommendations. It addresses the most recent published evidence reviewed by the First Aid Task Force science experts. This summary addresses the topics of first aid methods of glucose administration for hypoglycemia; techniques for cooling of exertional hyperthermia and heatstroke; recognition of acute stroke; the use of supplementary oxygen in acute stroke; early or first aid use of aspirin for chest pain; control of life- threatening bleeding through the use of tourniquets, haemostatic dressings, direct pressure, or pressure devices; the use of a compression wrap for closed extremity joint injuries; and temporary storage of an avulsed tooth. Additional summaries of scoping reviews are presented for the use of a recovery position, recognition of a concussion, and 6 other first aid topics. The First Aid Task Force has assessed, discussed, and debated the certainty of evidence on the basis of Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria and present their consensus treatment recommendations with evidence-to-decision highlights and identified priority knowledge gaps for future research. The 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) Science With Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR) is the fourth in a series of annual summary publications from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR). This 2020 CoSTR for first aid includes new topics addressed by systematic reviews performed within the past 12 months. It also includes updates of the first aid treatment recommendations published from 2010 through 2019 that are based on additional evidence evaluations and updates. As a result, this 2020 CoSTR for first aid represents the most comprehensive update since 2010.

Background Malaria is associated with Burkitt lymphoma among children in Sub-Saharan Africa. No longitudinal studies have assessed the long-term risk of other lymphoma or cancer overall. Here, we investigated the risk of lymphoid neoplasms and other cancer after malaria. Methods We included 4125 patients diagnosed with malaria in Sweden in 1987–2015, identified either through the National Surveillance Database at the Public Health Agency of Sweden, the National Inpatient and Outpatient Register, or by reports from microbiology departments. A comparator cohort (N = 66,997) matched on sex, age and birth region was retrieved from the general population and an additional cohort with all individuals born in Sub-Saharan Africa registered in the Total Population Register in 1987–2015 (N = 171,756). Incident lymphomas and other cancers were identified through linkage with the Swedish Cancer Register. Hazard ratios (HRs) were assessed using Cox regression with attained age as the timescale. Results A total of 20 lymphoid neoplasms and 202 non-haematological cancers were identified among malaria patients during a mean follow-up of 13.3 and 13.7 years, respectively. The overall risk of lymphoid neoplasms was not significantly increased (hazard ratio [HR] 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79–1.94), neither did we find any association with all-site non-haematological cancer (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.77–1.02). However, in the Sub-Saharan Africa cohort, we observed an increased risk of lymphoid neoplasms after malaria diagnosis (HR 2.39, 95% CI 1.06–5.40), but no difference in the risk of other cancer (HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.70–1.45). The association could not be explained by co-infection with HIV or chronic hepatitis B or C, since the risk estimate was largely unchanged after excluding patients with these comorbidities (HR 2.63, 95% CI 1.08–6.42). The risk became more pronounced when restricting analyses to only including non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphomas (HR 3.49, 95% CI 1.42–8.56). Conclusion Individuals born in malaria-endemic areas and diagnosed with malaria in Sweden had an increased risk of lymphoid neoplasms, especially B cell lymphoma. There was no association with cancer overall nor did single malaria episodes confer an increased risk in travellers.

ObjectivesNon-conveyed patients represent a significant proportion of all patients cared for by ambulance services in the western world. However, scientific knowledge on non-conveyance is sparse. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of non-conveyance, investigate associations and compare patients’ characteristics, drug administration, initial problems and vital signs between non-conveyed and conveyed patients.DesignA population-based retrospective cohort study.SettingThe study setting area, Stockholm, Sweden, has a population of 2.3 million inhabitants, with seven emergency hospitals. Annually, approximately 210 000 assignments are performed by 73 ambulances. All ambulance assignments performed from 1 January to 31 December 2015 were included.ResultsIn total, 23 603 ambulance assignments ended in non-conveyance—13.8% of all ambulance assignments performed in 2015. Compared with conveyed patients, non-conveyed patients were younger and more often female (median age 50.1 years for non-conveyed vs 61.7 years for conveyed; female=52 %, both p values ConclusionsThis study shows that non-conveyed patients represent a non-negligible proportion of all patients in contact with ambulance services. In general, most cases of non-conveyance occur at the highest dispatch level, to a large extent involve younger patients, and features problems assessed by ambulance clinicians as non-specific or related to psychiatric symptoms.

ObjectiveTo study characteristics and outcomes among patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) due to pulmonary aspiration.DesignA retrospective observational study based on data from the Swedish Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (SRCR).SettingThe SRCR is a nationwide quality registry that covers 96% of all Swedish hospitals. Participating hospitals vary in size from secondary hospitals to university hospitals.ParticipantsThe study included patients registered in the SRCR in the period 2008 to 2017. We compared patients with IHCA caused by pulmonary aspiration (n=127), to those with IHCA caused by respiratory failure of other causes (n=2197).Primary and secondary outcome measuresPrimary outcome was 30-day survival. Secondary outcome was sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) defined as ROSC at the scene and admitted alive to the intensive care unit.ResultsIn the aspiration group 80% of IHCA occurred on general wards, as compared with 63.6% in the respiratory failure group (pConclusionsIn-hospital cardiac arrest preceded by pulmonary aspiration occurred more often on general wards among unmonitored patients. These patients had a lower 30-day survival rate compared with IHCA caused by respiratory failure of other causes.

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has been reported for out-hospital (OHCA) and in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) separately, but potential differences between the two groups are unknown. The aim of this study is therefore to describe and compare HRQoL in patients surviving OHCA and IHCA. Methods: Patients >= 18 years with Cerebral Performance Category 1-3 included in the Swedish Registry for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation between 2014 and 2017 were included. A telephone interview was performed based on a questionnaire sent 3-6 months post cardiac arrest, including EQ-5D-5L and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Mann-Whitney U test and multiple linear- and ordinal logistic regression analyses were used to describe and compare HRQoL in OHCA and IHCA survivors. Adjustments were made for sex, age and initial rhythm. Results: In all, 1369 IHCA and 772 OHCA survivors were included. Most OHCA and IHCA survivors reported no symptoms of with anxiety (88% and 84%) or depression (87% and 85%). IHCA survivors reported significantly more problems in the health domains mobility, self-care, usual activities and pain/discomfort (p < 0.001 for all) and scored lower general health measured by EQ-VAS (median 70 vs. 80 respectively, p < 0.001) compared with the OHCA survivors. Conclusion: Survivors of IHCA reported significantly worse HRQoL compared to survivors of OHCA. Consequently, research data gathered from one of these populations may not be generalizable to the other. Funding Agencies|Stockholm County CouncilStockholm County Council

Aim Strategies to increase provision of bystander CPR include mass education of laypersons. Additionally, programs directed at emergency dispatchers to provide CPR instructions during emergency calls to untrained bystanders have emerged. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between dispatcher-assisted CPR (DA- CPR) and 30-day survival compared with no CPR or spontaneously initiated CPR by lay bystanders prior to emergency medical services in out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Methods Nationwide observational cohort study including all consecutive lay bystander witnessed OHCAs reported to the Swedish Register for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in 2010–2017. Exposure was categorized as: no CPR (NO-CPR), DA-CPR and spontaneously initiated CPR (SP-CPR) prior to EMS arrival. Propensity-score matched cohorts were used for comparison between groups. Main Outcome was 30-day survival. Results A total of 15 471 patients were included and distributed as follows: NO-CPR 6440 (41.6%), DA-CPR 4793 (31.0%) and SP-CPR 4238 (27.4%). Survival rates to 30 days were 7.1%, 13.0% and 18.3%, respectively. In propensity-score matched analysis (DA-CPR as reference), NO-CPR was associated with lower survival (conditional OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.52–0.72) and SP-CPR was associated with higher survival (conditional OR 1.21 (95% CI 1.05–1.39). Conclusions DA-CPR was associated with a higher survival compared with NO-CPR. However, DA-CPR was associated with a lower survival compared with SP-CPR. These results reinforce the vital role of DA-CPR, although continuous efforts to disseminate CPR training must be considered a top priority if survival after out of hospital cardiac arrest is to continue to increase.

For this 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations , the Education, Implementation, and Teams Task Force applied the population, intervention, comparator, outcome, study design, time frame format and performed 15 systematic reviews, applying the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation guidance. Furthermore, 4 scoping reviews and 7 evidence updates assessed any new evidence to determine if a change in any existing treatment recommendation was required. The topics covered included training for the treatment of opioid overdose; basic life support, including automated external defibrillator training; measuring implementation and performance in communities, and cardiac arrest centers; advanced life support training, including team and leadership training and rapid response teams; measuring cardiopulmonary resuscitation performance, feedback devices, and debriefing; and the use of social media to improve cardiopulmonary resuscitation application.

Background Early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) increase survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Although international guidelines recommend the use of AED registries to increase AED use, little is known about implementation. The aim of this paper is to describe the development of a national AED registry, to analyse the coverage and barriers to register AEDs. Methods The Swedish AED Registry (SAEDREG) was initiated in 2009 with the purpose of gathering the data of all public AEDs in Sweden. Data on all AEDs between 2013 and 2016 were included in the study. Additionally, data of non-registered AEDs was collected in one region using a survey to AED owners focusing on AED functionality. Results The number of AEDs doubled between 2013–2016. A total of 6703 AEDs (30%) were removed due to unavailability of validation. At the end of 2016, AEDs were most frequently registered in offices and workplaces, 45% (n = 7241) followed by shops, 7% (n = 1200). In the Gotland region, 218 AEDs, 57% (n = 124) were registered in the SAEDREG. Of n = 94 Non-registered AED functionality was high, the main reason not to register was unawareness of the SAEDREG, 74.5%. Of those aware of the register but not having registered, 25% stated “hard to register” as cause. Conclusions A national AED registry may gather information of AEDs on a national level. Although numbers have doubled between 2013–2016 in Sweden, a large proportion is still non-registered. More awareness of the registry and easier registration process is needed. General AED functionality seems high regardless of registered or non-registered AEDs. A key area for future research may be to use AED-registers to ascertain effectiveness of AED programs in terms of actual patient outcome.

Background A do-not-attempt-resuscitation order is issued when it is against the wishes of the patient that cardiopulmonary resuscitation is performed, or when the chance of good quality survival is minimal. Therefore it is essential for physicians to make an objective prearrest prediction of the outcome after an in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). Our aim was external validation of the Good Outcome Following Attempted Resuscitation (GO-FAR) score in a population based setting. Methods The study was based on a retrospective cohort of adult IHCAs in Stockholm County 2013–2014 identified through the Swedish Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Registry. This registry provided patient and event characteristics and neurological outcome at discharge. Neurologically intact survival is defined as Cerebral Performance Category score (CPC) 1 at discharge. Data for the GO-FAR variables was obtained from manual review of electronic patient records. Model performance was evaluated by measure of discrimination with the area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) and calibration with assessment of the calibration plot. Results The cohort included 717 patients with neurologically intact survival at discharge of 22%. In complete case analysis (523 cases) AUROC was 0.82 (95% CI 0.78–0.86) indicating good discrimination. The calibration plot showed that the GO-FAR score systematically underestimates the probability of neurologically intact survival. Conclusion The GO-FAR score has satisfactory discrimination, but assessment of the calibration shows that neurologically intact survival is systematically underestimated. Therefore, only with caution should it without model update be taken into clinical practice in settings similar to ours.

The feasibility and potential of using drones for providing flotation devices in cases of drowning have not yet been assessed. We hypothesize that a drone carrying an inflatable life buoy is a faster way to provide flotation compared with traditional methods. The purpose of this study is to explore the feasibility and efficiency of using a drone for delivering and providing flotation support to conscious simulated drowning victims.A simulation study was performed with a simulated drowning victim 100 m from the shore. A drone (DJI Phantom 4; dji, Shenzhen, China) equipped with an inflatable life buoy of 60 N was compared with traditional surf rescue swimming for providing flotation. The primary outcome was delay (minutes:seconds).A total number of 30 rescues were performed with a median time to delivery of the floating device of 30 seconds (interquartile range [IQR] = 24-32 seconds) for the drone compared with 65 seconds (IQR = 60-77 seconds) with traditional rescue swimming (P.001). The drone had an accuracy of 100% in dropping the inflatable life buoy5 m from the victim, with a median of 1 m (IQR = 1-2 m).Using drones to deliver inflatable life buoys is safe and may be a faster method to provide early flotation devices to conscious drowning victims compared with rescue swimming.

Objectives Resuscitation on in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is estimated to occur in 200,000 hospitalised patients annually in the US and short-term survival, i.e. 30 days, is reported to be around 15–20%. Even if 30-day survival is a good measure of successful resuscitation, the number of survivors is quite high and a perspective on longer-term outcomes is relevant. Aim To assess long-term mortality among 30-day survivors after an IHCA. Material and methods All patients ≥18 years surviving for at least 30 days after an IHCA at Karolinska University Hospital between 1st January 2007 and 31st December 2014 were included. Data regarding the IHCA, patient characteristics, new cardiac, pulmonary or neurological diagnosis and death dates were obtained from complete Swedish national registries. Censor date was set as 10th February 2017. Differences in long-term survival between those with shockable compared to those with non-shockable first rhythm were assessed with Kaplan Meier survival curves, with adjustment for age-adjusted Charlson Co-morbidity Index (ACCI). Results In all, 1019 patients suffered an IHCA, of whom 267 (26%) survived for at least 30 days. Out of the 267 patients, 158 (59%) were still alive at the censor date, i.e. 3–10 years after their IHCA. There was a significant better long-term survival among those with shockable initial rhythm than those with a non-shockable first rhythm that persisted after adjustment for ACCI (adjusted 10-year survival; >75% and >50% respectively, p-value Conclusion In conclusion, long-term survival after an IHCA is quite good irrespective of initial rhythm but is related to the burden of baseline co-morbidities.

Objectives Co-morbidities affect survival after in-hospital cardiac arrests (IHCA). The risk population for IHCA, i.e. the hospitalised patients, have a doubled increase in co-morbidities over time. A similar increase in co-morbidities among IHCAs might explain the relatively poor survival ratios despite improved care. Aim To assess changes in the burden of baseline age-adjusted Charlson co-morbidity index (ACCI) scores among IHCAs as well as to assess its impact on survival in three time periods. Material and methods All patients ≥18 years suffering an IHCA at Karolinska University Hospital between 1st January 2007 and 31st December 2015 were included. Data regarding the IHCA, patient characteristics, ACCI and 30 day survival were obtained from electronic patient records. Parameters included in ACCI were assessed as ICD-10 codes in the medical file at admission to hospital. The median ACCI with interquartile range (IQR) was presented per year. ACCI was categorised into low 0–2points, moderate 3–5points, high 6–8 points and very high ≥9 points. Differences in survival between 2007 and 2009 and 2010–2012 as well as 2013–2015 were stratified per ACCI category and assessed with adjusted logistic regression models and presented as Odds Ratios with 95% Confidence Intervals (OR, 95% CI). Adjustments included hospital site, sex, first rhythm, ECG-surveillance, witnessed or not, and location of the IHCA. Results In all, 1373 patients suffered an IHCA, of whom 376 (27%) survived at least 30 days. The ACCI remained almost constant over time at median 4, IQR 3–6. Patients with low or moderate ACCI more than doubled their survival in 2013–2015 compared to 2007–2009 (adjusted OR 2.61 95% CI1.38–4.94 and OR 1.87 95% CI 1.14–3.09 respectively). Conclusion This cohort study illuminates an almost constant burden of co-morbidities over time among patients suffering an IHCA. Further, the study highlights that 30-day survival has almost doubled from 2007 to 2009 to 2013–2015 among those with low to moderate AccI.

Background and objective In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) constitutes a major contributor to cardiovascular mortality. The aim of the present study was to investigate factors of importance to 30-day survival after IHCA in Sweden. Methods A retrospective register study based on the Swedish Register of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (SRCPR) 2006–2015. Sixty-six of 73 hospitals in Sweden participated. The inclusion criterion was a confirmed cardiac arrest in which resuscitation was attempted among patients aged >18years. Results In all, 18,069 patients were included, 39% of whom were women. The median age was 75years. Thirty-day survival was 28.3%, 93% with a CPC score of 1–2. One-year survival was 25.0%. Overall IHCA incidence in Sweden was 1.7 per 1000 hospital admissions. Several factors were found to be associated with 30-day survival in a multivariable analysis. They included cardiac arrest (CA) at working days during the daytime (08–20) compared with weekends and night-time (20–08) (OR 1.51 95% CI 1.39–1.64), monitored CA (OR 2.18 95% CI 1.99–2.38), witnessed CA (OR 2.87 95% CI 2.48–3.32) and if the first recorded rhythm was ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia, especially in combination with myocardial ischemia/infarction as the assumed aetiology of the CA (OR for interaction 4.40 95% CI 3.54–5.46). Conclusion 30-day survival after IHCA is associated with the time of the event, the aetiology of the CA and the degree of monitoring and this should influence decisions regarding the appropriate level of monitoring and care.

Objectives In-hospital cardiac arrests (IHCAs) are often preceded by abnormal vital signs. Preceding abnormal vital signs might lower the physiological reserve capacity and therefore decrease survival after an IHCA. Aim To assess the preceding national early warning score (NEWS) and its relation to survival after an IHCA. Material and methods All patients ≥ 18 years suffering an IHCA at Karolinska University Hospital between 1st January 2014 and 31st December 2015 were included. Data regarding the IHCA, patient characteristics, calculated NEWS and 30-day survival were obtained from electronic patient records. Parameters included in NEWSs were assessed up to 12 h before the IHCA. Differences in survival were assessed with adjusted logistic regression models and presented as Odds Ratios with 95% Confidence Intervals (OR, 95% CI) between patients with NEWSs of 0–4 points (low) versus those with at least 5 points (moderate) and 7 points (high). Adjustments included hospital site, sex, co-morbidities, first rhythm and location of the IHCA. Results In all, 358 patients suffered an IHCA, of whom 109 (30%) survived at least 30 days and 296 (83%) had sufficient vital sign documentation to calculate NEWS before the IHCA. The 87 patients with a medium NEWS had a fourfold chance and those 78 with a high NEWS (22%) had an almost tenfold chance of dying after the IHCA compared to those with a low NEWS (Adjusted OR 4.43, 95% CI 1.81–10.83 and OR 9.88 95% C.I. 2.77–35.26, respectively). Conclusion The NEWS can be a probable proxy for estimating physiological reserve capacity since high NEWS is associated to high change of death in case of an IHCA. This information can be used when discussing prognosis with patients and relatives. But even more importantly, it stresses the need for better preventive strategies in IHCAs. Strengthens and limitations with this study • Strengths include the complete information about the outcome, i.e. 30-day survival or not due to Swedish Personal Identification Numbers and registries. • Another strength is the collection of exposure data, NEWSs, was based on a strict a priori determined protocol, including only data documented in the medical record and therefore known to the staff before the IHCA. • Limitations include the use of only documented vital signs, i.e. those taken but not documented, as well as the fact that information on interventions performed but not documented in the medical file are missing. • A potential limitation is the lack of a control group with equally abnormal vital signs but no IHCA; such information would have answered the question how predictive the NEWS is for an IHCA but this is out of the scope of this study regardless.

Despite a good prognosis, fear of recurrence is prevalent, even several years after a diagnosis of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). For this reason, the aim of this study was to make an in-depth exploration of anxiety, sources of anxiety, and protective strategies.In order to capture a broad description of the phenomenon, a purposeful, maximum variation sampling strategy regarding age, sex, stage of disease, educational level, and time since diagnosis was used. In total, 21 patients were included in the study. Semi-structured interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed with a qualitative content analysis.Patients with and without recurrences narrated a picture indicating anxiety related to their current situation; future risks and threats were central to this picture. However, they initially minimized or even denied having anxiety, but subsequently described it as a major problem at the end of the interviews. Anxiety was related to risk of recurrence and the risk of developing other cancers, but also to fears of a future situation where no further treatment options were available. Previous experiences of delayed investigations added to these fears. In order to cope, patients developed protective strategies in order to keep evasive and frightening thoughts away. Everyday life, distractions, and focusing on "the small things in life" were examples of such strategies.Anxiety is a common, although partially hidden, problem in DTC survivors, as they tended to deny it early in the dialogues. As anxiety is clearly related to follow-up routines, these should therefore be revaluated.

Background Emergency departments (EDs) constitute a central part of the healthcare system that receives patients with complaints of varied urgency. A long length of stay (LOS) in the ED is associated with crowding, low patient satisfaction and poor patient outcomes. Therefore, it is important to understand the key drivers and patient characteristics associated with long LOS. Aims To identify patient-related and organization-related characteristics associated with the longest ED LOS. Methods All adult visits (n=19 503) to the ED at Karolinska University Hospital in Solna, Sweden, between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. during 2012 were divided into quartiles on the basis of their LOS. The quartile with the longest LOS (n=4876) was compared with the two intermediate quartiles (n=9752) and the shortest quartile (n=4875). Differences in patient and organizational characteristics were assessed using multivariate logistic regression models to achieve odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results The patient-related factors associated with long LOS were female sex (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.14-1.30), age 65-79 (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.67-1.97), age 80 or older (OR 2.76, 95% CI 2.52-3.02) and the chief complaint of dyspnoea (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.39-1.73). Conclusion Long LOS in the ED is associated with both patient and organizational characteristics and the elderly are at particular risk of long LOS. These insights may be used to improve patient outcome metrics and enhance ED efficiency. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of additional factors as well as the causality of the studied factors.

Drowning leading to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and death is a major public health concern. Submersion with duration of less than 10min is associated with favorable neurological outcome and nearby bystanders play a considerable role in rescue and resuscitation. Drones can provide a visual overview of an accident scene, their potential as lifesaving tools in drowning has not been evaluated.The aim of this simulation study was to evaluate the efficiency of a drone for providing earlier location of a submerged possible drowning victim in comparison with standard procedure.This randomized simulation study used a submerged manikin placed in a shallow (2m) 100×100-m area at Tylösand beach, Sweden. A search party of 14 surf-lifeguards (control) was compared to a drone transmitting video to a tablet (intervention). Time from start to contact with the manikin was the primary endpoint.Twenty searches were performed in total, 10 for each group. The median time from start to contact with the manikin was 4:34min (IQR 2:56-7:48) for the search party (control) and 0:47min (IQR 0:38-0:58) for the drone-system (intervention) respectively (p0.001). The median time saved by using the drone was 3:38min (IQR 2:02-6:38).A drone transmitting live video to a tablet is feasible, time saving in comparison to traditional search parties and may be used for providing earlier location of submerged victims at a beach. Drone search can possibly contribute to earlier onset of CPR in drowning victims.

The Utstein-style recommendations for reporting etiology and outcome in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) from 2004 have recently been revised. Among other etiologies a medical category is now introduced, replacing the cardiac category from Utstein template 2004.The aim of this study is to describe characteristics and temporal trends from reporting OHCA etiology according to the revised Utstein template 2014 in regards to patient characteristics and 30-day survival rates.This registry study is based on consecutive OHCA cases reported from the Emergency medical services (EMS) to the Swedish Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (SRCR) 1992-2014. Characteristics, including a presumed cardiac etiology in Utstein template 2004, were transcribed to a medical etiology in Utstein template 2014.Of a total of n=70,846 cases, 92% were categorized as having a medical etiology and 8% as having a non-medical cause. Using the new classifications, the 30-day survival rate has significantly increased over a 20-year period from 4.7% to 11.0% in the medical group and from 3% to 9.9% in the non-medical group (p≤0.001). Trauma was the most common cause in OHCA of a non-medical etiology (26%) with a 30-day survival rate of 3.4% whilst drowning and drug overdose had the highest survival rates (14% and 10% respectively).Based on Utstein 2014 categories of etiology, overall survival after OHCA with a medical etiology has more than doubled in a 20-year period and tripled for non-medical cases. Patients with a medical etiology found in a shockable rhythm have the highest chance of survival. There is great variability in characteristics among non-medical cases.

There is a paucity of research on how the Sgarbossa criteria perform in patients with ventricular pacing. However, the limited research that exists suggests that the criteria are specific, but not sensitive, for myocardial ischemia in this population. We present the case of a 73-year-old man who presented to the ED with acute chest pain. His previous medical history was significant for hypertension and a pacemaker due to type 2 s-degree AV block. His initial ECG fulfilled all three Sgarbossa criteria and subsequent coronary angiography identified a culprit lesion in the posterior descending artery. In this case, awareness of the Sgarbossa criteria's applicability in patients with ventricular paced rhythm facilitated earlier identification of ischemia and subsequent intervention.

Defibrillation by public Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) before EMS arrival is associated with high survival rates. Previous recommendSations suggest that an AED should be placed within a 1-1.5 min "brisk walk" from a cardiac arrest. Current guidelines hold no recommendation. The real-time it takes for a volunteer to retrieve an AED in a public setting has not been studied.Global Positioning System data and Geographical Information Systems methods were used to track the movement of mobile phone dispatched lay responders in two large Swedish areas. The distance and the travelling time were calculated from when the lay responder received the call, until they were within 25 m from the coordinate of the suspected OHCA sent by the dispatch centre.During 7 months, a total of 2176 persons were included in the final analysis. The median travelling speed was 2.3 (IQR = 1.4-4.0) metres per second (m/s) among all cases with a response time of 6.2 min. The corresponding travelling distance was 956 m (IQR = 480-1661). In the most densely populated areas (8000 inhabitants/kmThe median travelling speed of all lay responders dispatched to suspected OHCAs was 2.3 m/s. In densely populated areas the travelling speed was 1.8 m/s. This can be used as support in guidelines for planning placement of AEDs, in simulation studies, as well as in configuration of mobile-based dispatch systems.

BACKGROUND: Hypoglycaemia is a common occurrence in people with diabetes but can also result from an imbalance in glucose homeostasis in the absence of diabetes. The best enteral route for glucose administration for suspected hypoglycaemia in a first aid situation is unknown. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of first aid glucose administration by any route appropriate for use by first‐aid providers (buccal, sublingual, oral, rectal) for symptomatic hypoglycaemia. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL as well as grey literature (records identified in the WHO ICTRP Search Portal, ClinicalTrials.gov and the EU Clinical Trials Register) up to July 2018. We searched reference lists of included studies retrieved by the above searches. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included studies involving adults and children with documented or suspected hypoglycaemia as well as healthy volunteers, in which glucose was administered by any enteral route appropriate for use by first‐aid providers. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently selected trials, assessed risk of bias, extracted data and evaluated trials for overall certainty of the evidence using the GRADE instrument. We used the Cochrane 'Risk of bias' tool to assess the risk of bias in the randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and the 'risk of bias In non‐randomised studies of interventions' (ROBINS‐I) tool, in addition to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions recommendations on cross‐over studies, for the non‐RCTs. We reported continuous outcomes as mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and dichotomous outcomes as risk ratios (RR) with 95% CIs. All data on glucose concentrations were converted to mg/dL. We contacted authors of included studies to obtain missing data. MAIN RESULTS: From 6394 references, we included four studies evaluating 77 participants, including two RCTs, studying children and adults with hypoglycaemia, respectively, and two non‐RCTs with healthy volunteers. The studies included three different routes of glucose administration (sublingual, buccal and a combination of oral and buccal administration). All studies had a high risk of bias in one or more 'Risk of bias' domain. Glucose administration by the sublingual route, in the form of table sugar under the tongue, resulted in a higher blood glucose concentration after 20 minutes compared with the oral route in the very specific setting of children with hypoglycaemia and symptoms of concomitant malaria or respiratory tract infection (MD 17 mg/dL, 95% CI 4.4 to 29.6; P = 0.008; 1 study; 42 participants; very low‐quality evidence). Resolution of hypoglycaemia at 80 minutes may favour sublingual administration (RR 2.10, 95% CI 1.24 to 3.54; P = 0.006; 1 study; 42 participants; very low‐certainty evidence), but no substantial difference could be demonstrated at 20 minutes (RR 1.26, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.74; P = 0.16; 1 study; 42 participants; very low‐certainty evidence). A decrease in the time to resolution of hypoglycaemia was found in favour of sublingual administration (MD ‐51.5 min, 95% CI ‐58 to ‐45; P < 0.001; 1 study; 42 participants; very low‐certainty evidence). No adverse events were reported in either group. No data were available for resolution of symptoms and time to resolution of symptoms, and treatment delay. Glucose administered by the buccal route in one study resulted in a lower plasma glucose concentration after 20 minutes compared with oral administration (MD ‐14.4 mg/dL, 95% CI ‐17.5 to ‐11.4 for an imputed within‐participants correlation coefficient of 0.9; P < 0.001; 1 trial; 16 participants; very low‐quality evidence). In another study there were fewer participants with increased blood glucose at 20 minutes favouring oral glucose (RR 0.07, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.98; P = 0.05; 1 study; 7 participants; very low‐certainty evidence). No data were available for resolution of symptoms and time to resolution of symptoms, resolution of hypoglycaemia and time to resolution of hypoglycaemia, adverse events, and treatment delay. For the combined oral and buccal mucosal route (in the form of a dextrose gel) the MD was ‐15.3 mg/dL, 95%CI ‐33.6 to 3; P = 0.09; 1 study; 18 participants; very low‐quality evidence . No improvement was identified for either route in the resolution of symptoms at 20 minutes or less following glucose administration (RR 0.36, 95% CI 0.12 to 1.14; P = 0.08; 1 study; 18 participants; very low‐certainty evidence). No data were available for time to resolution of symptoms, resolution of hypoglycaemia and time to resolution of hypoglycaemia, adverse events, and treatment delay. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: When providing first aid to individuals with hypoglycaemia, oral glucose administration results in a higher blood glucose concentrations after 20 minutes when compared with buccal administration of glucose. A difference in plasma glucose concentration could not be demonstrated, when administering a dextrose gel, defined as “a combined oral and buccal mucosal route” compared to oral administration of a glucose tablet or solution. In the specific population of children with concomitant malaria and respiratory illness, sublingual sugar results in a higher blood glucose concentration after 20 minutes when compared with oral administration.These results need to be interpreted cautiously because our confidence in the body of evidence is very low due to the low number of participants and studies as well as methodological deficiencies in the included studies.

ObjectivesTo combat overcrowding in emergency departments, ambulance clinicians (ACs) are being encouraged to make on-site assessments regarding patients’ need for conveyance to hospital, and this is creating new and challenging demands for ACs. This study aimed to describe ACs’ experiences of assessing non-conveyed patients.DesignA phenomenological interview study based on a reflective lifeworld research approach.SettingThe target area for the study was Stockholm, Sweden, which has a population of approximately 2.3 million inhabitants. In this area, 73 ambulances perform approximately just over 200 000 ambulance assignments annually, and approximately 25 000 patients are non-conveyed each year.Informants11 ACs.MethodsIn-depth open-ended interviews.ResultsACs experience uncertainty regarding the accuracy of their assessments of non-conveyed patients. In particular, they fear conducting erroneous assessments that could harm patients. Avoiding hasty decisions is important for conducting safe patient assessments. Several challenging paradoxes were identified that complicate the non-conveyance situation, namely; responsibility, education and feedback paradoxes. The core of the responsibility paradox is that the increased responsibility associated with non-conveyance assessments is not accompanied with appropriate organisational support. Thus, frustration is experienced. The education paradox involves limited and inadequate non-conveyance education. This, in combination with limited support from non-conveyance guidelines, causes the clinical reality to be perceived as challenging and problematic. Finally, the feedback paradox relates to the obstruction of professional development as a result of an absence of learning possibilities after assessments. Additionally, ACs also described loneliness during non-conveyance situations.ConclusionsThis study suggests that, for ACs, performing non-conveyance assessments means experiencing a paradoxical professional existence. Despite these aggravating paradoxes, however, complex non-conveyance assessments continue to be performed and accompanied with limited organisational support. To create more favourable circumstances and, hopefully, safer assessments, further studies that focus on these paradoxes and non-conveyance are needed.

Background Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) affects some 275,000 individuals in Europe each year. Time from collapse to defibrillation is essential for survival. As emergency medical services (EMS) response times in Sweden have increased, novel methods are needed to facilitate early treatment. Unmanned aerial vehicles (i.e. drones) have potential to deliver automated external defibrillators (AED). The aim of this simulation study was to explore bystanders’ experience of a simulated OHCA-situation where a drone delivers an AED and how the situation is affected by having one or two bystanders onsite. Methods This explorative simulation study used a mixed methodology describing bystanders’ experiences of retrieving an AED delivered by a drone in simulated OHCA situations. Totally eight participants were divided in two groups of bystanders a) alone or b) in pairs and performed CPR on a manikin for 5 minutes after which an AED was delivered by a drone at 50 m from the location. Qualitative data from observations, interviews of participants and video recordings were analysed using content analysis alongside descriptive data on time delays during bystander interaction. Results Three categories of bystander experiences emerged: 1) technique and preparedness, 2) support through conversation with the dispatcher, and 3) aid and decision-making. The main finding was that retrieval of an AED as delivered by a drone was experienced as safe and feasible for bystanders. None of the participants hesitated to retrieve the AED; instead they experienced it positive, helpful and felt relief upon AED-drone arrival and were able to retrieve and attach the AED to a manikin. Interacting with the AED-drone was perceived as less difficult than performing CPR or handling their own mobile phone during T-CPR. Single bystander simulation introduced a significant hands-off interval when retrieving the AED, a period lasting 94 s (range 75 s–110 s) with one participant compared to 0 s with two participants. Conclusion The study shows that it made good sense for bystanders to interact with a drone in this simulated suspected OHCA. Bystanders experienced delivery of AED as safe and feasible. This has potential implications, and further studies on bystanders’ experiences in real cases of OHCA in which a drone delivers an AED are therefore necessary.

Background Although health-related quality of life (HRQoL) recovers after surgery for oesophageal cancer in most long-term survivors, one in seven patients experiences a deterioration in HRQoL for reasons yet unknown. The aim of this study was to assess whether co-morbidities diagnosed after surgery influence recovery of HRQoL. Methods Patients who underwent surgery for cancer of the oesophagus or gastro-oesophageal junction in Sweden between 2001 and 2005 were included. HRQoL was assessed by means of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OES18 questionnaires. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to assess mean differences in HRQoL scores between three co-morbidity status groups (healthy, stable and increased) over time. Probabilities of deterioration in HRQoL were calculated based on marginal probabilities from logistic regression models. Results At 5 years' follow-up, 153 (24·8 per cent) of 616 patients were alive and 137 responded to at least two of three questionnaires. The healthy and increased co-morbidity groups showed deterioration in almost all aspects of HRQoL at 6 months after surgery compared with baseline. The increased co-morbidity group also deteriorated in several aspects from 3 to 5 years after surgery. Patients with an increase in co-morbidity did not have a significantly increased probability of deterioration in HRQoL over time compared with healthy or stable patients, except with respect to cognitive function, loss of appetite, choking and coughing. Conclusion Patients with an increase in co-morbidities after oesophagectomy experience long-term deterioration in HRQoL.