European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Smartwatch feedback device for high-quality chest compressions by a single rescuer during infant cardiac arrest: a randomized, controlled simulation study.
According to the guidelines, rescuers should provide chest compressions (CC) ~1.5 inches (40 mm) for infants. Feedback devices could help rescuers perform CC with adequate rates (CCR) and depths (CCD). However, there is no CC feedback device for infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). We suggest a smartwatch-based CC feedback application for infant CPR. ⋯ Rescuers who receive feedback of CC parameters from a smartwatch could perform adequate CC during infant CPR.
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Multicenter Study
Determinants of self-rated health in older adults before and 3 months after an emergency department visit: a prospective study.
Self-rated health (SRH) is an important patient-reported outcome, but little is known about SRH after a visit to the emergency department (ED). We investigated the determinants of decline in SRH during 3 months after an ED visit in older patients. ⋯ Decline in SRH after an ED visit in older patients is at least partly dependent on factors of functional capacity and functional decline. Preventive interventions to maintain functional status may be the solution to maintain SRH, but more research is needed to further improve and firmly establish the clinical usability of these findings.
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Multicenter Study
Medically unexplained physical symptoms in patients visiting the emergency department: an international multicentre retrospective study.
The objective of this study was to assess the incidence and characteristics of patients presenting with physical symptoms that remain medically unexplained at the emergency department (ED). ⋯ Physical symptoms remain unexplained in a significant number of patients at the time of ED assessment.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Optimising emergency weight estimation in underweight and obese children: the accuracy of estimations of total body weight and ideal body weight.
During medical emergencies, underweight and obese children are at a higher risk of weight-estimation errors than 'average' children, which may lead to poorer outcomes. In obese children, optimum drug dosing requires a measure of both total body weight (TBW) and ideal body weight (IBW) for appropriate scaling. We evaluated the ability of the Broselow tape, the Mercy method and the PAWPER XL tape to estimate TBW and IBW in obese and underweight children. ⋯ The Broselow tape predicted IBW, but not TBW, accurately. The Mercy method estimated TBW very accurately, but not IBW. The PAWPER XL tape estimated both TBW and IBW accurately. The PAWPER XL tape should be considered when choosing a weight-estimation strategy for obese and underweight children.
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The aim of this study was to determine the impact of abdominal prehospital ultrasound (PHUS) on patient care in a Dutch physician-staffed Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) and to determine its diagnostic performance. ⋯ Abdominal PHUS in our setting impacts treatment decisions significantly. Therefore, it is a valuable tool in the Dutch HEMS setting and probably beyond.