Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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Improving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) prognosis within the working-age population is important, but no studies have investigated the effects of COVID-19 pandemic specifically on the working-age population with OHCAs. We aimed to determine the association between the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and OHCA outcomes and bystander resuscitation efforts among the working-age population. ⋯ Reviewing automated external defibrillator (AED) locations and increasing BCPR through DAI-CPR may help prevent pandemic-associated decreases in survival rates for patients with cardiac OHCAs.
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Observational Study
Role of hospital strain in determining outcomes for people hospitalised with COVID-19 in England.
In England, reported COVID-19 mortality rates increased during winter 2020/21 relative to earlier summer and autumn months. This study aimed to examine the association between COVID-19-related hospital bed-strain during this time and patient outcomes. ⋯ High levels of bed-strain were associated with higher in-hospital mortality rates, although the effect was relatively modest and may not fully explain increased mortality rates during winter 2020/21 compared with earlier months. Shorter hospital stay during periods of greater strain may partly reflect changes in patient management over time.
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Although frequent emergency department (ED) users have been widely studied in cross-sectional settings, there is some evidence suggesting that most frequent ED users do not remain frequent users over multiple consecutive years. The objective of this study was to explore the association between persistent multiyear frequent ED use and individuals' characteristics. ⋯ Differences exist between persistent and non-persistent frequent ED users that should be considered when implementing interventions designed to improve health outcomes and curtail healthcare expenditures generated by the broad population of frequent ED users.