Publications by authors named "Curac Sonja"
Background: Electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the most commonly performed examinations in emergency medicine. The literature suggests that one-third of ECG interpretations contain errors and can lead to clinical adverse outcomes. The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of real-time ECG interpretation by senior emergency physicians compared to cardiologists and an ECG expert.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant challenges for emergency departments (EDs), necessitating quick adaptations in their operations.
- A study focused on 5 academic EDs in a hard-hit region of France explored how they identified suspected COVID-19 cases and implemented a triage system based on real-time infection rates.
- The findings highlight hospitals' ability to reorganize and effectively manage resources during the crisis, providing insights that could help other EDs facing similar situations in the future.
The Lumipulse SARS-CoV-2 Ag assay performance was evaluated on prospectively collected saliva and nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) of recently ill in- and outpatients and according to the estimated viral load. Performances were calculated using RT-PCR positive NPS from patients with symptoms ≤ 7 days and RT-PCR negative NPS as gold standard. In addition, non-selected positive NPS were analyzed to assess the performances on various viral loads.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study aimed to validate the safety of a combined diagnostic strategy for ruling out pulmonary embolism (PE) that incorporates the YEARS rule and age-adjusted D-dimer thresholds in emergency departments across France and Spain.
- It involved a total of 1414 patients who were either at low risk for PE or had an intermediate risk, examining the outcomes of using different intervention strategies regarding chest imaging and D-dimer levels.
- The results showed that the intervention group had a very low rate of venous thromboembolism at 3 months (0.15%), suggesting that this combined strategy is a safe alternative for excluding PE without unnecessary imaging.
Background: Reports published directly after terrorist mass casualty incidents frequently fail to capture difficulties that may have been encountered. An anonymised consensus-based platform may enable discussion and collaboration on the challenges faced. Our aim was to identify where to focus improvement for future responses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEarly diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) remains a clinical challenge, and no biomarker has been consistently validated. We aimed to assess the accuracy of three promising circulating biomarkers for diagnosing AMI-citrulline, intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP), and D-lactate. A cross-sectional diagnostic study enrolled AMI patients admitted to the intestinal stroke center and controls with acute abdominal pain of another origin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: We aimed to describe red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in the emergency department (ED) with a particular focus on the hemoglobin (Hb) level thresholds that are used in this setting.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 12 EDs including all adult patients that received RBC transfusion in January and February 2018. Descriptive statistics were reported.
ED-visits and through-ED admissions to medical/surgical wards (MSW) and intensive care unit (ICU) during influenza, COVID-19 and lockdown periods were evaluated in a four-hospital prospective observational study from November 2018 to March 2020. ED visit characteristics and main diagnostic categories were assessed. Analysis of 368,262 ED-visits highlighted a significantly increasing trend in ED-visits during influenza followed by a significantly decreasing trend after lockdown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCOVID-19 Preparedness Among Emergency Departments: A Cross-Sectional Study in France.
Disaster Med Public Health Prep
February 2022
Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate hospital and emergency department (ED) preparedness in France facing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rapid growth epidemic-phase, and to determine the link between preparedness and responsiveness.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, from March 7 to March 11, 2020, all heads of ED departments in France were contacted to answer an electronic survey, including 23 questions. Quality, Organization, Training, Resources, Management, Interoperability, and Responsiveness were evaluated by calculating scores (10 points).
Introduction: Venous sampling for blood gas analysis has been suggested as an alternative to arterial sampling in order to reduce pain. The main objective was to compare pain induced by venous and arterial sampling and to assess whether the type of sampling would affect clinical management or not.
Methods: We performed an open-label randomised multicentre prospective study in four French EDs during a 4-week period.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to identify predictive factors for unfavorable outcomes in COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Paris, focusing on factors leading to the need for artificial ventilation or death.
- Researchers analyzed data from 279 COVID-19 patients, finding 31.5% experienced unfavorable outcomes, with key risk factors including age, weight, respiratory rate, fever, and specific blood markers.
- A nomogram was developed to predict the probability of adverse outcomes within 14 days, providing a useful tool for early detection and improving clinical care for at-risk patients.
Article Synopsis
- - The CURB-65 score is used to predict mortality in community-acquired pneumonia, but its relevance for COVID-19 patients' outpatient treatment decisions is uncertain.
- - A study analyzed 279 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, revealing that CURB-65 scores indicated varying levels of risk for poor outcomes, with 31.5% experiencing severe complications like mechanical ventilation or death.
- - Findings suggest that CURB-65 is not a reliable tool for determining which COVID-19 patients can be treated at home, as even those categorized as low risk still faced significant dangers.
Background: Sedative drug administration is a challenging aspect of the management of mechanically ventilated patients in the out-of-hospital critical care medicine. We hypothesised that the bispectral index of the EEG (BIS) could be a helpful tool in evaluating the depth of sedation in this difficult environment. The main objective of the present study was to assess the agreement of BIS with the clinical scales in the out-of-hospital setting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Guidelines for advanced life support of cardiac arrest (CA) emphasize continuous and effective chest compressions as one of the main factors of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) success. The use of an automated load distributing chest compression device for CPR is promising but initial studies on survival show contradictory results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of AutoPulse on blood pressure (BP) in out-of-hospital CA patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of hypotension induced by oxytocin antagonist atosiban and nicardipine.
Methods: This case-control study enrolled 14 pregnant women presenting with threatening premature delivery treated with atosiban and managed by a physician-staffed Emergency Medical Service Department (French Emergency Medical Service system) during inter-hospital transfers. A control group of 42 consecutive pregnant women presenting with threatening premature delivery managed during inter-hospital transfers during the same period and treated with nicardipine was set up.