Pre-Hospital Delay in Patients With Acute Stroke During the Initial Phase of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak.

Background: When a sudden outbreak of an infectious disease occurs, emergency medical services (EMS) response could be negatively affected. The poor prognosis of acute stroke may be largely attributed to delays in treatment. This study aimed to identify the impact of the sudden outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on EMS response for patients with acute stroke.

Factors Associated with Delay of Emergency Medical Services Activation in Patients with Acute Stroke.

Background: The poor prognosis of acute stroke may be largely attributed to delays in treatment. Emergency medical services (EMS) usage is associated with a significant reduction in the delay in stroke treatment. The aims of this study were to identify factors associated with the delay in EMS activation for patients with acute stroke.

Magnesium augments immunosuppressive effects of a corticosteroid in obese mice with airway inflammation.

Background: Magnesium deficiency common in obesity is known to promote chronic low-grade inflammation and aggravate asthma symptoms; however, the effects of magnesium supplementation in obese asthmatic patients have not been investigated.

Objective: To examine the effects of magnesium co-administration with dexamethasone on airway inflammation in obese mice.

Methods: Female C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat diet, sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) to induce allergic reactions, challenged with aerosolized OVA, and administered dexamethasone (3 mg/kg) with or without magnesium.

The Effect of a Mechanical Compression Device and Supraglottic Airway on Flow Time: A Simulation Study of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in a High-Rise Building.

High-rise buildings present unique challenges to providing high-quality CPR. We investigated the effect of using a mechanical compressor and supraglottic airway on flow time and CPR quality in simulated cardiac arrests occurring within a high-rise building. Twelve teams of EMS providers performed CPR according to 4 scenarios: manual compression and ventilation through bag-valve-mask (MAB) or supraglottic airway (MAS); mechanical compression and ventilation through bag-valve-mask (MEB) or supraglottic airway (MES).

Varying levels of difficulty index of skills-test items randomly selected by examinees on the Korean emergency medical technician licensing examination.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to characterize the difficulty index of the items in the skills test components of the class I and II Korean emergency medical technician licensing examination (KEMTLE), which requires examinees to select items randomly.

Methods: The results of 1,309 class I KEMTLE examinations and 1,801 class II KEMTLE examinations in 2013 were subjected to analysis. Items from the basic and advanced skills test sections of the KEMTLE were compared to determine whether some were significantly more difficult than others.