Definition and developmental goals for Nordic emergency medicine.

Although Emergency Medicine is now globally an established specialty, the Nordic countries have been relatively slow to implement it into their health care systems. To facilitate the development of EM in the Nordic area, a working group was formed with representation from all national EM societies; DASEM (Danish Society for Emergency Medicine), FiSEM (Finnish Society of Emergency Medicine), ISEM (Icelandic Society for Emergency Medicine), NCEM (Norwegian College of Emergency Medicine), and SWESEM (Swedish Society for Emergency Medicine). This group was tasked with creating a Nordic EM manifesto-to create a definition and developmental goals for Nordic Emergency Medicine.

Non-emergency department (ED) interventions to reduce ED utilization: a scoping review.

Background: Emergency department (ED) crowding is a global burden. Interventions to reduce ED utilization have been widely discussed in the literature, but previous reviews have mainly focused on specific interventions or patient groups within the EDs. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify, summarize, and categorize the various types of non-ED-based interventions designed to reduce unnecessary visits to EDs.

Intoxication cases in the Emergency Department at a Norwegian University Hospital 2019-20.

Background: Acute intoxication is a common chief complaint in emergency medicine, but there is a lack of up-to-date studies from the emergency departments in Norway on the incidence and prevalence of various toxic substances. The aim of this study was to survey acute intoxications at the emergency department of St Olav's Hospital, Trondheim.

Material And Method: In this review of patient records, we used data from the emergency department at St Olav's Hospital in Trondheim in the period 1  January 2019-31  December 2020.

Patient influx to emergency departments at two Norwegian university hospitals from 2012-21.

Background: The increase in patient visits to emergency departments is a global challenge. We wished to survey patient inflow and patient composition over time at two Norwegian university hospitals.

Material And Method: A retrospective, descriptive study of patient contacts (patients ≥ 16 years of age) in the emergency departments of Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, and St Olav's Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital in the period 2012-21.

Current postgraduate training in emergency medicine in the Nordic countries.

Background: Emergency Medicine (EM) is an independent specialty in all five Nordic countries. This study aims to evaluate the structure of post-graduate EM training in the area.

Methods: A leading hospital or hospitals in EM training in each country were identified.

Patient characteristics in sepsis-related deaths: prevalence of advanced frailty, comorbidity, and age in a Norwegian hospital trust.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of advanced frailty, comorbidity, and age among sepsis-related deaths in an adult hospital population.

Methods: Retrospective chart reviews of deceased adults within a Norwegian hospital trust, with a diagnosis of infection, over 2 years (2018-2019). The likelihood of sepsis-related death was evaluated by clinicians as sepsis-related, possibly sepsis-related, or not sepsis-related.

Epidemiology of geriatric patients presenting to emergency departments in Europe: EGERS study.

Background And Importance: Patients aged 65 and above constitute a large and growing part of emergency department (ED) visits in western countries.

Objective: The primary aim of this European prospective study was to determine the epidemiologic characteristics of elderly patients presenting to EDs across Europe. Our secondary objective was to determine the hospitalization rate, characteristics, and in-hospital mortality rates of geriatric patients presenting to EDs.

Clinical Characteristics and Management of Patients with a Suspected COVID-19 Infection in Emergency Departments: A European Retrospective Multicenter Study.

Background: Our aim is to describe and compare the profile and outcome of patients attending the ED with a confirmed COVID-19 infection with patients with a suspected COVID-19 infection. Methods: We conducted a multicentric retrospective study including adults who were seen in 21 European emergency departments (ED) with suspected COVID-19 between 9 March and 8 April 2020. Patients with either a clinical suspicion of COVID-19 or confirmed COVID-19, detected using either a RT-PCR or a chest CT scan, formed the C+ group.

Low-voltage electrical accidents, immediate reactions and acute health care associated with self-reported general health 4 years later.

Background And Aims: Electricians frequently experience low-voltage electrical accidents. Some such accidents involve long-term negative health consequences. Early identification of victims at risk for long-term injury may improve acute medical treatment and long-term follow-up.

Observational study on chest pain during the Covid-19 pandemic: changes and characteristics of visits to a Norwegian emergency department during the lockdown.

Background: Following the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, reports emerged on decreasing emergency department (ED) visits in many countries. Patients experiencing chest pain was no exception. The aim of the current study was to describe how the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequential lockdown impacted the chest pain population in a Norwegian ED.

Patients with low-voltage electric shock referred to an Emergency Department.

Background: Patients exposed to electricity are often referred to the Emergency Department, but guidelines differ as to how they should be managed. In this article, we describe patients with low-voltage electric shock in the Emergency Department at St Olav's Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital.

Material And Method: Retrospective data from patients referred to the Emergency Department following low-voltage electric shock (< 1,000 V) in the period 1.

Prehospital Stressors: A Cross-sectional Study of Norwegian Helicopter Emergency Medical Physicians.

Objective: Personnel working in helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) and search and rescue (SAR) are exposed to environmental stressors, which may impair performance. The aim of this survey was to study the extent HEMS and SAR physicians report the influence of specific danger-based and non-danger-based stressors.

Methods: The study was performed as a cross-sectional, anonymous, Web-based (Questback AS, Bogstadveien 54, 0366 Oslo, Norway) survey of Norwegian HEMS and SAR physicians between December 2, 2019, and February 25, 2020.

Prehospital naloxone administration - what influences choice of dose and route of administration?

Background: Amidst the ongoing opioid crisis there are debates regarding the optimal route of administration and dosages of naloxone. This applies both for lay people administration and emergency medical services, and in the development of new naloxone products. We examined the characteristics of naloxone administration, including predictors of dosages and multiple doses during patient treatment by emergency medical service staff in order to enlighten this debate.

Patient visits to an emergency department in anticipation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The Emergency Department in Trondheim has prepared for a large influx of patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We conducted a study comparing patients in the Emergency Department in the first weeks of the pandemic in Norway (weeks 11 and 12) with the average number of patient visits.

Material And Method: Data from patients at the Emergency Department of St Olav's Hospital in the period 6 January 2020-22 March 2020 were retrieved from the Emergency Department's database.

Template for uniform reporting of emergency department measures, consensus according to the Utstein method.

Objective: To develop a template for uniform reporting of standardized measuring and describing of care provided in the emergency department (ED).

Methods: An international group of experts in emergency medicine, with broad experience from different clinical settings, met in Utstein, Norway. Through a consensus process, a limited number of measures that would accurately describe an ED were chosen and a template was developed.

Description of chest pain patients in a Norwegian emergency department.

Objectives: Chest pain is one of the most frequent chief complaints in patients admitted to the emergency department (ED). No study has evaluated this patient population in Norway. The aim of the present study was to describe the diagnoses and logistics of chest pain patients admitted to the ED at a Norwegian university hospital.

Compliance With a National Standard by Norwegian Helicopter Emergency Physicians.

Objective: The "National Standard Requirements for Helicopter Emergency Medicine Services Physicians" gives recommendations on medical requirements for flight physicians. This study describes the level of formal competence, experience, and guideline compliance of Norwegian helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) physicians.

Methods: In May 2013, all HEMS physicians with full-time engagement at Norwegian HEMS bases were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey using a structured, Web-based questionnaire.

Poor performance of quick-SOFA (qSOFA) score in predicting severe sepsis and mortality - a prospective study of patients admitted with infection to the emergency department.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of qSOFA as a risk stratification tool for patients admitted with infection compared to traditional SIRS criteria or our triage system; the Rapid Emergency Triage and Treatment System (RETTS).

Methods: The study was an observational cohort study performed at one Emergency Department (ED) in an urban university teaching hospital in Norway, with approximately 20,000 visits per year. All patients >16 years presenting with symptoms or clinical signs suggesting an infection (n = 1535) were prospectively included in the study from January 1 to December 31, 2012.

Assessment of pain in a Norwegian Emergency Department.

Background: Although pain management is a fundamental aspect of care in emergency departments (EDs), inadequate treatment of pain is unfortunately common. There are multiple local protocols for pain assessment in the ED. This study evaluated whether the initial assessment and treatment of pain in the ED are in accordance with the in-hospital protocol of the ED at a Norwegian University Hospital.

The GLT-1 (EAAT2; slc1a2) glutamate transporter is essential for glutamate homeostasis in the neocortex of the mouse.

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter, and is inactivated by cellular uptake catalyzed mostly by the glutamate transporter subtypes GLT-1 (EAAT2) and GLAST (EAAT1). Astrocytes express both GLT-1 and GLAST, while axon terminals in the neocortex only express GLT-1. To evaluate the role of GLT-1 in glutamate homeostasis, we injected GLT-1 knockout (KO) mice and wild-type littermates with [1-(13)C]glucose and [1,2-(13)C]acetate 15 min before euthanization.

The acute sick and injured patients: an overview of the emergency department patient population at a Norwegian University Hospital Emergency Department.

Objectives: There is a lack of knowledge of the emergency department (ED) population in Norway; hence, the aim of this study was to describe the ED patient population at a Norwegian University Hospital.

Materials And Methods: Prospective data of all ED patients admitted to the main ED over a period of 2 months were collected. The patients' presenting complaint was registered using the International Classification of Primary Care-2 (ICPC-2).