Verification of the Optimal Chest Compression Depth for Children in the 2015 American Heart Association Guidelines: Computed Tomography Study.

Objective: The 2015 American Heart Association guidelines recommended pediatric rescue chest compressions of at least one-third the anteroposterior diameter of the chest, which equates to approximately 5 cm. This study evaluated the appropriateness of these two types by comparing their safeties in chest compression depth simulated by CT.

Design: Retrospective study with data analysis conducted from January 2005 to June 2015 SETTING:: Regional emergency center in South Korea.

A survey-based study on the protocols for therapeutic hypothermia in cardiac arrest patients in Korea: focusing on the differences between level 1 and 2 centers.

Objective: We aimed to summarize the therapeutic hypothermia (TH) protocols used in emergency departments (EDs) in Korea and to investigate the differences between level 1 and 2 centers.

Methods: The chief residents from 56 EDs were given a structured survey containing questions on the indications for TH, methods for TH induction, maintaining, and finalizing TH treatments. The participants were divided into 2 groups based on their work place (level 1 vs.

Effectiveness of the sequential organ failure assessment, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II, and simplified acute physiology score II prognostic scoring systems in paraquat-poisoned patients in the intensive care unit.

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the ability of the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II scoring systems, as well as the simplified acute physiology score (SAPS) II method to predict group mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients who were poisoned with paraquat. This will assist physicians with risk stratification.

Material And Methods: The medical records of 244 paraquat-poisoned patients admitted to the ICU from January 2010 to April 2015 were examined retrospectively.

Differences in Hands-off Time According to the Position of a Second Rescuer When Switching Compression in Pre-hospital Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Provided by Two Bystanders: A Randomized, Controlled, Parallel Study.

The change of compressing personnel will inevitably accompany hands off time when cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is performed by two or more rescuers. The present study assessed whether changing compression by a second rescuer located on the opposite side (OS) of the first rescuer can reduce hands-off time compared to CPR on the same side (SS) when CPR is performed by two rescuers. The scenario of this randomized, controlled, parallel simulation study was compression-only CPR by two laypersons in a pre-hospital situation.

Performance of intubation with 4 different airway devices by unskilled rescuers: manikin study.

Introduction: This study was designed to compare the performances of 4 airway devices in achieving successful ventilation.

Methods: A randomized crossover trial was conducted to evaluate 4 airway devices: laryngeal mask airway (LMA), i-gel (iGEL), PENTAX Airway Scope (AWS), and Macintosh laryngoscope (MCL). Thirty-eight unskilled rescuers performed intubation on a manikin during chest compressions in normal and difficult airway scenarios.

Feasibility of optic nerve sheath diameter measured on initial brain computed tomography as an early neurologic outcome predictor after cardiac arrest.

Objectives: Few parameters are available to predict neurologic outcome of post-cardiac arrest patients in the early stage of treatment. Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) has been used to indirectly assess intracranial pressure. This study evaluated whether ONSD, an additional parameter in initial brain computed tomography (CT) scans, can be an early predictor of neurologic outcome in post-cardiac arrest patients.

Survival and neurologic outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients who were transferred after return of spontaneous circulation for integrated post-cardiac arrest syndrome care: the another feasibility of the cardiac arrest center.

It has been proven that safety and efficiency of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients is transported to specialized hospitals that have the capability of performing therapeutic hypothermia (TH). However, the outcome of the patients who have been transferred after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) has not been well evaluated. We conducted a retrospective observational study between January 2010 to March 2012.

Performance assessment of the SOFA, APACHE II scoring system, and SAPS II in intensive care unit organophosphate poisoned patients.

This study assessed the ability of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) and Acute Physiology, Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scoring systems, as well as the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II method to predict group mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients who were poisoned with organophosphate. The medical records of 149 organophosphate poisoned patients admitted to the ICU from September 2006 to December 2012 were retrospectively examined. The SOFA, APACHE II, and SAPS II were calculated based on initial laboratory data in the Emergency Department, and during the first 24 hr of ICU admission.

Better lactate clearance associated with good neurologic outcome in survivors who treated with therapeutic hypothermia after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Introduction: Several methods have been proposed to evaluate neurological outcome in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. Blood lactate has been recognized as a reliable prognostic marker for trauma, sepsis, or cardiac arrest. The objective of this study was to examine the association between initial lactate level or lactate clearance and neurologic outcome in OHCA survivors who were treated with therapeutic hypothermia.

The adverse effect of emergency department crowding on compliance with the resuscitation bundle in the management of severe sepsis and septic shock.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of emergency department (ED) crowding on the implementation of tasks in the early resuscitation bundle during acute care of patients with severe sepsis and septic shock, as recommended by the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines.

Methods: We analyzed the sepsis registry from August 2008 to March 2012 for patients presenting to an ED of a tertiary urban hospital and meeting the criteria for severe sepsis or septic shock. The ED occupancy rate, which was defined as the total number of patients in the ED divided by the total number of ED beds, was used for measuring the degree of ED crowding.

Basic life support skill improvement with newly designed renewal programme: cluster randomised study of small-group-discussion method versus practice-while-watching method.

Background: For the basic life support (BLS) renewal course, we have devised a new educational programme entitled a small-group-discussion (SGD) programme using personalised video-based debriefing.

Objective: We compared the efficacy in BLS skill improvement of the SGD programme with the currently used practice-while-watching (PWW) programme, which uses a standardised education video.

Method: This was a prospective, cluster randomised study, conducted in a single centre, over 6 months from May 2009 to October 2009.

Success rates and procedure times of oesophageal temperature probe insertion for therapeutic hypothermia treatment of cardiac arrest according to insertion methods in the emergency department.

Purpose: Therapeutic hypothermia has become the standard treatment for unconscious patients in cardiac arrest. Although various body parts, including the oesophagus, rectum, bladder and tympanum, can be used for measurement of the core temperature, the oesophageal temperature is preferred because of its accuracy and stability. We first investigated the success rate and procedure time of oesophageal temperature probe (ETP) insertion according to the insertion method.

Evaluating the accuracy of emergency medicine resident interpretations of abdominal CTs in patients with non-traumatic abdominal pain.

Abdominal computed tomography (CT) is widely used as a diagnostic tool in emergency medicine (EM) to accurately diagnose abdominal pain. EM residents must be able to offer preliminary interpretations of CT imaging. In this study, we evaluated the preliminary interpretation ability of a sample of emergency residents presented with adult abdominal CT images, and compared their results with those of radiology residents.

Factors influencing compliance with early resuscitation bundle in the management of severe sepsis and septic shock.

The Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines recommend implementing a 6-h resuscitation bundle, which has been associated with reduced mortality of patients presenting with severe sepsis or septic shock. However, this resuscitation bundle has not yet become a widely implemented treatment protocol. It is still unclear what factors are associated with the rate of compliance with the resuscitation bundle.

Predicting factors associated with clinical deterioration of sepsis patients with intermediate levels of serum lactate.

Clinical deterioration among hemodynamically stable sepsis patients occurs frequently, and patients with intermediate lactate levels (between 2.0 and 4.0 mmol/L) are particularly at risk for mortality.