Investigations for the assessment of adult patients presenting to the emergency department with supraventricular tachycardia

Dear editor,Patients with supraventricular tachycardia(SVT)commonly present to the emergency department(ED).Current guidelines[1,2]do not recommend routine pathology testing and a report on the topic has questioned their role.A systematic review concluded that troponin testing is commonly performed with a high proportion of positive fi ndings,but these results were not associated with major adverse cardiac events.[3]The conclusions of this review were limited by paucity of data and heterogeneity among studies.

Tranexamic acid for major trauma patients in Ireland

BACKGROUND:The Clinical Randomisation of an Anti-fibrinolytic in Significant Hemorrhage-2(CRASH-2)is the largest randomized control trial(RCT)examining circulatory resuscitation for trauma patients to date and concluded a statistically significant reduction in all-cause mortality in patients administered tranexamic acid(TXA)within 3 hours of injury.Since the publication of CRASH-2,significant geographical variance in the use of TXA for trauma patients exists.This study aims to assess TXA use for major trauma patients with hemorrhagic shock in Ireland after the publication of CRASH-2.METHODS:A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data derived from the Trauma Audit and Research Network(TARN).All injured patients in Ireland between January 2013 and December 2018 who had evidence of hemorrhagic shock on presentation(as defined by systolic blood pressure[SBP]<100 mmHg[1 mmHg=0.133 kPa]and administration of blood products)were eligible for inclusion.Death at hospital discharge was the primary outcome.RESULTS:During the study period,a total of 234 patients met the inclusion criteria.Among injured patients presenting with hemorrhagic shock,133(56.8%;95%confidence interval[CI]50.2%–63.3%)received TXA.Of patients that received TXA,a higher proportion of patients presented with shock index>1(70.68%vs.57.43%)and higher Injury Severity Score(ISS>25;49.62%vs.23.76%).Administration of TXA was not associated with mortality at hospital discharge(odds ratio[OR]0.86,95%CI 0.31–2.38).CONCLUSIONS:Among injured Irish patients presenting with hemorrhagic shock,TXA was administered to 56.8%of patients.Patients administered with TXA were on average more severely injured.However,a mortality benefit could not be demonstrated.

Timely completion of multiple life-saving interventions for traumatic haemorrhagic shock: a retrospective cohort study

Background:Early control of haemorrhage and optimisation of physiology are guiding principles of resuscitation after injury.Improved outcomes have been previously associated with single,timely interventions.The aim of this study was to assess the association between multiple timely life-saving interventions(LSIs)and outcomes of traumatic haemorrhagic shock patients.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was undertaken of injured patients with haemorrhagic shock who presented to Alfered Emergency&Trauma Centre between July 01,2010 and July 31,2014.LSIs studied included chest decompression,control of external haemorrhage,pelvic binder application,transfusion of red cells and coagulation products and surgical control of bleeding through angio-embolisation or operative intervention.The primary exposure variable was timely initiation of≥50%of the indicated interventions.The association between the primary exposure variable and outcome of death at hospital discharge was adjusted for potential confounders using multivariable logistic regression analysis.The association between total pre-hospital times and pre-hospital care times(time from ambulance at scene to trauma centre),in-hospital mortality and timely initiation of≥50%of the indicated interventions were assessed.Results:Of the 168 patients,54(32.1%)patients had≥50%of indicated LSI completed within the specified time period.Timely delivery of LSI was independently associated with improved survival to hospital discharge(adjusted odds ratio(OR)for in-hospital death 0.17;95%confidence interval(CI)0.03–0.83;p=0.028).This association was independent of patient age,pre-hospital care time,injury severity score,initial serum lactate levels and coagulopathy.Among patients with pre-hospital time of≥2 h,2(3.6%)received timely LSIs.Pre-hospital care times of≥2 h were associated with delayed LSIs and with in-hospital death(unadjusted OR 4.3;95%CI 1.4–13.0).Conclusions:Timely completion of LSI when indicated was completed in a small proportion of patients and reflects previous research demonstrating delayed processes and errors even in advanced trauma systems.Timely delivery of a high proportion of LSIs was associated with improved outcomes among patients presenting with haemorrhagic shock after injury.Provision of LSIs in the pre-hospital phase of trauma care has the potential to improve outcomes.