The Briefing · Emergency & Critical Care
Continuous newsroom coverage of evidence in Emergency & Critical Care — newest first.
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High-Flow Oxygen Lowers Intubation but Does Not Improve Survival
High-flow nasal cannula therapy reduces intubation rates in acute hypoxemic respiratory failure without altering 28-day mortality.
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Prehospital Whole Blood Shows No Survival Benefit Over Component Therapy
A randomized trial of 616 trauma patients found prehospital whole blood did not reduce 24-hour mortality or massive transfusion needs.
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Consensus Panel Identifies Systemic Barriers to Public Defibrillation
A RAND-UCLA consensus study of 46 international experts highlights poor residential coverage and lack of live registries as major hurdles.
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Paid Social Media Boosts Community Outreach in Prehospital Trials
A retrospective review of a 20-site pediatric trial shows paid Facebook ads reach significantly more people than free institutional posts.
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Acute Care Surgery Frameworks Reduce Time to Intervention by 40 Percent
A decade-long review shows that structured emergency surgery models in Singapore cut intervention times and shortened hospital stays.
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Adhesions Drive Most Small Bowel Obstructions in the Virgin Abdomen
A retrospective study of 312 patients shows conservative management is feasible, with a 4.9% mortality rate in non-operative cases.
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Women Face Worse Functional Recovery After Intensive Care EEG
Despite similar acute management and mortality, critically ill women are half as likely as men to achieve favorable long-term recovery.
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LGBTQ+ EMS Clinicians Balance Professional Identity and Disclosure
A qualitative analysis reveals how LGBTQ+ prehospital clinicians navigate workplace disclosure while prioritizing their clinical skills.
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Lab and Point-of-Care Electrolyte Tests Diverge in 10% of ICU Cases
A prospective study reveals that central lab and point-of-care sodium and potassium measurements are not interchangeable in critical care.
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Conservative Care Reduces Hospital Stay in Severe Liver Trauma
A UK study shows non-operative management for severe liver trauma yields shorter hospital stays without increasing 30-day mortality.
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Prehospital Opioid Treatment Programs Show High Consistency in North Carolina
A cross-sectional analysis of 21 counties reveals standardized protocols for EMS-administered buprenorphine, offering a replicable model.
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Paramedic Ride-Alongs Improve Medical Student Grasp of Social Determinants
First- and second-year medical students reported a better understanding of community health barriers after 8-hour paramedic ride-alongs.
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15-Item Tool Predicts Post-Intensive Care Syndrome at Three Months
A new 15-question assessment administered at intensive care unit discharge shows moderate accuracy in predicting long-term functional decline.
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Pediatric Lumbar Puncture Simulation Boosts Skills but Relies on Time-Based Practice
A review of 17 studies shows simulation training improves trainee knowledge, but most programs lack objective clinical outcome measures.
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Apixaban Reduces Bleeding Risk Versus Rivaroxaban in Venous Thromboembolism
In a randomized trial of 2,760 patients, apixaban resulted in a 3.3% bleeding rate compared to 7.1% for rivaroxaban over three months.
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Spinal and Head Injuries Dominate Emergency Visits for Equestrian Falls
A multicenter study of 669 patients reveals high rates of spinal and head trauma, driving extensive emergency imaging and hospitalizations.
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Crisis Skills Correlate With Dispatcher Performance in Mass Casualties
A 19-month simulation study shows a strong correlation between crisis resource management skills and objective performance metrics.
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Poor Communication and End-of-Life Care Drive Burnout in Ugandan EDs
Nearly half of surveyed emergency department staff in Uganda report high emotional exhaustion, exacerbated by systemic resource shortages.
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Extracorporeal Resuscitation Yields 33% Six-Month Survival in New Center
A newly established center demonstrates that extracorporeal resuscitation achieves favorable long-term outcomes despite prolonged transport.
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ICU Antipsychotic Exposure Linked to Fewer Catatonia-Free Days
Critically ill patients receiving antipsychotics experience a dose-dependent reduction in days alive and free from catatonia.
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Inpatient Rehab Tied to More Days at Home After ICU Discharge
Each hour of inpatient rehabilitation is linked to an 8% higher odds of older ICU survivors spending more time at home post-discharge.
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Vasopressor Weaning Sequence Does Not Alter Hypotension Risk
A meta-analysis of 2,280 patients reveals no overall difference in hypotension or secondary outcomes when weaning norepinephrine first.
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Vasopressor Timing Does Not Predict 90-Day Mortality in Septic Shock Study
A retrospective cohort study of 4,699 patients reveals that time to vasopressor initiation is not independently associated with survival
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Trial: Higher Bupivacaine Doses Do Not Improve Nerve Block Headache Relief
A randomized trial finds that low-dose, unilateral sphenopalatine ganglion blocks are as effective as higher doses for acute headaches