Browsing by Author "Supples, Michael"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Factors Predicting Misidentification of Acute Ischemic Stroke and Large Vessel Occlusion by Paramedics
    (Wolters Kluwer, 2022) Glober, Nancy K.; Fulks, Tyler; Supples, Michael; Panagos, Peter; Kim, David; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
    The emergence of thrombectomy for large vessel occlusions has increased the importance of accurate prehospital identification and triage of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Despite available clinical scores, prehospital identification is suboptimal. Our objective was to improve the sensitivity of prehospital AIS identification by combining dispatch information with paramedic impression. We performed a retrospective cohort review of emergency medical services and hospital records of all patients for whom a stroke alert was activated in 1 urban, academic emergency department from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019. Using admission diagnosis of acute stroke as outcome, we calculated the sensitivity and specificity of dispatch and paramedic impression in identifying AIS and large vessel occlusion. We identified factors that, when included together, would improve the sensitivity of prehospital AIS identification. Two-hundred twenty-six stroke alerts were activated by emergency department physicians after transport by Indianapolis emergency medical services. Forty-four percent (99/226) were female, median age was 58 years (interquartile range, 50–67 years), and median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was 6 (interquartile range, 2–12). Paramedics demonstrated superior sensitivity (59% vs. 48%) but inferior specificity (56% vs. 73%) for detection of stroke as compared with dispatch. A strategy incorporating dispatch code of stroke, or paramedic impression of altered mental status or weakness in addition to stroke, would be 84% sensitive and 27% specific for identification of stroke. To optimize rapid and sensitive stroke detection, prehospital systems should consider inclusion of patients with dispatch code of stroke and provider impression of altered mental status or generalized weakness.
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    Impact of interhospital transfer on patients with Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias
    (Wiley, 2023-09-07) Glober, Nancy; LaShell, Alexandra; Montelauro, Nicholas; Troyer, Lindsay; Supples, Michael; Unroe, Kathleen; Tainter, Christopher; Faris, Greg; Fuchita, Mikita; Boustani, Malaz; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
    Older adults are often transferred from one emergency department (ED) to another hospital for speciality care, but little is known about whether those transfers positively impact patients, particularly those with Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias (ADRD). In this study we aimed to describe the impact of interhospital transfer on older adults with and without ADRD. In a retrospective review of electronic medical records, we collected data on demographics, insurance type, initial code status, intensive care, length of stay, specialist consult, procedure within 48 hours, and discharge disposition for older adults (≥65years). We included older adults with at least one ED visit, who were transferred to a tertiary care hospital. With logistic regression, we estimated odds of death, intensive care stay, or procedure within 48 hours by ADRD diagnosis. Patients with ADRD more often received a geriatrics (p < 0.001) or palliative care consult (p = 0.038). They were less likely to be full code at admission (p < 0.001) or to be discharged home (p < 0.001). Patients living with ADRD less often received intensive care or a procedure within 48 hours of transfer (odds ratio [OR] 1.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22–2.88). Patients with ADRD were less likely to receive intensive care unit admission or specialist procedures after transfer. Further study is indicated to comprehensively understand patient‐centered outcomes.
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    Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest volumes and characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic
    (Elsevier, 2021-10) Glober, Nancy K.; Supples, Michael; Faris, Greg; Arkins, Thomas; Christopher, Shawn; Fulks, Tyler; Rayburn, David; Weinstein, Elizabeth; Liao, Mark; O'Donnell, Daniel; Lardaro, Thomas; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
    Aim The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted Emergency Medical Services (EMS) operations throughout the country. Some studies described variation in total volume of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) during the pandemic. We aimed to describe the changes in volume and characteristics of OHCA patients and resuscitations in one urban EMS system. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of all recorded atraumatic OHCA in Marion County, Indiana, from January 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019 and from January 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020. We described patient, arrest, EMS response, and survival characteristics. We performed paired and unpaired t-tests to evaluate the changes in those characteristics during COVID-19 as compared to the prior year. Data were matched by month to control for seasonal variation. Results The total number of arrests increased from 884 in 2019 to 1034 in 2020 (p = 0.016). Comparing 2019 to 2020, there was little difference in age [median 62 (IQR 59–73) and 60 (IQR 47–72), p = 0.086], gender (38.5% and 39.8% female, p = 0.7466, witness to arrest (44.3% and 39.6%, p = 0.092), bystander AED use (10.1% and 11.4% p = 0.379), bystander CPR (48.7% and 51.4%, p = 0.242). Patients with a shockable initial rhythm (19.2% and 15.4%, p = 0.044) both decreased in 2020, and response time increased by 18 s [6.0 min (IQR 4.5–7.7) and 6.3 min (IQR 4.7–8.0), p = 0.008]. 47.7% and 54.8% (p = 0.001) of OHCA patients died in the field, 19.7% and 19.3% (p = 0.809) died in the Emergency Department, 21.8% and 18.5% (p = 0.044) died in the hospital, 10.8% and 7.4% (p = 0.012) were discharged from the hospital, and 9.3% and 5.9% (p = 0.005) were discharged with Cerebral Performance Category score ≤ 2. Conclusion Total OHCA increased during the COVID-19 pandemic when compared with the prior year. Although patient characteristics were similar, initial shockable rhythm, and proportion of patients who died in the hospital decreased during the pandemic. Further investigation will explore etiologies of those findings.
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    Prehospital Diagnosis and Treatment of Patients With Acute Heart Failure
    (Springer, 2022-06-12) Supples, Michael; Jelden, Katelyn; Pallansch, Jenna; Russell, Frances M.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
    Introduction: Early diagnosis and optimization of heart failure therapies in patients with acute heart failure (AHF), including in the prehospital setting, is crucial to improving outcomes. However, making the diagnosis of AHF in the prehospital setting is difficult. The goal of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of prehospital diagnosis (AHF versus not heart failure [HF]) in patients with acute dyspnea when compared to final hospital diagnosis. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of adult patients transported by emergency medical services (EMS) with a primary or secondary complaint of shortness of breath. Patients were identified through an EMS electronic database (ESO) and matched to their hospital encounter. ESO was reviewed for prehospital diagnosis and management. Hospital electronic medical records were reviewed to determine final hospital diagnosis, management in the emergency department and hospital, disposition, and length of stay. The primary outcome compared prehospital diagnosis to final hospital diagnosis, which served as our criterion standard. Results: Of 199 included patients, 50 (25%) had a final diagnosis of AHF. Prehospital paramedic sensitivity and accuracy for AHF were 14% (7/50; confidence interval [CI] 0.06-0.26) and 77% (CI 0.70-0.82), respectively. In the 50 patients with AHF, 14 (28%) received nitroglycerin in the prehospital setting, while 27 (54.0%) patients were inappropriately treated with albuterol. Conclusion: Prehospital paramedics had poor sensitivity and moderate accuracy for the diagnosis of AHF. A small percentage of patients ultimately diagnosed with AHF had HF therapy initiated in the prehospital setting. This data highlights the fact that AHF is difficult to diagnose in the prehospital setting and is commonly missed.
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    Prehospital Lung Ultrasound in Acute Heart Failure: Impact on Diagnosis and Treatment
    (2023-04-28) Tamhankar, Omkar; Russell, Frances; Supples, Michael; Liao, Mark; Finnegan, Patrick
    Background and Objectives Patients with acute heart failure (AHF) are commonly misdiagnosed and undertreated in the prehospital setting. These delays in diagnosis and treatment have a direct negative impact on patient outcomes. The goal of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of AHF by paramedics with and without lung ultrasound (LUS). We also assessed LUS impact on rate of initiation and time to initiation of HF therapies in AHF patients with and without LUS performed. Methods This was a prospective, nonrandomized, interventional study on a consecutive sample of patients transported to the hospital by one emergency medical services agency. Adult patients (>18) with a chief complaint of dyspnea and at least one of the following: bilateral lower extremity edema, orthopnea, wheezing or rales on auscultation, respiratory rate >20 or oxygen saturation < 92% were included. LUS was performed when a paramedic trained in LUS was present and an US was available on the ambulance. LUS was defined as positive for AHF if both anterior-superior lung zones had >2 B-lines or bilateral B-lines were visualized on a 4-view protocol. Paramedic diagnosis with and without the use of LUS was compared to hospital discharge diagnosis using Fishers exact analysis. Kappa was used to determine LUS interpretation interrater reliability between paramedic and expert. HF therapy was defined as nitroglycerin prehospital and furosemide in the emergency department. Time to treatment was defined as paramedic initial patient contact time to the time treatment was administered. Results A total of 353 patients were enrolled from March to September 2022; 89 did not meet inclusion criteria. Of the 264 included patients 94 (35%) had AHF. Forty patients had a LUS performed. Sensitivity and specificity for AHF by paramedics was 23% (95% CI 0.14-0.34) and 97% (CI 0.92-0.99) without LUS and 71% (95% CI 0.44-0.88) and 96% (95% CI 0.76-0.99) with the use of LUS. In the 94 patients with AHF, 14% (11/77) received HF therapy prehospital without the use of LUS and 53% (9/17) with the use of LUS. LUS improved frequency of treatment by 39%. Median time to treatment was 19 minutes with LUS and 149 minutes without. Kappa for LUS interpretation was 0.79 (CI 0.6-0.98). Conclusion LUS improved paramedic sensitivity and accuracy for diagnosing AHF in the prehospital setting. LUS use led to higher rates of prehospital HF therapy initiation and significantly decreased time to treatment.