Comparison of the Diagnostic Accuracies of Procalcitonin and C-Reactive Protein for Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in Patients with Cirrhosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is both a prevalent and severe complication among individuals with cirrhosis. This systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin (PCT) and compare it to C-reactive protein (CRP) in cirrhotic patients with suspected SBP. : We performed an extensive literature review utilizing databases including MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials.

Muscle-specific strength is an alternative to muscle mass and grip strength for predicting outcomes in patients with gastric cancer.

Background: Muscle-specific strength is a newly proposed indicator for assessing muscle quality. Its prognostic value in patients undergoing cancer surgery remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the impact of low muscle-specific strength on short- and long-term outcomes in patients with resectable gastric cancer.

Influence of different relationships of bystanders to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients on the effectiveness of dispatcher-assisted CPR.

Background: Dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DA-CPR) significantly improves CPR performance by bystanders, increasing the survival of patients. However, emotional stress among family members witnessing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) may hinder their ability to effectively perform CPR, leading to delayed and poorer quality CPR. The influence of the relationships of callers to patients (i.

Diagnostic performances of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein for sepsis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The Sepsis-3 2016 definition defined sepsis as a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been widely studied for the detection of sepsis according to the former definitions. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performances of PCT and CRP for sepsis, according to the Sepsis-2 and Sepsis-3 definitions.

Trauma center vs. nearest non-trauma center: direct transport or bypass approach for out-of-hospital traumatic cardiac arrest.

Background: Out-of-hospital traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA), a sudden loss of heart function caused by severe trauma such as blunt, penetrating, or other injuries, presents significant public health challenges due to its high severity and extremely low survival rates. Approximately 2.7% of trauma patients experience cardiac arrest at the scene, with an overall survival rate of less than 5%.

Intraosseous and Intravenous Epinephrine Administration Routes in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: Survival and Neurologic Outcomes.

Background: The rate of survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest varies depending on the timeliness and effectiveness of prehospital interventions. This study was conducted to compare out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes between intravenous and intraosseous routes and between upper and lower extremity routes for drug administration.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively analyzed data (collected using the Utstein template) from 1220 patients who had experienced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Taiwan's Taoyuan City between January 2021 and August 2023.

Installation of Public Access Defibrillators for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests: Identifying Suitable Locations by Using a Geographic Information System.

Background: Survival following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest depends on prompt defibrillation. Despite the efforts made to install automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in crowded areas, their usage rate remains suboptimal. This study evaluated the efficiency of installing AEDs at key landmarks in Taoyuan City to enhance accessibility and usage.

Development of a Predictive Nomogram for Sepsis in Patients with Urolithiasis-Related Obstructive Pyelonephritis.

: In patients with urolithiasis-related obstructive pyelonephritis (UROP), sepsis represents a critical and concerning complication that can substantially increase the mortality rate. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for sepsis in UROP patients and to develop a predictive nomogram model. : We analyzed data from 148 patients who met the UROP criteria and were admitted to Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2021.

Effectiveness of Blended Versus Traditional Refresher Training for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: Prospective Observational Study.

Background: Generally, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills decline substantially over time. By combining web-based self-regulated learning with hands-on practice, blended training can be a time- and resource-efficient approach enabling individuals to acquire or refresh CPR skills at their convenience. However, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of blended CPR refresher training compared with that of the traditional method.

Novel Prediction Score for Arterial-Esophageal Fistula in Patients with Esophageal Cancer Bleeding: A Multicenter Study.

Purpose: To develop and internally validate a novel prediction score to predict the occurrence of arterial-esophageal fistula (AEF) in esophageal cancer bleeding.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled patients with esophageal cancer bleeding in the emergency department. The primary outcome was the diagnosis of AEF.

Effects of Dispatcher-Assisted Public-Access Defibrillation Programs on the Outcomes of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Before-and-After Study.

Background: Public access defibrillation (PAD) programs have been implemented globally over the past decade. Although PAD can substantially increase the survival of cardiac arrest, PAD use remains low. This study aimed to evaluate whether drawing upon the successful experiences of dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation programs would increase the use of PAD in dispatcher-assisted PAD programs.

Learning Effectiveness Assessment between Primary School Students and Adults in Basic Life Support Education.

Background: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a big issue of critical care. It is well known that bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with an automated external defibrillator (AED) used did improve the survival rate. Therefore, CPR education including basic life support (BLS) and AED has been advocated for years.

Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic on an Emergency Department Service: Experience at the Largest Tertiary Center in Taiwan.

Purpose: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an emerging contagious pathogen that has caused community and nosocomial infections in many countries. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on emergency services of the largest medical center in Taiwan by comparing emergency department (ED) usage, turnover, and admission rates before the COVID-19 outbreak with those during the outbreak.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in the ED of the largest tertiary medical center in Taiwan.

Traditional versus blended CPR training program: A randomized controlled non-inferiority study.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and its quality are critical in improving the survival rate of cardiac arrest. This randomized controlled study investigated the efficacy of a newly developed CPR training program for the public in a Taiwanese setting. A total of 832 adults were randomized to either a traditional or blended (18-minute e-learning plus 30-minute hands-on) compression-only CPR training program.

Impact of Transport Time and Cardiac Arrest Centers on the Neurological Outcome After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background Should all out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients be directly transported to cardiac arrest centers (CACs) remains under debate. Our study evaluated the impacts of different transport time and destination hospital on the outcomes of OHCA patients. Methods and Results Data were collected from 6655 OHCA patients recorded in the regional prospective OHCA registry database of Taoyuan City, Taiwan, between January 2012 and December 2016.

Impact of the caller's emotional state and cooperation on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest recognition and dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Objective: This study determined the impact of the caller's emotional state and cooperation on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) recognition and dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DA-CPR) performance metrics.

Methods: This was a retrospective study using data from November 2015 to October 2016 from the emergency medical service dispatching centre in northern Taiwan. Audio recordings of callers contacting the centre regarding adult patients with non-traumatic OHCA were reviewed.

Myxedema associated with cardiac tamponade.

Pericardial effusion is frequently found in patients diagnosed with hypothyroidism, yet it is rarely associated with cardiac tamponade. This report presents an atypical case concerning a 60-year-old Taiwanese female, with a history of thyroidectomy surgery due to thyroid cancer, who was later diagnosed with myxedema and cardiac tamponade. Treatment included an immediate pericardiocentesis followed by thyroxine hormone replacement therapy.