A critical appraisal of the DEVICE trial comparing video and direct laryngoscopy in critically ill adults. It examines the improvement in first-attempt intubation success, the absence of a clear difference in severe complications, and how operator experience and patient selection affect interpretation.
Video Laryngoscopy vs Direct Laryngoscopy for Tracheal Intubation of Critically Ill Adults Read More
A January 2022 appraisal of a randomised trial of routine calcium in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Laura Howard examines return of circulation, survival and safety concerns, including the implications of stopping the trial early and excluding patients with specific indications for calcium.
JC: Should we use calcium in out of hospital cardiac arrest? St Emlyn’s Read More
A 2020 appraisal of intravenous haloperidol for acute benign headache. The review considers pain relief, adverse effects and patient selection, asking whether a placebo-controlled trial can tell us enough when the useful clinical comparison would be with usual headache treatment.
JC: Haloperidol for Headaches. St Emlyn’s Read More
Some clinical events stay with emergency physicians long after a shift ends. Laura Howard describes a qualitative interview study exploring those experiences, their effects on sleep and life outside work, and the questions they raise about preparation, support and recovery.
JC: How events in emergency medicine impact doctors psychological well-being. St Emlyn’s Read More
The Virchester ‘ED Spa’ offers staff a non-clinical space to pause, recover and connect. This account explains how the room developed and how the five ways to wellbeing shaped its activities, from a gratitude tree and shared library to supporting colleagues through difficult shifts.
The ED Spa. Wellness and Support in #Virchester. St.Emlyn’s. Read More
What should a triage score actually achieve? This discussion questions whether diagnosis, mortality or admission adequately measure success, and argues for greater attention to patients whose clinical course or suffering could be changed by earlier intervention.
Triage: The sorting hat of Emergency medicine, but what are we really seeking? St.Emlyn’s. Read More
How well do SOFA, qSOFA and SIRS predict outcomes in patients with suspected infection? This 2017 review examines a large intensive-care database study, highlighting missing data, sensitivity and specificity, and the limits of applying ICU findings to the emergency department.
JC: Are we getting cosy on the septic SOFA? St.Emlyn’s Read More
How convincing were the early results for andexanet alfa in major bleeding associated with factor Xa inhibitors? This 2016 appraisal examines an interim report, distinguishing laboratory reversal from clinical haemostasis and questioning whether limited, unblinded data could establish effectiveness and safety.
JC: Reversal of DOACs with Andexanet Alfa. St.Emlyn’s Read More
