Research

The 2015 REVERT trial compared a modified Valsalva manoeuvre with the standard technique in adults with stable supraventricular tachycardia. This appraisal examines conversion to sinus rhythm, the need for further treatment and practical questions about applying the findings in the emergency department.

Highlights from the 2015 North West Emergency Medicine Regional Research Symposium, spanning heart failure trials, ECG interpretation, chest pain testing and post-cardiac-arrest care. The report also explores building research teams in district general hospitals and measuring outcomes that matter to trauma patients.

Ross Fisher discusses gaps in paediatric trauma research and why children need more than scaled-down adult care in this London Trauma Conference podcast. Published in 2015, the accompanying notes cover imaging questions, opportunities to contribute to research and a shared interest in clearer, more focused presentations.

Could an automated blood test make the original MACS chest pain rule practical to use? This 2015 research update explains validation with a new heart-type fatty acid binding protein assay, how the rule was recalibrated and why testing its effects in clinical practice was the next step.

Why become involved in emergency medicine research? Rick Body shares his talk from DGINA 2014 in Nuremberg, describing his unexpected route into an academic career and the value of building a stronger evidence base for emergency care, with links to research discussed in the presentation.

Rick Body introduces his SMACC Gold 2014 talk, ‘The Heart Under Stress’, on using history, examination and troponin testing when assessing possible acute coronary syndrome. The accompanying post also reflects on turning research into an engaging conference presentation, with storytelling and humour alongside the clinical discussion.