Latest posts

The first February 2021 report of RECOVERY's tocilizumab results, written as the announcement and preprint emerged. Simon Carley and Dan Horner outline the reported benefits in hospitalised patients with hypoxia and inflammation, while flagging the need for fuller appraisal and questions about immunosuppression.

What should emergency care performance measures tell us about patients' experience and safety? Craig Ferguson examines the standards proposed in England in 2021, the strengths and weaknesses of the four-hour target, and why changes to measurement need evidence as well as good intentions.

A 2021 appraisal of the Canadian TIA score's prospective validation and comparison with ABCD scores. It explores seven-day stroke risk, the need for validation in other settings and why better prediction only helps when local services can act on the result.

How much oxygen should critically ill patients receive? This January 2021 review of HOT-ICU examines lower versus higher oxygen targets in adults with hypoxic respiratory failure, the absence of a 90-day mortality difference and uncertainty about applying the findings to different patient groups.

Joke Van kerkhoven draws on emergency medicine and elite sport to explore leading yourself under pressure. Written during COVID-19, this practical reflection covers mindset, breathing, planning and recovery, with ways to prepare for difficult situations and learn from them afterwards.

A January 2021 appraisal of REMAP-CAP's early tocilizumab and sarilumab findings in critically ill patients with COVID-19. Dan Horner examines organ support and survival outcomes, strict eligibility criteria and the uncertainties that remained as the results moved rapidly into policy and public discussion.