Drawing on Simon Mardel’s outbreak experience, this November 2020 article examines infection control during the second COVID-19 wave. It considers crowding, fatigue, workplace hierarchy and the systems needed to help staff protect patients and colleagues, rather than relying on individual vigilance alone.
Why infection control failures might kill your patients and colleagues. St Emlyn’s Read More
After a second lockdown was announced in the UK in October 2020, Iain Beardsell spoke with Liz Crowe about coping with the months ahead. The conversation focuses on simple, practical ways to keep going through the continuing strain of the pandemic, whether working in healthcare or not.
Podcast – Surviving the Second Wave with Liz Crowe Read More
Could early prehospital plasma help trauma patients with brain injury? This 2020 review examines a secondary analysis of PAMPer, its apparent survival signal and why post-hoc findings, uncertain mechanisms and unanswered neurological-outcome questions require caution before changing practice.
JC: Early plasma use in traumatic brain injury. St Emlyn’s Read More
Could carotid ultrasound make pulse checks more reliable? Natalie May examines a proof-of-concept study using recordings from patients undergoing cardiac surgery, and explains why interpreting those images is a different challenge from obtaining and using them during a real cardiac arrest.
JC: Finger on the Pulse? Read More
What does STAAMP add to the evidence for prehospital tranexamic acid after trauma? This 2020 appraisal examines the lack of a clear overall mortality benefit, recruitment and power limitations, safety findings and the caution needed when interpreting encouraging timing, shock and dosing subgroups.
JC: Should we rubber STAAMP prehospital TXA? Read More
Can TEG or ROTEM improve outcomes when added to major haemorrhage care? Natalie May reviews the iTACTIC trial’s comparison with conventional coagulation testing, separating faster treatment decisions from demonstrated patient benefit and examining the limits of its size and subgroup findings.
JC: Blood Products in Trauma – What’s the Best (I)TACTIC? Read More
Dan Horner revisits the evidence on venous thromboembolism in COVID-19 as it stood in October 2020. The review examines how screening and case selection affect reported clot rates, the distinction between different thrombotic findings, and uncertainty around risk prediction and higher-dose anticoagulation.
VTE and COVID-19: Would you like to know more? Read More
An October 2020 appraisal of RECOVERY’s hydroxychloroquine results in hospitalised patients with COVID-19. It reviews the lack of demonstrated benefit, concerns about harm and the arguments about timing and dosage, alongside an explanation of how the platform trial was organised.
JC: Hydroxychloroquine in the the treatment of hospitalised COVID19 patients. Read More
