PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to develop an adequate local disaster preparation program that integrates multiple institutes, ultimately saving time, human resources, and expenses. METHODS: The study proceeded in the orders of polls to the medical team before the drill and the lecture which were education on disaster, equipment, how to deal with the various situtuation, and performed the drill, debriefing session, and then reevaluated by polls after the drill. RESULTS: Among the 57 medical staffs, a comparison was made of the polls between before and after the simulation with respect to the treatment ability depending on disaster triage, understanding of disaster data transferring system, test on disaster understanding (p<0.001). However, the difference by work career was not statistically significant (p=0.206, p=0.665). CONCLUSION: We were able to develop a new program with a great response and understanding enabling us to adequately prepare for disasters. We may increase our ability to deal with such situations through unified training, not only within the hospital but also with local institutes through this well-structured program.
Academies and Institutes ; Disasters* ; Education* ; Humans ; Medical Staff ; Triage

PURPOSE: Inadequate treatment of pain, which has been termed as “oligoanalgesia”, appears to be common phenomenon the emergency department (ED). In order to improve pain recognition and management, a study concerning physician characteristics on pain and pain management is needed. METHODS: This study was based on a survey that targeted emergency medicine doctors from September to November 2015 (the response rate was 7%). Firstly, the survey showed that physicians preferred medicating on five diseases abdominal pain, cancer, simple musculoskeletal disease, trauma, headache in the ED. Secondly, it demonstrated the criteria used to choose the analgesic treatment in accordance with each disease and the level of pain, which is determined using a numerical rating scale (NRS). RESULTS: In the cases of abdominal pain that requires surgery, cancer pain, and multiple trauma, physicians preferred using an opioid as the first medication, while non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are prescribed in most of the other cases. Meperidine was the preferred choice as the opioid. For almost diseases, the NSAIDs are selected in the lower NRS cases over the opioid. Physicians deal with pain of patients who are already diagnosed with specific diseases, such as cancer, while they avoid managing pain from those patients who have not been definitively diagnosed with a specific disease. CONCLUSION: Physicians in the ED prefer the use of NSAIDs as the analgesic treatment, in particular, prescribing meperidine as the preferred opioid. However, it seems that they are hesitant to manage pain without a clear diagnosis.
Abdominal Pain ; Analgesics ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medicine* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Headache ; Humans ; Meperidine ; Multiple Trauma ; Musculoskeletal Diseases ; Pain Management

PURPOSE: The aim of the current study was to examine the characteristics of suicidal attempters who visited the emergency department (ED) with a psychiatric diagnosis of adjustment disorder. METHODS: Suicidal attempters who had visited the ED were retrospectively selected between January 2015 and December 2015. Sex, age, marital status, psychiatric diagnosis, causes of suicidal attempt, methods of suicidal attempt, influence of alcohol, and results of ED management were reviewed in the medical records. RESULTS: A total of 468 suicide attempters who had visited the ED were interviewed by psychiatrists, and 323 cases were included. Adjustment disorder is the most common diagnosis among these patients (N=202, 62.5%). There was no statistical difference between the adjustment disorder group and the non-adjustment disorder group with respect to marital status, psychiatric diagnosis, causes of suicidal attempt, methods of suicidal attempt, and results of ED management. The number of patients under the influence of alcohol who visited the ED was higher in the adjustment disorder group (p=0.04). CONCLUSION: Adjustment disorder is the most common diagnosis among suicidal attempters who visit the ED. Suicidal attempt in the adjustment disorder group is likely an impulsive decision, but their admission results are just as poor as the non-adjust disorder group.
Adjustment Disorders* ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Humans ; Marital Status ; Medical Records ; Mental Disorders ; Prognosis ; Psychiatry ; Retrospective Studies ; Suicide*

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate whether the modified Alvarado score-which is currently being used to diagnose acute appendicitis-can be applicable in the diagnosis of diseases in pregnant women. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 252 pregnant women who visited our emergency department (ED) with a chief complaint of abdominal pain and a suspicion of acute appendicitis, and ultimately underwent appendix ultrasonography or appendix magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The modified Alvarado score was calculated for each pregnant woman. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn for each subject, those in the first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester, from which the best cut-off value, sensitivity and specificity were induced. RESULTS: For all 252 pregnant women who visited our ED, the area under the curve was 0.742 (p<0.001), with sensitivity and specificity of 75.41% and 62.30%, respectively, when using the value of 5 as the cut-off point for the modified Alvarado score. The area under the curve was 0.811 (p<0.001) for those in their first trimester and 0.749 (p<0.001) for those in the second trimester, while it was 0.641, with the p-value of 0.109, for those in the third trimester. CONCLUSION: There is a limitation using the modified Alvarado score alone in pregnant woman, and if there is uncertainty in the diagnosis, other imaging studies, such as appendix ultrasonography or appendix MRI, should be considered.
Abdominal Pain ; Appendicitis* ; Appendix ; Diagnosis ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Medical Records ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Pregnant Women* ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography ; Uncertainty

PURPOSE: High-flow oxygen through a nasal cannula may offer an alternative therapy to patients with respiratory failure. However, a recent study has shown that the success rate of high-flow oxygen through a nasal cannula was only 62%, and the mortality rate for patients who require intubation after failure of high-flow oxygen through a nasal cannula was as high as 32.5%. The aim of this study is to determine the parameters, specifically for emergency department presentation, associated with high-flow oxygen through a nasal cannula failure. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed in respiratory patients who were admitted between June 2015 and January 2016 at a single university hospital. All patients who were treated with high-flow oxygen through a nasal cannula were included. The exclusion criteria for high-flow oxygen via nasal cannulation were as follows: Hemodynamic instability, hypercapnic coma, inefficient clearance of secretions, and cardiac arrest. Univariable regression analysis was used and, if the p-value was less than 0.10, analyses were entered into a multivariable logistic regression analysis model. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients were enrolled in our study. High-flow oxygen through a nasal cannula was successful in 33 patients, and 29 required intubation. Older age (over 65 years), Glasgow Coma Scale Score of less than 15, and respiratory rate of more than 30/min were significantly associated with the failure of high-flow oxygen through a nasal cannula according to multivariable analysis (p-value<0.05). CONCLUSION: Older age, low Glasgow Coma Scale Score, and respiratory rate of more than 30/min are factors associated with the failure of high-flow oxygen through a nasal cannula.
Catheterization ; Catheters* ; Cohort Studies ; Coma ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Heart Arrest ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Intubation ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Oxygen* ; Respiratory Insufficiency* ; Respiratory Rate ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify predictive factors for decreased blood pressure in patients prescribed with propacetamol in the emergency room using clinical and laboratory indicators of sepsis. METHODS: Among patients aged 18 years or older with a fever, who visited Chungbuk National University hospital's emergency room between July and December of 2014, 246 patients underwent intravenous infusion of propacetamol to control body temperature. Of these, 112 patients fulfilled all study requirements. Patients whose systolic or diastolic blood pressure dropped below 90 mmHg or 60 mmHg, respectively, were included in the blood pressure decline group. Additional inclusion criteria were a decline in systolic blood pressure of more than 30-mmHg and thereby treated with fluids or inotropics after intravenous infusion of propacetamol. Remaining patients were included in the blood pressure maintenance group. The relationship of each factor between the two groups was then investigated. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients (25.9%) showed a significant decrease in blood pressure, and among many factors, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (cut off value, 11.86; sensitivity, 72.4%; specificity, 69.9%; area under curve [AUC], 0.698) and procalcitonin (cut off value, 0.67; sensitivity, 75.9%; specificity, 60.2%; AUC, 0.667) levels showed a statistically significant effect. Of the 29 patients with a decrease in blood pressure, 10 patients received fluids and inotropics; procalcitonin in particular showed a significant effect. CONCLUSION: When propacetamol is administered to patients at the emergency room, and if hs-CRP or procalcitonin levels are high, there is an increased risk of a decrease in blood pressure. In particular, if procalcitonin levels are high, aggressive treatment is required, such as administration of inotropics in addition to fluids.
Area Under Curve ; Blood Pressure* ; Body Temperature ; C-Reactive Protein ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Fever* ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sepsis

PURPOSE: In 2014, Korea ranked as the first among the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries on the prevalence, incidence, and mortality of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). The prevalence of TB among the homeless was 6.4% in the United State and 7.1% in South Korea. The aim of this study is to develop predicting indicators of TB by analyzing homeless people who visit the public hospital emergency department (ED). METHODS: We analyzed 7,500 homeless individuals who visited a public hospital ED between January 1, 2001 and May 31, 2014. A total of 4,552 patients were included, and of these, 145 homeless patients were infected with TB. We conducted univariate and multivariate analysis of clinical variables obtained from the initial check list and later lab analysis, and made a scoring system by weighing each variable. Then applying this scoring system, the area under the receiver (AUC) operating characteristic curve (ROC) was calculated. RESULTS: The prevalence of TB was 3.2%. The initial meaningful predictor variables were as follows: Being homeless, abnormal heart rate, abnormal respiratory rate, no alcohol intake, hypoalbuminemia, and CRP elevation. The AUC of ROC curve from these predictor variables were 0.815. CONCLUSION: We developed a novel scoring system to screen TB patients in a vulnerable social group who visit the ED. We can detect potential TB patients early and effectively control TB, preventing the spread of TB. Prospective internal and external validation is necessary by using the scoring system of TB among the homeless.
Area Under Curve ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Heart Rate ; Hospitals, Public ; Humans ; Hypoalbuminemia ; Incidence ; Korea ; Mass Screening* ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Respiratory Rate ; ROC Curve ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

PURPOSE: Purpose: We compared the outcomes of training between the use of voice-advisory manikin (VAM) and instructor-led (IL) courses with respect to the acquisition of initial cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills, as defined by the 2010 resuscitation guidelines. METHODS: This study was a randomized, controlled, blinded, parallel-group trial. We recruited 82 first-year emergency medical technician students and randomly distributed them into two groups: the IL group (n=41) and the VAM group (n=37). In the IL group, participants were trained in “single-rescuer, adult CPR” in accordance with the American Heart Association's Basic Life Support course for healthcare providers. In the VAM group, all subjects received a 20-minute lesson about CPR. After the lesson, each student trained individually with the VAM for 1 hour, receiving real-time feedback. After the training, all subjects were evaluated as they performed basic CPR (30 compressions, 2 ventilations) for 4 minutes. RESULTS: The proportion of participants with a mean compression depth ≥50 mm was 34.1% in the IL group and 27.0% in the VAM group, and the proportion with a mean compression depth ≥40 mm had increased significantly in both groups compared with ≥50 mm (IL group, 82.9%; VAM group, 86.5%). However, no significant differences were detected between the two groups in this regard. The proportion of ventilations of the appropriate volume was relatively low in both groups (IL group, 26.4%; VAM group, 12.5%; p=0.396). CONCLUSION: Both methods the IL training using a practice-while-watching video and the VAM training facilitated initial CPR skill acquisition, especially in terms of correct chest compression.
Adult ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation* ; Emergency Medical Technicians ; Health Personnel ; Heart ; Humans ; Manikins* ; Resuscitation ; Thorax ; Ventilation ; Voice*

PURPOSE: Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and dissemination of its training are essential to improve the survival outcomes of sudden cardiac death. The purpose of this study was to investigate the tri-temporal trend analysis of the national CPR capacity variables and preparedness in a community. METHODS: This nationwide population-based study used structured questionnaire by a telephone survey for CPR in 2007 (n=1,029), in 2011 (n=1,000), and in 2015 (n=1,000). We used stratified cluster sampling to assess the impact of age, gender, and geographic regions. The contents in the questionnaire consisted of CPR awareness, self-efficacy for bystander CPR, prior training status, and willingness of public CPR training. RESULTS: The proportion of CPR awareness and its recent training experience (<2 years) increased from 89.0% and 14.6%, respectively, in 2007 to 88.5% and 18.7% in 2011, and finally to 94.8% and 30.6% in 2015 (both p for trend<0.001). More than 95% of respondents had agreed to mandatory CPR training acquiring a driver's license or CPR education in school. The awareness of Good Samaritan Law was increased from 20.5% in 2011 to 28.7% in 2015; however, the overall values were lower than the other CPR-related awareness and preparedness. CONCLUSION: In Korea, the trends of national CPR capacity index have been increasing during the past decade. However, the public awareness of the Good Samaritan Law was still low. We suggest that promoting the Good Samaritan Law should be the next step in preparing public CPR training in the future.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation* ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Education ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Licensure ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Telephone

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between coronary angiography (CAG) with or without percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the survival outcome of patients successfully resuscitated from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. METHODS: We used the Cardiac Arrest Pursuit Trial with Unique Registration and Epidemiological Surveillance database, which is out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) cohort of 27 emergency departments in Korea, between February 2014 and January 2015. The inclusion criteria were all OHCA patients who receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation in an emergency department and return of spontaneous circulation. Univariable analysis and multivariable logistic regression analysis were conducted to assess the associations between CAG and outcomes (favorable neurological outcome and survival-to-discharge). Moreover, similar analysis was conducted between PCI and no-PCI subgroups within the CAG group. RESULTS: Of the 1,616 patients, 707 patients were return of spontaneous circulation. The number of patients who conducted CAG was 204 (28.9%) and the number of patients who conducted PCI was 75 (10.6%). In OHCA patients, the CAG group had a more significant good survival discharge outcome with an odds ratio (OR) of 4.61 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.64-8.05) and good neurologic outcomes with an OR of 7.82 (95% CI, 4.37-14.00). In CAG patients, the PCI group had no significant relationship with survival discharge with an OR of 0.99 (95% CI, 0.36-2.70) and with neurologic outcomes with an OR of 1.15 (95% CI, 0.46-2.88) compared with no PCI group. CONCLUSION: In OHCA patients, the CAG group had a more significant good prognosis (survival discharge rate and good neurologic outcomes) compared with the no-CAG group. In CAG patients, the PCI group had no significant association with good prognosis compared with the no-PCI group.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Cohort Studies ; Coronary Angiography* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Odds Ratio ; Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention* ; Prognosis