Background and objective: Several studies suggest that air pollution, particularly PM2.5, increases morbidity and mortality, Emergency Department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations for acute respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. However, no prior study in Southeastern Asia (SEA) has examined the effects of air pollutants on ED visits and health outcomes. This study focused on the association of the Air Quality Index (AQI) of PM_2.5 and other pollutants’ effects on ED visits, hospitalization, and unexpected deaths due to acute respiratory disease, acute coronary syndrome (ACS), acute heart failure (AHF), and stroke. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study with daily data from ED visits between 2018 and 2019 at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The AQI of air pollution data was collected from outdoor air quality from the Smoke Haze Integrated Research Unit and the Air Quality Index Visual Map. A distributed lag, non-linear and quasi-Poisson models were used to explore the relationship between air quality parameters and ED visits for each disease. Results: 3,540 ED visits were recorded during the study period. The mean daily AQI of PM_2.5 was 89.0 ± 40.2. We observed associations between AQI of PM_2.5 and the ED visits due to ACS on the following day (RR = 1.023, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.002–1.044) and two days after exposure (RR = 1.026, 95% CI: 1.005–1.047). Also, subgroup analysis revealed the association between AQI of PM_2.5 and the ED visits due to pneumonia on the current day (RR = 1.071, 95% CI: 1.025–1.118) and on the following day after exposure (RR = 1.024, 95% CI: 1.003–1.046). AQI of PM_2.5 associated with increased mortality resulted from ACS on lag day 3 (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.08–1.73). The AQI of PM₁₀ is also associated with increased ED visits due to COPD/asthma and increased hospitalization in AHF. In addition, the AQI of O₃ and AQI of NO₂ is associated with increased ICU admissions and mortality in AHF. Conclusion: Short-term PM2.5 exposure escalates ED visits for ACS and pneumonia. PM10’s AQI associates with COPD/asthma ED visits and AHF hospitalizations. AQI of O₃ and NO₂’s link to increased ICU admissions and AHF mortality. Urgent action against air pollution is vital to safeguard public health.

This study aimed to explore significant pre-hospital factors affecting the survivability of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) patients in countries with developing EMS systems. A retrospective cohort study was conducted examining data from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020 from Utstein Registry databases in Thailand, collected through Pan-Asian Resuscitation Outcomes Study (PAROS). Data were collected from three centres, including regional, suburban-capital, and urban-capital hospitals. The primary endpoint of this study was 30-day survival or discharged alive after an OHCA event. The multivariable risk regression was done by modified Poisson regression with robust error variance to explore the association between 30-day survival and pre-hospital factors with potential confounders adjustments. Of 1,240 OHCA cases transferred by Emergency Medical Services (EMS), 42 patients (3.4%) were discharged alive after 30 days, including 22 (8.6%), 8 (3.0%), and 12 (1.7%) from regional, suburban-capital, and urban-capital centres, respectively. The initial arrest rhythm was 89.7% unshockable, with no significant variations across the three centres. Overall, bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) was 40.4%. However, bystander CPR with Automated External Defibrillator (AED) application was 0.8%. Bystander CPR significantly increased 30-day survival probability (aRR 1.88, 95% CI 1.01 to 3.51; p 0.049). Additionally, reducing the EMS response time by one minute significantly increased OHCA survivability (aRR 1.12, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.20; p 0.001). Response time and bystander CPR are the factors that improve the 30-day survival outcomes of OHCA patients. In contrast, scene time, transport time, and pre-hospital advanced airway management didn’t improve 30-day OHCA survival.

To test the hypothesis that an impaired mitochondrial function is associated with altered central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO₂), venous‐to‐arterial carbon dioxide tension difference (delta PCO₂) or serum lactate in sepsis patients. This prospective cohort study was conducted in a single tertiary emergency department between April 2017 and March 2019. Patients with suspected sepsis were included in the study. Serum lactate was obtained in sepsis, ScvO₂ and delta PCO₂ were evaluated in septic shock patients. Mitochondrial function was determined from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Forty‐six patients with suspected sepsis were included. Of these, twenty patients were septic shock. Mitochondrial oxidative stress levels were increased in the high ScvO₂ group (ScvO₂ > 80%, n = 6), compared with the normal (70%‐80%, n = 9) and low ScvO₂ (<70%, n = 5) groups. A strong linear relationship was observed between the mitochondrial oxidative stress and ScvO₂ (r = .75; P = .01). However, mitochondrial respiration was increased in the low ScvO₂ group. In addition, mitochondrial complex II protein levels were significantly decreased in the high ScvO₂ group (P < .05). Additionally, there was no correlation between serum lactate, delta PCO₂, and mitochondria oxidative stress or mitochondria function. ScvO₂ can be potentially useful for developing new therapeutics to reduce mitochondrial dysfunction in septic shock patient.

This study aimed to evaluate how BLS courses affect primary school students' knowledge, attitudes, and life support skills; investigate how medical students' knowledge and competence in teaching BLS can improve by serving as instructors. This experimental study was conducted in a rural primary school. First-year medical students conducted a BLS course for grade 4 and 5 primary school students with a 6-7:1 ratio of trainees-to-trainer. All trainers had completed a BLS course before the course. This 3.5-hour simulation-based course covered chest compressions and automated external defibrillator use. The pre- and post-course assessments included multiple choice questions toward BLS, practical skills test, and attitude test. For medical students, evaluation was conducted by attitude test, both pre- and post-teaching. The mean pre- and post-test scores increased from 5.74±0.10 to 9.43±0.13 (P<0.01). The increase in the scores was the same for both the students and the teachers (3.05±0.60 vs. 3.68±0.16, P=0.33). After the course, more than 90% of the students could perform all the procedures involved in BLS and automated external defibrillation. Medical students showed an improved understanding of CPR and confidence in performing and teaching CPR (both, P<0.01). Primary school students can learn how to perform BLS through simulation-based learning. Simulation-based training can improve their attitude and provide them with knowledge and crucial skill sets, improving their confidence in performing BLS. Furthermore, teachers' attitudes and confidence toward CPR improved after teaching CPR.

Background: Intravenous adenosine is the recommended treatment for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT). There is no official recommended method of giving adenosine. We compared the success rates between a standard and alternative method of first dose intravenous adenosine in PSVT. Methods: A pilot parallel randomized controlled study was conducted in the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital. Eligible patients were stable PSVT adult patients. We used block randomization and divided them into two groups, the standard method (double syringe technique of 6 mg of adenosine), and the alternative method (similar to the standard method, then immediately followed by elevating the arm to 90° perpendicular to a horizontal plane for 10 s). The primary outcome was the success rate of electrocardiogram (ECG) response which demonstrated termination of PSVT (at least two-fold of the RR-interval widening or sinus rhythm conversion). Secondary outcomes were complications within one minute after the injection. Results: We allocated 15 patients in each group and analyzed them as intention-to-treat. The success rate was 86.7% in the alternative group and 80% in the standard group (risk difference 6.7%, 95% confidence interval − 19.9 to 33.2%, P 1.00). Complications within one minute after adenosine injection were also similar in both groups, 14 of 15 patients (93%) in each group had no complications, without significant difference. Conclusions: No evidence of the difference between alternative and standard methods occurred, in terms of the success rate of ECG response and complications within one minute after adenosine injection. The standard method of adenosine injection is a safe, easy-to-administer, and widely available treatment for PSVT. Trial Registration: TCTR20200609001.