Background: Double-lumen tube (DLT) intubation is necessary for thoracic surgery and other operations with the need for lung separation. However, DLT insertion is complex and might result in airway trauma. A new videolaryngoscopy (GVL) with a thin blade might improve the intubation time and reduce complexity as well as iatrogenic airway complications compared to conventional direct laryngoscopy (DL) for DLT intubation. Methods: A randomised, controlled trial was conducted in 70 patients undergoing elective thoracic surgery using DLT for lung separation. Primary endpoint was time to successful intubation. The secondary endpoints of this study were number of intubation attempts, the assessment of difficulty, any complications during DLT intubation and the incidence of objective trauma of the oropharynx and supraglottic space and intubation-related subjective symptoms. Results: 65 patients were included (DL group [n = 31], GVL group [n = 34]). Median intubation time (25th–75th percentiles) in GVL group was 93 s (63–160) versus 74 (58–94) in DL group [p = 0.044]. GVL resulted in significantly improved visualisation of the larynx (Cormack and Lehane grade of 1 in GVL group was 97% vs. 74% in DL Group [p = 0.008]). Endoscopic examinations revealed significant differences in GVL group compared to DL group showing less red-blooded vocal cord [p = 0.004], vocal cord haematoma [p = 0.022] and vocal cord haemorrhage [p = 0.002]. No significant differences regarding the postoperative subjective symptoms of airway were found. Conclusions: Videolaryngoscopy using the GlideScope®-Titanium shortly prolongs DLT intubation duration compared to direct laryngoscopy but improves the view. Objective intubation trauma but not subjective complaints are reduced. Trial registration: German Clinical Trial Register DRKS00020978, retrospectively registered on 09. March 2020.

Background: Videolaryngoscopy (VL) has become a popular method of intubation (ETI). Although VL may facilitate ETI in less-experienced rescuers there are limited data available concerning ETI performed by paramedics during CPR. The goal was to evaluate the impact VL compared with DL on intubation success and glottic view during CPR performed by German paramedics. We investigated in an observational prospective study the superiority of VL by paramedics during CPR compared with direct laryngoscopy (DL). Methods: In a single Emergency Medical Service (EMS) in Germany with in total 32 ambulances paramedics underwent an initial instruction from in endotracheal intubation (ETI) with GlideScope® (GVL) during resuscitation. The primary endpoint was good visibility of the glottis (Cormack-Lehane grading 1/2), and the secondary endpoint was successful intubation comparing GVL and DL. Results: In total n = 97 patients were included, n = 69 with DL (n = 85 intubation attempts) and n = 28 VL (n = 37 intubation attempts). Videolaryngoscopy resulted in a significantly improved visualization of the larynx compared with DL. In the group using GVL, 82% rated visualization of the glottis as CL 1&2 versus 55% in the DL group (p = 0.02). Despite better visualization of the larynx, there was no statistically significant difference in successful ETI between GVL and DL (GVL 75% vs. DL 68.1%, p = 0.63). Conclusions: We found no difference in Overall and First Pass Success (FPS) between GVL and DL during CPR by German paramedics despite better glottic visualization with GVL. Therefore, we conclude that education in VL should also focus on insertion of the endotracheal tube, considering the different procedures of GVL. Trial registration: German Clinical Trial Register DRKS00020976, 27. February 2020 retrospectively registered.

Videolaryngoscopy (VL) is a promising tool to provide a safe airway during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and to ensure early reoxygenation. Using data from the German Resuscitation Registry, we investigated the outcome of non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients treated with VL versus direct laryngoscopy (DL) for airway management. We analysed retrospective data of 14,387 patients from 1 January 2018 until 31 December 2021 (VL group, n = 2201; DL group, n = 12186). Primary endpoint was discharge with cerebral performance categories one and two (CPC1/2). Secondary endpoints were the rate of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), hospital admission, hospital admission with ongoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, 30-day survival/ hospital discharge and airway management complications. We used multivariate binary logistic regression analysis to identify the effects on outcome of known influencing variables and of VL vs DL. The multivariate regression model revealed that VL was an independent predictor of CPC1/2 survival (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.12-1.61, p = 0.002) and of hospital discharge/30-day survival (OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.08-1.47, p = 0,004). VL for endotracheal intubation (ETI) at OHCA was associated with better neurological outcome in patients with ROSC. Therefore, the use of VL for OHCA offers a promising perspective. Further prospective studies are required.

For many years, ventilation has been an essential part of advanced life support (ALS) in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Nevertheless, there is little evidence about the best method of ventilation during resuscitation for both out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and inhospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) patients. Effective ventilation is one of the two main keys to successful resuscitation. In this context, the question always arises as to which airway management, along with which ventilation mode, constitutes the best strategy. Conventional ventilation modes are not designed for cardiac arrest and show important limitations that must be considered when used in CPR. Manual ventilation without the use of an automated transport ventilator (ATV) could be shown to be uncontrolled in applied volumes and pressures and should be avoided. Mechanical ventilation with an ATV is therefore superior to manual ventilation, but both volume- and pressure-controlled ventilation modes are significantly influenced by chest compressions. With the newly designed chest compression synchronized ventilation (CCSV), a special ventilation mode for resuscitation is available. Further research should be conducted to obtain more evidence of the effect of ventilation during CPR on outcomes following OHCA and not only about how to secure the airway for ventilation during CPR.

Objectives We evaluated the ability of the assessment of regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA) detected via transthoracic echocardiography to predict the presence of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients presenting with acute chest pain to the emergency department. Design Prospective single-centre observational study. Setting Tertiary care university hospital emergency unit. Participants Patients presenting to the emergency department with acute chest pain suggestive of obstructive CAD. Primary outcome measure The primary endpoint was defined as the presence of obstructive CAD, requiring revascularisation therapy. Results Overall, 657 patients (age 58.1±18.0 years, 53% men) were included in our study. RWMA were detected in 76 patients (11.6%). RWMA were significantly more frequent in patients reaching the primary endpoint (26.2% vs 7.6%, p<0.001). In multivariable regression analysis, the presence of RWMA was associated with threefold increased odds of the presence of obstructive CAD (3.41 (95% CI 1.99 to 5.86), p<0.001). Adding RWMA to a multivariable model of the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk score, cardiac biomarkers and traditional risk factors significantly improved the area under the curve for prediction of obstructive CAD (95% CI 0.777 to 0.804, p=0.0092). Conclusion RWMA strongly and independently predicts the presence of obstructive CAD in patients presenting with acute chest pain to the emergency department. Trial registration The study has been registered online (NCT03787797).

Determining SARS-CoV-2 immunity is critical to assess COVID-19 risk and the need for prevention and mitigation strategies. We measured SARS-CoV-2 Spike/Nucleocapsid seroprevalence and serum neutralizing activity against Wu01, BA.4/5 and BQ.1.1 in a convenience sample of 1,411 patients receiving medical treatment in the emergency departments of five university hospitals in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, in August/September 2022. 62% reported underlying medical conditions and 67.7% were vaccinated according to German COVID-19 vaccination recommendations (13.9% fully vaccinated, 54.3% one booster, 23.4% two boosters). We detected Spike-IgG in 95.6%, Nucleocapsid-IgG in 24.0%, and neutralization against Wu01, BA.4/5 and BQ.1.1 in 94.4%, 85.0%, and 73.8% of participants, respectively. Neutralization against BA.4/5 and BQ.1.1 was 5.6- and 23.4-fold lower compared to Wu01. Accuracy of S-IgG detection for determination of neutralizing activity against BQ.1.1 was reduced substantially. We explored previous vaccinations and infections as correlates of BQ.1.1 neutralization using multivariable and Bayesian network analyses. Given a rather moderate adherence to COVID-19 vaccination recommendations, this analysis highlights the need to improve vaccine-uptake to reduce the COVID-19 risk of immune evasive variants. The study was registered as clinical trial (DRKS00029414).