Emergency management of anaphylaxis and the impact of the new UK ALS guidelines (2025)

Type of publication:

Journal article

Author(s):

*Elshehawy, Mahmoud; Kadambi, Madhavi; Hughes, Deborah; Clarke, Daniel; Cooper, Angela; Inani, Mohit; Goktas, Polat; Goddard, Sarah; Diwakar, Lavanya.

Citation:

Clinical Medicine. 100519, 2025 Sep 30. [epub ahead of print]

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that requires urgent and effective management. The UK Resuscitation Council updated its Advanced Life Support (ALS) guidelines for anaphylaxis in 2021, emphasizing early and repeated adrenaline administration, IV fluid use, and reduced reliance on antihistamines and steroids.

METHODS: A retrospective audit was carried out to compare the management of anaphylaxis at two English NHS hospitals, namely the University Hospital of North Midlands (UHNM) and the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital (SATH) before (2018) and after (2022/23) the ALS guideline implementation.
Adherence to NICE anaphylaxis guidance was also assessed.

RESULTS: Data from 272 patients revealed significant improvements in recognition of anaphylaxis in 2022 compared with 2018 (70.8% vs. 50%; p=0.001). The use of adrenaline and IV fluids increased, whereas the use of antihistamines and steroids declined, aligning with the new guidance. Tryptase measurement (checked in 45% patients) and specialist referral rates (67% at UHNM vs. 3% at SATH; p=0.0001) remained suboptimal at both centers. A case example highlights the risks of misdiagnosis and adrenaline overuse in patients with recurrent urticarial presentations.

CONCLUSION: Anaphylaxis management in these centers has changed in keeping with the new ALS guidelines, although antihistamines and steroids were still used in the acute management of around 50% of the patients. Adrenaline overuse may be an unintended consequence of the guideline, which needs monitoring. There may have been some improvement in anaphylaxis recognition, but serum tryptase measurement and referral to allergy specialists remain poor.

DOI: 10.1016/j.clinme.2025.100519

Diagnostic Capabilities of MRI and CT in Evaluating Dizziness: A Systematic Review of Acute Cases in the ED (2025)

Type of publication:

Journal article

Author(s):

Ali Mohammed, Elsuha Elgassim; Alzain Ali, Mohamed Almogtaba Mohamed; Eltayeb, Ethar; Saidahmed Ahmed, Lobaba Mubarak; *Ahmed Dafaalla, *Dalia Hamdan; Mohammed Elsheikh, Mohammed Omer; M Osman, Hanady Me.

Citation:

Cureus. 17(7):e88057, 2025 Jul.

Abstract:

Dizziness is a common reason for ED visits, posing diagnostic challenges due to its broad range of potential causes, from benign vestibular conditions to critical cerebrovascular events. Although CT scans are often used to quickly assess for intracranial hemorrhage, MRI provides greater accuracy for identifying strokes in the posterior circulation. Differences in imaging practices and uncertainty about the most effective approach highlight the need for a thorough evaluation of these modalities. This narrative systematic review examined the diagnostic performance of MRI and CT in assessing patients presenting with acute dizziness in ED settings, focusing on detection rates and clinical considerations. A comprehensive literature search was conducted, and eight relevant studies were included. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed, and findings were synthesized narratively due to variability in study designs. Overall, MRI showed a higher detection rate for underlying causes of dizziness compared to CT, particularly for posterior circulation strokes. CT was mainly useful for ruling out hemorrhage, while MRI offered superior detection of ischemic events. Using clinical factors such as age, vascular risk, and neurological findings may help prioritize MRI use in patients with higher stroke risk, supporting targeted imaging strategies to improve diagnostic outcomes and resource utilization.

DOI: 10.7759/cureus.88057

Link to full-text [open access - no password required]

Acute coronary syndrome rule-out strategies in the emergency department: an observational evaluation of clinical effectiveness and current UK practice (2025)

Type of publication:

Journal article

Author(s):

Ingram A.; Boldovjakova D.; Wilson H.; Noble J.; Prentice J.E.B.; Brasnic L.; Papala P.; Waite R.; Hatem S.M.K.; Hamad H.H.M.A.; Lilani M.J.; Hardwick S.; Pritchard W.; Cairns D.; Lamuren E.; Thomas J.; Eve M.; Gabiana P.; Matias S.; Harris S.; Christmas E.; Brockbank J.; Mackinnon L.; Chrysikopoulou M.; Vo O.K.; George R.J.; Alsaarti R.; Mohrsen S.; Macleod C.; Grossi I.; Feetham J.; Almousa O.; Lyle A.; Victoria A.; Fox C.; Mitchell C.; Kara C.; Catley C.; Shea D.; Cranmer K.; Sach L.; Willsher L.; Vitaglione M.; Forsey M.; Fox N.; Arnold R.; Reid S.; Cotterell S.; Smolen S.; Lester Y.; Dean A.; Fitchett J.; Hoyle R.; Duberley S.; Goddard W.; Lunney C.; Ogbeide C.; Mcsorland D.; Gibson M.; Riley M.R.; Bradley P.; Thomas Z.; Giles E.; Patel H.; Pathirana J.; Chappel P.; Balasingam S.; Webb S.; Elshobaky E.; Challen K.; Ibrahim M.; Connor S.; Aprjanto A.; Ghosh A.; Amer E.; Sinclair J.; Smith T.; Freitas T.D.; Smith J.; Peachey J.; Clymer J.; Squire R.; Lee A.R.; Szekeres C.; Jessup-Dunton E.; Irvine G.; Brookman I.; Grant I.; Abbas K.; Wanigabadu L.; Futcher M.; Awadalkarim M.; Parker M.; Thammaiah Y.; Blows G.R.; Evans L.; Rebolledo M.; Macfarlane R.; Felix R.B.; Baker E.; Clarke J.; Dinglasan M.; Aldridge P.; Marshall S.; Helyar S.; Kunnath T.; Baldwin G.; Lowdell J.; Vallotton N.; Dasilva R.; Sharaf T.; Awe A.; Kerr-Winter B.; Anomelechi E.; Emond F.; Sennitt H.; Khan I.; Aderounmu I.; Bath J.; Woods J.; Dudden K.; Rupchandani K.; Mccafferty L.; Aaron L.; Al-Mousa M.; Okere N.; Scott O.; Edwards R.; Copson S.; Burke S.A.; Nawaz S.; Muhammad Y.; Noor A.; Tizon A.; Passalacqua C.; Qureshi E.F.; Malik F.I.; Jaafaru H.I.; Raees H.; Khaliq M.A.; Layawen N.; Shah R.; Torres S.L.G.; Guglani S.; Ramraj S.; Sharma S.; Hassan T.M.; Betos V.; Drexel A.; Sakutombo D.; Mendes F.; Furreed H.; Morris M.G.; James M.; Fong T.; Hartin D.; Lloyd G.; Sundarraj S.T.; Rivers V.; Kelly C.; Sutherland H.; Boast M.; Kisakye E.; Britton H.; Sebastian J.; Puscas M.R.; George S.; Olawale-Fasua W.; Wood D.; Kaur J.; King S.; Heeley C.; Davy G.; Wilson G.; Bennett K.; Allsop L.; Gill M.; Thorpe N.; Turner S.; Whitworth V.; Prendergast A.D.; Jones A.; Sheppard C.; Jones K.A.; Mcgregor K.; Sekar P.; Aeman S.; O'donnell S.P.; Griffin S.; Sheikh A.; Chintamani A.; Shrestha B.; Bisht D.; Saliu E.J.; Fadhlillah F.; Mahmoud M.Y.; Wasil M.; Ragupathy R.; Moghal Z.S.; John A.; Lockett C.; Tomkinson J.; Rose K.; Aziz M.; Keenan N.; Sandhu B.; Bentley C.; Phiri E.; Adams L.; Page M.; Seaman R.; Asnani S.; Taylor C.; Butt M.; Doherty W.J.; Da'costa A.; Adedeji A.D.; Ibeh C.O.; Oduware E.O.; Dolan H.; Ofori L.; Brassington L.; Olusoga O.; Nkala P.; Gurung S.; Williams S.; Ndlovu T.; Akhuemokhan Z.B.; Gulati D.; Akande M.; Oshiotse S.; Chilcott G.; Battishill W.; Wood J.M.; Hendry R.; Pottelbergh T.M.V.; T-Michael H.; Rothwell J.; Connolly K.; Cooper L.; Quli A.; Corr H.; Orourke L.; Pettet A.; Kariyadil B.; Pile J.; Gallamoza K.; Foo M.; O'connell P.; Kirkup A.; Hall J.; Hudson L.; Waddell G.; Mckie H.; Beck J.; Harrison M.; Ternent M.; Crispin P.; Aladesanmi A.; Ahmed A.; Thomson D.; Moth G.; Haslam J.; Killeen J.; Philbin J.; Howard-Sandy L.; Warran S.; Munt S.; Humphrey C.; Langridge E.; Otoole K.; Pule P.; Miln R.; Death Y.; Davies A.; Dunn E.; Brittain E.; Kohler G.; Stacey J.; Bloch M.; Murphy M.; Griffiths O.; Awbery H.; Oyindamola O.; Aor S.S.; Gribbin A.; Edwards C.; Vorwerk C.; Jackman D.; Brown G.; Daly Z.; Naiyeju A.A.; Arrayeh A.; Giubileo A.; Sarvesh B.; Jafferji D.; Thornton H.; Mckenzie I.; Okwori I.; Rudnicka J.; Nasr M.; Hassan M.; Aliu M.; Osunsanya O.; Abdulsalam S.; Mbaekwe S.; Shedwell S.; Wickramanayake U.; Abdullahi Y.; Mcclelland B.; Willshire K.; Knight A.; Beranova E.; Tutt G.; Ramos H.; Mcarthur C.; Khoo E.; Hughes E.; Austin K.; Doran K.; Gordon M.W.G.; Oshaughnessy O.; Worgan R.; Matthews A.; Baddeley A.; Morris A.; Ndungu A.; Peters C.; Walker L.; Tilbury N.; Lubbock S.; Mapatuna C.; Kehlenbeck E.; Curtis K.; Tonkins M.; King P.; Walker R.; Gabriel Z.; Titu H.; Coyle J.; Waddington N.; Chotai C.; Ward C.; Elliott L.; Henshall A.; Pogorodnaja A.; Knowles C.; Mascia G.; Rai S.G.; Bartley S.; Ko S.T.S.; Perera Y.; Conroy E.; Nicholson J.; Taylor J.; Flanagan R.; Wilce A.; Lindsay C.; Bascombe C.; Osey C.; Tiller H.; Rogers L.; Agius N.; Barratt N.; Pitts S.; Mohammed A.; Eihebholo A.; Olaifa A.; Bowyer C.; Sutcliffe E.; Bishop O.J.; Jenkins O.; Kyriakides O.; Thomas S.; Ali S.; Mason S.; Ripsher W.; Cousins E.; Dhande K.S.; Wright L.; Bolus A.; Sykes D.; Faronbi G.O.; Slade L.; Page R.; Maiti M.; Hekal M.; Khadka S.; Border T.; Wilson W.; Lowe A.; Evans C.; Moceivei C.; Mcavoy D.; Hay F.; Homyer K.; Dunne M.; Goldmann N.; Mitchell R.; Geoghegan A.; Entwistle J.; *Marsh A.; *Stephens A.; *O'connell G.; *Gibson H.; *Stickley J.; *Witt J.; *Beekes M.; *Sowailam M.; *Ali N.A.; Stan A.; Boalch A.; Demetriou C.; Flitney C.; Munday C.; Khoory C.; Carter D.; Gould E.; Evans G.; Elghonemy H.; Latham J.; Zamari K.; Ramos L.; Howie L.; Gunning S.; Haskins W.; Ayodeji Y.S.; Potts A.; Kay D.; Perez J.; Holden J.; Pendlebury J.; Cawley K.; Shahedy N.; Doonan R.; Blevings R.; Anthony A.; Trim F.; Hadebe B.; Pherson A.M.; Mphansi E.; Tysoe S.; Masunda B.; Galliford J.; Pestell S.; Patel S.; Pickard A.; Hoare B.; Cox C.; Hart D.; Amarnani D.; Fay E.; Khedarun F.M.; Collins F.; Sysum K.; Fung M.; Corbin N.; Patel N.; Moss P.; Marques R.; Johnson R.; Parmar S.; Sarker S.; Lawrence G.; Romero M.R.; Felix R.M.B.; Raju T.; Clarson S.; Clarke B.D.; Philp E.; Wren G.; Gallacher S.; Sharir A.; Andrews B.; Faint C.; Caines C.; Everett C.; Newman D.; Cruz G.D.L.; Hughes G.; Carey H.; Reavley H.; Ayre J.; Quan J.; Caines L.; Wedge-Bull M.; Alzaatreh M.; Chong N.; Anthony N.; Chandler S.; Walford S.; Sharir T.; White T.; Heslop-Harrison W.; Dunphy A.; Trenwith B.; Coelho B.; Hunter L.; Moran R.; Pemberton A.; Suggitt B.; Pimlott B.; Bates C.; Tibke C.; Pegler D.; Daniel D.; Lamond D.; Pureti G.; Baxter H.; Melville J.; Zai K.F.T.; Mullane K.; Phyu M.P.; Gabriels N.; Mills R.; Bennett S.; Blenkinsop S.; Vikramadhithyan S.; Barnes S.; Hopkins S.; Doherty-Walls T.; Coughlan T.; Kinder J.; Clark M.; Islam M.N.; Gray R.; Ford A.; Florey L.; O'neill M.; Aspa P.; Mercer P.; Ackerley A.; Ironside J.; Haynes L.; Garcia B.; Elkhodair S.; Enegela A.; Leech C.; Hassanali F.; Rashid H.; Lalji J.; Akpoghene M.; Enegela O.A.; Hafeez-Bore O.; Oluwaseun O.; Pelasur R.; Ayres R.; Tariq R.; Mchenry R.D.; Bains B.; Jones B.; Tarant E.; Mundy M.; Pearse R.; Sibtain S.; Day A.; Campbell B.; Stagg C.; Jones D.; Atwal I.; Tompkins K.; Parsons P.; Dancer R.; Balaican A.M.; Ellis C.; Ede C.H.; Joseph J.; Hardaker O.; Ridwan R.; Khan S.; Zhao X.; Wood L.; Tampsett R.; Rao S.; Castillo W.P.H.; Ticehurst F.; Rocha J.G.D.; Chivers K.; Vecchione N.; Kader N.; Wilson S.; Adhikari S.; Ramsundar S.; Felix F.; Johnston R.; Jin Y.; Ingall E.; Rand J.; Solly R.; Naeem S.; Stirrup S.; Priestley V.; Pun A.; Olosho O.Z.; Board S.;

Citation:

Emergency Medicine Journal. (no pagination), 2025. Article Number: 214616. Date of Publication: 2025. [epub ahead of print]

Abstract:

Background: Numerous strategies have been developed to rapidly rule-out acute coronary syndrome (ACS) using high-sensitivity troponin. We aimed to establish their performance in terms of emergency care length of stay (LOS) in real-world practice. Method(s): A multicentre observational cohort study in 94 UK sites between March and April 2023. Recruitment was preferably prospective, with retrospective recruitment also allowed. Adults presenting to the ED with chest pain triggering assessment for possible ACS were eligible. Primary outcome was emergency care LOS. Secondary outcomes were index rate of acute myocardial infarction (MI), time to be seen (TTBS), disposition and discharge diagnosis. Details of ACS rule-out strategies in use were collected from local guidelines. Mixed effects linear regression models tested the association between rule-out strategy and LOS. Result(s): 8563 eligible patients were recruited, representing 5.3% of all ED attendances. Median LOS for all patients was 333 min (IQR 225, 510.5), for admitted patients was 460 min (IQR 239.75, 776.25) and for discharged patients was 313 min (IQR 221, 451). Heterogeneity was seen in the rule-out strategies with regard to recommended troponin timing. There was no significant difference in LOS in discharged patients between rule-out strategies defined by single and serial troponin timing (p=0.23 and p=0.41). The index rate of acute MI was 15.2% (1301/8563). Median TTBS was 120 min (IQR 57, 212). 24.4% (2087/8563) of patients were partly managed in a same day emergency care unit and 70% (5934/8563) of patients were discharged from emergency care. Conclusion(s): Despite heterogeneity in the ACS rule-out strategies in use and widespread adoption of rapid rule-out approaches, this study saw little effect on LOS in real-world practice. Suspected cardiac chest pain still accounts for a significant proportion of UK ED attendances. ED system pressures are likely to be explanatory, but further research is needed to understand the reasons for the unrealised potential of these strategies.

DOI: 10.1136/emermed-2024-214616

Link to full-text [NHS OpenAthens account required]

Point of View: A Holistic Four-Interface Conceptual Model for Personalizing Shock Resuscitation (2025)

Type of publication:

Journal article

Author(s):

Rola, Philippe; Kattan, Eduardo; Siuba, Matthew T; Haycock, Korbin; Crager, Sara; Spiegel, Rory; Hockstein, Max; Bhardwaj, Vimal; *Miller, Ashley; Kenny, Jon-Emile; Ospina-Tascon, Gustavo A; Hernandez, Glenn.

Citation:

Journal of Personalized Medicine. 15(5), 2025 May 20.

Abstract:

The resuscitation of a patient in shock is a highly complex endeavor that should go beyond normalizing mean arterial pressure and protocolized fluid loading. We propose a holistic, four-interface conceptual model of shock that we believe can benefit both clinicians at the bedside and researchers. The four circulatory interfaces whose uncoupling results in shock are as follows: the left ventricle to arterial, the arterial to capillary, the capillary to venular, and finally the right ventricle to pulmonary artery. We review the pathophysiology and clinical consequences behind the uncoupling of these interfaces, as well as how to assess them, and propose a strategy for approaching a patient in shock. Bedside assessment of shock may include these critical interfaces in order to avoid hemodynamic incoherence and to focus on microcirculatory restoration rather than simply mean arterial pressure. The purpose of this model is to serve as a mental model for learners as well as a framework for further resuscitation research that incorporates these concepts.

DOI: 10.3390/jpm15050207

Link to full-text [open access - no password required]

Improving CareFlow documentation in PRH Emergency Department (2025)

Type of publication:

Service improvement case study

Author(s):

*Luke Moss

Citation:

SaTH Improvement Hub, January 2025

Abstract:

To increase the number of ED Cas-cards that have allergy status recorded to 100% and to increase the number of Careflow allergy alerts by 100% by 23/11/24.

Link to PDF poster

Pulmonary Embolism Presenting As Shoulder and Back Pain: A Case Report (2024)

Type of publication:
Journal article

Author(s):
*Nwaneri, Chukwuemeka; *Race, Rebecca; *Oladele, Romoluwa; *Kumaran, Subramanian.

Citation:
Cureus. 16(7):e64016, 2024 Jul.

Abstract:
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common but life-threatening condition, and diagnosis can be challenging. Diagnosis is even more difficult in those patients with atypical presentations such as the absence of pleuritic chest pain, dyspnoea, tachycardia, or symptoms of deep vein thrombosis. We have delineated shoulder and back pain as an atypical sign of PE. However, the significant amount of misdiagnosis highlights the importance of other rare symptoms of this potentially fatal disease. Therefore, eliciting these rare presenting symptoms can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality. Here, we report the case of a patient who, 13 days after a laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication, presented to the emergency department (ED) with left shoulder and left-sided pleuritic back pain. She was managed in the resuscitation area in the ED and was subsequently diagnosed with a left-sided PE. Her care was taken over by the medical team, and she continued her recovery in the acute medical unit.

Link to full-text [no password required]

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