Accuracy of early shock recognition by paramedics: a multicenter prospective observational study in Japan
Rina Tanohata1, Katsutoshi Saito1, Takehiko Nagano1
1Department of Emergency, Critical Care, and Disaster Medicine, University of Miyazaki Hospital, Japan.
Objective:
Early recognition of shock status by paramedics significantly affects patient prognosis; however, its accuracy remains unclear. This study assessed the diagnostic accuracy of paramedics in classifying shock and the characteristics of misdiagnoses.
Materials And Methods:
This multicenter prospective observational study compared the on-scene shock diagnoses of paramedics between July 2022 and June 2023 with those of physicians upon hospital arrival.
Results:
The overall diagnostic accuracy for shock revealed substantial agreement (k=0.64), whereas diagnosis by category ranged from slight to moderate agreement (k=0.11-0.51). Patients without systolic hypotension were more frequently missed during diagnosis.
Conclusions:
Enhanced clinical education is needed to improve the accuracy of shock diagnosis by paramedics.
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