Comparison of Adenosine Administration Utilizing a Single-Syringe Versus a Double-Syringe Method in a Simulated...

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Pediatric Critical Care
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Adenosine is crucial for treating supraventricular tachycardia in pediatric emergencies.
• Current administration methods, like the double syringe (DS) technique, may be time-consuming.
• Optimizing adenosine delivery is vital for improving patient outcomes in critical care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the adenosine administration time between the single syringe (SS) and double syringe (DS) methods.
• To evaluate preparation time, errors, and participant preferences in a simulated pediatric emergency department (ED).

Main Methods:

• A prospective, randomized, crossover simulation study involving pharmacist-physician pairs.
• Adenosine doses were prepared by pharmacists and administered by physicians.
• Primary outcome was adenosine administration time; secondary outcomes included preparation metrics and participant feedback.

Main Results:

• The SS method demonstrated significantly shorter administration times compared to the DS method (13s vs. 26s, P<0.001).
• No significant differences were observed in preparation times or pharmacist-rated ease of administration.
• Physicians rated the SS method easier to administer, and 68.8% of participants preferred it.

Conclusions:

• The SS method offers a faster adenosine administration time compared to the DS method in a simulated ED environment.
• The SS method was perceived as easier to administer and was preferred by the majority of participants.
• Further clinical studies are needed to validate these findings and assess impact on patient outcomes, given the simulation design limitations.