Identification of Risk Patients in Emergency Medical Services

Cognitive Impairment Clinical Trial

Official title:

Identification of Risk Patients in Emergency Medical Services

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03759314
• Other study ID #: §50, 27.3.2018
• Status: Completed
• Start date: September 1, 2018
• Est. completion date: January 28, 2022

Study information

• Verified date: January 2022
• Source: Helsinki University Central Hospital
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

Background: Inadequate nutrition has been associated with growing risk of falling and impaired ability in elderly patients. Falling is a significant threat to the health of the elderly. It is estimated that one third of people over the age of 65 experience at least one falling each year. Over 60% of the falls cause serious injury or disability. Adequate nutrition increases the muscle strength of the elderly. Therefore, determining and managing the nutrition level is important for preventing falling. As far as we know emergency medical services has never before reported being a part of prevention by performing risk identification.

Description:

Aim: The purpose of the study is to assess whether it is possible to use a simple screening tool to find out the risk of falling, the nutritional status and the level of cognitive functioning activity when the EMS faces the elderly over the age of 70 years. In addition, the flow of information between primary care and emergency services and nutritionists is examined.

Material and method: Identification of poor nutrition is carried out in the Helsinki University hospital area. All people over the age of 70 requiring ambulance transport will be included in the study for 4 months during 2018. A structured electronic form is used to identify the malnutrition, the level of cognitive functioning activity and the risk of falling. The assessment is performed during the transport. The data is analyzed by the SPSS statistical program both by descriptive and statistical significance by looking at the methods suitable for the data.

Conclusion: The information produced by the research aims to develop (a) Identifying in the ambulance those patients who are at risk; and (b) activating nursing staff and nutritionists and, by means of these measures, increase the number of patients receiving effective nutrition therapy.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 500
• Est. completion date: January 28, 2022
• Est. primary completion date: January 28, 2022
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 70 Years to 104 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• All people over the age of 70 requiring ambulance transport will be included in the study for 4 months during 2018.

Exclusion Criteria:

-

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Cognitive Impairment
• Emergencies
• Falling
• Malnutrition

Intervention

Other:
• Observation
to use a simple screening tool to find out the risk of falling, the nutritional status and the level of cognitive functioning activity

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Finland	Department of Emergency Medicine and Services, Helsinki University Hospital and Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland	Helsinki	Helsinki Usimaa

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Helsinki University Central Hospital	University of Helsinki

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Finland, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Other	Identifying in the ambulance those patients who are at risk (total scores over sections)	Subscales are combined to compute a total score, if more than three points in total, the patient is considered to be a risk patient.	Through study completion an average of 12 months
Primary	Identifying in the ambulance those patients who are at risk (over 3 points in a single section)	to use a simple screening tool to find out the risk of falling, the nutritional status and the level of cognitive functioning activity when the EMS faces the elderly over the age of 70 The risk-screening tool is based on valid scales. RISK SCREENING TOOL; Risk of falling: Prediction of falls (4 items, 0-3 points) Self-reporting of falls over a 12-month period (3 items, 0-3 points); Malnutrition Risk: Home care and meal services (Yes, No) Nutritional status (4 items, 0-3 points) Effect of the diseases on nutrition (4 items, 0-3 points) Age (1 item, 1 point); Delirium and cognitive functioning: Alertness / memory / attention deficit / symptoms (4 items, 0-3 points); Complete when: > 70 years patient The patient's physical state allows. Mostly completed during transport (no need to add actual time on scene). Possible risk points are reported at donation to the emergency department.	Through study completion an average of 12 months