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Aim: The objective of this paper was to systematically review the efficacy of interventions targeting high-level mobility skills in people with a neurological impairment. Method(s): A comprehensive electronic database search was conducted. Study designs were graded using the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) system and methodological quality was described using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. Result(s): Twelve exploratory studies (AACPDM levels IV/V), of limited methodological quality (PEDro scores of 2-3 out of 10), were included. Interventions included treadmill training, a three-phase programme, a high-level mobility group, plyometric training, running technique coaching and walk training with blood flow restriction. Diagnoses included acquired brain injury, cerebral palsy, incomplete spinal cord injury and neurofibromatosis type 1. There were difficulties generalizing results from exploratory designs with a broad range of participants, interventions and outcome measures. However, it seems that people with a neurological impairment have the capacity to improve high-level mobility skills, running speed and distance with intervention. There were no adverse events that limited participation. Conclusion(s): There is preliminary evidence to support the efficacy of interventions to improve high-level mobility skills in people with neurological impairments. Well-controlled research with a larger sample is required to provide sufficient evidence to change clinical practice.Copyright © 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of using high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) within an accelerated diagnostic protocol (ADP) in patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) for rapid rule-out of AMI. Methods: In two independent large multicenter studies, levels of hs-cTnT at presentation and at 2 h were combined with the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk score and ECG findings. The ADP defined patients with normal levels of hs-cTnT at presentation and 2 h, a TIMI score ≤ 1, and normal ECG findings as candidates for rapid rule-out of AMI and rapid discharge. Major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) occurring within 30-days were centrally adjudicated by two independent cardiologists. Results: In the derivation cohort, among 1085 consecutive patients 198 patients (18.2%) had a MACE. The ADP classified 374 patients (34.5%) as low-risk. None of these patients had a MACE at 30 days, resulting in a negative predictive value (NPV) of 100% (95% CI, 99.0–100%) and a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI, 98.2%–100%). In the validation cohort, among 1590 consecutive patients 231 patients (14.5%) had a MACE. The ADP classified 641 patients (40.3%) as low-risk. 6 of these patients had a MACE at 30 days, resulting in a NPV of 99.1% (95% CI, 98.0–99.6%) and a sensitivity of 97.4% (95% CI, 94.5–98.8%). Conclusions: The ADP including hs-cTnT allows early identification 35 to 40% of patients to be at extremely low risk of MACE and therefore ideal candidates for outpatient management.

Objective: Risk scores and accelerated diagnostic protocols can identify chest pain patients with low risk of major adverse cardiac event who could be discharged early from the ED, saving time and costs. We aimed to derive and validate a chest pain score and accelerated diagnostic protocol (ADP) that could safely increase the proportion of patients suitable for early discharge. Methods: Logistic regression identified statistical predictors for major adverse cardiac events in a derivation cohort. Statistical coefficients were converted to whole numbers to create a score. Clinician feedback was used to improve the clinical plausibility and the usability of the final score (Emergency Department Assessment of Chest pain Score [EDACS]). EDACS was combined with electrocardiogram results and troponin results at 0 and 2h to develop an ADP (EDACS-ADP). The score and EDACS-ADP were validated and tested for reproducibility in separate cohorts of patients. Results: In the derivation (n = 1974) and validation (n = 608) cohorts, the EDACS-ADP classified 42.2% (sensitivity 99.0%, specificity 49.9%) and 51.3% (sensitivity 100.0%, specificity 59.0%) as low risk of major adverse cardiac events, respectively. The intra-class correlation coefficient for categorisation of patients as low risk was 0.87. Conclusion: The EDACS-ADP identified approximately half of the patients presenting to the ED with possible cardiac chest pain as having low risk of short-term major adverse cardiac events, with high sensitivity. This is a significant improvement on similar, previously reported protocols. The EDACS-ADP is reproducible and has the potential to make considerable cost reductions to health systems.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to compare a new improved point of care cardiac troponin assay (new POC-cTnI) with 1. its predecessor (old POC-cTnI) and 2. a high sensitivity assay (hs-cTnI) for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and for major adverse cardiac events (MACE) by 30 days. Methods: This is a single centre observational study, set in Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand. Patients presenting to the emergency department with non-traumatic chest pain underwent blood sampling at 0 h and 2 h post presentation for analysis with the 3 cTnI assays for the outcome of AMI and for analysis using an accelerated diagnostic protocol (ADP-normal 2 h troponins, normal electrocardiograms and Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) score of 0 or ≤ 1) for 30 day MACE. Results: Of 962 patients, 220 (22.9%) had AMI. Old POC-cTnI was least sensitive at 70.0% (65.4–73.9%) by 2 h (p < 0.001). New POC-cTnI, sensitivity 93.6% (89.9–96.2%) had similar sensitivity to hs-cTnI, sensitivity 95.0% (91.5–97.3%) (p = 0.508). There were 231 (24.0%) patients with 30 day MACE. When used as part of the ADP, all assays had 100% (98.0–100%) sensitivity using TIMI = 0. Sensitivities of new POC-cTnI ADP, 98.3% (95.4–99.4%), old POC-cTnI, 96.5% (93.2–98.4%) and hs-cTnI, 98.7% (96.0–99.7%) were similar (p = 0.063–0.375) using TIMI ≤ 1. Conclusions: A new POC-cTnI has improved sensitivity for AMI and MACE compared with its predecessor and comparable sensitivity to a high sensitivity assay. Now that sensitivities of the POC assay are improved, the new assay may be a useful alternative to central laboratory assays when rapid turn-around times are not possible.

Objectives The study objective was to validate a new high-sensitivity troponin I (hs-TnI) assay in a clinical protocol for assessing patients who present to the emergency department with chest pain. Background Protocols using sensitive troponin assays can accelerate the rule out of acute myocardial infarction in patients with low-risk (suspected) acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods This study evaluated 2 prospective cohorts of patients in the emergency department with ACS in an accelerated diagnostic pathway integrating 0- and 2-h hs-TnI results, Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk scores, and electrocardiography. Strategies to identify low-risk patients incorporated TIMI risk scores = 0 or =1. The primary endpoint was a major adverse cardiac event (MACE) within 30 days. Results In the primary cohort, 1,635 patients were recruited and had 30-day follow-up. A total of 247 patients (15.1%) had a MACE. The finding of no ischemic electrocardiogram and hs-TnI =26.2 ng/l with the TIMI = 0 and TIMI =1 pathways, respectively, classified 19.6% (n = 320) and 41.5% (n = 678) of these patients as low risk; 0% (n = 0) and 0.8% (n = 2) had a MACE, respectively. In the secondary cohort, 909 patients were recruited. A total of 156 patients (17.2%) had a MACE. The TIMI = 0 and TIMI =1 pathways classified 25.3% (n = 230) and 38.6% (n = 351), respectively, of these patients as low risk; 0% (n = 0) and 0.8% (n = 1) had a MACE, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value for TIMI = 0 in the primary cohort were 100% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 98.5% to 100%), 23.1% (95% CI: 20.9% to 25.3%), and 100% (95% CI: 98.8% to 100%), respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value for TIMI =1 in the primary cohort were 99.2 (95% CI: 97.1 to 99.8), 48.7 (95% CI: 46.1 to 51.3), and 99.7 (95% CI: 98.9 to 99.9), respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and negative value for TIMI =1 in the secondary cohort were 99.4% (95% CI: 96.5 to 1

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether a new accelerated diagnostic protocol (ADP) for possible cardiac chest pain could identify low-risk patients suitable for early discharge (with follow-up shortly after discharge). Background: Patients presenting with possible acute coronary syndrome (ACS), who have a low short-term risk of adverse cardiac events may be suitable for early discharge and shorter hospital stays. Methods: This prospective observational study tested an ADP that included pre-test probability scoring by the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) score, electrocardiography, and 0 + 2 h values of laboratory troponin I as the sole biomarker. Patients presenting with chest pain due to suspected ACS were included. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac event (MACE) within 30 days. Results: Of 1,975 patients, 302 (15.3%) had a MACE. The ADP classified 392 patients (20%) as low risk. One (0.25%) of these patients had a MACE, giving the ADP a sensitivity of 99.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 98.1% to 99.9%), negative predictive value of 99.7% (95% CI: 98.6% to 100.0%), specificity of 23.4% (95% CI: 21.4% to 25.4%), and positive predictive value of 19.0% (95% CI: 17.2% to 21.0%). Many ADP negative patients had further investigations (74.1%), and therapeutic (18.3%) or procedural (2.0%) interventions during the initial hospital attendance and/or 30-day follow-up.Conclusions: Using the ADP, a large group of patients was successfully identified as at low short-term risk of a MACE and therefore suitable for rapid discharge from the emergency department with early follow-up. This approach could decrease the observation period required for some patients with chest pain. (An observational study of the diagnostic utility of an accelerated diagnostic protocol using contemporary central laboratory cardiac troponin in the assessment of patients presenting to two Australasian hospitals with chest pain of possible cardiac origin; ACTR

Background: Patients with chest pain contribute substantially to emergency department attendances, lengthy hospital stay, and inpatient admissions. A reliable, reproducible, and fast process to identify patients presenting with chest pain who have a low short-term risk of a major adverse cardiac event is needed to facilitate early discharge. We aimed to prospectively validate the safety of a predefined 2-h accelerated diagnostic protocol (ADP) to assess patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome. Methods: This observational study was undertaken in 14 emergency departments in nine countries in the Asia-Pacific region, in patients aged 18 years and older with at least 5 min of chest pain. The ADP included use of a structured pre-test probability scoring method (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction [TIMI] score), electrocardiograph, and point-of-care biomarker panel of troponin, creatine kinase MB, and myoglobin. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events within 30 days after initial presentation (including initial hospital attendance). This trial is registered with the Australia-New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, number ACTRN12609000283279. Findings: 3582 consecutive patients were recruited and completed 30-day follow-up. 421 (11·8%) patients had a major adverse cardiac event. The ADP classified 352 (9·8%) patients as low risk and potentially suitable for early discharge. A major adverse cardiac event occurred in three (0·9%) of these patients, giving the ADP a sensitivity of 99·3% (95% CI 97·9–99·8), a negative predictive value of 99·1% (97·3–99·8), and a specificity of 11·0% (10·0–12·2).