Table 1.
The 28 core variables for uniform reporting of data from advanced airway management in the field
| Data variable name | Data variable categories or values | Definition of data variable |
|---|---|---|
| System variables | ||
| Highest level of EMS provider on scene | 1 = EMS non-P 2 = EMS-P 3 = Nurse 4 = Physician 5 = Unknown |
Highest level of EMS provider on scene, excluding any non-EMS personnel (e.g., bystanders, family etc) |
| Airway device available on scene | 1 = BMV 2 = Extraglottic device 3 = ETT 4 = Surgical airway 5 = None 6 = Unknown |
Airway devices available on scene and provider on scene who knows how to use it |
| Drugs for airway management available on scene | 1 = Sedatives 2 = NMBA 3 = Analgetics/opioids 4 = Local/topic anaesthetic 5 = None |
Drugs used for airway management, available on scene and someone competent to administer |
| Main type of transportation | 1 = Ground ambulance 2 = Helicopter ambulance 3 = Fixed-wing ambulance 4 = Private or public vehicle 5 = Walk-in 6 = Police 7 = Other 8 = Not transported 9 = Unknown |
Main type of transportation vehicle (if multiple chose vehicle used for the majority of the transportation phase) |
| Response time | Minutes | Time from Emergency Medical Communication Centre operator initiates transmission of dispatch message to first resource/unit time of arrival on scene of first unit as reported by first unit |
| Patient variables | ||
| Co-morbidity | 1 = No (ASA-PS = 1) 2 = Yes (ASA-PS = 2-6) 3 = Unknown |
ASA-PS definition 1 = A normal healthy patient 2 = A patient with mild systemic disease 3 = A patient with severe systemic disease 4 = A patient with severe systemic disease that is a constant threat to life 5 = A moribund patient who is not expected to survive without the operation 6 = A declared brain-dead patient whose organs are being removed for donor purposes |
| Age | Years or months | Years, if patient <2 years then months |
| Gender | 1 = Female 2 = Male 3 = Unknown |
Patients gender |
| Patient category | 1 = Blunt trauma (incl burns) 2 = Penetrating trauma 3 = Non-trauma (including drowning and asphyxia) 4 = Unknown |
Dominant reason for emergency treatment. |
| Indication for airway intervention | 1 = Decreased level of consciousness 2 = Hypoxemia 3 = Ineffective ventilation 4 = Existing airway obstruction 5 = Impending airway obstruction 6 = Combative or uncooperative 7 = Relief of pain or distress 8 = Cardiopulmonary arrest 9 = Other, specify |
Dominating indication for airway intervention |
| RR initial | Number/ Not recorded |
First value recorded by EMS provider on scene |
| SBP initial | Number/ Not recorded |
First value recorded by EMS provider on scene |
| HR initial | Number/ Not recorded |
First value recorded by EMS provider on scene |
| GCS initial (m/v/e) | Motor 1-6 Verbal 1-5 Eyes 1-4 Not recorded |
First value recorded by EMS provider on scene See also GCS definitions |
| SpO2 initial, state: with or without supplemental O2 | Number/ Not recorded 1 = Without supplemental O2 2 = With supplemental O2 3 = Unknown if supplemental O2 |
First value recorded by EMS provider on scene |
| Post-intervention variables | ||
| Post-intervention ventilation | 1 = Spontaneous 2 = Controlled 3 = Mixed 4 = Unknown |
How is patient ventilated following airway management? If both spontaneous and controlled choose mixed. |
| Post-intervention SBP | Number/ Not recorded |
First value recorded by EMS provider after finalised airway management |
| Post-intervention SpO2 | Number/ Not recorded |
First value recorded by EMS provider after finalised airway management |
| Post-intervention EtCO2 | Number/ Not recorded |
First value recorded by EMS provider after finalised airway management |
| Post-intervention SBP on arrival | Number/ Not recorded |
First value recorded by EMS provider after patient arrives at hospital |
| Post-intervention SpO2 on arrival | Number/ Not recorded |
First value recorded by EMS provider after patient arrives at hospital |
| Post-intervention EtCO2 on arrival | Number/ Not recorded |
First value recorded by EMS provider after patient arrives at hospital |
| Survival status | 1 = Dead on scene or on arrival 2 = Alive on arival 3 = Unknown |
Patient survival status: EMS treatment and on arrival hospital |
| Attempts at airway intervention | 1 = One attempt 2 = Multiple attempts 3 = Earlier attempts 4 = Unknown |
Number of attempts at securing the airway with extraglottic device or ETI. Earlier attempts describe the situation where another EMS personnel has attempted to secure the airway before the current. |
| Complications | 1 = ETT misplaced in oesophagus 2 = ETT misplaced in right mainstem bronchus 3 = Teeth trauma 4 = Vomiting and/or aspiration 5 = Hypoxia 6 = Bradycardia 7 = Hypotension 8 = Other, define 9 = None recorded |
Problems and mechanical complications recognized on scene and caused by airway management. Physiologic complications (5, 6 and 7) are regarded as such if they were not present before airway intervention and were recorded during or immediately after airway management. The following definitions are to be used: hypoxia: SpO2 <90% bradycardia: pulse rate <60 bpm hypotension: SBP <90 |
| Drugs used to facilitate airway procedure | 1 = Sedatives 2 = NMBA 3 = Analgetics/opioids 4 = Local/topic anaesthetic 5 = None |
Drugs used to facilitate the airway intervention. Select all that apply. |
| Intubation success | 1 = Success on first attempt 2 = Success after more than one attempt and one rescuer 3 = Success after more than one attempt and multiple rescuers 3 = Not successful |
Successful intubation defined as tube verified in the trachea. An intubation attempt is defined as attempted laryngoscopy with the intent to intubate |
| Device used in successful airway management | 1 = Bag Mask Ventilation 2 = SAD 3 = Oral TI 4 = Nasal TI 5 = Surgical airway 6 = None 7 = Unknown |
Device used to manage successful airway or device in place when patient is delivered at hospital/ED |
ASA-PS, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status; bpm, beats per minute; BMV, bag mask ventilation; ED, emergency department; EMS, emergency medical service; EtCO2, end-tidal carbon dioxide; ETI, endotracheal intubation; ETT, endotracheal tube; GCS, Glasgow coma score; HR, heart rate; NMBA, neuromuscular blocking agent; P, paramedic; RR, respiratory rate; SAD, supraglottic airway device; SBP, systolic blood pressure; SpO2, saturation of peripheral oxygen, TI, tracheal intubation.
As identified by an international expert group [19].