Table 2.
ED airway management characteristics in 1,903 study patients, by age group
| Management | All patients(n = 1,903) | Age ≥ 65 years(n = 975) | Age < 65 years(n = 928) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial method (%) | |||
| Sedation without paralysis |
682 (36) |
360 (37) |
322 (35) |
| Oral without medication |
546 (29) |
298 (31) |
248 (27) |
| Rapid sequence intubation |
542 (28) |
269 (28) |
273 (29) |
| Other* |
133 (7) |
48 (5) |
85 (9) |
| Initial device (%) | |||
| Direct laryngoscope |
1,810 (95) |
933 (96) |
877 (95) |
| Video laryngoscope |
44 (2) |
17 (2) |
27 (3) |
| Other† |
49 (3) |
25 (3) |
24 (2) |
| Sedative (%) | |||
| No sedatives |
724 (38) |
372 (38) |
352 (38) |
| Benzodiazepine |
630 (22) |
343 (35) |
287 (31) |
| Propofol |
447 (23) |
205 (21) |
242 (26) |
| Ketamine |
66 (3) |
42 (4) |
24 (3) |
| Other‡ |
36 (2) |
13 (1) |
23 (2) |
| Paralytic (%) | |||
| No paralytics |
1,291 (68) |
689 (71) |
602 (65) |
| Rocuronium |
402 (21) |
177 (18) |
225 (24) |
| Vecuronium |
150 (8) |
75 (8) |
75 (8) |
| Succinylcholine |
60 (3) |
34 (3) |
26 (3) |
| Specialty of first intubator (%) | |||
| Transitional year resident§ |
703 (37) |
384 (39) |
319 (34) |
| Emergency medicine resident |
648 (34) |
298 (31) |
350 (39) |
| Emergency physician |
348 (18) |
180 (18) |
168 (18) |
| Other specialties¶ |
202 (11) |
113 (12) |
89 (10) |
| Number of intubation attempts, median (IQR) |
1(1–2) |
1(1–2) |
1 (1–2) |
| > 3 intubation attempts (%) |
255 (13) |
128 (13) |
127 (14) |
| Ultimate intubation success (%) | 5 (< 1) | 3 (< 1) | 2 (< 1) |
IQR, interquartile range.
*Defined as oral intubation using paralytics without sedatives, transnasal intubation or cricothyrotomy.
†Defined as oral intubation using a bougie, lighted stylet, laryngeal mask airway and fibroscopy, transnasal intubation or cricothyrotomy.
‡Defined as administration of thiopental, haloperidol or combination with any of the included sedative categories.
§Defined as post-graduate years 1 and 2.
¶Defined as surgery, anaesthesia or paediatrics.