Korean clinical practice guidelines for diagnostic and procedural sedation

Factors associated with harm in reported patient safety incidents and characteristics during health screenings in Korea: a secondary data analysis

BACKGROUND

Various health screenings are conducted in South Korea, including state-supported national health screenings, privately funded comprehensive health screenings, and employment-related or industry-specific screenings. Given the various risks of patient safety incidents during the health screening process and the lack of studies of incidents in this environment, this study aimed to analyse the types and characteristics of reported patient safety incidents during health screenings, the distribution of harm, and the impact of the incident types on harm.

METHODS

We analysed patient safety incidents reported to the Korean Institute for Healthcare Accreditation (2017-22) using the World Health Organization's framework for patient safety. We performed frequency analysis, chi-square tests, and binomial logistic regression analysis to identify the types and characteristics of reported patient safety incidents, the differences in the distribution of harm, and the impact of patient safety incident types on harm during health screenings.

RESULTS

A total of 213 cases were included in the analysis. Over half of the patient safety incidents during health screenings resulted in harm to the patient, and examination-related incidents were the most frequent type of incident. Furthermore, reported patient safety incidents were more likely to occur during regular working hours, in the examination room, in hospitals with over 500 beds, and amongst patients in their 50s, with no significant differences in sex distribution. Significant differences were observed in the distribution of harm according to incident types (P <.001) and patient age (P =.023). Controlling for patient and incident characteristics, the incident type was a determinant of harm. Amongst the incident types, medication/drug administration [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 29.730, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 6.081, 145.368], anaesthesia/sedation/treatments and procedures (aOR = 5.121, 95% CI = 1.002, 26.178), falls (aOR = 4.903, 95% CI = 2.022, 11.890), infections/injuries (aOR = 11.898, 95% CI = 1.082, 130.839), and other types of incidents (aOR = 8.719, 95% CI = 2.602, 29.212) increased the probability of harm compared to examination-related incidents.

CONCLUSION

This study underscores the critical need to manage high-risk patient safety incidents and implement systemic harm reduction strategies during health screenings. Encouraging the reporting of incidents, including near misses, alongside developing targeted interventions, is essential for enhancing patient safety. Future research should leverage larger datasets, consistent classification systems, and standardized data collection to generalize findings and advance prevention strategies, thereby improving the quality and safety of health screening services.

Incidence and risk factors of prolonged recovery during procedural sedation in pediatrics

Background

Sedation-related adverse events not only referred to a cause for morbidity and mortality but also included events that could disrupt routine procedures and thus lead to reduced procedural efficiency or quality. To date, no literature is available to predict the risk factors associated with prolonged recovery in pediatric patients during procedural sedation. Thus, we retrospectively analyzed the two-year sedation data to explore the above questions.

Methods

Pediatric patients who underwent procedural sedation between January 2022 and January 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to sedation duration <120 min (Non-prolonged recovery group); or ≧ 120 min (Prolonged recovery group). The primary outcome was the incidence of prolonged recovery. Risk factors associated with prolonged recovery were assessed.

Results

A total of 30,003 patients were identified; 854 (2.8%) developed prolonged recovery during procedural sedation. By multivariate regression, a higher body weight (OR 1.03, 95%CI 1.01-1.05), outpatients (OR 1.31, 95%CI 1.07-1.59), patients with sedation history (OR 1.25, 95%CI 1.07-1.44), and patients received chloral hydrate (OR 1.47, 95%CI 1.06-2.03), were associated with increased odds of the prolonged recovery with the initial sedative(s).

Conclusion

Monitoring time needs to be extended in patients with sedation history, those with heavier weights, outpatients, and those who received chloral hydrate.

Audiological and Vestibular Follow-Up for Children with Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection: From Current Limitations to Future Directions

Currently, the guidelines for audiological and vestibular follow-up in children with congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) are not well-defined. The general recommendation is to evaluate hearing in all children with congenital CMV at the same intervals: once every 3-6 months up to 1 year of age, once every 6 months from 1 to 3 years of age, and once a year from 3 to 6 years of age. Additionally, there are no universally accepted protocols for the vestibular follow-up of children with congenital CMV, although video head impulse test (v-HIT) and cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) are sometimes used. This narrative review critically evaluates existing audiological and vestibular follow-up approaches for children with congenital CMV, highlighting the need for personalized protocols. Tailoring follow-up schedules with different timing and methods based on risk factors, such as the trimester of maternal infection, CMV PCR results in amniotic fluid, and valganciclovir use, would indeed allow for more precise evaluations, timely interventions, and optimized resource allocation. This strategy would also alleviate the logistical and emotional burdens on families by ensuring that high-risk children receive more frequent and appropriate assessments and early interventions, while lower-risk children avoid unnecessary testing.