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Center for Akutforskning er en forskningsenhed ved Aarhus Universitetshospital og Aarhus Universitet

Center for Akutforskning er en forskningsenhed på Aarhus Universitetshospital og Aarhus Universitet.

28/08/2026

Mechanical ventilation during CPR: Does the mode matter? 🫁

Together with an international and multiprofessional team, PhD student Johannes Wittig from the Research Center for Emergency Medicine conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies comparing volume-controlled mechanical ventilation with manual ventilation or other mechanical ventilation modes for adults or children with cardiac arrest.

📚 They identified 13 studies (6 RCTs and 7 non-randomized studies) including 5,068 patients.

👶 No studies in children were found.

⚙️ Volume-controlled ventilation was compared to manual ventilation in four RCTs while pressure-controlled and the CPR-specific ventilation mode Chest Compression Synchronized Ventilation (CCSV) were investigated in one RCT each.

👉 Very low to low certainty evidence from randomized trials suggests no significant difference in clinical outcomes between volume-controlled mechanical ventilation and manual ventilation.

❓ High-quality evidence on the effectiveness of volume-controlled mechanical ventilation is still lacking. However, some randomized and non-randomized studies suggest that volume-controlled mechanical ventilation during CPR is feasible and various mechanical ventilation modes are already being used in clinical CPR outside of controlled research settings.

This review highlights a broad knowledge gap in resuscitation science – More high-quality research on the safety and effectives of mechanical ventilation modes during CPR is needed.

Johannes conducted the systematic review together with Anna Sommer Harrits, Emma Bürgstein, Robert M. Sutton, Kristian Krogh, Bo Løfgren, Simon Orlob and Kasper Glerup Lauridsen.

📖 The paper is freely available online in Resuscitation. Read the article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300957226002467?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Johannes Wittig is supported by the Aarhus University Research Foundation.

29/06/2026

🚨 We are pleased to share the 2025 Annual Report from the Research Center for Emergency Medicine 🚨

We have created a visual snapshot showcasing the milestones, achievements and research activities from 2025.

✨ Highlights from 2025:
👩‍🔬 45 researchers, staff members and students
🤝 12 national research projects
🌍 14 international research projects
📚 60 peer-reviewed publications
📈 20.928.351 DKK in funding and grants received

Our work continues to focus on advancing emergency medicine through interdisciplinary research, innovation and strong clinical collaboration.

📖 Read the full report here:https://recem.au.dk/fileadmin/emr/ANNUAL_REPORT_2025.pdf

14/06/2026

🔬 How much does socioeconomic status influence survival after sepsis?

A recent study from the Department of Emergency Medicine at OUH, conducted by Camilla Schade Skov, Annmarie Touborg Lassen, Bas de Groot, and colleagues, provides important insights into how social determinants influence outcomes in critical illness.

Analyzing nearly 8,000 patients with community-acquired sepsis, the study found:

📊 Lower income was associated with higher mortality
⏳ The disparity became more pronounced over time, especially at 90 and 365 days
⚖️ No significant difference in short-term (7-day) mortality
🏥 No clear association between income and mortality among ICU patients

💡 What stands out is when the inequality appears

The lack of difference in early mortality, and in ICU patients, suggests that acute hospital care may be relatively equitable.

However, the increasing gap over time points toward the influence of post-acute and out-of-hospital factors, such as:

• Access to and adherence with rehabilitation
• Social support systems
• Health literacy and care-seeking behavior
• Underlying comorbidities and frailty

🧠 Key takeaway

Improving sepsis outcomes isn’t only about optimizing in-hospital treatment.
It also requires addressing the broader social and structural factors that shape recovery after discharge.

This study is a reminder that health inequalities continue long after patients leave the hospital and may ultimately determine long-term survival.

🔗 Read the full article here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42103377/

08/06/2026

🔬 Multimorbidity significantly increases the risk of readmission and mortality among older patients

Trine Worm Thøgersen is the lead author of this study, carried out in close collaboration with Marianne Lisby and a strong team of skilled researchers.

Based on nationwide Danish data, the study shows that multimorbidity is a major driver of adverse outcomes in older adults admitted with ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs), which are Conditions where timely and effective primary care may help prevent the need for hospital admission.

📊 Key findings:
• Both moderate (2–3 conditions) and severe (4+ conditions) multimorbidity are associated with a markedly increased risk of 30-day readmission and mortality
• The impact is particularly pronounced among younger older adults (65–74 years), highlighting an important window for early intervention
• Multimorbidity alone is a powerful predictor, even without formal frailty assessment

💡 What does this mean?
The findings emphasize the need for more comprehensive, patient-centred approaches that go beyond single diagnoses and incorporate functional status, frailty, and social factors.

Early identification of high-risk patients and targeted interventions across care sectors may help prevent avoidable hospitalizations and improve outcomes.

🧭 Overall, the study highlights the urgent need to rethink how we identify and manage older patients with complex health needs across the healthcare system.

🔗 Read the article here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41999-026-01500-3

28/05/2026

🚑 How can we better support relatives in crisis in emergency care?

Relatives in emergency and trauma settings often face acute psychological distress, but are we equipping nurses to support them effectively?

A new study by authors Mia Blaabjerg, Anne Sophie Ågård & Marianne Lisby shows that targeted competence development makes a real difference.

✨ After a structured intervention, emergency nurses reported:
▪️ Significantly higher self-rated competencies in caring for relatives in crisis
▪️ Reduced feelings of inadequacy
▪️ Increased satisfaction with both their own and their department’s care

At the same time, more nurses also experienced the work as emotionally demanding, highlighting the importance of ongoing support and organizational focus.

💡 The takeaway?
Investing in training and continuous competence development not only strengthens clinical practice but also improves support for families during some of their most critical moments.

Read the article here: https://doi.org/10.18261/ks.40.4.1

22/05/2026

🚨 New Research on Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury in Emergency Medicine 🚨

📄 We are proud to share that Philip Uhd, Marianne Lisby, Bas de Groot & Nikolaj Raaber have published a new article in the International Journal of Emergency Medicine

🔬 The study investigates physicians’ knowledge of blunt cerebrovascular injuries (BCVI) in Denmark and the Netherlands.

🚑 The research reveals high awareness of trauma mechanisms, but identifies critical gaps in recognizing high-risk symptoms and managing BCVI-related stroke, highlighting an important opportunity to strengthen education and clinical guidelines in trauma care 🚑

A valuable contribution toward improving early recognition and treatment of these potentially life-threatening injuries 👏

🔗 Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-026-01204-2

15/05/2026

🚨 Trauma Team Activation in Pediatric Patients🚨

We are proud to share that Christina Højfeldt Nordestgaard, Martin Faurholdt Gude, Sara Viskum Leth & Nikolaj Raaber have published a new article in the European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery.

🚑 The study explores trauma team activation (TTA) in pediatric patients across Danish level I trauma centers, highlighting important variations in practice and contributing valuable insights for optimizing the care of severely injured children.

🔬 Congratulations to the team on this great achievement and their continued dedication to advancing emergency care through high-quality research.

🔗 Read the full article here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00068-026-03208-2

23/04/2026

🚑 Can we better identify older patients at risk of readmission after discharge from the Emergency Department?

A new prospective cohort study by Hans Kirkegaard and colleagues from Aarhus University Hospital explores the clinical value of WHODAS 2.0 as a tool for assessing disability and predicting outcomes in older patients.

🔍 Key findings:
• Higher disability scores in mobility and self-care were associated with increased risk of readmission within 26 weeks
• A mobility score ≥31 was particularly linked to higher risk
• Patients showed significant improvement in functioning over time after discharge
• WHODAS 2.0 may be a useful tool to support clinical decision-making and targeted rehabilitation

📊 These findings highlight the importance of assessing functional status and not just medical diagnoses when planning discharge and follow-up care.

📖 Read the full article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197457226002247?via%3Dihub

20/04/2026

🤝 Strengthening Danish-Austrian collaboration in Emergency Medicine 🇩🇰🇦🇹

Researchers from our centre were recently represented at the 12th Austrian Emergency Medicine Congress (Notfallmedizin 2026), organised by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Notfallmedizin (AGN) in Graz.

We are proud to highlight
🔹 Johannes Wittig, co-organiser and speaker, presenting “Knowledge gaps and research priorities” in a session on the recently published ERC Guidelines 2025.

🔹 Stig Holm Ovesen, invited speaker, presenting “POCUS: The peak of emergency medicine imaging?”

Their contributions reflect key research areas within our centre, from shaping future research priorities in resuscitation to advancing point-of-care ultrasound in clinical practice.

🌍 Participation in international congresses like this is essential for strengthening collaboration and ensuring that Danish emergency medicine research continues to contribute to important developments across Europe.

Thank you to the AGN and all participants for an inspiring congress and strong scientific programme. We look forward to continued collaboration across borders.

13/04/2026

📢 New publication from the Research Center for Emergency Medicine: What is the role of volume therapy during and after cardiac arrest?

A new systematic review and meta-analysis conducted on behalf of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) Advanced Life Support (ALS) Task Force brings together the current evidence on volume therapy during and after cardiac arrest.

🧠 The systematic review synthesized evidence from 710,118 patients across 14 randomized trials and 44 observational studies examining intravascular volume therapy during and after cardiac arrest.

So, what did we learn?

👉 No randomized trials have compared volume therapy vs. no volume therapy during CPR
👉 No clear benefit of one volume therapy strategy over another across clinical settings
👉 Certainty of evidence remains low to very low

💡 In short:
We still don’t know whether volume therapy during or after cardiac arrest improves outcomes.

More high-quality randomized trials are needed to inform clinical practice.

The full-text publication is available in the open access journal Resuscitation Plus: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resplu.2026.101300

Author group: First author Johannes Wittig from the Research Center for Emergency Medicine, senior author Mathias Johan Holmberg, Asger Granfeldt, Marie K. Jessen, Lars W. Andersen from Health - Aarhus University and Aarhus Universitetshospital together with international collaborators Shinichiro Ohshimo, Anders Aneman, Carrie Kah-Lai Leong, Brian J. O’Neil, Yew Woon Chia, Jacqueline Eleonora Ek and Peter P**l.

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