Coaching train. Credit score: Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS)
A brand new research carried out throughout 5 U.Okay. air ambulance providers has revealed vital variation in calcium ranges amongst trauma sufferers receiving pre-hospital blood transfusions—highlighting a important alternative to offer extra tailor-made take care of sufferers.
The research was led by the Pre-Hospital Trainee Operated Analysis Community (PHOTON) in collaboration with Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) The Air Ambulance Service, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance, and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance. It evaluated 58 trauma sufferers who acquired pre-hospital blood transfusions between February and April 2024.
The research, revealed within the Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medication, discovered that fewer than half of trauma sufferers had regular calcium ranges upon arrival at hospital. Each low (hypocalcemia) and excessive (hypercalcemia) calcium ranges have been frequent and related to poorer outcomes, but present pre-hospital protocols usually depend on fixed-dose calcium alternative with out real-time monitoring.
The analysis paves the way in which for future work to discover how calcium ranges in pre-hospital sufferers are managed on the scene or throughout their switch to hospital.
Key findings
43% of sufferers have been hypocalcemic and 22% hypercalcemic on arriving at hospital.
Solely 35% had regular calcium ranges regardless of receiving calcium alternative.
Sufferers who acquired extra blood merchandise have been extra prone to have irregular calcium ranges.
There was extensive variation in calcium dosing and timing throughout providers.
Pre-hospital point-of-care testing (POCT) for ionized calcium (iCa) was not utilized by any collaborating service on the time of the research.
Implications for affected person care
The analysis underscores the pressing want for precision trauma care within the pre-hospital setting. By introducing POCT for calcium ranges on board air ambulances, clinicians may tailor calcium alternative to every affected person’s wants—probably lowering the chance of issues reminiscent of cardiac dysfunction, coagulopathy, and elevated mortality.
Commenting on the analysis, Dr. Chris Simpson of the Analysis and Innovation Group at KSS stated, “This collaborative research throughout 5 air ambulances provides vital proof to the sector of blood transfusion analysis. We discovered that main trauma sufferers receiving pre-hospital blood product transfusions confirmed a variety of ionized calcium ranges when measured in hospital, suggesting that current commonplace working procedures is probably not satisfactory.
“Our findings make way for future work to explore whether empiric pre-hospital calcium supplementation or targeted calcium replacement is more appropriate for these patients. Targeted calcium replacement could potentially be supported by point-of-care devices in the pre-hospital setting, allowing us to treat patients according to their actual calcium measurements either at the scene or during transfer to the hospital.”
The research demonstrates the feasibility of gathering detailed pre- and in-hospital knowledge throughout a number of air ambulance providers. It paves the way in which for future analysis and the event of evidence-based pointers for calcium administration in trauma care. Air ambulance providers reminiscent of KSS proceed to discover the mixing of POCT gadgets into their scientific workflows, significantly for longer missions the place early intervention could make a lifesaving distinction.
Extra data:
Anna Forbes et al, Pre-hospital blood product transfusion and calcium administration in the UK: a multicentre service analysis, Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medication (2025). DOI: 10.1186/s13049-025-01446-8
Offered by
Analysis and Innovation Group, Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex
Quotation:
New research highlights important function of calcium monitoring in pre-hospital trauma care (2025, August 6)
retrieved 6 August 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/information/2025-08-highlights-critical-role-calcium-pre.html
This doc is topic to copyright. Aside from any honest dealing for the aim of personal research or analysis, no
half could also be reproduced with out the written permission. The content material is offered for data functions solely.
