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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06322134

Drowning Incidents Treated by the Danish SAR Helicopters

Improving oxygenation and ventilation in drowning patients early in the field is critical and may be lifesaving. This may be achieved by helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) such as the Danish Air Ambulance, or the Royal Danish Air Force's Search And Rescue (SAR) helicopters. The SAR operates in all weather conditions and is equipped with a hoist system, able to hoist patients from the sea or small ships without helipads. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of drowning missions attended by the Royal Danish Air Force's SAR helicopter and describe patient characteristics and prehospital interventions.

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Key information

Conditions

Drowning Death Drown Drowning and Nonfatal Submersion Drowning and Submersion Due to Fall Off Ship Drowning and Submersion Due to Sailboat Sinking Drowning and Submersion While in Natural Water Drowning and Submersion, Undetermined Intent Drowning or Immersion of Unknown Intent Drowning, Near Drowning; Anoxia Hypoxia Near Drowning Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory Wounds and Injuries

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Prehospital Center

Næstved, Region Sjælland, 4700, Denmark

About this study

The national Danish Drowning Cohort contains data on all fatal and non-fatal drowning patients treated by the Emergency Medical Services. However, data on drowning patients treated by the SAR helicopters is reported in a separate system.

The population of drowning patients treated by the SAR helicopters has never been described, thus contributing to the potential underreporting of the most critically ill drowning patients in Denmark. Given the rarity of drowning, registry-based studies are needed to provide patient characteristics and evaluate critical care interventions performed on this group of patients.

This study aims to identify and describe a national cohort of drowning patients at sea treated by the Royal Danish Air Force's SAR helicopters from 2014 to 2023.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients treated by the Danish SAR helicopters AND
  • Drowning as defined by the WHO (the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid)

Exclusion criteria

  • Patients who have not been immersed or submersed.
  • Duplets.
  • Interhospital transfers.

Treatment and study plan

Drowning incident

Other

Patients categorized as drowning have been experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid and needing rescue by the Royal Danish Air Force's Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopters.

Primary outcomes

  1. Annual incidence of drowning treated by the Danish SAR helicopters from 2014-2023

    Time frame: 1 year

    The incidence will be reported as the annual number of cases.

  2. Annual incidence rate of drowning treated by the Danish SAR helicopters from 2014-2023

    Time frame: 1 year

    The incidence rate as the annual number of cases per 100,000 person-years.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Spatial distribution of drowning patients treated by the Danish SAR helicopters from 2014-2023

    Time frame: The map will display all drowning incidents treated by the Danish SAR helicopters from 2014-2023.

    The spatial distribution of drowning incidents will be displayed on a map of Denmark, with each case presented with a single entry based on the geographical coordinates of the incident.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Prehospital Center, Region Zealand

Other

Collaborators

  • Danish Defence

Registry information

Official study title

Incidence and Characteristics of Drowning Patients at Sea Treated by the Royal Danish Air Force's Search And Rescue Helicopters From 2014-2023: a Nationwide Registry-based Study

Acronym: DROWN_SAR

Important dates

Study start
2014
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Mar 20, 2024
Registry last updated
Dec 4, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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