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Emergency Medicine Research Center (EMRC)

The research and development unit of the Emergency Department at Linköping University Hospital was started in 2016. In 2021, the Emergency Department became Sweden's first university healthcare unit in emergency medicine.

The unit’s goal is to improve the care of acutely ill patients, for example through the development of new methods for prioritization, risk stratification and advanced prognostic models.

Research and development at the emergency department of Linköping University Hospital spans a wide range of projects, from basic physiology, to national studies on patient flows and outcomes in emergency care. The emphasis is on projects related to the day-to-day work in the emergency department and many of our research questions are directly linked to challenges in everyday clinical practice.

Current research areas:

  • AI-based forecasting models for risk stratification of acutely ill patients.
  • Development of microcirculatory markers of severe and life-threatening acute disease.
  • Development of point-of-care sampling methods for respiratory insufficiency.
  • Forecasting of workload and resource utilization in ambulance and emergency care.
  • Development of new tools for risk stratification of particularly vulnerable patient groups, such as elderly people living with frailty.

News

News from LiU

Picture from the emergency department at Linköping US.

Triaging tomorrow: Hyperspectral imaging redefines emergency care

Each year, more than 2 million patients in Sweden visit an emergency department. These departments often experience crowding leading to a rise in return visits and increased mortality. A WCMM project will target shortcomings of current triage tools.
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Region Östergötland's new research prize goes to Daniel Wilhelms

Region Östergötland's new research prize for young researchers in 2023 goes to Daniel Wilhelms, docent and senior physician in emergency care at the University Hospital in Linköping.
Group image of five people in front a curtain.

Millions to be invested in promising researchers from the region's clinics

The Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine and Region Östergötland are starting a strategic research effort this year. The investment will boost clinically oriented research where six associated clinical fellows will start the program in 2023.

Publications

Selected publications

  1. M. Jörg, M. Öster, J. Wretborn, D.B. Wilhelms, Agreement of pCO2 in venous to arterial blood gas conversion models in undifferentiated emergency patients. Intensive Care Medicine Experimental, volume 11, Article number: 80 (2023)
  2. Hörlin, E., S. Munir Ehrlington, J. Henricson, R.T. John and D. Wilhelms, Is the clinical frailty scale feasible to use in an emergency department setting? A mixed methods study. BMC Emergency Medicine, 2023. 23, Article number: 124 (2023)
  3. Wretborn, J., M. Jörg, P. Benjaminsson Nyberg and D.B. Wilhelms, Risk of venous thromboembolism in patients with COVID-19 during 2020; a retrospective cross-sectional study in a Swedish health care system. Scientific Reports, 2023. 13(1): p. 5469.
  4. Ardsby, M., F. Shayo, F.M. Sakita, D. Wilhelms, B. Moshi, P. Frankiewicz, L.L. Silva, C.A. Staton, B. Mmbaga and A. Joiner, Emergency unit capacity in Northern Tanzania: a cross-sectional survey. BMJ Open, 2023. 13(2): p. e068484.
  5. Wretborn, J., U. Ekelund and D. B. Wilhelms, Differentiating properties of occupancy rate and workload to estimate crowding: A Swedish national cross‐sectional study. Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open, 2022. 3(1): p. e12648.
  6. Wilhelms, S.B. and D.B. Wilhelms, Airway management procedures in Swedish emergency department patients - a national retrospective study. BMC Emergency Medicine, 2022. 22(1): p. 67.
  7. Hörlin, E., S. Munir Ehrlington, J. Henricson, R.T. John and D. Wilhelms, Inter-rater reliability of the Clinical Frailty Scale by staff members in a Swedish emergency department setting. Academic Emergency Medicine, 2022. 29(12): p. 1431-1437.
  8. Henricson, J., F. Sjoberg, F. Iredahl, T. Stromberg and D. Wilhelms, In vivo dose-response analysis to acetylcholine: pharmacodynamic assessment by polarized reflectance spectroscopy. Sci Rep, 2022. 12(1): p. 6594.
  9. Henricson, J., U. Ekelund, J. Hartman, B. Ziegler, L. Kurland and D. Björk Wilhelms, Pathways to the emergency department - a national, cross-sectional study in Sweden. BMC Emergency Medicine, 2022. 22(1): p. 58.
  10. Davidson, L.T., E. Gauffin, P. Henanger, M. Wajda, D. Wilhelms, B. Ekman, H. Arnqvist, M. Schilling and I.S. Chisalita, Admission of patients with chest pain and/or breathlessness from the emergency department in relation to risk assessment and copeptin levels-an observational study. Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences, 2022. 127(1).
  11. Crilly, J., Y.L. Huang, M. Krahe, D. Wilhelms, U. Ekelund, E. Hörlin, J. Hayes and G. Keijzers, Research priority setting in emergency care: A scoping review. Journal of the American college of emergency physicians open, 2022. 3(6): p. e12852.
  12. Wretborn, J., H. Starkenberg, T. Ruge, D.B. Wilhelms and U. Ekelund, Validation of the modified Skåne emergency department assessment of patient load (mSEAL) model for emergency department crowding and comparison with international models; an observational study. BMC Emergency Medicine, 2021. 21(1): p. 21.
  13. Wretborn, J., M. Jörg, P. Benjaminsson Nyberg and D.B. Wilhelms, Risk of venous thromboembolism in a Swedish healthcare system during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A retrospective cross‐sectional study. Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians open, 2021. 2(5): p. e12530.
  14. Wilhelms, S.B. and D.B. Wilhelms, Emergency department admissions to the intensive care unit–a national retrospective study. BMC emergency medicine, 2021. 21(1): p. 1-9.
  15. Holmbom, M., M. Andersson, S. Berg, D. Eklund, P. Sobczynski, D. Wilhelms, A. Moberg, M. Fredrikson, Å.Ö. Balkhed and H. Hanberger, Prehospital delay is an important risk factor for mortality in community-acquired bloodstream infection (CA-BSI): a matched case–control study. BMJ open, 2021. 11(11): p. e052582.
  16. Henricson, J., J. Glasin, S. Rindebratt and D. Wilhelms, Respiratory rate monitoring in healthy volunteers by central photoplethysmography compared to capnography. Journal of Biophotonics, 2021: p. e202100270.
  17. Wretborn, J., J. Henricson, U. Ekelund and D.B. Wilhelms, Prevalence of crowding, boarding and staffing levels in Swedish emergency departments - a National Cross Sectional Study. BMC Emergency Medicine, 2020. 20(1): p. 50.
  18. Greenslade, J.H., M. Wallis, A.N.B. Johnston, E. Carlstrom, D.B. Wilhelms and J. Crilly, Key occupational stressors in the ED: an international comparison. Emerg Med J, 2020. 37(2): p. 106-111.
  19. Brito, H.O., D. Radulski, D.B. Wilhelms, A. Stojakovic, L.M.O. Brito, R.M. Gil da Costa, E. Trindade, D. Engblom, C.R.C. Franco and A.R. Zampronio, Immune-mediated febrile response in female rats: Role of central hypothalamic mediators. Scientific Reports, 2020. 10(1): p. 4073.
  20. Wretborn, J., U. Ekelund and D.B. Wilhelms, Emergency Department Workload and Crowding During a Major Electronic Health Record Breakdown. Front Public Health, 2019. 7(267): p. 267.
  21. Toll John, R., J. Henricson, C.D. Anderson and D. Bjork Wilhelms, Man versus machine: comparison of naked-eye estimation and quantified capillary refill. Emerg Med J, 2019. 36(8): p. 465-471.
  22. Greenslade, J.H., M.C. Wallis, A. Johnston, E. Carlström, D. Wilhelms, O. Thom, L. Abraham and J. Crilly, Development of a revised Jalowiec Coping Scale for use by emergency clinicians: a cross-sectional scale development study. BMJ Open, 2019. 9(12): p. e033053.
  23. Glasin, J., J. Henricson, L.G. Lindberg and D. Wilhelms, Wireless vitals-Proof of concept for wireless patient monitoring in an emergency department setting. J Biophotonics, 2019. 12(4): p. e201800275.
  24. Fagerstrom, J., M. Bang, D. Wilhelms and M.S. Chew, LiSep LSTM: A Machine Learning Algorithm for Early Detection of Septic Shock. Sci Rep, 2019. 9(1): p. 15132.
  25. Wilhelms, D.B., H. Dock, H.O. Brito, E. Pettersson, A. Stojakovic, J. Zajdel, D. Engblom, E. Theodorsson, M.L. Hammar and A.E. Spetz Holm, CGRP Is Critical for Hot Flushes in Ovariectomized Mice. Front Pharmacol, 2018. 9(1452): p. 1452.
  26. Wilhelms, D., F. Sjoberg and M. Chew, Emergency medicine is about collaboration, not monopolisation. Eur J Anaesthesiol, 2018. 35(3): p. 231-232.
  27. Klawonn, A.M., D.B. Wilhelms, S.H. Lindstrom, A.K. Singh, M. Jaarola, J. Wess, M. Fritz and D. Engblom, Muscarinic M4 Receptors on Cholinergic and Dopamine D1 Receptor-Expressing Neurons Have Opposing Functionality for Positive Reinforcement and Influence Impulsivity. Front Mol Neurosci, 2018. 11: p. 139.
  28. John, R.T., J. Henricson, G.E. Nilsson, D. Wilhelms and C.D. Anderson, Reflectance spectroscopy: to shed new light on the capillary refill test. J Biophotonics, 2018. 11(1).
  29. John, R.T., J. Henricson, J. Junker, C.O. Jonson, G.E. Nilsson, D. Wilhelms and C.D. Anderson, A cool response-The influence of ambient temperature on capillary refill time. J Biophotonics, 2018. 11(6): p. e201700371.
  30. Nilsson, A., D.B. Wilhelms, E. Mirrasekhian, M. Jaarola, A. Blomqvist and D. Engblom, Inflammation-induced anorexia and fever are elicited by distinct prostaglandin dependent mechanisms, whereas conditioned taste aversion is prostaglandin independent. Brain Behav Immun, 2017. 61: p. 236-243.
  31. Henricson, J., R. Toll John, C.D. Anderson and D. Bjork Wilhelms, Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy: Getting the Capillary Refill Test Under One's Thumb. J Vis Exp, 2017(130).
  32. Fritz, M., A.M. Klawonn, A. Nilsson, A.K. Singh, J. Zajdel, D.B. Wilhelms, M. Lazarus, A. Lofberg, M. Jaarola, U.O. Kugelberg, T.R. Billiar, D.J. Hackam, C.P. Sodhi, M.D. Breyer, J. Jakobsson, M. Schwaninger, G. Schutz, J.R. Parkitna, C.B. Saper, A. Blomqvist, and D. Engblom, Prostaglandin-dependent modulation of dopaminergic neurotransmission elicits inflammation-induced aversion in mice. J Clin Invest, 2016. 126(2): p. 695-705.
  33. Brito, H.O., D.R. Radulski, D.B. Wilhelms, A. Stojakovic, L.M. Brito, D. Engblom, C.R. Franco and A.R. Zampronio, Female Sex Hormones Influence the Febrile Response Induced by Lipopolysaccharide, Cytokines and Prostaglandins but not by Interleukin-1beta in Rats. J Neuroendocrinol, 2016. 28(10).
  34. Bjork Wilhelms, D., E. Mirrasekhian, J. Zajdel, A. Kumar Singh and D. Engblom, Cyclooxygenase Isoform Exchange Blocks Brain-Mediated Inflammatory Symptoms. PLoS One, 2016. 11(11): p. e0166153.
  35. Wilhelms, D.B., M. Kirilov, E. Mirrasekhian, A. Eskilsson, U.O. Kugelberg, C. Klar, D.A. Ridder, H.R. Herschman, M. Schwaninger, A. Blomqvist and D. Engblom, Deletion of prostaglandin E2 synthesizing enzymes in brain endothelial cells attenuates inflammatory fever. J Neurosci, 2014. 34(35): p. 11684-90.
  36. Ruud, J., D.B. Wilhelms, A. Nilsson, A. Eskilsson, Y.J. Tang, P. Strohle, R. Caesar, M. Schwaninger, T. Wunderlich, F. Backhed, D. Engblom and A. Blomqvist, Inflammation- and tumor-induced anorexia and weight loss require MyD88 in hematopoietic/myeloid cells but not in brain endothelial or neural cells. FASEB J, 2013. 27(5): p. 1973-80.
  37. Engstrom Ruud, L., D.B. Wilhelms, A. Eskilsson, A.M. Vasilache, L. Elander, D. Engblom and A. Blomqvist, Acetaminophen reduces lipopolysaccharide-induced fever by inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2. Neuropharmacology, 2013. 71: p. 124-9.

Latest publications from LiU DiVA

2025

Fredrik Iredahl, Erik Tesselaar, Hanna Jonasson, Daniel Wilhelms, Joakim Henricson (2025) Concentration-dependent microvascular responses to repeated iontophoresis of acetylcholine Microvascular Research, Vol. 157, Article 104749 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI

2024

Helena Johansson, Sara Fahlander, Erika Hörlin, Joakim Henricson, Samia Munir Ehrlington, Jens Wretborn, Daniel Wilhelms (2024) Revisits and frailty in older patients in the emergency department - a prospective observational multicenter study BMC Emergency Medicine, Vol. 24, Article 205 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI
Haissa O. Brito, Renata C. Reis, Israel Bini, Daniel Wilhelms, David Engblom, Rui M. Gil da Costa, Luciane O. Brito, Maria do Desterro S. B. Nascimento, Marcelo Souza de Andrade, Aleksander R. Zampronio, Celia C. Cavichiollo (2024) NK1 receptor mediates cerebral cellular and extracellular morphological changes during the LPS-induced febrile response Brain Research, Vol. 1842, Article 149107 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI

Research group

Principal investigator

Daniel Wilhelms

Adjunct Associate Professor, Docent

Members

Patrik Benjaminsson 

PhD, MD

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Sara Fahlander

Research nurse, specialist nurse emergency medicine

Hugo Gustavsson.

Hugo Gustavsson

PhD student, chemical biologist

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Joakim Henricson 

PhD, research engineer, biologist

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Erika Hörlin 

PhD student, advanced specialist nurse emergency medicine

Erika Johannesson

Specialist nurse emergency medicine

Helena Johansson

PhD student, specialist nurse emergency medicine

Sebastian Johansson

Specialist nurse emergency medicine

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Hanna Jonasson

PhD, Senior Lecturer, civil engineer

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Mattias Jörg

PhD student, MD

Frida Meyer

PhD student, MD

Samia Munir Ehrlington 

PhD student, MD

Julia Preinbergs 

PhD, MD

Lee Ti Davidson 

PhD student, MD

Rani Toll

PhD, MD

Portrait photo, male researcher.

Jens Wretborn

PhD, MD

Birgitta Ölwegård 

Research engineer

Organisation

Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV)

What characterizes the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV) is the wide breadth of research and education. BKV is one of the largest departments at LiU with affiliation mainly to the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology (KKF)

The Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology (KKF) conducts research and education that includes the subject areas of anesthesiology/intensive care, pharmacology and clinical pharmacology, forensic sciences and clinical chemistry.

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