The Impact of Interdisciplinary Protocols for Managing Patients with Acute Aortic Dissection in the Emergency Department: A Systematic Review Protocol

<ns7:p>Background Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is characterised by sudden onset, rapid progression, and exceptionally high mortality, making it significantly more life-threatening than cerebral infarction or malignant neoplasms. Despite advances in imaging and surgical techniques, many patients still do not receive timely and optimal care, particularly regarding the interval from emergency department (ED) arrival to surgery. Diagnostic delays, poor interdepartmental communication, and fragmented protocols are major contributors to treatment delay and adverse outcomes. Therefore, the development of an interdisciplinary protocol is essential to optimise diagnostic and therapeutic processes, shorten treatment time, and improve patient outcomes. This review aims to synthesise the evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of interdisciplinary protocols in improving clinical outcomes. Methods This protocol was prospectively registered on PROSPERO (CRD420261284772) and will be reported in line with the PRISMA-P guidelines. Searches of the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, and the PROSPERO register will be conducted to identify comparative study designs, including randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-experimental studies, and observational comparative studies (e.g. cohort and case-control studies), evaluating the effects of interdisciplinary protocols on clinical outcomes in patients with AAD. Screening and data extraction will be conducted independently by two reviewers. The risk of bias of included studies will be assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist. If sufficient clinical and methodological homogeneity is identified, a meta-analysis will be conducted; otherwise, the findings will be presented in a narrative synthesis. Conclusions This systematic review will explore the effects of interdisciplinary protocols for patients with AAD to inform best practice. The findings may inform future protocol development, particularly in the context of time-critical emergency care.</ns7:p>