CJEM
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Does point-of-care ultrasonography improve diagnostic accuracy in emergency department patients with undifferentiated hypotension? An international randomized controlled trial from the SHOC-ED investigators.
Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is an established tool in the management of hypotensive patients in the emergency department (ED). We compared the diagnostic accuracy of a POCUS protocol versus standard assessment without POCUS in patients with undifferentiated hypotension. ⋯ This is the first randomized controlled trial to compare diagnostic performance of a POCUS protocol to standard care without POCUS in undifferentiated hypotensive ED patients. POCUS performed well diagnostically in undifferentiated hypotensive patients, especially as a rule-in test; however, performance did not differ meaningfully from standard assessment.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
High-dose cephalexin for cellulitis: a pilot randomized controlled trial.
Up to 3% of all Emergency Department (ED) visits are due to skin and soft tissue infections such as non-purulent cellulitis. The current treatment failure rate is approximately 20%. Evidence is lacking regarding the optimal outpatient management of cellulitis. ⋯ This pilot randomized controlled trial comparing high-dose to standard-dose cephalexin for ED patients with cellulitis demonstrated a high participant recruitment rate and that a full-scale trial is feasible. High-dose cephalexin had fewer treatment failures but with a higher proportion of minor adverse effects. The findings of this pilot will be used to inform the design of a future large trial.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Role of ultrasonography in an impalpable tissue larynx model during a simulated front-of-neck access scenario: a randomized simulation study.
A large vertical incision is recommended when performing front-of-neck access in patients with impalpable neck landmarks during a cannot intubate-cannot oxygenate (CICO) scenario. We investigated the impact of ultrasonography on vertical incision size of a front-of-neck access on an ultrasound-compatible impalpable porcine larynx model. ⋯ Ultrasound-guided identification of the cricothyroid membrane significantly reduced the recommended vertical incision size with similar success rates. However, there was an increased time when performing a Scalpel-Bougie-Tube cricothyroidotomy on an impalpable porcine larynx model by physicians in training. Ultrasonography should not be used in an emergency scenario of airway rescue. Its potential use to pre-mark the cricothyroid membrane should be considered in difficult airway management of impalpable neck.
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Editorial Comment Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of noninvasive respiratory strategies on intubation or mortality among patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and COVID-19: The RECOVERY-RS randomized clinical trial.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Early or late booster for basic life support skill for laypeople: a simulation-based randomized controlled trial.
Retention of skills and knowledge has been shown to be poor after resuscitation training. The effect of a "booster" is controversial and may depend on its timing. We compared the effectiveness of an early versus late booster session after Basic Life Support (BLS) training for skill retention at 4 months. ⋯ A late booster session improves BLS skill retention at 4 months in laypeople.