Annals of emergency medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Erythromycin infusion or gastric lavage for upper gastrointestinal bleeding: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.
The quality of endoscopy depends on the quality of upper gastrointestinal tract preparation. We determine whether in acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding the frequency of satisfactory stomach visualization was different after intravenous erythromycin, a nasogastric tube with gastric lavage, or both. ⋯ In acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding, administration of intravenous erythromycin provides satisfactory endoscopic conditions, without the need for a nasogastric tube and gastric lavage.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Out-of-hospital tracheal intubation with single-use versus reusable metal laryngoscope blades: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.
Emergency tracheal intubation is reported to be more difficult with single-use plastic than with reusable metal laryngoscope blades in both inhospital and out-of-hospital settings. Single-use metal blades have been developed but have not been compared with conventional metal blades. This controlled trial compares the efficacy and safety of single-use metal blades with reusable metal blades in out-of-hospital emergency tracheal intubation. ⋯ First-pass out-of-hospital tracheal intubation success with single-use metal laryngoscopy blades was noninferior to first-pass success with reusable metal laryngoscope blades.
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Early reperfusion portends better outcomes for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. This investigation estimates the proportions of STEMI patients transported by a hospital-based helicopter emergency medical services (EMS) system who meet the goals of 90-minute door-to-balloon time for percutaneous coronary intervention or 30-minute door-to-needle time for fibrinolysis. ⋯ In this study, STEMI patients presenting to non-percutaneous coronary intervention facilities who are transferred to a percutaneous coronary intervention-capable hospital by helicopter EMS do not commonly receive fibrinolysis and rarely achieve percutaneous coronary intervention within 90 minutes. In similar settings, primary fibrinolysis should be considered while strategies to reduce the time required for subsequent interventional care are explored.
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Multicenter Study
Variation in management of recent-onset atrial fibrillation and flutter among academic hospital emergency departments.
Although recent-onset atrial fibrillation and flutter are common arrhythmias managed in the emergency department (ED), there is insufficient evidence to help physicians choose between 2 competing treatment strategies, rate control and rhythm control. We seek to evaluate variation in ED management practices for recent-onset atrial fibrillation and flutter patients at multiple Canadian sites and to determine whether hospital site was an independent predictor of attempted cardioversion. ⋯ We demonstrated a high degree of variation in management approaches for recent-onset atrial fibrillation and flutter patients treated in academic hospital EDs. Individual hospital site, age, previous cardioversion, and associated heart failure were independent predictors for the use of rhythm control.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Randomized controlled trial of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for uncomplicated skin abscesses in patients at risk for community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection.
Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is now the leading cause of uncomplicated skin abscesses in the United States, and the role of antibiotics is controversial. We evaluate whether trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole reduces the rate of treatment failures during the 7 days after incision and drainage and whether it reduces new lesion formation within 30 days. ⋯ After the incision and drainage of uncomplicated abscesses in adults, treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole does not reduce treatment failure but may decrease the formation of subsequent lesions.