The American journal of emergency medicine
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Clinical Trial
Assessment of using fingerstick blood sample with i-STAT point-of-care device for cardiac troponin I assay.
The purpose of this study is to compare fingerstick point-of-care (POC) testing for cardiac troponin I to conventional venipuncture POC testing using the i-STAT device. ⋯ Fingerstick cTnI testing using the i-STAT device is not accurate enough to determine the exact troponin level without the application of a corrective term. Fingerstick testing is, however, accurate in qualifying troponin levels as negative, borderline, or positive and is, therefore, capable of providing clinical information that may guide diagnostic and therapeutic decision making.
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The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic value of initial arterial lactate level and 12-hour lactate metabolic clearance rate (MCR) in patients with acute paraquat poisoning. ⋯ The initial arterial lactate level and 12-hour lactate MCR had good predictive powers in evaluating the prognosis of patients with acute paraquat poisoning, which may prove to be simpler and more practical tools in assessing the severity of paraquat poisoning.
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The aim of this study was to investigate the role of serum heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) in the evaluation of patients with carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. ⋯ Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein may be a promising novel biomarker in the evaluation of clinical severity and in the selection of patients for HBO therapy in acute CO poisoning.
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Heatstroke (HS) is a life-threatening condition, manifested by systemic inflammation and multiorgan failure. Rapid recognition and treatment are life saving. We report a laboratory-oriented characterization of HS by low plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) level and propose its usefulness in distinguishing this type of hyperpyrexia from central nervous system-associated high core temperature. ⋯ Low serum CRP levels characterize non-central nervous system-associated HS. This available laboratory test could identify noninfectious hyperthermic patients upon admission, saving precious time until treatment and avoiding unnecessary diagnostic tests.