The American journal of emergency medicine
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Comparative Study
The comparison of bedside point-of-care ultrasound and computed tomography in elbow injuries.
The objective of the study was to compare the efficacy of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) and computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of the fracture of the bones that form the elbow joint and the determination of treatment method in elbow injuries. ⋯ In conclusion, POCUS was shown to be successfully applied in the diagnosis and management of elbow injuries, in which direct radiography was inefficient and CT scans were required.
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Sepsis and septic shock continue to be syndromes that carry a high mortality rate worldwide. Early aggressive fluid and vasopressor support have resulted in significant improvement in patient outcomes. The prognostic clinical significance of a positive fluid balance in septic intensive care unit (ICU) patients remains undetermined. ⋯ Although it is a monocentric retrospective study, we suggest that positive cumulative fluid balance is one of the major factors that can predict the clinical outcome of critically ill patients during their ICU stay and after their discharge from the ICU.
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The injuries caused by earthquakes are often complex and of various patterns. Our study included all fracture inpatients from the Yushu earthquake (1323 in total), to learn more about the incidence and distribution of fractures during earthquakes. ⋯ Analysis profiles of the injuries and clinical features of patients with earthquake-related fractures will positively impact rescue efforts and the treatment of fracture injuries caused by possible future natural disasters. We should assemble orthopedic-related medications and surgical equipment, and allocate them promptly after a major earthquake.
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To elucidate the predictive capability of shock index (SI), modified SI (MSI), and age SI for mortality in patients assigned to Emergency Severity Index (ESI) level 3 patients. ⋯ In ESI level 3 patients, age SI and SBP showed to be better than SI or MSI in predicting mortality. However, because their predictive capability was modest, age SI or SBP should be considered adjuncts to sort actions in favor of patients with higher risk for mortality.