The American journal of emergency medicine
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Observational Study
Factors influencing ED care of young children at-risk for clinically important traumatic brain injury.
Care decisions for young children presenting to the emergency department (ED) with head injury are often challenging (e.g. whether to obtain neuroimaging). We sought to identify factors associated with acute management of children at-risk for clinically important traumatic brain injury (ciTBI) and describe symptom management. ⋯ ED management varied for young children with similar risk stratification. Investigation of how age in concert with specific risk factors influences medical decision making would advance evidenced-based care.
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Recently a multispecialty, multinational task force convened to redefine the criteria for organ dysfunction, sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock. The study recommended the quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) score to identify sepsis patients. The qSOFA is felt to be the initial screen to prompt a more in-depth sepsis workup. This may be particularly true in resource-limited environments such as the prehospital arena. ⋯ EMS patients with positive qSOFA screens were more likely to be septic upon disposition to the ED.