The American journal of emergency medicine
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Observational Study
Emergency department visits in patients with low acuity conditions: Factors associated with resource utilization.
To identify health beliefs of emergency department (ED) patients with low acuity conditions and how these affect ambulance (AMB) utilization. ⋯ Ambulance use in low-acuity ED patients is associated with misperceptions regarding severity of illness and resource allocation as well as limited access to private transportation. Understanding patient perceptions of illness and other barriers to receiving care is imperative for the development of interventions aimed at enabling change in health behaviors such as the elective use of limited resources.
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To evaluate the value of presepsin in diagnosis and risk stratification of septic patients in emergency department, and investigate the utility in differentiation of gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial infection. ⋯ Presepsin was a promising biomarker for initially diagnosis and risk stratification of sepsis, and a potential marker to distinguish gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial infection.
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Observational Study
Is computed tomography tractography reliable in patients with anterior abdominal stab wounds?
The current literature and guidelines recommend that determination of peritoneal violation is done first in cases of anterior abdominal stab wounds. The primary endpoint of this study was to determine the reliability of computed tomographic (CT) tractography to assess peritoneal violation in anterior abdominal stab wounds. The secondary endpoint is to compare local wound exploration between conventional CT and CT tractography in the evaluation of peritoneal violation. ⋯ Local wound exploration is 100% effective in determining peritoneal violation with anterior abdominal stab wounds. CT tractography is better than conventional CT in detecting peritoneal violation. However, we do not recommend CT tractography in anterior abdominal stab wounds due to the false-negative results.
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Undifferentiated dermatologic complaints are often encountered in the emergency department. While a patient's exposures, risk factors, and comorbidities may help guide emergency department evaluation, the accurate diagnosis of dermatologic findings is critical to allowing rapid identification and treatment of disease. ⋯ Dermatologic complaints pose a unique challenge to the emergency physician. Many dermatologic findings are benign; however, some may represent underlying serious disease even in young, otherwise healthy appearing patients. Eruptive xanthomas are cutaneous lesions often indicating severe hypertriglyceridemia and uncontrolled diabetes. Likely presentations and risk factors for eruptive xanthomas will be discussed as well as ED evaluation and management.
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Case Reports
Thermal burn resulting from prolonged transcutaneous pacing in a patient with complete heart block.
Temporary transcutaneous pacing devices are used to treat symptomatic bradyarrhythmias that are unresponsive to medical therapy until it resolves or a more stable pacing device is established. Pain is the most common complication. Skin burns as a complication are uncommon. ⋯ Bradycardia is a common complaint in the emergency department. Temporary transcutaneous cardiac pacing is a widely available treatment modality that serves as initial management for these cases and allows us to keep patients stable until a more stable pacing solution is available. Burns as a complication of transcutaneous pacing are uncommon.