The American journal of emergency medicine
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Coronary artery dilatation (CAD) is a great concern with Kawasaki disease (KD). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and CAD in patients with the hyperacute phase (≤4 days of fever) of KD. ⋯ Serum NT-proBNP might be an additional laboratory marker for detecting early CAD during the hyperacute phase of KD in the PED.
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Case Reports
An unexpected cause of chronic cough in a young woman: Tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy.
Heart failure typically manifests with exertional dyspnea or limb edema. Old age, underlying heart disease, and coronary risk factors are known risk factors for heart failure. Thus, congestive heart failure is rarely considered as a differential diagnosis of chronic cough in a previously healthy young person. ⋯ TIC can develop irrespective of age and underlying heart disease. The long-term outcome may be good, and LV systolic function recovers in most patients following resolution of arrhythmia. Physicians need to consider TIC as a differential diagnosis in patients of any age who present with heart failure, because prompt treatment generally leads to resolution of symptoms and ventricular function.
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Observational Study
Effects of an emergency transfer coordination center on secondary overtriage in an emergency department.
Patients who cannot be stabilized at a lower-level emergency department (ED) should be transferred to an upper-level ED by emergency medical services. However, some patients are subsequently discharged after transfer without any intervention or admission, and this secondary overtriage (SO) wastes the limited resources of upper-level EDs. This study aimed to investigate whether an emergency transfer coordination center (ETCC) could reduce the risk of SO among patients who were transferred to a tertiary ED by emergency medical services. ⋯ Transfers that were evaluated by an ETCC had a lower risk of SO, which may improve the appropriateness of transfer. Thus, tertiary EDs that have high proportions of transferred patients should have a transfer coordination system that is similar to an ETCC.
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Increasing the size of the central veins is required to increase the success rate of central line placement and decrease complication risk. Right-sided approach for the central veins, Valsalva maneuver, and Trendelenburg position have been recommended, but these may not be available for some cases. This study aimed to determine a more convenient patient position that can result in the largest central vein diameter. ⋯ The LE without leg elevation produced a greater and more significant increase in central vein diameter than the supine position and may be useful for central line placement.
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Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an inflammatory marker. Recent studies have shown that there is a negative correlation between platelet count (PC) and MPV and that the ratio of these two values may be more meaningful. The aim of our study was to investigate the diagnostic value of MPV and the MPV/PC ratio in acute appendicitis. ⋯ In our study, MPV and the MPV/PC ratio were not useful in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.