The American journal of emergency medicine
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This study attempted to evaluate the efficacy of ultra-low-dose intravenous (IV) naloxone combined with IV morphine, as compared to IV morphine alone, in terms of reducing pain and morphine-induced side effects in patients with renal colic. ⋯ Compared to patients who only received IV morphine, co-treatment of ultra-low-dose naloxone with morphine could not provide better analgesia and sedation/agitation states in renal colic patients.
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Case Reports
Tungiasis, a rare case of plantar inflammatory disease, a review of travelers skin lesions for emergency providers.
Parasitic infections while common in underdeveloped nations are rarely seen in developed urban centers. We report a case of a thirty-three-year-old male with no past medical history who presented to the emergency department with a chief complaint of "eggs coming out of my foot" after returning home from Brazil. Based on clinical presentation, travel history, and appearance of the lesion, diagnosis was most consistent with tungiasis infection which was confirmed by the pathology examination. It is important to make the appropriate diagnosis when skin lesions are found in returning travelers and emergency providers should take broad differential diagnosis into consideration.
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To describe recent trends in advanced imaging and hospitalization of emergency department (ED) syncope patients, both considered "low-value", and examine trend changes before and after the publication of American College Emergency Physician (ACEP) syncope guidelines in 2007, compared to conditions that had no changes in guideline recommendations. ⋯ Before and after the release of 2007 ACEP syncope guidelines, trends in advanced imaging and hospitalization for ED syncope visits had similar changes compared to control conditions. Changes in syncope care may, therefore, reflect broader practice shifts rather than a direct association with the 2007 ACEP guideline. Moreover, utilization of advanced imaging remains prevalent. To reduce low-value care, policymakers should augment society guidelines with additional policy changes such as reportable quality measures.
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We aimed to describe the analgesic efficacy, duration of analgesia, and adverse event profile associated with intranasal hydromorphone in children with acute pain presenting to an emergency department. ⋯ Intranasal hydromorphone led to rapid, clinically significant and frequently sustained decreases in pain intensity in children. No major adverse events were observed in this preliminary sample. Clinical Trials Registration Number: NCT02437669.
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There have been various interventions to reduce ED utilization. Little is known about the sustainability of outcomes of interventions to reduce ED overcrowding. We sought to investigate whether the outcomes from one of successful interventions to reduce ED utilization, specialist physician level reporting were sustained over time and how this practice change was sustained over time. ⋯ Physician-level reporting reduced ED utilization over a four year period. The outcomes could be sustained over time with sustained leadership and physicians' engagement.