The American journal of emergency medicine
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Observational Study
Impact of a shelter-in-place order during the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of opioid overdoses.
Since the beginning of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States, there have been concerns about the potential impact of the pandemic on persons with opioid use disorder. Shelter-in-place (SIP) orders, which aimed to reduce the spread and scope of the virus, likely also impacted this patient population. This study aims to assess the role of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of opioid overdose before and after a SIP order. ⋯ The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated SIP order were associated with a statistically and clinically significant increase in the proportion of opioid overdoses in relation to the overall change in total ED visits.
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Ludwig's angina is a potentially deadly condition that must not be missed in the emergency department (ED). ⋯ Ludwig's angina is a life-threatening condition that all emergency clinicians need to consider. It is important for clinicians to be aware of the current evidence regarding the diagnosis, management, and disposition of these patients.
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Early recognition and management of hemorrhage, damage control resuscitation, and blood product administration have optimized management of severe trauma. Recent data suggest hypocalcemia exacerbates the ensuing effects of coagulopathy in trauma. ⋯ Calcium is a key component of trauma resuscitation and the coagulation cascade. Recent data portray the intricate physiologic reverberations of hypocalcemia in the traumatically injured patient; however, future research is needed to further guide the management of these patients.
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Laboratory testing is commonly performed in patients with COVID-19. Each of the laboratory parameters has potential value for risk stratification and prediction of COVID-19 outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the difference between these parameters in severe and nonsevere disease and to provide the optimal cutoff value for predicting severe disease. ⋯ This meta-analysis suggests elevated procalcitonin, CRP, D-dimer, and LDH and decreased albumin can be used for predicting severe outcomes in COVID-19.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Lidocaine versus dexketoprofen in treatment of tension-type headache: A double-blind randomized controlled trial.