The American journal of emergency medicine
-
Multicenter Study
Effect of COVID19 on prehospital pronouncements and ED visits for stroke and myocardial infarction.
The Novel Coronavirus19 (COVID19) arrived in northern New Jersey (NJ) in early March 2020, peaked at the beginning of April, and then declined. Starting in March, some patients who called 911 and required advanced life support (ALS) may have decompensated more rapidly than would have been expected, possibly because of concomitant COVID19 infection and/or delays in seeking medical care because of fear of exposure to the virus, and social isolation. In this study, our goal was to determine if there was an increase in prehospital ALS pronouncements and a decrease in ED visits for potentially serious conditions such as MI and stroke during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in northern NJ. ⋯ Following the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in northern NJ, we found pre-hospital ALS death pronouncements increased and ED visits for MI and stroke decreased. Although we have speculated about the reasons for these findings, further studies are needed to determine what the actual causes were.
-
At our hospital, a shortage of sterile saline bags led to changing ceftriaxone from intravenous infusion to intravenous push. We examined if this change led to an increase in adverse reactions. ⋯ Our study demonstrates that the rate of adverse reactions for IVP is lower than previously reported. Given the demonstrated safety of IVP administration, future studies are warranted to determine the implications for ED efficiency and cost benefits from this change in drug delivery.
-
Observational Study
Initial creatine kinase level as predictor for delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae associated with acute carbon monoxide poisoning.
The primary goal of treating patients with carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is preventing delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae (DNS). It is difficult to predict DNS because there is no precise diagnostic method in the early phase of CO poisoning. In this study, we aimed to investigate the optimal cut-off value for creatine kinase level to predict DNS. ⋯ In patients with CO poisoning, initial creatine kinase concentrations of >1603 U/L can be used as an independent predictor of DNS.
-
Comparative Study
Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation versus endotracheal intubation in treatment of COVID-19 patients requiring ventilatory support.
Initial guidelines recommended prompt endotracheal intubation rather than non-invasive ventilation (NIV) for COVID-19 patients requiring ventilator support. There is insufficient data comparing the impact of intubation versus NIV on patient-centered outcomes of these patients. ⋯ Utilization of NIV as the initial intervention in COVID-19 patients requiring ventilatory support is associated with significant survival benefit. For patients intubated after NIV, the mortality rate is not worse than those who undergo intubation as their initial intervention.