The American journal of emergency medicine
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Observational Study
Transient synovitis of the hip: Current practice and risk of misdiagnosis.
Transient synovitis (TS) is a common and benign cause of hip pain in children, but must be distinguished from more serious entities such as septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and pyomyositis. Our objectives were to determine the risk of missed bacterial musculoskeletal infection and rates of diagnostic testing in children diagnosed with TS. ⋯ In this large observational study, missed bacterial musculoskeletal infection in children diagnosed with TS was rare but more common in younger children. The optimal combination of bloodwork and radiographic testing, especially ultrasound, to distinguish TS from more serious disease remains unclear.
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Case Reports
Case report of a phencyclidine false positive due to lamotrigine use with confirmatory testing.
Urine toxicology screens are useful in diagnosing patients who present with acute psychosis with a history of substance abuse. Being aware of potential false positive reactants is paramount in diagnostic accuracy. Currently, lamotrigine is not listed among common cross-reactants with phencyclidine (PCP). ⋯ There is little in the medical literature describing cross-reactivity of lamotrigine and PCP on urine drug screens. This can be especially difficult to deduce in a known drug abuser who presents psychotic and non-contributory in their work up.
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To evaluate practice patterns, efficacy, and safety of push dose pressors (PDP) in critically ill patients outside of the operating room (OR) at a large academic medical center. ⋯ This study demonstrates that PDP phenylephrine and epinephrine are safe and efficacious in treating the acute hypotensive period.
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Review
Cardiac contusions in the acute care setting: Historical background, evaluation and management.
Albeit described since 1763, cardiac contusions is still an under-recognised clinical condition in the acute care setting. This evidence-based review aims to provide an overview of the topic by focusing on etiopathogenesis, classification and clinical presentation of patients with cardiac contusions, as well as on the diagnostic work-up and therapy options available for this subset population in the acute care setting. ⋯ The management of patients with suspected cardiac contusion remains a challenge in clinical practice. For this kind of patients a comprehensive diagnostic approach and a prompt emergency response are required, taking into consideration the degree of severity and clinical impairment of associated traumatic injuries.
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On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which will limit legal abortion in many areas of the U.S. Over half of abortions in the U.S. are performed using medication as opposed to surgical techniques. With widespread access to agents that are used for medication abortion, there may be an increase in emergency department presentations related to improper or unsupervised use of these medications. ⋯ Agents used for medication abortion have unique contraindications and adverse effects. Improper or unsupervised use may occur in the setting of limited abortion access and emergency medicine physicians are on the front lines in managing these presentations.