The American journal of emergency medicine
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Patients with cancer face complex challenges that often lead them to seek care in emergency departments (EDs) for acute symptoms and complications. While previous studies have examined preventable ED visits by patients with cancer, less attention has focused on frequent ED use in this population. This study aimed to explore the temporal visit patterns of frequent ED users with cancer. ⋯ Frequent ED visits by oncology patients are more likely to be for similar reasons compared to non-cancer frequent users. These findings highlight the need for targeted care coordination for oncology patients who frequently visit the ED, potentially reducing repeat visits through improved outpatient management. Understanding the distinct patterns of ED utilization among cancer patients could help prioritize resource allocation and care pathways.
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Procalcitonin is a useful biomarker for infection. Over the past two decades, there has been much research on the clinical applications of procalcitonin, yet the majority of these studies have been conducted in the intensive care setting. Despite the extensive use of procalcitonin in emergency departments, there have been no guidelines focusing specifically on these clinical settings. ⋯ Recommendations will be formulated based on explicit consideration of established criteria. This structured approach ensures that guideline recommendations are founded on robust evidence and transparently assessed for strength and potential caveats. This is the first guideline on the use of procalcitonin to be applied in emergency departments that adopts the principles of evidence-based medicine and encompasses the up-to-date literatures, and it marks an advancement in providing guidance on the utilization of procalcitonin in emergency departments.