Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Sex-related differences in emergency department renal colic management: Females have fewer CT scans but similar outcomes.
Sex-related differences occur in many areas of medicine. Emergency department (ED) studies have suggested differences in access to care, diagnostic imaging use, pain management, and intervention. We investigated sex-based differences in the care and outcomes for ED patients with acute renal colic. ⋯ This study shows greater reliance on US in females but no other sex-specific differences in the management of ED patients with acute renal colic. Higher CT use in men was not associated with improved outcomes, and we found no important differences in access to care, diagnostic or treatment intensity, or revisit rates as a marker of care effectiveness.
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Diagnostic Imaging Strategies for Occult Hip Fractures - A Decision and Cost-effectiveness Analysis.
Hip fractures cause significant morbidity and mortality. Determining the optimal diagnostic strategy for the subset of patients with potential occult hip fracture remains challenging. We determined the most cost-effective strategy for the diagnosis of occult hip fractures from the choices of performing only computed tomography (CT), performing only magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), performing CT and if negative performing MRI (MRI-selective strategy) or discharging the patient without advanced imaging. ⋯ MRI is a cost-effective strategy for the diagnosis of an occult hip fracture. For facilities without MRI capability, the most cost-effective strategy depends on the cost of the interfacility transfer.
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Chest pain is a common symptom with causes that range from benign to serious. We assess the content and quality of websites about chest pain symptoms that describe its causes and when to seek care. ⋯ Many websites that provide health information for patients about chest pain symptoms are not reliable. There is highly variable content and quality, and the average website is difficult to read for patients with low health literacy.