Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Comparative Study
Comparison of clinical features and outcomes of hospitalized adult patients with novel influenza A (H1N1) pneumonia and other pneumonia.
A novel swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus caused worldwide outbreaks starting in April 2009. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of pandemic 2009 H1N1 pneumonia by comparing to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) of other origin. ⋯ This study shows that clinical characteristics and outcomes of 2009 H1N1 pneumonia are comparable to those of CAP of other origin. However, some characteristics, including younger age, nonspecific symptoms (including headache, leukopenia, and fatigue), lymphopenia, lower initial CRP and PSI score, and radiologic findings (including bilateral abnormalities and ground glass opacities), may help clinicians to diagnostically differentiate between H1N1 pneumonia and CAP of other origin before the result of RT-PCR are obtained.
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Comparative Study
A risk scoring system to identify emergency department patients with heart failure at high risk for serious adverse events.
There are no validated guidelines to guide physicians with difficult disposition decisions for emergency department (ED) patients with heart failure (HF). The authors sought to develop a risk scoring system to identify HF patients at high risk for serious adverse events (SAEs). ⋯ Many HF patients are discharged home from the ED and then suffer SAEs or death. The authors have developed an accurate risk scoring system that could ultimately be used to stratify the risk of poor outcomes and to enable rational and safe disposition decisions.
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Comparative Study
Risk factors for radiocontrast nephropathy after emergency department contrast-enhanced computerized tomography.
Radiocontrast nephropathy (RCN) is a known complication of procedures in which intravascular iodinated contrast material is used. The authors sought to determine the risk factors for RCN after emergency department (ED) contrast-enhanced computerized tomography (CECT). ⋯ The authors report risk factors for RCN in a large case-control study, but could not develop an accurate decision tool to identify patients at increased risk for RCN after ED CECT.