European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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Observational Study
No more winter crisis? Forecasting daily bed requirements for emergency department admissions to hospital.
We hypothesized that age, calendar variables, and clinical influenza epidemics may have an impact on the number of daily through-emergency department (ED) hospitalizations. The aim of our study was to elaborate a pragmatic tool to predict the daily number of through-ED hospitalizations. ⋯ Daily number of emergency hospitalizations could be predicted on a regional basis using calendar variables with a low level of error. Forecasting through-ED hospitalizations requires to differentiate between elderly and younger patients, with a low impact of influenza epidemic periods in elders and absent in youngest patients.
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Observational Study
Resuscitation room management of critically ill nontraumatic patients in a German emergency department (OBSERvE-study).
Management of critically ill nontrauma (CINT) patients in the resuscitation room (RR) of the emergency department (ED) is very challenging. Detailed data describing the characteristics and management of this population are lacking. This observational study describes the epidemiology, management and outcome in CINT ED patients in the RR. ⋯ Observation of critically ill patients in the resuscitation room of the Emergency Department shows the challenge of care for CINT patients in the ED. With high levels of mortality, there is an urgent need for structured ED management guidelines.
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Determination of the characteristics of paediatric invasive bacterial infections (IBI) is essential for early identification of children requiring immediate antibiotic therapy. The main objective is to characterize the emergency presentation of the IBI among children aged younger than 14 years. ⋯ IBIs are commonly diagnosed in previously healthy and well-appearing young children. S. pneumoniae was responsible for the majority of deaths or sequelae. Short duration of fever, symptoms other than fever and not being stable on arrival are associated with greater severity.
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Although the ingestion of button batteries is an infrequent situation, it leads to a significant risk of causing serious damage. ⋯ Ingestions of button batteries still occur and may cause serious damage, especially in children, and if the button battery is stuck in the oesophagus as it might cause severe symptoms. Patients who have ingested a button battery must be directed to the emergency department for medical evaluation, even if the button battery has been expelled from the body and even more if gastrointestinal symptoms are present.