European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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A higher incidence of venous thromboembolism [both pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis (DVT)] in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been described. But little is known about the true frequency of DVT in patients who attend emergency department (ED) and are diagnosed with COVID-19. ⋯ DVT was an unusual form of COVID presentation in COVID patients but was associated with a worse prognosis.
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Meta Analysis
Thiamine combined with vitamin C in sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Thiamine and vitamin C have been increasingly used in patients with sepsis or septic shock because of their potential for improving metabolism and reducing mortality. ⋯ Despite widespread enthusiasm for thiamine combined with vitamin C for sepsis and septic shock, we only found an association with reduced SOFA score and time of vasopressor use. There was no association with in-hospital mortality.
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The objective of the study was to assess the variability in the management of paediatric MHT in European emergency departments (EDs). ⋯ We found great variability in terms of the type of imaging and rate of CT scan obtained. Our study suggests opportunity for improvement in the area of paediatric head injury and the need for targeted individualised ED interventions to improve management of MHT.
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Meta Analysis
Use of backboards in cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
To achieve optimal chest compression depth, victims of cardiac arrest should be placed on a firm surface. Backboards are usually placed between the mattress and the back of a patient in the attempt to increase cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) quality, but their effectiveness remains controversial. A systematic search was performed to include studies on humans and simulation manikins assessing CPR quality with or without backboards. ⋯ Out of 557 records, 16 studies were included in the review and all were performed on manikins. The meta-analysis, performed on 15 articles, showed that the use of backboards during CPR increases chest compression depth by 1.46 mm in manikins. Despite statistically significant, this increase could have a limited clinical impact on CPR, due to the substantial heterogeneity of experimental conditions and the scarcity of other CPR quality indicators.