J Emerg Med
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To date, several studies have examined overtreatment or undertreatment of Neisseria gonorrheae, Chlamydia trachomatis, or both in women. However, no study has looked at both subpopulations together, along with eventual treatment of disease-positive patients who were not empirically treated. This study is unique, for it looks at all of these subpopulations to assess overall efficacy of management of these diseases in women. ⋯ This generates moral, ethical, health care, and financial concerns. Additionally, one-third of disease-positive women are not treated on initial visit and the majority of undertreated patients are not returning for subsequent treatment. This study provides support for investigating improved methods in the management of chlamydia and gonorrhea in women.
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Albumin is an abundant plasma protein with multiple physiologic functions, and low serum albumin levels have been associated with increased mortality in hospitalized patients. In a retrospective matched-pair study, we investigated whether emergency department (ED) albumin levels predict delayed mortality for patients initially stabilized after blunt trauma. Fifty-one hospital non-survivors who died more than 24 h after admission to a trauma center ED were matched by Injury Severity Score, type and location of injury, age, and gender with 51 survivors. ⋯ The non-survivors had a significantly lower admission albumin of 3.1 g/dL compared to 3.5 g/dL for survivors. Patients with albumin levels < 3.4 g/dL were 2.5 times more likely to die compared to patients with normal albumin levels. These preliminary results indicate that initial hypoalbuminemia in blunt trauma patients is an independent predictor of delayed mortality, suggesting that these patients require continued clinical vigilance and an aggressive search for evolving complications.
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Uncooperative but alert on arrival, a 21-year-old suicidal man was found suddenly unconscious with agonal respirations 2 h into his Emergency Department evaluation. Initially admitted for ingesting multiple pills and self-inflicting a deep wrist laceration, the patient now had a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3, a dense left-sided hemiplegia, and an electrocardiogram suggestive of acute myocardial infarction. ⋯ Subsequent examination confirmed a full recovery. This article details this unprecedented case, as well as clinically relevant aspects of air embolism.
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The differential diagnosis for a solitary axillary mass is extensive. Based on the initial history and physical examination of the patient presented in this case report, the diagnosis of suppurative hidradenitis was incorrectly reached. This subjected her to a surgical procedure that was not indicated for the actual diagnosis of ectopic axillary breast tissue. This article reviews the workup for a solitary axillary mass and discusses multiple aspects of ectopic breast tissue.