J Emerg Med
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Severe sepsis and septic shock remain significant public health concerns. Appropriate emergency department management includes early recognition, hemodynamic resuscitation, source control, and prompt antibiotic administration. Current international guidelines strongly recommend administration of early and appropriate antibiotics for patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. Interestingly, a recent Cochrane Review found insufficient evidence to provide a similar recommendation on antibiotic administration. The goal of this literature search was to systematically review the available literature on early and appropriate antimicrobial therapy and provide emergency physicians an evidence-based approach to antibiotic therapy for septic patients. ⋯ Patients with severe sepsis and septic shock should receive early and appropriate antibiotics in the emergency department. Patients with septic shock who received appropriate antimicrobial therapy within 1 h of recognition had the greatest benefit in mortality.
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Case Reports
Spontaneous Spinal Epidural Hematoma in a Patient on Rivaroxaban: Case Report and Literature Review.
Spinal hematomas (SHs) are rare yet potentially debilitating causes of acute back pain. Although spontaneous SHs have been described in the setting of anticoagulation with warfarin or enoxaparin, few cases of spontaneous SH on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been reported. ⋯ We report a case of spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma in a patient on rivaroxaban. A 72-year-old man on rivaroxaban and aspirin presented with a 4-day history of nontraumatic back pain. In the emergency department he developed lower-extremity weakness and numbness, followed by urinary incontinence. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed spinal epidural hematoma at T11-L2. The patient underwent emergent decompression and hematoma evacuation and was discharged home 8 days later with complete resolution of symptoms. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Early recognition and surgical intervention for SHs with neurologic compromise is key to favorable outcome. Optimal timing of surgery in patients on DOACs requires an assessment of the risk of intraoperative or postoperative bleeding, an assessment of the patient's symptom progression, as well as an understanding of the pharmacokinetics of the DOAC used and possible reversal options available. We also review all published cases of spontaneous SHs in patients on DOACs and report on their management and outcomes.
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Cellulitis is commonly treated in the emergency department (ED). Patients who present with cellulitis incur significant health care costs and may be overtreated with antibiotics. The accurate diagnosis and treatment of cellulitis plays an important role in cost-effective, high-quality medical care, as well as appropriate antibiotic utilization. ⋯ Cellulitis is not as simple as it might seem, and is commonly misdiagnosed in the ED. Noninfectious causes of local symptoms, including lymphedema, venous stasis, and deep vein thrombosis need to be considered. Cellulitis should be treated with empiric antimicrobial therapy based on patient risk factors and regional susceptibility patterns. This review will assist providers in managing cellulitis and avoiding treatment errors that lead to high costs, unwanted side effects for patients, and overuse of antibiotics.
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Despite substantial research interest in caregiver distress in the emergency department (ED), no recent review of the literature exists. ⋯ Future studies should use validated measures of distress; include larger samples; and capture adult, geriatric, and rural populations. A focused systematic review might yield evidence-based guidance for clinicians.
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Multicenter Study
Safety Threats During the Care of Infants with Hypoglycemic Seizures in the Emergency Department: A Multicenter, Simulation-Based Prospective Cohort Study.
Errors in the timely diagnosis and treatment of infants with hypoglycemic seizures can lead to significant patient harm. It is challenging to precisely measure medical errors that occur during high-stakes/low-frequency events. Simulation can be used to assess risk and identify errors. ⋯ During the simulated care of an infant with hypoglycemic seizures, errors were more frequent in GEDs compared to PEDs. Decreasing annual pediatric patient volume was the best predictor of errors on regression analysis.