Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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High utilisation of emergency department (ED) among the elderly is of worldwide concern. This study aims to review the effectiveness of interventions targeting the elderly population in reducing ED utilisation. ⋯ The investigated interventions have mixed effectiveness. Our findings suggest the hospital-based interventions have relatively poorer effects, and should be better connected to the community-based strategies. Interventions seem to achieve the most success with integration of multi-layered elements, especially when incorporating key elements such as a nurse-led multidisciplinary team, integrated social care, and strong linkages to the longer-term primary and community care. Notwithstanding limitations in generalising the findings, this review builds on the growing body of evidence in this particular area.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Identification of the severe sepsis patient at triage: a prospective analysis of the Australasian Triage Scale.
This study aims to investigate the accuracy and validity of the Australasian Triage Scale (ATS) as a tool to identify and manage in a timely manner the deteriorating patient with severe sepsis. ⋯ The ATS and its categories is a sensitive and moderately accurate and valid tool for identifying severe sepsis in a predetermined group, but lacks clinical efficacy and safety without further education or quality improvement strategies targeted to the identification of severe sepsis.
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Lactate level, aetiology and mortality of adult patients in an emergency department: a cohort study.
Increased lactate is associated with high mortality among patients with suspected infection or trauma in the emergency department (ED), but the association with patients with other aetiologies is less well described. The aim of this study was to describe the relation between lactate, aetiology and 7-day mortality in adult ED patients. ⋯ Among adult ED patients, the prognostic value of lactate varies between diagnostic groups.
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The purpose of this study was to assess the publication rate of the abstracts presented at the 6th Mediterranean Emergency Medicine Congress, 2011 and the 7th European Congress on Emergency Medicine, 2012. ⋯ The publication rate of abstracts submitted to international emergency medicine congresses held by EUSEM over those 2 years was low compared with that of abstracts presented in other emergency medicine congresses. Presenters should be encouraged to send their studies to peer-reviewed journals. During the selection process by the scientific panel, constructive critics should be notified to the presenters instead of simply accepting or rejecting the studies that submitted to the congress, which may increase the subsequent publication rate.
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Hyperbilirubinaemia is reported to be a positive predictor in diagnosing appendicitis and especially appendiceal perforation. We, therefore, analysed the diagnostic accuracy of serum bilirubin in anticipating appendicitis and its severity. ⋯ Hyperbilirubinaemia is present in acute appendicitis but has a low diagnostic accuracy in discriminating between any appendicitis versus no appendiceal inflammation and perforated versus non-perforated appendicitis and is, therefore, of limited value in clinical routine.