Articles: emergency-department.
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J Coll Physicians Surg Pak · Jan 2023
Case ReportsDiagnostic Overlap of Brain Abscess Symptoms with Methamphetamine Withdrawal Symptoms.
From the perspective of forensic medicine, substance abuse is an important topic due to its nature and consequences. The usage of methamphetamine is a significant public health problem with deleterious side effects, one of the most serious of which is mimicking central nervous system infection. A 40-year man was brought to the emergency department with complaints of headache, vomiting, fever, and loss of consciousness. ⋯ A diagnosis of brain abscess and ventriculitis was made. The aim of this report is to draw physicians attention to substance abstinence symptoms that may mask more serious diseases. Key Words: Brain abscess, Methamphetamine withdrawal, Sinusitis.
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Background and Objectives: The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic represents a global public health crisis that has had a serious impact on emergency department (ED) utilization trends. The aim of this study was to investigate the collateral effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on ED utilization trends by patients with mild and severe conditions as well as on 7-day fatality rates. Materials and Methods: We analyzed entries in the Korean National Health Insurance claims database between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2020. ⋯ However, the 7-day fatality rate after ED visits for low-acuity diseases and severe acute respiratory infection diseases increased to 0.04% (p < 0.01), and 1.65% (p < 0.01), respectively, in 2020 compared to that in the control period. Conclusions: During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, ED utilization impacted and 7-day fatality rate after ED visit increased. Health authorities and health care providers must strive to ensure prompt delivery of optimal care in EDs for patients with severe or serious symptoms and time-dependent diseases, even during the ongoing COVID-19 or potential future pandemics.