Articles: emergency-services.
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Multicenter Study
High- versus low-dose ketamine for analgesia in older adults in the emergency department.
Ketamine is increasingly being utilized in the management of acute pain in the emergency department (ED), including for older adults, a population at increased risk of adverse effects from medications. We aimed to compare the safety and analgesic effects of high-dose (≥0.3mg/kg) to low-dose (<0.3mg/kg) intravenous (IV) ketamine among older ED patients. ⋯ High-dose and low-dose ketamine reduced pain scores in older adults. High-dose ketamine led to a greater reduction in pain scores, and there was no observed difference in adverse effects or the need for rescue analgesia. One-third needed discontinuation of ketamine in both groups.
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Multicenter Study
Multicenter study of adolescent suicide attempts by poisoning: social, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics.
To evaluate the social, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics of patients brought to Spanish pediatric emergency departments (EDs) after suicide attempts by poisoning. A secondary objective was to identify risk factors for moderate-severe poisoning. ⋯ Pediatric ED visits for suicide attempts by poisoning occur mainly in adolescent girls, and a majority have a medical history of a psychiatric diagnosis, prior suicide attempts, or self-harm behaviors. They have also often experienced bullying. Characteristics that distinguish patients with moderate-severe poisoning are the presence of an adjustment disorder and the use of opioids and antidiabetic drugs, which confer risk for greater severity.
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Delayed intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) after head injury in older patients taking anticoagulants has been reported to be as high as 7.2%. Other studies suggest much lower rates. Its incidence and clinical management are controversial, with some recommending observation and repeat head imaging at 24 h. ⋯ The incidence of delayed ICH is very low in older ED head trauma patients on prescribed pre-injury anticoagulants. Our data have important clinical implications for the management of blunt head trauma among older ED patients on anticoagulants.
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A new limp or refusal to weight-bear are common symptoms in children presenting to the pediatric emergency department (ED). This poses a diagnostic challenge, particularly among toddlers and nonverbal patients. Point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) used by pediatric emergency medicine physicians may detect hip effusion, which dramatically aids diagnostic workup and management. There is limited literature regarding the accuracy of hip PoCUS conducted by pediatric emergency medicine physicians. This study aims to assess the diagnostic performance of pediatric emergency medicine physician-performed PoCUS in identifying hip effusion. ⋯ PoCUS performed by pediatric emergency medicine physicians has reasonably high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing hip effusion among pediatric patients presenting to the pediatric ED with a limp or leg pain. This practice may potentially expedite both diagnosis and treatment within this patient population.
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Pediatric emergency care · Dec 2024
Observational StudyShort-term Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy Administration in the Pediatric Emergency Department: Feasibility, Safety, and Outcome.
The practice of administration of intravenous (IV) antimicrobial therapy in outpatient settings (OPAT) is a low-cost alternative to in-patient admission and treatment. There is, however, limited evidence supporting OPAT management protocols for children. The primary objective of this study was to describe the use of pediatric emergency-based OPAT, as well as the safety of this practice. ⋯ Our results affirm that pediatric emergency-based OPAT is a safe yet effective practice in children with good clinical outcome. We believe that a reduction in admissions translates to better hospital resource utilization.