Articles: emergency-services.
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Observational Study
Study of pediatric appendicitis scores and management strategies: A prospective observational feasibility study.
The objective was to investigate the feasibility of prospectively validating multiple clinical prediction scores (CPSs) for pediatric appendicitis in an Australian pediatric emergency department (ED). ⋯ The study identified 30 CPSs that could be validated in a majority of patients to compare their ability to assess risk of pediatric appendicitis. The pARC-ED had the highest predictive accuracy and can potentially assist in risk stratification of children with suspected appendicitis in pediatric EDs. A multicenter study is now under way to evaluate the potential of these CPSs in a broader range of EDs to aid clinical decision making in more varied settings.
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Pediatric emergency care · Nov 2024
Measuring Overcrowding in a Large Academic Tertiary Care Pediatric Emergency Department.
Overcrowding scores have been studied extensively in adult emergency departments (EDs), but few studies have determined utility in the pediatric setting. The objective of this study was to determine the association between a modified National Emergency Department Overcrowding Score (mNEDOCS) and established ED metrics in a large academic tertiary care pediatric ED. ⋯ Modified NEDOCS is positively associated with ED LOS, LWBS, and 72-hour return visits, consistent with adult data. Further investigation is needed to elucidate the association between mNEDOCS and HLOS. This study illustrates the utility of mNEDOCS as a measure of overcrowding in a pediatric ED.
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The objective of this study was to better understand caregiver perspectives on educational materials relating to paediatric community-acquired pneumonia and antibiotic stewardship in the emergency department setting. ⋯ The busy nature of the emergency department setting can impede effective communication between clinicians and parents. Employing educational materials may allow for more informed parent-provider communication on care decision making. Caregivers in our study prioritized the simplest information formats for education around community-acquired pneumonia and antimicrobial stewardship which could be referenced following discharge. This was best accomplished by short, animated videos and brochures. Results from this study can inform development of future educational materials used in paediatric emergency department settings to optimize caregiver education and corresponding care plan adherence.
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Observational Study
Prevalence of undiagnosed stage B heart failure among emergency department patients.
Heart failure (HF) is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Stage B HF is defined as structural heart disease prior to developing symptomatic HF. If identified early in the disease process, preventative measures may be implemented to slow disease progression to Stage C (symptomatic) or Stage D (refractory) HF. Previous research has focused on outpatient screening for HF in the primary care setting; however, there are limited data on Stage B HF screening in the Emergency Department (ED) setting. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed Stage B HF among those with cardiovascular risk factors in the ED setting and identify which risk factors were associated with a greater risk of having Stage B HF. ⋯ A large majority of ED patients with cardiovascular risk factors had undiagnosed Stage B HF. Age and obesity were associated with a higher risk of Stage B HF. This provides an opportunity for early identification and intervention for patients with undiagnosed Stage B HF to reduce progression to more severe HF.
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Headaches are a common condition seen in the Emergency Department (ED), with numerous trials focused on improving care for these patients. However, there is limited recent large-scale, robust data available on the incidence, admission rates, evaluation, and treatment in the ED setting. ⋯ Headaches represent a common reason for ED presentation, with approximately 4% of patients being admitted. Imaging is frequently performed, with rises in CT without contrast and CT angiography rates over time, while LP rates have been declining. NSAIDs remain the most common medication given, with opioids declining over time while non-opioid agents such as dopamine antagonists have increased. These findings can help inform health policy initiatives, such as those focused on radiologic imaging and evidence-based medication administration.