Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2020
Observational StudyInforming diversion strategy: A comparison of parent and general practitioner-referred paediatric patients presenting to a metropolitan hospital.
To determine whether the characteristics and outcomes of parent-referred children differ substantially from general practitioner (GP)-referred children attending a metropolitan ED. ⋯ Children brought to ED directly by their parents or carers did not differ substantially from GP-referred children in their characteristics or outcomes. The use of referral source and triage categories to determine patient suitability for diversion to general practice may need to be reconsidered.
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Diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus, is a common cause of presentation to EDs. Two new drug classes have been found to cause ketoacidosis with distinctive presentations. The sodium-glucose transport protein 2 inhibitors used in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus may present with ketoacidosis with normal glucose levels. ⋯ Other causes of metabolic acidosis with both high and normal anion gap need to be considered in the differential diagnosis of ketoacidosis. Diabetic ketoacidosis may also present with biochemical changes suggestive of myocardial ischaemia and pancreatitis in the absence of these pathologies. The present paper reviews ketone body metabolism, ketone testing and the causes and differential diagnosis of ketoacidosis with particular relevance to emergency medicine.
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2020
Emergency presentation of new onset versus recurrent undiagnosed seizures: A retrospective review.
To identify clinical factors that may assist emergency physicians to delineate between patients with new onset seizures (NOS) versus patients with recurrent undiagnosed seizures (RUS) among those presenting with apparent 'first seizures' to EDs. In addition, to provide a summary of current evidence-based guidelines regarding the workup of seizure presentations to ED. ⋯ Emergency physicians should be wary of patients presenting with non-motor 'first seizures': they are more likely to have experienced prior seizures (the 'recurrent untreated seizure' group), and thus meet epilepsy diagnostic criteria. Almost half of those with actual NOS may also meet epilepsy criteria, largely driven by abnormal neuroimaging. Distinguishing RUS from NOS patients in the ED allows accurate prognostication and timely initiation of appropriate therapy.