Annals of emergency medicine
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To determine which adult patients with new-onset seizures require admission and whether those who require admission can be identified in the emergency department. ⋯ One half of patients with new-onset seizures require admission. Patients with new-onset seizures who require admission can usually be detected by a standardized medical evaluation in the ED.
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To determine whether there is an association between the race of a victim of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and the provision of bystander-initiated CPR. ⋯ Black victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest receive bystander CPR less frequently than white victims. Targeted training programs may be needed to improve the rates of bystander CPR among certain groups.
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To quantify the effects of graded upper-airway obstruction on the delivered tidal volume and selected parameters of pulmonary mechanics during transtracheal jet ventilation (TTJV) in a dog model. ⋯ Partial upper-airway obstruction increases the delivered tidal volume, minute ventilation, and transpulmonary pressure of the lungs during TTJV, with consequent decreases in the arterial PCO2 as the amount of obstruction increases. No significant changes were seen in the quasistatic compliance of the lungs, pulmonary flow resistance, or alveolar:arterial gradient, lending support to the position that TTJV is a safe technique under conditions of partial upper-airway obstruction. However, due to significant increases in tidal volume and functional residual capacity and decreases in mean arterial blood pressure, concerns still exist during near-total or total upper-airway obstruction.
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Prevertebral soft tissue measurements of more than 6 mm at C2 and more than 22 mm at C6 have been reported as radiologic evidence of cervical spine injury. The objective of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of soft tissue measurements in patients with radiographically proven cervical spine fractures. ⋯ We conclude that using prevertebral soft tissue measurements of more than 6 mm at C2 and more than 22 mm at C6 as a marker of cervical spine injury fails to identify a large proportion of patients with cervical spine fractures.