Annals of emergency medicine
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Comparative Study
Gender-associated differences in emergency department pain management.
To determine whether patient or provider gender is associated with the number, type, and strength of medications received by emergency department patients with headache, neck pain, or back pain. ⋯ Female patients with headache, neck pain, or back pain describe more pain and are perceived by providers to have more pain than male patients in the ED. Female patients also receive more medications and stronger analgesics. In this study, severity of patient pain rather than gender stereotyping appeared to correlate most with pain-management practices.
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Comparative Study
Can a day 4 bone scan accurately determine the presence or absence of scaphoid fracture?
To evaluate the accuracy of day 4 bone scans in predicting the presence or absence of fracture in patients with "clinical scaphoid fracture." ⋯ Day 4 bone scans are an accurate means of ruling out scaphoid fracture. However, because of a significant number of false-positive scans at day 4, they do not reliably confirm the diagnosis of scaphoid fracture. The bone scans also permitted identification of several other wrist fractures that had not been radiographically apparent.
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Comparative Study
Motorcycle trauma in the state of Illinois: analysis of the Illinois Department of Public Health Trauma Registry.
To assess the current morbidity and mortality of motorcycle trauma in the state of Illinois and, specifically, to assess the incidence and cost of head injury to motorcycle crash patients according to their helmet use. ⋯ Motorcycle helmet nonuse was associated with an increased incidence of serious head injury. Motorcycle trauma patients with severe or critical head injuries used a significantly greater proportion of ICU days and hospital charges than those with mild or no head injuries.
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Case Reports
Avulsion fracture of the anterior superior iliac spine presenting as acute-onset meralgia paresthetica.
Avulsion fracture of the anterior superior iliac spine is rare. Most cases occur in adolescents involved in competitive sports or vigorous exercise in which the sartorius and tensor fascia lata muscles are contracted strongly and suddenly against a hyperextended trunk. ⋯ We describe a patient with avulsion of the anterior superior iliac spine who presented with meralgia paresthetica. The symptoms resolved with conservative treatment.