Annals of emergency medicine
-
Research in basic, translational, and clinical emergency medicine has made great strides since the formalization of emergency medicine as a specialty. Our objective is to identify and analyze strategies used by emergency medicine research pioneers to inform further advancement of research in emergency medicine, particularly for aspiring researchers and those in emerging areas, using emergency medicine medical education as one example. ⋯ Research pioneers in emergency medicine cite mentorship, advanced skills obtained through fellowship or graduate degrees, deliberate collaboration with experienced researchers, support from emergency medicine organizations, and forming networks as the cornerstones of success.
-
To evaluate the diagnostic performance of chest ultralow-dose computed tomography (CT) compared with chest radiograph for minor blunt thoracic trauma. ⋯ Ultralow-dose CT with iterative reconstruction conveyed a radiation dose similar to that of chest radiograph and was more reliable than a radiographic study for minor blunt thoracic trauma assessment. Radiologists, regardless of experience with ultralow-dose CT, were more confident with chest ultralow-dose CT than chest radiograph.
-
We assess the value of the Barthel Index (BI) in predicting 30-day mortality risk among patients with acute heart failure who are attending the emergency department (ED). ⋯ Functional status assessed by the BI score at the ED visit is a strong predictor of 30-day mortality in acute heart failure patients, with higher predictive value than baseline BI score and acute functional decline. Routine recording of BI score at the ED visit may help in decisionmaking and health care planning.