The American journal of emergency medicine
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Combined copeptin and troponin to rule out myocardial infarction in patients with chest pain and a history of coronary artery disease.
The main objective of this multicentric study was to evaluate the additional value of copeptin to conventional cardiac troponin (cTn) for a rapid ruling out of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients with acute chest pain and a previous history of coronary artery disease (CAD). ⋯ In triage patients with acute chest pain lasting for less than 6 hours and a previous history of CAD, the combination of copeptin and cTn allows for the ruling out AMI, with a negative predictive value greater than 95%.
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Overcrowding is an important issue facing many emergency departments (EDs). Access block (admitted patients occupying ED stretchers) is a leading contributor, and expeditious placement of admitted patients is an area of research interest. This review examined the effectiveness of full capacity protocols (FCPs) on mitigating ED overcrowding. ⋯ Although FCPs may be a promising alternative for overcrowded EDs, the available evidence upon which to support implementation of an FCP is limited. Additional efforts are required to improve the outcome reporting of FCP research using high-quality research methods.
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Comparative Study
The diagnostic accuracy of an abdominal radiograph with signs and symptoms of intussusception.
The objective of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of an abdominal ultrasound to that of a highly suggestive abdominal radiograph combined with signs and symptoms of intussusception. ⋯ Ultrasound is not needed before an enema for the diagnosis of intussusception for those with a highly suggestive abdominal radiograph, abdominal pain, lethargy, and vomiting.
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Early aggressive resuscitation in patients with severe sepsis decreases mortality but requires extensive time and resources. This study analyzes if patients with sepsis admitted through the emergency department (ED) have lower inpatient mortality than do patients admitted directly to the hospital. ⋯ Admission for sepsis through the ED was associated with lower early and overall inpatient mortality in this large national sample.
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A myriad of hospital-wide initiatives have been implemented with the goal of decreasing door-to-balloon time. Much of the evidence behind the common strategies used is unknown; multiple strategies have been suggested in the reduction to the use of this important time-sensitive intervention. Among 8 primary strategies, 2 have substantial evidence to support their implementation in the attempt to reduce door-to-balloon time in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), including emergency physician activation of the cardiac catheterization laboratory and prehospital activation of the STEMI alert process. ⋯ Although all the STEMI systems of care reviewed are associated with a decreased in time to treatment, only a few have sufficient quantitative evidence to support their implementation. To be effective, the movement to decrease time to treatment of STEMI at any hospital must be composed of an institutional response that includes multiple disciplines. Success also requires active participation from nurses, members of the catheterization team, and hospital leadership.