The American journal of emergency medicine
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Pocket mobile smartphone system for the point-of-care submandibular ultrasonography.
Focused ultrasonography of the airway may be useful in the prediction of difficult intubation. The wider use of sonography in quantitative airway assessment may depend on the availability of highly portable, inexpensive, and accurate ultrasound systems. Pocket-sized ultrasound devices are emerging as a useful tool for point-of-care ultrasonography. The aim of this study was to evaluate the suprahyoid airway of healthy volunteers using a smartphone-based ultrasound imaging system in comparison with a platform-based machine. ⋯ Mobisante MobiUS system was able to acquire clinically useful images of the suprahyoid airway and muscular architecture in the mouth floor and allowed accurate measurements of linear distances.
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Clinical Trial
Derivation of a clinical prediction rule to predict hospitalization for influenza in EDs.
Early, rapid, and accurate identification of those patients who have severe influenza is important for emergency physicians. Influenza viral load, which has been proposed as a predictor of severe influenza, could be useful in facilitating decision making of resource use. We aimed to derive a clinical prediction rule to indicate probability for inpatient hospitalization for patients with influenza, which includes influenza viral load in addition to other clinical information commonly collected in the emergency department (ED). ⋯ The clinical prediction rule incorporating influenza viral load into the clinical information was indicative of hospitalization and merits further evaluation for determination of ED resource use for patients with influenza.
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This study was performed to determine the effects of sodium bicarbonate injection during prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation (for >15 minutes). ⋯ The administration of sodium bicarbonate during prolonged CPR did not significantly improve the rate of ROSC in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
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Chest compressions are pivotal determinants of successful resuscitation. The aim of our study was to identify the variations of the anatomical structures underneath the sternum and to investigate possible implications for chest compressions. ⋯ The occurrence of cardiac chambers under the lower part of the sternum is very high, making it a reasonable position for hand placement during chest compressions. However, optimal hand position may differ with age and among healthy individuals owing to variations in thoracic anatomy.