The American journal of emergency medicine
-
Comparative Study Observational Study
Emergency physician-based intensive care unit for critically ill patients visiting emergency department.
To provide a prompt and optimal intensive care to critically ill patients visiting our emergency department (ED), we set up and ran a specific type of emergency intensive care unit (EICU) managed by emergency physician (EP) intensivists. We investigated whether this EICU reduced the time interval from ED arrival to ICU transfer (ED-ICU interval) without altering mortality. ⋯ The EICU run by EP intensivists reduced the time interval from ED arrival to ICU transfer without altering hospital mortality.
-
We validated prior emergency department (ED) assessments of the chest pain score accelerated diagnostic pathway (EDACS-ADP) in Korean patients. This score is designed to discriminate patients at a low risk of a major adverse cardiac event (MACE) from those with a potentially more serious condition. ⋯ The sensitivity and negative predictive values for the EDACS-ADP were high in Korean patients presenting at the ED. However, the MACE rate among low-risk patients is higher than that considered acceptable by the majority of ED physicians for patients that are to be discharged without further evaluation. Further studies may be warranted for the successful application of the EDACS-ADP.
-
Case Reports
High dose vitamin C induced methemoglobinemia and hemolytic anemia in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.
Investigational use of intravenous vitamin C has been on the rise, but its side effects may be underreported. A 75-year-old woman presented with acute onset of jaundice, dark urine and shortness of breath after receiving 30 g of vitamin C infusion as an unconventional therapy for her hemifacial spasm. Diagnosis of methemoglobinemia and hemolytic anemia was made clinically and confirmed on laboratory tests. ⋯ When administered at physiological dose, vitamin C can be used as an alternative to methylene blue in treatment of methemoglobinemia in patients with G6PD deficiency. However at supraphysiological dose vitamin C can paradoxically lead to hemolytic anemia in the same group of patients. Physicians should be alert of these potential complications of high dose vitamin C.