Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Feb 2012
Case ReportsAnorexia nervosa: a case report of a teenager presenting with bradycardia, general fatigue, and weakness.
Anorexia nervosa is a disease with high prevalence in adolescents and carries the highest mortality of any psychiatric disorder. ⋯ Patients with anorexia may present with multiple medical complaints, and it is imperative that the emergency physician be familiar with the syndrome so as to correctly identify and treat patients with this disease.
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Pediatric emergency care · Feb 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyA randomized trial of enema versus polyethylene glycol 3350 for fecal disimpaction in children presenting to an emergency department.
This study aimed to compare efficacy of enema versus polyethylene glycol (PEG) 3350 for pediatric fecal impaction treatment. ⋯ This pilot study suggests that disimpaction by enema may be superior to PEG for immediate relief of symptoms. Larger trials are needed to assess any advantage.
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Pediatric emergency care · Feb 2012
Review Case ReportsPosterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in childhood: report of four cases and review of the literature.
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a recently described disorder with typical radiological findings of bilateral gray and white matter abnormalities in the posterior regions of the cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum. Its clinical symptoms include headache, decreased alertness, mental abnormalities such as confusion, diminished spontaneity of speech, and changed behavior ranging from drowsiness to stupor, seizures, vomiting, and abnormalities of visual perception such as cortical blindness. In this study, the clinical and radiological findings of 4 children with this syndrome due to a variety of conditions are reported. ⋯ Early recognition of PRES as a complication during different diseases and therapies in childhood may facilitate precise diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
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Pediatric emergency care · Feb 2012
Prevalence and trends of the adult patient population in a pediatric emergency department.
Although pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) generally do not care for adult patients (≥21 years old), adult patients still present to PEDs with short-term complaints. The purpose of this study was to describe trends in the prevalence, the acuity, and the causes of adult patients presenting to a PED. ⋯ Adult visits to a large, urban PED have increased significantly during the past 5 years. Often, these patients have little or no insurance and present with a high acuity. Transitioning adult patients with long-term "pediatric" conditions and further training PED staff on how to care for adult patients are essential.