Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
-
Review
Prediction Models for Severe Manifestations and Mortality due to COVID-19: A Systematic Review.
Throughout 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a threat to public health on national and global level. There has been an immediate need for research to understand the clinical signs and symptoms of COVID-19 that can help predict deterioration including mechanical ventilation, organ support, and death. Studies thus far have addressed the epidemiology of the disease, common presentations, and susceptibility to acquisition and transmission of the virus; however, an accurate prognostic model for severe manifestations of COVID-19 is still needed because of the limited healthcare resources available. ⋯ Several prognostic models for COVID-19 were identified, with varying clinical score performance. Nine studies that had a low risk of bias and low concern for applicability, one from a general public population and hospital setting. The most promising and well-validated scores include Clift et al.,15 and Knight et al.,18 which seem to have accurate prediction models that clinicians can use in the public health and emergency department setting.
-
The objective was to evaluate the impact of an emergency psychiatric assessment, treatment, and healing (EmPATH) unit in the emergency department (ED) on hospital admissions, ED length of stay, and 30-day follow-up for patients presenting with suicidal ideation or attempt. ⋯ The introduction of the EmPATH unit has improved management of patients presenting to the ED with suicidal attempts/ideation by reducing ED boarding and unnecessary admissions and establishing post-ED follow-up care.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Ultrasound vs Landmark Guided Medium Sized Joint Arthrocentesis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Arthrocentesis is commonly performed in the emergency department, but success rates vary based on location. Presently, there is a paucity of data assessing the utility of ultrasound-guided (USG) medium-sized joint arthrocentesis. The objective of this study was to compare the success of USG and landmark-guided (LMG) medium-sized joint arthrocentesis. ⋯ Ultrasound guidance improved first-pass and overall successful arthrocentesis of medium-sized joint effusions.
-
This study investigated trends in computed tomography (CT) utilization across different triage categories of injury presentations to tertiary emergency departments (EDs) and associations with diagnostic yield measured by injury severity, hospitalization and length of stay (LOS), and mortality. ⋯ The reduction in diagnostic yield in terms of injury severity and hospitalization found in our study might indicate a shift toward overtesting using CT in ED for injury or a higher use of CT to assist in the management of injuries. This helps health care policymakers consider whether the current increase in CT use meets the desired levels of quality and efficient care.