European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Intravenous dexamethasone in acute management of vestibular neuritis: a randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blind trial.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of intravenous dexamethasone in relieving the symptoms and signs of vestibular neuritis in the emergency department setting. ⋯ The value of dexamethasone cannot be established, given the small sample and limitations of the present study. Some observations consistent with clinical improvement cannot exclude a true treatment effect, and further study is still warranted.
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Observational Study
Hemostatic dressings in civil prehospital practice: 30 uses of QuikClot Combat Gauze.
To report the use and describe the interest of hemostatic dressings in a civilian setting, we provided medical prehospital teams with QuikClot Combat Gauze (QCG) and asked physicians to complete a specific questionnaire after each use. Thirty uses were prospectively reported. The wounds were mostly caused by cold steel (n=15) and were primarily cervicocephalic (n=16), with 19/30 active arterial bleedings. ⋯ The application of QCG permitted the removal of an effective tourniquet that was applied initially for three patients. No side-effects were reported. The provision of hemostatic dressings in civilian resuscitation ambulances was useful by providing an additional tool to limit bleeding while rapidly transporting the injured patient to a surgical facility.
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The impact of delays in emergency department (ED) care has not been described in European countries where ED crowding is not universally recognized. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of ED crowding with delays in triage and treatment, and 24-h mortality in patients admitted to the ED. ⋯ In this hospital, ED crowding results in increased times to triage and to treatment, not in increased 24-h or 10-day mortality.
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Cardiopulmonary resuscitation rates and survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest are poor in the UK compared with areas abroad that deliver mandatory training to all school children. We sought to identify barriers to training and develop a strategy to enable delivery of this training. ⋯ The establishment of cardiopulmonary resuscitation training in secondary schools in the UK is achievable. The commonly perceived barriers to establishment of training are all surmountable, but solving them does not necessarily ensure universal coverage. Support from healthcare professionals, in particular public health, is essential to ensure that the training is as widespread as possible. Mandatory inclusion of this training on the school curriculum, as seen in other countries, would result in significantly improved survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiorespiratory arrest. Solutions to improve training have been proposed, which could be used in other parts of Europe where such training is not a mandatory requirement.