European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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This study was designed to provide an overview of the epidemiology and clinical findings in children presenting to a sports injury clinic with 'low back pain' (LBP). ⋯ No consistent demonstrable association was established between clinical presentation and final diagnosis. It was found that red flags could not be relied upon for the inclusion or the exclusion of a significant radiological finding. This study therefore suggests that, in this population group, a significant diagnosis cannot always be reliably excluded from clinical assessment alone.
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The Mortality in Severe Sepsis in the Emergency Department (MISSED) score was derived to predict in-hospital mortality in septic patients in the emergency department (ED). The present study aimed to validate the MISSED score in patients receiving early goal-directed therapy (EGDT). ⋯ Further studies are required to validate the MISSED score in more diverse patients.
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This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) surveillance protocol in the Emergency Department (ED) at Hamad General Hospital. Effectiveness was measured by: (a) reduction in the number of patients admitted into the MERS-CoV tracking system; (b) identification of positive MERS-CoV cases; (c) containment of cross infectivity; and (d) increased efficiency in ED functioning. ⋯ A highly protocolized surveillance system limited the impact of MERS-CoV on ED functioning by identifying and prioritizing high-risk patients. The emergence of new infectious diseases requires constant monitoring of interventions to reduce the impact of epidemics on population health and health services.
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Observational Study
Acute sore throat in children at the emergency department: best medical practice?
Belgian antibiotic (AB) policy guidelines discourage the use of ABs in sore throat in otherwise healthy individuals; yet, 35% of all children with sore throat in our pediatric emergency department receive a prescription for ABs. ⋯ We find several 'practical' factors to have an influence on the AB prescription rate.
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Observational Study
The burden of sepsis in the Emergency Department: an observational snapshot.
The primary aim of our study was to establish what proportion of patients in the Emergency Department (ED) fulfill the criteria for sepsis. All adult patients presenting to ED in two 1-week periods, 6 months apart, were included. ⋯ The proportion of patients with sepsis was 4.3% (95% confidence interval 3.3-5.2%) and the proportion with severe sepsis was 2.2% (95% confidence interval 1.5-2.8%). In conclusion our results suggest that sepsis is more common than previously reported and this represents a significant burden on ED.