J Emerg Med
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Observational Study
Frequency of Persistent Opioid Use 6 Months After Exposure to IV Opioids in the Emergency Department: A Prospective Cohort Study.
As rates of opioid use disorder in the general population have increased, some have questioned whether IV opioids should be used routinely for treatment of acute severe pain in the emergency department (ED). ⋯ Among 506 opioid naïve ED patients administered IV opioids for acute severe pain, only one used opioids persistently during the subsequent 6 months.
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Observational Study
Assessing the Predictive Value of Combining Risk Scoring Systems and Ultrasonography for Short-Term Adverse Outcomes in Syncope: A Prospective Observational Study.
In the emergency department (ED), the role of ultrasonography (USG) in risk stratification and predicting adverse events in syncope patients is a current research area. However, it is still unclear how ultrasound can be combined with existing risk scores. ⋯ The use of USG in the evaluation of syncope patients did not result in significant improvement in sensitivity and specificity values for predicting adverse events. However, larger sample-sized studies are needed to understand its potential contributions better.
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Incidental findings are unrelated to a patient's complaint, found on diagnostic imaging, such as point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Incidental findings represent potential harms to patients and may lead to increased patient anxiety and health care costs related to downstream testing and surveillance. ⋯ Incidental renal cysts are common and are more likely to be found in older adults. In our study, physicians infrequently informed patients of their incidental finding.
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Methamphetamine-associated cardiomyopathy (MACM) is a known complication of methamphetamine use; however, risk factors and outcomes of patients with MACM are not well understood. ⋯ Patients who developed MACM had traditional risk factors for heart failure and experienced significantly more ED visits, more hospitalizations, and longer hospital stays than matched controls.
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Children aged 0-4 years have the highest rate of emergency department (ED) visits for traumatic brain injury (TBI); falls are the leading cause. Infants younger than 2 years are more likely to sustain a fractured skull after a fall. ⋯ Fall-related fractured skulls are a health and developmental concern for infants, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive assessment at the time of the injury to better understand adult actions. Findings indicated the need to develop prevention messages that include safe carrying and placement of infants.