Southern medical journal
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Southern medical journal · Dec 2022
Atrial Fibrillation and Cardiovascular Risk Assessment among COVID-19 Patients Using Different Scores.
Since the advent of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 in December 2019, millions of people have been infected and succumbed to death because of this deadly virus. Cardiovascular complications such as thromboembolism and arrhythmia are predominant causes of morbidity and mortality. ⋯ Using such scores gives hope for early prediction of atrial arrhythmia and in-hospital mortality among coronavirus disease 2019-infected patients. We have discussed the mechanisms of AF and cardiovascular damage in coronavirus disease 2019 patients, different methods of AF prediction, and compared different scores for prediction of in-hospital mortality after this viral infection.
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Southern medical journal · Dec 2022
Comparison of Robotic and Laparoscopic Colectomies Using the 2019 ACS NSQIP Database.
Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgeries (RLSs) have become increasingly common in the past decade alongside conventional laparoscopic surgeries (CLSs). In general, RLSs have been reported to be superior to CLSs; therefore, we compared both methods among patients undergoing an elective colectomy for differences in perioperative factors and postoperative complications. ⋯ CLS may be the more efficient operative technique because it was associated with a shorter average operation time and fewer postoperative complications. This paradigm, however, may change as the robotic technology develops and surgeons become more experienced with RLS.
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Southern medical journal · Dec 2022
Epidemiology and Characteristics of North American Crotalid Bites Reported to the National Poison Data System 2006-2020.
North American pit viper, or crotalid bites, remain a low-incidence and potentially high-consequence medical event. Although the venom of these snakes is known to cause tissue, hematologic, and neurologic toxicity, the published literature on North American crotalid bites remains limited. The National Poison Data System, the data repository for the 55 poison control centers in the United States, offers a unique opportunity to examine nationwide trends involving venomous snake bites. ⋯ This study demonstrates that reported North American crotalid bites appear to be increasing over time and are associated with potentially significant morbidity. Mortality, however, remains low.
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Southern medical journal · Dec 2022
Evaluation of a Multifaceted Protocol in Reducing Unnecessary Telemetry Monitoring across a Large Healthcare System.
Telemetry is frequently overused in hospitals. The goal of this study was to evaluate a telemetry protocol aimed at decreasing inappropriate telemetry utilization across four different hospitals within a large healthcare system by modifying the electronic telemetry order to incorporate the 2017 American Heart Association practice guidelines on the appropriate use of telemetry and using an electronic nursing screening task form to safely discontinue telemetry. ⋯ The results of our study demonstrate a statistically significant decrease in overall duration of telemetry monitoring by nearly 1.75 days across each of the four hospitals with the implementation of a multifaceted telemetry protocol that included hardwiring the American Heart Association practice guidelines into the electronic order and using a nursing-driven discontinuation protocol.