Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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Although it is accepted that atrial fibrillation (AF) may be both the contributing factor and the consequence of pulmonary embolism (PE), data on the prognostic role of AF in patients with acute venous thromboembolism are scarce. Our aim was to study whether AF had a prognostic role in patients with acute PE. ⋯ The presence of AF, irrespective of its timing, may independently predict mortality in patients with acute PE. These data should be tested and validated in prospective studies using larger cohorts.
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To compare the prognostic performance of the predisposition, infection, response and organ failure (PIRO) score with the traditional sepsis category and clinical judgement in high-risk and low-risk Dutch emergency department (ED) sepsis populations. ⋯ The accuracy and discriminative performance of the PIRO score and clinical judgement are similar, but better than the sepsis category. Prognostic performance of illness severity scores is less in high-risk cohorts, while in high-risk populations a risk stratification tool would be most useful.
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Focussed assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) has assumed a key role in the rapid non-invasive assessment of thoracoabdominal trauma and assists in decreasing disposition time. This study evaluates FAST's efficacy with respect to haemodynamic stability in a South African emergency department (ED). ⋯ This study showed a valuable role for FAST in all traumas, particularly in haemodynamic compromise. As an addition to the physician's repertoire of bedside assessment tools, it improves diagnostic capabilities in comparison with simple haemodynamic assessments alone.
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To improve SHO confidence in corneal foreign body removal, a novel training phantom is proposed. This phantom is a polyvinyl and gelatine-based model, easily fabricated in the emergency department (ED). Use of the phantom results in a significant improvement in SHO confidence, and therefore, makes a useful, cost-effective adjunct for ED training.