Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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We sought to validate the accuracy and assess the efficacy of a newly developed electronic weight estimation device (ie, the rolling tape) for paediatric weight estimation. ⋯ The rolling tape is a good weight estimation tool for children compared with other methods. The rolling tape method significantly decreased the time from weight estimation to orders for essential drug dose, instrument size and defibrillation dose for resuscitation.
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The rate of unscheduled return visits is often used as a quality-of-care indicator in EDs, although its validity is not yet fully established. Our aim was to identify the characteristics of return visits that may be attributed to problems in quality of care. ⋯ The overall level of return visits cannot be considered a valid indicator of quality of care. However, certain specific variables, including the level of severity of the patient's condition or the discharge destination following the return visits, could be considered valid in this respect.
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Injuries to the foot are a common cause for presentation to the emergency department (ED), and imaging is often used to aid in the diagnosis. The foot can be divided into three distinct anatomic regions: the forefoot, midfoot and hindfoot. ⋯ We provide pearls to radiographic interpretation and discuss prognostic implications and classification systems. Part 1 addressed forefoot injuries, Part 2 reviews midfoot injuries and Part 3 covers the hindfoot.
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Observational Study
Capillary and Venous Lactate Agreement: a pilot prospective observational study.
Blood lactate is a marker of patient illness severity. Capillary lactate (CAP-LACT) measurement can potentially improve patient screening; however, it has poor evidence of clinical utility. ⋯ CAP-LACT has poor agreement with PV-LACT. Further research is needed to improve its potential clinical utility.
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Injury to the spinal cord can result in loss of sympathetic innervation causing a drop in BP and HR, this condition is known as neurogenic shock. There is debate among the literature on how and when neurogenic shock presents and what values of HR and BP should be used to define it. Previous studies do not take into account multiple prehospital and emergency department recordings. ⋯ Neurogenic shock is variable and unpredictable. It can present in the prehospital environment and without warning in a patient with previously normal vital signs. The medical team should be aware of it in all patients with spinal cord injury regardless of injury level.