Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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Aims were (1) to assess the characteristics, associated factors and compliance of patients with acute poisoning advised by the Belgian Poison Centre (BPC) to go (conditionally) to the hospital, (2) to assess the compliance and potential health-economic impact. ⋯ Only a small proportion of patients followed the advice of the BPC to go (conditionally) to the hospital. A systematic follow-up of cases is warranted to examine the appropriateness of referrals and the compliance of patients.
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PresentationAn 83-year-old man presented for headache and altered mental status. Four days prior, he underwent endoscopic sinus surgery for nasal polyps. Over the two previous days, he gradually developed a headache and was brought to the emergency department when his wife noted mild confusion and generalised weakness. ⋯ Administer broad-spectrum antibiotics, including pseudomonal coverage. Consult otolaryngology to arrange functional endoscopic sinus surgery for CSF leak closure. Consult neurosurgery for surgical decompression of mass lesion(s).
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COVID-19 has an unpredictable clinical course, so prognostic biomarkers would be invaluable when triaging patients on admission to hospital. Many biomarkers have been suggested using large observational datasets but sample timing is crucial to ensure prognostic relevance. The DISCOVER study prospectively recruited patients with COVID-19 admitted to a UK hospital and analysed a panel of putative prognostic biomarkers on the admission blood sample to identify markers of poor outcome. ⋯ Admission blood biomarkers have only moderate predictive value for predicting COVID-19 outcomes, while simple clinical features such as age and NEWS2 score outperform many biomarkers. IL-6 and suPAR had the best performance, and further studies should focus on the additive value of these biomarkers to routine care.
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Overuse of lumbar imaging in the Emergency Department is a well-recognised healthcare challenge. Studies to date have not provided robust evidence that available interventions can reduce overuse. For an intervention aimed at reducing imaging to be effective, insight into how both patients and clinicians view lumbar imaging tests is essential. ⋯ We found several factors that could contribute to overuse of lumbar imaging in the Emergency Department. Solutions to overuse of lumbar imaging in the Emergency Department could include: (1) strategies to involve patients in decisions about imaging; (2) training and support to provide thorough and well explained clinical assessment for low back pain; and (3) systems that support collaborative approaches to care.