Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Balanced crystalloids (RInger's lactate) versus normal Saline in adults with diabetic Ketoacidosis in the Emergency Department (BRISK-ED): a pilot randomised controlled trial.
Current diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) treatment guidelines recommend using normal saline (NS); however, NS may delay DKA resolution by causing more hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis compared with balanced crystalloids. This study's objective was to determine the feasibility of a future multicentred randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing intravenous Ringer's lactate (RL) with NS in managing ED patients with DKA. ⋯ This pilot trial demonstrated our protocol's feasibility by exceeding our target recruitment rate. Our results may be used to inform future multicentre trials to compare the safety and efficacy of RL and NS in managing DKA in the ED.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
High-dose versus low-dose intravenous nitroglycerine for sympathetic crashing acute pulmonary edema: a randomised controlled trial.
Sympathetic crashing acute pulmonary edema (SCAPE) is a subset of heart failure with a dramatic presentation. The unique physiology of this condition requires a different management strategy from the conventional practice. The trial objective was to compare the efficacy of high-dose and low-dose GTN in patients with SCAPE. ⋯ In SCAPE, patients receiving high-dose GTN (>100 mcg/min) had earlier symptom resolution compared with the conventional 'low dose' GTN without any significant adverse effects.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Impact on all-cause mortality of a case prediction and prevention intervention designed to reduce secondary care utilisation: findings from a randomised controlled trial.
Health coaching services could help to reduce emergency healthcare utilisation for patients targeted proactively by a clinical prediction model (CPM) predicting patient likelihood of future hospitalisations. Such interventions are designed to empower patients to confidently manage their own health and effectively utilise wider resources. Using CPMs to identify patients, rather than prespecified criteria, accommodates for the dynamic hospital user population and for sufficient time to provide preventative support. However, it is unclear how this care model would negatively impact survival. ⋯ Early mortality in men aged >75 years may be reduced by supporting individuals at risk of unplanned hospitalisation with a clear outreach, out-of-hospital nurse-led, telephone-based coaching care model.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Point-of-care ultrasound-guided versus standard reduction of displaced distal radius fractures in the emergency department: a randomised controlled clinical trial.
During closed reduction of displaced distal radius fractures, physical examination is used to determine the need for further manipulation before radiographic confirmation and cast application. Manipulation performed under ultrasound guidance has the potential to decrease the number of reduction attempts. ⋯ This study could not demonstrate that PoCUS-guided reduction of distal radius fractures was associated with a statistically significant decrease in the number of reduction attempts.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Ultrasound Directed Reduction of Colles' type distal radial fractures in ED (UDiReCT): a feasibility randomised controlled trial.
There is a high rate of surgical fixation of displaced Colles' type distal radial wrist fractures despite fracture manipulation in the ED. Point-of-care ultrasound has been used to guide ED manipulations but its effect on the quality of fracture reduction or subsequent need for surgical fixation is unknown. This study aims to assess the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomised controlled trial to assess the use of ultrasound to guide these fracture manipulations. ⋯ A definitive study of a similar design would be feasible within UK ED practice but organisational factors and research staff availability should be considered when estimating the predicted recruitment rate and required sites. 6-week surgical fixation rate was the most reliable outcome measure.