Articles: emergency-department.
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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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Physicians have observed patients with COVID-19 without respiratory distress despite marked hypoxaemia and extensive radiographic abnormalities, a controversial phenomenon called 'silent hypoxaemia'. We aimed to compare the relationship between RR and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) in patients with COVID-19 versus patients without COVID-19 when breathing air on admission. ⋯ The RR/SpO2 relationship before oxygen administration does not differ between patients with COVID-19 and those without COVID-19, except in elderly patients.
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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.
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Antibiotic stewardship in the ED is important given the increasing prevalence of multidrug resistance associated with poorer patient outcomes. The use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in the ED for infections like appendicitis is common. At baseline, 75% of appendicitis cases at our institution received broad-spectrum ertapenem rather than the recommended narrower-spectrum ceftriaxone/metronidazole combination. We aimed to improve antibiotic stewardship by identifying barriers to guideline adherence and redesigning our appendicitis antibiotic guideline. ⋯ Antibiotic stewardship can be improved by ensuring clinicians have access to convenient and up-to-date guidelines through clinical decision support systems. The FITT model can help guide projects by identifying individual, task and technology barriers. Sustained adherence to clinical guidelines through simplification of guideline content is a potentially powerful tool to influence clinician behaviour in the ED.