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This study examines the relationship between serial serum lactate levels and in-hospital mortality in an adult cohort of emergency department patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Of the 164 patients in the cohort, 130 also got three-hour lactate in addition to the initial one. The median initial lactate was 3.01 (interquartile range [IQR]: 1.71-4.62). The median repeat lactate was 2.58 (IQR: 1.4-3.9). The in-hospital death rate was 23% for men and 29% for women. The delta lactate was significantly higher in women (P=0.0070), driven by a lower initial lactate (P=0.0277). In a multivariate regression model controlled for age and gender, a statistically significant correlation was noted between an increase in the delta lactate and in-hospital death (P=0.0323; R2=11.3%). The results of this single-center study suggest that an increase in serum lactic acid is significantly associated with higher in-hospital death.

This study examines the accuracy of initial and subsequent serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels in predicting positive blood cultures, in-hospital mortality, and development of septic shock in emergency department (ED) patients with severe sepsis. This study includes all patients who presented to our ED with an admission diagnosis of severe sepsis over a period of nine months. The median initial PCT was 0.58 ng/mL, interquartile range (IQR) 0.16-5.39. The median subsequent serum PCT was 2.1 ng/mL, with an IQR of 0.3-11.1. The PCT trend over the initial three hours increased in 67% of the study population. Blood cultures were positive in 38% of the cohort. The median maximum PCT in those with a negative blood culture was 1.06 ng/mL compared to 4.19 ng/mL in those with a positive blood culture (p=0.0116). Serum PCT levels >2.0 ng/mL display significant correlation with positive blood cultures, in-hospital mortality, and development of septic shock and as such may serve as a biomarker for more serious infections.

Background Education is undergoing a transformation. The traditional passive lectures are failing to capture and inspire the new generation of learners who value more active and collaborative learning techniques. Objective We sought to create a novel educational technique to integrate into our curriculum that would be more personalized, employ more active learning and collaboration, and allow for an effective assessment of resident strengths and weaknesses. Discussion We created a monthly assembly line education academic half-day that evolved to replace one of the typical in-classroom didactics each month. Faculty run small-group simulation rooms, procedure workshops, competitive ultrasound, and wellness stations through which residents and medical students rotate. Conclusion This novel education technique resulted in a more personalized approach that increased resident interest, sparked the creation of a very popular MedEd-Simulation elective, and allowed the faculty to gain a better sense of resident strengths and deficiencies.

In these video clinical images, the authors present the cause for an elderly gentleman’s shortness of breath. It was presumed to be an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a condition for which he was in the process of being evaluated. However, bedside ultrasonography revealed a large pericardial effusion with tamponade. This timely diagnosis resulted in the patient being taken expeditiously to the operating room and saving his life.

Aortic dissection is a well-known, but relatively uncommon diagnosis in the emergency department (ED). With a mortality rate as high as 30 percent, it is important to be able to diagnose quickly and accurately. Definitive diagnosis with imaging studies such as computed tomography angiogram (CTA) can be expensive and time-consuming and may not always be available in the community. Herein, we discuss a case of a 59-year-old man presenting with severe chest pain, hypotension, and bradycardia who was diagnosed with aortic dissection first by bedside ultrasound. This expedited the CTA and a cardiothoracic surgery consult, leading to a successful emergent aortic repair.

The authors present a case of acute appendicitis during a first trimester pregnancy. Appendicitis in pregnancy is especially dangerous because perforation of the appendix increases the likelihood of maternal and fetal morbidity significantly. For this reason, it is important to diagnose and treat suspected appendicitis in pregnancy as soon as possible. The patient was diagnosed with appendicitis via a transabdominal ultrasound. She was provided antibiotics and underwent a laparoscopic appendectomy and recovered without complications.

We report the case of a female with a history of coronary artery disease who came in with chest pain after a motor vehicle collision. Imaging revealed an incidental left ventricular aneurysm. The presentation and management of left ventricular aneurysms are discussed, along with imaging findings on computed tomography, plain radiography, and ultrasonography.

Venous thromboembolisms (VTE), which include deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and globally. This often underdiagnosed medical condition has many known risk factors including pregnancy, malignancy, immobility, exogenous estrogen use, and hereditary factors. A significant portion of emergency department visits involves ruling out these diseases. This case presents a woman with unilateral leg pain and swelling who initially had a negative emergency room workup including a negative lower extremity Doppler study. Upon a repeat visit, she was found to have extensive deep venous thrombosis and was diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma. This case highlights the importance of having patients return for repeat imaging if Dopplers are negative in the initial encounter.

Objective The objective of this study was to improve sepsis bundle compliance via an educational intervention in our emergency department (ED). Methods This was a before and after study. Historical data on sepsis bundle compliance was obtained from our quality officer. Data were collected for 30 consecutive days to compare sepsis bundle compliance rates before and after the intervention. Descriptive statistics were compiled, and the z-test for proportions was used to calculate statistical significance. The intervention was two-fold: 1) a bright yellow card with sepsis criteria listed was posted on all ED workstation computers and 2) there was a daily email blast for one month with “sepsis facts.” These email blasts were short pearls that highlighted the importance of recognizing and treating sepsis. Results The sepsis bundle compliance rates in the month prior to the intervention was 38%. In the month during the targeted intervention, the compliance rate increased to 56%. There was a statistically significant increase in bundle compliance rates during the intervention (p=0.0399). We also administered a survey to the ED attendings and residents following the completion of the study to assess whether they perceived that our intervention was helping them increase compliance with ordering the sepsis bundle. The response rate was 94%. To the question “Did you feel the sepsis cards placed on the workstations make you more likely to consider sepsis earlier in patients under your care in the emergency department?” 70% answered agree or strongly agree. To the question “Were you more likely to order the sepsis bundle after receiving the daily "Sepsis Facts"?” 29% were neutral while 59% answered agree or strongly agree. Finally, to the question “Did you feel the sepsis cards and "sepsis facts" help you improve the care of Septic patients in the emergency department?” 76% answered agree or strongly agree. Conclusion Sepsis criteria reminders and email blasts highlighting the importance of treating and recognizing sepsis can improve compliance with sepsis bundle ordering within the emergency department.

The authors report a case of an elderly patient with left eye retinal detachment who presented to the emergency department (ED). Bedside ultrasonography of the retina revealed a hyperechoic, smooth, folded membrane within the vitreous, consistent with a diagnosis of retinal detachment. Ophthalmological consultation was obtained, and the patient healed well after surgical repair.

A 35-year-old female patient was brought into the emergency department by EMS one weekend morning after being found down by her parents, with a chief complaint of altered mental status, confusion, and somnolence. Upon arrival the patient was drowsy but arousable and able to converse. She admitted to taking a handful of her muscle relaxant medicine (cyclobenzaprine) with some alcohol that prior evening when she had an argument with her boyfriend. Her past medical history included depression, for which she took escitalopram 10 mg daily. The muscle relaxant was given to her recently for an acute muscle spasm of her lower back. She denied any other drugs or medications.

Value-based health care requires a balancing of medical outcomes with economic value. Administrators need to understand both the clinical and economic effects of potentially expensive simulation programs to rationalize the costs. Given the often-disparate priorities of clinical educators relative to health care administrators, justifying the value of simulation requires the use of economic analyses few physicians have been trained to conduct. Clinical educators need to be able to present thorough economic analyses demonstrating returns on investment and cost effectiveness to effectively communicate with administrators. At the 2017 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference "Catalyzing System Change through Health Care Simulation: Systems, Competency, and Outcomes", our breakout session critically evaluated the cost benefit and return on investment of simulation. In this paper we provide an overview of some of the economic tools that a clinician may use to present the value of simulation training to financial officers and other administrators in the economic terms they understand. We also define three themes as a call to action for research related to cost benefit analysis in simulation as well as four specific research questions that will help guide educators and hospital leadership to make decisions on the value of simulation for their system or program. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.