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Objective: Focused echocardiography during peri-shock pause (PSP) can prognosticate and detect reversible causes in cardiac arrest but minimising interruptions to chest compressions improves outcome. The COACH-RED protocol was adapted from the COACHED protocol to systematically incorporate echocardiography into rhythm check without prolonging PSP beyond the recommended 10 s. The primary objective of this study was to test the feasibility of emergency nurses learning to perform all roles in the COACH-RED protocol. PSP duration and change in participant confidence were secondary outcomes., Methods: After an initial two-hour workshop, five ALS-trained nurses were assessed for the correct use of COACH-RED protocol, without critical error, in three simulated cardiac arrest scenarios of four cycles each. Assessments were repeated on days 7 and 35. On day 35, three COACHED scenarios were also assessed for comparison. Participant roles per scenario and cardiac rhythm per cycle were randomised. Participants completed questionnaires on their confidence levels. Sessions were videotaped for accurate measurement of PSP duration and results tabulated for simple comparison. Statistical analysis was not performed due to small sample size., Results: There were no critical errors, two minor team-leading errors and two minor echosonography errors. Minor errors occurred in separate scenarios resulting in a 100% pass rate overall by predetermined criteria. Echocardiographic recordings were 100% adequate. Overall median PSP was 9.35 s for COACH-RED and 6.94 s for COACHED. Sub-group analysis of COACH-RED revealed median PSP 10.80 s in shockable rhythms and 8.74 s (∼2 s less) in non-shockable rhythms. Mean participant confidence in performing COACH-RED improved from 1.6 to 4.6, on a 5-point scale., Conclusion: The COACH-RED protocol can be effectively performed by ALS-trained nurses, in all roles of this protocol, including echocardiography, in a simulated environment, after a single training session. Using this protocol, focused echocardiography does not prolong PSP beyond 10 s., (© 2020 The Author(s).) more...

Ventriculoseptal rupture (VSR) is a rare complication of takotsubo syndrome that often requires immediate treatment. Patients with VSR experience a range of outcomes and should be managed at centers with cardiac and surgical expertise. We present 2 cases of VSR complicating takotsubo syndrome that highlight potential outcomes. ( Level of Difficulty: Intermediate. )., Competing Interests: The authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (© 2020 The Authors.) more...

Background: Open pelvic fractures are rare injuries, associated with high patient morbidity and mortality. Few studies have investigated the impact of patient demographics, comorbidities, and injury related factors on complication and mortality rates. The purpose of this study was to: (1) identify the overall incidence of complications and mortality after open pelvic fractures, (2) compare patient factors between those who did and did not develop complications, (3) identify perioperative independent risk factors for complications and mortality., Methods: A query was performed for patients with open pelvic fractures between 2007 and 2017 using the American College of Surgeons National Trauma Data Bank. Patient and injury specific variables were collected and complications were identified using International Classification of Disease Ninth and Tenth edition Codes. Patient demographic and perioperative data was compared using Fisher's exact test and chi-square test for categorical variables, and Welch's t -test for continuous variables. Using pooled data from multiple imputations, logistic regressions were used to calculate odds ratios and confidence intervals of independent risk factors for complications., Results: A total of 19,834 open pelvic fracture cases were identified, with 9622 patients (48.5%) developing at least one complication. Patients who developed complications were older (35.0 vs 38.1 years), and had higher Injury Severity Scores (17.7 vs 26.5), lower Glasgow Coma Scores (14.2 vs 11.7), and a larger proportion presenting with hypotension (21% vs 6.9%). After pooled regression involving 19 factors, these were the strongest independent predictors of inpatient complication and mortality., Conclusion: We report a mortality rate of 14%, with an inclusive complication rate of 48.5%. Evaluating risk factors for morbidity and mortality for this devastating orthopaedic injury provides knowledge of an inherently sparse population., Level of Evidence: Level II, Retrospective study., Competing Interests: M.L has given lectures for Depuy Synthes. The rest of the authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2020 Delhi Orthopedic Association. All rights reserved.) more...

Currently, there are no approved specific antiviral agents for novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Convalescent plasma has not yet been approved for use in patients with COVID-19 infection; however, it is regulated as an investigational product. This is a case report of a 55-year-old male, with COVID-19 pneumonia who has received convalescent plasma as part of a treatment plan which showed significant radiological and clinical improvement post-treatment., (© 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of University of Washington.) more...

Duodenal injuries occurring in isolation following trauma are rare. In the abdomen, blunt trauma usually results in isolated duodenal injuries than penetrating injuries. The signs and symptoms of such injuries are subtle which results in delay in seeking medical consultation and subsequent diagnosis. To diagnose these cases, high index of clinical suspicion and early request for contrast enhanced CT scan of the abdomen is needed. This report explores a case of isolated long segment intra mural hematoma of the duodenum following trivial blunt trauma to the abdomen., (© 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd.) more...

Objective: To test the efficacy of an innovative coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) preoperative triage protocol as a way to gradually reopen and ramp-up elective surgeries., Patients and Methods: We reviewed clinical, radiographic, and laboratory data for all patients who underwent surgery within the neurosurgery department from March 26 through April 22, 2020. We collected data on demographic information, comorbidities, preoperative COVID-19 test results, whether COVID-19 respiratory or other symptoms were developed during hospitalization, hospital length of stay, discharge disposition, and postoperative COVID-19 test results., Results: Using a combination of both preoperative outpatient COVID-19 drive-through and inpatient testing to obtain surgical clearance with selected telemedicine evaluations, 103 nonelective neurosurgical procedures were performed in 102 patients. No patients tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) 48 hours before surgery. None of the patients developed any COVID-19 symptoms during their hospitalization or were readmitted to our emergency department postoperatively for COVID-19 symptoms., Conclusion: We describe a multifaceted preoperative triage protocol for safely performing nonelective neurosurgical procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic, which could help other neurosurgical departments and hospitals minimize coronavirus exposure for patients and health care workers. We believe this triage strategy could be implemented at other centers to gradually restart a process toward elective surgeries in a safe way., (© 2020 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc.) more...

This case demonstrates the importance of considering septic pulmonary embolism (SPE) on the differential for chest pain in the pediatric population, especially in patients with a history of skin and soft tissue infection. The adolescent patient in this report, with a history of axillary hidradenitis suppurativa complicated by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) superinfection and recent completion of a 3-month course of doxycycline, presented with isolated focal chest pain in the absence of other infectious or respiratory signs or symptoms. Initial pulmonary imaging revealed multiple bilateral wedge-shaped nodules. Three specialty teams were consulted in the patient's evaluation, resulting in biopsy of a suspicious lesion that confirmed the diagnosis of MRSA SPE. Following a course of targeted antibiotic therapy, the patient's chest pain resolved and imaging findings improved. Insights gleaned from the workup of this patient are useful in formulating a framework for recognition of SPE in children presenting with chest pain, and also highlight the importance of considering insidious SPE presentation in the setting of antibiotic pretreatment., (© 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of University of Washington.) more...

We present the long-term follow-up of a 31-year-old woman who underwent cardioneuroablation (for atrioventricular (AV) block. Slow pathway ablation was performed in September 2017 with normal follow-up until April 2018, when the patient started noticing symptoms of palpitations at rest, and the electrocardiogram showed a Mobitz I AV block. A cardiac stress test and 24-h Holter monitoring demonstrated first- and second-degree block and normal AV conduction during times of higher heart rate. ( Level of Difficulty: Advanced. )., (© 2020 The Authors.) more...

Objective: To determine whether rapid administration of a crystalloid bolus of 30 mL/kg within 3 hours of presentation harms or benefits hypotensive patients with sepsis with a history of congestive heart failure (CHF)., Patients and Methods: A retrospective cohort study using Medicare claims data enhanced by medical record data from members of the High Value Healthcare Collaborative from July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2015, examining patients with a history of CHF who did (fluid bundle compliant [FBC]) or did not (NFBC) receive a volume bolus of 30 mL/kg within 3 hours of presentation to the emergency department. A proportional Cox hazard model was used to evaluate the association of FBC with 1-year survival., Results: Of the 211 patients examined, 190 were FBC and 21 were NFBC. The FBC patients had higher average hierarchical condition category scores but were otherwise similar to NFBC patients. The NFBC patients had higher adjusted in-hospital and postdischarge mortality rates. The risk-adjusted 1-year mortality rate was higher for NFBC patients (hazard ratio, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.2 to 4.0; P =.01) than for FBC patients., Conclusion: In a retrospective claim data-based study of elderly patients with a history of CHF presenting with severe sepsis or septic shock, there is an association of improved mortality with adherence to the initial fluid resuscitation guidelines as part of the 3-hour sepsis bundle., (© 2020 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc.) more...

Objective: To assess the impact on patient experience scores of giving an ice pop (Popsicle, Good Humor-Breyers, Oakland, CA) to patients in a pediatric emergency department (ED)., Patients and Methods: A prospective two-center trial was conducted at a tertiary academic pediatric ED and a community ED from January 1, 2018, through March 31, 2018. The intervention arm gave an ice pop to all eligible patients 0 to 14 years of age on even-numbered days versus conventional practice on odd-numbered days. Press Ganey top box scores were then compared., Results: Of 4574 pediatric (0 to 14 years of age) patient visits, patient experience surveys were delivered to 1346 families (29.4%) and 152 were returned (11.3%). Eighty-four surveys were returned for even-numbered day visits and 68 for odd-numbered day visits. There was a significant increase in patient experience scores associated with ice pop administration days for questions that asked about doctor's concern for comfort 70.2% versus 57.4% (P=. 05), doctor's courtesy 76.2% versus 61.8% ( P =.04), and doctor taking time to listen 72.6% versus 57.4% ( P =.03)., Conclusion: A low-cost intervention resulted in significantly increased patient experience scores in select domains. Popsicle administration was a simple intervention which was easily instituted in both academic and community ED settings. Further study should explore the durability of the effect., (© 2020 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc.) more...

The rate of mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarction has declined. Recent publications raised concerns over the reduction in cardiac catheterization laboratory activation for ST-segment myocardial infarction (STEMI) during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We present 2 recent cases of ventricular septal rupture in patients who presented to our institution with delayed STEMI. ( Level of Difficulty: Intermediate. )., (© 2020 The Authors.) more...

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has been reported to cause significant morbidity in adults, with reportedly a lesser impact on children. Cardiac dysfunction has only been described in adults thus far. We describe 3 cases of previously healthy children presenting with shock and COVID-19-related cardiac inflammation. ( Level of Difficulty: Intermediate. )., (© 2020 The Authors.) more...

Fear of acquiring severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection is a major contributor to underutilization of the health care system during the current pandemic. In this report, we describe 4 cases of unexpected deaths that occurred within a short time period in patients with adult congenital heart disease without warning symptoms. ( Level of Difficulty: Intermediate. )., (© 2020 The Authors.) more...

We report an unusual case of subacute right atrial perforation by a screw-in pacemaker lead that migrated into the right lung causing hemopneumothorax 2 weeks after the procedure. After transvenous simple manual traction and minithoracotomy repair of the right atrial wall, the lead was repositioned without any complications. ( Level of Difficulty: Beginner. )., (© 2020 The Authors.) more...

Background: Bronchopleural fistulas (BPF) are abnormal sinus tracts connecting the bronchi and pleural cavity and form after surgical resection of a lung lobe. It is a complication with potentially disastrous sequelae including, failure of the bronchial stump to heal, ischemia of the affected area, and/or infection of the stump. Bronchopleural fistulas caused by surgical intervention most commonly present on the right side and within 7-12 days post-operatively, i.e., subacutely. While the fistula may initially be asymptomatic, they carry a mortality rate of 25-71% in the absence of other comorbidities., Case Presentation: A 60-year-old female developed a BPF more than seven months after a left lower lobe lung lobectomy for non-small cell adenocarcinoma is presented. She was seen at our hospital on multiple occasions after her lobectomy with no evidence of a developing fistula on chest computer tomography (CT) during those visits. During her most recent presentation, roughly 7 months postoperatively, she was noted on imaging to have a new left-sided bronchopleural fistula. Bronchoscopy with lavage and culture of the fistula grew Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, for which she received appropriate treatment. Further surgical interventions were deferred due to poor prognosis. Her presentation differed from the typical BPF presentation in that it was left-sided and occurred out of the window of its usual occurrence., Conclusion: Late-onset BPF is an important diagnosis to consider in patients who have undergone lung resection, regardless of the type of surgery or postoperative duration, especially when patients are known to have multiple predisposing factors., Competing Interests: The authors of this paper have no conflicts of interest to diclose., (© 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd.) more...

Immune-mediated coronary spasm, called Kounis syndrome (KS), is not rare but is underdiagnosed. In this report, we present a case of KS induced by iodinated contrast resulting in cardiac arrest, requiring temporary mechanical circulatory support. We show angiographic evidence of KS and outline commonly associated clinical features that may predict KS. ( Level of Difficulty: Beginner. )., (© 2020 The Authors.) more...

Background: Red oak pollen is an important cause of allergic respiratory disease and it is widely distributed in North America and central Europe. To date, however, red oak pollen allergens have not been identified. Here, we describe the allergenic protein profile from red oak pollen., Methods: Total proteins were extracted from red oak pollen using a modified phenolic extraction method, and, subsequently, proteins were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) for both total protein stain (Coomassie Blue) and immunoblotting. A pool of 8 sera from red oak sensitive patients was used to analyze blotted proteins. Protein spots were analyzed by Mass Spectrometry., Results: Electrophoretic pattern of total soluble proteins showed higher intensity bands in the regions of 26-40 and 47-52 kDa. Two dimensional immunoblots using pool sera from patients revealed four allergenic proteins spots with molecular masses in the range from 50 to 55 kDa. Mass spectrometry analysis identified 8 proteins including Enolase 1 and Enolase 1 chloroplastic, Xylose isomerase (X1 isoform), mitochondrial Aldehyde dehydrogenase, UTP-Glusose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase, Betaxylosidase/alpha-l-arabinofuranosidase and alpha- and beta subunits of ATP synthase., Conclusions: This study has identified for first time 8 IgE binding proteins from red oak pollen. These findings will pave the way towards the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for red oak allergy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2020 The Author(s).) more...

Background: In the era of High-sensitive troponin (hs-Tn), up to 50% of patients with a mild increase of hs-Tn will finally have a normal invasive coronary angiogram. Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) derived from coronary computed tomographic angiography (FFR-CT) has never been used as a non-invasive tool for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease in patients with high-risk acute coronary syndrome without ST segment elevation (NSTE-ACS)., Aims: The study aims to determine the role of coronary CT angiography and FFR-CT in the setting of high-risk NSTE-ACS., Methodology: We will conduct a prospective trial, enrolling 250 patients admitted with high-risk NSTE-ACS who will rapidly undergo a coronary CT angiography and then a coronary angiography with FFR measurements. Results of coronary CT, FFR-CT and coronary angiography (± FFR) will be compared., Potential Significance: In conclusion, non-invasive identification of patients with high-risk NSTE-ACS who could avoid coronary angiography would reduce procedure related risks and medical costs., Competing Interests: Dr Fournier reports an institutional consultancy for Bayer and Cathworks. Dr. De Bruyne receives grant support from Abbott, Boston Scientific, Biotronik AG, and St Jude Medical and receives consulting fees on behalf of Dr De Bruyne from St. Jude Medical, Opsens, and Boston Scientific outside of the submitted work Dr. De Bruyne is a shareholder for Siemens, GE, Bayer, Philips, HeartFlow, Edwards Life Sciences, and Ceyliad. Dr. Collet reports receiving research grants from Biosensor, Heart Flow Inc. and Abbott Vascular; and consultancy fees from Heart Flow Inc, Abbott Vascular and Philips Volcano., (© 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.) more...

Percutaneous management of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is challenging, with high procedural failure rates. We present a case of successful revascularization using antegrade dissection re-entry after failing to wire the true lumen in occlusive SCAD. Utilizing such alternative strategies may improve procedural success in this poorly understood patient subset. ( Level of Difficulty: Advanced. )., (© 2020 The Authors.) more...

Background: Facilitating beta-lactam antibiotic use in patients reporting beta-lactam allergies in acute care settings is important to individual patient outcomes and public health; however, few initiatives have targeted the Emergency Department (ED) setting., Methods: We implemented pathways for patients reporting prior penicillin and/or cephalosporin hypersensitivity as part of a hospital guideline in the ED of a large academic medical center in the United States. We described beta-lactam test doses, pathway compliance, hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs), and allergy record updating associated with ED-administered beta-lactam test doses from October 2016 to June 2018., Results: 310 beta-lactam antibiotic test doses were administered to patients with penicillin and/or cephalosporin allergy histories in the study period (average volume 15/month [standard deviation 4]). Test doses were to cephalosporins (85%), penicillins (12%), and carbapenems (4%). 219 (71%) of test doses were compliant with the pathways. Ten patients (3.2%; 95% CI 1.6%-5.9%) had HSRs; five HSR patients (50%) had beta-lactams administered that were not pathway compliant. The allergy record was updated in 146 (47%) of patients, with improvement over the study period (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Inpatient approaches to prescribing beta-lactams in patients reporting beta-lactam allergies can be operationalized in the ED. Additional efforts are required to ensure guideline compliance and appropriate allergy documentation., (© 2019 The Author(s).) more...

This case describes a patient with hypotension, bradycardia, and third-degree atrioventricular block following ingestion of a grayanotoxin-containing Pieris species, or lily of the valley bush. Although unlikely in metropolitan environments, physicians should be aware of the possibility of grayanotoxin ingestion when confronted with new-onset heart block even in nonendemic areas. ( Level of Difficulty: Beginner. )., (© 2019 The Authors.) more...

Residents of low income neighborhoods disproportionately experience poor health, and many have unmet social needs. Clinical trials have shown the efficacy of Community Health Worker (CHW) programs in improving outcomes for a variety of health conditions. An important next step is developing and evaluating financially sustainable CHW program models in real-life settings. This program evaluation examines health care utilization among participants in a geographically targeted program led by salaried CHWs from three Medicaid health plans. Beneficiaries who reside in the Cody Rouge neighborhood of Detroit and had more than 3 Emergency Department (ED) visits or at least 1 ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalization in the prior 12 months are eligible for the program. Health plan CHWs assigned to the program reach out to eligible beneficiaries to provide an assessment; link them to resources; and provide follow-up. At 12-month follow up, claims data on ED visits, ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalizations, primary care visits, and related costs will be compared between beneficiaries who participated and eligible beneficiaries randomized to receive usual outreach. We hypothesize that patients enrolled in the CHW intervention will experience a reduction in acute care usage resulting in cost savings compared to those receiving usual health plan outreach. This study is among the first to evaluate the impact on health care utilization of augmented services delivered by health plan CHWs for high-utilizing health plan members as part of a health plan-community-academic partnership. This study will provide important information on CHW program sustainability and provide insights into effective implementation of such programs., Trial Registration: NCT03924713., (© 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.) more...

Background: Automated electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretations may be erroneous, and lead to erroneous overreads, including for atrial fibrillation (AF). We compared the accuracy of the first version of a new deep neural network 12-Lead ECG algorithm (Cardiologs®) to the conventional Veritas algorithm in interpretation of AF., Methods: 24,123 consecutive 12-lead ECGs recorded over 6 months were interpreted by 1) the Veritas® algorithm, 2) physicians who overread Veritas® (Veritas® + physician), and 3) Cardiologs® algorithm. We randomly selected 500 out of 858 ECGs with a diagnosis of AF according to either algorithm, then compared the algorithms' interpretations, and Veritas® + physician, with expert interpretation. To assess sensitivity for AF, we analyzed a separate database of 1473 randomly selected ECGs interpreted by both algorithms and by blinded experts., Results: Among the 500 ECGs selected, 399 had a final classification of AF; 101 (20.2%) had ≥1 false positive automated interpretation. Accuracy of Cardiologs® (91.2%; CI: 82.4-94.4) was higher than Veritas® (80.2%; CI: 76.5-83.5) ( p  < 0.0001), and equal to Veritas® + physician (90.0%, CI:87.1-92.3) ( p  = 0.12). When Veritas® was incorrect, accuracy of Veritas® + physician was only 62% (CI 52-71); among those ECGs, Cardiologs® accuracy was 90% (CI: 82-94; p  < 0.0001). The second database had 39 AF cases; sensitivity was 92% vs. 87% ( p  = 0.46) and specificity was 99.5% vs. 98.7% ( p  = 0.03) for Cardiologs® and Veritas® respectively., Conclusion: Cardiologs® 12-lead ECG algorithm improves the interpretation of atrial fibrillation., Competing Interests: Stephen W. Smith – None. Christophe Gardella – employed by Cardiologs®, shareholder in Cardiologs®. Jeremy Rapin – formerly employed by Cardiologs®. Shareholder in Cardiologs®. Jia Li – employed by Cardiologs®, shareholder in Cardiologs®. Yann Fleureau – CEO of Cardiologs®, shareholder. Brooks Walsh – In a different study by Cardiologs®, paid a set fee for blind interpretation of ECGs. William Fennell – None. Arnaud Rosier – shareholder in Cardiologs®. Laurent Fiorina – employed by Cardiologs®. more...

A 45-year-old female presents with suspected acute myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock requiring mechanical circulatory support. Pheochromocytoma-induced atypical Takotsubo syndrome is diagnosed. Clinicians should suspect high catecholamine states as a cause of the basal subtype of atypical Takotsubo syndrome. ( Level of Difficulty: Beginner. )., (© 2019 The Authors.) more...

Objective: Strategies to improve traumatic brain injury (TBI) outcomes in India are ill defined. The objective of this study was to examine baseline prehospital (PH) factors associated with outcomes from the Andhra Pradesh Traumatic Brain Injury Project., Methods: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of adult patients with TBI admitted to the primary referral hospital. Modes of injury, prehospital care and transport, and factors associated with increased in-hospital mortality were evaluated. Poisson regression with robust error variance and adjusted attributable risk percent estimates determined factors associated with outcomes., Results: A total of 447 adults (38% with mild TBI, 30% with moderate TBI, and 32% with severe TBI; 81% men) with isolated TBI (89%) from road traffic accidents (48.1%) or falls (46.5%) were enrolled. Of the patients, 45.7% were transported by ambulance, 61% had scalp/facial bleeding, 11% had respiratory distress, and 7% had cervical spine stabilization. Of these, 25.3% died and 34% had unfavorable outcomes. Among 335 direct admits, 45% traveled more than 50 km and nearly 20% traveled more than 100 km. Bleeding was associated with higher mortality (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-2.31) and unfavorable outcome (aRR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.18-2.17). Of the patients, 45 (31%) with severe TBI received PH airway management prior to definitive treatment, and respiratory distress was associated with unfavorable discharge outcomes (aRR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.00-1.51)., Conclusions: Patients with TBI often received treatment far away from injury, bypassing closer hospitals. Scalp/facial bleeding was common and associated with unfavorable outcomes. Ambulance use was infrequent, and few patients received PH airway management, hemorrhage control, or cervical spine stabilization when needed. more...

Objective: To improve quality of life (QOL) in patients at risk for post-intensive care syndrome (PICS)., Patients and Methods: We conducted a mixed-method, prospective, observational, pre-post interventional study in an adult medical and mixed medical/surgical/transplant intensive care unit (ICU) at a tertiary academic hospital. Preintervention included patients admitted from October 1 through October 31, 2016, and postintervention included patients admitted from January 15 through February 14, 2017. First, a multidisciplinary team of stakeholders identified barriers associated with decreased QOL in patients at risk for PICS. Next, interventions were designed and implemented. The effect of interventions was assessed using a mixed-method analysis. The qualitative analysis used a modified grounded theory approach. The quantitative analysis included assessment of preexisting symptoms and risk factors associated with PICS. The 36-Item Short-Form Health Status Survey (SF-36), which surveys physical and mental composite scores, was used to assess QOL., Results: Barriers identified were lack of awareness and understanding of PICS. Interventions included educational videos, paper and online education and treatment materials, and online and in-person support groups for education and treatment. After interventions, the qualitative analysis found that patients who participated in the interventions after hospital discharge showed improved QOL, whereas education during hospitalization alone was not effective. The quantitative analysis did not find improvement in QOL, as defined by SF-36 physical or mental composite scores., Conclusion: Interventions targeted to patients after hospitalization may offer subjective improvement in QOL for those at risk for PICS. more...

Rationale and Objectives: To evaluate the frequency and relevance of hypodense myocardium (HM) encountered in patients undergoing chest-pain CT in the emergency department (ED)., Material and Methods: In this IRB-approved retrospective study, ECG-gated chest-pain CT examinations of 300 consecutive patients (mean age 60 ± 17 years) presenting with acute chest-pain to our ED were evaluated. Once ST-segment elevation infarction was excluded, chest-pain CT including the coronary arteries (rule-out acute coronary syndrome (ACS), pulmonary embolism (PE) and acute aortic syndrome (AAS): chest-pain CT coronary , n = 121) or not including the coronary arteries was performed (rule-out PE and AAS: chest-pain CT w/o coronary , n = 179). Each myocardial segment was assessed for the presence of HM; attenuation was measured and compared to normal myocardium., Results: HM was identified in 27/300 patients (9%): 12/179 in chest-pain CT w/o coronary (7%) and 15/121 in chest-pain CT coronary (12%). Mean attenuation of HM (40 ± 17 HU) was significantly lower than that of healthy myocardium (103 ± 18 HU, p < 0.001), with a mean difference of 61 ± 19 HU. In 15/27 patients (55.6%) with HM, the final diagnosis was acute MI, and in the remaining 12/27 patients (44.4%) previous MI was found in the patients' history. Chest-pain CT w/o coronary identified HM in 10/15 patients (66.6%) with a final diagnosis of acute MI., Conclusion: HM indicating acute MI are often encountered in chest pain CT in the ED, also in chest-pain CT w/o coronary when MI is not suspected. This indicates that the myocardium should always be analyzed for hypodense regions even when MI not suspected. more...

Background: The protocol for early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) is effective for improving both the costs and outcomes of septicemia treatment, including a significant reduction in case fatality. However, this complicated protocol may have a downside. Furthermore, the Joint Taiwan Critical Care Medicine Committee has launched a nationwide educational program after the publication of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) to improve the overall survival rate from septicemia in the emergency care system of Taiwan., Objectives: To assess the impact of the EGDT protocol and SSC education programs on island-wide septicemia-related emergency department (ED) visits., Methods: Segmented regression techniques were utilized to assess the differences in annual rates and changes in septicemia-related ED visits between 1998 and 2012. We considered annual incidence of two medical comorbidities as potential confounders: metastatic malignant neoplasms and malignant neoplasms of the lymphatic and hematopoietic tissues., Results: The EGDT protocol was associated with decreased septicemia-related ED visits in 2002 (level change; p < 0.001), while the SSC education program led to a slight increase in septicemia-related ED visits in 2007 (slope change; p < 0.001). For the EGDT protocol, the number of patient visits decreased by 32.9% after the protocol was implemented in 2002 compared with the expected number without the intervention. For the SSC education program, the number of patient visits increased by 20.2% (compared with the predicted number) in 2007 after the education program was implemented., Conclusions: The EGDT protocol and SSC education program were associated with significant immediate changes and lagged intervention effects on island-wide septicemia-related ED visits., (© 2018 Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.) more...

Objective: To reduce door-to-angiographic reperfusion (DTR) time to 120 minutes for patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke attributed to anterior circulation large-vessel occlusion amenable to endovascular mechanical thrombectomy., Patients and Methods: Patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy before (April 10, 2015, through April 11, 2016) and after (April 12, 2016, through May 10, 2017) implementation of a multitiered notification system were studied. Lean process mapping was used to assess inefficiencies with multidisciplinary triage. A 3-tiered paging platform, which rapidly alerts essential personnel of the acute ischemic stroke team at advancing decision points, was introduced., Results: Sixty-two patients were analyzed before and after implementation (34 vs 28, respectively). Following intervention, DTR time was reduced by 43 minutes (mean DTR, 170 minutes vs 127 minutes; P =.02). At 90-day follow up, 5 of the 28 patients in the postintervention cohort (19%) had excellent neurologic outcomes, defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of 0, compared to 0 of 34 (0%) in the preintervention cohort ( P =.89). Reductions were also seen in the length of stay on the neurocritical care service (mean, 6 vs 3 days; P =.006), and total hospital charges for combined groups (mean, $100,083 vs $161,458; P <.001)., Conclusion: The multitiered notification system was a feasible solution for improving DTR within our institution, resulting in reductions of overall DTR time, neurocritical care service length of stay, and total hospital charges. more...

Introduction: Advances in molecular diagnosis have made it possible to detect previously unknown viral agents as causative agents of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI). The frequency and relevance of viral coinfections is still debatable., Objective: Compare clinical presentation and severity between single virus infection and viral coinfection in children admitted for LRTI., Methods: A 3-year period observational study (2012-2015) included children younger than two years admitted for LRTI. Viral identification was performed using PCR technique for 16 viruses. Clinical data and use of health resources was gathered during hospital stay using a standard collection form and we compared single virus infection and viral coinfections., Results: The study included 524 samples (451 patients); 448 (85.5%) had at least one virus identified. Viral coinfections were found in 159 (35.5%). RSV and HRV were the most commonly identified virus; bronchiolitis and pneumonia the most frequent diagnosis. Patients with viral coinfections were older, attended day-care centers, had previous recurrent wheezing more frequently and were more symptomatic at admission. These patients did not have more complementary exams performed but were prescribed medications more often. Viral coinfection group did not show longer length of hospital stay and oxygen need, more need for ICU nor ventilatory support., Discussion: Our study showed a significant proportion of viral coinfections in young infants admitted with LRTI and confirmed previous data showing that prescription was more frequent in inpatients with viral coinfections, without an association with worst clinical outcome., (© 2017 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.) more...

Endobronchial Tuberculosis is hazardous in causing circumferential narrowing of tracheobronchial tree despite the eradication of tubercle bacilli in the initial insult from Pulmonary Tuberculosis. They may present as treatment resistant bronchial asthma and pose challenge to airway management in the acute setting. We present a 25 year-old lady who was newly diagnosed bronchial asthma with a past history of Pulmonary Tuberculosis that had completed treatment. She presented with sudden onset of difficulty breathing associated with noisy breathing for 3 days and hoarseness of voice for 6 months. Due to resistant bronchospasm, attempts were made to secure the airway which led to unanticipated difficult intubation and ventilation. Subsequent investigations confirmed the diagnosis of Endobronchial Tuberculosis and patient was managed successfully with anti TB medication, corticosteroids and multiple sessions of tracheal dilatation for tracheal stenosis. This case highlights the unusual cause of difficulty in intubation and ventilation due to Endobronchial Tuberculosis, which required medical and surgical intervention to improve the condition. more...

Parents are often uncertain about the vaccination status of their children. In times of vaccine hesitancy, vaccination programs could benefit from active patient participation. The Vaccination App ( VAccApp ) was developed by the Vienna Vaccine Safety Initiative, enabling parents to learn about the vaccination status of their children, including 25 different routine, special indication and travel vaccines listed in the WHO Immunization Certificate of Vaccination (WHO-ICV). Between 2012 and 2014, the VAccApp was validated in a hospital-based quality management program in Berlin, Germany, in collaboration with the Robert Koch Institute. Parents of 178 children were asked to transfer the immunization data of their children from the WHO-ICV into the VAccApp . The respective WHO-ICV was photocopied for independent, professional data entry (gold standard). Demonstrating the status quo in vaccine information reporting, a Recall Group of 278 parents underwent structured interviews for verbal immunization histories, without the respective WHO-ICV. Only 9% of the Recall Group were able to provide a complete vaccination status; on average 39% of the questions were answered correctly. Using the WHO-ICV with the help of the VAccApp resulted in 62% of parents providing a complete vaccination status; on average 95% of the questions were answered correctly. After using the VAccApp , parents were more likely to remember key aspects of the vaccination history. User-friendly mobile applications empower parents to take a closer look at the vaccination record, thereby taking an active role in providing accurate vaccination histories. Parents may become motivated to ask informed questions and to keep vaccinations up-to-date. more...

Emergency departments play a critical role in the public health system, particularly in times of pandemic. Infectious patients presenting to emergency departments bring a risk of cross-infection to other patients and staff through close proximity interactions or contacts. To understand factors associated with cross-infection risk, we measured close proximity interactions of emergency department staff and patients by radiofrequency identification in a working emergency department. The number of contacts (degree) is not related to patient demographic characteristics. However, the amount of time in close proximity (weighted degree) of patients with ED personnel did differ, with black patients having approximately 15 min more contact with staff than non-white patients. Patients arriving by EMS had fewer contacts with other patients than patients arriving by other means. There are differences in the number of contacts based on staff role and arrival mode. When crowding is low, providers have the most contact time with patients, while administrative staff have the least. However, when crowding is high, this differential is reversed. The effect of arrival mode is modified by the extent of crowding. When crowding is low, patients arriving by EMS had longer contact with administrative staff, compared to patients arriving by other means. However, when crowding is high, patients arriving by EMS had less contact with administrative staff compared to patients arriving by other means. Our findings should help designers of emergency care focus on higher risk situations for transmission of dangerous pathogens in an emergency department. For instance, the effects of arrival and crowding should be considered as targets for engineering or architectural interventions that could artificially increase social distances., (© 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.) more...

Introduction: The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score is the primary method of assessing consciousness after traumatic brain injury (TBI), and the clinical standard for classifying TBI severity. There is scant literature discerning the influence of circadian rhythms or emergency department (ED) arrival hour on this important clinical tool., Methods: Retrospective cohort analysis of adult patients suffering blunt TBI using the National Sample Program of the National Trauma Data Bank, years 2003-2006. ED arrival GCS score was characterized by midday (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) and midnight (12 a.m.-6 a.m.) cohorts (N=24548). Proportions and standard errors are reported for descriptive data. Multivariable regressions using odds ratios (OR), mean differences ( B ), and their associated 95% confidence intervals [CI] were performed to assess associations between ED arrival hour and GCS score. Statistical significance was assessed at p<0.05., Results: Patients were 42.48±0.13-years-old and 69.5% male. GCS score was 12.68±0.13 (77.2% mild, 5.2% moderate, 17.6% severe-TBI). Overall, patients were injured primarily via motor vehicle accidents (52.2%) and falls (24.2%), and 85.7% were admitted to hospital (33.5% ICU). Injury severity score did not differ between day and nighttime admissions.Nighttime admissions associated with decreased systemic comorbidities (p<0.001) and increased likelihood of alcohol abuse and drug intoxication (p<0.001). GCS score demonstrated circadian rhythmicity with peak at 12 p.m. (13.03±0.08) and nadir at 4am (12.12±0.12). Midnight patients demonstrated lower GCS (12 a.m.-6 a.m.: 12.23±0.04; 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: 12.95±0.03, p<0.001). Multivariable regression adjusted for demographic and injury factors confirmed that midnight-hours independently associated with decreased GCS ( B =-0.29 [-0.40, -0.19]).In patients who did not die in ED or go directly to surgery (N=21862), midnight-hours (multivariable OR 1.73 [1.30-2.31]) associated with increased likelihood of ICU admission; increasing GCS score (per-unit OR 0.82 [0.80-0.83]) associated with decreased odds. Notably, the interaction factor ED GCS score*ED arrival hour independently demonstrated OR 0.96 [0.94-0.98], suggesting that the influence of GCS score on ICU admission odds is less important at night than during the day., Conclusions: Nighttime TBI patients present with decreased GCS scores and are admitted to ICU at higher rates, yet have fewer prior comorbidities and similar systemic injuries. The interaction between nighttime hours and decreased GCS score on ICU admissions has important implications for clinical assessment/triage. more...

Solitary fibrous tumors of the bladder are extremely rare especially in the females. This is the third case of SFT in a female urinary bladder. We are presenting a case of 36-years-old female who underwent a procedure for what thought to be cervical myoma. Cystectomy and bilateral ureteral re-implantation were performed. Mass showed to be solitary fibrous tumor of the urinary bladder. These tumors are rarely occur in extrapleural spaces. Only few cases had been reported in the urinary bladder including 2 in the female and 10 in the male bladder. more...

Objectives: Lactate is a major parameter in medical decision making. During labor, it is an indicator for fetal acidosis and immediate intervention. In the Emergency Department (ED), rapid analysis of lactate/blood gas is crucial for optimal patient care. Our objectives were to cross-compare-for the first time-two point-of-care testing (POCT) lactate devices with routine laboratory results using novel tight precision targets and evaluate different lactate cut-off concentrations to predict metabolic acidosis., Design and Methods: Blood samples from the delivery room ( n =66) and from the ED ( n =85) were analyzed on two POCT devices, the StatStrip-Lactate (Nova Biomedical) and the iSTAT-1 (CG4+ cassettes, Abbott), and compared to the routine laboratory analyzer (ABL-735, Radiometer). Lactate concentrations were cross-compared between these analyzers., Results: The StatStrip correlated well with the ABL-735 ( R =0.9737) and with the iSTAT-1 ( R =0.9774) for lactate in umbilical cord blood. Lactate concentrations in ED samples measured on the iSTAT-1 and ABL-735 showed a correlation coefficient of R =0.9953. Analytical imprecision was excellent for lactate and pH, while for pO 2 and pCO 2 the coefficient of variation was relatively high using the iSTAT-1., Conclusion: Both POCT devices showed adequate analytical performance to measure lactate. The StatStrip can indicate metabolic acidosis in 1 μl blood and will be implemented at the delivery room. more...

Intravenous drug abuse unfortunately remains an extremely common problem worldwide, accounting for innumerable medical issues ranging from the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other blood-borne diseases to skin necrosis to vasculitis to death [1]. We present a case of intra-arterial injection of alprazolam into the right femoral artery resulting in microembolization, acute ischemia and rhabdomyolysis of the thigh, as documented by magnetic resonance (MR) and laboratory findings. more...

Lemierre's syndrome is a septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein, which can lead to severe systemic illness. We report a case of an otherwise healthy 26-year-old man who suffered from pharyngitis followed by septic shock requiring intubation and vasopressor support from Fusobacterium necrophorum bacteremia. The septic emboli to his lungs caused complicated bilateral parapneumonic effusions, which recurred after initial drainage. He required bilateral chest tubes and intrapleural tPA to successfully drain his effusions. His fever curve and overall condition improved with the resolution of his effusions and after a 33-day hospitalization, he recovered without significant disability. The severity of his illness and difficult to manage complicated parapneumonic effusions were the unique facets of this case. Using an evidence-based approach of tPA and DNase for complicated parapneumonic effusions in Lemierre's syndrome can be safe and effective. more...

Unlabelled: Bath-induced paroxysmal events in infants and children can be triggered by various etiologies, including cardiological, neurological, and metabolic causes. It is important to ascertain the underlying cause for such events as this significantly affects the child's management and prognosis. We present the case of a 19-month-old boy who presented with recurrent episodes of apnea, cyanosis, and reduced level of consciousness in response to bathing. Through detailed history and investigation, the diagnosis of water reflex epilepsy was made. Treatment with carbamazepine and adjustment of the bathing technique have prevented further episodes from occurring, and the child's growth and development are progressing normally., Conclusion: Water reflex epilepsy can mimic a range of other conditions, and a high index of suspicion is required to establish the diagnosis. Children with water reflex epilepsy can achieve a good quality of life with modified bathing and appropriate antiepileptic medication. more...

Despite the advent of a novel human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to prevent associated cancers, HPV vaccination rates in the United States (US) remain well below national goals. Two recent reports by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the President's Cancer Panel (PCP) have identified missed clinical opportunities as an intervention point for increasing HPV vaccination rates, including the provision of immunization in alternative venues by varying healthcare providers. In this paper, we specifically comment on the idea of offering HPV vaccination in emergency departments (ED) by emergency medicine (EM) physicians as posited by Hill and Okugo (2014), identifying both strengths and limitations to this strategy. We also offer ideas for additional research, suggest provider and healthcare systems changes, and discuss needed policy changes to improve HPV vaccination rates in the US. more...

We report a benzonatate overdose in a teenager resulting in life-threatening toxicity to increase awareness of this overdose, and discuss recent pediatric warnings and labeling information provided by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). After an overdose of benzonatate, a 13-yr-old female presented to our emergency department with coma, seizures, hypotension, prolonged QT interval on electrocardiogram, and metabolic acidosis. Benzonatate is an antitussive medication with sodium channel-blocking properties and local anesthetic effects on the respiratory stretch receptors due to a tetracaine-like metabolite. Overdose is reported to cause coma, seizures, hypotension, tachycardia, ventricular dysrhythmias, and cardiac arrest. The FDA recently issued a Drug Safety Communication warning that accidental benzonatate ingestion in children younger than 10 years of age have increased risk of death and added the new information to the Warnings and Precautions section of benzonatate's label. more...