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ImportanceAcute musculoskeletal pain is challenging to treat in the Emergency Department (ED), a novel setting to incorporate nonpharmacologic interventions, such as acupuncture, to reduce chronic pain.ObjectiveDetermine effectiveness of ED acupuncture for treating acute musculoskeletal pain.DesignPragmatic two-stage adaptive randomized clinical trial over one year. Stage 1 identified whether auricular acupuncture (AA) or peripheral acupuncture (PA) was more feasible and efficacious in the ED. Stage 2 assessed effectiveness of selected ED acupuncture intervention(s) on 1-hour pain reduction compared to no acupuncture (NA).SettingAcademic tertiary-care ED.ParticipantsAdults with acute (≤7 days) musculoskeletal pain in neck, back and/or extremities. Of 911 patients screened, 491 met inclusion criteria, 247 enrolled, 11 withdrew, and 236 were randomized (68 NA, 84 AA, 84 PA).InterventionsAA places ear needles based on battlefield acupuncture. PA places needles in head, neck, and extremity sites distal to pain. Acupuncture was delivered by licensed acupuncturists. All three arms received usual care from blinded ED providers.Main OutcomesPrimary outcome: 11-point Numeric pain rating scale at 1-hour. Secondary outcomes: Satisfaction with treatment; ED opioids given.ResultsInterim analysis at end of Stage 1 found both acupuncture styles similarly feasible and efficacious, so Stage 2 continued all three arms with unequal allocation (from 1:1:1 to 1:2:2 NA:AA:PA). All three arms had similar demographics (mean age 46.1 years ±16.5 SD, 56.2% female, and 53.6% Black), ED baseline pain scores (AA 7.0 ± 2.3, PA 7.2 ± 2.3, NA 6.9 ± 2.2) and pre-baseline ED administration of opioid and non-opioid analgesics. Both AA (2.1 ± 2.9) and PA (1.6 ± 2.0) produced significantly greater 1-hour pain reductions than NA (0.4 ± 1.9).Conclusions and RelevanceTwo different styles of ED acupuncture effectively reduce acute musculoskeletal pain better than usual care alone. Acupuncture is feasible, acceptable, and effective for treating pain in historically underserved populations in the emergency department setting.Clinicaltrials.govregistrationEmergency Department Acupuncture for Acute Musculoskeletal Pain Management ID#:NCT04290741; URL:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04290741Key PointsQuestionWhat is the effectiveness of acupuncture for reducing acute musculoskeletal pain in an emergency department (ED) population?FindingsIn this pragmatic randomized clinical trial of 236 adults, ED patients receiving auricular acupuncture had a mean (± SD) pain score reduction of 2.1 ± 2.9 points, those receiving peripheral acupuncture had a reduction of 1.6 ± 2.0 points, while those who did not receive acupuncture had no change in pain (0.4 ± 1.9), which was a significant difference between no acupuncture and both acupuncture groups.MeaningAcupuncture can be added to usual care to effectively improve acute musculoskeletal pain in the ED.

BackgroundEnhancing Quality of Prescribing Practices for Older Adults Discharged from the Emergency Department (EQUIPPED) is an effective quality improvement program initially designed in the Veterans Administration (VA) health care system to reduce potentially inappropriate medication prescribing for adults aged 65 years and older. This study examined factors that influence implementation of EQUIPPED in EDs from four distinct, non-VA academic health systems using a convergent mixed methods design that operationalized the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Fidelity of delivery served as the primary implementation outcome.Materials and methodsFour EDs implemented EQUIPPED sequentially from 2017 to 2021. Using program records, we scored each ED on a 12-point fidelity index calculated by adding the scores (1–3) for each of four components of the EQUIPPED program: provider receipt of didactic education, one-on-one academic detailing, monthly provider feedback reports, and use of order sets. We comparatively analyzed qualitative data from focus groups with each of the four implementation teams (n = 22) and data from CFIR-based surveys of ED providers (108/234, response rate of 46.2%) to identify CFIR constructs that distinguished EDs with higher vs. lower levels of implementation.ResultsOverall, three sites demonstrated higher levels of implementation (scoring 8–9 of 12) and one ED exhibited a lower level (scoring 5 of 12). Two constructs distinguished between levels of implementation as measured through both quantitative and qualitative approaches: patient needs and resources, and organizational culture. Implementation climate distinguished level of implementation in the qualitative analysis only. Networks and communication, and leadership engagement distinguished level of implementation in the quantitative analysis only.DiscussionUsing CFIR, we demonstrate how a range of factors influence a critical implementation outcome and build an evidence-based approach on how to prime an organizational setting, such as an academic health system ED, for successful implementation.ConclusionThis study provides insights into implementation of evidence-informed programs targeting medication safety in ED settings and serves as a potential model for how to integrate theory-based qualitative and quantitative methods in implementation studies.

Efforts to promote COVID-19 vaccine acceptance must consider the critical role of the emergency department (ED) in providing health care to underserved patients. Focusing on patients who lacked primary care, we sought to elicit the perspectives of unvaccinated ED patients regarding COVID-19 vaccination concerns and potential approaches that might increase their vaccine acceptance.We conducted this qualitative interview study from August to November 2021 at four urban EDs in San Francisco, California; Seattle, Washington; Durham, North Carolina; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We included ED patients who were ≥18 years old, fluent in English or Spanish, had not received a COVID-19 vaccine, and did not have primary care physicians or clinics. We excluded patients who were unable to complete an interview, in police custody, under suspicion of active COVID-19 illness, or presented with a psychiatric chief complaint. We enrolled until we reached thematic saturation in relevant domains. We analyzed interview transcripts with a content analysis approach focused on identifying concerns about COVID-19 vaccines and ideas regarding the promotion of vaccine acceptance and potential trusted messengers.Of 65 patients enrolled, 28 (43%) identified as female, their median age was 36 years (interquartile range 29-49), and 12 (18%) interviews were conducted in Spanish. Primary concerns about COVID-19 vaccines included risk of complications, known and unknown side effects, and fear of contracting COVID-19 from vaccines. Trust played a major role for patients in deciding which sources to use for vaccine information and in engendering vaccine acceptance. Health care providers and family or friends were commonly cited as trusted messengers of information.We characterized concerns about COVID-19 vaccines, uncovered themes that may promote vaccine acceptance, and identified trusted messengers-primarily health care professionals. These data may inform the development of nuanced COVID-19 vaccine messaging platforms to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among underserved ED populations.

Introduction: Emergency departments (ED) use many medications with a range of therapeutic efficacy and potential significant side effects, and many medications have dosage adjustment recommendations based on the patient’s specific genotype. How frequently medications with such pharmaco-genetic recommendations are used in United States (US) EDs has not been studied. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2010–2015 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS). We reported the proportion of ED visits in which at least one medication with Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) recommendation of Level A or B evidence was ordered. Secondary comparisons included distributions and 95% confidence intervals of age, gender, race/ethnicity, ED disposition, geographical region, immediacy, and insurance status between all ED visits and those involving a CPIC medication. Results: From 165,155 entries representing 805,726,000 US ED visits in the 2010–2015 NHAMCS, 148,243,000 ED visits (18.4%) led to orders of CPIC medications. The most common CPIC medication was tramadol (6.3%). Visits involving CPIC medications had higher proportions of patients who were female, had private insurance and self-pay, and were discharged from the ED. They also involved lower proportions of patients with Medicare and Medicaid. Conclusion: Almost one fifth of US ED visits involve a medication with a pharmacogenetic recommendation that may impact the efficacy and toxicity for individual patients. While direct application of genotyping is still in development, it is important for emergency care providers to understand and support this technology given its potential to improve individualized, patient- centered care.

Objectives Musculoskeletal pain is a common emergency department (ED) presentation, and patient-centered care may improve quality of life, treatment satisfaction, and outcomes. Our objective was to investigate the expectations, definitions of success, and priorities of ED patients with musculoskeletal pain. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of the demographic, clinical, and psychosocial characteristics of adult ED patients (n = 210) with musculoskeletal pain. Patients completed the Patient-Centered Outcomes Questionnaire to quantify usual, desired, expected, and successful levels of pain and interference with daily activities, fatigue, and emotion from 0 (none) to 100 (worst imaginable). They also reported the importance of improvement in each domain. Cluster analysis identified subgroups by importance ratings. Patients were asked their willingness to try various pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments. Fully completed surveys were analyzed (n = 174). Results Most patients desired 100% resolution in each domain and defined treatment success as substantial (median = 63.2%-76.5%) reductions but expected only moderate (median = 45%-53.7%) improvements across all domains. Patients with previous pain episodes had similar desired levels but less stringent definitions of success and expectations for improvement. Cluster analysis identified three patient subgroups by importance ratings of each domain: (1) multiple domains important (n = 118) with high importance attached to all four domains, (2) pain and function important (n = 34) with high importance primarily for pain and interference with daily activities, and (3) only pain important (n = 22). Regardless of subgroup, there was a high willingness to use a variety of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments. Discussion ED patients with musculoskeletal pain have expectations and goals that include addressing impairments in function, improving quality of life, and reducing pain. Conclusions Our findings indicate that: (1) patient subgroups by outcome priorities may exist that could inform multimodal, personalized approaches from the ED and (2) patients are flexible in which treatments they are willing to try to meet their individual goals.

ImportanceLarge segments of the US population’s primary health care access occurs in emergency departments (EDs). These groups have disproportionately high COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and lower vaccine uptake.ObjectiveTo determine whether provision of COVID-19 vaccine messaging platforms in EDs increases COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and uptake in unvaccinated patients.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis prospective cluster randomized clinical trial was conducted at 7 hospital EDs in 4 US cities from December 6, 2021, to July 28, 2022. Noncritically ill adult patients who had not previously received COVID-19 vaccines were enrolled.InterventionsA 3-pronged COVID-19 vaccine messaging platform (an English- or Spanish-language 4-minute video; a 1-page informational flyer; and a brief, scripted message from an ED physician or nurse) was delivered during patient waiting times.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe 2 primary outcomes were (1) COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, assessed by survey responses in the ED, and (2) receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine within 30 days, ascertained by ED confirmation of vaccination, electronic health record review, and telephone follow-up.ResultsOf the 496 participants enrolled (221 during intervention weeks and 275 during control weeks), the median (IQR) age was 39 (30-54) years, 205 (41.3%) were female, 193 (38.9%) were African American, 97 (19.6%) were Latinx, and 218 (44.0%) lacked primary care physicians. More intervention group participants, compared with control participants, stated that they would accept the vaccine in the ED (57 [25.8%] vs 33 [12.0%]; adjusted difference, 11.9 [95% CI, 4.5-19.3] percentage points; number needed to treat [NNT], 8 [95% CI, 5-22]). More intervention group participants than control participants received a COVID-19 vaccine within 30 days of their ED visit (44 [20.0%] vs 24 [8.7%]; adjusted difference, 7.9 [95% CI, 1.7-14.1] percentage points; NNT, 13 [95% CI, 7-60]). The intervention group had greater outcome effect sizes than the control group in participants who lacked a primary care physician (acceptance, 38 of 101 [37.6%] vs 16 of 117 [13.7%] [P for interaction = .004]; uptake, 31 of 101 [30.7%] vs 11 of 117 [9.4%] [P for interaction = .006]), as well as in Latinx persons (acceptance, 23 of 52 [44.2%] vs 5 of 48 [10.4%] [P for interaction = .004]; uptake, 22 of 52 [42.3%] vs 4 of 48 [8.3%] [P for interaction Conclusions and RelevanceResults of this cluster randomized clinical trial showed that with low NNT, implementation of COVID-19 vaccine messaging platforms in EDs leads to greater vaccine acceptance and uptake in unvaccinated ED patients. Broad implementation in EDs could lead to greater COVID-19 vaccine delivery to underserved populations whose primary health care access occurs in EDs.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05142332

Enhancing quality of prescribing practices for older adults discharged from the Emergency Department (EQUIPPED) aims to reduce the monthly proportion of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) prescribed to older adults discharged from the ED to 5% or less. We describe prescribing outcomes at three academic health systems adapting and sequentially implementing the EQUIPPED medication safety programme.EQUIPPED was adapted from a model developed in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) and sequentially implemented in one academic health system per year over a 3-year period. The monthly proportion of PIMs, as defined by the 2015 American Geriatrics Beers Criteria, of all medications prescribed to adults aged 65 years and older at discharge was assessed for 6 months preimplementation until 12 months postimplementation using a generalised linear time series model with a Poisson distribution.The EQUIPPED programme was translated from the VA health system and its electronic medical record into three health systems each using a version of the Epic electronic medical record. Adaptation occurred through local modification of order sets and in the generation and delivery of provider prescribing reports by local champions. Baseline monthly PIM proportions 6 months prior to implementation at the three sites were 5.6% (95% CI 5.0% to 6.3%), 5.8% (95% CI 5.0% to 6.6%) and 7.3% (95% CI 6.4% to 9.2%), respectively. Evaluation of monthly prescribing including the twelve months post-EQUIPPED implementation demonstrated significant reduction in PIMs at one of the three sites. In exploratory analyses, the proportion of benzodiazepine prescriptions decreased across all sites from approximately 17% of PIMs at baseline to 9.5%–12% postimplementation, although not all reached statistical significance.EQUIPPED is feasible to implement outside the VA system. While the impact of the EQUIPPED model may vary across different health systems, results from this initial translation suggest significant reduction in specific high-risk drug classes may be an appropriate target for improvement at sites with relatively low baseline PIM prescribing rates.

Study objective Emergency departments (EDs) often serve vulnerable populations who may lack primary care and have suffered disproportionate COVID-19 pandemic effects. Comparing patients having and lacking a regular source of medical care and other ED patient characteristics, we assessed COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, reasons for not wanting the vaccine, perceived access to vaccine sites, and willingness to get the vaccine as part of ED care. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey conducted from December 10, 2020, to March 7, 2021, at 15 safety net US EDs. Primary outcomes were COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, reasons for vaccine hesitancy, and sites (including EDs) for potential COVID-19 vaccine receipt. Results Of 2,575 patients approached, 2,301 (89.4%) participated. Of the 18.4% of respondents who lacked a regular source of medical care, 65% used the ED as their usual source of health care. The overall rate of vaccine hesitancy was 39%; the range among the 15 sites was 28% to 58%. Respondents who lacked a regular source of medical care were more commonly vaccine hesitant than those who had a regular source of medical care (47% versus 38%, 9% difference, 95% confidence interval 4% to 14%). Other characteristics associated with greater vaccine hesitancy were younger age, female sex, Black race, Latinx ethnicity, and not having received an influenza vaccine in the past 5 years. Of the 61% who would accept a COVID-19 vaccine, 21% stated that they lacked a primary physician or clinic at which to receive it; the vast majority (95%) of these respondents would accept the COVID-19 vaccine as part of their care in the ED. Conclusion ED patients who lack a regular source of medical care are particularly hesitant regarding COVID-19 vaccination. Most COVID-19 vaccine acceptors would accept it as part of their care in the ED. EDs may play pivotal roles in COVID-19 vaccine messaging and delivery to highly vulnerable populations.

Background Pain can impair functional status, including a patient's ability to return to work. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was an association between pain levels and return-to-work status during the first 4 days post-ED discharge in ED patients seen for undifferentiated acute pain. Methods This secondary analysis of data from the Acute Management of Pain from the Emergency Department (AMPED) registry included patients who reported working either full-time or part-time. We used Cox regression models to examine the association between daily self-reported minimum and maximum pain scores and first return to work. We used repeated measures logistic regression models to examine the association between daily minimum and maximum pain scores and daily return-to-work status. Results Of the 610 employed patients, 481 (78.9%) were employed full-time and 129 (21.1%) part-time. The average delay in returning to work after ED visit was 2.4 days. For all models, higher minimum and maximum daily pain scores predicted lower daily return-to-work rates in the first four days post-ED discharge. The adjusted hazards ratios for first return to work were 0.91 (0.87, 0.96) and 0.93 (0.89, 0.97), while the adjusted odds ratios for daily return-to-work status were 0.80 (0.75, 0.85) and 0.88 (0.83, 0.93) for every one-point increase in minimum and maximum pain scores, respectively. Conclusion Higher daily pain severity is associated with decreased return-to-work after ED visits for acute pain, highlighting the importance of adequate discharge pain management from the ED.

Background Emergency department (ED) visits for opioid overdose continue to rise. Evidence-based harm reduction strategies for opioid use disorder (OUD), such as providing home naloxone, can save lives, but ED implementation remains challenging. Methods The researchers aimed to increase prescribing of naloxone to ED patients with OUD and opioid overdose by employing a model for improvement methodology, a multidisciplinary team, and high-reliability interventions. Monthly naloxone prescribing rates among discharged ED patients with opioid overdose and OUD–related diagnoses were tracked over time. Interventions included focused ED staff education on OUD and naloxone, and creation of electronic medical record (EMR)–based work-aids, including a naloxone Best Practice Advisory (BPA) and order set. Autoregressive interrupted time series was used to model the impact of these interventions on naloxone prescribing rates. The impact of education on ED staff confidence and perceived barriers to prescribing naloxone was measured using a published survey instrument. Results After adjusting for education events and temporal trends, ED naloxone BPA and order set implementation was associated with a significant immediate 21.1% increase in naloxone prescribing rates, which was sustained for one year. This corresponded to increased average monthly prescribing rates from 1.5% before any intervention to 28.7% afterward. ED staff education had no measurable impact on prescribing rates but was associated with increased nursing perceived importance and increased provider confidence in prescribing naloxone. Conclusions A significant increase in naloxone prescribing rates was achieved after implementation of high-reliability EMR work-aids and staff education. Similar interventions may be key to wider ED staff engagement in harm reduction for patients with OUD.

Objectives To present the three-site EQUIPPED academic health system research collaborative, which engaged in sequential implementation of the EQUIPPED medication safety program, as a learning health system; to understand how the organizations worked together to build resources for program scale-up. Design Following the Replicating Effective Programs framework, we analyzed content from implementation teams’ focus groups, local and cross-site meeting minutes and sites’ organizational profiles to develop an implementation package. Setting Three academic emergency departments that each implemented EQUIPPED over three successive years. Participants Implementation team members at each site participating in focus groups (n = 18), local meetings during implementation years, and cross-site meetings during all years of the projects. Intervention(s) EQUIPPED provides Emergency Department providers with clinical decision support (education, order sets, and feedback) to reduce prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications to adults aged 65 years and older who received a prescription at time of discharge. Main Outcome Measure(s) Implementation process components assembled through successive implementation. Results Each site had clinical and environmental characteristics to be addressed in implementing the EQUIPPED program. We identified 10 process elements and describe lessons for each. Lessons guided the compilation of the EQUIPPED intervention package or toolkit, including the EQUIPPED logic model. Conclusions Our academic health system research collaborative addressing medication safety through sequential implementation is a learning health system that can serve as a model for other quality improvement projects with multiple sites. The network produced an implementation package that can be vetted, piloted, evaluated, and finalized for large-scale dissemination in community-based settings.

Study Objectives: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of facemasks by the general population has become a significant issue despite evidence that shows that facemask use is associated with reduced transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the causative organism of COVID-19. We assessed beliefs, access, and practices of mask wearing across an ED population. Methods: This was a cross sectional survey of ED patients conducted from 12/14/20 - 2/22/21 at 15 geographically diverse safety net EDs. The survey asked questions regarding COVID-19 vaccine and the use of facemasks. In this analysis, the primary outcome was reporting the responses to survey questions regarding mask wearing practice and patient access to masks. Results: Of 2513 patients approached, 2239 (89.1%) agreed to participate. The median age of respondents was 48 years (IQR 34 - 62). The race and ethnicity reported for participants were: 40% White, 29% Black, 24% Latinx and 5% Asian. All other categories each accounted for 1% or less of the respondents. 14.8% reported that they had previously been diagnosed with COVID-19. Most respondents (81%) had primary care doctors or clinics. Of those without primary care, 64% used the ED as their usual source of health care. 78% of respondents reported wearing masks “all of the time” and 17% reported wearing masks >50% of the time. Subjects with primary care providers (PCPs) were more likely to report wearing masks at least most of the time as compared to subjects without primary care (97% vs 92%) Those with no PCP reported more difficulties obtaining masks compared to those who have a PCP (13% vs 6%, p < 0.001). The primary reasons respondents cited for not wearing masks were that they do not believe that masks work, masks are uncomfortable, and masks make it hard to breathe. Subjects with a PCP and those without a PCP both reported that the most common source of masks was through purchasing at a store or pharmacy. Subjects without a PCP were more likely to get masks from a shelter or food bank as compared to those without a PCP (6.5% vs 2.1%). Surveys were administered exclusively in urban EDs, and there may be response bias towards mask wearing in the hospital setting. Conclusion: Overall, respondents in the study reported a high rate of facemask wearing. Having a PCP was associated with higher proportion of respondents who reported wearing a mask at least 50% of the time. Respondents without a PCP also reported greater barriers in obtaining masks than those with a PCP. The results of this study inform on the acceptance rate of facemask usage in a large population of ED patients primarily in an urban setting. Having a PCP provides opportunities for education and distribution of facemasks. There is an opportunity to increase facemask usage through increased education and availability.

Background Emergency Department (ED) visits for opioid overdose continue to rise. Our global aim is to implement evidence-based harm reduction practices in our large, academic ED, such as facilitating naloxone prescribing through the electronic medical record (EMR) and disseminating resources for outpatient treatment. Objectives Increase the provision of naloxone prescriptions and community resources to patients at high-risk of opioid overdose upon ED discharge. Methods To increase naloxone prescribing and provision of community resources to high-risk patients, a model for improvement methodology, a multi-disciplinary team, and prioritization of high-reliability interventions were used. Key drivers and interventions included: didactic lectures to providers, collation of community resources, real-time patient identification through a best practice advisory (BPA) in the EMR, prescriber order sets, and defaulting desired patient education materials (figure 1). Rates of naloxone prescribing and BPA-triggered order set use were tracked over time on statistical control charts (p-charts). Results The average proportion of high-risk patients who received naloxone prescriptions increased from a baseline of 1.9% to 6.6% after didactic education sessions, and 21.7% after implementation of EMR-based interventions (8 points above centerline, respectively) (figure 2). Since its implementation, 16% of fired BPAs resulted in naloxone order set activation (monthly range: 9–25%). Conclusions Our findings support that some emergency department providers are willing to prescribe naloxone to patients at risk for opioid overdose, and that prescribing is influenced by highly reliable work-aids built into EMR systems. The spread of similar technology to other care settings may be key to wider provider engagement in mitigating morbidity from opioid overdose.

Objectives Low back pain (LBP) is a common reason for patients to present to emergency departments (EDs). Our objective was to describe the associations between depressive symptoms, pain severity, and functional impairment up to 3 months after initial ED presentation for LBP. Methods We performed a secondary analysis on an observational cohort of adult patients from a high-volume, urban ED. Initial depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and disability (Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire) were collected in person at the time of initial ED visit and by telephone at 1-week and 3-month follow-ups. Pain intensity (Numeric Rating Scale) was collected at 1-week and 3-month follow-ups. Our primary goal was to determine the associations between initial depressive symptoms and pain intensity and disability scores at 3 months. We also investigated the associations of initial and 3-month change in depressive symptoms with change in disability score from initial presentation to 3 months and change in pain score from 1 week to 3 months. Results Of the 674 patients initially enrolled, 362 patients had complete depressive symptom, pain, and disability data and were included in the final analysis. Those with higher levels of intake depressive symptoms had worse pain intensity (B = 0.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.08 to 0.21) and disability (0.46, 95% CI = 0.30 to 0.62) severity at 3 months, with less improvement in disability over the 3 months (B = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.40). Furthermore, those with worsening depressive symptoms over the 3-month study period experienced less improvement in pain intensity (B = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.17) and disability (B = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.66 to 1.02) over the same time frame. Except for a slight strengthening of the association between initial depressive symptom severity and 3-month pain score among patients with no prior LBP episodes, history of prior LBP episodes did not moderate these relationships. Conclusions Significant positive temporal associations exist between initial severity and 3-month progression of depressive symptoms and 3-month pain intensity and disability outcomes for ED patients with LBP. Future work is needed to investigate whether behavioral interventions initiated from the ED may mitigate the incidence and severity of LBP-related chronic pain and functional impairments.

Objectives To evaluate the effect of emergency department (ED) interventions on clinical, utilization, and care experience outcomes for older adults. Design A conceptual model informed, protocol-based systematic review. Setting Emergency Department (ED). Participants Older adults 65 years of age and older. Methods and measurement Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched for English-language studies published through December 2017. Studies evaluating the use of one or more eligible intervention strategies (discharge planning, case management, medication safety or management, and geriatric EDs including those that cited the 2014 Geriatric ED Guidelines) with adults 65 years of age and older were included. Studies were classified by the number of intervention strategies used (ie, single strategy or multi-strategy) and key intervention components present (ie, assessment, referral plus follow-up, and contact both before and after ED discharge ["bridge"]). The effect of ED interventions on clinical (functional status, quality of life [QOL]), patient experience, and utilization (hospitalization, ED return visit) outcomes was evaluated. Results A total of 2000 citations were identified; 17 articles describing 15 unique studies (9 randomized and 6 nonrandomized) met eligibility criteria and were included in analyses. ED interventions showed a mixed pattern of effects. Overall, there was a small positive effect of ED interventions on functional status but no effects on QOL, patient experience, hospitalization at or after the initial ED index visit, or ED return visit. Conclusion Studies using two or more intervention strategies may be associated with the greatest effects on clinical and utilization outcomes. More comprehensive interventions, defined as those with all three key intervention components present, may be associated with some positive outcomes.

Musculoskeletal pain is a common emergency department (ED) presentation. Patient-centered care for patients with musculoskeletal pain may improve quality-of-life, satisfaction with care, and clinical outcomes. Providing patient-centered care in the ED requires understanding patients’ goals and priorities. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of the demographic, clinical, and biopsychosocial characteristics of adult ED patients (n=215) with musculoskeletal pain. Patients completed the Patient Centered Outcomes Questionnaire (PCOQ) to quantify importance of improvements in pain, interference with daily activities, fatigue, and emotion. Improvement ratings were from 0 (unimportant) to 100 (most important) and cluster analysis identified patient subgroups by these ratings. Comparisons used Kruskal-Wallis tests for continuous measures and Chi-Square tests for categorical measures. Patients with completed PCOQ were analyzed (n=176). All domains were rated as highly important (median/mean (sd) pain, interference, fatigue, and emotion ratings 100/91 (18), 96/79 (32), 93/72 (35), and 93/69 (39)). Cluster analysis identified three subgroups: 1) Multiple domains important (MDI, n=120) characterized by high importance for all domains 2) pain and function important (PFI, n=34) with high importance in pain and interference domains, and 3) only pain domain important (PI, n=22). The MDI group reported higher psychological symptoms, (p

Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the US; however, there currently exists only one effective acute pharmacological therapeutic intervention. Purinergic signaling has been shown to regulate vascular function and pathological processes, including inflammation and arterial myogenic reactivity, and plays a role in ischemic stroke outcome. Purinergic signaling requires extracellular purines; however, the mechanism of purine release from cells is unclear. Pannexin1 (Panx1) channels are potentially novel purine release channels expressed throughout the vascular tree that couples regulated purine release with purinergic signaling. Therefore, we examined the role of smooth muscle and endothelial cell Panx1, using conditional cell type-specific transgenic mice, in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury outcomes. Deletion of endothelial cell Panx1, but not smooth muscle cell Panx1, significantly reduced cerebral infarct volume after ischemia/reperfusion. Infiltration of leukocytes into brain tissue and development of cerebral myogenic tone were both significantly reduced when mice lacked endothelial Panx1. Panx1 regulation of myogenic tone was unique to the cerebral circulation, as mesenteric myogenic reactivity and blood pressure were independent of endothelial Panx1. Overall, deletion of endothelial Panx1 mitigated cerebral ischemic injury by reducing inflammation and myogenic tone development, indicating that endothelial Panx1 is a possible novel target for therapeutic intervention of ischemic stroke.

Objectives Pain is a common complaint in the emergency department (ED). Its management currently depends heavily on pharmacologic treatment, but evidence suggests that nonpharmacologic interventions may be beneficial. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess whether nonpharmacologic interventions in the ED are effective in reducing pain. Methods We conducted a systematic review of the literature on all types of nonpharmacologic interventions in the ED with pain reduction as an outcome. We performed a qualitative summary of all studies meeting inclusion criteria and meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies measuring postintervention changes in pain. Interventions were divided by type into five categories for more focused subanalyses. Results Fifty-six studies met inclusion criteria for summary analysis. The most studied interventions were acupuncture (10 studies) and physical therapy (six studies). The type of pain most studied was musculoskeletal pain (34 studies). Most (42 studies) reported at least one improved outcome after intervention. Of these, 23 studies reported significantly reduced pain compared to control, 24 studies showed no difference, and nine studies had no control group. Meta-analysis included 22 qualifying randomized controlled trials and had a global standardized mean difference of -0.46 (95% confidence interval = -0.66 to -0.27) in favor of nonpharmacologic interventions for reducing pain. Conclusion Nonpharmacologic interventions are often effective in reducing pain in the ED. However, most existing studies are small, warranting further investigation into their use for optimizing ED pain management.

Older adults are at higher risk than younger adults for axial pain conditions such as neck and low back pain. A common treatment pathway for patients with axial pain is the emergency department (ED), yet a paucity of research exists on ED treatment and subsequent outcomes for older adults with axial pain. This preliminary analysis investigated the role of age in a common treatment for axial pain in the ED – opioid prescription. Included in this analysis were patients visiting a university health system ED for a new episode of axial pain between January 2013 and December 2017. Patients were categorized based on age group (younger= less than 60 years; older= 60 years and older) and if they were prescribed opioids (yes/no). Differences based on axial pain region (neck/upper back versus low back) were also assessed. Associations between age group and opioid prescription for different axial pain regions were quantified using adjusted odds ratios (OR; 95% CI) derived from logistic regression which accounted for sex and age X axial pain region interaction. A total of 22,684 patients were assessed and the opioid prescription rate was 63%. The opioid prescription rate for older age was 68% and was 62% for younger age. Among those with neck/upper back pain (n=9,809), older age was associated with opioid prescription (1.16; 1.04, 1.28). Similarly, among those with low back pain (n=12,875), older age was associated with opioid prescription (1.44; 1.30, 1.58). Study findings suggest older adults seen in the ED for axial pain may have a greater likelihood of opioid prescription compared to younger adults, particularly for those with low back pain. Future studies among older adults with axial pain seen in the ED will elucidate the influence of opioids on recovery, as well as downstream health risks.

A systematic correlation between finite element models (FEMs) and histopathology is needed to define deformation thresholds associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this study, a FEM of a transected piglet brain was used to reverse engineer the range of optimal shear moduli for infant (5 days old, 553–658 Pa) and 4-week-old toddler piglet brain (692–811 Pa) from comparisons with measured in situ tissue strains. The more mature brain modulus was found to have significant strain and strain rate dependencies not observed with the infant brain. Age-appropriate FEMs were then used to simulate experimental TBI in infant ( $$n=36$$ ) and preadolescent ( $$n=17$$ ) piglets undergoing a range of rotational head loads. The experimental animals were evaluated for the presence of clinically significant traumatic axonal injury (TAI), which was then correlated with FEM-calculated measures of overall and white matter tract-oriented tissue deformations, and used to identify the metric with the highest sensitivity and specificity for detecting TAI. The best predictors of TAI were the tract-oriented strain (6–7 %), strain rate (38–40 s $$^{-1})$$ , and strain times strain rate (1.3–1.8 s $$^{-1})$$ values exceeded by 90 % of the brain. These tract-oriented strain and strain rate thresholds for TAI were comparable to those found in isolated axonal stretch studies. Furthermore, we proposed that the higher degree of agreement between tissue distortion aligned with white matter tracts and TAI may be the underlying mechanism responsible for more severe TAI after horizontal and sagittal head rotations in our porcine model of nonimpact TAI than coronal plane rotations.

Over 13% of Emergency Department (ED) visits are for musculoskeletal pain, but little is known about ED patients’ expectations for pain management and pain-related functional outcomes. This cross-sectional study surveyed adults seeking care at an academic ED with a primary complaint of neck, back or extremity pain. Survey data included the previously validated Patient Centered Outcomes Questionnaire to rate pain interference with activities on a scale of 0 (none) to 100 (worst imaginable) across usual, desired, successful, and expected outcome levels, as well as patient-reported use of various pharmacological and non-pharmacological modalities for pain relief. Responses were analyzed from 106 patients, with mean age 42.4 years (SD 15.6); 52% female; 63% African American and 27% Caucasian. For primary location of pain, 46% identified back, 32% leg, 13% arm, and 11% neck. Median duration of pain was 3 days (IQR 1-7), and 36% reported previous episodes of this pain. Reported median usual pain interference with activities in the past week was 66 (IQR 40-94). Patients desired a median 100% reduction (IQR 89-100%) in interference, but considered 77% reduction successful (IQR 49-100%), and only expected a 52% reduction (IQR 9-91%) after treatment. Most patients were willing to take opioid (73%) and non-opioid (79%) pain medications, despite only 32% having taken an opioid and 55% having taken a non-opioid for pain. Most were also willing to engage in non-pharmacological treatments including direct/passive modalities such as heat, cold packs, acupuncture, and massage (84%); indirect/psychosocial modalities such as music, prayer and meditation (80%); and physical/active modalities such as yoga, exercise, and physical therapy (66%). However, current use of non-pharmacological modalities only ranged from 36-50%. This foundational data highlights an opportunity to incorporate patient perspectives in setting treatment goals and expanding treatment options for integrated, multi-modal pain management in the ED.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death worldwide and is increasing exponentially particularly in low and middle income countries (LMIC). To inform the development of a standard Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for the acute management of TBI that can be implemented specifically for limited resource settings, we conducted a systematic review to identify and assess the quality of all currently available CPGs on acute TBI using the AGREE II instrument. In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, from April 2013 to December 2015 we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google Scholar and the Duke University Medical Center Library Guidelines for peer-reviewed published Clinical Practice Guidelines on the acute management of TBI (less than 24 hours), for any level of traumatic brain injury in both high and low income settings. A comprehensive reference and citation analysis was performed. CPGs found were assessed using the AGREE II instrument by five independent reviewers and scores were aggregated and reported in percentage of total possible score. An initial 2742 articles were evaluated with an additional 98 articles from the citation and reference analysis, yielding 273 full texts examined. A total of 24 final CPGs were included, of which 23 were from high income countries (HIC) and 1 from LMIC. Based on the AGREE II instrument, the best score on overall assessment was 100.0 for the CPG from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NIHCE, 2007), followed by the New Zealand Guidelines Group (NZ, 2006) and the National Clinical Guideline (SIGN, 2009) both with a score of 96.7. The CPG from a LMIC had lower scores than CPGs from higher income settings. Our study identified and evaluated 24 CPGs with the highest scores in clarity and presentation, scope and purpose, and rigor of development. Most of these CPGs were developed in HICs, with limited applicability or utility for resource limited settings. Stakeholder involvement, Applicability, and Editorial independence remain weak and insufficiently described specifically with piloting, addressing potential costs and implementation barriers, and auditing for quality improvement.

Clinicians are charged with the significant task of distinguishing between accidental and inflicted head trauma. Oftentimes this distinction is straightforward, but many times probabilities of injuries from accidental scenarios are unknown making the differential diagnosis difficult. For example, it is unknown whether intracranial hemorrhage (IH) can occur at a location other than a focal contact site following a low height fall. To create a foundation for predicting regional IH in infants, we sought to identify the biomechanical response and injury threshold best able to predict IH in 3-5 day old piglets. First, finite element (FE) model simulations of in situ animal studies were performed to ascertain the optimal representation of the pia-arachnoid complex, cerebrospinal fluid and cortical vasculature (PCC) for predicting brain strain and brain/skull displacement. Second, rapid head rotations resulting in various degrees of IH were simulated (n=24) to determine the biomechanical predictor and injury threshold most closely correlated with IH. FE models representing the PCC with either spring connectors or solid elements between the brain and skull resulted in peak brain strain and brain/skull displacement similar to measured values in situ. However, when predicting IH, the spring connector representation of the PCC had the best predictive capability for IH with a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 85% when ≥ 1% of all spring connectors had at least a peak strain of 0.31 mm/mm. These findings and reported methodology will be used in the development of a human infant FE model to simulate real-world falls and identify injury thresholds for predicting IH in infants.

We sought to extract additional physiological information from the time-dependent left ventricular (LV) pressure contour and thereby gain new insights into ventricular function. We used phase plane analysis to characterize high-fidelity pressure data in selected subjects undergoing elective cardiac catheterization. The standard hemodynamic indexes of LV systolic and diastolic function derived from the time-dependent LV pressure contour could be easily obtained using the phase plane method. Additional novel attributes of the phase plane pressure loop, such as phase plane pressure loop area, graphical representation of the isovolumic relaxation time constant, and quantitative measures of beat-to-beat systolic-diastolic coupling were characterized. The asymmetry between the pressures at which maximum isovolumic pressure rise and pressure fall occur, as well as their load dependence, were also easily quantitated. These results indicate that the phase plane method provides a novel window for physiological discovery and has theoretical and applied advantages in quantitative ventricular function characterization.

Finite element modeling (FEM) is frequently used to study the biomechanical effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Utility of these models in predicting tissue injury depends on close correspondence between calculated mechanical response parameters and those actually occurring in tissue, as well as the establishment of accurate thresholds of tissue injury for each of these parameters. We developed a three-dimensional FEM of the neonatal piglet brain and used it to predict the spatial distributions of tissue strains during horizontal, coronal and sagittal rotations of the head in order to evaluate our hypothesis that the spatial pattern of axonal injury is attributed to differences in regional tissue strains. The maximum principal strains and the white matter tract (WMT) oriented strains were compared. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to obtain the directions of the axonal fibers in the white matter tracts. While both maximum principal strains and the white matter tract oriented strains are correlated with regional axonal injury, WMT-oriented strain had a higher predictive power (WMT strain Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) area under curve = 0.848; Max Principal Strain ROC area under curve=0.807). The strain thresholds predicting axonal injury were 4.7% for WMT strain and 39.9% for Max Principal Strain.

BACKGROUND—Small animal models have been used in traumatic brain injury (TBI) research to investigate the basic mechanisms and pathology of TBI. Unfortunately, successful TBI investigations in small animal models have not resulted in marked improvements in clinical outcomes of TBI patients. OBJECTIVE—To develop a clinically relevant immature large animal model of pediatric neurocritical care following TBI. METHODS—Eleven 4 week old piglets were randomized to either rapid axial head rotation without impact (N=6) or instrumented sham (N=5). All animals had an intracranial pressure monitor, brain tissue oxygen (PbtO2) probe, and cerebral microdialysis probe placed in the frontal lobe and data collected for 6 h following injury. RESULTS—Injured animals had sustained elevations in intracranial pressure and lactatepyruvate ratio (LPR), and decreased PbtO2 compared to sham. PbtO2 and LPR from separate frontal lobes had strong linear correlation in both sham and injured animals. Neuropathologic examination demonstrated significant axonal injury and infarct volumes in injured animals compared to sham at 6 hours post-injury. Averaged over time, PbtO2 in both injured and sham animals had a strong inverse correlation with total injury volume. Average LPR had a strong correlation with total injury volume. CONCLUSION—LPR and PbtO2 can be utilized as serial non-terminal secondary markers in our injury model for neuropathology, and as evaluation metrics for novel interventions and therapeutics in the acute post-injury period. This translational model bridges a vital gap in knowledge between TBI studies in small animal models and clinical trials in the pediatric TBI population.

Rotational inertial forces are thought to be the underlying mechanism for most severe brain injuries. However, little is known about the effect of head rotation direction on injury outcomes, particularly in the pediatric population. Neonatal piglets were subjected to a single non-impact head rotation in the horizontal, coronal, or sagittal direction, and physiological and histopathological responses were observed. Sagittal rotation produced the longest duration of unconsciousness, highest incidence of apnea, and largest intracranial pressure increase, while coronal rotation produced little change, and horizontal rotation produced intermediate and variable derangements. Significant cerebral blood flow reductions were observed following sagittal but not coronal or horizontal injury compared to sham. Subarachnoid hemorrhage, ischemia, and brainstem pathology were observed in the sagittal and horizontal groups but not in a single coronal animal. Significant axonal injury occurred following both horizontal and sagittal rotations. For both groups, the distribution of injury was greater in the frontal and parietotemporal lobes than in the occipital lobes, frequently occurred in the absence of ischemia, and did not correlate with regional cerebral blood flow reductions. We postulate that these direction-dependent differences in injury outcomes are due to differences in tissue mechanical loading produced during head rotation.

Head trauma is the leading cause of death and debilitating injury in children. Computational models are important tools used to understand head injury mechanisms but they must be validated with experimental data. In this communication we present in situ measurements of brain deformation during rapid, nonimpact head rotation in juvenile pigs of different ages. These data will be used to validate computational models identifying age-dependent thresholds of axonal injury. Fresh 5 days (n=3) and 4 weeks (n=2) old piglet heads were transected horizontally and secured in a container. The cut surface of each brain was marked and covered with a transparent, lubricated plate that allowed the brain to move freely in the plane of rotation. For each brain, a rapid (20–28 ms) 65 deg rotation was applied sequentially at 50 rad/s, 75 rad/s, and 75 rad/s. Each rotation was digitally captured at 2500 frames/s (480×320 pixels) and mark locations were tracked and used to compute strain using an in-house program in MATLAB. Peak values of principal strain (Epeak) were significantly larger during deceleration than during acceleration of the head rotation (p

The purpose of this study was to develop a more efficient fluorescent microsphere method to facilitate the rapid use of the histological technique and to enable its use in large tissue regions. Using fluorescent plate/slide imaging technology and automated detection and analysis software, we were able to rapidly image, detect, and count 3 separate microsphere colors in 200 μm thick tissue sections from piglet brain. In resting newborn piglets (n = 6) on isoflurane anesthesia, we measured a median total cerebral blood flow (CBF) of 105 ml/min/100 g (range 27–206 ml/min/100 g). Compared with other FM analysis methods, our method reduces the time required to determine blood flow, improves accuracy in lipid-rich tissues and large tissue regions and, unlike the radiolabeled microsphere method, can be combined with histological analysis.

Diffuse optical techniques were used to continuously monitor hemodynamic changes in piglet brains after traumatic head injury. The potential for using all optical methods for long-term monitoring of human trauma patients is thus suggested.

Current physiologic parameters acquired during cardiac catheterization include the systolic, minimum, and end-diastolic left ventricular pressures, the ejection fraction, and the maximum and minimum rates of pressure rise and fall. To extract additional physiologic information from the left ventricular pressure (LVP) contour, we utilized phase plane analysis (dP/dt vs P) to study LVP. One cardiac cycle generates a closed loop, or limit-cycle, in the phase plane. We hypothesized that the area of the limit-cycle is related to the external work of the heart, which is a function of both pressure and volume. We investigated the relationship between limit-cycle area (A/sub LC/) and ejection fraction (LVEF). LVP and LVEF data acquired during cardiac catheterization in ten subjects were analyzed. We observed a linear relation between A/sub LC/ and LVEF with an R-value of 0.43. We conclude that new information characterizing LV function can be obtained from A/sub LC/.

10.1152/japplphysiol.00560. 2001.—Our laboratory has previously shown that it is possible to elucidate novel physiological relationships by analyzing the left ventricular pressure (P) contour in the phase [time derivative of P (dP/d t) vs. P] plane (Eucker SA, Lisauskas JB, Singh J, and Kovács SJ, J Appl Physiol 90: 2238–2244, 2001). To further characterize cardiac physiology, we introduce a method that combines P-volume (V) and phase plane-derived information in physiological hyperspace. From four-dimensional (P, V, dP/d t, time derivative of V) hyperspace, we consider three-dimensional embedding diagrams having dP/d t, P, and V as coordinate axes. Our method facilitates analysis of physiological function independent of inotropic state and permits assessment of P-V-based relationships in the phase plane and vice versa. To test feasibility, the method was applied to murine hemodynamic data. As predicted from first principles, the area of the P-V loop (ventricular external work) correlated closely ( r = 0.97) with phase plane limit cycle area (external power). The P-V plane-derived linear ( r = 0.99) end-systolic P-V relationship (maximum elastance) appeared linear in the phase plane ( r = 0.85). We conclude that analysis of data in physiological hyperspace is generalizable: it facilitates quantitative characterization of ventricular systolic and diastolic function and can guide discovery of novel physiological relationships.

We used a nonimpact inertial rotational model of a closed head injury in neonatal piglets to simulate the conditions following traumatic brain injury in infants. Diffuse optical techniques, including diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS), were used to measure cerebral blood oxygenation and blood flow continuously and noninvasively before injury and up to 6 h after the injury. The DCS measurements of relative cerebral blood flow were validated against the fluorescent microsphere method. A strong linear correlation was observed between the two techniques (R = 0.89, p < 0.00001). Injury-induced cerebral hemodynamic changes were quantified, and significant changes were found in oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin concentrations, total hemoglobin concentration, blood oxygen saturation, and cerebral blood flow after the injury. The diffuse optical measurements were robust and also correlated well with recordings of vital physiological parameters over the 6-h monitoring period, such as mean arterial blood pressure, arterial oxygen saturation, and heart rate. Finally, the diffuse optical techniques demonstrated sensitivity to dynamic physiological events, such as apnea, cardiac arrest, and hypertonic saline infusion. In total, the investigation corraborates potential of the optical methods for bedside monitoring of pediatric and adult human patients in the neurointensive care unit.