Journal of acute medicine最新文献

Background: Many studies have discussed the relationship between COVID-19 and smoking, but they include many contradictory findings. This study evaluates the relationship between smoking and the incidence and severity of COVID-19 patients in Shahroud City, Iran. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analytical study using COVID-19 data. All suspected cases were referred to the registered centers at Shahroud University of Medical Sciences from 21 January 2020 to 20 March 2021. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to evaluate the relationship between smoking and SARS-COV 2 confirmed cases, and its severity. Results: Overall, it was confirmed that 22.6% of smokers had positive COVID-19 PCR tests compared to 42.1% of non-smokers. COVID-19 is a public health problem, and the results showed that there was a relationship between smoking and COVID-19 confirmed cases and severity. The results showed that smoking, adjusting for other related factors, reduces the odds of COVID-19 by 58%, but increases the odds of severe disease by 89%. Conclusions: In this study, smoking was significantly associated with a low chance of developing COVID-19 disease but higher odds of severity. These significant results were reported even in the presence of under-reporting of smoking by patients, which underestimates the association. These results should not be ignored, and further studies are needed.

Aspirin is well known to damage small intestinal mucosa; however, little is known about the extra-intestinal manifestations of this aspirin-induced small-bowel injury. Herein, we report a case of aspirin-induced small-bowel injury in an 84-year-old Japanese man who presented with portal venous gas. Six weeks after the aspirin was stopped, his abdominal pain gradually resolved. Various intestinal disorders can manifest portal venous gas, and understanding the pathophysiology in such situations can help physicians to avoid anchoring bias in diagnosis.

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a rare type of stroke, most often observed in young women. This is a case of a young, pregnant woman who presented to the emergency department with a complaint of sudden onset of headache and was diagnosed with CVT. This report discusses how to approach the diagnosis of CVT in pregnant women, including clinical manifestations, investigation tools, treatments, and prognosis from the literature, in comparison to this case.

Background: The prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of uropathogens can vary with time and geographical location. Empirical antibiotic treatment is frequently started before the urine culture reports are received; thus, the correct selection of antibiotics is imperative, as inappropriate use could increase resistance rates. This study evaluates the distribution trends and antimicrobial susceptibility of common uropathogens in Taiwan to help predict causative pathogens, prevent overly broad antibiotic use, and guide the optimal prescription of empirical antibiotic therapy to improve prognosis. Methods: This retrospective study extracted 5,672,246 urine culture sample data, including outpatient, emergency, and inpatient departments, during 2007-2017 from the Chang Gung Research Database. We examined the trend and susceptibility of uropathogens. Results: The three leading microorganisms were Escherichia coli (E. coli), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). E. coli. was more common among females (42.7%) than males (24.7%), while P. aeruginosa was more common among males (10.2%) than females (4.42%). E. coli and K. pneumoniae were highly susceptible to carbapenems, followed by aminoglycosides. Nevertheless, an increased antimicrobial resistance trend was observed in cephalosporins and quinolones. Conclusions: This study establishes E. coli and K. pneumoniae as the predominant uropathogens. Age and gender of patients result in distribution variations of uropathogens, but geographical location does not. In addition, P. aeruginosa occurs more in the sample of elderly and that too among males. Overall, this study could help clinicians choose appropriate antibiotics to treat urinary tract infections per the prevalent uropathogens and local antimicrobial susceptibility patterns.

Rhabdomyolysis is an uncommon complication in patients with severe SARS CoV-2 infection. This report presents a case of rhabdomyolysis in a critically ill patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome owing to COVID-19. The clinical manifestations included fever, tea-colored urine because of myoglobinuria, and elevated serum creatine kinase (CK). Muscle weakness was present and hindered successful weaning from mechanical ventilation. Prompt and aggressive fluid resuscitation was initiated in combination with alkalization of urine and furosemide administration. Treatment was titrated to maintain an adequate urine output with excellent clinical response. Severe COVID-19 infection may be accompanied by the late occurrence of rhabdomyolysis. CK levels should be monitored regularly and patients should be treated promptly with the adequate expansion of the extracellular volume. In our case, the intensive treatment proved to be effective in preventing acute kidney injury and related metabolic complications.

A 62-year-old woman with no systemic disease presented to the emergency department (ED) with acute febrile illness for three days. During her ED course, she developed respiratory distress and refractory cardiogenic shock with ST-elevation on electrocardiography. No occluded coronary vessel was found in angiography, and perimyocarditis was impressed. The serum indirect immunofluorescence assay was positive for scrub typhus. Hemopericardium and subsequently intracranial hemorrhage occurred on the 4th hospital day even under intensive care, and the patient expired. Perimyocarditis is a rare but fatal complication of scrub typhus. Through this case report, we aim to convey the genuine possibility that a fulminant perimyocarditis may occur in a previously healthy adult as a potential complication of scrub typhus. By recognizing the risk factors of scrub typhus-related myocarditis, an ED physician can maintain a high index of suspicion for the cardiac complication and intervene in a timely manner.

Background: COVID-19 infection can occur as a mild, moderate, or severe illness. How patients will be more serious has not been fully revealed so far. To investigate the role of systemic inflammation index (SII), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), mean platelet volume (MPV), mean platelet volume to platelet ratio (MPR), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet ratio (NLPR) in determining the severity of COVID-19 patients. Methods: We retrospectively studied 397 patients with confirmed COVID-19 who were admitted to the emergency departments (EDs) between January and June 2020. According to the criteria recommended by World Health Organization, patients were divided into two groups as severe and non-severe cases. Demographic, clinical characteristics, and inflammation parameters of patients were evaluated. Results: The NLPR, SII, MPR, and PLR were significantly increased in severe COVID-19 patients compared to the non-severe patients (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0002, p = 0.0441 , p = 0.0469, respectively). On the other hand, the MPV value did not show a statistically significant difference between cases. In ROC analysis calculated for inflammatory biomarkers in the prediction of COVID-19 severity, NLPR exhibited the largest area under the curve (AUC) at 0.705, with the highest specificity (81.45%) and sensitivity (56.25%) at the optimal cut-off of 0.024 (p < 0.0001). SII (AUC: 0.670) was the second inflammatory parameter with high specificity (63.21%) and sensitivity (66.67%) following NLPR value (p = 0.0002). Conclusion: NLPR and SII may be new inflammatory markers to identify severe COVID-19 patients at the time of admission to the ED.

Background: Mass casualties caused by natural disasters and man-made events may overwhelm local emergency medical services and healthcare systems. Logistics is essential to a successful emergency medical response. Drills have been used in disaster preparedness to validate plans, policies, procedures, and agreements, and identify resource gaps. The application of the internet to facilitate the conduct of exercise was still limited. This study aimed to investigate the optimal preparation of medical supplies by medical emergency response teams (MERTs) during emergencies and disasters using an internet-based drill.

Methods: An internet-based drill based on real-life mass casualty incidents (MCIs) was developed and conducted in Taiwan from June 2017 to July 2018. The drill involved an MCI with 50 events delivered under two scenarios: (1) reduced transfer capacity and well-functioning local healthcare facilities (emergency module); (2) severely reduced transfer capacity and dysfunctional local healthcare facilities (disaster module). For each event, medical supplies commonly prepared by local MERTs in Taiwan were listed in structured questionnaires and participants selected the supplies they would use.

Results: Forty-three senior medical emergency responders participated in the survey (responding rate of 47.3%). Resuscitation-related supplies increased from emergency to disaster module (e.g., intubation from 9.1% to 13.9%; dopamine from 3.2% to 5.0%; all p < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis of events with life-threatening injuries, the utilization of resuscitation-related supplies (e.g., intubation from 46.6% to 65.3%; p < 0.001) remained higher in the disaster than in the emergency module. Compared to emergency medical technicians, physicians and nurses are more likely to use intravenous/intramuscular analgesics.

Conclusions: The severity of scenarios and the professional background of emergency responders have a different utilization of medical supplies in the simulation drill. The internet-based drill may contribute to optimizing the preparedness of medical response to prehospital emergencies and disasters.