Academic Emergency Medicine最新文献

Background: Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the emergency department (ED) involve dyspnea, cough, and chest discomfort; frequent exacerbations are associated with increased mortality and reduced quality of life. Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NiPPV) is commonly used to help relieve symptoms but is limited due to patient intolerance. We aimed to determine whether high-velocity nasal insufflation (HVNI) is noninferior to NiPPV in relieving dyspnea within 4 h in ED patients with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.

Methods: This randomized control trial was conducted in seven EDs in the United States. Symptomatic patients with suspected COPD, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO₂) ≥ 60 mm Hg, and venous pH 7.0-7.35 were randomized to receive HVNI (n = 36) or NiPPV (n = 32). The primary outcome was dyspnea severity 4 h after the initiation of study intervention, as measured by the Borg score. Secondary outcomes included vital signs, oxygen saturation, venous pCO₂, venous pH, patient discomfort level, and need for endotracheal intubation.

Results: Sixty-eight patients were randomized between November 5, 2020, and May 10, 2023 (mean age 65.6 years; 47% women). The initial pCO₂ was 77.7 ± 13.6 mm Hg versus 76.5 ± 13.6 mm Hg and the initial venous pH was 7.27 ± 0.063 versus 7.27 ± 0.043 in the HVNI and NiPPV groups, respectively. Dyspnea was similar in the HVNI and NiPPV groups at baseline (dyspnea scale score 5.4 ± 2.93 and 5.6 ± 2.41) and HVNI was noninferior to NiPPV at the following time points: 30 min (3.97 ± 2.82 and 4.54 ± 1.65, p = 0.006), 60 min (3.09 ± 2.70 and 4.07 ± 1.77, p < 0.001), and 4 h (3.17 ± 2.59 and 3.34 ± 2.04, p = 0.03). At 4 h, there was no difference between the groups in the pCO₂ mm Hg (68.76 and 67.29, p = 0.63). Patients reported better overall comfort levels in the HVNI group at 30 min, 60 min, and 4 h (p = 0.003).

Conclusions: In participants with symptomatic COPD, HVNI was noninferior to NiPPV in relieving dyspnea 4 h after therapy initiation. HVNI may be a reasonable treatment option for some patients experiencing moderate acute exacerbations of COPD in the ED.

Objective: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sexually transmitted infection (STI) treatment guidelines state that the decision to provide STI/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing and presumptive treatment after sexual assault (SA) should be made on an individual basis to minimize retraumatization of the patient. However, little is known about STI screening, presumptive treatment, and positivity in the emergency department (ED) setting. The objective of this study was to evaluate STI testing rates and positivity, presumptive gonorrhea and chlamydia treatment, pregnancy testing, and emergency contraception offered to SA survivors in the ED in the United States.

Methods: The Premier Healthcare Database, a national administrative data set containing health care information from inpatient and hospital-based outpatient encounters, was used. Approximately 30% of encounters have available laboratory test results. ED visits for SA (identified by ICD-10-CM codes) among female patients aged 15-44 years between 2019 and 2023 were included. For patients presenting multiple times to the ED, only the first ED visit after SA was included.

Results: Of 49,047 total visits where females ages 15-44 years presented to the ED for SA, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV tests were conducted in 18.6%, 18.6%, 13.4%, and 16.9%, respectively, and pregnancy tests in 33.1% of visits. Presumptive gonorrhea and chlamydia treatment was provided in 53.7% and 52.2%, respectively, and emergency contraception in 27.2% of visits. Approximately 40% of patients were neither tested nor treated for either chlamydia or gonorrhea. Of patients with available laboratory test results, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis positivity rates were 10.0%, 3.8%, and 1.0%, respectively.

Conclusions: Low STI testing and treatment rates and high STI positivity identified in this study suggest that an important opportunity exists for improving STI screening and presumptive treatment for female patients presenting to the ED after SA.

Objective: The objective was to identify a prioritized list of research themes and key data points (baseline data and research outcomes) for future studies regarding child and adolescent emergency department (ED) mental health presentations.

Methods: A prospective survey-based Delphi process was undertaken in Australia within the Pediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) network. Hospital-based and community-based clinicians, researchers, police, ambulance paramedics, pediatric patients, and their carers were recruited to generate research themes and key data points for future pediatric ED mental health research. Responses were collated and analyzed by a steering group consisting of pediatric mental health, medical, and research/academic experts. Participants then prioritized the items through three survey rounds using a 9-point Likert-type scale to generate a final prioritized list.

Results: 184 participants (36 patients/carers and 148 clinicians/researchers) were recruited and generated 267 items for initial prioritization; 23 completed all survey rounds. The surveys identified a consensus of 71 items: 35 research themes and 36 key data points (11 baseline data points and 25 research outcomes) for future research. The top-rated research themes included patient/staff safety within the ED, the efficacy of dedicated mental health spaces, and the importance of patient follow-up. Important baseline data points included risk factors for mental health presentations and history of child abuse and/or family violence. Top-rated research outcomes included the occurrence of severe behavioral disturbance in the ED, the use of parenteral sedation, and ED re-presentation and/or suicide attempt postdischarge.

Conclusions: The Delphi process identified a prioritized list of research themes and key data points that will inform future research on child and adolescent mental health-related ED presentations.

Background: Drowning is a preventable public health concern that burdens emergency care systems globally. This study comprehensively evaluated fatal drowning patterns across population, time, and geography from 1990 to 2021 to inform effective prevention strategies.

Methods: Using the 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study framework and standardized estimation methods, the study analyzed global and regional drowning burden in terms of mortality, incidence, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), based on population registry data and drowning-related epidemiological covariates.

Results: Global drowning incidents decreased by 33.67% from 1990 to 2021. The drowning incidence rate and mortality rate declined from 24.20 and 9.68 per 100,000 in 1990 to 10.85 and 3.48 per 100,000 in 2021, respectively. Years of life lost and DALYs rates due to drowning also decreased significantly, from 715.80 and 718.69 per 100,000 in 1990 to 197.64 and 198.92 per 100,000 in 2021. Regionally, East Asia had the highest drowning mortality (27.15% of global deaths), while the high-income Asia Pacific region experienced the highest incidence rate (21.38 per 100,000). South Asia had the greatest number of drowning deaths (75,639). Tropical Latin America showed the largest incidence decline, while high-income Asia Pacific exhibited increasing trends. Drowning disproportionately affected children under 5 and the elderly in most regions.

Conclusions: While global drowning rates have declined, progress varies across regions. To improve prevention, focus should target low-income/middle-income countries and vulnerable populations like children and the elderly. Increased investment in safety education and rescue resources is vital to address their disproportionate risks.