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Introduction: Non-traumatic back pain constitutes roughly 5% of the admissions to emergency departments. This study seeks to compare the efficacy of intravenously administered paracetamol, dexketoprofen, and ibuprofen in patients with non-traumatic acute low back pain. Methods: This study was designed as a randomized, double-blinded investigation and carried out at a tertiary hospital. 210 eligible patients without trauma who presented with low back pain were recruited for the study and randomized into paracetamol (n = 71), dexketoprofen (n = 70), and ibuprofen (n = 69) groups. The measurements at 0, 15, 30 and 60 min were noted down by using a 100 mm VAS, and the relevant comparisons were made. Results: The VAS scores at 0 and 60 min in the paracetamol, dexketoprofen, and ibuprofen groups decreased on average by 40 mm, 42 mm, and 43 mm, respectively. The baseline and final pain scores of each drug group differed significantly (p < 0.05), though the between-group analysis revealed no significant difference (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Given the obtained data, we did not note a significant difference between intravenous paracetamol, dexketoprofen and ibuprofen with respect to pain efficacy in non-traumatic acute low back pain. Based on the patients' clinical conditions and histories, we concluded that the choice of medication might not change the efficacy of the treatment and patient comfort. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.

Blunt chest trauma may cause variable degrees of thoracic injuries. Most of the patients may remain asymptomatic after sustaining blunt chest trauma. But in rare instances, life-threatening conditions such as coronary artery dissection may occur. The authors present a 29-year-old male adult with persistent chest pain following blunt trauma with a rise in cardiac troponins and elevated ST segment in ECG. Coronary CT and conventional angiography demonstrated dissection of the left main coronary artery. It is deemed necessary to suspect cardiac injury in patients with a history of blunt chest trauma in appropriate clinical settings. Early recognition of coronary artery dissection is vital to reduce morbidity and mortality. ECG combined with cardiac enzymes can be essential tools helping the physicians raise the suspicion towards a cardiac injury followed by cross-sectional and conventional angiographies for confirmation. © 2022, Acknowledgments: There is no funding source.

Objectives: Limited and inconsistent findings have been reported on the link between social connections and support and emergency department (ED) visits in older populations. Moreover, the adequacy of informal care for older adults has rarely been considered. This study explored the associations of social connections, social support, and informal care with ED visits in younger-old (

Objective Head trauma causes a significant number of deaths as well as temporary and permanent disabilities every year. In this study, the prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in primary school children who visited the emergency department (ED) for mild head trauma and the role of ADHD in mild head trauma of this age group were investigated. Methods It was performed with 134 children of primary school age (6-12 years) who were admitted to the ED with mild head trauma and 134 children (control group) who presented with complaints other than head trauma. Turgay DSM-IV-Based Child and Adolescent Behavioral Disorders Screening and Rating Scale (T-DSM-IV-S) was used to evaluate the children for suspected ADHD. According to this scale, some children were referred to the child and adolescent psychiatry department (CAPD) for further evaluation. At the CAPD outpatient clinics, the children who were referred from the ED were examined in detail according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, for possible diagnosis of ADHD. After evaluation of their sociodemographic characteristics and the ADHD test scores that were recorded, the diagnosis of ADHD in these children was established or ruled out. Results It was observed that 41 of the 134 children (30.60%) who presented to the ED with mild head trauma and 12 of the 134 children (8.96%) in the control group were diagnosed with ADHD (P = 0.0001). When ADHD is corrected for sex, 29 of the 41 cases (70.7%) diagnosed with ADHD were boys and 12 (29.3%) were girls (P = 0.000). According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, when the patients who had been diagnosed with ADHD were grouped according to the ages of the children, no statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of ADHD (P = 0.097). Conclusions The prevalence of ADHD has been found to be higher in children of primary school age who present to the ED with mild head trauma. Hence, it can be deduced that the diagnosis of childhood ADHD increases the risk of presenting to the ED with head trauma. We believe that it is very important to keep the possible diagnosis of ADHD in mind and to refer that cases to the CAPD in case of high clinical suspicion, especially in primary school boys who are admitted to the ED with mild head trauma. We believe that in this way, morbidity and mortality due to head trauma in this age group can be significantly reduced. © Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Açan, Ahmet Emrah (Balikesir Author), In this study we aimed to determine the association between bilateral calcaneal fractures and suicide attempt and some socio-demographic characteristics. This study was conducted among patients admitted to the emergency departments of four trauma centers with bilateral calcaneal fractures between January 2014 and March 2017. The Sociodemographic Data Form, Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition (DSM-IV) and Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) were applied to participants. Comparisons about age and gender was made between suicidal and non-suicidal patients with bilateral calcaneal fractures. Twenty-three patients with bilateral calcaneus fractures were included in the study. Of the 23 patients with bilateral calcaneal fractures, 14 (61%) were evaluated as suicidal and nine (39%) were evaluated as not suicidal. The majority of suicidal jumpers were female (n = 11, 78.6%). Suicidal patients were younger compared with non-suicidal fallers. As a result of SCID I interview, nine (64.3%) of 14 suicidal jumpers were diagnosed with serious psychiatric diagnoses: One patient was diagnosed with first episode psychotic disorder, one with schizophrenia, one with Schizoaffective Disorder, one with Bipolar Disorder, two with Major Depressive Disorder and three with Adjustment Disorder. Based on our study results we determined that suicidal jumpers are frequently diagnosed with serious psychiatric disorders. Therefore, the psychiatric dimension should be taken into consideration in the treatment plan for patients with bilateral calcaneal fractures and the multidisciplinary approach should be taken. © 2021 Ondokuz Mayis Universitesi. All rights reserved.

Background There are no previous controlled studies of sentinel headache in ischemic stroke. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the presence of such headache, its characteristics and possible risk factors as compared to a simultaneous control group. Methods Eligible patients (n = 550) had first-ever acute ischemic stroke with presence of new infarction on magnetic resonance imaging with diffusion-weighted imaging (n = 469) or on computed tomography (n = 81). As a control group we studied in parallel patients (n = 192) who were admitted to the emergency room without acute neurological deficits or serious neurological or somatic disorders. Consecutive patients with stroke and a simultaneous control group were extensively interviewed soon after admission using validated neurologist conducted semi-structured interview forms. Based on our previous study of sentinel headache in transient ischemic attacks we defined sentinel headache as a new type of headache or a previous kind of headache with altered characteristics (severe intensity, increased frequency, absence of effect of drugs) within seven days before stroke. Results Among 550 patients with stroke 94 patients (17.1%) had headache during seven days before stroke and 12 (6.2%) controls (p p = 0.04, OR 2.3; 95% CI 1.1–4.8). Conclusions A new type of headache and a previous kind of headache with altered characteristics during one week before stroke are significantly more prevalent than in controls. These headaches represent sentinel headaches. Sudden onset of such headaches should alarm about stroke.

Objective: In the period of the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was either postponed or canceled, except for emergencies, due to the high risk of transmission. Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding presenting to the emergency department and to compare it with the data before the pandemic. Material and Methods: In this single-center, retrospective study, patients were divided into 2 groups: pre-COVID-19 (pre-C) (March 2019-March 2020) and post-COVID-19 (post-C) (March 2020-March 2021). Patients who presented to the emergency department with upper gastrointestinal bleeding during these periods and underwent endoscopic examination were included in the study. Results: Endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal bleeding was urgently performed in 125 patients in the pre-C period and in 89 (29% decrease) patients in the post-C period. The Glasgow-Blatchford Score was higher in the pre-C period (p=0.02). Peptic ulcers were the most common cause of bleeding in both groups. High-risk peptic ulcer (forrest 1a/1b/2a/2b), and malignancy were observed more frequently in the post-C period (p=0.003, p=0.04; respectively). Endoscopic combined treatment rate was higher in the post-C group (p

Background: Defining the relationship between a headache and stroke is essential. The current diagnostic criteria of the ICHD-3 for acute headache attributed to ischemic stroke are based primarily on the opinion of experts rather than on published clinical evidence based on extensive case-control studies in patients with first-ever stroke. Diagnostic criteria for sentinel headache before ischemic stroke do not exist. The present study aimed to develop explicit diagnostic criteria for headache attributed to ischemic stroke and for sentinel headache. Methods: This prospective case-control study included 550 patients (mean age 63.1, 54% males) with first-ever ischemic stroke and 192 control patients (mean age 58.7, 36% males) admitted to the emergency room without any acute neurological deficits or severe disorders. Standardized semi-structured interview forms were used to evaluate past and present headaches during face-to-face interviews by a neurologist on admission to the emergency room in both groups of patients. All headaches were diagnosed according to the ICHD-3. We tabulated the onset of different headaches before a first-ever ischemic stroke and at the time of onset of stroke. We divided them into three groups: a new type of headache, the previous headache with altered characteristics and previous unaltered headaches. The same was done for headaches in control patients within one week before admission to the hospital and at the time of entry. These data were used to create and test diagnostic criteria for acute headache attributed to stroke and sentinel headache. Results: Our previous studies showed that headache at onset of ischemic stroke was present in 82 (14.9%) of 550 patients, and 81 (14.7%) patients had sentinel headache within the last week before a stroke. Only 60% of the headaches at stroke onset fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of ICHD-3. Therefore, we proposed alternative criteria with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 97%. Besides, we developed diagnostic criteria for sentinel headache for the first time with a specificity of 98% and a sensitivity of 100%. Conclusions: We suggest alternative diagnostic criteria for acute headache attributed to ischemic stroke and new diagnostic criteria for sentinel headache with high sensitivity and specificity. © 2022, The Author(s).

Aim: This research aims to assess the severity of coronary artery disease in patients admitted with chest pain to the emergency department and focus on how risk factors vary with gender. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 247 patients with a pre-diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome between August 2020 and February 2021. The severity of coronary artery disease in all patients was evaluated with the Gensini score. Independent risk factors that were found to be related to severe coronary artery patients were analyzed by logistic regression. Results: The risk of severe coronary artery disease of the 247 individuals included in the study was increased by 5% (p

The presentation of both Cotard and Capgras syndromes is uncommon in schizophrenia. We present a case of a 23-year-old male with the diagnosis of schizophrenia with Cotard syndrome who later developed Capgras syndrome. By persisting significant symptoms despite the use of two antipsychotics, he was given the diagnosis of treatment-resistant schizophrenia, and his symptoms improved with clozapine. This is one of the few cases of Cotard and Capgras syndromes in a patient with schizophrenia.

Background In clinical practice, identification of a case of severe asthma exacerbation prompts initiation of corticosteroids. However, not all that wheezes is asthma. Case presentation A 61-year-old man from the Peruvian Amazon presented with progressive dyspnea, abdominal pain, and cough for the past week. His medical history was remarkable for asthma since childhood; he was treated with beta-agonists, ipratropium, and orally administered corticosteroids. On evaluation, he was febrile and ill-appearing. His chest examination revealed diffuse wheezing and bilateral crackles. He was diagnosed as having community-acquired pneumonia and asthma exacerbation and was started on empiric antibiotics, nebulized beta-agonists, and orally administered corticosteroids. His clinical status continued deteriorating and he became critically ill despite broad-spectrum antibiotics and antifungals. Considering the epidemiological background of our patient, bronchoalveolar and fecal samples were obtained to investigate soil-transmitted helminths. Larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis were found in both specimens. Ivermectin was initiated and corticosteroids were discontinued. He experienced remarkable improvement of clinical condition over the next weeks. The literature on this topic was reviewed. Conclusion Cases of severe asthma exacerbation warrant careful evaluation before the initiation of corticosteroids, especially in patients at risk for parasitic infections. A high index of suspicion is critical. Alternative etiologies of respiratory decompensation should be considered in patients who fail to improve with broad-spectrum antibiotics and antifungals.

Background/Aim: Extracellular S100b effects are mediated by the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), which is the S100b membrane receptor. RAGE belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily of cell surface molecules and serves as a multiligand receptor and is expressed in high abundance by alveolar type I (AT-I) cells in adult pulmonary tissue. This study aimed to provide an insight into the association between the severity of COVID- 19 disease and serum S100b levels during admission to the emergency department (ED). Patients and Methods: A total of 64 patients (34 mild cases; 30 severe cases) were diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia and 30 healthy volunteers were admitted to study. Serum S100b levels were measured by using enzymle linked immunoassay method from blood serum samples. Results: Serum S100b levels showed a significantly higher mean value in mild and severe disease cohorts than in healthy controls (p=0.036 and p=0.028 respectively). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated greater area under the curve (AUC) for serum S100b levels of the COVID-19 patients (AUC=0.663, 95% CI=0.541-0.785; p=0.014). In addition, serum S100b concentration was measured as 151.7 ng/ml at 79.3% sensitivity and 51.7% specificity (p=0.014). Serum S100b protein levels can serve as a valuable clinical marker in establishing diagnosis of patients. Though not useful in identifying different stages of COVID-19 infection, serum S100b concentration along with other known markers can be utilized to reliably predict clinical severity along with other clinical parameters. © 2021 International Institute of Anticancer Research. All rights reserved.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and lockdown period may induce an impairment in quality of life (QoL), disruption in treatment (DIT), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in chronic neurological diseases (CNDs). To reach this information, a multicenter, cross-sectional study (COVQoL-CND) was planned. Parkinson’s disease (PD), headache (HA), multiple sclerosis (MS), epilepsy (EP), polyneuropathy (PNP), and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) were selected as the CND. Methods: The COVQoL-CND study includes demographic data, the World Health Organization Quality of Life short form (WHOQOL-BREF), and Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) forms. Results: The mean age of a total of 577 patients was 49 ± 17 (19–87 years), and the ratio of female/male was 352/225. The mean age of patients with PD, HA, MS, EP, PNP, and CVD were 65 ± 11, 39 ± 12, 38 ± 10, 47 ± 17, 61 ± 12, and 60 ± 15 years, respectively. The IES-R scores were found to be higher in the younger group, those with comorbid disease, contacted with CO­VID-19 patients, or diagnosed with COVID-19. In the group with a high IES-R score, the rate of DIT was found to be high. IES-R scores were negatively correlated with QoL. IES-R total scores were found highest in the CVD group and lowest in the PD group. The ratio of DIT was found highest in the PNP group and the lowest in the EP group. Contact with CO­VID-19 patients was high in the EP and HA group. Conclusions: The results of the COVQoL-CND study showed that lockdown causes posttraumatic stress and deterioration in the QoL in CND.

BACKGROUND NSAIDs are the most common agents used in dysmenorrhea treatment. They reduce menstrual pain by reducing uterine pressure and PGF2alpha levels in the menstrual fluid. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of piroxicam and diclofenac sodium as treatments for primary dysmenorrhea. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study was conducted using a randomized and double-blind method. Patients with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores greater than 5 were accepted into the study. The patients who were suitable for inclusion were randomized into 2 groups and received either intramuscular piroxicam or diclofenac sodium. The patients' pain levels were measured at baseline and at 15, 30, 45, and 60 min. A VAS of 10 cm, a numeric scale, a verbal scale, and additional symptoms, as well as pain relapse after 24 hours and required analgesics, were recorded. RESULTS The study included 400 patients. Overall, 200 patients (50%) were in the proxicam group, and 200 patients were in the diclofenac sodium group. The average decrease on the VAS after piroxicam or diclofenac administration was measured as 7.9±1.8 cm and 7.9±1.7 cm (median ± standard deviation), respectively. The pain-reducing efficiency of all the treatments was compared using the Mann-Whitney U test (p=0.929). Rescue medication was needed for 25 patients in the proxicam group (p=0.014). Overall, 30 patients in the proxicam group and 41 patients in the proxicam group needed analgesics again in the 24-hour period after treatment (p=0.150). CONCLUSIONS At the end of our study, it was observed that there was no difference in the results of primary dysmenorrhea treatment with 20 mg piroxicam or 75 mg diclofenac sodium.

Nurses are usually the members of the health team who first reach the patients with cardiopulmonary arrest. The theoretical and practical training of the nurses on basic life support (BLS) is important. The study was designed to assess the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) knowledge and practice of the all nurses who attended BLS course in a tertiary care hospital. The participants were asked to respond to the questions about CPR training information, CPR experiences, and self-confidence in this area before the training. After the questionnaire the participants’ CPR performances on the model were evaluated and the steps are repeated after training. A total of 287 nurses had the training course and all of them were recruited in the study. 11.8% of the par ticipants did not receive any practical training. Only 43.2% of them performed effective CPR. Previous practical training did not show any difference for effective CPR (41.9% versus 52.9% p = 0.222). Those with CPR experience carried out significantly more effective CPR (49.3% versus 27.5% p = 0.001). The ones with real-life CPR experience reported significantly more self-confidence (91.3% versus 66.3%, p

Background Clinical practice is a pivotal part of nursing education. It provides students with the opportunity to put the knowledge and skills they have acquired from lectures into practice with real patients, under the guidance of registered nurses. Clinical experience is also essential for shaping the nursing students’ identity as future professional nurses. There is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the ways in which students learn practical skills and apply knowledge within and across different contexts, i.e. how they apply clinical skills, learnt in the laboratory in university settings, in the clinical setting. The aim of this study was therefore to explore how nursing students describe, and use, their prior experiences related to practical skills during their clinical practice. Methods An ethnographic case study design was used. Fieldwork included participant observations (82 h), informal conversations, and interviews (n = 7) that were conducted during nursing students’ (n = 17) clinical practice at an emergency department at a university hospital in Sweden. Results The overarching theme identified was “Learning about professional identities with respect to situated power”. This encompasses tensions in students’ learning when they are socialized into practical skills in the nursing profession. This overarching theme consists of three sub-themes: “Embodied knowledge”, “Divergent ways of assessing and evaluating knowledge” and “Balancing approaches”. Conclusions Nursing students do not automatically possess the ability to transfer knowledge from one setting to another; rather, their development is shaped by their experiences and interactions with others when they meet real patients. The study revealed different ways in which students navigated tensions related to power differentials. Reflecting on actions is a prerequisite for developing and learning practical skills and professional identities. This highlights the importance of both educators’ and the preceptors’ roles for socializing students in this process.

PubMedID: 28202294 Objectives To present lung ultrasound findings in children assessed with suspected pneumonia in the emergency department and to show the benefit of lung ultrasound in diagnosing pneumonia in comparison with chest X-rays. Methods This observational prospective study was performed in the pediatric emergency department of a single center. Point of care lung ultrasound was performed on each child by an independent sonographer blinded to the patient's clinical and chest X-ray findings. Community acquired pneumonia was established as a final diagnosis by two clinicians based on the recommendations in the British Thoracic Society guideline. Results One hundred sixty children with a mean age of 3.3 ± 4 years and a median age of 1.4 years (min–max 0.08–17.5 years) were investigated. Final diagnosis in 149 children was community-acquired pneumonia. Lung ultrasound findings were compatible with pneumonia in 142 (95.3%) of these 149 children, while chest X-ray findings were compatible with pneumonia in 132 (88.5%). Pneumonia was confirmed with lung ultrasound in 15 of the 17 patients (11.4%) not evaluated as compatible with pneumonia at chest X-ray. While pneumonia could not be confirmed with lung ultrasound in seven (4.6%) patients, findings compatible with pneumonia were not determined at chest X-ray in two of these patients. When lung ultrasound and chest X-ray were compared as diagnostic tools, a significant difference was observed between them (p = 0.041). Conclusions This study shows that lung ultrasound is at least as useful as chest X-ray in diagnosing children with community-acquired pneumonia. © 2017 Elsevier Inc.

Objectives Terminally ill patients in need of palliative care present to emergency departments. This study aims to identify the usage level of the emergency departments by patients in need of palliative care, along with their experienced symptoms, preferences, needs, and the subsequent initiatives taken for symptom management. Methods The study was designed as a cross-sectional study and conducted with a group of 208 patients. The Patient Information Form, the Form of the Criteria for Receiving Palliative Care, and the Karnofsky Performance Scale were used for data collection. Results This report founda thatcancer patients were the most frequent users of emergency facilities within palliative care patient groups and more than half of those hospitalized patients were subsequently admitted to intensive care units. Patients with poorer functional conditions and in need of further palliative care preferred home care rather than receiving Advanced Cardiac Life Support. Conclusion This study displays evidence that palliative care patients with a poorer functional condition in need of further palliative care should be able to spend the last days of their lives at home with their families rather than in the exhausting and crowded environment of the emergency departments. Furthermore, healthcare policymakers should actively support palliative care as well as taking the necessary actions to mitigate the burden placed on hospital resources.

Aim: Violence in health is an important public health problem that threatens community peace. In our study, it was aimed to examine the state of exposure to violence among employees in our clinic in the last one year and our employees’ opinions and attitudes about violence. Material and Methods: The study was performed cross-sectionally. In this study the Violent Incident Form developed by Arnetz (1998) was used as a data collection tool. Results: A total of 182 healthcare workers were included in the study. Of the participants, 14 (7.7%) were faculty members, 37 (20.3%) were physicians, 24 (13.2%) were interns, 70 (38.5%) were nurses, 10 (5.5%) were medical secretaries, and 27 (14.8%) were ancillary health personnel. The female/male ratio was 143/39. Seventy-nine (43.4%) of the employees had been exposed to violence at least once in the last year. Of those experiencing violence, 57 (72%) were female, 28 (35%) were nurses, 21 (27%) were residents, 16 (20%) were interns, five (6.5%) were faculty members, five (6.5%) were allied health personnel, and four (5%) were medical secretaries. Physicians were exposed to violence with a higher rate (p

The mortality rate for the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is increasing worldwide with each passing day. The risk factors for mortality include advanced age and comorbidities. It is still uncertain whether biological agents pose a risk for the progression of SARS-CoV-2. Although there are studies suggesting the use of biological agents in the literature, there are also studies suggesting the discontinuation of biological agents during SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we aimed to determine whether anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF-α agents) therapy, which is one of the biological agents commonly used in rheumatology clinics, has an effect on the clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and to review the literature. We searched the MEDLINE/PubMed and SCOPUS databases until the date of August 15, 2020, using the following keywords: SARS-CoV-2 and anti-TNF-α agents. We reviewed abstracts and retrieved the relevant articles. We reported the clinical manifestation and disease course of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia in three patients with ankylosing spondylitis who were receiving anti-TNF-α agents. All patients in our case series had a mild course similar to the most cases reported in the literature. © 2020 Indian Journal of Rheumatology | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow.

The primary cause of cyanide intake is suicidal attempts, most of which result in death. People who interfere with suspicion of cyanide intoxication may also be exposed to cyanide poisoning. During the autopsy of the corpse in the morning of that day, five people in the autopsy room within the hospital were admitted to the ED with suspicion of cyanide intoxication. Meanwhile, a 36-year-old patient who had come into contact with the patient at night also presented to the ED. Some of the precautionary measures to be taken against inhalation of cyanide may be wearing appropriate masks as well as suitable clothes and keeping the surroundings below 28 °C when exposed to cyanide.

Background: Pathological yawning is a compulsive, frequent, repetitive yawning triggered by a specific reason besides fatigue or boredom. It may be related to iatrogenic, neurologic, psychiatric, gastrointestinal, or metabolic disorders. Moreover, it could also be seen in the course of an ischemic stroke. Aims: To determine whether pathological yawning is a prognostic marker of middle cerebral artery stroke and evaluate its relationship with the infarct location. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: We examined 161 patients with acute middle cerebral artery stroke, consecutively admitted to emergency department. Demographic information, stroke risk factors, stroke type according to Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment classification, blood oxygen saturation, body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, glucose levels, daytime of stroke onset, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, at admission and 24 h), modified Rankin scale (at 3 months), and infarct locations were documented. Pathological yawning was defined as ?3 yawns/15 min. All patients were observed for 6 hours to detect pathological yawning. National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score >10 was determined as severe stroke. The correlation between the presence of pathological yawning and stroke severity, infarct location, and the short-and long-term outcomes of the patients were evaluated. Results: Sixty-nine (42.9%) patients had pathological yawning and 112 (69.6%) had cortical infarcts. Insular and opercular infarcts were detected in 65 (40.4%) and 54 (33.5%) patients, respectively. Pathological yawning was more frequently observed in patients with cortical, insular, and opercular infarcts (p

Introduction Musculoskeletal system traumas are among the most common presentations in the emergency departments. In the treatment of traumatic musculoskeletal pain, paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics (NSAID) are frequently used. Our aim in this study is to compare the efficacy of intravenous dexketoprofen and paracetamol in the treatment of traumatic musculoskeletal pain. Methods This prospective, randomised, double blind, controlled study was conducted in a tertiary care emergency unit. The participating patients were randomised into two groups to receive either 50 mg of dexketoprofen or 1000 mg of paracetamol intravenously by rapid infusion in 150 mL of normal saline. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Numeric Rating Scala (NRS) and Verbal Rating Scale (VRS) was employed for pain measurement at baseline, after 15, after 30 and after 60 mins. Results 200 patients were included in the final analysis. The median age of the paracetamol group was 34 (24–48), while that of the dexketoprofen group was 35 (23–50), and 63% (n = 126) of them consisted of men. Paracetamol and dexketoprofen administration reduced VAS pain scores over time (p = 0.0001). Median reduction in VAS score at 60 min was 55 (IQR 30–65) for the paracetamol group and 50(IQR 30.25–60) for the dexketoprofen group. There was no statistically significant difference between the paracetamol and dexketoprofen groups in terms of VAS reductions (p = 0.613). Conclusion Intravenous paracetamol and dexketoprofen seem to produce equivalent pain relief for acute musculoskeletal trauma in the emergency department. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV NO: NCT03428503

Background: Early and effective treatment of patients with sepsis requires early recognition in emergency department and understanding the severity of the disease. Many studies have been conducted for this purpose, and many of scoring systems have been developed that provide early recognition of these patients and show their severity. Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the scoring systems used to determine the mortality of patients with infections admitted in emergency department. Methods: In all, 400 patients who admitted to Uludağ University Hospital Emergency Department were prospectively included in this study. In addition to Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome score, Quick SOFA score, Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis score, Modified Early Warning Score, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score in all patients, CURB-65 score was calculated in the patients diagnosed with pneumonia. It has been aimed to determine the power of these scores’ predictive mortality rates and their superiority to each other. Results: It was found that Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis score and Quick SOFA score could be used with similar efficacy (respectively p = 0.761 and p = 0.073) in determining early mortality in emergency department (5th and 14th days) and that MEDS score was more effective (p Conclusion: Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis score and Quick SOFA score could be used with similar efficacy in determining early mortality in emergency department. However, if you want to predict 28th-day mortality rate, it can be better to use Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis score or CURB-65 (in patients diagnosed with pneumonia).

Background: In low- and middle-income countries emergency surgery represents a higher proportion of the total number of surgeries and is associated with greater morbidity/mortality. Study aims were to determine if emergency department length of stay (ED-LOS) was associated with adverse perioperative outcomes and if such association varied across patient's risk categories. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of adult patients who underwent orthopedic or abdominal emergency surgery at two Colombian University hospitals. The population comprised a mix of a representative sample of eligible cases, with unselected patients (2/3), enriched with a high-risk subset (1/3). ED-LOS was defined as the interval between emergency department arrival and surgery start time. Our primary outcome was an adverse perioperative outcome during hospitalization, which was a composite of in-hospital mortality or severe complications such as major cardiovascular adverse events, infection, renal failure and bleeding. Results: Among 1487 patients analyzed, there were 519 adverse perioperative outcomes including 150 deaths. In the unselected sample (n = 998) 17.9% of patients presented an adverse perioperative outcome with a mortality of 4.9%. The median ED-LOS was 24.6 (IQR 12.5-53.2) hours. ED-LOS was associated with age, comorbidities and known risk factors for 30-day mortality. Patients developing an adverse perioperative outcome started surgery 27.1 h later than their counterparts. Prolonged ED-LOS increased the risk of an adverse perioperative outcome in patients without risk factors (covariate-adjusted OR = 2.52), while having 1-2 or 3+ risk factors was negatively associated (OR = 0.87 and 0.72, respectively, p less than 0.001 for the interaction). Conclusion: Prolonged ED-LOS is associated with increased adverse perioperative outcome for patients without risk factors for mortality, but seems protective and medically justified for more complex cases. © 2019 The Author(s).

Objectives International health agencies have promoted nontargeted universal (opt-out) HIV screening tests in different settings, including emergency departments (EDs). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the testing uptake of strategies (opt-in targeted, opt-in nontargeted and opt-out) to detect new cases of HIV infection in EDs. Methods We searched the Pubmed and Embase databases, from 1984 to April 2015, for opt-in and opt-out HIV diagnostic strategies used in EDs. Randomized controlled or quasi experimental studies were included. We assessed the percentage of positive individuals tested for HIV infection in each programme (opt-in and opt-out strategies). The mean percentage was estimated by combining studies in a random-effect meta-analysis. The percentages of individuals tested in the programmes were compared in a random-effect meta-regression model. Data were analysed using stata version 12. Quality assessments were performed using the Newcastle−Ottawa Scale. Results Of the 90 papers identified, 28 were eligible for inclusion. Eight trials used opt-out, 18 trials used opt-in, and two trials used both to detect new cases of HIV infection. The test was accepted and taken by 75 155 of 172 237 patients (44%) in the opt-out strategy, and 73 581 of 382 992 patients (19%) in the opt-in strategy. The prevalence of HIV infection detected by the opt-out strategy was 0.40% (373 cases), that detected by the opt-in nontargeted strategy was 0.52% (419 cases), and that detected by the opt-in targeted strategy was 1.06% (52 cases). Conclusions In this meta-analysis, the testing uptake of the opt-out strategy was not different from that of the opt-in strategy to detect new cases of HIV infection in EDs.

Background High blood pressure is still a challenge for emergency physicians to discern the patients that require further analysis to establish the existence of acute hypertensive target organ damage (TOD). The present study aimed to reveal that adropin levels are useful for detecting TOD in patients presenting with high blood pressure. Methods Patients presenting with a blood pressure of more than 180/110 mm Hg were enrolled into the study. After a resting period of 15 minutes, patients' blood pressures were measured thrice at 5-minute intervals while the patients were sitting on a chair, and the average of these measurements was accepted as the baseline value. Blood samples were obtained for either adropin levels or possible TOD during the emergency department admission. Results A total of 119 patients were included in the study. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures of study patients were 204.8 ± 23.2 and 108.3 ± 10.3, respectively, and 42% (n = 50) of the patients had TOD. Although the adropin levels were similar between the patients with or without TOD (TOD group = 195 pg/mL, interquartile range [IQR]: 178-201; no-TOD group = 196 pg/mL, IQR: 176-204 [P =.982]), it is significantly higher in normotensive patients (normotensive group = 289 pg/mL, IQR: 193-403) compared with the hypertensive ones (P

BACKGROUND This study aimed to compare the clinical validity and reliability of two wireless telemetry electrocardiogram (ECG) devices in the Emergency Medicine Department. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients who attended the Emergency Medicine Department underwent wireless telemetry ECG testing (N=245) using the Infron Micro Cor and the Nihon Kohden Cardiofax M 1350 K devices. ECG recordings included heart rate, P-wave amplitude, PR segment length, QRS duration, QT and QTc intervals, ST depression and elevation, the number of ECG artifacts, the ECG diagnosis, and duration. Statistical analysis of reliability included the use of Cohen's kappa (κ) values. RESULTS One hundred women (40.8%) and 145 men (59.2%) were included in the study. The duration for the Infron Micro Cor ECG readings (57.5±0.93 seconds) was significantly shorter compared with the Nihon Kohden Cardiofax M ECG readings (65.2±9.72 seconds) (p=0.0001). The Infron Micro Cor ECG readings contained significantly more lead artifacts (93 or 37.9%) compared with the Nihon Kohden ECG readings (71 or 28.9%) (p=0.01). There was no difference between the two devices in terms of the other ECG parameters. The compatibility of ST-segment elevation detection was found to be almost in complete agreement between the Infron Micro Cor and Nihon Kohden Cardiofax M ECG devices, as determined by the k-values for ST elevation and ST depression. CONCLUSIONS Two wireless telemetry ECG devices were found to be reliable for use in the Emergency Medicine Department. The Infron Micro Cor wireless telemetry ECG device provided more rapid results.

Background: The consumption of energy drinks is increasing among students of medicine and recent medical graduates. A cross-sectional study that uses a questionnaire designed to gather information on energy drinks consumption analyzes this problem. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a questionnaire designed to gather information on energy drinks consumption of medical students and physicians. Four hundred fifty questionnaires were completed. Results: The majority of the questionnaires was completed in Colombia; the rest were completed in North American (n: 8, 1.8%), Central America (n: 17, 3.8%), South America (n: 86, 19.1%), and Europe (n: 2, 0.4%). There is a high frequency of energy drinks consumption among medical students and physicians; for every five physicians or medical students who consume energy drinks, one is not a consumer. Conclusions: There is a great need to build awareness among physicians and medical students concerning these drinks. This study identifies a risk behavior, and it summons the international medical community, health institutions, universities, and trade associations to conduct health promotion and prevention activities, including the practice of healthy habits in medical students and physicians to deal with this problem. © 2019, © 2019 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Background: To evaluate the associations between individual income, all-cause mortality and use of healthcare resources in a very large population of chronic heart failure (CHF) patients living in Catalonia (Spain), where access to public healthcare is granted by law. Methods and results: We used 2016 data from the Catalan Health Surveillance System, a large, exhaustive, administrative healthcare database which includes information on medical diagnoses, healthcare resource use, and individual income for all Catalan residents (N = 7,638,524). Individual annual income was categorized as high (>100,000€), medium (18,000–100,000€), low (

Background and Aims: Real-world patients' medication adherence and inhalation techniques severely impact asthma clinical and economic outcomes, but have not been incorporated into previous asthma costeffectiveness models. Advancements in smart, digital and eHealth-based inhalers development could offer new opportunities. This study aims to develop a model incorporating adherence and inhalation technique and determine the potential cost-effectiveness of adherence and inhalation technique enhancing interventions. Methods: A Markov model with 6 health-states which consists of combinations of 2 asthma control status (controlled vs uncontrolled) along with 2 mortality states (asthma-related vs other cause) and exacerbation states (i.e. oral-corticosteroid burst, emergency department visit, and hospitalization) was developed for simulating the cost-effectiveness of adherence and inhalation improvement programs for patients with uncontrolled asthma. Bi-weekly health state transitions were used along with a lifetime horizon to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of three hypothetical scenarios (1. full adherence/good technique 2. full adherence/poor technique and 3. poor adherence/good technique) vs usual care (poor adherence/poor technique) within the U.S. payer perspective. Results: Over a 60-year period, the full adherence and good technique group was associated with (discounted) $107, 309 costs and 18.82 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), the full adherence and poor technique group was associated with $107,936 costs and 18.80 QALYs, the poor adherence and good technique group was associated with $106,517 costs and 18.74 QALYs, and the poor adherence and technique group was associated with $103,667 costs and 18.74 QALYs. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of the full adherence good technique (full adherence poor technique and poor adherence good technique) vs usual care was $41,831 ($66,826 and $1,056,016) per QALY. Conclusion: Given the growing development of adherence and inhalation technique improving interventions (e.g. smart inhalers) in asthma, this study shows that attempts in improving adherence and inhalation technique for uncontrolled asthma patients can be associated with significant gains in QALYs at the standard willingness-to-pay threshold.

Background and Aims: Real-world patients' medication adherence and inhalation techniques severely impact asthma clinical and economic outcomes, but have not been incorporated into previous asthma costeffectiveness models. Advancements in smart, digital and eHealth-based inhalers development could offer new opportunities. This study aims to develop a model incorporating adherence and inhalation technique and determine the potential cost-effectiveness of adherence and inhalation technique enhancing interventions. Methods: A Markov model with 6 health-states which consists of combinations of 2 asthma control status (controlled vs uncontrolled) along with 2 mortality states (asthma-related vs other cause) and exacerbation states (i.e. oral-corticosteroid burst, emergency department visit, and hospitalization) was developed for simulating the cost-effectiveness of adherence and inhalation improvement programs for patients with uncontrolled asthma. Bi-weekly health state transitions were used along with a lifetime horizon to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of three hypothetical scenarios (1. full adherence/good technique 2. full adherence/poor technique and 3. poor adherence/good technique) vs usual care (poor adherence/poor technique) within the U.S. payer perspective. Results: Over a 60-year period, the full adherence and good technique group was associated with (discounted) $107, 309 costs and 18.82 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), the full adherence and poor technique group was associated with $107,936 costs and 18.80 QALYs, the poor adherence and good technique group was associated with $106,517 costs and 18.74 QALYs, and the poor adherence and technique group was associated with $103,667 costs and 18.74 QALYs. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of the full adherence good technique (full adherence poor technique and poor adherence good technique) vs usual care was $41,831 ($66,826 and $1,056,016) per QALY. Conclusion: Given the growing development of adherence and inhalation technique improving interventions (e.g. smart inhalers) in asthma, this study shows that attempts in improving adherence and inhalation technique for uncontrolled asthma patients can be associated with significant gains in QALYs at the standard willingness-to-pay threshold.

Purpose: The World Health Organization (WHO) case management algorithm for acute lower respiratory infections has moderate sensitivity and poor specificity for the diagnosis of pneumonia. We sought to determine the feasibility of using point-of-care ultrasound in resource-limited settings to identify pneumonia by general health practitioners and to determine agreement between the WHO algorithm and lung consolidations identified by point-of-care ultrasound. Methods: An expert radiologist taught two general practitioners how to perform point-of-care ultrasound over a seven-day period. We then conducted a prospective study of children aged 2 months to 3 years in Peru and Nepal with and without respiratory symptoms, which were evaluated by point-of-care ultrasound to identify lung consolidation. Results: We enrolled 378 children: 127 were controls without respiratory symptoms, 82 had respiratory symptoms without clinical pneumonia, and 169 had clinical pneumonia by WHO criteria. Point-of-care ultrasound was performed in the community (n = 180), in outpatient offices (n = 95), in hospital wards (n = 19), and in Emergency Departments (n = 84). Average time to perform point-of-care ultrasound was 6.4 ± 2.2 min. Inter-observer agreement for point-of-care ultrasound interpretation between general practitioners was high (κ = 0.79, 95 % CI 0.73–0.81). The diagnosis of pneumonia using the WHO algorithm yielded a sensitivity of 69.6 % (95 % CI 55.7–80.8 %), specificity of 59.6 % (95 % CI 54.0–65.0 %), and positive and negative likelihood ratios of 1.73 (95 % CI 1.39–2.15) and 0.51 (95 % CI 0.30–0.76) when lung consolidation on point-of-care ultrasound was used as the reference. Conclusions: The WHO algorithm disagreed with point-of-care ultrasound findings in more than one-third of children and had an overall low performance when compared with point-of-care ultrasound to identify lung consolidation. A paired approach with point-of-care ultrasound may improve case management in resource-limited settings.

German Devia Jaramillo,1 Jenny Torres Castillo,1 Freddy Lozano,2 Angélica Ramírez2 1Emergency Medicine Department, Universidad del Rosario, Resuscitation Unit, Hospital Universitario Mayor Méderi, Bogotá, Colombia; 2Resuscitation Unit, University Hospital Mayor Méderi, Bogotá, Colombia Introduction: The use of central venous catheters (CVCs) in the emergency room (ER) is a valuable tool for the comprehensive management of critically ill patients; however, the positioning of these devices is not free of complications. Currently, the use of ultrasound is considered a useful and safe tool to carry out these procedures, but in Colombia, the number of emergency departments providing this tool is scarce and there is no literature describing the experience in our country. Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the experience regarding placement of ultrasound-guided CVCs by emergency physicians in an institution in Bogotá, as well as the associated complications. Materials and methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional retrospective study. Medical records of 471 patients requiring insertion of CVCs in the resuscitation area from January 2014 to December 2014 were reviewed. Insertion site and complications are described. Results: For 471 total cases, the average age of patients was 68.6years, the most frequent diagnosis was sepsis (30.7%), the preferred route of insertion was the right internal jugular vein, and insertion was successful at the first attempt in 85.9% of patients. Pneumothorax was the most common complication (1.2%), followed by extensive hematoma and infection. Conclusion: Insertion of ultrasound-guided CVCs by emergency physicians is a safe procedure that involves complications similar to those reported in the literature; it is necessary to expand the use of ultrasound-guided CVCs in ERs. Keywords: ultrasound, central catheter, emergency room, critical care, Colombia

Birt-Hogg-Dube (BHD) syndrome is an unusual disorder characterized by the triad of cutaneous lesions, renal tumors and lung cysts. In cases with BHD syndrome, the frequency of recurrent pneumothorax is increased due to presence of multiple lung cysts. It is important to evaluate the BHD syndrome in differential diagnosis of recurrent pneumothorax especially with multiple lung cysts predominating in the lung base. In these patients, the presence of accompanying kidney and other tumors should be investigated. Herein, we report a case of BHD syndrome presenting with recurrent pneumothorax. © 2018 by Turkish Thoracic Society.

Objectives: To evaluate adherence to the sepsis bundle before and after an educational strategy and its impact on hospital stay. Design: A prospective, analytic, before-and-after study of children with severe sepsis and septic shock who presented to the emergency department. Setting: Carried out from January to December 2014 in the emergency department of a quaternary care hospital. Patients: Of a total of 19,836 children who presented to the emergency department, 4,383 had an infectious pathology, with 203 of these showing severe sepsis and septic shock (124 pre intervention, and 79 post intervention). Interventions: The healthcare providers caring for the patients in pediatric emergency received an educational intervention and an update on the bundle concepts proposed in 2010 by the Pediatric Advanced Life Support program of the American Heart Association and adapted by this study's investigators. Measurements and Main Results: The main cause of sepsis in both groups was respiratory (59 vs 33; p = 0.72), without differences in the Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 score (7.23 vs 8.1; p = 0.23). The postintervention group showed a reduced hospital stay (11.6 vs 7.9 d; p = 0.01), a shorter time before ordering fluid boluses (247 vs 5 min; p = 0.001), the application of the first dose of antibiotic (343 vs 271 min; p = 0.03), and a decreased need for mechanical ventilation (20.1% vs 7.5%; p = 0.01). Postintervention adherence to the complete bundle was 19.2%, compared with the preintervention group, which was 27.7% (p = 0.17). Conclusions: Adherence to a bundle strategy is low following an educational intervention. However, when patients are managed after instruction in guideline recommendations, hospital stay may be significantly reduced. © 2018 by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies.

Utilization of services is an important indicator for estimating access to healthcare. In Norway, the General Practitioner Scheme, a patient list system, was established in 2001 to enable a stable doctor-patient relationship. Although satisfaction with the system is generally high, people often choose a more accessible but inferior solution for routine care: emergency wards. The aim of the article is to investigate contact patterns in primary health care situations for the total population in urban and remote areas of Norway and for major immigrant groups in Oslo. The primary regression model had a cross-sectional study design analyzing 2,609,107 consultations in representative municipalities across Norway, estimating the probability of choosing the emergency ward in substitution to a general practitioner. In a second regression model comprising 625,590 consultations in Oslo, we calculated this likelihood for immigrants from the 14 largest groups. We noted substantial differences in emergency ward utilization between ethnic Norwegians both in rural and remote areas and among the various immigrant groups residing in Oslo. Oslo utilization of emergency ward services for the whole population declined, and so did this use among all immigrant groups after 2009. Other municipalities, while overwhelmingly ethnically Norwegian, showed diverse patterns including an increase in some and a decrease in others, results which we were unable to explain.

Objective Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic agent that has an increased frequency of usage in the last years particularly in emergency departments. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether ketamine is related to myocardial injury in children undergoing minor procedures. Method Children younger than 18 years undergoing procedural sedation secondary to minor trauma composed the study population. Patients were administered ketamine with a dose of 1.5 mg/kg via intravenous route. QT interval was measured by Bazett's formula, and QT dispersion was determined by taking the average of 3 different QT intervals. High-sensitive troponin levels were measured before and 3 hours after the ketamine administration. Results A total of 30 patients were included into the study. Study subjects had a median age of 2 years (interquartile range, 1-4 years). There were 2 patients among the study patients who had troponin elevations 3 hours after the ketamine administrations. High-sensitive troponin levels of these 2 at the time of preketamine, 3, 5, and 24 hours after the ketamine administration were as follows: 5, 29, 15, and 5 ng/L and 3, 44, 41, and 4 ng/L, respectively. There was no difference before and after the ketamine administration for the corrected QT intervals and QT dispersions. Conclusion Ketamine may be related to minor troponin elevations in children undergoing procedural sedation without a permanent cardiac dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to detect the mortality predictive power of new Glasgow coma scale, age, and arterial pressure (GAP) scoring system in major trauma patients admitted to the emergency department (ED). METHODS: A total of 100 major trauma patients admitted to Uludag University Faculty of Medicine ED who were 18 years of age or more were included in the study. In this prospective study, revised trauma score (RTS), injury severity score (ISS), trauma-related ISS (TRISS), Mechanism, GAP (MGAP) and GAP scores of the patients were calculated. RESULTS: A significant positive correlation was established between ISS, TRISS, MGAP, and GAP in predicting in-hospital mortality (p

Snake bites are leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in rural areas. Therapeutic plasma exchange has been used in the treatment of many different conditions such as immunologic diseases, toxicologic disorders, and snake envenomation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of plasma exchange treatment on clinical status, outcomes, and discharge of patients who were bitten by venomous snakes. The study was conducted retrospectively in the Emergency Department of Gaziantep University from January 2002 to December 2011. Thirty-seven patients were included in the present study. Routine biochemical and hematologic laboratory parameters were studied before and after plasma exchange. Demographic data, clinical status, and outcomes of patients were recorded. Plasma exchange was performed by using centrifugation technology via an intravenous antecubital or subclavian vein catheter access. Human albumin/fresh frozen plasma was used as replacement fluids. A significant correlation was seen between therapeutic plasma exchange and improvement of laboratory results. None of the study patients lost their limbs. Eight patients were sent to the intensive care unit. The mean length of the hospital stay was 12.2 days (4-28). All patients were discharged with good recovery. No complications were seen during the 3 months following discharge. Plasma exchange appears to be an effective treatment intervention for snake bite envenomations, especially in the management of hematologic problems and in limb preservation/salvage strategies. In addition to traditional treatment methods, plasma exchange should be considered by emergency physicians in cases of snake bite envenomation as a therapeutic approach to facilitate rapid improvement.

Objective This study is designed to investigate the factors affecting parental anxiety regarding their children with head injury in the emergency department (ED). Materials and methods This prospective observational study enrolled all consecutive paediatric patients admitted to the university-based ED with the presenting chief complaint of paediatric blunt head injury (PBHI). The parents were asked to respond to the 10-item questionnaire during both presentation and discharge. Anxiety and persuasion scores of the parents were calculated and magnitudes of the decreases in anxiety and persuasion scores were analysed with respect to sociodemographic and clinical variables. Results The study sample included 341 patients admitted to the ED. The anxiety and persuasion scores of mothers and fathers were not significantly different from each other on presentation while the extent of decrease in anxiety scores of mothers were significantly smaller than that of the fathers (p=0.003). The parents’ education levels had significant impact on anxiety and persuasion scores recorded on presentation. The anxiety and persuasion scores were inversely related to education levels of the parents on presentation (p=0.002 and p=0.000, respectively). In addition, lower education levels were found to be associated with a greater decrease in anxiety and persuasion scores. Neurosurgical consultation also affected the magnitude of the decrease in anxiety and persuasion scores of the parents. The changes in the scores were affected negatively by the parents’ age. Conclusions Radiological investigations had no significant impact on the decrease in anxiety and persuasion scores of the parents by themselves, while neurosurgical consultation had significant impact on them. Emergency physicians should tailor their strategy to institute effective communication with the parents of children to cut down unnecessary investigations in PBHI.

Venom of Leiurus abdullahbayrami (Scorpiones: Buthidae) is an extremely toxic one and it stimulates voltage-gated sodium and potassium channels. In case of a stung by this scorpion; excessive catecholamine release occur and it impairs left ventricle contractility and consequently a heart failure occurs (scorpion sting-related cardiomyopathy). In addition to this cardiac-induced acute pulmonary, edema may occur in severe cases too. An 11-year-old male child who was stung by a scorpion (species: Leiurus abdullahbayrami) consulted to the Emergency Room. Even after 7 h of scorpion envenomation he was confused and having hallucinations. Besides he was dyspneic, tachycardic, hypotensive and got worse in overall situation due to cardiogenic pulmonary edema. These clinical findings are concordant with the Level III scorpion envenomation (major systemic manifestations). Positive inotropic agents, diuretics and antiagregant agents used on supportive therapy in his treatment. After 2 weeks he get recovered and discharged from the pediatric intensive care unit. This research is conducted by thinking emergency physicians should learn that Leiurus abdullahbayrami envenomation can cause scorpion-related cardiomyopathy and acute pulmonary edema especially in children. Keywords: Leiurus, Scorpionism, Cardiomyopathy, Pulmonary edema

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Hydatid disease is a common parasitic disease in areas where sheep and cattle are raised and is currently endemic in the eastern and southwestern parts of Turkey. Patients with hydatid cysts typically present with cough, chest pain, dyspnea, hemoptysis, or allergic reactions. When ruptured, these cysts may cause hemoptysis, dyspnea, and hydatid thorax. Previously published series of cyst hydatid have reported cyst hydatid rupture and hemothorax secondary to trauma, but nontraumatic hemothorax due to spontaneous rupture of hydatid cyst has not been defined. We discuss the clinical features of a patient with no history of trauma who presented to the emergency department with hemoptysis and dyspnea and was found to have hemothorax due to spontaneous rupture of the hydatid cyst on videothoracoscopic investigation and underwent thoracotomy for hydatid disease treatment. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.

Objectives: The early diagnosis and treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome in the emergency department is crucial. This study examined the data involving sociodemographic and clinical features of patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome. Methods: The study participants included subjects recruited over a four year period with the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome in the emergency department. Patients' gender, age, complaints, histories, diagnoses, and results were obtained and evaluated. Results: Most of the subjects in the study were males with histories of consisting of hypertension, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus. The mean age of subjects was 52.4±9.4 years, and the most common time patients registered were between either 05:00-08:00 or 17:00-20:00. Most visits occurred during the weekends and the month of December. The most common complaint was chest pain (72.6%), and the subjects average duration at the emergency department was 2.5±2.4 hours. The most common diagnosis for both genders was UA, and it was found that the diagnosis of non-ST elevation MI increased as patients age increased. The diagnosis of UA was more prevelant in females when compared to males (p

BACKGROUND This study was conducted as a survey including work-related injuries (WRI) of workers in the textile and clothing industry admitted to the emergency department (ED). METHODS This prospective study included patients with WRI reportedly occurring in the textile and clothing industry over a two-year period. The study sample comprised only the casualties occurring at the workplace and while working de facto. RESULTS A total of 374 patients were eligible for the study. More than three-fourths of the study sample were females (76.2\%, n=285). A significant proportion of the patients were between 14 and 24 years of age (44.7\%, n=167). Approximately two-thirds reported that this was their first admission to a hospital related to WRI (65.8\%, n=246). WRIs occurred most frequently between 07:00-09:00 (27.3\%) and 23:00-01:00 (17.9\%). ``Carelessness{''} and ``rushing{''} were the most commonly reported causes of WRIs from the patients' perspective (40.6\% and 21.4\%, respectively). Three-fourths of the patients reported that they were using protective equipment (74.3\%, n=278). With respect to injury types, laceration/puncture/ amputation/avulsion injuries accounted for 55.6\% (n=208) of the sample. Trauma to the upper extremities was the main type of injury in 75.1\% (n=281) of the cases. CONCLUSION Broad population-based studies are needed to define the situation as a whole in WRIs in the textile and clothing industry in the country. Strict measures should be undertaken and revised accordingly to prevent WRIs in these growing sectors.

Objective. To investigate the efficacy and side effect of ketoprofen as well as compliance with respect to the taste of the drug and compare these parameters with those of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Methods. A total of 301 patients between 1-14 years of age who attended to emergency rooms of three medical centers with the complaint of fever that required antipyretic therapy were included in the study. Fever was measured with the aid of a tympanic thermometer (Braun Kronberg 6014) and followed for 4-6 hours. The measurement was repeated at 30, 60, 120 minutes, and again 4-6 hours after the initial assessment. Results. The mean age of the patients was 47.8 +/- 41.1 months. The patients randomly received 15 mg/kg/dose of acetaminophen (n=112 group 1), 0.5 mg/kg/dose of ketoprofen (n=105, group 2), or 10 mg/kg/dose of ibuprofen (n=84, group 3). Temperature records in three groups was 38.4 +/- 0.7 degrees C, 38.4 +/- 0.7 degrees C, and 38.5 +/- 0.5 degrees C at 30 minutes; 38.0 +/- 0.7 degrees C, 37.9 +/- 0.7 degrees C, and 38.0 +/- 0.6 degrees C at 60 minutes (p > 0.05), 37.7 +/- 0.6 degrees C, 37.6 +/- 0.7 degrees C, and 37.7 +/- 0.5 degrees C at 120 minutes (p > 0.05); 37.5 +/- 0.7 degrees C, 37.3 +/- 0.6 degrees C, and 37.4 +/- 0.6 degrees C at 4-6 hours after admission (P > 0.05) respectively. The fever was significantly lower at 30, 60, and 120 minutes in all groups (p < 0.05) respectively. Early vomiting after medication (< 6 hours) was observed in 3.8%, 13.5%, and 9.6% respectively whereas late vomiting (6-48 hours) occurred in 1.3%, 2.7%, and 5.8% respectively (p > 0.05). Bad taste was expressed by 5.1%, 12.2%, and 5.8% early (< 6 hours), and 3.9%, 8.1%, and 3.8% late (6-48 hours) (p > 0.05). There were no differences between age groups for antipyretic effect, taste and adverse effect in three drugs (p > 0.05). Conclusion. All three drugs were similar in terms of efficacy, adverse effects, and compliance within 48 hours of therapy. These results suggest that ketoprofen may be used for antipyresis as an alternative to acetaminophen and ibuprofen.