Medical Specialties Commons^™

Urgent Care And Emergency Department Visits In The Pediatric Medicaid Population., Amanda Montalbano, Jonathan Rodean, Juhi Kangas, Brian R. Lee, Matt Hall

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background: Urgent care (UC) is one of the fastest growing venues of health care delivery. We compared clinical and cost attributes of pediatric UC and emergency department (ED) visits that did not result in admission.

Methods: Our study examined 5 925 568 ED and UC visits of children under 19 years old in the 2010 through 2012 Marketscan Medicaid Multi-State Database. Basic demographics, diagnoses, severity, and payments were compared. Between ED and UC visits, χ(2) tests were used for proportions and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used for continuous variables.

Results: The UC and ED had the same most common diagnoses. …

Physician Quality Reporting System Program Updates And The Impact On Emergency Medicine Practice., Jennifer L Wiler, Michael Granovsky, Stephen V Cantrill, Richard Newell, Arjun K Venkatesh, Jeremiah D Schuur

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

In 2007, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) created a novel payment program to create incentives for physician's to focus on quality of care measures and report quality performance for the first time. Initially termed "The Physician Voluntary Reporting Program," various Congressional actions, including the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (TRHCA) and Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA) further strengthened and ensconced this program, eventually leading to the quality program termed today as the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS). As a result of passage of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, …

Severity Of Pain Is Not Associated With Urgency Of Diagnosis In Ed Patients With Abdominal Pain, Ryan Brunetti, Caitlin David, Lorna Richards, Melissa J. Mccarthy, Andrew C. Meltzer

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Background

Abdominal Pain is the most common cause of visits to US Emergency Departments (EDs) and the causes range from urgent to non-urgent diagnoses. Distinguishing urgent versus non-urgent causes of abdominal pain is done through the use of clinical exam, lab studies and diagnostic imaging such as CT scans. There are no validated clinical decision rules to assist physicians in discriminating urgent from non-urgent causes of abdominal pain or which patient needs a CT scan. There is controversy regarding the use of CT scans for patients with abdominal pain due to the increased cost, radiation exposure and length of stay. …

Comparing Emergency Department Resident And Patient Perspectives On Costs In Emergency Care, Stefanie Gilbert, Leana S. Wen, Jesse M. Pines

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Objectives: Costs of care are increasingly important in healthcare policy and, more recently, clinical care in the Emergency Department (ED). We compare ED resident and patient perceptions surrounding the costs of emergency care, compliance, communication, and education.

Methods: We conducted a mixed methods study using surveys and qualitative interviews in a single, urban academic ED. The first study population was a convenience sample of adult patients (>17 years of age), and the second was ED residents training at the same institution. Participants answered open- and closed-ended questions on costs, cost-related compliance, and communication. Residents answered additional questions …

Imparting Research Ethics In Emergency Medicine-A Perspective From The Developing World, Shahan Waheed, Muhammad Akbar Baig, Asad Mian

Department of Emergency Medicine

No abstract provided.

Adiponectin At Physiologically Relevant Concentrations Enhances The Vasorelaxative Effect Of Acetylcholine Via Cav-1/Adipor-1 Signaling., Yunhui Du, Rui Li, Wayne Bond Lau, Jianli Zhao, Bernard Lopez, Theodore A Christopher, Xin-Liang Ma, Yajing Wang

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

Clinical studies have identified hypoadiponectinemia as an independent hypertension risk factor. It is known that adiponectin (APN) can directly cause vasodilation, but the doses required exceed physiologic levels several fold. In the current study, we determine the effect of physiologically relevant APN concentrations upon vascular tone, and investigate the mechanism(s) responsible. Physiologic APN concentrations alone induced no significant vasorelaxation. Interestingly, pretreatment of wild type mouse aortae with physiologic APN levels significantly enhanced acetylcholine (ACh)-induced vasorelaxation (P

Safety Netting Through The Prevention And Detection Of Child Abuse In Low And Middle Income Countries: Lessons From Pakistan, Kanwal Nayani, Muhammad Akbar Baig, Nick Brown, Asad Mian

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

No abstract provided.

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding Guidelines And Clinical Practice Are Based On Poor Quality Evidence, Mirek Mychajlowycz

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A critical appraisal and clinical application of Munro MG, Mainor N, Basu R, Brisinger M, Barreda L. Oral medroxyprogesterone acetate and combination oral contraceptives for acute uterine bleeding: A randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2006 Oct;108(4):924-929. doi:10.1097/01.AOG.0000238343.62063.22

Psychiatric Boarding In New Hampshire: Violation Of A Statutory Right To Treatment, James A. Mcclure

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

[Excerpt] "New Hampshire law provides for the involuntary commitment of a patient such as Jane when she is a danger to herself or others as a result of mental illness. The patient has a right to treatment under N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 135-C:1, et seq. Specifically, the patient should receive "adequate and humane treatment" pursuant to an "individual service plan" and "in the least restrictive environment necessary." However, appropriate facilities often are not available for patients waiting in emergency rooms, and patients can become trapped for hours or even days. This phenomenon is called "psychiatric boarding."

New Hampshire is …

Uchunguzi (Journal Watch/Montre De Journal) March 2016, Benjamin Wachira

Emergency Medicine, East Africa

Increasing demand on emergency healthcare systems throughout Africa means there is a need to develop and harmonise standards of emergency care for the benefit of African populations. This can potentially be achieved by developing guidelines for appropriate and high quality education to prepare future generations of emergency healthcare providers for their role in all regions of Africa. With this in mind, the African Emergency Nursing Curriculum was developed by emergency nurses, academics and researchers from Africa and the rest of the world to provide a consensus document to guide the development of harmonised standards of emergency nursing theory and practice …

Factors Associated With Interest In Same-Day Contraception Initiation Among Females In The Pediatric Emergency Department., Melissa K. Miller, Kimberly A. Randell, Romina Barral, Ashley K. Sherman, Elizabeth Miller

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

PURPOSE: The purposes were to describe interest in hormonal contraception initiation among female adolescent in the emergency department (ED) and to assess for associations with factors known to increase pregnancy risk such as violence victimization.

METHODS: We used a computerized survey to assess sexual and dating practices, pregnancy history/likelihood, contraception use (including long-acting reversible contraception [LARC]) and concerns, contraception initiation interest, violence victimization, medical utilization, and demographics among sexually experienced females aged 14-19 years in our ED. The primary outcome was interest in contraception initiation. We compared responses between subgroups using the chi-square test.

RESULTS: A total of 168 adolescents …

The Relationship Between Aldosterone And Left Ventricular Hypertrophy In Hypertensive Patients, Tahsin M. Rahman, Phillip Levy, Aaron M. Brody

Honors College Theses

Background - Aldosterone is a pertinent hormone in naturally elevating blood pressure within the body by increasing fluid retention in the body via electrolyte reabsorption in the kidneys. Consequently, aldosterone can have an indirect effect on the incidence of LVH considering the hormone can reinforce high blood pressure. However, recent studies have suggested that aldosterone and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system (RAAS) may have a direct role in leading to an increase in left ventricular mass. Patients with hyperaldosteronism, otherwise elevated circulating aldosterone, have shown high frequencies of LVH regardless of the presence of hypertension. Furthermore, cardiomyocytes have been seen to contain mineralocorticoid …

Epigenetic Repression Of Pdz-Lim Domain-Containing Protein 2 Promotes Ovarian Cancer Via Nos2-Derived Nitric Oxide Signaling., Linjie Zhao, Chuan Yu, Shengtao Zhou, Wayne Bond Lau, Bonnie Lau, Zhongyue Luo, Qiao Lin, Huiliang Yang, Yu Xuan, Tao Yi, Xia Zhao, Yuquan Wei

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

Ovarian cancer constitutes one of the most lethal gynaecological malignancies worldwide and currently no satisfactory therapeutic approaches have been established. Therefore, elucidation of molecular mechanisms to develop targeted therapy of ovarian cancer is crucial. PDLIM2 is critical to promote ubiquitination of nuclear p65 and thus its role in inflammation has been highlighted recently. We demonstrate that PDLIM2 is decreased in both ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma and in various human ovarian cancer cell lines compared with normal ovary tissues and human ovarian surface epithelial cells (HOSE). Further functional analysis revealed that PDLIM2 is epigenetically repressed in ovarian cancer development and inhibition …

Crhbp Polymorphisms Predict Chronic Pain Development Following Motor Vehicle Collision, S. D. Linnstaedt, A. V. Bortsov, A. C. Soward, R. Swor, D. A. Peak, J. Jones, N. Rathlev, D. C. Lee, R. Domeier, P. L. Hendry, S. A. Mclean

Journal Articles

Musculoskeletal pain (MSP) is a common sequela of traumatic stress exposure. While biologic factors contributing to chronic MSP after motor vehicle collision (MVC) have traditionally focused on tissue injury, increasing evidence suggests that neuro/stress/immune processes mediated by stress system activation may play a more dominant role. In a previous study we found that genetic variants in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis-related gene FKBP5 influence vulnerability to persistent MSP 6 weeks after MVC. In the present cohort study (n = 855) we evaluated whether genetic variants in several other important HPA axis-related genes, including the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor R1 …

Simulation For Operational Readiness In A New Freestanding Emergency Department: Strategy And Tactics, R L. Kerner, K Gallo, M Cassara Do, J D'Angelo, A Egan, J G. Simmons

Journal Articles

© 2016 by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. Statement Simulation in multiple contexts over the course of a 10-week period served as a core learning strategy to orient experienced clinicians before opening a large new urban freestanding emergency department. To ensure technical and procedural skills of all team members, who would provide care without on-site recourse to specialty backup, we designed a comprehensive interprofessional curriculum to verify and regularize a wide range of competencies and best practices for all clinicians. Formulated under the rubric of systems integration, simulation activities aimed to instill a shared culture of patient safety among …

Projecting Productivity Losses For Cancer-Related Mortality 2011 – 2030, Alison Pearce, Cathy Bradley, Paul Hanly, Ciaran O’Neill, Audrey Alforque Thomas, Michal Molcho, Linda Sharp

Emergency Medicine Publications

Background

When individuals stop working due to cancer this represents a loss to society – the loss of productivity. The aim of this analysis was to estimate productivity losses associated with premature mortality from all adult cancers and from the 20 highest mortality adult cancers in Ireland in 2011, and project these losses until 2030.

Methods

An incidence-based method was used to estimate the cost of cancer deaths between 2011 and 2030 using the Human Capital Approach. National data were used for cancer, population and economic inputs. Both paid work and unpaid household activities were included. Sensitivity analyses estimated the …

Sirt1 Expression Is Associated With Cd31 Expression In Blood Cells From Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Ryo Kato, Shiro Mizuno, Maiko Kadowaki, Kohei Shiozaki, Masaya Akai, Ken Nakagawa, Taku Oikawa, Masaharu Iguchi, Kazuhiro Osanai, Takeshi Ishizaki, Norbert F. Voelkel, Hirohisa Toga

Emergency Medicine Publications

Background: Cigarette smoke induced oxidative stress has been shown to reduce silent information regulator 1 (Sirt1) levels in lung tissue from smokers and patients with COPD patients. Sirt1 is known to inhibit endothelial senescence and may play a protective role in vascular cells. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are mobilized into circulation under various pathophysiological conditions, and are thought to play an important role in tissue repair in chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). Therefore, Sirt1 and EPC-associated mRNAs were measured in blood samples from patients with COPD and from cultured CD34+ progenitor cells to examine whether these genes are associated with …

Heart Rhythm Monitoring Strategies For Cryptogenic Stroke: 2015 Diagnostics And Monitoring Stroke Focus Group Report, Gregory W. Albers, Richard A. Bernstein, Johannes Brachmann, John Camm, J. Donald Easton, Jesse M. Pines, +13 Additional Authors

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Anticipated Resource Utilization For Injury Versus Non-Injury Pediatric Visits To Emergency Departments, Mark Zonfrillo, Michelle Macy, Lawrence J. Cook, Tomohiko Funai, Rachel M. Stanley, James M. Chamberlain, Rebecca M. Cunningham, Elizabeth Alpern, Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (Pecarn)

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

Childhood injuries are increasingly treated in emergency departments (EDs) but the relationship between injury severity and ED resource utilization has not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to compare resource utilization for pediatric injury-related ED visits across injury-severity levels and with non-injury visits, using standardized, validated scales.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 2004-2008 ED visits from the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network Core Data Project. Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale severity (MAIS) and Severity Classification System (SCS) scores were calculated and compared. MAIS and SCS are ordinal scales from 1 (minor injury) to 6, and 1 (low …

Ultrasound And Perforated Viscus; Dirty Fluid, Dirty Shadows, And Peritoneal Enhancement., Hamid Shokoohi, Keith S. Boniface, Bruce M. Abell, Ali Pourmand, Mohammad Salimian

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Early detection of free air in the peritoneal cavity is vital in diagnosis of life-threatening emergencies, and can play a significant role in expediting treatment. We present a series of cases in which bedside ultrasound (US) in the emergency department accurately identified evidence of free intra-peritoneal air and echogenic (dirty) free fluid consistent with a surgical final diagnosis of a perforated hollow viscus. In all patients with suspected perforated viscus, clinicians were able to accurately identify the signs of pneumoperitoneum including enhanced peritoneal stripe sign (EPSS), peritoneal stripe reverberations, and focal air collections associated with dirty shadowing or distal multiple …

Disparities In Survival With Bystander Cpr Following Cardiopulmonary Arrest Based On Neighborhood Characteristics, Nina Thakkar Rivera, Shari L. Kumar, Rohit K. Bhandari, Sunil D. Kumar

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

The American Heart Association reports the annual incidence of out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrests (OHCA) is greater than 300,000 with a survival rate of 9.5%. Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) saves one life for every 30, with a 10% decrease in survival associated with every minute of delay in CPR initiation. Bystander CPR and training vary widely by region. We conducted a retrospective study of 320 persons who suffered OHCA in South Florida over 25 months. Increased survival, overall and with bystander CPR, was seen with increasing income (p = 0.05), with a stronger disparity between low- and high-income neighborhoods (p …

Google Flu Trends Spatial Variability Validated Against Emergency Department Influenza-Related Visits., Joseph Jeffrey Klembczyk, Mehdi Jalalpour, Scott Levin, Raynard E Washington, Jesse M. Pines, Richard E Rothman, Andrea Freyer Dugas

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Influenza is a deadly and costly public health problem. Variations in its seasonal patterns cause dangerous surges in emergency department (ED) patient volume. Google Flu Trends (GFT) can provide faster influenza surveillance information than traditional CDC methods, potentially leading to improved public health preparedness. GFT has been found to correlate well with reported influenza and to improve influenza prediction models. However, previous validation studies have focused on isolated clinical locations.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to measure GFT surveillance effectiveness by correlating GFT with influenza-related ED visits in 19 US cities across seven influenza seasons, and to …

Anuria Secondary To Bilateral Obstructing Ureteral Stones In The Absence Of Renal Colic., Carolyn A Salter, Christopher Lang, Hernan O Altamar

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Obstructing ureteral stones are a rare cause of anuria, which is typically from prerenal or renal etiologies. Classically, obstructive stones cause moderate to severe renal colic. Urolithiasis is rarely considered during evaluation of painless anuria.

CASE PRESENTATION: We present an unusual case of a 73-year-old Caucasian female who presented with anuria and was found to have large bilateral obstructing ureteral stones in the absence of renal colic.

CONCLUSION: Given that patients with obstructive anuria can be asymptomatic, urolithiasis should be considered in all patients presenting with anuria.

A Single Center Observational Study On Emergency Department Clinician Non-Adherence To Clinical Practice Guidelines For Treatment Of Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections, Catherine Zatorski, Mark Zocchi, Sara Cosgrove, Cynthia Rand, Gillian Brooks, Larissa May

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

The Emergency Department (ED) is a frequent site of antibiotic use; poor adherence with evidence-based guidelines and broad-spectrum antibiotic overuse is common. Our objective was to determine rates and predictors of inappropriate antimicrobial use in patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) compared to the 2010 International Clinical Practice Guidelines (ICPG).

Methods

A single center, prospective, observational study of patients with uncomplicated UTI presenting to an urban ED between September 2012 and February 2014 that examined ED physician adherence to ICPG when treating uncomplicated UTIs. Clinician-directed antibiotic treatment was compared to the ICPG using a standardized case definition for …

Improving Timeliness For Acute Asthma Care For Paediatric Ed Patients Using A Nurse Driven Intervention: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis., Kathleen Brown, Sabah Iqbal, Su-Lin Sun, Jennifer Fritzeen, James Chamberlain, Paul C. Mullan

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Asthma is the most common chronic paediatric disease treated in the emergency department (ED). Rapid corticosteroid administration is associated with improved outcomes, but our busy ED setting has made it challenging to achieve this goal. Our primary aim was to decrease the time to corticosteroid administration in a large, academic paediatric ED. We conducted an interrupted time series analysis for moderate to severe asthma exacerbations of one to 18 year old patients. A multidisciplinary team designed the intervention of a bedside nurse initiated administration of oral dexamethasone, to replace the prior system of a physician initiated order for oral prednisone. …

Anticipated Resource Utilization For Injury Versus Non-Injury Pediatric Visits To Emergency Departments, Mark R. Zonfrillo, Michelle L. Macy, Lawrence J. Cook, Tomohiko Funai, Rachel Stanley, James M. Chamberlain, For The Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (Pecarn)

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Background

Childhood injuries are increasingly treated in emergency departments (EDs) but the relationship between injury severity and ED resource utilization has not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to compare resource utilization for pediatric injury-related ED visits across injury-severity levels and with non-injury visits, using standardized, validated scales.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 2004-2008 ED visits from the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network Core Data Project. Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale severity (MAIS) and Severity Classification System (SCS) scores were calculated and compared. MAIS and SCS are ordinal scales from 1 (minor injury) to 6, and 1 (low …

High-Density Lipoprotein (Hdl) Counter-Regulates Serum Amyloid A (Saa)-Induced Spla(2)-Iie And Spla(2)-V Expression In Macrophages, S. Zhu, Y. Wang, W. Chen, W. Li, A. Wang, J. Li, H. Yang, K. J. Tracey, J. D'Angelo, H. Wang, +2 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis With Tentorial Haemorrhagic Infarctions In Combined Proteins Deficiency And Hyperhomocysteinemia Treated With Anticoagulation- Limited Evidence With Good Results: A Case Report, Muhammad Waqas, Muhammad Akbar Baig, Shahan Waheed Aga Khan University, Munawar Khursheed

Department of Emergency Medicine

We are presenting a case of a 40-year-old lady who presented with sudden loss of consciousness. Computed Tomography scan of her brain revealed the presence of blood in her sub-arachnoid space on her right hemisphere, cerebral oedema, and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis later magnetic Resonance Imaging revealed extensive cerebral venous sinuses thrombosis formation associated with supra and infra-tentorial haemorrhages. Elevated levels of plasma homocysteine and deficient levels of protein S. Patient was anticoagulated with warfarin and INR was monitored. She recovered successfully with no complication of anticoagulation observed. The use of anticoagulation had a favourable outcome in our …

Small Bowel Ascaris Infestation: A Diagnostic Challenge, Muhammad Waqas Khan, Sanniya Khan Ghauri

Department of Emergency Medicine

Ascariasis is a common infestation in developing countries where there is poor hygiene. A majority of the cases are asymptomatic, with a few cases presenting with mild abdominal pain and nutritional deficiencies in the long term. Here we present a case of a young boy who presented as a diagnostic dilemma, with signs of acute intestinal obstruction without any supporting radiological evidence. A barium study revealed the presence of low-burden Ascaris infestation that was managed medically.

Hydrocortisone, Vitamin C And Thiamine For The Treatment Of Severe Sepsis And Septic Shock: A Retrospective Before-After Study, Paul E. Marik, Vikramjit Khangoora, Racquel Rivera, Michael H. Hooper, John Catravas

Bioelectrics Publications

BACKGROUND: The global burden of sepsis is estimated as 15 to 19 million cases annually with a mortality rate approaching 60% in low income countries.

METHODS: In this retrospective before-after clinical study, we compared the outcome and clinical course of consecutive septic patients treated with intravenous vitamin C, hydrocortisone and thiamine during a 7-month period (treatment group) compared to a control group treated in our ICU during the preceding 7 months. The primary outcome was hospital survival. A propensity score was generated to adjust the primary outcome.

FINDINGS: There were 47 patients in both treatment and control groups with no …