Carmen C. Polito, Alex Isakov, Arthur H. Yancey II, Duncan K. Wilson, Blake A. Anderson, Ingrid Bloom, Greg S. Martin, Jonathan E. Sevransky
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.04.024
Published online: April 22 2015
xTo derive and validate a predictive model and novel emergency medical services (EMS) screening tool for severe sepsis (SS).
Allison Tadros, Meredith Mason, Danielle M. Davidov, Stephen M. Davis, Shelley M. Layman
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.04.032
Published online: April 24 2015
xThe objectives are to estimate the number of elderly patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs) in the United States from 2006 to 2011 for alcohol-related disorders and examine their demographic and clinical features.
Kelly M. Percival, Kristine M. Valenti, Stacy E. Schmittling, Brandi D. Strader, Rebecka R. Lopez, Scott J. Bergman
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.04.067
Published online: May 1 2015
xThe study objective is to assess changes in treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) after implementation of recommendations based on national guidelines and local resistance rates.
Nicholas D. Caputo, Marc Kanter, Robert Fraser, Ronald Simon
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.04.085
Published online: May 7 2015
xBiomarkers such as serum lactate, anion gap (AG), and base excess (BE) have been shown to be of use in determining shock in patients with seemingly normal vital signs. We seek to determine if these biomarkers can be used interchangeably in patients with trauma in the emergency setting based on their test characteristics and correlation to each other.
Kanta Sircar, Jacquelyn Clower, Mi kyong Shin, Cathy Bailey, Michael King, Fuyuen Yip
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.002
Published online: May 13 2015
xUnintentional, non-fire related (UNFR) carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning deaths are preventable. Surveillance of the populations most at-risk for unintentional, non-fire related (UNFR) carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is crucial for targeting prevention efforts.
Takayuki Ogura, Minoru Nakano, Yoshimitsu Izawa, Mitsunobu Nakamura, Kenji Fujizuka, Alan T. Lefor
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.007
Published online: May 15 2015
xThe Traumatic Bleeding Severity Score (TBSS) was developed to predict the need for massive transfusion (MT). The aim of this study is evaluation of clinical thresholds for activation of a MT protocol using the gray zone approach based on TBSS.
Paolo Carraro, Gianna Vettore, Andrea Padoan, Elisa Piva, Mario Plebani
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.011
Published online: May 16 2015
xThe objective of this study is to determine the ways in which preanalytic factors related to physiologic status can affect the complete blood cell count (CBC) in patients referring to an emergency department (ED).
Brian P. Vickers, Junxin Shi, Bo Lu, Krista K. Wheeler, Jin Peng, Jonathan I. Groner, Kathryn J. Haley, Huiyun Xiang
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.010
Published online: May 15 2015
xPrior studies of undertriage have not made comparisons across multiple trauma levels.
Sang Hoon Oh, Han Joon Kim, Kyu Nam Park, Soo Hyun Kim, Young Min Kim, Chun Song Youn, Jee Yong Lim
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.008
Published online: May 15 2015
xHypoxic hepatitis (HH) is commonly observed in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors. The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence, clinical courses, and outcomes of as well as predisposing factors for HH in OHCA survivors.
Łukasz Szarpak, Łukasz Czyżewski, Zenon Truszewski, Andrzej Kurowski
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.026
Published online: May 29 2015
xEndotracheal intubation is considered a criterion standard for securing the airway during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, yet it requires a very skillful operator. The aim of the study was to investigate whether paramedic staff can successfully use the Pentax Airway Scope AWS-S200 video laryngoscope (AWS) for intubating with 3 simulated airway scenarios.
Hasan İdil, Güven Kırımlı, Güler Korol, Erden Erol Ünlüer
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.024
Published online: May 28 2015
xThe aim of this study is to detect the accuracy rate of emergency physicians' (EPs') interpretations of cranial computed tomography (CT) of a special patient group, the patients younger than the age of 2 years with mild head trauma.
Robert R. Ehrman, Frances M. Russell, Asimul H. Ansari, Bosko Margeta, Julie M. Clary, Errick Christian, Karen S. Cosby, John Bailitz
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.013
Published online: May 21 2015
xThe goal of this study was to determine if emergency physicians (EPs) can correctly perform a bedside diastology examination (DE) and correctly grade the level of diastolic function with minimal additional training in echocardiography beyond what is learned in residency. We hypothesize that EPs will be accurate at detecting and grading diastolic dysfunction (DD) when compared to a criterion standard interpretation by a cardiologist.
Daniel Evans, Luis Vera, Donald Jeanmonod, Jonathan Pester, Rebecca Jeanmonod
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.031
Published online: June 1 2015
xWe sought to validate National Emergency X-Radiography Utilizations Study low-risk cervical spine (C spine) criteria in a geriatric trauma population. We sought to determine whether patients' own baseline mental status (MS) could substitute for Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) to meet the criteria “normal alertness.” We further sought to refine the definition of “distracting injury.”
Tamer Ertan, Yusuf Sevim, Talha Sarigoz, Omer Topuz, Baki Tastan
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.018
Published online: May 29 2015
xThe study aimed to identify the presence of peritoneal penetration in management of anterior abdominal stab wound by using computed tomography (CT) tractography.
Jian Li, Chao Yu, Yang Sun, Yuyuan Li
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.023
Published online: May 29 2015
xSerum ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) has been proposed as a biomarker of traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, previous studies on levels of UCH-L1 in serum remain inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on observational studies that reported the association between serum UCH-L1 levels and TBI.
Steven L. Bernstein, James Feldman
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.020
Published online: May 28 2015
xClinical trials often offer incentives to encourage individuals to enroll and to enhance follow-up. The scope and nature of incentives used in emergency department (ED)-based trials are unknown.
Jessica Rando, Derek Broering, James E. Olson, Catherine Marco, Stephen B. Evans
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.022
Published online: May 29 2015
xThis study sought to answer the question, “Can police officers administer intranasal naloxone to drug overdose victims to decrease the opioid overdose death rate?”
Marzieh Fathi, Mohammad Amin Zare, Hamid Reza Bahmani, Shahriar Zehtabchi
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.021
Published online: May 29 2015
xThis randomized clinical trial compares the efficacy and safety of oral oxycodone (an oral opioid) with naproxen (a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) in acute pain control in patients with soft tissue injury. It also evaluates the need for additional doses of analgesics in the first 24 hours of discharge from emergency department (ED).
Hamdi Boubaker, Kaouther Beltaief, Mohamed Habib Grissa, Wièm Kerkeni, Zohra Dridi, Mohamed Amine Msolli, Hamdène Chouchène, Alia Belaïd, Hamadi Chouchène, Mohamed Sassi, Wahid Bouida, Riadh Boukef, Mehdi Methemmem, Soudani Marghli, Semir Nouira, Great Network
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.019
Published online: May 29 2015
xThe Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) and the Global Registry in Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) scores were largely evaluated and validated in stratifying risk of cardiovascular events in patients with chest pain and acute coronary syndrome. Our objective was to compare these 2 scores in predicting outcome in emergency department (ED) patients with undifferentiated chest pain.
Lauren Klein, Jessica Peters, James Miner, Jed Gorlin
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.017
Published online: May 29 2015
xFour-factor prothrombin complex concentrates (4FPCCs) are emerging as the standard of care for emergent warfarin reversal due to their ability to rapidly and effectively achieve hemostasis. The ideal dose of this medication is not known. Recently, our hospital instituted a protocol where all doses of 4FPCC were a fixed dose of 1500 IU. This protocol provides 4FPCC rapidly and precludes delay waiting for international normalized ratio (INR) values. The purpose of this study was to evaluate our experience with this fixed dose protocol.
Phillip D. Levy, James J. Mahn, Joseph Miller, Alicia Shelby, Aaron Brody, Russell Davidson, Michael J. Burla, Alexander Marinica, Justin Carroll, John Purakal, John M. Flack, Robert D. Welch
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.036
Published online: May 30 2015
xThe objective is of the study to evaluate the effect of antihypertensive therapy in emergency department (ED) patients with markedly elevated blood pressure (BP) but no signs/symptoms of acute target organ damage (TOD).
Ahmed Altyar, Hussain T. Bakhsh, Abdulaziz Mohammed, Grant Skrepnek, Asad E. Patanwala
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.035
Published online: May 29 2015
xPatients who present to the emergency department (ED) with mild skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are often given a single dose of an antibiotic before being discharged home on oral antibiotics. The objective of this study was to determine if administration of antibiotics in the ED increases length of stay.
Adam J. Singer, Lionelle Beto, Daniel D. Singer, Justin Williams, Henry C. Thode Jr., Steven Sandoval
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.043
Published online: May 30 2015
xTraditionally, full thickness burns have been thought to be painless due to destruction of underlying nerves. We explored the association between patient and burn characteristics and pain severity in burn patients and determined whether full thickness burns were less likely to be painful than more superficial burns.
Yalcin Golcuk, Burcu Golcuk, Adnan Bilge, Ayhan Korkmaz, Mehmet Irik, Mustafa Hayran, Alper Tunga Ozdemir, Yusuf Kurtulmus
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.047
Published online: June 6 2015
xThis study aims to compare serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) levels in surviving and nonsurviving elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), investigating whether PAPP-A is correlated with CAP prediction scores and whether PAPP-A can successfully predict 28-day mortality rates in elderly patients.
Wan Wu, Rong-lin Jiang, Ling-cong Wang, Shu Lei, Xi Xing, Yi-hui Zhi, Jian-nong Wu, Yan-chun Wu, Mei-fei Zhu, Li-quan Huang
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.01.056
Published online: February 5 2015
xThe effects of Shenfu injection on protecting the intestinal mucosal barrier were investigated in rats with sepsis.
Adylle Varon, Joseph Varon
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.03.047
Published online: March 25 2015
xTraditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for millennia, and it is based on the belief that a variety of functional changes alter the physiology and pathology of humans [1,2]. Traditional Chinese medicine echoes the logic of quantum physics, which suggests that we exist in a relative, process-oriented universe. This Eastern philosophy is based on the premise that all life occurs within the circle of nature as a 1 unified system, the “Tao,” that contains polar and complimentary aspects, “Yin” and “Yang.” In TCM, life is defined by “Qi” (“chee”), which is considered that force which animates life's vital functions.
Himali Weerahandi, Jashvant Poeran, Denise Nassisi, Madhu Mazumdar
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.004
Published online: May 13 2015
xOptimal evidence-based management of patients with uncomplicated community-acquired pneumonia in the emergency department (ED) setting remains a topic of discussion. This discussion was recently revitalized by a 2014 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine by Makam et al showing an increase in the use of blood cultures for patients with community-acquired pneumonia during ED visits from 29.4% of patients in 2002 to 51.1% in 2010. As the authors acknowledge, one of the most likely explanations could be the former pneumonia core measures required by the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services and the Joint Commission, potentially encouraging both ED and inpatient providers to reflexively order cultures.
Dustin G. Mark, Mamata V. Kene, Steven R. Offerman, David R. Vinson, Dustin W. Ballard, for the Kaiser Permanente CREST Network
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.012
Published online: May 15 2015
xRecently proposed cutoff criteria for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analyses might safely exclude a diagnosis of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH).
Siti Salmiah Mohd Yunus, Wei Cheong Ngeow, Roszalina Ramli
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.009
Published online: May 15 2015
xA cross-sectional study to determine the pattern of craniomaxillofacial (CMF) injuries among children involved in road traffic crashes was performed. The association of protective equipment use with the CMF injuries was evaluated.
Soheila Talebi, Rosa Maria Ferra, Sara Tedla, Alicia DeRobertis, Adrian C. Garofoli, Ferdinand Visco, Gerald Pekler, Getaw Worku Hassen
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.06.006
Published online: June 8 2015
xIn clinical practice, we progressively rely on biomarkers, without estimating the pretest probability. There is not enough support for the use of cardiac troponin (cTn) I in the management of noncardiac patients. We studied the rate at which this test was ordered, the prevalence of detection of a positive result in noncardiac patients, and the impact of this incidental finding on clinical management.
Ashley M. Strobel, Vikramjit S. Gill, Michael D. Witting, Getachew Teshome
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.06.004
Published online: June 6 2015
xGuidelines from the American Academy of Neurology recommend laboratory studies or computed tomography (CT) for children who experience a nonfebrile seizure if anything in their history suggests a clinically significant abnormality.
Colleen E. Holley, Thuy Van Pham, Heather M. Mezzadra, George C. Willis, Michael D. Witting
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.06.009
Published online: June 13 2015
xInfections with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) are the most commonly reported sexually transmitted diseases in the United States.
Suha Turkmen, Aysegul Cansu, Yunus Karaca, Mehmet Emre Baki, Oguz Eroglu, Ozgur Tatli, Mucahit Gunaydin, Ercument Beyhun, Abdulkadir Gunduz, Suleyman Turedi
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.06.011
Published online: June 13 2015
xThe purpose of this study was to evaluate predetermined physical examination and function tests recommended to identify severe injury among patients presenting with wrist injury to the emergency department and to establish a reliable clinical decision rule capable of determining the need for radiography in wrist injuries.
Emily R. Bacon, Michael P. Phelan, D. John Doyle
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.003
Published online: May 13 2015
xVideo laryngoscopy (VL) is still a relatively novel advancement in airway management that offers many potential benefits over direct laryngoscopy. These advantages include decreased time to intubation in difficulty airways, unique opportunities in teaching as the video screen allows for real time teaching points, increased first pass success, particularly with novice operators, and decreased cervical spine motion during intubation. Despite the advantages, the intubation procedure itself has some subtle but significant differences from direct laryngoscopy that change the expected motion as well as troubleshooting techniques, which might discourage the use of the GlideScope by practitioners less familiar with the product.
Shanglan Gao, Yan Yang, Yun Fu, Weidong Guo, Guowei Liu
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.06.025
Published online: June 17 2015
xThe objective of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of myeloid-related protein complex 8/14 (MRP8/14) in septic patients in intensive care units.
Monique Alworth, Michael C. Bond, William J. Brady
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2013.10.005
Published online: July 13 2015
xConcussion is one of the most widely discussed topics in sports medicine. The general public has an increasing awareness about closed head injuries and the devastating effects they can have on athletes. Some sports are changing the way the game is played—from adding protective equipment in women’s lacrosse to enforcing stricter rules against aggression in ice hockey. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that emergency departments (ED) in the United States treat an estimated 173,285 sports- and recreation-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in children and adolescents (from birth to 19 years of age) every year [1].
Leah Feazel, Adam B. Schlichting, Gregory R. Bell, Dan M. Shane, Azeemuddin Ahmed, Brett Faine, Andrew Nugent, Nicholas M. Mohr
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.032
Published online: May 29 2015
xRegionalization of emergency medical care aims to provide consistent and efficient high-quality care leading to optimal clinical outcomes by matching patient needs with appropriate resources at a network of hospitals. Regionalized care has been shown to improve outcomes in trauma, myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiac arrest, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. In rural areas, effective regionalization often requires interhospital transfer. The decision to transfer is complex and includes such factors as capabilities of the presenting hospital; capacity at the receiving hospital; and financial, geographic, and patient-preference considerations.
Dimitrios Varvarousis, Giolanda Varvarousi, Nicoletta Iacovidou, Ernesto D'Aloja, Anil Gulati, Theodoros Xanthos
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.06.066
Published online: July 6 2015
xCardiac arrest is not a uniform condition and significant heterogeneity exists within all victims with regard to the cause of cardiac arrest. Primary cardiac (dysrhythmic) and asphyxial causes together are responsible for most cases of cardiac arrest at all age groups. The purpose of this article is to review the pathophysiologic differences between dysrhythmic and asphyxial cardiac arrest in the prearrest period, during the no-flow state, and after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Vincent Liu, Alan Whippy, John W. Morehouse
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2014.07.024
Published online: August 2 2014
xIn his correspondence, “Does adoption of a regional sepsis protocol reduce mortality?,” Durston [1] asserts that a systematic approach to sepsis identification and management at Kaiser Permanente (KP) did not reduce mortality and may have caused harm. It is useful to have an informed discussion on sepsis performance improvement activities, both for hospitals engaged in them and for researchers studying these efforts. Less helpful, however, is the use of limited data and flawed assumptions in an attempt to discredit these activities.
William Durston
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2014.07.023
Published online: August 1 2014
xI appreciate the opportunity to respond to Morehouse et al criticisms of my correspondence
[1] in which I presented data showing that the sharp reduction in sepsis mortality claimed by Kaiser Permanente (KP) after adoption of a regional early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) sepsis protocol
[2-5], modeled after the protocol published by Rivers et al
[6], was more likely to be due to a change in the definition of sepsis than to real improvements in sepsis care. I noted that adoption of the protocol was actually associated with an increase in the number of patients dying of sepsis per 1000 hospital admissions for all causes, suggesting possible harm from some elements of the protocol.
Giovanni Volpicelli, Maurizio Zanobetti
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.04.020
Published online: April 16 2015
xHere again, for the umpteenth time, we receive a letter submitted from the same group of readers commenting a lung ultrasound study. We must confess that most of the points raised in this new letter are not fully comprehensible, but perhaps it is our limit. However, it is the time to reply in general to the whole fervent activity of correspondence submitted to this and other journals by these readers.
Gaetano Rea, Cristiana Cipriani
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.04.019
Published online: April 16 2015
xThe article by Nazerian et al
[1] claims to report the achievements of a “prospective study on an emergency department population complaining of respiratory symptoms of unexplained origin”, to define “the diagnostic performance of lung ultrasound (LUS) in detecting pulmonary consolidations with the morphologic characteristics of pneumonia, using chest computed tomography (CT) as the criterion standard.”
Sotirios Kakavas, Aggeliki Papanikolaou, Evangelos Ballis, Nikolaos Tatsis, Christina Goga, Georgios Tatsis
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.006
Published online: May 15 2015
xThank you for providing us the opportunity to clarify additional issues regarding the coexistence of possible factors affecting carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels and consequently the results in our study “COHb and methemoglobin levels as prognostic markers in acute pulmonary embolism
[1].”
Y. Emrah Eyi, Memduh Yetim, Sukru Tekindur
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.005
Published online: May 15 2015
xWe read with great interest the article “Carboxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin levels as prognostic markers in acute pulmonary embolism” written by Kakavas et al
[1]. We think that the factors affecting the carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level were not expressed clearly, and some patients who should be excluded from the study may have been included in this research that examined the COHb and methemoglobin level in patients with pulmonary embolism. Therefore, COHb levels were higher than expected, and the study results could be affected.
Kees H. Polderman, Joseph Varon, Paul E. Marik
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.015
Published online: May 22 2015
xIn the March issue of the journal, Sirvent et al
[1] published an article entitled “Fluid balance in sepsis and septic shock as a determining factor of mortality.” In this study, they demonstrated that a positive fluid balance in the first days after admission is independently linked to adverse outcome. Two of us (K.H.P. and J.V.) wrote an accompanying editorial entitled “Do not drown the patient: appropriate fluid management in critical illness”
[2]. One of the points that we tried to make, forcefully, was that central venous pressure (CVP) is completely unreliable as a parameter to assess volume status or to predict fluid responsiveness
[1,2].
Hakan Sarlak, Mustafa Tanrıseven, Eyup Duran
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.014
Published online: May 22 2015
xWe read the letter “Fluid management decisions should not be guided by fixed central venous pressure targets” written by Polderman and Varon
[1] with great interest. We thank them for their valuable contributions and criticisms. First of all, we did not cite the article number 4 that they had stated in their response. In that meta-analysis, 191 studies have been evaluated, 43 of them have been included in the study, and only 4 of them were associated with the patients who were in sepsis
[2].
Łukasz Szarpak, Łukasz Czyżewski, Andrzej Kurowski
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.040
Published online: May 30 2015
xWe appreciate the letter about our paper
[1] and the some aspects reported by Dr Xue et al. Airway management in children is a challenge even for expert professionals, especially during cardiac arrest (CA). European Resuscitation Council (ERC)
[2] and American Heart Association (AHA)
[3] emphases that in CA, quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a main outcome factor. Chest compressions (CC) without interruptions as well as oxygenation and ventilation are recommended
[2,3]. Dr Xue et al.
Jia-Qiang Zhang, Fu-Shan Xue, Fan-Min Meng, Gao-Pu Liu
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.039
Published online: May 30 2015
xThe recent article by Szarpak et al
[1] comparing the performance of the Pentax-AWS, the Truview PCD, the GlideScope Ranger, and the Miller laryngoscope for pediatric intubation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a manikin study was of great interest. They showed that 3 videolaryngoscopes provided the higher overall success rates of intubation and shorter intubation times compared with the Miller direct laryngoscope. Their findings are promising, but there are other aspects in their study that should be discussed and clarified.
Birdal Yildirim, Ibrahim Altun, Volkan Dogan, Mustafa Ozcan Soylu, Murat Biteker
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.04.060
Published online: April 30 2015
xWe have read with great interest the article by Ohlow et al
[1] on “Acute coronary syndrome without critical epicardial coronary disease: prevalence, characteristics, and outcome” recently published in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine
[1]. The authors described the outcome of patients with acute coronary syndrome without coronary stenosis and compared those with a consecutive series of patients with acute coronary syndrome requiring percutaneous coronary intervention. They found that 6% of patients with acute onset of chest pain and elevated markers of myocardial necrosis did not show significant coronary stenosis at angiography.
Maria Vincenza Polito, Amelia Ravera, Raffaele Mennella, Saverio Ferrara, Cesare Baldi, Rodolfo Citro, Marco Di Maio, Francesco Vigorito, Rosario Farina, Federico Piscione
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.04.087
Published online: June 11 2015
xMyocarditis is a myocardial inflammatory disorder characterized by different etiology and clinical manifestations
[1]. The clinical course of patients can vary from asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic forms to fulminant myocarditis (FM), characterized by serious hemodynamic compromise at presentation that can evolve towards cardiogenic shock (CS). It has been reported that FM has better long-term survival rate than acute myocarditis if the patient survives the acute phase and left ventricular function recovers completely within 1 month
[2].
