N95 Respirators or Surgical Mask for Protection from Influenza?
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
By current knowledge, a surgical mask is sufficient. Save N95 respirators for TB and other aerosol-transmitted diseases.
Reviewing:
Gralton J and McLaws M-L., Crit Care Med 2009 Sep 1
Ultrasound Detects Central Line Placement and Postprocedure Pneumothorax
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Chest x-ray missed 2 of 4 pneumothoraces and 1 of 25 misplaced catheter tips that were detected by bedside ultrasound.
Reviewing:
Vezzani A et al., Crit Care Med 2009 Oct 12
Induced Hypothermia After VF Cardiac Arrest Improves Outcomes
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Hypothermia led to significantly better survival rates and neurological outcomes in patients with ventricular fibrillation but not in those with other initial rhythms.
Reviewing:
Don CW et al., Crit Care Med 2009 Sep 16
Dramatic Increase in Pediatric Venous Thromboembolism
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
The rate of pediatric VTE admissions in the U.S. increased by 70% between 2001 and 2008.
Reviewing:
Raffini L et al., Pediatrics 2009 Oct; 124:1001
BP Reduction in Acute Intracranial Hemorrhage: How Low Should We Go?
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
This small phase I study shows that BP reduction is feasible but does not identify an optimum target level.
Reviewing:
Qureshi AI., Crit Care Med 2009 Sep 16
Methohexital vs. Pentobarbital for Head CT Sedation in Children
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Methohexital is superior to pentobarbital for sedation of children during head CT.
Reviewing:
Chun TH et al., Pediatr Emerg Care 2009 Oct; 25:648
Chest X-Ray Abnormalities Associated with H1N1 Influenza Infection
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Patchy consolidation, often bilateral, was the most common finding.
Reviewing:
Agarwal PP et al., AJR Am J Roentgenol 2009 Oct 12
Chest Compression Fraction and Survival from Cardiac Arrest
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Minimizing interruption of chest compressions is associated with improved survival.
Reviewing:
Christenson J et al., Circulation 2009 Sep 29; 120:1241
Intranasal Naloxone Is Effective for Opioid Overdose
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Time from patient contact to clinical response was the same with intranasal and intravenous naloxone.
Reviewing:
Robertson TM et al., Prehosp Emerg Care 2009 Oct-Dec; 13:512
Systematic Screening for Blunt Cervical Vascular Injury Reduces Time to Diagnosis and Incidence of Stroke
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
A standardized scoring system and computed tomographic angiography greatly reduced time to diagnosis from the old standard of conventional angiography.
Reviewing:
Eastman AL et al., J Trauma 2009 Sep; 67:551
