Pediatric Nonhemolytic Gallbladder Disease Is on the Rise
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Obesity and Hispanic ethnicity are risk factors for nonhemolytic gallbladder disease in children.
Reviewing:
Mehta S et al., Pediatrics 2012 Jan; 129:e82
Poor Specificity of Two Novel Biomarkers for Diagnosis of Pediatric Appendicitis
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Neither biomarker even equaled the poor performance of the white blood cell count for diagnosis of pediatric appendicitis.
Reviewing:
Kharbanda AB et al., Acad Emerg Med 2012 Jan; 19:56
Admission and Repeat Head CT for Patients on Warfarin with Minor Head Injury?
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
This approach identifies most delayed intracranial bleeds, but whether it changes patient outcomes and justifies the increased resources is not clear.
Reviewing:
Menditto VG et al., Ann Emerg Med 2012 Jan 13
Neurologists Sometimes Disagree with Emergency Physicians' Diagnoses of TIA
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
In a retrospective single-center study, features associated with discordant diagnoses were headache, involuntary movement, and dizziness.
Reviewing:
Schrock JW et al., Ann Emerg Med 2012 Jan; 59:19
Adolescent Patients Agree with Suicide Screening in the ED
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Surprisingly, less than half of adolescent ED patients surveyed had previously been asked about suicide.
Reviewing:
Ballard ED et al., Pediatr Emerg Care 2012 Jan; 28:34
More Evidence That ED Crowding Harms Patients
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Boarded patients experience medication delays, longer hospital stays, and higher mortality but are less likely than nonboarded patients to experience delays in some tests.
Reviewing:
Singer AJ et al., Acad Emerg Med 2011 Dec; 18:1324
Sills MR et al., Acad Emerg Med 2011 Dec; 18:1330
Liu SW et al., Acad Emerg Med 2011 Dec; 18:1339
Kennebeck SS et al., Acad Emerg Med 2011 Dec; 18:1380
Focused Echocardiography in the Field Is Feasible in Cardiac Arrest
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Cardiac standstill predicted 100% mortality.
Reviewing:
Aichinger G et al., Prehosp Emerg Care 2012 Jan 11
Paramedics Prefer the King Laryngeal Tube Airway over Direct Laryngoscopy for Pediatric Intubation
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
In a small manikin study, time to airway placement was similar for the two approaches, making the KLT airway an option for prehospital ventilation of pediatric patients.
Reviewing:
Mitchell MS et al., Prehosp Emerg Care 2012 Jan 9
New and Established Troponin Assays Are Highly Sensitive and Specific for AMI
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Use of either type of assay can safely exclude or confirm AMI within 3 hours of emergency department admission.
Reviewing:
Keller T et al., JAMA 2011 Dec 28; 306:2684
Inappropriate Ventilation in Intubated Prehospital Patients on Arrival at the ED
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
In a study at a single emergency department, end-tidal CO2 values revealed inappropriate ventilation in nearly half the patients.
Reviewing:
Holmes J et al., Prehosp Emerg Care 2012 Jan 4