Emergency Medicine: Archives

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Antibiotic Prescribing for Acute Cough Is Highly Variable

• July 24, 2009
• Kristi L. Koenig, MD, FACEP

Antibiotic prescribing rates for cases of acute cough ranged from 21% to 88% in Europe.

• Reviewing:
• Butler CC et al., BMJ 2009 Jun 23; 338:b2242

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Ultrasound Before CT in Patients with Acute Abdominal PainFree

• July 24, 2009
• Kristi L. Koenig, MD, FACEP

A diagnostic strategy of ultrasound followed by CT only if ultrasound results are nondiagnostic optimizes sensitivity while minimizing radiation exposure.

• Reviewing:
• Laméris W et al., BMJ 2009 Jun 26; 338:b2431 Dixon AK and Watson CJ., BMJ 2009 Jun 26; 338:b1678

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Airway Scope vs. GlideScope

• July 24, 2009
• Aaron E. Bair, MD, MSc, FAAEM, FACEP

Intubation is faster with the Airway Scope in patients with C-spine immobilization.

• Reviewing:
• Liu EHC et al., Br J Anaesth 2009 Jun; 19

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

The I-gel vs. the LMA Supreme: The More Things Change. . .

• July 24, 2009
• Ron M. Walls, MD, FRCPC, FAAEM

The two devices performed similarly in a simulated airway model.

• Reviewing:
• Theiler LG et al., Anesthesiology 2009 Jul; 111:55

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Ruling Out Abdominal Organ Injury in Children with Blunt TraumaFree

• July 17, 2009
• Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

A new clinical score identified nearly all children with abdominal organ injury after trauma.

• Reviewing:
• Karam O et al., J Pediatr 2009 Jun; 154:912

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Intubators Fail to Sedate Children Who Receive Long-Acting Paralytics

• July 17, 2009
• Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Only 24% of children at one center received any sedation within 15 minutes of intubation.

• Reviewing:
• Kendrick DB et al., Pediatr Emerg Care 2009 Jun; 25:393

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Preprinted Order Sets Improve Pediatric Procedural Sedation

• July 17, 2009
• Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Use of a preprinted set of forms required for pediatric procedural sedation reduced medication errors.

• Reviewing:
• Broussard M et al., J Pediatr 2009 Jun; 154:865

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Immature WBCs in CSF Do Not Indicate Bacterial MeningitisFree

• July 10, 2009
• Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

In this retrospective study, band forms in CSF of children with meningitis did not predict bacterial etiology.

• Reviewing:
• Kanegaye JT et al., Pediatrics 2009 Jun; 123:e967

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Polymyxin B Hemoperfusion Improves Outcomes in Abdominal Septic Shock

• July 10, 2009
• John A. Marx, MD, FAAEM, FACEP

An antibiotic hemoperfusion device reduces endotoxin levels.

• Reviewing:
• Cruz DN et al., JAMA 2009 Jun 17; 301:2445

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Diaphragmatic Ultrasound Is Not Accurate for Identifying Mainstem Intubation

• July 10, 2009
• Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

The risk for a false finding of mainstem intubation makes this technique dangerous.

• Reviewing:
• Kerrey BT et al., Pediatrics 2009 Jun; 123:e1039