Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Inappropriate Use of the Emergency Department.

Background: Inappropriate use of the emergency department (IEDU)-consisting of the unnecessary use of the resource by patients with no clinical need-is one of the leading causes of the loss of efficiency of the health system. Specific contexts modify routine clinical practice and usage patterns. This study aims to analyse the influence of COVID-19 on the IEDU and its causes. Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study conducted in the emergency department of a high-complexity hospital. The Hospital Emergency Suitability Protocol (HESP) was used to measure the prevalence of IEDU and its causes, comparing three pairs of periods: (1) March 2019 and 2020; (2) June 2019 and 2020; and (3) September 2019 and 2020. A bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression models, adjusted for confounding variables, were utilized. Results: In total, 822 emergency visits were included (137 per period). A total prevalence of IEDU of 14.1% was found. There was a significant decrease in IEDU in March 2020 (OR: 0.03), with a prevalence of 0.8%. No differences were found in the other periods. A mistrust in primary care was the leading cause of IEDU (65.1%). Conclusions: The impact of COVID-19 reduced the frequency of IEDU during the period of more significant population restrictions, with IEDU returning to previous levels in subsequent months. Targeted actions in the field of population education and an improvement in primary care are positioned as strategies that could mitigate its impact.

[Demand for emergency department care for vertebral fractures treated with transdermal buprenorphine vs. other analgesics]. / Demanda asistencial urgente en pacientes con fracturas vertebrales en función de la administración de buprenofrina transdérmica u otros tratamientos analgésicos.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the results of emergency department management of spinal pain from vertebral fractures (in terms of revisits, adverse effects at 90 days, or need for hospitalization because of poor pain control at 6 months) in patients treated with transdermal buprenorphine or another analgesic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective observational study of cohorts in an emergency department database compiled prospectively over a period of 18 months. We included all patients over the age of 60 with a radiologic diagnosis of vertebral fracture or compression causing pain for more than 3 months. Records were stratified according to the World Health Organization (WHO) analgesic scale, which was used when the patients were treated. Variables related to effectiveness were revisits at 1 month, time between visits in days, and the need for hospitalization. RESULTS: A total of 180 patients were included; 39 were treated with drugs on the first step of the WHO's analgesic ladder, 74 with second-step drugs (mainly tramadol), and 67 with transdermal buprenorphine, a third-step drug. Half the patients treated with buprenorphine had revisited at 50 days or later (interquartile range [IQR, 41-60 days); half those treated with first-step analgesics had revisited by 19 days IQR, 10-37 days), and half those on second-step drugs had revisited by 28 days (IQR, 21-53 days) (P<.001). After adjustment for other variables, patients treated with first-step drugs revisited 4.19-fold more (95% CI, 2.57-6.80; P<.001) and those treated with second-step drugs revisited 1.91-fold more (95% CI, 1.22-2.99; P=.005) more than patients treated with transdermal buprenorphine. CONCLUSION: Transdermal buprenorphine used to manage spinal pain seems to significantly reduce the need for revisits in comparison with treatments with first- or second-step analgesics.

OBJETIVO: Comparar los resultados del manejo del dolor axial en pacientes con fracturas vertebrales, atendidos en un servicio de urgencias (SU) según hayan sido tratados con buprenorfina transdérmica u otro tratamiento analgésico, en términos de necesidad de nuevas consultas, aparición de efectos adversos a los 90 días o de necesidad de hospitalización por mal control analgésico a los 6 meses de la primera consulta. METODO: Estudio observacional de cohortes retrospectivo desde en una base de datos prospectiva de 18 meses, en un SU. Se incluyeron todos los pacientes mayores de 60 años, con diagnóstico radiológico de fractura/aplastamiento vertebral de más de 3 meses de evolución. Los registros fueron agrupados según el escalón analgésico de la OMS (Organización Mundial de la Salud) con el que fueron tratados los pacientes. Las variables de efectividad fueron: reconsulta al mes, tiempo de reconsulta en días y necesidad de hospitalización. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 180 pacientes, 39 tratados con fármacos del primer escalón analgésico de la OMS, 74 con fármacos del segundo escalón (fundamentalmente tramadol) y 67 con buprenorfina transdérmica (tercer escalón). El 50% de los pacientes tratados con buprenorfina reconsultaron a los 50 días o más (rango intercuartílico ­RIC­: 41- 60), mientras que en el grupo tratado con primer escalón a los 19 (RIC 10-37) y con el segundo escalón a los 28 (RIC 21-53) (p < 0,001). Al ajustar el tratamiento por el resto de las variables se determinó que los pacientes tratados con el primer escalón incrementaban la tasa de reconsulta en 4,19 veces (IC95%: 2,57-6,80; p < 0,001) y en los tratados con el segundo escalón 1,91 veces (IC95%: 1,22-2,99; p = 0,005) frente a los pacientes tratados con buprenorfina transdérmica. CONCLUSIONES: La administración de buprenorfina transdérmica en el control sintomático del dolor axial parece disminuir significativamente la necesidad de nuevas consultas repetidas comparada con terapias de primer y segundo escalón analgésico.

Is it safe to perform joint infiltrations or aspirations in patients anticoagulated with acenocoumarol?

The purpose of this study is to determine the rate of bleeding complications in patient's anticoagulated with acenocoumarol according to the international normalized ratio (INR) coagulation index. A cross-sectional study was performed with 901 charts of patients who underwent arthrocentesis or joint infiltration between 2009 and 2013; the charts were grouped on the basis of having an INR higher or lower than 2.0 (268 and 633, respectively). Comparisons were performed in terms of rates of early or late bleeding complications. A 0.37% rate of early bleeding complications (< 24hours) was observed in the group of patients with INR<2 and 0.99% in the group of patients with INR≥2 (P=.47). Only one case of late complication was presented by bleeding between 24 hours and 30 days, in the group of patients with INR≥2. We conclude that oral anticoagulation with acenocoumarol at terapeutical doses does not increase the risk of bleeding joint punctures.

Sternoclavicular septic arthritis: a series of 5 cases and review of the literature.

Infectious arthritis is a medical emergency whose prognosis, in terms of general morbidity and the final functionality of the joint, depends on rapid diagnosis and treatment. The sternoclavicular joint is an area of low prevalence of this type of arthritis, although its frequency is often concentrated in immunosuppressed patients, users of parenteral drugs or after traumatic events. We present a series of 5 microbiologically documented cases of sternoclavicular septic arthritis, 3 of which occurred in immunocompetent patients, and a short review of this pathology.