Presentations, management and outcomes of postoperative bariatric patients seen in the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery is becoming increasingly common and postoperative patients often present to the emergency department (ED) with complications. We sought to describe the presenting complaints, management, and outcomes of postoperative bariatric surgery patients seen in the ED. METHODS: We conducted a health records review of 300 consecutive postoperative Roux-en-Y bypass surgery patients who presented to two tertiary care EDs of a major bariatric surgery center within one year of surgery. Cases were identified using a data analytic tool, and two evaluators abstracted clinical variables, imaging, treatments, and outcomes using the electronic health record. Attending emergency physicians verified the data and an experienced bariatric surgeon interpreted the computed tomography (CT) results and surgical procedures. RESULTS: We included 300 patients with mean age 43.0 years, 89.7% female. Of these, 70.0% presented within 30 days of surgery and 41.7% were admitted to hospital. ED treatments included intravenous fluids (67.0%), antiemetics (53.3%), and analgesia (61.9%). Patients presenting within 30 days of surgery were more likely to undergo a CT (74.3% vs 63.3%; p = 0.06) and to have clinically important CT findings (31.9% vs 6.6%; p ≤0.001). More of the ≤30-day patients were admitted to hospital (46.2% vs 31.1%; p = 0.02). While a higher proportion of patients presenting after 30 days underwent a procedure, a large number of those were not directly related to bariatric surgery, such as appendectomy and cholecystectomy. Of the 34 patients undergoing a procedure, the majority presented with abdominal pain (76.5%). CONCLUSION: This is the first detailed health records review of postoperative bariatric patients seen in the ED in the emergency medicine literature. Those presenting with abdominal pain were more likely to undergo CT abdomen and a surgical procedure. Similarly, those presenting within 30 days of surgery were more likely to have significant CT findings and require hospital admission. Others presenting with primarily nausea and vomiting may improve with ED symptom management and be discharged home with bariatric team follow-up.

Prospective Validation of Computed Tomography to Identify Patients at High Risk for Stroke After Transient Ischemic Attack or Minor Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography (CT) findings of acute and chronic ischemia are associated with subsequent stroke risk in patients with transient ischemic attack. We sought to validate these associations in a large prospective cohort of patients with transient ischemic attack or minor stroke. METHODS: This prospective cohort study enrolled emergency department patients from 13 hospitals with transient ischemic attack who had CT imaging. Primary outcome was stroke within 90 days. Secondary outcomes were stroke within 2 or 7 days. CT findings were abstracted from radiology reports and classified for the presence of acute ischemia, chronic ischemia, or microangiopathy. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test associations with primary and secondary end points. RESULTS: From 8670 prospectively enrolled patients between May 2010 and May 2017, 8382 had a CT within 24 hours. From this total population, 4547 (54%) patients had evidence of acute ischemia, chronic ischemia, or microangiopathy on CT, of whom 175 had a subsequent stroke within 90 days (3.8% subsequent stroke rate; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.33 [95% CI, 1.62-3.36]). This was in comparison to those with CT imaging without ischemia. Findings associated with an increased risk of stroke at 90 days were isolated acute ischemia (6.0%; aOR, 2.42 [95% CI, 1.03-5.66]), acute ischemia with microangiopathy (10.7%; aOR, 3.34 [95% CI, 1.57-7.14]), chronic ischemia with microangiopathy (5.2%; aOR, 1.83 [95% CI, 1.34-2.50]), and acute ischemia with chronic ischemia and microangiopathy (10.9%; aOR, 3.49 [95% CI, 1.54-7.91]). Acute ischemia with chronic ischemia and microangiopathy were most strongly associated with subsequent stroke within 2 days (aOR, 4.36 [95% CI, 1.31-14.54]) and 7 days (aOR, 4.50 [95% CI, 1.73-11.69]). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with transient ischemic attack or minor stroke, CT evidence of acute ischemia with chronic ischemia or microangiopathy significantly increases the risk of subsequent stroke within 90 days of index visit. The combination of all 3 findings results in the greatest early risk.

Derivation of the Falls Decision Rule to exclude intracranial bleeding without head CT in older adults who have fallen.

BACKGROUND: Ground-level falls are common among older adults and are the most frequent cause of traumatic intracranial bleeding. The aim of this study was to derive a clinical decision rule that safely excludes clinically important intracranial bleeding in older adults who present to the emergency department after a fall, without the need for a computed tomography (CT) scan of the head. METHODS: This prospective cohort study in 11 emergency departments in Canada and the United States enrolled patients aged 65 years or older who presented after falling from standing on level ground, off a chair or toilet seat, or out of bed. We collected data on 17 potential predictor variables. The primary outcome was the diagnosis of clinically important intracranial bleeding within 42 days of the index emergency department visit. An independent adjudication committee, blinded to baseline data, determined the primary outcome. We derived a clinical decision rule using logistic regression. RESULTS: The cohort included 4308 participants, with a median age of 83 years; 2770 (64%) were female, 1119 (26%) took anticoagulant medication and 1567 (36%) took antiplatelet medication. Of the participants, 139 (3.2%) received a diagnosis of clinically important intracranial bleeding. We developed a decision rule indicating that no head CT is required if there is no history of head injury on falling; no amnesia of the fall; no new abnormality on neurologic examination; and the Clinical Frailty Scale score is less than 5. Rule sensitivity was 98.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 94.9%-99.6%), specificity was 20.3% (95% CI 19.1%-21.5%) and negative predictive value was 99.8% (95% CI 99.2%-99.9%). INTERPRETATION: We derived a Falls Decision Rule, which requires external validation, followed by clinical impact assessment. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials. gov, no. NCT03745755.

Implementation of the Modified Canadian C-Spine Rule by Paramedics.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The Canadian C-spine rule was modified and validated for use by the paramedics in a multicenter study where patients were assessed with the Canadian C-spine rule yet all transported with immobilization. This study evaluated the clinical impact of the modified Canadian C-spine rule when implemented by paramedics. METHODS: This single-center prospective cohort implementation study took place in Ottawa, Canada (from 2011 to 2015). Advanced and primary care paramedics were trained to use the modified Canadian C-spine rule, collect data on a standardized study form, and selectively transport eligible patients without immobilization. We evaluated all consecutive low-risk adult patients (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] 15, stable vital signs) at risk for a neck injury. We followed all patients without initial radiologic evaluation for 30 days. Analyses included descriptive statistics with 95% confidence intervals (CI), sensitivity, specificity, and kappa coefficients. RESULTS: The 4,034 enrolled patients had a mean age of 43 (range 16 to 99), and 53.4% were female. Motor vehicle collisions were the most common mechanism of injury (55.1%), followed by falls (23.9%). There were 11 clinically important injuries. The paramedics classified these injuries with a sensitivity of 90.9% (95% CI, 58.7 to 99.8) and specificity of 66.5% (95% CI, 65.1 to 68.0). There was no adverse event or resulting spinal cord injury. The kappa agreement between paramedics and investigators was 0.94. A total of 2,583 (64.0%) immobilizations were avoided using the modified Canadian C-spine rule. CONCLUSION: Paramedics could accurately apply the modified Canadian C-spine rule to low-risk trauma patients and significantly reduce the need for spinal immobilization during transport. This resulted in no adverse event or any spinal cord injury.

Practice Variation among Canadian Stroke Prevention Clinics: Pre, During, and Post-COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a common and serious disorder. With optimal care, 90-day recurrent stroke risk can be reduced from 10% to about 1%. Stroke prevention clinics (SPCs) can improve patient outcomes and resource allocation but lack standardization in patient management. The extent of variation in patient management among SPCs is unknown. Our aims were to assess baseline practice variation between Canadian SPCs and the impact of COVID-19 on SPC patient care. METHODS: We conducted an electronic survey of 80 SPCs across Canada from May to November 2021. SPC leads were contacted by email with up to five reminders. RESULTS: Of 80 SPCs contacted, 76 were eligible from which 38 (50.0%) responded. The majority (65.8%) of SPCs are open 5 or more days a week. Tests are more likely to be completed before the SPC visit if referrals were from clinic's own emergency department compared to other referring sources. COVID-19 had a negative impact on routine patient care including longer wait times (increased for 36.4% clinics) and higher number of patients without completed bloodwork prior to arriving for appointments (increased for 27.3% clinics). During COVID-19 pandemic, 87.9% of SPCs provided virtual care while 72.7% plan to continue with virtual care post-COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: Despite the time-sensitive nature of transient ischemic attack patient management, some SPCs in Canada are not able to see patients quickly. SPCs should endeavor to implement strategies so that they can see high-risk patients within the highest risk timeline and implement strategies to complete some tests while waiting for SPC appointment.

Cervical spine injuries in adults ≥ 65 years after low-level falls - A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Adults ≥ 65 are at risk of cervical spine (C-spine) injury, even after low-level falls. The objectives of this systematic review were to determine the prevalence of C-spine injury in this population and explore the association of unreliable clinical exam with C-spine injury. METHODS: We conducted this systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines. We searched MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic reviews to include studies reporting on C-spine injury in adults ≥ 65 years after low-level falls. Two reviewers independently screened articles, abstracted data, and assessed bias. Discrepancies were resolved by a third reviewer. A meta-analysis was performed to estimate overall prevalence and the pooled odds ratio for the association between C-spine injury and an unreliable clinical exam. RESULTS: The search identified 2044citations, 138 full texts were screened, and 21 studies were included in the systematic review. C-spine injury prevalence in adults ≥ 65 years after low-level falls was 3.8% (95% CI: 2.8-5.3). The odds of c-spine injury in those with altered level of consciousness (aLOC) v/s not aLOC was 1.21 (0.90-1.63) and in those with GCS < 15 v/s GCS 15 was 1.62 (0.37-6.98). Studies were at a low-risk of bias, although some had low recruitment and significant loss to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Adults ≥ 65 years are at risk of cervical spine injury after low-level falls. More research is needed to determine whether there is an association between cervical spine injury and GCS < 15 or altered level of consciousness.

Barriers and facilitators to nursing delirium screening in older emergency patients: a qualitative study using the theoretical domains framework.

BACKGROUND: delirium is common in older emergency department (ED) patients, but vastly under-recognised, in part due to lack of standardised screening processes. Understanding local context and barriers to delirium screening are integral for successful implementation of a delirium screening protocol. OBJECTIVES: we sought to identify barriers and facilitators to delirium screening by nurses in older ED patients. METHODS: we conducted 15 semi-structured, face-to-face interviews based on the Theoretical Domains Framework with bedside nurses, nurse educators and managers at two academic EDs in 2017. Two research assistants independently coded transcripts. Relevant domains and themes were identified. RESULTS: a total of 717 utterances were coded into 14 domains. Three dominant themes emerged: (i) lack of clinical prioritisation because of competing demands, lack of time and heavy workload; (ii) discordance between perceived capabilities and knowledge and (iii) hospital culture. CONCLUSION: this qualitative study explored nursing barriers and facilitators to delirium screening in older ED patients. We found that delirium was recognised as an important clinical problem; however, it was not clinically prioritised; there was a false self-perception of knowledge and ability to recognise delirium and hospital culture was a strong influencer of behaviour. Successful adoption of a delirium screening protocol will only be realised if these issues are addressed.

Advanced Life Support for Out-of-Hospital Chest Pain: The OPALS Study†.

Context: As many as 14% of patients transported by ambulance with chest pain die prior to hospital discharge. To date, no high-quality controlled trials have revealed that prehospital advanced life support interventions affect survival for these patients. Objective: The Ontario Prehospital Advanced Life Support (OPALS) Study assessed the effect of adding an advance life support service to an existing basic life support emergency medical service program, on the rate of mortality and morbidity for patients with out-of-hospital chest pain. Design: Controlled clinical trial comparing survival for 9 months before and 9 after instituting an advanced life support program. Setting: Thirteen urban and suburban Ontario communities (populations ranging from 30,000 to 750,000; total, 2.5 million). Patients: All adult patients with a primary complaint of chest pain and transported by paramedics to the emergency department. Intervention: Paramedics were trained in standard advanced life support, which includes endotracheal intubation, intravenous furosemide and morphine, oral ASA, and sublingual NTG. Emergency medical services within each community had to meet predefined criteria in order to qualify for the advanced life support phase. Main Outcome Measure: Survival to hospital discharge. Results: Overall, 12,168 patients were enrolled in either the basic life support phase (N = 5,788) or the advanced life support phase (N = 6,380). The rate of mortality significantly decreased from 4.3% in the basic life support phase to 3.2% in the advanced life support phase (absolute change 1.1, 95% CI 0.4-1.8, P = 0.0013). We also demonstrated a decrease in mortality for the subgroup of patients with a discharge diagnosis of myocardial infarction (13.1 percent vs 8.2 percent, P = 0.002). Conclusions: The addition of a prehospital advanced life support program to an existing basic life support emergency medical service was associated with a significant decrease in the mortality rate among patients complaining of chest pain. Future research should clarify the most effective interventions and target specific populations.

What is the Best Agent for Rate Control of Atrial Fibrillation With Rapid Ventricular Response?

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common dysrhythmia associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although many patients have stable AF, some patients can present with a rapid ventricular response (RVR). In these patients, it is important to lower their heart rate. However, there are several options available for rate control in the emergency department setting. CLINICAL QUESTION: What is the most effective agent for rate control for the patient with AF in RVR? EVIDENCE REVIEW: Studies retrieved included two prospective, randomized, double-blind studies and six retrospective cohort studies. These studies provide estimates of the efficacy and safety of calcium channel blockers and ß-blockers for rate control in those with AF with RVR. CONCLUSION: Based upon the available literature, diltiazem likely achieves rate control faster than metoprolol, though both agents seem safe and effective. Clinicians must consider the individual patient, clinical situation, and comorbidities when selecting a medication for rate control.

Electrical versus pharmacological cardioversion for emergency department patients with acute atrial fibrillation (RAFF2): a partial factorial randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Acute atrial fibrillation is the most common arrythmia treated in the emergency department. Our primary aim was to compare conversion to sinus rhythm between pharmacological cardioversion followed by electrical cardioversion (drug-shock), and electrical cardioversion alone (shock-only). Our secondary aim was to compare the effectiveness of two pad positions for electrical cardioversion. METHODS: We did a partial factorial trial of two protocols for patients with acute atrial fibrillation at 11 academic hospital emergency departments in Canada. We enrolled adult patients with acute atrial fibrillation. Protocol 1 was a randomised, blinded, placebo-controlled comparison of attempted pharmacological cardioversion with intravenous procainamide (15 mg/kg over 30 min) followed by electrical cardioversion if necessary (up to three shocks, each of ≥200 J), and placebo infusion followed by electrical cardioversion. For patients having electrical cardioversion, we used Protocol 2, a randomised, open-label, nested comparison of anteroposterior versus anterolateral pad positions. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1, stratified by study site) for Protocol 1 by on-site research personnel using an online electronic data capture system. Randomisation for Protocol 2 occurred 30 min after drug infusion for patients who had not converted and was stratified by site and Protocol 1 allocation. Patients and all research and emergency department staff were masked to treatment allocation for Protocol 1. The primary outcome was conversion to normal sinus rhythm for at least 30 min at any time after randomisation and up to a point immediately after three shocks. Protocol 1 was analysed by intention to treat and Protocol 2 excluded patients who did not receive electrical cardioversion. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01891058. FINDINGS: Between July 18, 2013, and Oct 17, 2018, we enrolled 396 patients, and none were lost to follow-up. In the drug-shock group (n=204), conversion to sinus rhythm occurred in 196 (96%) patients and in the shock-only group (n=192), conversion occurred in 176 (92%) patients (absolute difference 4%; 95% CI 0-9; p=0·07). The proportion of patients discharged home was 97% (n=198) versus 95% (n=183; p=0·60). 106 (52%) patients in the drug-shock group converted after drug infusion only. No patients had serious adverse events in follow-up. The different pad positions in Protocol 2 (n=244), had similar conversions to sinus rhythm (119 [94%] of 127 in anterolateral group vs 108 [92%] of 117 in anteroposterior group; p=0·68). INTERPRETATION: Both the drug-shock and shock-only strategies were highly effective, rapid, and safe in restoring sinus rhythm for patients in the emergency department with acute atrial fibrillation, avoiding the need for return to hospital. The drug infusion worked for about half of patients and avoided the resource intensive procedural sedation required for electrical cardioversion. We also found no significant difference between the anterolateral and anteroposterior pad positions for electrical cardioversion. Immediate rhythm control for patients in the emergency department with acute atrial fibrillation leads to excellent outcomes. FUNDING: Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Adverse Events Among Emergency Department Patients With Cardiovascular Conditions: A Multicenter Study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We aim to determine incidence and type of adverse events (adverse outcomes related to emergency care) among emergency department (ED) patients discharged with recent-onset atrial fibrillation, acute heart failure, and syncope. METHODS: This 5-year prospective cohort study included high-acuity adult patients discharged with the 3 sentinel diagnoses from 6 tertiary care Canadian EDs. We screened all ED visits for eligibility and performed telephone interviews 14 days postdischarge to identify flagged outcomes: death, hospital admission, return ED visit, health care provider visit, and new or worsening symptoms. We created case summaries describing index ED visit and flagged outcomes, and trained emergency physicians reviewed case summaries to identify adverse events. We reported adverse event incidence and rates with 95% confidence intervals and contributing factor themes. RESULTS: Among 4,741 subjects (mean age 70.2 years; 51.2% men), we observed 170 adverse events (3.6 per 100 patients; 95% confidence interval 3.1 to 4.2). Patients discharged with acute heart failure were most likely to experience adverse events (5.3%), followed by those with atrial fibrillation (2.0%) and syncope (0.8%). We noted variation in absolute adverse event rates across sites from 0.7 to 6.0 per 100 patients. The most common adverse event types were management issues, diagnostic issues, and unsafe disposition decisions. Frequent contributing factor themes included failure to recognize underlying causes and inappropriate management of dual diagnoses. CONCLUSION: Among adverse events after ED discharge for patients with these 3 sentinel cardiovascular diagnoses, we identified quality improvement opportunities such as strengthening dual diagnosis detection and evidence-based clinical practice guideline adherence.

Does N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Improve the Risk Stratification of Emergency Department Patients With Syncope?

BACKGROUND: Studies have reported that natriuretic peptides provide prognostic information for emergency department (ED) syncope. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether adding N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) to the Canadian Syncope Risk Score (CSRS) improves prediction of 30-day serious adverse events (SAEs). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: 6 EDs in 2 Canadian provinces. PARTICIPANTS: 1452 adult ED patients with syncope. INTERVENTION: Serum NT-proBNP was measured locally at 1 site and batch processed at a central laboratory from other sites. The concentrations were not available to treating physicians or for adjudication of outcomes. MEASUREMENTS: An adjudicated composite outcome of 30-day SAEs, including death and cardiac (arrhythmic and nonarrhythmic) and noncardiac events. RESULTS: Of 1452 patients enrolled, 152 (10.5% [95% CI, 9.0% to 12.1%]) had 30-day SAEs, 57 (3.9%) of which were identified after the index ED disposition. Serum NT-proBNP concentrations were significantly higher among patients with SAEs than those without them (median, 626.5 ng/L vs. 81 ng/L; P < 0.001). Adding NT-proBNP values to the CSRS did not significantly improve prognostication (c-statistic, 0.89 and 0.90; P = 0.12 for difference), regardless of SAE subgroup or whether the SAE was identified after the index ED visit. The net reclassification index shows that NT-proBNP would have correctly reclassified 3% of patients with SAEs at the expense of incorrectly reclassifying 2% of patients without SAEs. LIMITATIONS: Our study was powered to detect a 3% difference in the area under the curve. The heterogeneity of outcomes and robust baseline discrimination by the CSRS will make improvements challenging. CONCLUSION: Although serum NT-proBNP concentrations were generally much higher among ED patients with syncope who had a 30-day SAE, this blood test added little new information to the CSRS. Routine use of NT-proBNP for ED syncope prognostication is not recommended. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: Physicians' Services Incorporated Foundation, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and The Ottawa Hospital Academic Medical Organization.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Lung Point-Of-Care Ultrasonography for Acute Heart Failure Compared With Chest X-Ray Study Among Dyspneic Older Patients in the Emergency Department.

BACKGROUND: Acute heart failure and exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are sometimes difficult to differentiate in the emergency department (ED). OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the classification performance of lung point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) compared with chest x-ray study to identify acute heart failure in an older population. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study with additional health records review between March and September 2017. We included consecutive patients aged 50 years and older with shortness of breath from suspected acute heart failure or COPD. The reference standard was discharged diagnosis, ED diagnosis with confirmation by another physician, or diagnosis made by health record reviews. We calculated the classification performance of lung POCUS to diagnose acute heart failure as well as that of chest x-ray study, and compared them by exact McNemar test. RESULTS: There were 81 patients evaluated with lung POCUS, and 67 had acute heart failure. Emergency physicians identified acute heart failure by lung POCUS with sensitivity of 92.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 83.4-97.5%) and specificity of 85.7% (95% CI 57.2-98.2%). The radiology reading of chest x-ray study had sensitivity of 63.6% (95% CI 50.9-75.1%) and specificity of 92.9% (95% CI 66.1-99.8%). The sensitivity of lung POCUS was significantly higher than that of chest x-ray study (p = 0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: Lung POCUS in a real clinical setting was highly sensitive and specific in identifying acute heart failure, and performed better than chest x-ray in an older population.

S100B protein level for the detection of clinically significant intracranial haemorrhage in patients with mild traumatic brain injury: a subanalysis of a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical assessment of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is challenging and overuse of head CT in the ED is a major problem. Several studies have attempted to reduce unnecessary head CTs following a mTBI by identifying new tools aiming to predict intracranial bleeding. Higher levels of S100B protein have been associated with intracranial haemorrhage following a mTBI in previous literature. The main objective of this study is to assess whether plasma S100B protein level is associated with clinically significant brain injury and could be used to reduce the number of head CT post-mTBI. METHODS: Study design: secondary analysis of a prospective multicentre cohort study conducted between 2013 and 2016 in five Canadian EDs. Inclusion criteria: non-hospitalised patients with mTBI with a GCS score of 13-15 in the ED and a blood sample drawn within 24 hours after the injury. Data collected: sociodemographic and clinical data were collected in the ED. S100B protein was analysed using ELISA. All CT scans were reviewed by a radiologist blinded to the biomarker results. Main outcome: the presence of clinically important brain injury. RESULTS: 476 patients were included. Mean age was 41±18 years old and 150 (31.5%) were women. Twenty-four (5.0%) patients had a clinically significant intracranial haemorrhage. Thirteen patients (2.7%) presented a non-clinically significant brain injury. A total of 37 (7.8%) brain injured patients were included in our study. S100B median value (Q1-Q3) was: 0.043 µg/L (0.008-0.080) for patients with clinically important brain injury versus 0.039 µg/L (0.023-0.059) for patients without clinically important brain injury. Sensitivity and specificity of the S100B protein level, if used alone to detect clinically important brain injury, were 16.7% (95% CI 4.7% to 37.4%) and 88.5% (95% CI 85.2% to 91.3%), respectively. CONCLUSION: Plasma S100B protein level was not associated with clinically significant intracranial lesion in patients with mTBI.

Prospective Implementation of the Ottawa Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Rule and 6-Hour Computed Tomography Rule.

Background and Purpose- The Ottawa subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) rule identifies patients with headache requiring no testing for SAH, while the 6-hour computed tomography (CT) rule guides when to forgo a lumbar puncture. Our objectives were to: (1) estimate the clinical impact of the Ottawa SAH rule and the 6-hour-CT rule on testing rates (ie, CT, lumbar puncture, CT angiography); (2) validate the 6-hour-CT rule for SAH when applied prospectively in a new cohort of patients. Methods- We conducted a multicenter prospective before/after implementation study from 2011 to 2016 with 6 months follow-up at 6 tertiary-care Canadian Academic Emergency Departments. Consecutive alert, neurologically intact adults with headache were included. For intervention period, physicians were given a 1-hour lecture, pocket cards, posters were installed, and physicians indicated Ottawa SAH rule criteria when ordering CTs. SAH was defined by blood on CT, xanthochromia in cerebrospinal fluid, or >1×106/L red blood cells in cerebrospinal fluid with aneurysm. Results- We enrolled 3672 patients, 1743 before and 1929 after implementation, including 188 with SAH. Proportions undergoing CT was unchanged (88.0% versus 87.5%; P=0.643). Lumbar puncture use decreased (38.9% versus 25.9%; P<0.0001). Additional testing following CT (ie, lumbar puncture or CT angiography) decreased (51.3% versus 42.2%; P<0.0001). Admissions declined (9.8% versus 7.4%; P=0.011). Mean emergency department stay was unchanged (6.3±4.0 versus 6.4±4.2 hours; P=0.685). The Ottawa SAH rule was 100% (95% CI, 98.1%-100%) sensitive, and the 6-hour-CT rule was 95.5% (95% CI, 89.8-98.5) sensitive for SAH. The 6-hour-CT rule missed 5 SAHs: 1 radiology misread, 2 incidental aneurysms, 1 nonaneurysmal cause, and 1 profoundly anemic patient. Conclusions- The Ottawa SAH rule and the 6-hour-CT rule are highly sensitive and can be used routinely when SAH is considered in patients with headache. Implementing both rules was associated with a meaningful decrease in testing and admissions to hospital.

Intravenous Cetirizine Versus Intravenous Diphenhydramine for the Treatment of Acute Urticaria: A Phase III Randomized Controlled Noninferiority Trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Acute urticaria is a frequent presentation in emergency departments (EDs), urgent care centers, and other clinical arenas. Treatment options are limited if diphenhydramine is the only intravenous antihistamine offered because of its short duration of action and well-known adverse effects. We evaluate cetirizine injection, the first second-generation injectable antihistamine, for acute urticaria in this multicenter, randomized, noninferiority, phase 3 clinical trial. METHODS: Adult patients presenting to EDs and urgent care centers with acute urticaria requiring an intravenous antihistamine were randomized to either intravenous cetirizine 10 mg or intravenous diphenhydramine 50 mg. The primary endpoint was the 2-hour pruritus score change from baseline, with time spent in treatment center and rate of return to treatment centers as key secondary endpoints. Frequency of sedation and anticholinergic adverse effects were also recorded. RESULTS: Among 262 enrolled patients, the 2-hour pruritus score change from baseline for intravenous cetirizine was statistically noninferior to that for intravenous diphenhydramine (-1.6 versus -1.5; 95% confidence interval -0.1 to 0.3), and in favor of cetirizine. Treatment differences also favored cetirizine for mean time spent in treatment center (1.7 versus 2.1 hours; P=.005), return to treatment center (5.5% versus 14.1%; P=.02), lower change from baseline sedation score at 2 hours (0.1 versus 0.5; P=.03), and adverse event rate (3.9% versus 13.3%). CONCLUSION: Intravenous cetirizine is an effective alternative to intravenous diphenhydramine for treating acute urticaria, with benefits of less sedation, fewer adverse events, shorter time spent in treatment center, and lower rates of revisit to treatment center.

Decision fatigue in the Emergency Department: How does emergency physician decision making change over an eight-hour shift?

INTRODUCTION: We examined emergency physician disposition decisions and computed tomography (CT) ordering as markers of decision fatigue over an eight-hour shift. METHODS: Administrative database analysis of patients presenting to an academic, tertiary care, emergency department (ED) over two years. Patients were grouped by the hour of the shift that they were initially assessed by an emergency physician. For each hour, we evaluated the proportions of patients who had CT head, chest, or abdomen, consultations, and consultations not resulting in admission. For patients discharged without consultation, we evaluated return visits within 72 h and ED length-of-stay (LOS). Statistical significance was assessed using random effects regression accounting for clustering by physician. RESULTS: We analyzed 87,752 patients and there were no important differences in consultations, consultations not resulting in admission, or return visits in relation to the hour of shift the patient was seen. Rates of CT head and abdomen and ED LOS decreased as the shift progressed. From the first to the last hour, CT head ordering decreased from 15.8% to 12.2% (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.66-0.80, p < 0.0001), CT abdomen ordering decreased from 9.6% to 7.6% (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.64-0.80, p < 0.0001), and ED LOS decreased from 5.5 h to 4.9 h (relative difference 0.83, 95% CI 0.81-0.85, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Emergency physician decisions about patient disposition did not change throughout the shift. The rates of CT head and abdomen and ED LOS decreased as the shift progressed. We did not find evidence of decision fatigue among emergency physicians over an eight-hour shift.

Evaluation of the Ottawa 3DY as a screening tool for cognitive impairment in older emergency department patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to evaluate the implementation of the Ottawa 3DY Tool, a simple screening instrument for cognitive impairment, by front-line ED clinicians. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study in an academic ED. Patients ≥75 years underwent cognitive screening with the Ottawa 3DY by front-line nurses and physicians. Descriptive statistics were used to describe level of implementation and acceptability of the tool. Sensitivity and specificity was calculated using an Mini-Mental State Exam <25 as the cut-off for cognitive impairment. A weighted kappa was calculated to establish inter-rater agreement. RESULTS: Cognitive screening was completed in 260/332 eligible patients (78.3%), who were 60% female and had a mean age of 83.7 years. Facilitators to screening: perceived importance and ownership of screening and feasibility of Ottawa 3DY. Barriers to screening were: over confidence in clinical judgement and perceived lack of patient benefit. Ottawa 3DY had a sensitivity of 84.6% (64.3-95.0) and specificity of 54.2% (39.3-68.4) when completed by nurses. When completed by emergency physicians, sensitivity was 78.9% (53.9-93.0) and specificity was 70.0% (45.7-87.2). Inter-rater agreement kappa score was 0.67. DISCUSSION: This study demonstrated that incorporating the Ottawa 3DY tool into the routine evaluation of older ED patients by front-line ED clinicians is both feasible and effective. With its demonstrated good inter-rater reliability and moderate level of sensitivity and specificity when compared with the much longer MMSE, the routine adoption of this tool may help lead to improved recognition of cognitive impairment and ultimately patient and system outcomes.

Amiodarone, Lidocaine, or Placebo in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

BACKGROUND: Antiarrhythmic drugs are used commonly in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest for shock-refractory ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia, but without proven survival benefit. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind trial, we compared parenteral amiodarone, lidocaine, and saline placebo, along with standard care, in adults who had nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, shock-refractory ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia after at least one shock, and vascular access. Paramedics enrolled patients at 10 North American sites. The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge; the secondary outcome was favorable neurologic function at discharge. The per-protocol (primary analysis) population included all randomly assigned participants who met eligibility criteria and received any dose of a trial drug and whose initial cardiac-arrest rhythm of ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia was refractory to shock. RESULTS: In the per-protocol population, 3026 patients were randomly assigned to amiodarone (974), lidocaine (993), or placebo (1059); of those, 24.4%, 23.7%, and 21.0%, respectively, survived to hospital discharge. The difference in survival rate for amiodarone versus placebo was 3.2 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.4 to 7.0; P=0.08); for lidocaine versus placebo, 2.6 percentage points (95% CI, -1.0 to 6.3; P=0.16); and for amiodarone versus lidocaine, 0.7 percentage points (95% CI, -3.2 to 4.7; P=0.70). Neurologic outcome at discharge was similar in the three groups. There was heterogeneity of treatment effect with respect to whether the arrest was witnessed (P=0.05); active drugs were associated with a survival rate that was significantly higher than the rate with placebo among patients with bystander-witnessed arrest but not among those with unwitnessed arrest. More amiodarone recipients required temporary cardiac pacing than did recipients of lidocaine or placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, neither amiodarone nor lidocaine resulted in a significantly higher rate of survival or favorable neurologic outcome than the rate with placebo among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to initial shock-refractory ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01401647.).

Reasons and outcomes for patients receiving ICS/LABA agents prior to, and one month after, emergency department presentations for acute asthma.

Objective: Asthma is a common emergency department (ED) presentation. This study examined factors associated with inhaled corticosteroids/long-acting beta-agonist (ICS/LABA) use; and management and outcomes before and after ED presentation. Methods: Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study; adults treated for acute asthma in Canadian EDs underwent a structured interview before discharge and were followed-up four weeks later. Patients received oral corticosteroids (OCS) at discharge and, at physician discretion, most received ICS or ICS/LABA inhaled agents. Analyses focused on ICS/LABA vs "other" treatment groups at ED presentation. Results: Of 807 enrolled patients, 33% reported receiving ICS/LABA at ED presentation; 62% were female, median age was 31 years. Factors independently associated with ICS/LABA treatment prior to ED presentation were: having an asthma action plan; using an asthma diary/peak flow meter; influenza immunization; not using the ED as usual site for prescriptions; ever using OCS and currently using ICS. Patients were treated similarly in the ED and at discharge; however, relapse was higher in the ICS/LABA group, even after adjustment. Conclusion: One-third of patients presenting to the ED with acute asthma were already receiving ICS/LABA agents; this treatment was independently associated with preventive measures. While ICS/LABA management improves control of chronic asthma, patients using these agents who develop acute asthma reflect higher severity and increased risk of future relapse.