Global burden of the COVID-19 associated patient-related delay in emergency healthcare: a panel of systematic review and meta-analyses.

BACKGROUND: Apart from infecting a large number of people around the world and causing the death of many people, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have changed the healthcare processes of other diseases by changing the allocation of health resources and changing people's access or intention to healthcare systems. OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of endpoints marking delayed healthcare seeking in medical emergencies, before and during the pandemic. METHODS: Based on a PICO model, medical emergency conditions that need timely intervention was selected to be evaluated as separate panels. In a systematic literature review, PubMed was quarried for each panel for studies comparing the incidence of various medical emergencies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Markers of failure/disruption of treatment due to delayed referral were included in the meta-analysis for each panel. RESULT: There was a statistically significant increased pooled median time of symptom onset to admission of the acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients; an increased rate of vasospasm of aneurismal subarachnoid hemorrhage; and perforation rate in acute appendicitis; diabetic ketoacidosis presentation rate among Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus patients; and rate of orchiectomy among testicular torsion patients in comparison of pre-COVID-19 with COVID-19 cohorts; while there were no significant changes in the event rate of ruptured ectopic pregnancy and median time of symptom onset to admission in the cerebrovascular accident (CVA) patients. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 has largely disrupted the referral of patients for emergency medical care and patient-related delayed care should be addressed as a major health threat.

Comparison of the Relationship Between SI and RASI Scores With the Outcome of Sepsis Patients.

The aim of this study was to compare the relationship between shock index (SI) and respiratory adjusted shock index (RASI) scores with the final outcome of sepsis patients referred to the emergency department. This was prospective research that examined individuals who had been diagnosed with sepsis, determined by the presence of at least two of the three quick sepsis-related organ failure assessment (qSOFA) criteria and the presence of an infectious disease based on a diagnosis made by a hospital physician of Imam Reza and Ghaemshahr of Mashhad in 2019. Demographic information of patients, SI score, RASI score, and information related to the patient's clinical symptoms were recorded in the checklist. The final outcome of this study was considered mortality. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential tests. In the present study, a total of 178 patients, 46 patients (25.8%) were transferred to the intensive care unit, and 98 patients (55.1%) were admitted to the normal wards. Eighty-five patients (47.75%) died and the mean length of hospital stay of all patients was 11.07 ± 9.23 days. Forty-four patients (24.7%) had referred with a decreased level of consciousness and 44 patients (24.7%) presented with confusion. The rest of the patients reported normal levels of consciousness. Kaplan Mir analysis with log-rank was performed to determine the difference in survival distribution in different SI groups: Survival distribution was not statistically different for the four defined groups (based on statistical quartiles (P = 0.320). Receiver operator curves were considered as the date of death in the case of the deceased and the date of discharge from the hospital in the case of the living as censored. The AUC of the RASI scoring system for predicting mortality was 0.614 (P = 0.009) while this value was not significant for SI (P = 0.152). In logistic regression analysis, it was found that by adjusting for the variables of age, sex, sepsis etiology, blood pressure and heart rate, level of consciousness, and gender, patients with the lower respiratory rate (OR 1.6, z = -0.159 p = 0.007), younger age (OR 1.6, z = -0.029 p = 0.006) and higher RASI score are more in risk of mortality (OR 1.29, z = 1.209, p = 0.031). The results of our study showed that RASI scoring can be a good criterion for predicting the chance of mortality in patients with sepsis and could be used complementary to previous criteria such as SI. Patients with high RASI scores should be given more attention to reducing the chance of death.

Incidence of Pediatric Perforated Appendicitis during the COVID-19 Pandemic; a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 has affected the pattern of referral to medical centers and quarantine against COVID-19 might delay referral and management of surgical emergencies. This study aimed to compare the pooled event rate of pediatric perforated appendicitis before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis study based on the PRISMA guidelines. Scopus, Web of Sciences, and PubMed databases were searched for studies reporting the rate of perforated appendicitis based on the post-appendectomy observations or imaging methods. The Egger bias test and funnel plot were used to detect and depict publication bias. Statistical analysis was performed in Comprehensive Meta-analysis package version 3. RESULTS: Twelve studies were eligible for inclusion in our study. The pooled prevalence of pediatric perforated appendicitis in the pre-COVID era was 28.5% (CI95%: 28.3 to 28.7%) with a heterogeneity of 99%. In the COVID era, the event rate proportion was 39.4% (CI95%: 36.6 to 42.3%) with a heterogeneity of 99%. There was a significant difference in the subgroup analysis within the pre-COVID and COVID era (P<0.001), showing a higher perforation rate in the COVID era. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of perforated appendicitis has significantly increased in comparison to before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aluminum Phosphide Poisoning Mortality Rate in Iran; a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: According to statistics provided by the forensic medicine facility of Iran, there are a high number of Aluminum phosphide (ALP) poisoning-related deaths in the country; while the mortality rate varies in different studies. This study aimed to determine a pooled estimate of ALP poisoning mortality rate in Iran. METHODS: The present study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of the mortality rate of ALP poisoning in Iran. Through the quarry of Persian and English databases, using "aluminum phosphide", "phosphine", "rice pills", "poisoning", and "Iran" as keywords, and no time restrictions, studies reporting mortality rate in ALP poisoning cases were collected. The random-effects model was used to pool the proportions of mortality and age of survivors versus non-survivors. RESULTS: 21 studies with 3432 cases of ALP poisoning were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled mortality rate of ALP poisoning in Iran was 39.6%, (95% CI: 31.5%-47.9%; I2 = 95%). Since there was significant publication bias, the trim-and-fill correction was conducted and the corrected pooled mortality rate was estimated to be 27.3% (95% CI: 18.9%- 36.5%), which is the rate that should be considered for clinical guidance. Morality rate in male and female patients was 62.3% (95% CI: 53.5%-70.8%) and 37.7% (95% CI: 29.2%-46.5%), respectively (p < 0.01). Survivors had significantly lower mean age than non-survivors (SMD: -0.26 (95% CI: -0.37 to -0.15); p < 0.01; I2=0%). CONCLUSION: According to this report, the Mortality rate of ALP poisoning in Iranian population is about 27%, with men having a higher fatality rate than women. Poisoning at a younger age is associated with better results.

The Effect of Prophylactic Antibiotics on Post Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Infectious Complications: A Double-Blinded Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is one of the most common surgeries in laparoscopic surgery. Although, it is believed that LC has low-risk for post-operative infectious complications, the use of a prophylactic antibiotic is still controversial in elective LC. OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of prophylactic antibiotics on postoperative infection complications in elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, clinical trial, patients who were candidates for elective LC, from March 2012 to 2015, in four hospitals in Babol, Iran, were studied. Patients were allocated randomly to two groups, i.e., group C: Cefazolin (n = 182) and group P: placebo (n = 247). Group C received 1 g of Cefazolin 30 minutes before anesthesia and and then, six and 12 hours after anesthesia. Group P patients received 10 ml of isotonic sodium chloride solution. Age, gender, type of gallbladder diseases (stone, polyp, or hydrops), the length of post-operative hospitalization, frequency of gallbladder rupture, the duration of surgery, and the kinds of complications associated with infections were collected for each patient in the two groups. The data were analyzed by IBM-SPSS version 20, using the t-test and the chi-squared test, and a p-value < 0.05 was considered as significant. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of gender (C versus P: 18 (9.9%) male versus 22 (9%); p = 0.74), age (C versus P: 43.75 + 13.30 years versus 40.91 + 13.05; p = 0.20), and duration of surgery (C versus P: 34.97 ± 8.25 min versus 34.11 ± 8.39; p = 0.71). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the incidences of post-operative infection (C versus P: 3 (1.7%) versus 5 (2%); p = 0.99) and rupture of the gallbladder (C versus P: 14 (7.8%) versus 17 (6.8%); p = 0.85). No other post-operative systemic infectious complications (e.g., sepsis, pneumonia, or urinary tract infection) were found in either group. CONCLUSION: For patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), prophylactic antibiotics had no important role in the prevention of infections; so these antibiotics apparently are not necessary in treatment, and they are not recommended for patients with laparoscopic cholecystectomy as low-risk selective antibiotics. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered at the Iranian Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.irct.ir) with the IRCT identification number IRCT2013070413865N1. FUNDING: This research was supported financially by the Research Council of Babol University of Medical Sciences.

Comparing the Therapeutic Effectiveness of N-acetylcysteine with the Combination of N-acetyl Cysteine and Cimetidine in Acute Acetaminophen Toxicity: A Double-Blinded Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been used as a classic treatment for hepatotoxicity induced by N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI) as a metabolite of acetaminophen. However, cimetidine theoretically can reduce the production of toxic metabolites through the inhibition of cytochrome p450, and it recently was proposed as a complementary treatment for acetaminophen toxicity. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of treating acute acetaminophen toxicity with NAC alone and with a combination of NAC and cimetidine. METHODS: From October 2013 to March 2014, 105 patients suspected of acetaminophen toxicity who had paraclinical confirmation of toxicity requiring medical treatment (based on the risk assessment nomogram of acetaminophen serum level) were enrolled in this double-blind, randomized, controlled trial at Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. The patients were divided into two groups, i.e., 1) patients who were treated with NAC alone (group A) and 2) patients who were treated with a combination of NAC and cimetidine (group B). The primary outcomes were 1) the serum level of acetaminophen and 2) the serum level of aminotransferases at the time of admission and 4, 12, 24, and 48 hours after admission. Exclusion criteria included multiple toxicities, concurrent diseases that could affect liver enzymes, the use of other drugs, and dissatisfaction with the project. For measuring quantitative data, SPSS version 16 was used for t-test analysis and for analyzing the qualitative data with chi-squared analysis. RESULTS: Sixty patients (32 females and 28 males) with a mean age of 25.2 ± 7.3 years were classified in two groups of 30.. There was no difference between the groups in terms of their admission information. The average levels of acetaminophen in both groups at admission, 12, 24, and 48 hours after hospitalization were not significantly different from each other. Twelve hours after hospitalization, the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level in the group treated with NAC was significantly higher than in the group treated with the combination of NAC and cimetidine (IU/L30.1 ± 110.0 versus IU/L26.38 ± 94.93, p = 0.044). At the other times that the level of liver enzymes was assessed, the serum levels of urea and creatinine were not significantly different in the two groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The intravenous administration of 300 mg of cimetidine every six hours with NAC did not improve the level of hepatoprotective action significantly compared with the NAC treatment protocol alone.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum with a rare presentation.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is an unusual and benign condition in which air is present in mediastinum. A 20-year-old male patient presented to ED with complaint of hoarseness and odynophagia from the day before, after weightlifting. The patient was nonsmoker and denied history of other diseases. On physical examination he had no dyspnea with normal vital signs. Throat examination and pulmonary auscultation were normal and no crepitation was palpable. We could not find subcutaneous emphysema in neck and chest examination. In neck and chest X-ray we found that air is present around the trachea. There was no apparent pneumothorax in CXR. In cervical and chest CT free air was present around trachea and in mediastinum. Subcutaneous emphysema was also evident. But there was no pneumothorax. The patient was admitted and went under close observation, oxygen therapy, and analgesic. The pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema gradually resolved within a week by conservative therapy and he was discharged without any complication. Many different conditions could be trigged because of pneumomediastinum but it is rarely seen in intense physical exertion such as weightlifting and bodybuilding. Two most common symptoms are retrosternal chest pain and dyspnea. But the patient here complained of hoarseness and odynophagia.