Risk Factors Associated with Urologic Intervention in Emergency Department Patients with Suspected Renal Colic.

BACKGROUND: Whereas most patients with urolithiasis pass their stones spontaneously and require only symptomatic management, a minority will require urologic intervention. OBJECTIVE: Our primary objective was to confirm previously reported risk factors and to identify additional predictors of urologic intervention within 90 days, for emergency department (ED) patients with suspected renal colic. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of adult patients presenting to one of two tertiary care EDs with suspected renal colic over a 20-month period. Multivariate logistic regression models determined predictor variables independently associated with urologic intervention. RESULTS: Of the 565 patients included in the analysis, 220 (38.9%) patients had a ureteric stone visualized on diagnostic imaging. Eighty-four patients (14.9%) had urologic intervention within 90 days of their initial ED visit. Urinary nitrites (odds ratio [OR] 4.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-13.6), stone size ≥ 5 mm (OR 4.2, 95% CI 2.4-7.4), proximal ureteric stone (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.5-6.4), age ≥ 50 years (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.5-5.0), tachycardia at triage (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.1-5.4), urinary leukocyte esterase (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2-4.5), abnormal serum white blood cells (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.3), and history of renal colic (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-3.1) were factors independently associated with urologic intervention within 90 days. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reports eight risk factors associated with urologic intervention within 90 days in patients presenting to the ED with renal colic. These risk factors should be considered when making management, prognostic, and disposition decisions for patients with suspected urolithiasis.

Normal renal sonogram identifies renal colic patients at low risk for urologic intervention: a prospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Determining which patients with ureterolithiasis are likely to require urologic intervention is a common challenge in the emergency department (ED). The objective was to determine if normal renal sonogram could identify low-risk renal colic patients, who were defined as not requiring urologic intervention within 90 days of their initial ED visit and can be managed conservatively. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study involving adult patients presenting to the EDs of a tertiary care centre with suspected renal colic over a 20-month period. Renal ultrasonography (US) was performed in the diagnostic imaging department by trained ultrasonographers, and the results were categorized into four mutually exclusive groups: normal, suggestive of ureterolithiasis, visualized ureteric stone, or findings unrelated to urolithiasis. Electronic medical records were reviewed to determine if patients received urologic intervention within 90 days of their ED visit. RESULTS: Of 610 patients enrolled, 341 (55.9%) had US for suspected renal colic. Of those, 105 (30.8%) were classified as normal; none of these patients underwent urologic intervention within 90 days of their ED visit. Ninety (26.4%) US results were classified as suggestive, and nine (10%) patients received urologic intervention. A total of 139 (40.8%) US results were classified as visualized ureteric stone, and 34 (24.5%) patients had urologic intervention. Seven (2.1%) US results were classified as findings unrelated to urolithiasis, and none of these patients required urologic intervention. The rate of urologic intervention was significantly lower in those with normal US results (p<0.001) than in those with abnormal findings. CONCLUSION: A normal renal sonogram predicts a low likelihood for urologic intervention within 90 days for adult ED patients with suspected renal colic.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in skin and soft tissue infections presenting to the Emergency Department of a Canadian Academic Health Care Center.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to estimate the city-wide prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in patients (≥18 years old) presenting with skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) to the emergency departments (EDs) of a Canadian Academic Health Care Center. Secondary objectives were to identify demographic and clinical variables associated with MRSA, and determine MRSA antimicrobial susceptibilities and genotypes. METHODS: This prospective observational study was conducted over 2 months. Participants completed a Health and Lifestyle Questionnaire. Cultures of the infection site, nares, and throat were obtained and MRSA isolates were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. Patient characteristics were summarized using descriptive statistics and MRSA prevalence and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using standard equations. Backwards stepwise multivariate logistic regression models determined predictor variables independently associated with MRSA colonization or infection. RESULTS: Of 205 patients, 35 (17.1%) were infected or colonized with MRSA. Seventy-eight (38.0%) of the infection site cultures grew S. aureus of which 27 (34.6%) were MRSA. Incarceration, known exposure to MRSA and involvement in competitive sports were significant predictors of MRSA SSTIs. Antimicrobial susceptibility among MRSA isolates was trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, vancomycin, gentamicin, and linezolid 100%, clindamycin 75%, ciprofloxacin 59.3%, and erythromycin 7.4%. Sixty-nine percent of MRSA cases fit the clinical definition of community associated; subsequently 77% were confirmed as CMRSA 10, a recognized community-acquired MRSA. CONCLUSION: Community-acquired -MRSA is a significant pathogen of SSTIs in EDs of a Canadian teaching center. MRSA should be considered when initiating empiric antibiotic therapy, particularly in patients with risk factors.

The utility of renal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of renal colic in emergency department patients.

OBJECTIVE: Computed tomography (CT) is an imaging modality used to detect renal stones. However, there is concern about the lifetime cumulative radiation exposure attributed to CT. Ultrasonography (US) has been used to diagnose urolithiasis, thereby avoiding radiation exposure. The objective of this study was to determine the ability of US to identify renal colic patients with a low risk of requiring urologic intervention within 90 days of their initial emergency department (ED) visit. METHODS: We completed a retrospective medical record review for all adult patients who underwent ED-ordered renal US for suspected urolithiasis over a 1-year period. Independent, double data extraction was performed for all imaging reports and US results were categorized as "normal," "suggestive of ureterolithiasis," "ureteric stone seen" or "disease unrelated to urolithiasis." Charts were reviewed to determine how many patients underwent subsequent CT and urologic intervention. RESULTS: Of the 817 renal US procedures ordered for suspected urolithiasis during the study period, the results of 352 (43.2%) were classified as normal, and only 2 (0.6%) of these patients required urologic intervention. The results of 177 (21.7%) renal US procedures were suggestive of ureterolithiasis. Of these, 12 (6.8%) patients required urologic intervention. Of the 241 (29.5%) patients who had a ureteric stone seen on US, 15 (6.2%) required urologic intervention. The rate of urologic intervention was significantly lower in those with normal results on US (p < 0.001) than in those with abnormal results on US. CONCLUSION: A normal result on renal US predicts a low likelihood for urologic intervention within 90 days for adult ED patients with suspected urolithiasis.

Treatment of severe accidental hypothermia with intermittent hemodialysis.

The optimal management of moderate-to-severe hypothermia with hemodynamic instability remains unclear. Although cardiopulmonary bypass offers the most rapid rate of rewarming and has been suggested as the method of choice in the presence of circulatory arrest, there is no evidence to support the use of this highly invasive technique over other rewarming modalities in the absence of circulatory collapse. We report the successful treatment of hemodynamically unstable hypothermia with conventional hemodialysis in a patient with normal renal function, after initial efforts of rewarming using conventional strategies had failed. This case report and review of the literature highlights the advantages and the challenges of using hemodialysis in this setting, and suggests a potential role for hemodialysis in the routine management of moderate-to-severe hypothermia in the absence of circulatory arrest.

Influenza vaccination rate among emergency department personnel: a survey of four teaching hospitals.

OBJECTIVES: To determine influenza vaccination rates and attitudes toward vaccination among emergency department health care workers at 4 Ontario teaching hospitals. METHODS: During the influenza season of 1999-2000 a confidential 28-item survey was distributed to emergency physicians and residents, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other allied health care workers at the emergency departments of 4 London, Ontario teaching hospitals. RESULTS: Of 426 surveys distributed, 343 were returned, for an overall response rate of 80.5%. The mean age of respondents was 38.5 years (standard deviation = 8.3), 74.3% were female, and 86.6% were non-smokers. The overall vaccination rate was 37.0% (95% confidence interval, 31.9%-42.4%). Vaccination rates were 45.9% for respiratory therapists, 35.3% for emergency physicians and residents, 34.5% for nurses and 27.1% for other allied health care workers (p = 0.083). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age >or=41 and a chronic medical condition were positively associated with influenza vaccination (p < 0.05). Close to one-third of respondents (28.3%) believed that adverse affects were common, 51.6% believed vaccination was effective, 52% would support a program to improve vaccination rates among emergency department staff, and 24.4% would support mandatory vaccination for this population. Only 26.8% believed that patients were at increased risk of contracting influenza from emergency department staff, but 58.3% perceived that emergency department staff were at increased risk of contracting influenza through exposure to patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, only 37% of emergency department health care workers were immunized against influenza, with chronic illness and older age being the only 2 significant correlates. Strategies to improve emergency department health care worker attitudes toward influenza vaccination for themselves and to increase vaccination rates for this population should be developed.