Compliance and Related Outcomes of Prophylactic Antibiotics in Traumatic Open Fractures.

Purpose: Prophylactic antibiotic therapy is a standard of care for patients who present with open fractures due to the risk of infectious complications. This study was conducted to characterize the use of initial prophylactic antibiotic use in open fractures, guideline compliance, and its impact on care. Methods: Retrospective chart review of adult patients presenting with an open fracture to a Level 1 Trauma Center Emergency Department over a 12-month period was conducted. Results: Of the 202 patients meeting inclusion criteria, overall compliance with guideline recommendations for antibiotic prophylaxis was found to be 33.2%. The duration of prophylactic therapy was significantly longer in the noncompliant group and among those who received a secondary antibiotic (P < .05 for both comparisons). The duration of therapy was found to be significantly longer in those patients who developed an infection (P < .001). Those who developed an infection had a longer hospital length of stay (LOS) (P < .001) and intensive care unit LOS (P = .002). In addition, those who developed an infection had significantly more surgeries (P < .001) and received more red blood cell transfusions (P < .001). Correlation analysis confirmed a significant association between infection and duration of antibiotic prophylaxis (P = .02), number of surgeries (P < .0001), and number of transfusions (P < .0001). Conclusion: Guideline compliance was exceedingly low due to the extended duration of initial antibiotic therapy and did not appear to yield any clinical benefits. Infection was significantly associated with longer duration of initial prophylactic therapy and morbidity. Opportunities exist to elevate compliance with guidelines and to reevaluate prophylactic antimicrobial therapy in this setting.

Identification of Rate-Limiting Steps in the Provision of Thrombolytics for Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is the only pharmacotherapy shown to improve outcomes in acute ischemic stroke. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends a door-to-needle (DTN) time of <60 minutes in at least 50% of patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the possible barriers that may delay tPA administration within the emergency department (ED) of an academic medical center. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted from February 2011 to October 2013. Patients were included if they were admitted through the ED with a diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke and received tPA. RESULTS: Of the 130 patients who met inclusion criteria, 43.1% received tPA in ≤60 minutes. Several factors were identified to be significantly different in those with a DTN time of >60 minutes-time to ED physician consultation, neurologist arrival, blood sample acquisition, and result time ( P < .05 for all comparisons). Correlation analysis demonstrated several independent variables associated with DTN time of ≤60 minutes-time from admission to ED physician consultation, receipt of computed tomography (CT) scan, blood sample acquisition, laboratory results, and neurology service arrival ( P < .05 for all comparisons). CONCLUSION: The findings from this study highlight the importance of prompt physician evaluation, direct transfer to the CT scanner, and a quick turnaround time on laboratory values. The development of protocols to ensure the rapid receipt of tPA therapy should focus on limiting any potential delay these steps may cause.

Chemotherapy in the Emergency Department? There Is a Role for That: Methotrexate for Ectopic Pregnancy.

Approximately 1.6% of all emergency department (ED) visits in the United States are for vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy, translating to around 500,000 ED visits per year. A potentially life-threatening condition, ectopic pregnancy occurs in 1.5%-2% of pregnancies. Many patients will require either surgical or pharmacological intervention following a positive diagnosis. With regard to pharmacological options, methotrexate, largely known for its use in the oncology arena, has emerged as the most effective nonsurgical option and the pharmacological agent of choice. However, this therapy is not without its own unique adverse event profile and patients should be adequately educated on the monitoring parameters of this pharmacotherapy.

Antiemetic Use in the Emergency Department.

Nausea and vomiting are 2 of the most common complaints of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). In addition, antiemetics are the most commonly prescribed medications in the ED behind analgesics. Treating these conditions can be complex, especially as one considers that nausea and/or vomiting could be the primary presenting illness or simply a symptom of a more complex etiology. Although there is a wide variety of pharmacotherapeutic options in the armamentarium to treat these conditions, very few consensus recommendations exist to help guide the use of antiemetic agents in the ED, leading to wide variability in medication use. Contributing to these variations in practice is the extended spectrum of etiologies and potential physiological factors that contribute to the development of nausea or vomiting. A thorough understanding of the pharmacology and administration of these agents can help practitioners devise tailored antiemetic regimens based upon the underlying etiology.

Being prepared: bioterrorism and mass prophylaxis: part II.

Although several biological agents have been recognized as presenting a significant threat to public health if used in a bioterrorist attack, those that are of greatest importance are known as the Category A agents: Bacillus anthracis (anthrax); variola major (smallpox); Yersinia pestis (plague); Francisella tularensis (tularemia); ribonucleic acid viruses (hemorrhagic fevers); and Clostridium botulinum (botulism toxin). In the previous issue, Part I of this review focused on the clinical presentation and treatment of anthrax, plague, and tularemia. In this second part of this 2-part review of these agents, the focus is on the clinical presentation and treatment of smallpox, viral hemorrhagic fevers, and botulism toxin. The utilization of mass prophylaxis to limit the morbidity and mortality associated with all these agents is also discussed along with the role emergency care personnel play in its implementation.

Being prepared: bioterrorism and mass prophylaxis: part I.

Bioterrorism presents a real and omnipresent risk to public health throughout the world. More than 30 biological agents have been identified as possessing the potential to be deployed in a bioterrorist attack. Those that have been determined to be of the greatest concern and possess the greatest potential of use in this arena are known as the Category A agents: Bacillus anthracis (anthrax); Variola major (smallpox); Yersinia pestis (plague); Francisella tularensis (tularemia); viral hemorrhagic fevers; and Clostridium botulinum toxin (botulism toxin). Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention utilizes surveillance systems to identify illnesses, the weight of diagnosing, effectively treating, and notifying the appropriate public health officials lies squarely on the shoulders of emergency care personnel. Part I of this two-part review will focus on the clinical presentation and treatment of anthrax, plague, and tularemia. The subsequent Part II of this review will discuss smallpox, viral hemorrhagic fevers, botulism toxin, and the provision of mass prophylaxis.