Factors affecting seizure recurrence in the emergency department.

Background: Information on Emergency Department (ED) follow-up of patients presenting with epileptic seizures is limited. Objectives: It was planned to investigate the factors affecting the recurrence of epileptic seizures in the follow-up of patients presenting to the ED with the complaint of epileptic seizures. Materials and methods: This prospective, observational, single-center study was carried out in an adult population presenting to the ED. The study included patients older than 18 years of age presenting to the ED with the complaint of epileptic seizures. Results: Of the 205 patients included in the study, 68 (33.2%) had seizure recurrence during the 6 h. In the univariable analysis, advanced age, prolonged post-ictal duration, increased seizure duration, generalized tonic clonic seizure, alcohol consumption within past 24 h, hypertension, coronary artery disease, Alzheimer's disease, prior ischemic cerebrovascular disease, low Glascow Coma Scale (GCS), high glucose, high C-Reactive Protein, high phosphorus, low potassium, high blood urea nitrogen, high lactate, increased anion gap, high osmolarity were statistically significant in predicting recurrent seizure recurrence within 6 h. According to the logistic regression, postictal duration, GCS score, and age were independent predictors in our model. The cut-off value of postictal duration in predicting seizure recurrence at the highest sensitivity (66.2%) and specificity (89.8%) was 22.5 min. Conclusion: A prolonged postictal state, low GCS score, advanced age may be an indication of seizure recurrence. Therefore, patients with a long postictal duration, low GCS score, advanced age should be followed up more carefully in terms of recurrent seizures in the ED.

Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis in diagnostic accuracy studies: A guide to interpreting the area under the curve value.

This review article provides a concise guide to interpreting receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC) values in diagnostic accuracy studies. ROC analysis is a powerful tool for assessing the diagnostic performance of index tests, which are tests that are used to diagnose a disease or condition. The AUC value is a summary metric of the ROC curve that reflects the test's ability to distinguish between diseased and nondiseased individuals. AUC values range from 0.5 to 1.0, with a value of 0.5 indicating that the test is no better than chance at distinguishing between diseased and nondiseased individuals. A value of 1.0 indicates perfect discrimination. AUC values above 0.80 are generally consideredclinically useful, while values below 0.80 are considered of limited clinical utility. When interpreting AUC values, it is important to consider the 95% confidence interval. The confidence interval reflects the uncertainty around the AUC value. A narrow confidence interval indicates that the AUC value is likely accurate, while a wide confidence interval indicates that the AUC value is less reliable. ROC analysis can also be used to identify the optimal cutoff value for an index test. The optimal cutoff value is the value that maximizes the test's sensitivity and specificity. The Youden index can be used to identify the optimal cutoff value. This review article provides a concise guide to interpreting ROC curves and AUC values in diagnostic accuracy studies. By understanding these metrics, clinicians can make informed decisions about the use of index tests in clinical practice.

Rare Traumatic Pulmonary Pseudocyst in a Seven-year-old Child.

Traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst is a rare type of parenchymal injury, estimated to occur in 0.1% of all chest traumas. We report a rare case of traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst in a seven-year-old boy who presented with a chest injury from a traffic accident. He had a scapula fracture, multiple abrasions on his body, and decreased respiratory sounds in the left hemithorax. His Glasgow Coma Scale score was 15. Chest X-ray suggested a 3 × 3.5 cm cavitary lesion. Computed tomography scan revealed a pulmonary pseudocyst in addition to parenchymal contusion and pneumothorax. A Velpeau bandage was applied to the scapula fracture. After five days of in-hospital observation without any thoracic intervention, the patient was discharged free of complications.

Comparison of the effects of different treatment protocols on mortality in patients presenting with an INR≥10 due to warfarin-associated over-anticoagulation.

Aim: One of the most anticipated adverse effects of warfarin is over-anticoagulation. There is little to no evidence on the treatment that should be administered in patients with an international normalized ratio (INR)≥10. The primary outcome of this study is to analyze the effects of various treatments on 30-day mortality in patients with INR≥10 and without major bleeding on 30-day all-cause mortality. The secondary outcome is to propose a model that predicts 30-day all-cause mortality in the same patient group. Methods: Patients older than 18 years of age using warfarin and who had an INR≥10 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Patients with major bleeding on admission were excluded. Patients treated with only cessation of warfarin were named as "Group-1", patients who were treated with vitamin-K in addition to cessation of warfarin were named as "Group-2", and patients who were treated with cessation of warfarin and vitamin-K and fresh frozen plasma or prothrombin complex concentrate were named as "Group-3". Results: 190 patients were included in the analysis. Seven (38.9%) patients in the first group, 3 (8.6%) in the second group, and 21 (15.3%) in the third group died within 30-days(p=0.015). In the post-hoc analysis, the difference between Group-1 and Group-2 was found to be significant(p=0.036, OR:0.147, 95%CI=0.032 to 0.671).The performance of the model in predicting 30-day all-cause mortality was high (AUC=0.818 (95%CI = 0.716 to 0.920) and found to be compatible with the validation dataset 0.806 (95%CI = 0.631 to 0.981). Administration of vitamin K in addition to the cessation of warfarin was found to be a strong contributor to the model and an independent predictor of survival within 30 days(p=0.006). Conclusions: Until randomized controlled studies are conducted, it may be reasonable to administer vitamin-K in addition to cessation of warfarin in non-bleeding patients with INR≥10.

Trauma-related oral lesions; Angina bullosa haemorrhagica: a rare case presentation.

Angina bullosa haemorrhgica is a relatively uncommon condition characterized by blood-filled subepithelial lesions in the oral mucosa that is idiopathic and not caused by a systemic disease or a hemostatic abnormality. Middle-aged and elderly patients are usually affected and lesions heal spontaneously without scarring. A rapidly expanding hemorrhagic blister in the oropharynx can induce upper airway obstruction, so recognizing the lesion as soon as possible is essential. Because of its rarity, we wanted to highlight a 42-year-old male patient who presented with hemorrhagic bullae associated with insignificant local trauma in the oral mucosa and to emphasize that Angina bullosa haemorrhagica is a rare but recognizable lesion that clinicians should be aware of.

Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Emergency Department Presentations with Mushroom Poisoning: A Report from Turkey.

Background In this study, we investigated the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on emergency department admissions with mushroom poisoning in a tertiary hospital in Turkey. Materials and Methods This study was conducted as a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the data of patients admitted to the emergency department between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020. The patients diagnosed with the International Classification of Diseases-10 code T62.0 concerning the toxic effect of ingested mushrooms were identified through the computerized medical and laboratory record system of the hospital. The patients' demographic data, presentation seasons, laboratory findings, emergency department outcomes, and mortality due to mushroom poisoning were obtained. To reveal the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department presentations with mushroom poisoning, the means of the pre-pandemic period (2018-2019) and the pandemic period (2020) were compared. Results The data of a total of 171 patients were included in the final analysis. The number of patients diagnosed with the toxic effect of ingested mushrooms was 96 in 2018, 61 in 2019, and 14 in 2020. There was a 5.6-fold decrease during pandemic period in the number of patients presenting to the emergency department with mushroom poisoning. Conclusion The decrease in mushroom poisoning cases may be related to the changes in the eating habits of individuals during the pandemic and our study being conducted in a metropolitan city. We recommend that multicenter studies be performed to verify the data obtained from our study and increase their generalizability.

The role of a noninvasive index 'Spo2/ Fio2' in predicting mortality among patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

INTRODUCTION: Noninvasive risk assessment is crucial in patients with COVID-19 in emergency department. Since limited data is known about the role of noninvasive parameters, we aimed to evaluate the role of a noninvasive parameter 'SpO2/FiO2' in independently predicting 30-day mortality in patients with COVID-19 and its prognostic utility in combination with a noninvasive score 'CRB-65'. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in a tertiary training and research hospital, which included 272 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia diagnosed with polymerase chain reaction in emergency department. Data on characteristics, vital signs, and laboratory parameters were recorded from electronic medical records. The primary outcome of the study was 30-day mortality, and we assessed the discriminative ability of SpO2/FiO2 in predicting mortality in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and its prognostic utility in combination with conventional pneumonia risk assessment scores. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis revealed that only SpO2/FiO2 level was found to be an independent parameter associated with 30-day mortality (OR:0.98, 95% CI: 0.98-0.99, p = 0.003). PSI and CURB-65 were found to be better scores than CRB-65 in predicting 30-day mortality (AUC: 0.79 vs 0.72, p = 0.04; AUC: 0.76 vs 0.72, p = 0.01 respectively). Both SpO2/FiO2 combined with CRB-65 and SpO2/FiO2 combined with CURB-65 have good discriminative ability and seemed to be more favorable than PSI in predicting 30-days mortality (AUC: 0.83 vs 0.75; AUC: 0.84 vs 0.75), however no significant difference was found (p = 0.21 and p = 0.06, respectively). CONCLUSION: SpO2/FiO2 is a promising index in predicting mortality. Addition of SpO2/FiO2 to CRB-65 improved the role of CRB-65 alone, however it performed similar to PSI. The combined noninvasive model of SpO2/FiO2 and CRB-65 may help physicians quickly stratify COVID-19 patients on admission, which is expected to be particularly important in hospitals still stressed by pandemic volumes.

Predictive Ability of the MEWS, REMS, and RAPS in Geriatric Patients With SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the Emergency Department.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the ability of the Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), Rapid Emergency Medicine Score (REMS), and Rapid Acute Physiology Score (RAPS) to predict 30-d mortality in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection aged 65 y and over. METHODS: This prospective, single-center, observational study was carried out with 122 volunteers aged 65 y and over with patients confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2 infection according to the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, who presented to the emergency department between March 1, 2020, and May 1, 2020. Demographic data, comorbidities, vital parameters, hematological parameters, and MEWS, REMS, and RAPS values of the patients were recorded prospectively. RESULTS: Among the 122 patients included in the study, the median age was 71 (25th-75th quartile: 67-79) y. The rate of 30-d mortality was 10.7% for the study cohort. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values for MEWS, RAPS, and REMS were 0.512 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.420-0.604; P = 0.910), 0.500 (95% CI: 0.408-0.592; P = 0.996), and 0.675 (95% CI: 0.585-0.757; P = 0.014), respectively. The odds ratios of MEWS (≥2), RAPS (>2), and REMS (>5) for 30-d mortality were 0.374 (95% CI: 0.089-1.568; P = 0.179), 1.696 (95% CI: 0.090-31.815; P = 0.724), and 1.008 (95% CI: 0.257-3.948; P = 0.991), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: REMS, RAPS, and MEWS do not seem to be useful in predicting 30-d mortality in geriatric patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection presenting to the emergency department.

Can 1st and 6th month pulmonary function test follow-ups give an idea about the long-term respiratory effects of COVID-19 pneumonia?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to ascertain the long-term respiratory effects of COVID-19 pneumonia through pulmonary function tests in follow-ups at 1 and 6 months. METHODS: Our study was conducted between August 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021. At 1 month after discharge, follow-up evaluations, PFTs, and lung imaging were performed on patients aged above 18 years who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia. In the 6th month, the PFTs were repeated for those with pulmonary dysfunction. RESULTS: A total of 219 patients (mean age, 49±11.9 years) were included. Pathological PFT results were noted in the 1st month for 80 patients and in the 6th month for 46 (7 had obstructive disorder, 15 had restrictive disorder, and 28 had small airway obstruction) patients. A significant difference was found between abnormal PFT results and patient-described dyspnea in the 1st month of follow-up. The 6-month PFT values (especially those for forced vital capacity) were statistically significantly lower in the patients for whom imaging did not indicate complete radiological improvement at the 1-month follow-up. No statistically significant difference was found between the severity of the first computed tomography findings or clinical condition on emergency admission and pulmonary dysfunction (Pearson's chi-square test, P=0.904; Fisher's exact test, P=0.727). CONCLUSION: It is important that patients with COVID-19 pneumonia be followed up for at least 1 month after discharge to be monitored for potential long-term lung damage. PFTs should be administered to those in whom ongoing dyspnea, which started with COVID-19, and/or full recovery were not identified in pulmonary imaging.

Can 1st and 6th month pulmonary function test follow-ups give an idea about the long-term respiratory effects of COVID-19 pneumonia?

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to ascertain the long-term respiratory effects of COVID-19 pneumonia through pulmonary function tests in follow-ups at 1 and 6 months. METHODS: Our study was conducted between August 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021. At 1 month after discharge, follow-up evaluations, PFTs, and lung imaging were performed on patients aged above 18 years who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia. In the 6th month, the PFTs were repeated for those with pulmonary dysfunction. RESULTS: A total of 219 patients (mean age, 49±11.9 years) were included. Pathological PFT results were noted in the 1st month for 80 patients and in the 6th month for 46 (7 had obstructive disorder, 15 had restrictive disorder, and 28 had small airway obstruction) patients. A significant difference was found between abnormal PFT results and patient-described dyspnea in the 1st month of follow-up. The 6-month PFT values (especially those for forced vital capacity) were statistically significantly lower in the patients for whom imaging did not indicate complete radiological improvement at the 1-month follow-up. No statistically significant difference was found between the severity of the first computed tomography findings or clinical condition on emergency admission and pulmonary dysfunction (Pearson's chi-square test, P=0.904; Fisher's exact test, P=0.727). CONCLUSION: It is important that patients with COVID-19 pneumonia be followed up for at least 1 month after discharge to be monitored for potential long-term lung damage. PFTs should be administered to those in whom ongoing dyspnea, which started with COVID-19, and/or full recovery were not identified in pulmonary imaging.

Diagnostic performance of thorax CT in mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients: The importance of atypical CT findings.

OBJECTIVE: Computed tomography of the thorax (Thorax CT) is frequently used to diagnose viral pneumonia in moderate to severe COVID-19 patients, but its diagnostic performance in mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients is still unclear. Assessing the diagnostic performance of thorax CT in mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients was the purpose of our study. METHODS: Mildly symptomatic and clinically stable, suspected COVID-19 patients scanned with Thorax CTs between March 11, 2020, and April 13, 2020, were included in this study. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, positive and negative predictive values, and the respective accuracies were calculated for diagnostic purposes. RESULTS: Among the 1119 patients enrolled in our study, abnormal thorax CT scans were 527 out of which 363/527 (68.9%) had typical CT features for COVID-19. According to analysis of typical COVID findings, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, negative predictive value, and the accuracy of Thorax CTs with were 51.45%, 86.07%, 78.24%, 64.55%, and 68.99%, respectively. When typical CT findings and atypical CT findings were combined for the statistical analysis, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy observed 68.84%, 74%, and 71.49%. CONCLUSION: Diagnosing pneumonia can be challenging in mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients since the Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction test results, when compared with symptoms are not always evident. According to our study, thorax CT sensitivity was higher when atypical COVID-19 CT findings were included compared to those with typical COVID-19 CT findings alone. Our study which included the largest number of patients among all other similar studies indicates that not only typical but also atypical CT findings should be considered for an accured diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia.

2021 Guideline for the Management of COPD Exacerbations: Emergency Medicine Association of Turkey (EMAT) / Turkish Thoracic Society (TTS) Clinical Practice Guideline Task Force.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an important public health problem that manifests with exacerbations and causes serious mortality and morbidity in both developed and developing countries. COPD exacerbations usually present to emergency departments, where these patients are diagnosed and treated. Therefore, the Emergency Medicine Association of Turkey and the Turkish Thoracic Society jointly wanted to implement a guideline that evaluates the management of COPD exacerbations according to the current literature and provides evidence-based recommendations. In the management of COPD exacerbations, we aim to support the decision-making process of clinicians dealing with these patients in the emergency setting.

A Rare Cause of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in COVID-19: MINOCA Syndrome.

Myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is defined as having a stenosis of less than 50% or no stenosis in coronary angiography in a patient diagnosed with myocardial infarction. Because of its thrombogenic predisposition in COVID-19, the diagnosis of MINOCA syndrome is rarely thought in the patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial Infarction on electrocardiogram. In this case report, we discuss a 47-year-old male patient diagnosed with MINOCA who was followed up with respiratory failure due to COVID-19 viral pneumonia in intensive care unit. His 12-lead electrocardiogram showed "inferior STEMI". A 30-40% stenosis was also shown in the midportion of left anterior descending artery in emergency coronary angiography. The patient had a normal computed tomographic pulmonary angiography and was discharged with a full recovery. MINOCA may be triggered by hyperinflammation or various processes due to COVID-19. To explain these processes associated with MINOCA syndrome, further clinical trials are needed.

Early predictors of mortality for moderate to severely ill patients with Covid-19.

BACKGROUND: Determining the factors affecting the mortality and clinical conditions of the patients with Covid-19 are indispensable needs in developing patient treatment algorithms. We aimed to determine the parameters that can predict the mortality of moderate to severely ill patients with laboratory confirmed Covid-19. METHODS: Moderate to severely ill, Covid-19 patients older than 18 years were included. Mild Covid-19 patients and the ones with negative polymerase chain reaction test results were excluded from the study. The primary outcome of the study was 30-day mortality rate and we aimed to determine the factors affecting mortality in moderate to severely ill Covid-19 patients. RESULTS: 168 patient results were analyzed. Median age of the patients was 59.5 (48.3 to 76) and 90 (53.6%) were male. According to multivariate regression analysis results, the presence of any comorbid disease (p = 0.027, HR = 26.11 (95%CI: 1.45 to 471.31)), elevated C-reactive protein levels (CRP) (p < 0.001, HR = 1.24 (95%CI: 1.11 to 1.38)) and presence of dyspnea (p = 0.026, HR = 4.26 ((95%CI: 1.19 to 15.28)) were found to significantly increase the mortality, while high pulse O 2 saturation level (p < 0.001, HR = 0.90 (95%CI: 0.82 to 0.99) was found to decrease. When receiver operating characteristic curve was created for laboratory tests, it was determined that white blood cell counts, neutrophil counts, CRP levels and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio predicted mortality while Lymphocyte levels did not. CONCLUSION: Dyspnea, the presence of any comorbid disease, elevated CRP levels, and low pulse O 2 saturation levels predict mortality in moderate to severely ill Covid-19 patients.

A Rare Case of Metformin Intoxication with Mortal Course.

Metformin-associated lactic acidosis is a rare side effect in metformin poisoning. There is conflicting data about mortality rates changing from 3% to 83%. We aimed to discuss a case that developed lactic acidosis and acute renal failure progressing to mortality due to metformin intoxication. A 33 year-old female patient was admitted to the emergency department, with nausea and vomiting after taking 30 tablets of 1000 mg metformin. In the 2nd hour of follow-up, patient was observed to develop lactic acidosis which did not recover despite the infusion replacement treatments and hemodialysis. Following the development of respiratory failure, under mechanical ventilation, the patient developed cardiac arrest at the 48th hour of her admission. In metformin intoxications, it should be remembered that acidosis deepens very quickly and can progress with mortality despite optimal supportive therapy. More specific recommendations and further studies are required for the management and treatment of acute metformin-associated lactic acidosis.

Prolongation of QT interval due to hydroxychloroquine overdose used in COVID-19 treatment.

Hydroxychloroquine is one of the most commonly used drugs in COVID-19 treatment. In this case report, we aimed to present a young patient whose QT interval was prolonged due to hydroxychloroquine overdose which was given for COVID-19 treatment. This is the first reported case of QT interval prolongation at a low dose of 1.600 mg in the literature. A 28-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency department with the complaints of nausea, diarrhea, and weakness. The patient was diagnosed with COVID-19 a day prior and home isolation was recommended with hydroxychloroquine and oseltamivir P. O. treatment. His complaints started 6 h after accidentally taking 1.600 mg of hydroxychloroquine P. O. at the same time. On physical examination, the Glasgow Coma Scale was 15, and neurological, respiratory, and abdominal examinations were normal. His pulse was 54 beats/min, oxygen saturation was 99%, arterial blood pressure was 122/82 mmHg, and fever was 36.5°C. Electrocardiography (ECG) showed sinus bradycardia and corrected QT interval was calculated as 510 ms. The QT interval prolongation and bradycardia persisted, and the patient was hospitalized for follow-up and treatment. He was discharged on the 3rd day of his hospitalization after the corrected QT interval was detected to be 420 ms and his bradycardia improved. Due to the potential cardiac side effects, patients who are sent to home isolation with treatment should be educated about the use, dosage, and possible side effects of this medicine, and serial ECG monitoring should be provided to patients who are hospitalized.

High-altitude illness: Management approach.

In high altitudes, usually above 2500 m, travelers are faced with decreased partial pressure of oxygen along with decreased barometric pressure. High-altitude illness, a syndrome of acute mountain sickness, high-altitude cerebral edema and high-altitude pulmonary edema, occurs due to the hypobaric hypoxia when there is inadequate acclimatization. This review provides detailed information about pathophysiology, clinical features, prevention and treatment strategies for high-altitude illness according to the current literature.