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OBJECTIVES: There is no sufficient data to provide a clear picture of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) across Türkiye. This study is the first to present the prognostic outcomes of OHCA cases and the factors associated with these outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in a prospective, observational, multicenter design under the leadership of the Emergency Medicine Association of Turkey Resuscitation Study Group. OHCA cases aged 18 years and over who were admitted to 28 centers from Türkiye were included in the study. Survived event, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), survival to hospital discharge, and neurological outcome at discharge were investigated as primary outcomes. RESULTS: One thousand and three patients were included in the final analysis. 61.1% of the patients were male, and the average age was 67.0 ± 15.2. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed on 86.5% of the patients in the prehospital period by emergency medical service, and bystander CPR was performed on only 2.9% by nonhealth-care providers. As a result, the survived event rate was found to be 6.9%. The survival rate upon hospital discharge was 4.4%, with 2.7% of patients achieving a good neurological outcome upon discharge. In addition, the overall ROSC and sustained ROSC rates were 45.2% and 33.4%, respectively. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, male gender, initial shockable rhythm, a shorter prehospital duration of CPR, and the lack of CPR requirement in the emergency department were determined to be independent predictors for the survival to hospital discharge. CONCLUSION: Compared to global data, survival to hospital discharge and good neurological outcome rates appear to be lower in our study. We conclude that this result is related to low bystander CPR rates. Although not the focus of this study, inadequate postresuscitative care and intensive care support should also be discussed in this regard. It is obvious that this issue should be carefully addressed through political moves in the health and social fields.
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BACKGROUND: The serum calcium plays a role as a cofactor in critical steps such as cardiac contractility, vascular tone, and the coagulation cascade. This study aimed to determine if the level of ionized calcium can predict outcomes in patients with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in the emergency department. METHODS: The study was a retrospective cross-sectional case series. Patients aged 18 and over diagnosed with spontaneous SAH in the emergency department were included in the study. Patients' demographic characteristics, comorbidities, vital signs, laboratory parameters, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies score, SAH grading according to the Fisher scale, needs of mechanical ventilation and inotropic treatment, administered treatments, complications, Rankin scores at discharge, and outcome were recorded in a standard data form. RESULTS: A total of 267 patients were studied, with a mean age of 55.5 ± 13.4 years, and 53.9% (n = 144) were female. Hydrocephalus was present in 16.5% of patients. The average hospital stay was 20.4 ± 19.8 days. Mortality rate was 34.8% (n = 93). Mortality was significantly higher in patients with low calcium levels upon admission (P = 0.024). Ionized calcium levels during complication development independently predicted mortality (OR: 0.945, 95% CI: 0.898-0.996, P = 0.034). Patients with poor neurologic outcomes (Rankin: 3-6) had significantly lower initial ionized calcium levels (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The ionized calcium level is a readily accessible blood gas parameter that assists clinicians in predicting functional independence and mortality at discharge in patients presenting to the emergency department with spontaneous SAH.
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Perfusion index (PI) is a promising indicator for monitoring peripheral perfusion. The present study aimed to compare the efficiency of PI and PESI score in estimating the 30-day mortality and treatment needs of patients diagnosed with pulmonary embolism in the emergency department. This study was prospective and observational. The demographic features of the patients, comorbidities, vital signs, PESI score, PI, treatment applied to the patient and airway management, right ventricular diameter/left ventricular diameter ratio, length of hospital stay, outcome, and 30-day mortality were recorded. A total of 94 patients were included. All patients' vital signs and PI values were recorded on admission. The mean pulse rate (p = 0.001) and shock index (p = 0.017) values of deceased patients were statistically significantly higher, while the mean PI (p = 0.034) was statistically significantly lower. PESI score and PI were statistically significant to predict the need for mechanical ventilation (PI, p = 0.004; PESI score, p < 0.001), inotropic treatment (PI, p = 0.047; PESI score p = 0.005), and thrombolytic therapy (PI, p = 0.035; PESI score p = 0.003). According to the ROC curve, the mortality prediction power of both PESI (AUC: 0.787, 95% CI 0.688-0.886, cutoff: 109.5, p < 0.001) and PI index (AUC: 0.668, 95% CI 0.543-0.793, cutoff: 1, p = 0.011) were determined as statistically significant. PI might be helpful in clinical practice as a tool that can be applied to predict mortality and treatment needs in PE.
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AIM: The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between negative acute-phase reactants and positive acute-phase reactants with in-hospital mortality in patients diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in the emergency department (ED). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patients aged 18 and older who presented to the ED of a tertiary hospital with AIS were included in the study. Demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters, acute-phase reactants, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and outcome data of the included patients were recorded on a standard data form. RESULTS: A total of 588 patients were included in the study. When the in-hospital mortality of patients was examined, the mortality rate was 17.7%. In the analysis for predicting mortality, it was determined that albumin had the highest predictive power between the area under the curve (AUC) and the determined predictive values (AUC: 0.759, 95% CI 0.707-0.810, p < 0.001). The analyses of the study data revealed that albumin (<0.001) and TF (p = 0.049), which are negative acute-phase reactants, were independent predictors of mortality. According to our study data, in patients with AIS, for each unit decrease in albumin level at the time of ED admission, the risk of mortality increased by 0.868 times, and for each unit decrease in TF level, the risk of mortality increased by 0.593 times. CONCLUSION: According to the study data, albumin and TF levels, which are negative acute-phase reactants, are independent determinants of in-hospital mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke in the emergency department.
Subject(s)
Hospital Mortality , Ischemic Stroke , Humans , Male , Female , Ischemic Stroke/mortality , Ischemic Stroke/blood , Aged , Middle Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Acute-Phase Proteins , Adult , Emergency Service, Hospital , Predictive Value of Tests , Brain Ischemia/mortality , Brain Ischemia/bloodABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the analgaesic efficacy of tenoxicam and dexketoprofen in patients admitted to the Emergency Medicine (EM) Clinic with severe acute pain due to primary dysmenorrhea (PD). STUDY DESIGN: Randomised-controlled trial. Place and Duration of the Study: Emergency Medicine Clinic, Health Sciences University, Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkiye, from January to December 2022. METHODOLOGY: Patients presenting with PD, were divided into two groups of 60 each, administered 50 mg dexketoprofen and 20 mg tenoxicam intravenously. Visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were recorded at the 15th, 30th, 60th, and 120th minutes. VAS scores and ΔVAS scores were compared with the effectiveness of drugs, the need for rescue drugs and its side-effects. RESULTS: Intravenous (IV) dexketoprofen was administered to 60 of the patients and IV tenoxicam was administered to another 60. At the time of admission, mean VAS scores of the patients were 8.8 ± 0.9 for the dexketoprofen group and 8.6 ± 0.8 for the tenoxicam group. The VAS scores of the dexketoprofen group were found to be statistically significantly lower after 30 minutes with lower need for rescue analgaesics. ΔVAS scores of the dexketoprofen group were statistically significantly higher from the 30th minute. CONCLUSION: According to the VAS scoring, IV dexketoprofen was a more effective drug than IV tenoxicam in patients who were admitted to the EM clinic with severe pain due to PD. KEY WORDS: Dexketoprofen, Primary dysmenorrhea, VAS score.
Subject(s)
Acute Pain , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal , Ketoprofen , Piroxicam , Tromethamine , Female , Humans , Acute Pain/drug therapy , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use , Double-Blind Method , Dysmenorrhea/drug therapy , Ketoprofen/analogs & derivatives , Pain, Postoperative/drug therapy , Piroxicam/analogs & derivativesABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To determine the factors affecting mortality as a result of the analysis of the demographic and clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters of patients whose serum Na value was determined to be 125 mEq/L or below at the time of admission to the emergency department (ED). METHOD: Patients over 18 years of age who admitted to the ED of a tertiary hospital between September 2021 and September 2022 and whose serum sodium level was determined to be 125 mEq/L and below were included in the study. Demographic and clinical characteristics, admission complaints, medications used, Charles comorbidity index (CCI), laboratory parameters, and outcomes of the patients included in the study were recorded in the data form. RESULTS: Three hundred ninety-nine patients were included in the study. When the 30-day mortality of the patients is examined, the mortality rate was found to be 21.6%. In the analyses performed for the predictive power of laboratory parameters for mortality, it was determined that the highest predictive power among the predictive values determined by the area under the curve (AUC) was the albumin level (AUC 0.801, 95% CI 0.753-0.849, p < 0.001). In the binary logistic regression analysis, urea and albumin were independent predictors of 30-day mortality. CONCLUSION: According to study data, albumin and urea levels are independent predictors of 30-day mortality in patients diagnosed with severe hyponatremia in the emergency department.
Subject(s)
Emergency Service, Hospital , Hyponatremia , Humans , Hyponatremia/mortality , Hyponatremia/blood , Emergency Service, Hospital/statistics & numerical data , Female , Male , Aged , Middle Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Sodium/blood , Urea/blood , Serum Albumin/analysis , Adult , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to compare the laboratory findings and disease severity scores of patients diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in the emergency department (ED) to predict 30-day mortality. METHOD: The patients over 18 years old and diagnosed HE in the ED of a tertiary hospital were included in the study. Demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters, predisposing causes and outcomes of the patients included in the study were recorded in the data form. Severity of liver disease was assessed by Child Pugh Score (CPS), End-stage liver disease model (MELD), MELD-Na and MELD-Lactate scores. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty-four patients diagnosed with HE were included in the study. 59.1% of the patients were male. The mean age of the patients was 65.2â ±â 12.6 years. The mortality rate of the patients was 47.2%. When the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, which determines the predictive properties of laboratory parameters and disease severity scores, was examined, the area under curve value of the MELD-Lactate score (0.858 95% CI 0.812-0.904, P â <â 0.001) was the highest. Binary logistic regression analysis for the estimation of patients' 30-day mortality showed that CPS and MELD-Lactate scores and blood ammonia and B-type natriuretic peptide levels were independent predictors of mortality. CONCLUSION: According to the study data, MELD-Lactate and BNP levels in patients diagnosed with HE in the ED may help the clinician in the prediction of 30-day mortality in the early period.
Subject(s)
End Stage Liver Disease , Hepatic Encephalopathy , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Aged , Adolescent , Female , Hepatic Encephalopathy/diagnosis , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , ROC Curve , Lactates , Emergency Service, Hospital , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is the third-most common cause of acute pancreatitis. Plasmapheresis is an extracorporeal treatment method used for treatment. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of medical treatment and plasmapheresis in patients with acute pancreatitis due to HTG. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. The patients were divided into two groups according to the treatment they received as those who received only medical treatment and those who performed plasmapheresis with medical treatment. According to the treatment received by the patients; clinical, demographic, and laboratory data, Ranson scores, and bedside index of severity in acute pancreatitis (BISAP) scores, decrease in triglyceride levels in 24 h, length of hospital stay, and outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were included in the study. The level of triglyceride decreases at the 24th h was 59.7% ±17.3% in those who received medical treatment and was 70.4% ±15.1% in those who received plasmapheresis (P = 0.032). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to predict the need for plasmapheresis treatment, area under the curve (AUC) value of the triglyceride level was the highest (AUC: 0.822, 95% confidence interval: [0.703-0.940]; P < 0.001), the sensitivity and specificity were 83.3% and 72.4%, respectively, and the cut-off value of triglyceride was accepted as 3079.5 mg/dL. CONCLUSION: Plasma triglyceride levels and BISAP score on admission may help physicians to predict the need for plasmapheresis. Plasmapheresis helps to rapidly reduce triglyceride levels in patients with HTG-associated acute pancreatitis.
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BACKGROUND: Various scores have been derived for the assessment of syncope patients in the emergency department (ED). AIM: We aimed to compare the effectiveness of Canadian Syncope Risk Scores (CSRS), San Francisco Syncope Rules (SFSR), and Osservatorio Epidemiologico sulla Sincope nel Lazio (OESIL) risk scores in predicting the risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and mortality among syncope patients within 30 days of the initial ED visit. METHODS: We performed a prospective, observational case series study of adults (≥ 18 years) with unexplained syncope/near-syncope who presented to ED. Demographic characteristics of the patients and clinical and laboratory data were recorded in the standard data collection form of the study. Our primary outcome was a 30-day mortality. RESULTS: A total of 421 patients (mean age 50.9 ± 20.8, 51.5% male) were enrolled. The rate of MACE development in the 30-day follow-up of the patients was 12.8% (n = 54). While 20.2% (n = 85) of the patients were hospitalized, two of the patients died in the emergency room and the 30-day mortality was 5.5% (n = 23). CSRS was found to have the highest predictive power of mortality (AUC: 0.869, 95% CI 0.799-0.939, p < 0.001). If the cut-off value of CSRS was 0.5, the sensitivity was found to be 82.6% and the specificity was 81.9%. Also CSRS (OR: 1.402, 95% CI: 1.053-1.867, p = 0.021) was found to be an independent predictor of the 30-day mortality. CONCLUSION: The CSRS may be used as a safety risk score for a 30-day risk of MACE and mortality after discharge from the emergency department.
Subject(s)
Emergency Service, Hospital , Syncope , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Canada , Prognosis , Prospective Studies , Risk Assessment , Risk Factors , Syncope/diagnosis , Syncope/etiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to compare the prognostic power of the BUN/albumin ratio (BAR) calculated on admission to the emergency department and the SYNergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with TAXus (SYNTAX) score calculated after coronary angiography (CAG) in predicting 30-day mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHOD AND MATERIAL: The study was conducted prospectively between March 2021 and March 2022 in the emergency department of a tertiary hospital. Patients over the age of 18 who underwent CAG with a diagnosis of STEMI were included in the study. Demographic charecteristics, comorbidities, laboratory parameters of the patients at the time of admission and SYNTAX (SX) score were recorded in the data form. RESULTS: A total of 1147 patients (77% male) diagnosed with STEMI were included in the study. When the receiver-operating characteristic analysis for SX score and laboratory parameters' power to predict mortality was examined, it was found that the AUC value of the BAR level (AUC: 0.736; 95% confidence interval: 0.670-0.802, P â<â0.001) was the highest. If the threshold value of the serum BAR level, which was determined to predict mortality, was taken as 4, the sensitivity was found to be 76.7% and the specificity was 56.9%. With multivariate logistic analysis, it was determined that the risk of mortality increased by 1.25 for each unit increase in the BAR value in STEMI patients ( P â<â0.001). CONCLUSION: According to the study data, the BAR may guide the clinician in the early period as a practical and valuable predictor of 30-day mortality in patients diagnosed with STEMI.
Subject(s)
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention , ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction , Humans , Male , Adult , Middle Aged , Female , ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction/diagnostic imaging , ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction/therapy , Blood Urea Nitrogen , Prognosis , Albumins , Retrospective Studies , Coronary Angiography , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: We aimed to evaluate the hemodialysis (HD) use in adult patients after acute poisoning in the emergency department. METHODS: The study was performed as a retrospective observational cohort study. We analyzed hospital electronic data system and patient files. RESULTS: A total of 55 patients were included in the study. Among the 10 toxins exposed, the most common were methanol and metformin. The most common indications for HD treatment were: 67.3% (n = 37) for toxin elimination, 20% (n = 11) for treatment-resistant metabolic acidosis, hemodynamic disorder. The most common complication (50.9%) in all patients was central nervous system depression. Ten patients died from ingestion of methanol, one of aluminum phosphide, and one of opioid-sympathomimetic-hallucinogen agents. CONCLUSION: HD is the most commonly used extracorporeal treatment method in the treatment of poisoning patients. HD should be considered without any delay in treating poisoned patients if there is no response to conventional treatments.
Subject(s)
Acidosis , Methanol , Adult , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Renal Dialysis/methods , Emergency Service, HospitalABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Pain after soft tissue injuries in and around the ankle is a troublesome process in terms of patient comfort and mobilization. The aim of this study was to compare the analgesic efficacy of intravenous ibuprofen and intravenous tenoxicam in patients with acute musculoskeletal pain due to ankle injury. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled study in a tertiary hospital. The patients were divided into two groups as those administered IV 400 mg ibuprofen and IV 20 mg tenoxicam. After the treatment of the patients, visual analog scale (VAS) scores were recorded at 15, 30, 60, and 120 min. VAS scores were compared with the effectiveness of drugs, their side effects, and the need for rescue drugs. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-four patients were included in the study. There were 62 patients in the tenoxicam group and 62 patients in the ibuprofen group. When VAS scores were compared, it was found that the VAS scores of the ibuprofen group were statistically significantly lower (p < 0.001). When the ΔVAS scores were compared, it was observed that the ΔVAS scores of the ibuprofen group were statistically significantly higher from 30 min (p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in favor of ibuprofen between the two drug groups in terms of the need for rescue analgesics (p < 0.001). Conclusion. The analgesic efficacy of intravenous ibuprofen and tenoxicam is equal after an ankle injury. However, after 30 min of drug administration, ibuprofen provides more effective analgesia than tenoxicam.
Subject(s)
Ankle Injuries , Ibuprofen , Humans , Ibuprofen/therapeutic use , Double-Blind Method , Prospective Studies , Pain, Postoperative/drug therapy , Treatment Outcome , Analgesics/therapeutic use , Ankle Injuries/drug therapyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) clinical decision rules can provide successful results in the differential diagnosis of non-traumatic headache. AIM: The aim of this study is to investigate whether a laboratory parameter that can be added to clinical decision-making rules can better predict subarachnoid haemorrhages in patients presenting to the emergency department with headache. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study between March 2017 and March 2019. Patients over the age of 18 who admitted to the emergency department with non-traumatic, acute headache last 14 days before admission and evaluated by imaging and laboratory studies were included in the study. RESULTS: A total of 867 patients were included and 141 of them had SAH. In detecting the SAH, Ottawa SAH rule sensitivity (85.1%), specificity (47.1%), positive predictive value (PPV) (23.8%) and negative predictive value (NPV) (94.2%), and for EMERALD SAH, rule sensitivity (96.4%), specificity (43.2%), PPV (24.8%) and NPV (98.4%). In the regression analysis, statistically significant result was obtained to exclude the diagnosis of SAH with the decrease in the eosinophil value (cutoff < 0.085 10^3/µL, OR: 0.011, 95% CI: 0.001-0.213, p = 0.003). When eosinophil value was added to EMERALD SAH rule, it provided a 100% of sensitivity, a 38.4% of specificity, a 24% of PPV and a 100% of NPV in detecting the SAH. CONCLUSIONS: EMERALD SAH rule plus eosinophil, which offers 100% sensitivity and NPV for predicting SAH in adult non-traumatic headaches, may be recommended as a successful and practical decision rule for clinical use according to the Ottawa and EMERALD SAH rule.
Subject(s)
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage , Adult , Humans , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/diagnostic imaging , Eosinophils , Sensitivity and Specificity , Acute Disease , Headache/diagnosis , Headache/etiology , Emergency Service, HospitalABSTRACT
Background: Perfusion index (PI) has use to monitor sympathetic response changes to pain. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the utility of using perfusion index as an objective marker of pain relief and of the need for rescue analgesia in ED patients with documented renal colic. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study between January 2020 and December 2020. The demographic characteristics of the patients, their complaints, nephrolithiasis histories, vital signs, PI, and VAS scores (on admission and after treatment) were recorded. Results: A total of 144 patients were included. All patients were administered 20 mg of Tenoxicam on admission. There was a statistically significant difference between the PI (<0.001) and VAS scores (<0.001) on admission and after the administration of Tenoxicam. 43.1% (n = 62) of the patients needed rescue analgesia. Accordingly to ROC curve, the ability of both PI2 (AUC: 0.615, 95%CI 0.519-0.711, p = 0.018) and ΔPI (AUC: 0.601, 95%CI 0.508-0.694, p = 0.039) indices were determined as statistically significant. The cutoff value of the PI2 level for the prediction of the needed rescue analgesia was 4.65 and the cutoff value for ΔPI (PI2-PI1) was 2. All patients had a pain VAS score of <3 and a mean PI of 5.7 ± 2.9 at discharge from the emergency department. Conclusion: In patients presenting to the emergency department with renal colic, the PI value on admission and after analgesic therapy can be helpful in assessing the severity of pain and predict the need for rescue analgesia.
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The aim of this study is to reveal the predictive power of biomarkers and SYNTAX (SX) score for short-term mortality in patients diagnosed with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) in the emergency department. This is prospective observational cohort study. Demographic characteristics of the patients, laboratory parameters on admission, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) percentages, affected vessels in angiography (CAG) and the treatment strategy [medical therapy, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), coronary angio by-pass graft] and SX scores were recorded on the data collection form. ROC curve was used to investigate the predictivity of blood urea nitrogen/albumin ratio (BAR), procalcitonin, C-reactive protein (CRP), high sensitivity cardiac troponin I (Hs-cTnI), CRP to serum albumin ratio (CAR), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and SX scores in mortality. Multivariate analysis of biomarkers and SX score was performed to estimate the patients' 30-day mortality. Of the 415 patients were included in the study. ROC analysis of BAR, CAR, CRP, Procalcitonin, Hs-cTnI, NLR and SX score to predict mortality was statistically significant. BAR (OR: 1.280, 95% CI: 1.113-1.472, p = .001) and SX score (OR: 1.071, 95% CI: 1.018-1.126, p = .007) were found to be independent predictors of 30 days mortality. LVEF reduction, SX score, the number of affected vessels and the frequency of LMCA lesions increase were found to be statistically significant in patients with BAR ≥4.8. BAR, which can be calculated easily and quickly on admission to the emergency department and in clinical practice, may be used to predict mortality in patients with NSTEMI.
Subject(s)
Non-ST Elevated Myocardial Infarction , Percutaneous Coronary Intervention , ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction , Biomarkers , Blood Urea Nitrogen , C-Reactive Protein/metabolism , Humans , Procalcitonin , Prospective Studies , ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction/surgery , ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction/therapy , Serum Albumin/metabolism , Stroke Volume , Troponin I , Ventricular Function, LeftABSTRACT
Kounis syndrome (KS) is an acute coronary syndrome including coronary spasm, acute myocardial infarction, and stent thrombosis preceded by an anaphylactic, anaphylactoid, allergic, or hypersensitivity injury. In this case presentation, we discussed Type I and Type II KS. Case 1 was a 72-y-old man who presented to the emergency department with allergic symptoms and chest pain that developed after multiple bee stings. Electrocardiography showed ST depression in the lateral leads. Case 2 was a 42-y-old woman who presented to the emergency department with complaints of chest pain, dizziness, and presyncope that developed after multiple bee stings. Mobitz Type II Block with right bundle branch block was observed in 42 beats·min-1 in the electrocardiography. Both patients were first treated for allergic reaction. Although early percutaneous coronary intervention was performed for graft thrombosis in Case 1, a permanent pacemaker was inserted in Case 2. The patients were discharged without any complications. Increasing physician awareness towards the existence of KS can prevent fatal outcomes with early diagnosis and treatment.
Subject(s)
Anaphylaxis , Insect Bites and Stings , Kounis Syndrome , Thrombosis , Animals , Bees , Humans , Kounis Syndrome/etiology , Kounis Syndrome/complications , Insect Bites and Stings/complications , Anaphylaxis/diagnosis , Anaphylaxis/etiology , Anaphylaxis/therapy , Chest Pain/complications , Arrhythmias, Cardiac/diagnosis , Arrhythmias, Cardiac/etiology , Thrombosis/complicationsABSTRACT
Acetamiprid is a member of neonicotinoid insecticides with a low risk of toxicity in humans. However, ingestion of large amounts may cause severe poisoning. This is the first case reported in the literature in which severe toxicity and death occurred after acetamiprid ingestion. A 57-year-old male patient consumed 50g/250mL of an insecticide formulation containing acetamiprid for suicidal purposes. The ambulance team performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the patient who had a cardiac arrest. His heart beat returned after a 15-min cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and afterward, he had tachycardia, hypotension, respiratory failure, high gap metabolic acidosis with a high lactate, hypokalemia, hypocalcemia, mydriasis, and coma. The patient underwent supportive treatment for a variety of symptoms. However, he died despite all supportive treatment. This case demonstrates that ingestion of large amounts of the acetamiprid and late presentation can be fatal despite all supportive care.
Subject(s)
Heart Arrest , Insecticides , Poisoning , Respiratory Insufficiency , Fatal Outcome , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neonicotinoids , Poisoning/diagnosisABSTRACT
SUMMARY OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the ability of the biomarkers to predict the surgery treatment and mortality in patients above 18 years of age who were hospitalized with the diagnosis of bowel obstruction from the emergency department. METHODS: This is a 2-year retrospective study. The patients' demographic data, laboratory parameters on admission to emergency department, treatment modalities, and the length of hospital stay were recorded. Patients were divided into two groups: conservative and surgical treatment. Statistical analysis was performed to investigate the value of biomarkers in predicting mortality and the need for surgery. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 22. RESULTS: A total of 179 patients were included in this study. Of these, 105 (58.7%) patients were treated conservative and 74 (41.3%) were treated operatively. The elevated procalcitonin (PCT) level, C-reactive protein, blood urea nitrogen-to-albumin ratio, and lactate-to-albumin ratio were significantly correlated with surgical treatment, length of hospital stay, and mortality. procalcitonin threshold value of 0.13 ng/mL was able to predict the need for surgical treatment, with a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 70.3%. Procalcitonin threshold value of 0.65 ng/mL was able to predict the mortality rate of the patients, with a sensitivity of 92.9% and a specificity of 78.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Biomarkers, especially procalcitonin, may be useful in bowel obstruction treatment management and may predict mortality.
Subject(s)
Humans , C-Reactive Protein/analysis , Procalcitonin , Intestinal Obstruction/diagnosis , Prognosis , Biomarkers , Predictive Value of Tests , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Since December 2019, emergency services and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) systems have been at the forefront of the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic world-wide. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the reasons and the necessity of transportation to the emergency department (ED) by ambulance and the outcomes of these cases with the admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic period and during the same period in 2019. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted in which patients transported to the ED by ambulance in April 2019 and April 2020 were compared. The primary outcomes were the changes in the number and diagnoses of patients who were transferred to the ED by ambulance during the COVID-19 period. The secondary outcome was the need for patients to be transferred to the hospital by ambulance. RESULTS: A total of 4,466 patients were included in the study. During the COVID-19 period, there was a 41.6% decrease in ED visits and a 31.5% decrease in ambulance calls. The number of critically ill patients transported by ambulance (with diagnoses such as decompensated heart failure [P <.001], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] attack (P = .001), renal failure [acute-chronic; P = .008], angina pectoris [P <.001], and syncope [P <.001]) decreased statistically significantly in 2020. Despite this decrease in critical patient calls, non-emergency patient calls continued and 52.2% of the patients transported by ambulance in 2020 were discharged from the ED. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting EMS use is important for evaluating the current state of emergency health care and planning to manage possible future outbreaks.