Rocuronium Dosing by Ideal vs Total Body Weight in Obesity: A Prospective, Observational Non-inferiority Study.

Background: Providing adequate paralysis and appropriate sedation is challenging in patients with obesity during rapid sequence intubation (RSI). Pharmacokinetic parameters play an important role in dosing of rocuronium due to low lipophilicity. Rocuronium may be dosed based on ideal body weight (IBW). Current guidelines do not offer recommendations for dosing in the setting of obesity. Dosing depends on clinician preference based on total body weight (TBW) or IBW. Objective: In this study we performed non-inferiority analysis to compare the intubation conditions, duration of paralysis, and incidence of new-onset tachycardia or hypertension after intubation in obese patients requiring RSI in the emergency department (ED). Methods: This was a single-center, prospective, observational study. Eligible for enrollment were adult patients with a TBW ≥30% IBW or body mass index ≥30 kilograms per meters squared who presented to the ED requiring RSI with the use of rocuronium. Rocuronium was dosed according to intubating physicians' preference. Physicians completed a survey assessing intubation conditions. Height and weight used for the calculation of the dose, the dose of rocuronium, time of administration, and time of muscle function recovery were recorded. Endpoints assessed included grading of view during laryngoscopy, first-past success, and duration of paralysis. Results: In total, 96 patients were included, 54 in TBW and 42 in IBW. The TBW cohort received a mean of 1 milligram per kilogram (mg/kg) compared to 0.71 mg/kg in the IBW group. Excellent intubation conditions were observed in 68.5% in the TBW group and 73.8% in the IBW group. The non-inferiority analysis for relative risk of excellent intubation was 1.12 (P = 0.12, [90% CI 0.80-1.50]). Conclusion: Non-inferiority analysis suggests that IBW dosing provides similar optimal intubation conditions when compared to TBW dosing, but the noninferiority comparison did not reach statistical significance. This study was unable to show statistical non-inferiority for IBW dosing.

Frontal Arteriovenous Malformation Presenting as Painful Unilateral Conjunctiva Injection.

CASE PRESENTATION: Arteriovenous malformations (AVM) have a variety of clinically significant manifestations. This report details a patient who presented with unilateral conjunctiva injection, which was found to be due to an atypical manifestation of an AVM with a large draining vein mimicking carotid cavernous fistula. DISCUSSION: While imaging for patients presenting with eye pain and unilateral conjunctiva injection is not always warranted, emergency physicians should keep their differential diagnosis broad and pursue additional workup when warning signs of more sinister pathology present.

Effects of Brief Mental Skills Training on Emergency Medicine Residents' Stress Response During a Simulated Resuscitation: A Prospective Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Acute stress impairs physician decision-making and clinical performance in resuscitations. Mental skills training, a component of the multistep, cognitive-behavioral technique of stress inoculation, modulates stress response in high-performance fields. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the effects of mental skills training on emergency medicine (EM) residents' stress response in simulated resuscitations as well as residents' perceptions of this intervention. METHODS: In this prospective, educational intervention trial, postgraduate year-2 EM residents in seven Chicago-area programs were randomly assigned to receive either stress inoculation training or not. One month prior to assessment, the intervention group received didactic training on the "Breathe, Talk, See, Focus" mental performance tool. A standardized, case-based simulation was used for assessment. We measured subjective stress response using the six-item short form of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6). Objective stress response was measured through heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring. We measured subjects' perceptions of the training via survey. RESULTS: Of 92 eligible residents, 61 participated (25 intervention; 36 control). There were no significant differences in mean pre-/post-case STAI-6 scores (-1.7 intervention, 0.4 control; p = 0.38) or mean HRV (-3.8 milliseconds [ms] intervention, -3.8 ms control; p = 0.58). Post-assessment surveys indicated that residents found this training relevant and important. CONCLUSION: There was no difference in subjective or objective stress measures of EM resident stress response after a didactic, mental performance training session, although residents did value the training. More extensive or longitudinal stress inoculation curricula may provide benefit.

MAGraine: Magnesium compared to conventional therapy for treatment of migraines.

Due to the healthcare burden associated with migraines, prompt and effective treatment is vital to improve patient outcomes and ED workflow. This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind trial. Adults who presented to the ED with a diagnosis of migraine from August of 2019 to March of 2020 were included. Pregnant patients, or with renal impairment were excluded. Patients were randomized to receive intravenous magnesium, prochlorperazine, or metoclopramide. The primary outcome was change in pain from baseline on a numeric rating scale (NRS) evaluated at 30 min after initiation of infusion of study drug. Secondary outcomes included NRS at 60 and 120 min, ED length of stay, necessity for rescue analgesia, and adverse effects. A total of 157 patients were analyzed in this study. Sixty-one patients received magnesium, 52 received prochlorperazine, and 44 received metoclopramide. Most patients were white females, and the median age was 36 years. Hypertension and migraines were the most common comorbidities, with a third of the patients reporting an aura. There was a median decrease in NRS at 30 min of three points across all three treatment arms. The median decrease in NRS (IQR) at 60 min was -4 (2-6) in the magnesium group, -3 (2-5) in the metoclopramide group, and -4.5 (2-7) in the prochlorperazine group (p = 0.27). There were no statistically significant differences in ED length of stay, rescue analgesia, or adverse effects. Reported adverse effects were dizziness, anxiety, and akathisia. No significant difference was observed in NRS at 30 min between magnesium, metoclopramide and prochlorperazine.

Examining the Effect of the Affordable Care Act on Two Illinois Emergency Departments.

INTRODUCTION: The emergency department (ED) has long served as a safety net for the uninsured and those with limited access to routine healthcare. This study aimed to compare the characteristics and severity of ED visits in an Illinois academic medical center (AMC) and community hospital (CH) of a single health system before and after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). METHODS: This was a retrospective record review of 357,764 ED visits from January 1, 2011-December 31, 2016, of which 74% were at the AMC and 26% at the CH. We assessed the severity of ED visits by applying the previously validated Ballard algorithm, which classifies ED visits as non-emergent, intermediate, or emergent. Descriptive analyses were conducted to compare the characteristics of ED visits before and after the implementation of the ACA. We conducted multilevel logistic regression analysis to examine the odds of non-emergent compared to intermediate/emergent ED visits by the ACA implementation status controlling for patient demographic characteristics, insurance status, and multiple visits per patient. RESULTS: ED visits for patients with Medicaid or other governmental coverages increased in the post-ACA compared to pre-ACA period (Pre: 33.2 % vs Post: 38.3% at the AMC, and Pre: 29.7% vs Post: 35.1% at the CH). A statistically significant decrease in ED visits for uninsured patients was observed at the AMC and CH in the post-ACA period compared to the pre-ACA period (Pre: 12.1% vs Post: 6.4%, and Pre: 13.9% vs Post: 9.8%, respectively). Results from the regression analysis showed a significant decreased odds of non-emergent vs intermediate/emergent ED visits during the post-ACA period compared to the pre-ACA period at the AMC (odds ratio [OR] 0.68; confidence interval [CI], 0.66-0.70). However, an increased odds of non-emergent vs. intermediate/emergent ED visits was observed at the CH (OR 1.09; CI, 1.04-1.14). CONCLUSION: Similar to other Medicaid expansion states, ED utilization for uninsured patients decreased at both the AMC and the CH in the post-ACA period. While Medicaid visits for children < 18 years declined in the post-ACA period, it increased for ages 21 to 65 years of age. Contrary to our hypothesis, the severity of emergent ED visits increased in the post-ACA period but not at the CH.

Mucocutaneous Paraneoplastic Syndrome Secondary to Classical Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Paraneoplastic syndromes may be the only presenting manifestation of an otherwise occult malignancy. This case report highlights a patient presenting to the emergency department with an atypical, multi-system disease, ultimately leading to a diagnosis of mucocutaneous paraneoplastic syndrome secondary to classical Hodgkin's lymphoma. Emergency physicians should maintain a high clinical suspicion for paraneoplastic syndromes when patients present with multi-system manifestations.

Clinical Outcomes in Patients Taking Inhaled Loxapine, Haloperidol, or Ziprasidone in the Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to compare outcomes of discharge disposition, need for additional medications, and restraint use for patients who received inhaled loxapine compared with patients receiving traditional antipsychotic drugs in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted on all patients who presented to the ED with agitation and received antipsychotic therapy, including loxapine, ziprasidone, or haloperidol from December 1, 2014, through October 31, 2016. RESULTS: The mean time from physician assignment to medical clearance was 7.9 hours for patients treated with inhaled loxapine versus 10.3 hours for controls (P < 0.01). Those who received inhaled loxapine were given significantly less benzodiazepines as additional rescue medications as compared with other antipsychotic medications (P < 0.01, 35.2% vs 65.1%). Additionally, restraints were utilized less frequently in the loxapine group (P < 0.01, 1.8% vs 19.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Treating patients with agitation due to psychotic episodes in an ED setting with inhaled loxapine versus haloperidol or ziprasidone was associated with significantly improved treatment outcomes, suggesting that inhaled loxapine may be a more effective and rapid treatment option.