Ultra-low-dose CT versus chest X-ray for patients suspected of pulmonary disease at the emergency department: a multicentre randomised clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Chest CT displays chest pathology better than chest X-ray (CXR). We evaluated the effects on health outcomes of replacing CXR by ultra-low-dose chest-CT (ULDCT) in the diagnostic work-up of patients suspected of non-traumatic pulmonary disease at the emergency department. METHODS: Pragmatic, multicentre, non-inferiority randomised clinical trial in patients suspected of non-traumatic pulmonary disease at the emergency department. Between 31 January 2017 and 31 May 2018, every month, participating centres were randomly allocated to using ULDCT or CXR. Primary outcome was functional health at 28 days, measured by the Short Form (SF)-12 physical component summary scale score (PCS score), non-inferiority margin was set at 1 point. Secondary outcomes included hospital admission, hospital length of stay (LOS) and patients in follow-up because of incidental findings. RESULTS: 2418 consecutive patients (ULDCT: 1208 and CXR: 1210) were included. Mean SF-12 PCS score at 28 days was 37.0 for ULDCT and 35.9 for CXR (difference 1.1; 95% lower CI: 0.003). After ULDCT, 638/1208 (52.7%) patients were admitted (median LOS of 4.8 days; IQR 2.1-8.8) compared with 659/1210 (54.5%) patients after CXR (median LOS 4.6 days; IQR 2.1-8.8). More ULDCT patients were in follow-up because of incidental findings: 26 (2.2%) versus 4 (0.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Short-term functional health was comparable between ULDCT and CXR, as were hospital admissions and LOS, but more incidental findings were found in the ULDCT group. Our trial does not support routine use of ULDCT in the work-up of patients suspected of non-traumatic pulmonary disease at the emergency department. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NTR6163.

Why physiology will continue to guide the choice between balanced crystalloids and normal saline: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Crystalloids are the most frequently prescribed drugs in intensive care medicine and emergency medicine. Thus, even small differences in outcome may have major implications, and therefore, the choice between balanced crystalloids versus normal saline continues to be debated. We examined to what extent the currently accrued information size from completed and ongoing trials on the subject allow intensivists and emergency physicians to choose the right fluid for their patients. METHODS: Systematic review and meta-analysis with random effects inverse variance model. Published randomized controlled trials enrolling adult patients to compare balanced crystalloids versus normal saline in the setting of intensive care medicine or emergency medicine were included. The main outcome was mortality at the longest follow-up, and secondary outcomes were moderate to severe acute kidney injury (AKI) and initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT). Trial sequential analyses (TSA) were performed, and risk of bias and overall quality of evidence were assessed. Additionally, previously published meta-analyses, trial sequential analyses and ongoing large trials were analysed for included studies, required information size calculations and the assumptions underlying those calculations. RESULTS: Nine studies (n = 32,777) were included. Of those, eight had data available on mortality, seven on AKI and six on RRT. Meta-analysis showed no significant differences between balanced crystalloids versus normal saline for mortality (P = 0.33), the incidence of moderate to severe AKI (P = 0.37) or initiation of RRT (P = 0.29). Quality of evidence was low to very low. Analysis of previous meta-analyses and ongoing trials showed large differences in calculated required versus accrued information sizes and assumptions underlying those. TSA revealed the need for extremely large trials based on our realistic and clinically relevant assumptions on relative risk reduction and baseline mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis could not find significant differences between balanced crystalloids and normal saline on mortality at the longest follow-up, moderate to severe AKI or new RRT. Currently accrued information size is smaller, and the required information size is larger than previously anticipated. Therefore, completed and ongoing trials on the topic may fail to provide adequate guidance for choosing the right crystalloid. Thus, physiology will continue to play an important role for individualizing this choice.

[Abnormal saline's swan song]. / Zwanenzang van ziekmakend zout.

We previously suggested that choosing balanced solutions over normal saline for fluid therapy might benefit patients. After all, administration of NaCl 0.9% invokes metabolic acidosis and hyperchloraemia which was linked to renal failure and mortality in retrospective studies. Two large randomized controlled clinical trials now confirm this signal. Both in intensive care patients and in the setting of emergency medicine, balanced solutions were shown to reduce the incidence of MAKE30, a composite end point of hospital mortality and indices of renal failure. In addition, predefined subgroup analysis revealed increased mortality for normal saline in intensive care patients with sepsis. Even though the effect size is small in both studies, this evidence against normal saline is hard to ignore, given the immense number of patients who receive NaCl 0.9% worldwide. Therefore, clinical medicine may shortly witness the quiet disappearance of normal saline.

[Hypertension in young women: remember oral contraceptives]. / Jonge vrouwen met hypertensie: denk aan 'de pil'.

Three women, aged 18, 31 and 36 years, presented with hypertension while taking oral contraceptives. Each patient had received antihypertensive drugs. Blood pressure returned to normal within weeks of cessation of oral contraceptives. Although the reduction in hormone content seems to have reduced the risk of oral contraceptive-induced hypertension, there is still an increased risk. As the prevalence of hypertension in women aged under 45 is low, the possibility that the hypertension is caused by contraceptives should be considered in women of childbearing age. Discontinuation may cause a significant decrease in blood pressure and should be encouraged before commencing antihypertensive agents. Alternative methods of contraception include the progestogen-only pill or a mechanical contraceptive device.