Enfrentamiento inicial de las intoxicaciones por medicamentos orales en el servicio de urgencia / Initial management of toxic exposures to oral drugs in the emergency department

Las intoxicaciones en Chile siguen siendo un motivo importante de consulta en el servicio de urgencia (SU). Tanto intoxicaciones accidentales como intencionales constituyen una fuente de morbimortalidad y gasto de recursos monetarios no solo en Chile, si no que en todo el mundo. Debido a los múltiples compuestos que pueden producir una intoxicación grave, sigue siendo un desafío para el equipo de salud su enfrentamiento y manejo oportuno. Los médicos que tratan a estos pacientes deben ser sistemáticos y ordenados en su enfrentamiento, ya que la presentación clínica es variada y depende del agente ingerido, co-ingestas, si es aguda o crónica o concomitante con otras patologías (trauma, infecciones, etc.). El manejo está dirigido a las maniobras básicas de reanimación y soporte vital, prevención de absorción del tóxico y cuando corresponda, la administración del antídoto. La evaluación y tratamiento inicial serán abordados en esta revisión, temas específicos para diferentes drogas serán discutidos de forma separada. Objetivo: entregar las nociones básicas del enfrentamiento y manejo terapéutico inicial de un paciente intoxicado desde la perspectiva de la medicina de urgencias. Método: se realizó una revisión bibliográfica de la literatura científica, presentándose la evidencia actual del manejo e intervenciones terapéuticas utilizadas actualmente de un paciente intoxicado.

In Chile, poisonings are a frequent reason for emergency department visits. Accidental and intentional poisonings constitute an important source of worldwide morbidity, mortality and health care costs. Because of the heterogeneous presentations of poisonings, and the unknown exposure, it is always challenging for healthcare providers. Doctors who treat these patients must remember to be systematic and structured in their evaluation since the clinical presentation is not only determined by the exposure itself but also by co-ingestions, the time of presentation, whether the exposure is acute or chronic, and other concomitant health issues (trauma, hypothermia, comorbidities). The management focuses on basic resuscitation and life support, prevention of absorption of the toxin, and when appropriate, administering an antidote. Initial evaluation and treatment will be addressed in this review, and specific issues for different drugs will be discussed elsewhere. Objective: to describe the basic concepts to assess and manage the initial encounter of a poisoned patient from the perspective of emergency medicine. Methods: a bibliographic review of the scientific literature was carried out, presenting the current evidence of the management and therapeutic interventions currently used in an intoxicated patient.

Evaluación de los predictores clínicos de infección respiratoria aguda por coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 en población adulta / Clinical features of COVID-19 infection among patients consulting at an emergency service

Background: COVID-19 is a serious public health problem worldwide. Aim: To describe the clinical features of COVID-19 infection in adult patients consulting at an Emergency Service. Material and Methods: Descriptive prospective study of adult patients with suspected COVID-19 consulting between April 1 and July 31, 2020, at the Emergency Service of a clinical hospital. Clinical features, chronic comorbidities and demographic data were recorded. Results: We assessed 2,958 adult patients aged 42 ± 15 years (46% males). In 54% of them, COVID-19 infection was confirmed, 40% had preexisting diseases, especially hypertension (15%), hypothyroidism (6%), diabetes (6%), asthma (5%) and obesity (6%). The main clinical manifestations associated with COVID-19 were general malaise (79%), anorexia (38%), myalgia (64%), fever (52%), headache (70%), anosmia/dysgeusia (60%), cough (56%), dyspnea (54%) and diarrhea (36%). In the multivariate analysis, the main clinical predictors of COVID-19 infection were malaise, anorexia, fever, myalgia, headache, nasal congestion, cough, expectoration, anosmia/dysgeusia, and history of close contact with a SARS-CoV-2 patient. Odynophagia and chest discomfort were negative predictors of the disease. The history of fever associated with anorexia, cough, and dyspnea or anosmia/dysgeusia and close contact with a SARS-CoV-2 patient had high specificity and positive predictive value for COVID-19 infection. Conclusions: Clinical features of COVID-19 infection were highly unspecific in these patients. Clinical diagnostic prediction models could be useful to support healthcare decision making at primary care setting.

[Clinical features of COVID-19 infection among patients consulting at an emergency service]. / Evaluación de los predictores clínicos de infección respiratoria aguda por coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 en población adulta.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is a serious public health problem worldwide. AIM: To describe the clinical features of COVID-19 infection in adult patients consulting at an Emergency Service. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Descriptive prospective study of adult patients with suspected COVID-19 consulting between April 1 and July 31, 2020, at the Emergency Service of a clinical hospital. Clinical features, chronic comorbidities and demographic data were recorded. RESULTS: We assessed 2,958 adult patients aged 42 ± 15 years (46% males). In 54% of them, COVID-19 infection was confirmed, 40% had preexisting diseases, especially hypertension (15%), hypothyroidism (6%), diabetes (6%), asthma (5%) and obesity (6%). The main clinical manifestations associated with COVID-19 were general malaise (79%), anorexia (38%), myalgia (64%), fever (52%), headache (70%), anosmia/dysgeusia (60%), cough (56%), dyspnea (54%) and diarrhea (36%). In the multivariate analysis, the main clinical predictors of COVID-19 infection were malaise, anorexia, fever, myalgia, headache, nasal congestion, cough, expectoration, anosmia/dysgeusia, and history of close contact with a SARS-CoV-2 patient. Odynophagia and chest discomfort were negative predictors of the disease. The history of fever associated with anorexia, cough, and dyspnea or anosmia/dysgeusia and close contact with a SARS-CoV-2 patient had high specificity and positive predictive value for COVID-19 infection. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical features of COVID-19 infection were highly unspecific in these patients. Clinical diagnostic prediction models could be useful to support healthcare decision making at primary care setting.

Manifestaciones clínicas y predictores de gravedad en pacientes adultos con infección respiratoria aguda por coronavirus SARS-CoV-2

Background: In December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan city and spread rapidly throughout China and the world. Aim: To describe the clinical features, risk factors, and predictors of hospitalization in adult patients treated for acute respiratory infections associated with coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Material and Methods: Descriptive prospective study of ambulatory and hospitalized adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 attended between April 1 and May 31, 2020. Clinical features, chronic comorbidities and demographic data were recorded, and patients were followed for two months as outpatients. Results: We assessed 1,022 adults aged 41 ± 14 years (50% men) with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. One-third had comorbidities, specially hypertension (12.5%), hypothyroidism (6.6%), asthma (5.4%) and diabetes (4.5%). Hospital admission was required in 11%, 5.2% were admitted to critical care unit and 0.9% were connected to mechanical ventilation. Common symptoms included fatigue (55.4%), fever (52.5%), headache (68.6%), anosmia/dysgeusia (53.2%), dry cough (53.4%), dyspnea (27.4%) and diarrhea (35.5%). One third of patients reported persistence of symptoms at one-month follow-up, specially fatigue, cough and dyspnea. In the multivariate analysis, age, fever, cough, dyspnea and immunosuppression were associated with hospitalization and ICU admission. Age, male sex and moderate-severe dyspnea were associated with requirement of mechanical ventilation. The main predictors of prolonged clinical course were female sex, presence of comorbidities, history of dyspnea, cough, myalgia and abdominal pain. Conclusions: Clinical features of COVID-19 were highly unspecific. Prediction models for severity, will help medical decision making at the primary care setting.

[Clinical features and predictors of severity in 1022 adults with COVID-19]. / Manifestaciones clínicas y predictores de gravedad en pacientes adultos con infección respiratoria aguda por coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

BACKGROUND: In December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan city and spread rapidly throughout China and the world. AIM: To describe the clinical features, risk factors, and predictors of hospitalization in adult patients treated for acute respiratory infections associated with coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Descriptive prospective study of ambulatory and hospitalized adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 attended between April 1 and May 31, 2020. Clinical features, chronic comorbidities and demographic data were recorded, and patients were followed for two months as outpatients. RESULTS: We assessed 1,022 adults aged 41 ± 14 years (50% men) with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. One-third had comorbidities, specially hypertension (12.5%), hypothyroidism (6.6%), asthma (5.4%) and diabetes (4.5%). Hospital admission was required in 11%, 5.2% were admitted to critical care unit and 0.9% were connected to mechanical ventilation. Common symptoms included fatigue (55.4%), fever (52.5%), headache (68.6%), anosmia/dysgeusia (53.2%), dry cough (53.4%), dyspnea (27.4%) and diarrhea (35.5%). One third of patients reported persistence of symptoms at one-month follow-up, specially fatigue, cough and dyspnea. In the multivariate analysis, age, fever, cough, dyspnea and immunosuppression were associated with hospitalization and ICU admission. Age, male sex and moderate-severe dyspnea were associated with requirement of mechanical ventilation. The main predictors of prolonged clinical course were female sex, presence of comorbidities, history of dyspnea, cough, myalgia and abdominal pain. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical features of COVID-19 were highly unspecific. Prediction models for severity, will help medical decision making at the primary care setting.

Efectividad del tratamiento médico expulsivo con el bloqueador alfa tamsulosina en pacientes adultos que consultan por cálculo ureteral distal en un servicio de urgencias chileno / Effectiveness of medical expulsive therapy with the alfa-adrenergic blocker tamsulosin for distal ureterolithiasis in adults attended in an emergency department in Chile

Objetivo. Evaluar la efectividad del tratamiento médico expulsivo con tamsulosina. Método. Ensayo clínico prospectivo aleatorizado doble ciego realizado en un servicio de urgencias. Se incluyen adultos con ureterolitiasis distal única no complicada, que fueron asignados aleatoriamente a tamsulosina 0,4 mg/día más antiinflamatorio no esteroideo (AINE) (grupo A), o con placebo más AINE (grupo B), durante 21 días. Resultados. No se observaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la tasa de expulsión de litiasis entre ambos grupos (p = 0,29) ni en el tiempo de expulsión de esta (p = 0,91). Conclusiones. La terapia expulsiva con tamsulosina no se asocia a una mayor tasa de expulsión de litiasis ureteral

Objective. To assess the effectiveness of medical expulsive therapy with tamsulosin. Methods. Randomized double-blind controlled trial in an emergency department. We enrolled adults with uncomplicated distal ureterolithiasis and no other complaint. Patients were randomized to take either tamsulosin (0.4 mg/d) plus a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) or placebo plus the NSAID for 21 days. Results. The stone expulsion rate did not differ statistically between the 2 groups (P=.29). Time until expulsion was also similar (P=.91). Conclusion. Medical expulsive therapy with tamsulosin does not improve the rate of distal ureteral stone expulsion

Effectiveness of medical expulsive therapy with the ɲ-adrenergic blocker tamsulosin for distal ureterolithiasis in adults attended in an emergency department in Chile. / Efectividad del tratamiento médico expulsivo con el bloqueador alfa tamsulosina en pacientes adultos que consultan por cálculo ureteral distal en un servicio de urgencias chileno.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of medical expulsive therapy with tamsulosin. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Randomized double-blind controlled trial in an emergency department. We enrolled adults with uncomplicated distal ureterolithiasis and no other complaint. Patients were randomized to take either tamsulosin (0.4 mg/d) plus a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) or placebo plus the NSAID for 21 days. RESULTS: The stone expulsion rate did not differ statistically between the 2 groups (P=.29). Time until expulsion was also similar (P=.91). CONCLUSION: Medical expulsive therapy with tamsulosin does not improve the rate of distal ureteral stone expulsion.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar la efectividad del tratamiento médico expulsivo con tamsulosina. METODO: Ensayo clínico prospectivo aleatorizado doble ciego realizado en un servicio de urgencias. Se incluyen adultos con ureterolitiasis distal única no complicada, que fueron asignados aleatoriamente a tamsulosina 0,4 mg/día más antiinflamatorio no esteroideo (AINE) (grupo A), o con placebo más AINE (grupo B), durante 21 días. RESULTADOS: No se observaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la tasa de expulsión de litiasis entre ambos grupos (p = 0,29) ni en el tiempo de expulsión de esta (p = 0,91). CONCLUSIONES: La terapia expulsiva con tamsulosina no se asocia a una mayor tasa de expulsión de litiasis ureteral.