SVEAT score: Acute chest pain risk stratification.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the predictive ability of the newly introduced Symptoms, history of Vascular disease, Electrocardiography, Age, and Troponin (SVEAT) score with the widely used History, ECG, Age, Risk factors, and Troponin I (HEART) score in risk stratification for 30-day major adverse cardiac events (MACE) development among patients presenting to the emergency department with acute chest pain complaints. METHODS: This prospective, observational, single-center study was conducted at an emergency department of a tertiary care hospital between June 2022 and January 2023. We recruited all adult patients aged 24 years and above with a primary complaint of non- traumatic chest pain at the critical care unit of the Emergency Department. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Patients aged 24 years and above with a primary complaint of chest pain lasting >5 min. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Patients with STEMI, pregnant individuals, those with traumatic chest pain, and those without 30-day MACE data were excluded. HEART and SVEAT scores were calculated for each participant.The performance of the SVEAT score in identifying the low-risk patient group was compared to that of the HEART score. RESULTS: In the study, out of 809 patients, 589 (72.8%) were categorized as low-risk based on the SVEAT score, and 377 (46.6%) based on the HEART score. Out of these 809 patients, 115 (14.2%) experienced MACE. Within the group classified as low risk by the SVEAT score, 6 (0.7%) patients experienced MACE, while within the group classified as low risk by the HEART score, 8 (1%) patients experienced MACE. The SVEAT score had an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.916 (95% CI 0.890 to 0.942), which was found to be higher than the AUC of the HEART score (0.856, 95% CI 0.822 to 0.890). In our study, the sensitivity of the SVEAT and HEART scores was found to be 94.7% (95% CI 88.9%-98.0%) and 93.0% (95% CI 86.7%-96.9%), respectively. The specificity of both scores was 84.1% (95% CI 81.0%-86.6%) and 53.17% (95% CI 49.3%-56.6%), respectively. CONCLUSION: While our study indicated a higher predictive power for MACE development with the SVEAT score compared to the HEART score, further extensive studies are necessary for its reliable implementation in emergency departments for chest pain risk classification.

Effect of access block on emergency department crowding calculated by NEDOCS score.

OBJECTIVE: Emergency department (ED) crowding poses a significant challenge in healthcare systems globally, leading to delays in patient care and threatening public health and staff well-being. Access block, characterized by delays in admitting patients awaiting hospitalization, is a primary contributor to ED overcrowding. To address this issue, the National Emergency Department Overcrowding Study (NEDOCS) score provides an objective framework for assessing ED crowding severity. This study aims to evaluate the impact of access block on ED crowding using the NEDOCS score and to explore strategies for mitigating overcrowding through scenarios over a 39-day period. METHODS: A single-center, prospective, observational study was conducted in an urban tertiary care referral center. The NEDOCS score was collected six times daily, including variables like total ED patients, ventilated patients, boarding patients, the longest waiting times, and durations of boarding patients. NEDOCS scores were recorded, and calculations were performed to assess the potential impact of eliminating access block in scenarios. RESULTS: NEDOCS scores ranged from 62.4 to 315, with a mean of 146, indicating consistent overcrowding. Analysis categorized ED conditions into different levels, revealing that over 81.2% of the time, the ED was at least overcrowded. The longest boarding patient's waiting duration was identified as the primary contributor to NEDOCS (48.8%). Scenarios demonstrated a significant decrease in NEDOCS when access block was eliminated through timely admissions. Shorter boarding times during non-working hours suggest the potential mitigating effect of external factors on the access barrier. Additionally, daytime measurements were associated with lower patient admissions and shorter wait times for initial assessment. CONCLUSION: Although ED crowding is a multifactorial problem, our study has shown that access block contribute significantly to this problem. The study emphasizes that eliminating access block through timely admissions could substantially alleviate crowding, highlighting the importance of addressing this issue to enhance ED efficiency and overall healthcare delivery.

The Cardiopulmonary Effects of Medical Masks and Filtering Facepiece Respirators on Healthy Health Care Workers in the Emergency Department: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: International COVID-19 guidelines recommend that health care workers (HCWs) wear filtering facepiece (FFP) respirators to reduce exposure risk. However, there are concerns about FFP respirators causing hypercapnia via rebreathing carbon dioxide (CO2). Most previous studies measured the physiological effects of FFP respirators on treadmills or while resting, and such measurements may not reflect the physiological changes of HCWs working in the emergency department (ED). OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate the physiological and clinical impacts of FFP type II (FFP2) respirators on HCWs during 2 h of their day shift in the ED. METHODS: We included emergency HCWs in this prospective cohort study. We measured end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2), mean arterial pressure (MAP), respiratory rate (RR), and heart rate values and dyspnea scores of subjects at two time points. The first measurements were carried out with medical masks while resting. Subjects then began their day shift in the ED with medical mask plus FFP2 respirator. We called subjects after 2 h for the second measurement. RESULTS: The median age of 153 healthy volunteers was 24.0 years (interquartile range 24.0-25.0 years). Subjects' MAP, RR, and ETCO2 values and dyspnea scores were significantly higher after 2 h. Median ETCO2 values increased from 36.4 to 38.8 mm Hg. None of the subjects had hypercapnia symptoms, hypoxia, or other adverse effects. CONCLUSION: We did not observe any clinical reflection of these changes in physiological values. Thus, we evaluated these changes to be clinically insignificant. We found that it is safe for healthy HCWs to wear medical masks plus FFP2 respirators during a 2-h working shift in the ED.

The Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasonography for the Diagnosis of Rib Fractures in Patients Presenting to Emergency Department With Blunt Chest Trauma.

BACKGROUND: Rib fractures are the most common complications of blunt chest trauma (BCT). Computed tomography (CT) is the modality of choice for BCT, but with several disadvantages. Ultrasonography (US) is an inexpensive, readily available, and relatively harmless imaging alternative. However, a direct comparison of the sonographic evaluation of the rib as a whole with CT as a reference has not been performed to date. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of US with CT for the detection of rib fractures in patients who presented to emergency department (ED) with BCT. METHODS: We included a convenience sample of adult patients who presented to the ED with thoracic pain after BCT in the last 24 h in this prospective, observational, diagnostic accuracy study. The diagnostic utility of US performed by an emergency physician was compared with thorax CT. RESULTS: The final study population included 145 patients. The diagnostic accuracy of US was 80% with a sensitivity of 91.2% and specificity of 72.7% for the detection of any rib fracture (positive likelihood ratio 3.4 and negative likelihood ratio 0.12). If we considered each rib separately, the sensitivity of US decreased to 76.7% and specificity increased to 82.7% (81.3% accuracy). CONCLUSIONS: A negative US of the site of the highest tenderness and neighboring ribs in a patient with BCT who presented to the ED with lateralizing pain decreases the possibility of a rib fracture significantly. However, a positive US performs poorly to specify the exact location and number of the fractured ribs.

The Impact of Head of Bed Elevation on Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter in Cervical Collar Applied Healthy Volunteers.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines recommend placing a cervical collar (c-collar) until spinal injury is excluded. Previous studies have shown that c-collar placement increases intracranial pressure (ICP), which can worsen outcomes for trauma patients who are at risk of increased ICP. Head of bed elevation (HBE) has been found to decrease ICP. However, there is no consensus in the literature for the optimal degree of HBE to decrease ICP. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to find an optimal HBE degree to decrease ICP to its baseline values in healthy volunteers with increased ICP caused by c-collar. METHODS: This is a randomized controlled and blinded study performed in healthy volunteers. Two sonographers measured the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) of each subject's eyes separately for different time points. Then, we calculated a mean ONSD value for five time points: before c-collar placement (T0), 5 and 20 min in supine position after c-collar placement (T5 and T20), and 5 and 20 min after HBE (T25 and T40). We randomized the subjects into three groups of HBE: 15, 30, and 45°, and compared the mean ONSD values among groups. RESULTS: All groups were similar with regard to baseline demographics and ONSD measurements before HBE. We found significant increases in mean ONSD values at T5 and at T20 caused by the c-collar. Thirty and forty-five degrees of HBE for 20 min decreased ONSD to its baseline values. The inter-rater reliability of the sonographers was > 0.9. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that c-collar increases ONSD in healthy volunteers. Elevating the head of the bed 30 and 45° for 20 min decreased ONSD to baseline values.

Use of ultrasonography for differentiation between bullae and pneumothorax.

PURPOSE: Modern lung ultrasound (US) is mainly applied not only in critical care, emergency medicine, and trauma surgery, but also in pulmonary and internal medicine. In some cases, pneumothorax (PTX) distinguishes with bullous diseases. In this study, we aimed to discuss the success of US on detecting PTX versus bullae. METHODS: We performed a prospective blinded study. Patients underwent thorax computed tomography (CT) if bullae or pneumothorax could not be differentiated from the chest radiography. An emergency medicine specialist trained in lung US and unaware of x-ray and CT findings performed US. All patients US performed from anterior and lateral wall. RESULTS: Final study population included 81 patients. The sensitivity of the presence of pleural sliding in the diagnosis of bullae was 97.50% (86.84-99.94%), and specificity was 100.0% (91.4-100.0%). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, direct visualisation of ultrasonographic pleural sliding can be a good tool for differentiating bullae and pneumothorax.

Risk factors associated with mortality and survival of acute subdural hematoma: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) is mostly seen after head injury and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. We studied the risk factors for ASDH and the effects of these factors on mortality as well as on survival with 100 cases from the rural area of Anatolia region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One-hundred cases of the ASDH that had been treated surgically between 2011 and 2014, at three different health-care centers from the rural area of Anatolia region, were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic data of patients, etiology, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) on admission, survival, presence of comorbid disease, unilaterality or bilaterality of the hematoma, and length of stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and/or neurosurgery clinic were recorded from the patients' files. RESULTS: The total mortality rate was 34%. Age, etiology, GCS on admission, and laterality of the hematoma (unilateral or bilateral) affected the mortality rates (P = 0.005, P = 0.001, P = 0.001, and P = 0.001, respectively). Advanced age, low GCS on admission, and bilaterality of the hematoma were related with high mortality rates (P = 0.005, P = 0.001, and P = 0.001, respectively). The presence of comorbid disease and gender had no effect on patient survival (P = 0.299 and P = 0.861). CONCLUSION: The most important factors affecting the mortality rate were GCS on admission, etiology, age, and laterality of the hematoma in this study. Advanced age, low GCS on admission, and bilaterality of the hematoma were related with high mortality rates. Etiology had an important role in mortality rates, especially in the pedestrian injury group.

Diagnostic utilities of tracheal ultrasound and USB-endoscope for the confirmation of endotracheal tube placement: A cadaver study.

OBJECTIVES: Confirmation of the endotracheal tube placement (CoETP) has the utmost importance in the management of an airway. Visualization of tracheal rings or carina with a fiber-optical bronchoscope (FOB) has considered to be a reliable method for the CoETP. However, FOB is expensive, time-consuming, and not always practical. Inexpensive endoscopic USB-cameras were shown to aid intubation successfully and reliably. On the other hand, there have been no studies investigating their use for the CoETP. Tracheal ultrasonography (TUS) is also a new, inexpensive and widely available alternative. A cadaver study has planned to evaluate the diagnostic utility of TUS and a USB-camera. METHODS: This study was conducted in the Anatomy Lab of a University on a fresh frozen female cadaver. Three senior Emergency Physicians have intubated the cadaver, and performed TUS or USB-endoscopy. We have prepared a randomized intubation list (n=96) in three blocks (3 times 32) as to include equal number of esophageal and tracheal intubations (48 for each). Each EP is performed all three interventions (intubation, TUS and USB-endoscopy) in consecutive blocks of 32 intubations, in turn. The position of the tube has been verified from a 2cm wide ostium on the proximal trachea. RESULTS: In this study, all intubations (n=96, 100%) were correctly identified as tracheal or esophageal with both TUS and USB-camera. Both the sensitivity and specificity of TUS and USB-endoscopy for the CoETP were 100.0%. CONCLUSION: The perfect accuracy of TUS and USB-endoscopy, have placed those techniques in a unique position as an alternative in resource-poor situations.

Which is more effective for the treatment of Acute Migraine Attack: Dexketoprofen, Ibuprofen or Metoclopramide?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was head-to-head comparison of the efficacy and rate of adverse events of metoclopramide, ibuprofen and dexketoprofen for the acute treatment of migraine attack in the real-life conditions of a busy emergency department (ED). METHODS: This was a prospective, observational, cross-sectional study. All patients who presented to the ED with a headache fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled. All patients were treated by the attending emergency physicians in their daily routine. If an IV treatment in the ED was found indicated by the EP, they selected one of the options in the written departmental migraine treatment protocol. RESULTS: During the study period, 54 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median change in the pain score was significantly different among treatment options (p<0.0001). The median pain score change at the end of the 30 minutes for treatment groups were 7.5 mm (IQR: 7.0-8.0), 5.0 mm (IQR: 4.75-7.0), and 7.0 mm (IQR: 6.0-7.25), respectively (p=0.0002). All three groups were found to be significantly different from each other in the post-hoc analysis. CONCLUSION: All drugs compared in this study are effective in the relief of migraine headache. However, IV dexketoprofen seems to be faster and more effective than metoclopramide and ibuprofen.

Tracheal ultrasonography and ultrasonographic lung sliding for confirming endotracheal tube placement: Speed and Reliability.

BACKGROUND: In this study we aimed to evaluate the success of ultrasonography (USG) for confirming the tube placement and timeliness by tracheal USG and ultrasonographic lung sliding in resuscitation and rapid sequence intubation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a prospective, single-center, observational study conducted in the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital. Patients were prospectively enrolled in the study. Patients who went under emergency intubation because of respiratory failure, cardiac arrest or severe trauma included in the study. Patients with severe neck trauma, neck tumors, history of neck operation or tracheotomy and under 18years old were excluded from the study. RESULTS: A total of 115 patients included in the study. The mean age was 67.2±17.1 with age 16-95years old. Among 115 patients 30 were cardiac arrest patients other 85 patients were non-cardiac arrest patients intubated with rapid sequence intubation. The overall accuracy of the ultrasonography was 97.18% (95% CI, 90.19-99.66%), and the value of kappa was 0.869 (95% CI, 0.77-0.96), indicating a high degree of agreement between the ultrasonography and capnography. The ulrasonography took significantly less time than capnography in total. DISCUSSION: Ultrasonography achieved high sensitivity and specificity for confirming tube placement and results faster than end-tidal carbon dioxide. Ultrasonography is a good alternative for confirming the endotracheal tube placement. Future studies should examine the use of ultrasonography as a method for real-time assessment of endotracheal tube placement by emergency physicians with only basic ultrasonographic training.

A Non-invasive Method for Assessment of Intravascular Fluid Status: Inferior Vena Cava Diameters and Collapsibility Index.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between central venous pressure (CVP) and inferior vena cava (IVC) diameters measured by ultrasonography (Ultrasound) in critically ill patients. METHODS: Intubated critically ill patients were enrolled. The CVP values were measured using a U-tube manometer and were compared to the IVC diameters and collapsibility index, which were measured by bedside Ultrasound. Patients younger than 18 years old, who were not intubated, who had an abdominal pressure greater than 12 mmHg, and/or who were admitted for trauma were excluded from the study. RESULTS: Eighty three patients with a mean age of 73.6±11.2 years were enrolled. The most common diagnosis was sepsis (21 patients, 25.30%). IVC inspiration measurements were statistically significantly correlated with CVP measurements (p0.05, r: 0.1). IVC collapsibility measurements showed a negative correlation with CVP measurements (p<0.01, r: 0.68). CONCLUSIONS: There is a strong correlation between CVP and IVC diameters and the collapsibility index. This is a new formula for evaluating CVP, based on our statistical analyses.

The utility of heart-type free fatty-acid binding-protein (HFABP) levels for differentiating acute ischemic stroke from stroke mimics.

BACKGROUND: Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (HFABP) is found in the myocardium, brain, and some organs and is rapidly released from damaged cells into the circulation in case of ischemia. AIMS: We aimed to determine the diagnostic utility of HFABP levels in patients suggesting acute ischemic stroke (AIS). METHODS: This study was a prospective, single-center, observational diagnostic accuracy study with a nested cohort design. The estimated sample size was 126 patients, with a 1:1 case and control ratio. We included all consecutive patients with a lateralizing symptom (motor or sensory) or finding suggesting AIS (139 patients) who presented to ED within 24 h of their symptom onset and collected plasma at admission to the ED. After further evaluations, 111 patients (79.8%) were diagnosed with AIS and 28 with other neurological diseases (stroke-mimics). FINDINGS: In our study, the median HFABP levels of the cases and controls were 2.6 µg/ml and 2.2 µg/ml, respectively, without any statistically significant difference (p = 0.120). The diagnostic accuracy of HFABP for AIS was also insignificant at 0.60 (95% CI 0.51-0.68; p = 0.119). DISCUSSION: Plasma HFABP level is not a marker that can differentiate AIS from other neurological pathologies in patients presenting to the ED, with findings suggesting AIS.

A rare dental complication caused by a rare pathogen: Preseptal Cellulitis caused by Pseudomonas Oryzihabitans: a case report.

Various infective complications can be seen after a dental procedure. They are rarely resistant to standard therapy. In the case we present, a case of preseptal cellulitis caused by pseudomonas oryzihabitans after tooth extraction in a male patient who did not have any underlying cause. As in our case, evaluation of the cases resistant to standard treatment in terms of drainage and multidisciplinary management of culture results together with infectious diseases will increase the treatment success rate.

Comparison of the Analgesic Effects of Low-Dose Ketamine Versus Fentanyl in Patients With Long Bone Fractures in the Emergency Department: A Prospective Observational Study.

Aim and background In most emergency departments (ED), opioids are the primary analgesic agents for trauma patients. However, safe alternative drugs are required because of possible adverse effects. Ketamine, an anesthetic agent, provides satisfactory analgesia at low doses and is an alternative drug that has begun to be used in numerous areas with fewer side effects. This study aimed to compare low-dose ketamine and fentanyl infusions in terms of their pain-relieving effects and observed adverse effects in patients presenting to the ED with isolated long bone fractures. Materials and methods This single-center observational study was conducted in the ED of the Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital between August 2018 and December 2019. Patients diagnosed with isolated long bone fractures who were administered low-dose ketamine or fentanyl rapid infusions for pain relief were included in the study. Patient pain scores were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) with a standard horizontal 10-centimeter line. The primary outcome of the study was to compare the changes in pain at 30 and 60 min after medication administration for each group. Results A total of 100 patients were included in the study. Ketamine infusion was administered to 48% (n=48) of the patients as a pain reliever. After 60 min of observation, pain was significantly reduced in both study groups. However, the pain scores at baseline (p=0.319), 30 min (p=0.631), and 60 min (p=0.347) after treatment were similar in both groups. In terms of the observed adverse effects, dizziness was more common in the ketamine group (p=0.010). Conclusion The results of this study showed that low-dose ketamine infusion (0.3 mg/kg/h) had a similar effect to fentanyl infusion (1 mcg/kg/h) as a pain reliever in patients with isolated long bone fractures in the ED.

Diagnostic Accuracy of the Electrocardiography Criteria for Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (Cornell Voltage Criteria, Sokolow-Lyon Index, Romhilt-Estes, and Peguero-Lo Presti Criteria) Compared to Transthoracic Echocardiography.

OBJECTIVE/AIM: We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of the widely used left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) electrocardiography (ECG) criteria (Cornell Voltage Criteria [CVC], Sokolow-Lyon Index [SLI], Romhilt-Estes [REC], and Peguero-Lo Presti [PLP] Criteria) compared with the left ventricular mass measured by echocardiography. METHODS: In this prospective diagnostic accuracy study, we screened all consecutive adults (18 to 65 years) who presented to our academic emergency department (ED) with increased blood pressure (≥130/85 mmHg) between January 2016 and January 2017, and we enrolled a convenience sample of 165 patients in our study. The attending emergency physician managed all patients as per their primary complaint. The consulting cardiologist performed a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) of the patient and calculated the left ventricular mass (LVM) according to the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) formula. After completing the patient recruitment phase, researchers evaluated all ECGs and calculated scores for SLI, CVC, REC, and PLP. We used contingency tables to calculate the diagnostic utility metrics of all ECG criteria. RESULTS: The prevalence of LVH by TTE was 31.5%. CVC, SLI, REC, and PLP criteria correctly identified (true positive rate) abnormal LVM in only 3.9%, 1.9%, 9.6%, and 19.2% of the patients, respectively. CVC, SLI, REC score and PLP criteria performed poorly with extremely low sensitivities (3.9%, 1.9%, 10%, 19.2%) and poor accuracies (67.3%, 64.9%, 57.7%, 69.7%). CONCLUSION: ECG voltage criteria's clinical utility in estimating LVM and LVH is low, and it should not be used for this purpose.

Variables Affecting Mortality Among COVID-19 Patients With Lung Involvement Admitted to the Emergency Department.

INTRODUCTION: A cluster of atypical pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China, turned out to be a highly contagious disease, swept across most of the countries, and soon after was announced as a pandemic. Therefore we aimed to investigate the demographics and factors associated with the disease outcome. METHODS: In this retrospective chart review, we screened patients admitted to the emergency department with severe acute respiratory infection due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) between March 15, 2020 and April 30, 2020. Age, gender, symptoms, laboratory data, and radiology data were obtained, as well as outcomes and length of stay. RESULTS: We identified 177 patients (54.8% male). Seventy-eight percent of the cases were admitted into wards whereas 22% of the cases were admitted into the intensive care unit (ICU). Twenty-five percent of the cases needed invasive mechanical ventilation during their hospital stay and median length of hospital stay until death or discharge was eight days (interquartile range (IQR) 5.0 - 16.0). Among 177 patients, overall in-hospital mortality rate was 19.8% (n=35; male:female=18:17; p=0.6553). In-hospital mortality rates were statistically significantly higher in patients with higher age (64 vs. 74; p=0.0091), respiratory rate (RR) (28 vs. 36; p=0.0002), C-reactive protein (CRP) (54.7 vs. 104.0; p<0.0001), d-dimer (1.2 vs. 3.2; p<0.0001), ferritin (170 vs. 450.4; p<0.0001), fibrinogen (512 vs. 598; p=0.0349), international normalized ratio (INR) (1.1 vs. 1.3; p=0.0001), prothrombin time (PT) (14.8 vs. 17.4; p=0.0001), procalcitonin (0.1 vs. 0.3; p<0.0001), creatinine (0.9 vs. 1.1; p=0.0084), longer length of stay (LOS) (8.0 vs. 13.0; p=0.0251) with lower oxygen saturation (sO2) (93.0% vs 87.5%; p<0.0001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (78 vs. 70; p=0.0039), lymphocyte (1.2 vs. 0.8; p=0.0136), and with positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results (28.6% vs. 12.8%; p=0.0118). CONCLUSION: Patients with older age, higher RR, lower sO2 and DBP, higher creatinine, d-dimer, INR, CRP, procalcitonin, ferritin, and fibrinogen on initial admission were found to be less likely to survive COVID-19.

The Role of Transocular Ultrasound in the Assessment of Neurotoxicity-Related Encephalopathy in Mushroom Poisoning.

OBJECTIVE: Mushroom poisonings can lead to life-threatening organ dysfunctions and neurotoxicity-related encephalopathy. This study aimed to detect increased intracranial pressure by measuring optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) ultrasonographically and to determine its association with clinical and laboratory parameters. METHODS: In this prospective case-control study, we evaluated the patients aged above 18 years who presented to the emergency department with mushroom poisoning. Vital signs, clinical and laboratory parameters and ONSD of both eyes measured with transocular ultrasound were noted at initial admission and the 24th hour. RESULTS: We measured ONSD in 26 cases with mushroom poisoning and 26 healthy volunteers. Baseline ONSD measurements of the poisoning group were significantly higher than those of the control group (5.94±0.73 vs. 4.11±0.64, p<0.0001). ONSD values significantly regressed at 24th hour compared with the baseline measurements in the poisoning group (5.94±0.73 vs. 5.06±0.56, p<0.001).The ONSD values were significantly higher in patients who had a clinical picture of encephalopathy compared with patients who didn't have (6.05±0.72 vs. 4.36±1.03, p<0.001). No significant deterioration was observed in ammonium levels, hepatic and renal functions of the patients. CONCLUSION: We detected increased ONSDs in patients with mushroom poisoning compared with those in the control healthy volunteers. Our findings suggest that ONSD, measured by ultrasonography, may be safely and effectively used to diagnose transient encephalopathy associated with neurotoxicity.

The Impact of Backboard Placement on Chest Compression Quality: A Mannequin Study.

INTRODUCTION: High-quality chest compressions (CCs) are associated with high survival rates and good neurological outcomes in cardiac arrest patients. The 2015 American Heart Association (AHA; Dallas, Texas USA) Guidelines for Resuscitation defined and recommended high-quality CCs during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). However, CPR providers struggle to achieve high-quality CCs. There is a debate about the use of backboards during CPR in literature. Some studies suggest backboards improve CC quality, whereas others suggest that backboards can cause delays. This is the first study to evaluate all three components of high-quality CCs: compression depth, recoil depth, and rate, at the same time with a high number of subjects. This study evaluated the impact of backboards on CC quality during CPR. The primary outcome was the difference in successful CC rates between two groups. METHODS: This was a randomized, controlled, single-blinded study using a high-fidelity mannequin. The successful CC rates, means CC depths, recoil depths, and rates achieved by 6th-grade undergraduate medical students during two minutes of CPR were compared between two randomized groups: an experimental group (backboard present) and a control group (no backboard). RESULTS: Fifty-one of all 101 subjects (50.5%) were female, and the mean age was 23.9 (SD = 1.01) years. The number and the proportion of successful CCs were significantly higher in the experimental group (34; 66.7%) when compared to the control group (19; 38.0%; P = .0041). The difference in mean values of CC depth, recoil depth, and CC rate was significantly higher in the experiment group. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that using a backboard during CPR improves the quality of CCs in accordance with the 2015 AHA Guidelines.Sanri E, Karacabey S. The impact of backboard placement on chest compression quality: a mannequin study. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2019;34(2):182-187.

Comparison of ketamine/propofol (ketofol) and etomidate/fentanyl (etofen) combinations for procedural sedation and analgesia in the emergency department: An observational study.

OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of this study was to report the vital signs, hemodynamic parameters and pain scores of the patients who have received procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) with either ketofol (combination of ketamine and propofol) or etofen (combination of etomidate and fentanyl) and compare the proportion of patients with airway or respiratory adverse events (AEs) requiring an intervention and calculate the relative risk of AEs with each combination. METHODS: This study is a prospective observational study with survey analysis. All patients received procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) with either ketofol (combination of ketamine and propofol) or etofen (combination of etomidate and fentanyl) were prospectively observed. Vital and hemodynamic parameters and pain scores of the patients were recorded by automated equipment and visual analog scale (VAS) charts. RESULTS: 112 patients were enrolled, 55 received ketofol and 57 received etofen. All patients with a respiratory AE (n = 27) observed to receive a respiratory intervention. Respiratory AE rate and proportion of patient who required a respiratory intervention were significantly higher with ketofol (p = 0.0029). Overall AE rate, and rates of desaturation, emergence reaction were also significantly higher in ketofol group. CONCLUSION: Etofen is a promising combination for the PSA of adult patients with lower respiratory AE and intervention rates and with better hemodynamic profile.