{"title":"It Is Time to Modernize Disaster Preparedness With Crowd Analysis.","authors":"Kuan-Fu Chen","doi":"10.6705/j.jacme.202303_13(1).0001","DOIUrl":"10.6705/j.jacme.202303_13(1).0001","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14846,"journal":{"name":"Journal of acute medicine","volume":"13 1","pages":"1-3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10116036/pdf/jacme-13-1-01.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9392066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Spinal Epidural Abscess: Early Suspicion in Emergency Department Using C-Reactive Protein and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Tests.","authors":"Yiu Nam Wong, Hak Suen Li, Sin To Kwok","doi":"10.6705/j.jacme.202303_13(1).0003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.6705/j.jacme.202303_13(1).0003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is an uncommon but serious differential diagnosis of acute spinal pain with high paralysis and mortality rate. This study aims to provide local data on its bioclinical characteristics and evaluate potential strategies to enhance its diagnostic rate in accident and emergency department (AED).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective case study from 2013 to 2019 was conducted in United Christian Hospital. SEA cases were classified as study group, spinal pain due to non-SEA cases were classified as control group. Data collected from study group included symptoms, radiological diagnosis, microbiological culture, treatment, and outcome. C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of both groups were compared to analyze their diagnostic power.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In the study group (n = 42), 93% of patients had spinal pain, 55% had fever, 60% had neurological deficits, and only 26% had the classic triad on presentation. Seventy-four percent of patients presented with spinal cord or cauda equina compression in their first magnetic resonance imaging. Mortality rate was 23.8%, and paralysis rate was 7.1%. Diagnostic accuracy in AED was 12%. Admission to orthopedic ward (n = 23) resulted in a significantly lower mean time-to-imaging (4.39 days vs. 14.58 days) and mean time-to-treatment (6.56 days vs. 16.9 days) as compared to other specialties. The area under curves of CRP and ESR were 0.893 and 0.874 respectively, the optimal threshold levels were 45.9 mg/L (sensitivity 82.9%, specificity 79%) and 59.5 mm/hr (sensitivity 87.2%, specificity 80.4%), respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Diagnosis of SEA in emergency department based on clinical symptomatology is not reliable due to low incidence of the classic triad, despite a more advanced disease on presentation. We proposed incorporating CRP and ESR tests into evaluation of patients with spinal pain since both tests demonstrated excellent discriminative power in diagnosing SEA.</p>","PeriodicalId":14846,"journal":{"name":"Journal of acute medicine","volume":"13 1","pages":"12-19"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10116031/pdf/jacme-13-1-03.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9387858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Common Fruit but Potentially Hidden Crisis: A Case Report of Betel Nut Intoxication.","authors":"Chao-Yen Huang, Cheng-Hsun Chuang","doi":"10.6705/j.jacme.202303_13(1).0006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.6705/j.jacme.202303_13(1).0006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This case involves a 41-year-old male experiencing agitation and confusion due to betel nut intoxication. The diagnosis was made by identifying the toxidrome through physical examination. Removing the residual betel nut with a finger and brushing it with water resulted in a significant improvement in consciousness and orientation within one hour. In addition to recognizing the toxidrome, prompt and effective treatment for the intoxicated patient is essential. Given the prevalence of betel nut chewing in Taiwan, emergency physicians should be particularly vigilant of arecoline toxicity.</p>","PeriodicalId":14846,"journal":{"name":"Journal of acute medicine","volume":"13 1","pages":"41-43"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10116037/pdf/jacme-13-1-06.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9387855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Impact of Compression Rates on the Quality of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Cross Over Randomized Control Study in Manikin.","authors":"Ibnu Katsir Machbub, Gezy Giwangkancana, Rudi Kadarsah, Ricky Aditya","doi":"10.6705/j.jacme.202212_12(4).0002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.6705/j.jacme.202212_12(4).0002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (HQ-CPR) focuses on improving heart and brain blood perfusion. The evaluation of HQ-CPR included depth, frequency, rate of chest compressions, and the occurrence of chest recoil between two chest compressions. Staff performing CPR may not be performing HQ-CPR since it is influenced by individual stamina, physical strength, and lack of target marker. We aimed to study the impact of 100 times per minute rate vs. 120 times per minute CPR rate on the depth and percentage of depth-on-target done by trained staff on a manikin.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a cross-over randomized control study. The subjects were anesthesiology and intensive care residents in a tertiary teaching hospital in Indonesia, all certified to perform advanced life support. The subject was asked to perform both CPR of 100 and 120 times per minute after a period of one-day rest. The standardized adult manikin was used, and the depth of CPR was measured using a pad-sensor attached to the manikin, and the results were transferred to recording software. Analysis was done using the chi-square analysis, and <i>p</i> < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 35 subjects were included. The results showed that the average compression depth at 100 times/minute was more statistically superficial than the 120 times/minute treatment (5.210 ± 0.319 vs. 5.430 ± 0.283, <i>p</i> = 0.007). In contrast, the compression depth-on-target percentage was significantly higher at a speed of 100 times per minute (37.130 ± 10.233 vs. 18.730 ± 7.224, <i>p</i> = 0.0001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>One hundred times per minute CPR resulted in a statistically significant lower compression depth, although not clinically significant, with a statistically significant higher percentage of compression depth-on-target than 120 times per minute CPR.</p>","PeriodicalId":14846,"journal":{"name":"Journal of acute medicine","volume":"12 4","pages":"139-144"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9815992/pdf/jacme-12-4-02.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9993633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ocular Injury by Accidental Splash of Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer in COVID-19 Prevention.","authors":"Ying-Chieh Huang, Chao-Wei Chuang","doi":"10.6705/j.jacme.202212_12(4).0006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.6705/j.jacme.202212_12(4).0006","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14846,"journal":{"name":"Journal of acute medicine","volume":"12 4","pages":"163-164"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9815993/pdf/jacme-12-4-06.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9993634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Man on Noninvasive Positive Airway Pressure Ventilation With Throat Pain.","authors":"Cheng-Han Lin, Hung-Yi Lin, Chih-Jen Yang, Shih-En Tang, Sy-Jou Chen","doi":"10.6705/j.jacme.202212_12(4).0004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.6705/j.jacme.202212_12(4).0004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dentures dislodged into throat on bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) ventilation can be overlooked and potentially compromise airway patency. An 81-year-old man with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presented with increased shortness of breath and productive cough for 1 week. Inhaled bronchodilators, parenteral steroids, and BiPAP ventilation were administered for acute exacerbation of COPD complicated with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure. Fifty minutes after receiving BiPAP ventilation, his respiratory condition improved; however, he started to complain of neck pain. The patient remained intolerant to the device 3 hours later, despite receiving assurance that the discomfort might be caused by air pressure through mask ventilation. His throat did not exhibit any abnormality during visual examination. Neck radiographs were subsequently obtained and demonstrated a denture impacted in the hypopharynx. His neck pain resolved after the removal of the dislodged maxillary denture. Denture dislodgement can occur in mask ventilation and compromise airway patency if stuck in the hypopharynx or respiratory tract. Such adverse events may be overlooked on the coexistence of respiratory and pulmonary diseases. A precisely pharyngolaryngeal inspection and complete imaging studies must be performed to facilitate early identification and further retrieval intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":14846,"journal":{"name":"Journal of acute medicine","volume":"12 4","pages":"158-160"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9815996/pdf/jacme-12-4-04.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9993636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Man Committed Suicide.","authors":"Ching-Hsing Lee","doi":"10.6705/j.jacme.202212_12(4).0005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.6705/j.jacme.202212_12(4).0005","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14846,"journal":{"name":"Journal of acute medicine","volume":"12 4","pages":"161-162"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9815994/pdf/jacme-12-4-05.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9993635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ali Avcı, Muhammet Raşit Özer, Kadir Küçükceran, Mehmet Serkan Yurdakul
{"title":"Roles of CRP and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in the Prediction of Readmission of COVID-19 Patients Discharged From the ED.","authors":"Ali Avcı, Muhammet Raşit Özer, Kadir Küçükceran, Mehmet Serkan Yurdakul","doi":"10.6705/j.jacme.202212_12(4).0001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.6705/j.jacme.202212_12(4).0001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Patient admissions beyond the capacity of emergency departments (EDs) have been reported since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Thus, laboratory parameters to predict the readmission of patients discharged from the ED are needed. For this purpose, we investigated whether C-reactive protein (CRP) level and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) could predict the readmission of patients with COVID-19.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients aged >18 years who visited the ED in October 2020 and had positive polymerase chain reaction test results were evaluated. Among these patients, those who were not hospitalized and were discharged from the ED on the same day were included in the study. The patients' readmission status within 14 days after discharge, age, sex, complaint on admission, comorbidity, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fever, pulse, oxygen saturation level, CRP level, blood urea nitrogen level, creatinine level, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, and NLR were recorded. Data were compared between the groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 779 patients who were included in the study, 359 (46.1%) were male. The median age was 41 years (range, 31-53 years). Among these patients, those who were not hospitalized and were discharged from the ED on logistic regression analysis, age, CRP level, NLR, loss of smell and taste, and hypertension had odds ratios of 2.494, 2.207, 1.803, 0.341, and 1.879, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The strongest independent predictor of readmission within 14 days after same-day ED discharge was age > 50 years. In addition, CRP level and NLR were the laboratory parameters identified as independent predictors of ED readmission.</p>","PeriodicalId":14846,"journal":{"name":"Journal of acute medicine","volume":"12 4","pages":"131-138"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9815995/pdf/jacme-12-4-01.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9985276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An Adapted Hybrid Model for Hands-On Practice on Disaster and Military Medicine Education in Undergraduate Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic.","authors":"Chia-Ching Hsu, Shih-Hung Tsai, Pei-Jan Tsai, Yin-Chi Chang, Yi-Da Tsai, Yin-Chung Chen, Kuan-Cheng Lai, Jen-Chun Wang, Tse-Chun Yang, Wen-I Liao, Sy-Jou Chen","doi":"10.6705/j.jacme.202212_12(4).0003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.6705/j.jacme.202212_12(4).0003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in substantial impacts on all aspects of medical education. Modern health systems must prepare for a wide variety of catastrophic scenarios, including emerging infectious disease outbreaks and human and natural disasters. During the COVID-19 pandemic, while the use of traditional teaching methods has decreased, the use of online-based teaching methods has increased. COVID-19 itself and the accompanying infection control measures have restricted full-scale practice. Therefore, we developed an adapted hybrid model that retained adequate hands-on practice and educational equality, and we applied it with a group of undergraduate medical students participating in a mandatory disaster education course in a military medical school.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The course covered the acquisition of skills used in emergency and trauma scenarios through designated interdisciplinary modules on disaster responses. Several asynchronous and synchronous online webinars were used in this one-credit mandatory disaster and military medicine education course. To allow opportunities for hands-on practice and ensure education equality, the students were divided into 15 groups, with 12 students in each group. The hands-on practice exercises were also recorded and disseminated to the students in the designated area for online learning.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 164 3rd-year medical students participated in this mandatory disaster and military medicine course during the COVID-19 pandemic. The satisfaction survey response rate was 96.5%. The students were satisfied with the whole curriculum (3.8/5). Most of the free-text comments regarding the course represented a high level of appreciation. The students felt more confident in the knowledge and skills they gained in hands-on exercises than they did in the knowledge and skills they gained in online exercises. The students showed significant improvements in knowledge after the course.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We demonstrated that this adapted hybrid arrangement provided an enhanced learning experience, but we also found that medical students were more confident in their knowledge and skills when they had real hands-on practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":14846,"journal":{"name":"Journal of acute medicine","volume":"12 4","pages":"145-157"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9815997/pdf/jacme-12-4-03.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9993632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in the Management of Acute Minor Ischemic Stroke and High-Risk Transient Ischemic Attack: An Expert Consensus Statement From Taiwan Stroke Society and Taiwan Society of Emergency Medicine.","authors":"Po-Lin Chen, Ying-Ju Chen, Chih-Ping Chung, Chen-June Seak, Jiann-Shing Jeng, Ming-Ju Hsieh, Li-Ming Lien, Jiann-Hwa Chen, Yu-Wei Chen, Te-Fa Chiu, Jiunn-Tay Lee, Chip-Jin Ng","doi":"10.6705/j.jacme.202209_12(3).0001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.6705/j.jacme.202209_12(3).0001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this review is to achieve a consensus between Taiwan Stroke Society (TSS) and Taiwan Society of Emergency Medicine (TSEM) to manage acute non-cardioembolic minor ischemic stroke (MIS) and high-risk transient ischemic attack (TIA). The methodology is to review the recent findings from clinical trials of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) from 2010 to 2021 and updates in clinical practice guidelines from 2018 to 2022 for non-cardioembolic MIS/TIA management at the acute stage. Four leading clinical studies, CHANCE, POINT, THALES, and CHANCE-2 along with other relevant studies introducing DAPT, are discussed in this review. The risk-benefit profile between stroke recurrence reduction and major bleeding increase is also elucidated. TSS and TSEM concluded that for patients presenting with non-cardioembolic MIS or high-risk TIA who did not receive intravenous alteplase, initiation of DAPT within 24 hours after stroke onset and continued up to 21 days, followed by antiplatelet monotherapy, is effective in reducing recurrent ischemic stroke for a period of up to 90 days.</p>","PeriodicalId":14846,"journal":{"name":"Journal of acute medicine","volume":"12 3","pages":"85-95"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9561483/pdf/jacme-12-3-01.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40438604","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}