{"title":"Comment on “End-Tidal Oxygen as an Effective Noninvasive Measure of Preoxygenation during Rapid Sequence Intubation in the Emergency Department”","authors":"Arjang Khorasani MD, M. Ramez Salem MD","doi":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.10.017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.10.017","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16085,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Emergency Medicine","volume":"71 ","pages":"Pages 119-120"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome: A Case Series Emphasizing the Urgency of Recognition and Tailored Treatment","authors":"Ehsan Yavari MD , Gaurav Puri MD","doi":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.10.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.10.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a rare but lethal condition associated with Streptococcus Pyogenes Group A (GAS). With rising incidence and high mortality, timely recognition and management are crucial. This case series presents two adult TSS cases caused by invasive GAS, highlighting the importance of early identification and multidisciplinary management.</div></div><div><h3>Case Presentations</h3><div>The first case involves a 42-year-old male who presented with fever, dizziness, and a tender, erythematous olecranon following an elbow laceration. Despite negative imaging for necrotizing fasciitis, a positive throat swab for GAS prompted immediate broad-spectrum antibiotics and aggressive resuscitation. Clindamycin and intravenous immunoglobulin were administered. The patient developed TSS and acute kidney injury, requiring intensive care and hemodialysis. The second case features a previously healthy 43-year-old female presenting with systemic symptoms and a rash, without trauma history. Positive GAS blood cultures confirmed TSS, leading to similar management and subsequent renal complications requiring hemodialysis.</div></div><div><h3>Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This?</h3><div>These cases highlight the evolving epidemiology of invasive GAS infections and the associated risk of TSS. Early identification and appropriate tailored treatment are essential to reduce morbidity and mortality, especially given the recent surge in invasive GAS. Clinical vigilance for skin changes and thorough laboratory investigations, including non-sterile site cultures, are critical. Early identification enables the use of adjunctive treatments like clindamycin and IVIG, and facilitates appropriate de-escalation of antibiotics. Prompt consultation with infectious disease, intensive care, and surgical teams is necessary to ensure optimal treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16085,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Emergency Medicine","volume":"71 ","pages":"Pages 74-77"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143472224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eimo Martens , Giulio Mastella MD , Daniela Simson , Petra Barthel , Anna Saleki MD , Franziska Hahn , Michael Dommasch PD , Marharyta Pavliuchenko , David Federle , Julia Allescher , Tobias Haufe , Jan Andreas Köhlen , Alexander Müller , Karl-Ludwig Laugwitz , Christian Kupatt , Alexander Steger
{"title":"Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest 30-Day-Outcomes: The Importance of the First Electrocardiogram After Successful Resuscitation","authors":"Eimo Martens , Giulio Mastella MD , Daniela Simson , Petra Barthel , Anna Saleki MD , Franziska Hahn , Michael Dommasch PD , Marharyta Pavliuchenko , David Federle , Julia Allescher , Tobias Haufe , Jan Andreas Köhlen , Alexander Müller , Karl-Ludwig Laugwitz , Christian Kupatt , Alexander Steger","doi":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.09.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.09.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>While there is substantial evidence on the impact of prehospital resuscitation efforts on survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), the importance of the first electrocardiogram after return of spontaneous circulation has been much less studied.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>The aim of this study was to identify prognostically relevant electrocardiographic findings in patients after OHCA due to myocardial infarction (MI).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A total of 119 patients admitted to hospital after suffering an OHCA due to MI were retrospectively analyzed. Patient characteristics and the first 12-lead electrocardiogram after return of spontaneous circulation were collected. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A number of electrocardiographic findings were significantly associated with 30-day mortality: atrial fibrillation/flutter (HR 2.29 [95% CI 1.17–4.49, <em>p</em> = 0.015]), right bundle branch block (HR 2.23 [95% CI 1.14–4.56, <em>p</em> = 0.020]), bifascicular block (HR 2.51 [95% CI 1.04–6.059, <em>p</em> = 0.040]), T inversion (HR 2.01 [95% CI 1.02–3.99, <em>p</em> = 0.043]), QTc duration ≥500 ms (HR 2.21 [95% CI 1.10–4.42, <em>p</em> = 0.025]) and QT dispersion ≥ 100 ms (HR 2.11 [95% CI 1.02–4.37, <em>p</em> = 0.045]).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Several different electrocardiographic findings are associated with increased mortality in patients with OHCA due to MI.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16085,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Emergency Medicine","volume":"71 ","pages":"Pages 1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143523405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jarryd Rivera MD , Samidha Dutta DO , Karly Castellaw DO , Priyanka Dharampuriya DO , Michael Weinstock MD
{"title":"Coagulation Studies are Frequently Ordered in Emergency Department Chest Pain Patients and do not Change Emergency Department Management","authors":"Jarryd Rivera MD , Samidha Dutta DO , Karly Castellaw DO , Priyanka Dharampuriya DO , Michael Weinstock MD","doi":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.11.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.11.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Despite research findings, implementation into clinical practice is often delayed. Coagulation panels are still ordered as part of an emergency department (ED) chest pain evaluation, despite multiple studies showing that it is unnecessary and does not change management.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Our primary outcome is to determine if the practice of ordering coagulation studies (prothrombin time [PT]/international normalized ratio [INR]) is still occurring in ED chest pain patients. Our secondary outcome is to determine if abnormal results change management.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We performed an institutional review board (IRB) approved retrospective chart review of patients with chest pain presenting to three rural-community EDs over 49 months. Medical students, blinded to the study intent, performed data abstraction using the approach of Gilbert and Lowenstein to determine if coagulation testing (PT/INR) was “indicated” based on a preexisting condition (i.e., liver disease) or medication use (warfarin). Next, the data abstractors determined if the abnormal coagulation results prompted a therapeutic intervention or change in the management in the ED.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We randomly identified 1,200 patients with chest pain before covid-19 and, after exclusions, analyzed 830 patient charts. 440 patients (53.0%) had coagulation panels completed, but they were only indicated in 55 of the 440 patients (12.5%). Of the 385 patients without indications, 378 (98.2%) had an INR level in the normal range and 7 patients (1.8%) had an elevated INR. None of these 7 patients had a change in ED management.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>In this multicenter study, 53% of ED patients with chest pain had coagulation studies ordered. Only 12.5% were indicated. None of the abnormal results in patients without indications resulted in a change in ED management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16085,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Emergency Medicine","volume":"71 ","pages":"Pages 23-30"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143531432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kunj Bhatt MD, Jacob Ziff MD, Duncan Grossman DO, Julia Tokarski MD
{"title":"Use of an Endotracheal Tube for a Thoracostomy in a Child in Cardiac Arrest: A Case Report","authors":"Kunj Bhatt MD, Jacob Ziff MD, Duncan Grossman DO, Julia Tokarski MD","doi":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.10.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.10.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Traditionally, when patients arrive at an emergency department in cardiac arrest with a concern for a pneumothorax, a thoracostomy tube is placed for decompression. A literature review found no case reports of an endotracheal tube being used in lieu of a thoracostomy tube for a pneumothorax in a child in cardiac arrest.</div></div><div><h3>Case Report</h3><div>A case of a 4-week-old female infant who presented to the emergency department in cardiac arrest with a pneumothorax is discussed.</div></div><div><h3>Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This?</h3><div>It is important for clinicians to be aware of alternative management strategies for the management of a pneumothorax. This case suggests that an endotracheal tube being used as a thoracostomy tube in a child in cardiac arrest can help acutely treat a pneumothorax by providing immediate and continuous decompression. In a prehospital or low-resource setting, an endotracheal tube may offer benefits similar to a thoracostomy tube as an immediate treatment modality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16085,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Emergency Medicine","volume":"71 ","pages":"Pages 71-73"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143449251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reply to Comment on \"The Uncommon Encounter of a Transcranial TASER Injury\"","authors":"Barry Hahn MD","doi":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.11.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.11.001","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16085,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Emergency Medicine","volume":"71 ","pages":"Page 118"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mario J. Castellanos MD , Hanni M. Stoklosa MD, MPH , Derek L. Monette MD, MHPE , Kathleen A. Wittels MD
{"title":"A Case of Palpitations in Pregnancy","authors":"Mario J. Castellanos MD , Hanni M. Stoklosa MD, MPH , Derek L. Monette MD, MHPE , Kathleen A. Wittels MD","doi":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.10.018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.10.018","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16085,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Emergency Medicine","volume":"71 ","pages":"Pages 126-132"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143476695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Comments on \"End-Tidal Oxygen as an Effective Noninvasive Measure of Preoxygenation During Rapid Sequence Intubation in the Emergency Department\"","authors":"Amiya Kumar Barik DM , Anju Gupta MD , Chitta Ranjan Mohanty MD , Rakesh Vadakkethil Radhakrishnan MSN","doi":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.11.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.11.004","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16085,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Emergency Medicine","volume":"71 ","pages":"Pages 121-123"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nathalie Dollée MD , Jelmer Alsma MD, PhD , Rob Goedhart PhD , Ankie Bultstra , Juanita A. Haagsma PhD , Amber E. Hoek MD, PhD
{"title":"Exertional Heat Stroke: Are We Cool Enough? Retrospective Observational Study of Patients of Running Events","authors":"Nathalie Dollée MD , Jelmer Alsma MD, PhD , Rob Goedhart PhD , Ankie Bultstra , Juanita A. Haagsma PhD , Amber E. Hoek MD, PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.11.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.11.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Early recognition and immediate cooling are paramount in the treatment for exertional heat stroke (EHS). The most effective method is cold water immersion, however, practicalities may limit its use in the prehospital setting. An alternative is rotating ice water–soaked towels, which requires fewer personnel, can be deployed quickly, and allows easier patient monitoring.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The authors aimed to investigate the effectiveness of treatment with rotating ice water–soaked towels for patients with EHS to reduce (tympanic) temperature to < 104°F (40°C) within 30 min.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this retrospective observational study, participants ≥18 years who received medical care at running events with distances between 2.6 mile (4.2 km) and 26.2 miles (42.195 km; i.e., a full marathon) between 2016 and 2019 were included. Primary outcome was the percentage of patients with EHS who reached a temperature < 104°F (40°C) within 30 min by means of cooling with rotating ice water–soaked towels.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 374,534 runners participated in one of the running events in the study period, of whom 879 required medical attention. Forty-eight runners had a tympanic temperature ≥ 104°F (40°C), of whom 36 were classified as having EHS based on presence of neurologic symptoms. Median age of patients was 32.5 years and most were male (69%). All patients that were cooled reached temperature < 104°F (40°C) within 30 min. The mean cooling rate was 0.22°F/min (95% CI 0.16–0.27; 0.12°C/min [95% CI 0.09–0.15]). None of the patients with EHS died.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>All patients with EHS in our study reached a temperature of < 104°F (40°C) within 30 min, which suggests rotating ice water–soaked towels could provide an effective and practical method of cooling in the prehospital setting.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16085,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Emergency Medicine","volume":"71 ","pages":"Pages 44-53"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143531451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jennifer Hammond PharmD , Dean Cataldo DO , Christopher Allison MD , Seth Kelly MD, MBA
{"title":"Reduced-Dose Tenecteplase in High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism","authors":"Jennifer Hammond PharmD , Dean Cataldo DO , Christopher Allison MD , Seth Kelly MD, MBA","doi":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.10.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.10.011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a venous thromboembolic disease occurring when thrombi detach and embolize to pulmonary arteries, causing substantial morbidity and mortality in older adults yearly. In patients experiencing hemodynamic compromise, systemically administered thrombolytic therapy followed by anticoagulation over anticoagulation alone is recommended for initial management.</div></div><div><h3>Case Report</h3><div>This report describes successful treatment of a patient over 90 years of age presenting to the Emergency Department with an acute, high-risk PE who received low-dose, systemically administered tenecteplase followed by systemic anticoagulation with unfractionated heparin. The patient was initiated on norepinephrine 0.5 µg/kg/min for hemodynamic support. They were administered a reduced dose of tenecteplase (17.5 mg or 0.37 mg/kg) bolus followed by unfractionated heparin and subsequent transfer to the medical intensive care unit. At 1 h post-tenecteplase, norepinephrine was decreased to 0.2 µg/kg/min. At 14 h post-tenecteplase, the norepinephrine requirement was minimal at 0.02 µg/kg/min and resolved with extubation 15 h post-tenecteplase. The patient did not develop any clinically significant bleeding and was discharged to an acute rehabilitation facility on hospital day 7.</div></div><div><h3>Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This?</h3><div>Available evidence suggests positive outcomes and dosing guidance for low-dose alteplase for PE treatment, though at the time of this report the authors identified a gap in existing literature surrounding the same concept with reduced-dose tenecteplase. Further studies are needed to investigate this intervention further.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16085,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Emergency Medicine","volume":"71 ","pages":"Pages 67-70"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143483239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}