Frontiers in Emergency Medicine (E-Journal)
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Accuracy of Mean Platelet Volume (MPV) and Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) for the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis: Evaluation of Possible New Biomarkers
Get PDFIntroduction: Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of the abdominal pain in surgery. Despite its significant prevalence, the diagnosis is associated with many problems in some cases, which leads to false appendectomy. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the validity of diagnostic tests of mean platelet volume (MPV) and red cell distribution width (RDW), as a new possible tool in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Methods: In this study, all patients who referred to the emergency department of Besat Hospital, Hamadan, Iran, in 2015, with abdominal pain and first impression of acute appendicitis, undergone appendectomy, were evaluated. The diagnostic markers of pre-operative and post-operative pathology and the validity of MPV and RDW were determined in diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Results: Laboratory and clinical data from 438 patients, presenting the signs and symptoms of acute appendicitis with the mean age of 26.51±13.9 years, were examined (55.6% men). The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of MPV in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis were 59.77, 98.66, 99.5 and 34.26 percent, and for the RDW were 57.79, 56.00, 86.07 and 21.98 percent, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for RDW and MPV was 0.61and 0.90, respectively. The mean of MPV in patients with normal pathologic outcome was 9.52±1.60 and in patients with acute appendicitis was 7.51±1.22. There was a significant difference between the mean MPV in both groups (p<0.001). The mean of RDW in patients with normal pathology were 13.42±1.97 and 13.05±1.09, in patients with acute appendicitis. There was a significant difference between the mean RDW of the two groups (p=0.009). Conclusion: MPV and RDW indexes have the potential to be used by the surgeons in diagnosis of acute and perforated appendicitis, especially in adults, in order to reduce unnecessary appendectomy, but MPV is more valid in screening acute appendicitis, compared to the RDW
The Current Status of Genes and Genetic Testing in Emergency Medicine: A Narrative Review
Get PDFContext: An emergency is any medical problem that could cause death or permanent injury if not treated quickly. In some occasions, the kind of urgent intervention depends on patient’s exact genetic background. Unfortunately, the importance of genes in medical emergencies has been forgotten in recent decades. Evidence acquisition: In order to find relevant articles, we searched two databases of Pubmed and Embase. The exact words of “genes”, “genetics”, “epigenetics”, “DNA”, and “emergency” were used alone and in combination. All studies like randomized clinical trials (RCT), case/controls, case series, case reports, and review articles were studied to find the related data. No time limitation was considered for the studies. Results: Several aspects of genetic testing are newly considered in emergency departments including cell-free DNA (cfDNA) for disease diagnosis, pharmacogenetics for decreasing the adverse drug effects, and personalized medicine for exact emergency interventions in diseases like Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS). Data from genetic testing and genome wide association studies have yielded promising results to make medical emergency interventions more beneficial in the near future. Conclusion: Taking everything into consideration, several advanced genetic and epigenetic alteration technologies can change emergency medicine for the better. Personalized genetic data of patients can turn emergency medicine to personalized medicine
Intermittent Typical Angina: Remember Wellens’ Syndrome
Get PDFIntroduction: We describe a patient without a history of cardiovascular diseases as an example of Wellens’ syndrome (WS). Case Report: A 65-year-old man presented to emergency department due to intermittent chest pain. Physical examination and chest x-ray were unremarkable. Electrocardiogram (ECG) showed biphasic T-wave in precordial leads V1-V4. Primary cardiac serum biomarkers including high-sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) and CK-MB were slightly elevated, that further assessment did not show any increases; while ECG recorded during a pain period revealed T-wave pseudo-normalization. The patient underwent coronary angiography that revealed a proximal left anterior descending artery lesion. Conclusion: WS is a diagnostic and management challenge and serial ECG evaluation is still essential for a possible acute coronary syndrome. Having knowledge of all subtle features of this syndrome, could avoid improper discharge of high-risk patients. Definitely, accurate risk stratification, and prompting these patients to an early coronary angiogram and treatment are mandatory to avoid development of a massive anterior myocardial infarction
Acute Thrombotic Occlusion of proximal Left Anterior Descending Artery without ST-elevation (de Winter sign) in Electrocardiogram: A Case Report
Get PDFIntroduction: ST-elevation in precordial leads is diagnostic for acute transmural myocardial infarction (MI) related to acute occlusion of left anterior descending artery (LAD). Case presentation: In this case report, a 54-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department (ED) due to chest pain. ST-depression with tall T waves in precordial leads was detected in surface electrocardiogram (ECG). Angiography showed acute total occlusion of proximal LAD and ad hoc percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed successfully. Conclusion: This case highlights that total occlusion of LAD may present without typical ST-elevation pattern in ECG
Auto-amputation of an Entire Foot with Ankle in a Diabetic Patient
Get PDFA 62-year-old male came to emergency department (ED) with a complaint of “separation of foot” during sleep at night. He noticed he lost his foot while getting up from bed to go to toilet at midnight. Upon arrival in ED, his blood pressure was 218/96 mmHg and random blood sugar 556mg/dl. The patient had large ketone bodies in urine. He was a known case of diabetes and hypertension for many years. He was on homeopathic medications for his diabetes, hypertension and diabetic foot. He refused any form of invasive treatment and hospitalization. The patient was adamant on not getting admitted and wanted to continue his homeopathic medications as before. He only wanted his leg stump covered with a dressing after which he was discharged
Extending Survival in a Patient with Extensive Stage of Small Cell Lung Cancer Presenting with Superior Vena Cava Syndrome as an Initial Symptom: A Case Study
Get PDFIntroduction: Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome which is defined as the obstruction of blood flow through the SVC vein, often affecting patients with malignancy especially small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and is potentially an emergent condition needing prompt management. It is an ominous sign with poor prognosis and a mean of 8-10 months survival rate. Case presentation: Here we present a middle-aged man who presented with fascial swelling and dyspnea with final diagnosis of advanced SCLC. Combination of multiple chemotherapy regimen, prophylactic brain radiation with administration of anticoagulant drugs were performed for him leading toward extension of his survival to 28 months. Conclusion: These therapeutic approaches may lead to extending the survival in patients with SVC syndrome and SCLC
Sample Size Calculation Guide - Part 5: How to calculate the sample size for a superiority clinical trial
Get PDFIn the previous educational articles, we explained how to calculate the sample size for a rate or a single proportion, for an independent cohort study, for an independent case-control study, and for a diagnostic test accuracy study. In this article, we explain how to calculate the sample size for a superiority clinical trial
Jellyfish Stings Rarely Induced Infectious Cellulitis: First Aid Remedies as Double-Edged Sword
Get PDFA 27-year-old woman was presented with a burning like lesion. The skin lesion was developed after a jellyfish stings (Rhizostomae) while she was swimming in Pattaya Sea in Thailand, five days prior to her presentation. Instantly after jellyfish stings, she was taken into the ship for rescue operations. The ship personnel applied lemon juice and baking soda to the injured area believing that this remedy is efficient in this situation. The next day, she referred to a local hospital at Pattaya because she was suffering from a horrible pain in her arm and then she was discharged on oral Dicloxacillin and topical Hydrocortisone. The edema was extended the next days which intensified her pain. At this time, she was transferred to Loghman Hakim Hospital, Tehran, Iran. At admission, erythematous edematous patch with centrally grouped vesicles on the left arm was observed (Figure 1). The patient had a high-grade fever (38.1 °C) and was agitated due to her intolerable pain. Other vital signs were normal. In the sonography imaging, soft tissue edema was seen without any collection. According to the clinical and imaging findings, the diagnosis of soft tissue cellulitis due to jellyfish stings was made. The patient admitted to infections ward and intravenous antibiotics including Cefazolin at dose of 2000 mg every eight hours and Vancomycin at dose of 1000 mg every 12 hours initiated. After five days of hospitalization, the patient was recovered from left arm edema. Also, her pain decreased gradually and no obvious erythema was seen. The patient was finally discharged with a satisfactory clinical respons
Sample Size Calculation Guide - Part 3: How to Calculate the Sample Size for an Independent Case-control Study
Get PDFIn the previous educational articles, we explained how to calculate the sample size for a rate or a single proportion and how to calculate the sample size for an independent cohort study. In this article, we will explain how to calculate the sample size for an independent case-control study based on the odds ratios or two proportions representing the exposure rates in the case and the control groups
Acute Kidney Injury in Severe Trauma Patients; a Record-Based Retrospective Study
Get PDFIntroduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and devastating clinical issue in the community associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Objective: We aimed at estimating the frequency and levels of severity of AKI in trauma patients requiring hospital admission using the RIFLE criteria and assess their outcome. Method: Our retrospective record based study enrolled data of 80 participants aged 18-59 years who presented to the emergency department of KIMS hospital following an acute traumatic event. Participants with pre-existing renal dysfunction, chronic heart failure and chronic liver disease were excluded. Tests of significance were Chi square and independent sample t test, a p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Participants with AKI had significantly lower age (p=0.02) and lower revised trauma score (RTS) (p=0.01). Significant association of AKI with hypotension (p=0.01) and Glasgow coma scale (GCS) (p=0.008) was observed. No association of AKI with gender was observed (p=0.6). None of the AKI patients required renal replacement therapy and all participants attained normal renal function at discharge. Significantly longer mean duration of hospital stay (14.4 days) was observed among AKI patients (p=0.02). Totally, 6.3 % mortality was observed among both participants with and without AKI. Conclusion: Forty percent of acute trauma patients had AKI (in risk and injury category); but none were in failure, loss or end stage renal disease. No association of AKI and mortality was observed. AKI was associated with age, RTS, hypotension and GCS