Emergency Department Workup Research Articles

Conflict in emergency medicine: A systematic review.

The emergency department (ED) is a demanding and time-pressured environment where doctors must navigate numerous team interactions. Conflicts between health care professionals frequently arise in these settings. We aim to synthesize the individual-, team-, and systemic-level factors that contribute to conflict between clinicians within the ED and explore strategies and opportunities for future research. Online databases PubMed and Web of Science were systematically searched for relevant peer-reviewed journal articles in English with keywords relating to "conflict" and "emergency department," yielding a total of 29 articles. Narrative analysis showed that conflict often occurred during referrals or admissions from ED to inpatient or admitting units. Individual-level contributors to conflict include a lack of trust in ED workup and staff inexperience. Team-level contributors include perceptions of bias between groups, patient complexity, communication errors, and difference in practice. Systems-level contributors include high workload/time pressures, ambiguities around patient responsibility, power imbalances, and workplace culture. Among identified solutions to mitigate conflict are better communication training, standardizing admission guidelines, and improving interdepartmental relationships. In emergency medicine, conflict is common and occurs at multiple levels, reflecting the complex interface of tasks and relationships within ED.

Clinical implications of extremely elevated C-reactive protein among febrile immunocompetent children.

To identify the various diagnoses associated with extremely elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) (>30 mg/dL) among immunocompetent children and to evaluate its clinical implications during emergency department (ED) workup and hospital management. Children (3 months-18 years) with fever in ED were included, retrospectively. The cohort was divided into two groups-'extremely elevated CRP' (>30 mg/dL) and 'highly elevated CRP' (15-30 mg/dL). Included were 1173 patients with CRP 15-30 mg/dL and 221 with CRP > 30 mg/dL. Bacterial infection was more prevalent among the extremely elevated CRP group (94.1% vs. 78.5%, respectively, p = 0.002). Specifically, bacterial pneumonia (52%), cellulitis (7.2%) and sepsis (4.1%) were more prevalent among this group. More of these patients were reported as 'Ill appearing' [78 (35.3%) vs. 166 (17.4%), p < 0.001]. They were more often treated with fluids [33 (14.9%) vs. 50 (5.3%), p < 0.001] and a higher portion of them required admission to an intensive care unit [11 (5.0%) vs. 16 (1.7%), p = 0.007]. Febrile children with extremely elevated CRP showed greater illness severity (haemodynamic instability, PICU admissions), thus careful clinical attention is desirable in these cases. More than half of them had bacterial pneumonia, which reinforces the importance of relevant investigation when diagnosis is unclear.

Implanted Progestin Causing Pain and Psychiatric Disturbances in Porphyria Attack: A Case Report.

Acute hepatic porphyrias (AHP) are a rare group of inherited disorders caused by abnormal functioning of the heme synthesis pathway. Patients often present with diffuse abdominal pain, neurologic dysfunction, and hyponatremia. We present a case of a 25-year-old female who presented with AHP after implantation of progestin birth control. The patient was confused, markedly tachycardic and hypertensive, and complained of severe abdominal pain. Spot urine ordered during the emergency department workup was later found positive for porphyrins and porphobilinogen (PBG). Acute hepatic porphyrias typically present with nonspecific symptoms in young women and are often overlooked in the acute care setting. Spot urine testing for PBG and urine porphyrins should be initiated early in patients with clinical suspicion of AHP.

Anecdotes Drive Attitudes, Data Drives Decisions: Optimizing the Emergency Department Workup Prior to Surgical Consultations

Emergency department (ED) wait times and ED length of stay (LOS) have a significant impact on patient morbidity and mortality and patient satisfaction. Consultation-to-decision time can contribute to increased wait times and LOS in the ED. Up to 40% of patients presenting to the ED require consultation from subspecialty services. We hypothesize that in surgical patients, completion of workup prior to consultation will decrease consultation-to-decision time, ED wait times, and LOS in the ED. A retrospective review was conducted at a single site including all overnight general surgery consultations from the ED over 2-months. Data collected included wait times, LOS, and workup completed prior to consultation. Summary statistics were calculated and bivariate tests were performed using t-tests for continuous variables. Time to final surgical plan and LOS in ED were evaluated for 137 patients comparing "complete" and "incomplete" workups at time of consultation. It was considered a "complete" workup if labs and imaging were resulted prior to time of consult. If any baseline tests were not ordered prior to time of consult, it was considered an "incomplete" workup. Analysis demonstrated an average time of 4.9 and 2.5 hours for consultation-to-decision time for "incomplete" and "complete" workups respectively (p < 0.0001). For LOS in ED, there was an average of 11.4 and 7.9 hours for "incomplete" and "complete" workups respectively (p < 0.0001). There is a significant difference in consultation-to-decision time and LOS in the ED when consultation is performed following a complete versus incomplete workup for surgical patients independent of inherent wait times for testing to result and the need for additional testing requested from consulting services. Developing strategies to optimize workups from the ED prior to surgical consultation, including the development of care pathways, could significantly decrease patient wait times and LOS in the ED.

Unanticipated costs associated with interscalene nerve catheters for shoulder surgery.

Regional anesthesia has become a mainstay of analgesia following shoulder arthroscopic and reconstructive procedures. Local anesthetic can be injected in the perineural space of the brachial plexus by a single shot or continuously by an indwelling catheter. Although previous studies have compared efficacy and direct cost of single shot to catheters, few have evaluated unanticipated costs of ongoing care or complications. Pulmonary complications can lead to unexpected admissions and emergency department visits. The purpose of the study was to identify unplanned hospital admissions or emergency department visits related to regional anesthesia after shoulder surgery and determine the additional associated costs. A series of 1888 shoulder surgeries were identified in 1856 unique patients at a single, large academic center. As part of an interscalene nerve catheter program, a continuous interscalene block (CIB) was given to 1728 patients, whereas 160 patients had a single-shot interscalene block (SSIB). A hospital-employed quality control nurse contacted all patients receiving a CIB at 1, 2, 7, and 14 days following surgery. All emergency department visits and readmissions were recorded, and the associated billing charges were reviewed for the inpatient and any outpatient visits immediately preceding or immediately following the readmission. The regional average Medicare fee schedule was used to determine a cost for these episodes of care. Of the 1728 patients who had CIB, 10 patients were readmitted following open or arthroscopic surgery or presented to the emergency department in the immediate postoperative period for pulmonary compromise. No patient in the SSIB group had an emergency department visit or readmission. The average age of the 10 patients with readmission was 60 years (7 females, 3 males). The majority were diagnosed with hypoxemia on admission (R09.02). Length of stay during readmission ranged from 0 to 4 days, with 1 patient requiring admission to the intensive care unit. The average cost of admission to the hospital or visit to the emergency department was $6849 (range, $1988-$19,483). These costs were primarily related to chest radiographs and electrocardiogram (9/10), chest computed tomography (CT) with contrast (3/10), and head CT (2/10). Although uncommon, unanticipated pulmonary complications after CIB can result in significant cost compared to SSIB. The indirect costs of pulmonary workup after readmission or emergency department workup may be overlooked if only considering direct costs, such as medication charges, medical supplies, and physician fees.

Throughput delays: causes, predictors, and outcomes – observational cohort in a Swiss emergency department

Optimal throughput times in emergency departments can be adjudicated by emergency physicians. Emergency physicians can also define causes of delays during work-up, such as waiting for imaging, clinical chemistry, consultations, or exit blocks. For adequate streaming, the identification of predictors of delays is important, as the attribution of resources depends on acuity, resources, and expected throughput times. This observational study aimed to identify the causes, predictors, and outcomes of emergency physician-adjudicated throughput delays. Two prospective emergency department cohorts from January to February 2017 and from March to May 2019 around the clock in a tertiary care centre in Switzerland were investigated. All consenting patients were included. Delay was defined as the subjective adjudication of the responsible emergency physician regarding delay during emergency department work-up. Emergency physicians were interviewed for the occurrence and cause of delays. Baseline demographics, predictor values, and outcomes were recorded. The primary outcome - delay - was presented using descriptive statistics. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between possible predictors and delays and hospitalization, intensive care, and death with delay. In 3656 (37.3%) of 9818 patients, delays were adjudicated. The patients with delays were older (59 years, interquartile range [IQR]: 39-76 years vs 49 years, IQR: 33-68 years) and more likely had impaired mobility, nonspecific complaints (weakness or fatigue), and frailty than the patients without delays. The main causes of delays were resident work-up (20.4%), consultations (20.2%), and imaging (19.4%). The predictors of delays were an Emergency Severity Index of 2 or 3 at triage (odds ratio [OR]: 3.00; confidence interval [CI]: 2.21-4.16; OR: 3.25; CI: 2.40-4.48), nonspecific complaints (OR: 1.70; CI: 1.41-2.04), and consultation and imaging (OR: 2.89; CI: 2.62-3.19). The patients with delays had an increased risk for admission (OR: 1.56; CI: 1.41-1.73) but not for mortality than those without delays. At triage, simple predictors such as age, immobility, nonspecific complaints, and frailty may help to identify patients at risk of delay, with the main reasons being resident work-up, imaging, and consultations. This hypothesis-generating observation will allow the design of studies aimed at the identification and elimination of possible throughput obstacles.

Chest pain workup in the presence of atrial fibrillation: impacts on troponin testing, myocardial infarction diagnoses, and long-term prognosis.

Patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with chest pain require evaluation for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Atrial fibrillation (AF) can lead to troponin (cTn) elevation in the absence of ACS. There is limited evidence informing the impact of AF on the diagnostic performance of cTn testing for the diagnosis of Type 1 myocardial infarction (T1MI), or the association between AF and long-term outcomes in this context. This study used the IMPACT and ADAPT study databases to compile a combined cohort of 3496 adults presenting to ED with chest pain between 2007 and 2014, with early cTn testing during ED workup. The mean age was 56.6 years, and 40.2% were female. Outcomes included adjudicated diagnoses for the index admission and mortality to 1-year after presentation. The specificity of initial cTn testing for T1MI diagnosis was lower for patients in AF compared with those not in AF (79.2% vs. 95.4%, P < 0.001), largely due to a relative increase in Type 2 myocardial infarction diagnoses. Sensitivity for T1MI did not differ between patients with or without AF (88.5% vs. 91.5%, P = 0.485). AF was associated with increased 1-year mortality (10.4% vs. 2.3%, P < 0.001), although this was not significant on multivariable analysis. The specificity of serial cTn testing for the diagnosis of T1MI in patients presenting to ED with chest pain is reduced in the presence of AF. Further studies are needed to establish whether optimised cTn thresholds for patients with AF can improve workup and outcomes.

The Emergent General Surgical Patient: Evaluation Patterns in the Emergency Department.

IntroductionEmergency general surgery patients represent a growing segment of general surgical admissions and national healthcare burden. A paucity of literature exists evaluating the work-up of these patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED), particularly possible evaluation differentials between emergency physicians and physician assistants or advanced practice registered nurses (PA/ APRNs). The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in ED work-up of general surgical patients between emergency physicians and PA/APRNs.MethodsA retrospective review was conducted of patients presenting to the ED with the chief complaint of abdominal pain. Demographic data, evaluating provider, laboratory and imaging tests, diagnostic data, and disposition were obtained.ResultsPatient median age was 53.5 years, with 49% male and 81.6% Caucasian. Emergency physicians saw the majority (61.2%) of patients. Emergency physicians saw older patients (62.0 vs. 45.5 years; p = 0.017), and more patients that were anemic (28.3% vs. 14.3%) or with elevated creatinine levels (46.7% vs. 25.7%). There was no significant difference between groups for time in the ED (6.1 ± 2.4 vs. 5.7 ± 2.6 hours; p = 0.519), time to surgical consult (3.4 vs. 3.3 hours; p = 0.298), or time to the operating room (29.5 vs. 12.0 hours; p = 0.075). Patients seen by emergency physicians had a longer length of hospital stay (4.5 vs. 2 days; p = 0.002).ConclusionsTime in the ED and time to surgical consult did not vary between groups although patients first seen by emergency physicians had potentially higher acuity. Decreased hospital length of stay in patients seen by PA/APRNs may reflect disease-specific differences.

Use and diagnostic value of liver enzyme tests in the emergency department and subsequent heart failure diagnosis: a retrospective cohort study

ObjectivesTo determine (1) if liver function tests (LFTs) are ordered in the emergency department (ED) in patients with suspected acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and (2) if the pattern of...

Redundant Imaging in Transient Ischemic Attack: Evidence From the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample.

Increasing emergency department (ED) compliance with transient ischemic attack (TIA) imaging guidelines has previously been demonstrated, along with a substantial rise in imaging utilization over the past decade. The purpose of this study was to characterize the most commonly used combinations of imaging studies during ED workup of TIA and to quantify prevalence of redundant imaging (RI). TIA discharges from EDs in the United States from 2006 to 2017 were identified in the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. Brain and neurovascular imaging obtained during the encounter was identified using Current Procedural Terminology codes. RI was defined as an ED encounter with any duplicate cross-sectional brain, brain-vascular, or neck-vascular imaging. Patient demographics and hospital characteristics were incorporated into a multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify significant associations with RI. There were 184,870 discharges with TIA from EDs in 2017. RI (brain) was observed in 55,513 (30%) of encounters. RI (brain-vascular) and RI (neck-vascular) imaging was identified in 5,149 (2.8%) and 1,325 (0.7%) of encounters, respectively. Decreased odds of obtaining RI was observed in Medicaid patients (odds ratio [OR]: 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.64-0.81), non-trauma centers (OR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.26-0.93), rural hospital locations (OR: 0.18, 95% CI: 0.11-0.29), and weekend encounters (OR: 0.9, 95% CI: 0.85-0.96). Trend analysis from 2006 to 2017 demonstrated a rise in RI (brain) from 2.3% of encounters in 2006 to 30% of encounters in 2017. RI for patients discharged from EDs with TIA in 2017 resulted in additional charges of approximately US$8,670,832. Increased imaging utilization for TIA workup across EDs in the United States is associated with rising use of redundant imaging. We identify imaging practices that could be targeted to mitigate health care expenditures while adhering to TIA imaging guidelines.

Elderly patients presenting to a rural hospital emergency department in inland Croatia – A retrospective study

BackgroundEmergency departments are faced with a high influx of patients presenting for various complaints. The aim of the present study was to assess the basic characteristics of elderly patients presenting to a rural hospital emergency department in inland Croatia in 2017. MethodsRetrospective data collected from the Hospital Information System and by analysis of medical records on patients presenting to emergency department in 2017 were used in the study. ResultsStudy results indicated that a lower proportion of elderly individuals aged 65–74 were hospitalized following emergency department workup. A statistically significantly higher proportion of patients older than 74 years was presented to ED due to various discomforts and diseases (ICD-10 group I; χ2 = 324.85; p < 0.01) than due to cardiorespiratory diseases and acute abdomen (χ2 = 285.04; p < 0.01). ConclusionOur findings highlight the need for a complex approach in care for elderly people, given that they are a fragile population with multiple comorbidities, chronic diseases, atypical symptoms, and often with cognitive and functional impairments.

Disagreements between emergency patients and physicians regarding chief complaint - Patient factors and prognostic implications.

The predictive power of chief complaints reported at presentation to the emergency department (ED) is well known. However, there is a lack of research on the coherence of patient versus physician reported chief complaints. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of disagreement between patients and physicians regarding chief complaint and its significance for the prediction of the outcomes number of resources used during ED work-up, hospitalisation, ICU admission, in-hospital mortality and hospital length of stay. In this secondary analysis of a study conducted over a time course of 9weeks, consecutive emergency patients and their physicians were independently asked to report the chief complaint upon presentation. The two reports were assessed for pair-wise agreement. Of 6722 emergency patients (mean age 53.3, 46.8% female), the median number of symptoms reported by patients was two and one reported by physicians. The rate of disagreement on chief complaints was 32.6%. Disagreement was associated with a higher number of resources (β=0.24; CI, 0.18, 0.31, P<.001) and hospitalisation (OR=1.31; CI, 1.16, 1.48, P<.001), using multivariable analyses. Patient factors associated with disagreement were age (OR=1.01; CI, 1.01, 1.01, P<.001), number of patient reported symptoms (OR=1.27; CI, 1.23, 1.32, P<.001) and male gender (OR=1.12; 1.01, 1.25, P=.0285). Disagreement on chief complaint between patient and physician may be an early marker for a complex work-up, requiring more resources and hospitalisations. The relevance of this finding is the newly identified signal of chief complaint replacement. It is easy to identify and should generate attention, as it affects a certain phenotype (older male patients with higher numbers of complaints).

Rare Complications of Acute Appendicitis: A Case Report.

IntroductionAppendicitis is a common disease, and as we have improved in early diagnosis and management of this disease process, late stage complications have become extremely rare, but can have indolent presentations.Case ReportA 37-year-old male with no past medical history presented to the emergency department (ED) with vague abdominal pain as well as 12 days of cyclical fever. He had no significant findings on laboratory workup with the exception of a mild aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase and relative neutrophilia between outpatient, urgent care, and ultimate ED visit. His ED workup included cross-sectional imaging of his abdomen revealing multiple liver abscesses and septic thrombophlebitis secondary to ruptured appendicitis.ConclusionLiver abscesses and septic thrombophlebitis are an extremely rare complication of appendicitis that has only been documented twice previously.

Nonspecific complaints in emergency medicine: contribution of clinical chemistry and diagnostic imaging to final diagnosis. An observational study

Objective: To determine the contribution of history, physical examination, clinical chemistry, and diagnostic imaging to the validated final diagnosis in patients presenting with nonspecific complaints to the emergency department (ED). Methods: This is a secondary analysis of Basel Non-specific Complaints (BANC), a multicentre prospective observational study. A final diagnosis was validated for every patient after a 30 days follow-up. A team of experts rated the contribution of the emergency work-up, and of clinical chemistry, diagnostic imaging, specialist consultation, and other exams to the final diagnosis. Results: 612 non-trauma patients with NSC were prospectively included. After exclusion of 19 patients due to protocol violation or missing information, 593 patients were analysed. 412/593 (69%) validated final diagnoses were attributed to the ED work-up, and 181 (31%) to subsequent work-up by internal medicine, geriatrics, or outpatient clinics. Clinical chemistry was judged to be decisive for 300/593 (51%), and imaging for 106/593 (18%) of all final diagnoses. Chest radiography was decisive in 50 (8%), cranial computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging in 21 (4%), and chest computed tomography in 10 (2%) cases. Conclusion: Clinical chemistry and imaging contribute substantially to the diagnoses of patients presenting to the ED with NSC. However, post-ED-workup including consultations by specialists (e.g., neurology, geriatrics, psychiatry) were decisive for almost a third of all final diagnoses.

Delayed Diagnosis in Pulmonary Embolism: Frequency, Patient Characteristics, and Outcome

Background: The incidence and the outcomes of pulmonary embolism (PE) missed during emergency department (ED) workup are largely unknown. Objectives: To describe the frequency, demographics, and outcomes of patients with delayed diagnosis of PE. Methods: We retrospectively compared patients diagnosed with PE during ED workup (early diagnosis) with patients diagnosed with PE thereafter (delayed diagnosis). Electronic health records (EHR) of 123,560 consecutive patients who attended a tertiary hospital ED were screened. Data were matched with radiology and pathology results from the EHR. Results: Of 1,119 patients presenting to the ED with early workup for PE, PE was diagnosed in 182 patients (80.5%) as early diagnosis. Delayed diagnosis was established in 44 cases (19.5%) using radiology and/or autopsy data. Median age of patients with early diagnosis was significantly lower as compared to delayed diagnosis (67 vs. 77.5 years). Main symptoms were dyspnea (109 patients [59.9%] in early, 20 patients [45.5%] in delayed diagnosis), chest pain (90 patients [49.5%] in early, 8 patients [18.2%] in delayed diagnosis), and nonspecific complaints (16 patients [8.8%] in early, 13 patients [29.5%] in delayed diagnosis). In-hospital mortality was 1.6% in early diagnosis and 43.2% in delayed diagnosis. Conclusions: Delayed diagnosis of PE carries a worse prognosis than early diagnosis. This discrepancy may arise from either delayed therapy, confounding variables (e.g., older age), or both. Possible reasons for delayed diagnoses are nonspecific presentations and symptoms overlapping with preexisting conditions.

Primary Measles Encephalitis.

This scenario was developed to educate emergency medicine residents on the diagnosis and management of primary measles encephalitis. Measles is a highly infectious ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus whose prevalence in the United States has continued to increase despite being declared eliminated in 2000,1 and larger outbreaks have been noted among those who elect not to vaccinate.2 The recommended live-attenuated measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine schedule for pediatrics includes one routine dose at 12-15 months of age and a second dose between 4-6 years of age with at least 28 days in between dose administration.1-2 Measles-associated complications include otitis media, pneumonia, laryngotracheobronchitis, diarrhea, and corneal ulceration.2 Patients may also develop central nervous system complications, including primary measles encephalitis, acute post-infectious measles encephalomyelitis, measles inclusion body encephalitis, and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Primary measles encephalitis and measles inclusion body encephalitis involve an active ongoing measles infection.3 We will focus on primary measles encephalitis for this case scenario. One out of every 1000 measles patients will develop primary measles encephalitis,1 with onset typically occurring within seven days of the measles prodrome. Treatment is largely supportive. Mortality from primary measles encephalitis is 10%-15%, with an additional 25% developing permanent neurodevelopmental sequalae.3 It is critical to maintain a high index of suspicion for this diagnosis, to place the patient in airborne precautions to protect other immunocompromised individuals, and to transfer to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). At the conclusion of the simulation session, learners will be able to: 1) Obtain a relevant focused history, including immunization status, associated symptoms, sick contacts, and travel history. 2) Develop a differential for fever, rash, and altered mental status in a pediatric patient. 3) Discuss management of primary measles encephalitis, including empiric broad spectrum antibiotics and antiviral treatment. 4) Discuss appropriate disposition of the patient from pediatric emergency departments, community hospitals, and freestanding emergency departments, including appropriate time to call for transfer and the appropriate time to transfer this patient during emergency department (ED) workup. 5) Review types of isolation and indications for each. This session was conducted using high-fidelity simulation, followed by a debriefing session and lecture on the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and management of primary measles encephalitis. Debriefing methods may be left to the discretion of participants, but the authors have utilized advocacy-inquiry techniques. This scenario may also be run as an oral board case. Our residents are provided a survey at the completion of the debriefing session so they may rate different aspects of the simulation, as well as provide qualitative feedback on the scenario. Feedback from the residents was overwhelmingly positive with an average score of 7 (consistently effective/very good or extremely effective/outstanding) across all categories. The subsequent debriefings allowed for multiple areas of discussion, including differential diagnoses of fever and rash, the clinical presentation of measles, empiric treatment of meningitis/encephalitis, types and indications of isolation, when to call for transfer to a pediatric center, and when a child is deemed stable enough for transfer. This is a cost-effective method for reviewing primary measles encephalitis. There are multiple measles complications that may be reviewed via simulation, including pneumonia and dehydration from diarrhea. We encourage readers to utilize clinical photos of measles rashes, because this was difficult to capture via standard moulage techniques. Medical simulation, measles, primary measles encephalitis, encephalitis, infectious disease, emergency medicine, pediatric emergency medicine.

Dizziness and vertigo in atertiary ENT emergency department

Although vestibular symptoms are amongst the most frequent reasons for seeking emergency medical help, many patients remain undiagnosed. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the spectrum of vertigo and dizziness in atertiary ear, nose, and throat (ENT) emergency department (ED). Furthermore, we investigated the attendant symptoms, clinical signs, and the diagnostic tests performed. We screened all ED reports from 01/2013 to 12/2013 for adult patients with vestibular symptoms referred to the ENT department. In total, we found 2596 cases with reported vestibular symptoms in the ED as amain or accompanying complaint. Of these, 286 were referred to the ENT specialist directly (n = 98) or via other major medical specialties (n = 188). Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) was the most frequent diagnosis in our study (n = 46, 16.1%), followed by vestibular neuritis (n = 44, 15.4%), otitis media (n = 20, 7%), and 9patients (3.1%) had an ischemic stroke or atransient ischemic attack. In 70 (24.5%) cases, dizziness was not further specified. BPPV is the most frequent diagnosis seen in the ED; however, physicians need to document nystagmus more precisely and perform diagnostic tests systematically, in order to make an accurate diagnosis. To avoid misdiagnoses, ED physicians and ENT specialists should be able to recognize central signs in patients with an acute vestibular syndrome. Every fourth patient does not receive adefinitive diagnosis. Diagnostic ED workup for patients with dizziness needs further improvement.

Abstract TMP78: Heterogeneous Imaging Practices Associated With Emergency Department Work-Up of Transient Ischemic Attack

Introduction: Multiple societal guidelines recommend urgent imaging in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) to identify and treat risk factors that may lead to future stroke. Recommended studies include brain imaging, preferably with MRI, and neurovascular imaging (cranio-cervical CTA, cranio-cervical MRA or carotid ultrasound). The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether emergency department (ED) imaging utilization practices comply with recommended guidelines. Methods: Analysis utilized the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS), a comprehensive, nationally representative sample of ED visits. Primary analysis was performed on the 2016 cohort, and a secondary trend analysis was performed on cohorts from 2006-2016. Patients diagnosed and discharged from the emergency department with transient ischemic attack were identified using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Brain and neurovascular imaging obtained during the encounter were identified using CPT codes. Demographics, health insurance, patient income, and hospital type data were analyzed and a survey weighted logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of obtaining neurovascular imaging. Results: In 2016 there were 183,216 patients evaluated and discharged from emergency departments with TIA. The percentage of patients receiving brain and neurovascular imaging was 75.73% and 37.99% respectively. Of the top 5 imaging work-ups utilized, the most common (34.06% of cases) was a solitary noncontrast head CT without any neurovascular imaging. Decreased odds of obtaining neurovascular imaging was observed in Medicaid patients (OR: 0.73, 95%CI: 0.66-0.80), non-trauma centers (OR: 0.42, 95%CI: 0.38-0.45), and rural hospital locations (OR: 0.30, 95%CI: 0.27-0.33). Trend analysis demonstrated a steady rise in brain and neurovascular imaging from 34.02% and 6.51% of encounters respectively in 2006 to 75.73% and 37.99% of encounters in 2016. Conclusion: The majority of TIA patients discharged from the ED do not receive recommended neurovascular imaging during their encounter. Follow-up studies are needed to determine whether delayed or incomplete vascular screening increases the risk of future stroke.

P717 Isolated left ventricular tamponade in a patient with severe pulmonary hypertension due to chronic thromboembolisms: a case report

Abstract A case presents a 37 years old patient who presented to emergency department with progression of dyspnea. Patient had a history of pulmonary hypertension due to chronic thromboembolism and known, repetitive thrombosis of both legs with both of them postthrombotically altered, especially left leg. During his emergency department workup he had a pulmonary angiography performed which showed evidence of old thromboembolism in right pulmonary main branch and circumferential pericardial effusion which was dominantly locularized behind left ventricular posterior wall. Emergency echocardiography was performed which showed marked respiratory variations in mitral and aortic flow with mid to late diastolic left ventricular collapse. Also left ventricular cavity was severely reduced ( EDD 29 mm) due to prominent interventricular septum (right ventricular pressure overload) and hyperkinetic posterior wall (pericardial effusion). There were no apparent signs of compression of right ventricular chambers. Clinically patient had no pulsus paradoxus and had an RR of 115/70 mmHg. Emergency pericardiocentesis was performed using subxiphoid approach. However, pericardiocentesis setting was challenging because patient also had ample of ascites which made orientation by aspiration impossible. Instead puncture was performed under fluoroscopy while slowly instilling the contrast until contrast was delievered intradiaphragmally. From there needle was advanced 3-4 mm into pericardial cavity and pigtail catheter was placed. A total of 2200 ml of milky pericardial fluid was removed during the following 48 hours (cytology – mixed type; triglycerides 1.9 mmol/L). Patient was initially treated with corticosteroids and colhicin, but had a relapse of pericardial effusion once drainage was stopped so re-pericardiocentesis was performed. This time a total of 7200 ml of pericardial fluid was drained so we opted for pericardial fenestration (into left pleural space). Unfortunately, patient died on the 8th postoperative day due to complications (developed subcutaneous emphysema at the place of insertion of thoracal drainage and developed respiratory, then refractory cardiac arrest).

Short and long-term mortality in elderly patients with suspected not confirmed pulmonary embolism

IntroductionMost patients evaluated for suspected pulmonary embolism(PE) conclude the Emergency Department(ED) work-up with a diagnosis of PE not confirmed(PE excluded;PE-E). We aimed to investigate the clinical features, short and long-term mortality, and prognostic factors for death in elderly with PE-E, and to compare these figures with those of patients with PE confirmed(PE-C). MethodsConsecutive patients ≥65 years old evaluated in the ED for clinically suspected hemodynamically stable acute PE were included in this retrospective cohort study. ResultsStudy population: 657 patients with suspected PE, PE-C:162(24.65%). When compared with PE-C, patients with PE-E presented a higher prevalence of chronic cardiopulmonary disease (17.37% vs 8.02%, p = 0.003), a lower prevalence of pulse rate >110 (13.13% vs 25.93%; p<0.001), of arterial oxygen saturation <90% (16.16% vs. 25.93%; p = 0.007) and of hospitalized patients (52.93% vs 98.15%; p < 0.001). Thirty-day, 90-day, 1-year, 2-year and 5-year overall mortality was 8.83%, 15.98%, 23.59%, 29.68%, and 51.09%, respectively, differences between PE-E and PE-C non statistically significant. Among patients with PE-E, multivariate analysis showed that simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index score>0 was associated with higher short and long-term mortality (30-day:HR:5.31,p = 0.029; 5 year:HR:2.18, p < 0.001), meanwhile comorbidity (Charlson Comorbidity Index>0) only with higher long-term mortality (30-day: HR:1.60, p = 0.342; 5 year: HR:1.41, p = 0.038). ConclusionIn real world haemodinamically stable elderly patients evaluated in the ED for suspected PE, short and long-term mortality was markedly high regardless whether PE was confirmed or excluded. At the time to set management and follow up strategies, elderly patients with PE excluded should not be considered a low-risk population.