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Background The incidence of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) in the general population ranges from 0.6 to 2.3%, whereas for specific high-risk patients, the incidence can reach more than 30–40%. Ultrasound measurements of the development of CI-AKI after contrast-enhanced imaging for diagnosis in the emergency department (ED) have yet to be adequately studied. Accordingly, we aimed to evaluate the usefulness of Doppler ultrasound measurements for predicting CI-AKI in patients with normal renal function. Methods This prospective, observational, single-center study was conducted in the ED of a tertiary teaching and research hospital between 1 January and 1 July 2024. All patients who presented to the tertiary training and research hospital ED, who were admitted to the hospital with a decision to undergo contrast-enhanced tomography for diagnosis, and who did not meet any exclusion criteria were included in the study. Patients included in the study were evaluated by ultrasonographic measurements (interlobar renal artery peak systolic velocity (PSV), interlobar renal artery end-diastolic velocity (EDV), inferior vena cava (IVC) collapsibility index, and renal resistive index (RRI)). Results The postcontrast RRI cutoff values were calculated to predict CI-AKI. The area under the curve (AUC) for the postcontrast RRI was 0.914, and the cutoff value for the postcontrast RRI was 0.70 (≥), exhibiting 72.7% sensitivity and 95.6% specificity. Conclusion Postcontrast RRI ultrasound measurements performed after diagnostic contrast imaging in the ED show high specificity in predicting CI-AKI development. Postcontrast ultrasound measurements may predict CI-AKI development, allowing further measures to be taken. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings. Trial registration Clinical trial number: not applicable.

This study aimed to determine if optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measurement on computed tomography could differentiate transient ischemic attack (TIA) from acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Both TIA and AIS are the rings of the same disease chain. To exclude hemorrhagic stroke and stroke mimics in these patients, brain computed tomography (CT) remains the first step imaging modality. In this retrospective study, ONSDs of patients with TIA and AIS within three hours from symptom onset to initial CT was measured. The right, left, mean, and delta ONSD measurements were compared between AIS and TIA groups. Then diagnostic accuracy metrics were calculated. A total of 196 patients (128 in the AIS group and 68 in the TIA group) were included. Both mean and delta ONSD of AIS patients were higher than those of the TIA group. The area under the receiver operating curve of mean and delta ONSD for predicting AIS were 0.746 with a sensitivity of 82.8% and a specificity of 42.7% (cut-off: 5.00 mm), and 0.826 with a sensitivity of 67.2% and a specificity of 86.8% (cut-off: 0.50 mm), respectively. Increased mean or delta ONSD measured on initial CT could alert emergency physicians for an impending stroke. •Patients with AIS have the significantly higher ONSDs than with TIA.•Both mean and delta ONSDs on CT are reasonable as an early ischemic sign of AIS.•A difference between Right-Left ONSDs; upcoming ischemic event at the side of the higher ONSD.

Background and objective We aimed to determine the diameters and respiratory variability of the subclavian vein (SCV), internal jugular vein (IJV), and femoral vein (FV), which are more superficial and easier to visualize with point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) in the detection of volume overload, and to investigate whether they can be an alternative to analyzing an inferior vena cava (IVC) to determine volume load. Methodology We prospectively evaluated volume-overloaded and normovolemic patients admitted to the emergency department using PoCUS for six months. Inspiratory-expiratory diameters and collapsibility indices (CI) of IVC and SCV, IJV, and FV were evaluated. The correlation between IVC and SCV, IJV, and FV was analyzed. Results A total of 176 patients were included in the study, including 88 volume-overloaded patients in the study group and 88 normovolemic patients in the control group. The median values of the maximum and minimum diameters of the IVC, SCV, IJV, and FV in the study group were statistically higher compared to the control group. A moderate correlation was found between IVC and SCV, IVC and IJV, and IVC and FV for maximum diameters in all patients (p = 0.447, p = 0.515, and p = 450, respectively). There was a very weak correlation between the IVC-CI and the FV-CI in all patients (p = 0.160), and no correlation was found with the other veins. Conclusion The IVC-CI was not correlated with the SCV-CI, the IJV-CI, or the FV-CI in volume-overloaded patients; therefore, superficial venous vessels cannot be an alternative to the IVC.

Introduction: Spectral Doppler echocardiography is used to evaluate diastolic dysfunction of the heart. However, it is difficult to assess diastolic function with this modality in emergency department (ED) settings. Based on the hypothesis that E-point septal separation (EPSS) measured by M-mode in the parasternal long-axis (PSLA) view may facilitate the assessment of diastolic function in emergency patient care, we aimed to investigate whether EPSS measured by M-mode in the PSLA view correlates with spectral Doppler assessment in patients with grade 1 diastolic dysfunction. Methods: We performed this prospective, observational, single-center study was performed in the ED of a tertiary training and research hospital. All patients who presented to the emergency critical care unit with symptoms of heart failure were evaluated by the cardiology department, had grade 1 diastolic dysfunction confirmed by the cardiology department, and did not meet any of the study’s exclusion criteria. The study population of 40 (included rate 14%) was formed after the exclusion criteria were applied to 285 patients who met these conditions. Patients included in the study underwent spectral Doppler measurements in the apical four-chamber (A4C) view followed by M-mode measurements in the PSLA view. We then compared the measurements. Results: The correlation between the early diastolic velocity of the mitral inflow to the late diastolic velocity (E/A) ratio in spectral Doppler measurements and the EPSS/ A-point septal separation (APSS) ratio in M-mode was strong (correlation coefficient 0.677, P = 0.001). Similarly, the correlation between E in spectral Doppler measurements and the EPSS/APSS ratio in M-mode measurements was also moderately strong (correlation coefficient 0.557, P = 0.001). Conclusion: A significant correlation exists between the M-mode EPSS/APSS ratio measurement in the PSLA view and the spectral Doppler E/A ratio measurement in the A4C window to evaluate grade 1 diastolic dysfunction. This association suggests that M-mode measurements in the PSLA may be used in diastolic dysfunction.

ÖZ Amaç Çalışmada skorlama sistemlerinin koronavirüs hastalığı-2019 (COVİD-19) şiddetini belirleyip belirlemediğini araştırdık. Gereç ve Yöntem 01.09.2020 ve 31.04.2021 tarihleri arasında yatan COVİD-19 hastaları retrospektif olarak incelendi. Başvuru günündeki ulusal erken uyarı skoru (NEWS), modifiye erken uyarı skoru, hızlı acil tıp skoru, tekrarlanan-sepsis ilişkili organ yetmezliği hızlı değerlendirmesi skoru (q-SOFA), CURB-65, MuLBSTA ve ISARIC 4C skorları hesaplandı. Skorlama sistemlerinin mekanik ventilasyon (MV) ihtiyacını, yoğun bakım ünitesine (YBÜ) yatışını ve 30 günlük mortaliteyi öngörme kapasitesi incelendi. Bulgular Toplam 292 hasta dahil edildi, 137’si (%46,9) kadındı, yaş ortalaması 62,5±15,4 yıldı. Hastaların 69’unun (%23,6) YBÜ yatışı gerekti, 45 (%15,4) hastada MV’ye ihtiyaç duyuldu ve 49 (%16,8) hasta 30 gün içinde öldü. Q-SOFA ile MV ihtiyacı arasında bir ilişki bulunmadı (p=0,167) ancak diğer tüm skorlama sistemleri ile MV ihtiyacı, YBÜ yatış ve 30 günlük mortalite arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir ilişki bulundu (p5,5) ve NEWS (optimal cut-off >3,5) iken en düşük q-SOFA idi. Sonuç İlk başvurularında ISARIC-4C ve NEWS başta olmak üzere mevcut skorlama sistemleri kullanılarak COVİD-19’un şiddeti tahmin edilebilecektir. Böylece gerekli müdahalelerin daha erken yapılarak mortalite ve morbiditenin azaltılabilecektir. Objective: In this study, we investigated whether scoring systems determine COVID- 19 severity. Materials and Methods: COVID-19 patients hospitalized between 01.09.2020 and 31.04.2021 were retrospectively assessed. The National Early Warning Score (NEWS), Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), Rapid Emergency Medicine Score (REMS), Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score (q-SOFA), CURB-65, MuLBSTA, and ISARIC 4C scores on admission day were calculated. Scoring systems’ ability to predict mechanical ventilation (MV) need, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and 30-day mortality were assessed. Results: A total of 292 patients were included; 137 (46.9%) were female, and the mean age was 62.5±15.4 years. 69 (23.6%) patients required ICU admission, 45 (15.4%) needed MV, and 49 (16.8%) died within 30 days. No relationship was found between qSOFA and MV need (p=0.167), but a statistically significant relationship was found between other scoring systems and MV need, ICU admission, and 30-day mortality (p5.5) and NEWS (optimal cut-off >3.5) had the highest area under the curve in ROC curve analyses, whereas qSOFA had the lowest. Conclusion: The severity of COVID-19 could be estimated by using these scoring systems, especially ISARIC-4C and NEWS, at the first admission. Thus, mortality and morbidity would be reduced by making the necessary interventions earlier.

An earthquake measuring 7.7 magnitude on the Richter scale occurred at 04:17am on February 6, 2023 in the Pazarcık district of Kahramanmaraş province Turkey. In the hours following the 7.7 magnitude event in Kahramanmaraş, a second 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the region and a third 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Gaziantep, causing extensive damage and death. A total of ten provinces directly experienced the earthquake, including Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Gaziantep, Osmaniye, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa, Adıyaman, and Kilis. The official figures indicate 31,643 people were killed, 80,278 were injured, and 6,444 buildings were destroyed within seven days of the earthquakes (as of 12:00pm/noon on Monday, February 13th). The area affected by the earthquake has been officially declared to be 500km in diameter. This report primarily relies on observations made by pioneer Emergency Physicians (EPs) who went to the disaster areas shortly after the first earthquake (in the early stages of the disaster). According to their observations: (1) Due to winter conditions, there were transportation problems and a shortage of personnel reaching disaster areas on the first day after the disaster; (2) On the second day of the disaster, health equipment was in short supply; (3) As of the third day, health workers were unprepared in terms of knowledge and experience for the disaster; and (4) The subsequent deployment of health personnel to the disaster area was uncoordinated and unplanned on the following days, which resulted in the health personnel working there not being able to meet even their basic needs (such as food, heating, and shelter). During the first week, coordination was most frequently reported as the most significant problem.

Pituitary apoplexy is a relatively rare condition. Cranial nerve palsies may develop due to compression of the surrounding structures by the rapidly expanding tumor. While the most commonly affected nerve is the oculomotor nerve, abducens nerve palsy may also occur less commonly. A 68-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency department with complaints of severe headache, nausea, vomiting, and diplopia after head trauma due to falling. His magnetic resonance imaging evaluation demonstrated a large pituitary adenoma and bleeding into the tumor, which was acutely expanding and leading to compression of the abducens nerve laterally. Isolated abducens palsy due to posttraumatic pituitary apoplexy is a rare clinical condition, and as the symptoms and signs are nonspecific, it can commonly remain clinically undiagnosed. In this article, our aim was to draw attention to a clinical condition in which unfavorable complications may develop if the diagnosis is overlooked.

A cervical hematoma secondary to the spontaneous rupture of an aneurysm is an uncommon but catastrophic life-threatening condition because it can potentially obstruct the airway. Inferior thyroid artery aneurysm and rupture is a very rare clinical entity and only a limited number of cases have been reported in the literature. In this article, we present the case of a female patient who suffered from a rapidly enlarging cervical mass followed by a rapid onset of dyspnea as a result of rupture of an inferior thyroid artery aneurysm. The diagnosis was confirmed by magnetic resonance angiography, and delayed surgery resulted in an uneventful outcome. We aim to draw the attention of emergency physicians to this rare condition.

IntroductionThe identification of diastolic heart failure (DHF) is important for determining the prognosis of congestive heart failure patients. This study attempted to determine the accuracy of emergency physicians who performed bedside echocardiography (BECH) in patients with diastolic dysfunction.MethodsThree attending emergency physicians underwent 3 h of didactic and 3 h of hands-on training taught by a cardiology specialist for the echocardiographic diagnostic criteria of DHF. Between February and April 2010, the emergency physicians performed BECH for patients presenting with dyspnoea, and echocardiographic views were recorded. Our gold standard for the diagnosis of diastolic dysfunction was the cardiologists' echocardiography report. Results were compared with χ2 testing.ResultsOf the 69 enrolled patients, 51 were diagnosed as having diastolic dysfunction by emergency physicians. The sensitivity of BECH was 89% (77–95) and specificity was 80% (51–95) with 95% CI. The accuracy of the emergency physicians' echocardiographic diagnosis was 87%.ConclusionBECH performed by emergency physicians may serve as an objective, rapid, non-invasive tool in the assessment of patients presenting with dyspnoea in ED.