The Pathophysiology of Injuries and Deaths Managed in Emergency Departments After Earthquake Disasters: A Narrative Review.

Earthquakes cause devastating effects, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people each year. Understanding the full range of impacts, including fatalities, and the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these effects is crucial for mitigating the aftermath of earthquakes. Therefore, this review aims to: delineate the critical golden time periods following earthquakes and identify the most effective responses and resilience factors during these periods; accurately define the terminology for injuries sustained post-earthquake; elucidate the basic pathophysiology of CRUSH injury-induced myopathy, one of the most significant pathologies in post-earthquake patient management; explore the role of nitric oxide (NO) mechanisms in crush injuries, which are believed to be fundamental to the "smiling death phenomenon" and represent the unseen part of the iceberg; and highlight the importance of the 3 main phenomena responsible for mortality-acidosis, coagulopathy, and hypothermia-during disasters.

Comparative Analysis of Burn Injuries in Toddler and Preschool Children: Implications for Triage and Outcome Assessment.

Objective: This study aims to compare the demographic, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of burn injuries in toddler and preschool children, and to validate the American Burn Association (ABA) Burn Triage Decision Matrix in the Turkish pediatric population.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 684 pediatric burn patients (494 toddlers, 190 preschoolers) admitted to our burn center over a 5-year period. Variables including gender, burn etiology, burn area, depth, treatment modalities, complications, length of hospital stay, and mortality were analyzed.

Challenges and Clinical Impact of Medical Search and Rescue Efforts Following the Kahramanmaraş Earthquake.

Background: This study assesses the operational challenges and clinical outcomes encountered by a university-based Emergency Medical Team (EMT) during the medical search and rescue (mSAR) response to the February 2023 earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey.

Methods: In this observational study, data were retrospectively collected from 42 individuals who received mSAR services post-earthquake. The challenges were categorized as environmental, logistical, or medical, with detailed documentation of rescue times, patient demographics, injury types, and medical interventions.

Comparison of Blood Gas Analysis and Auto-Analyzer Results for Sodium and Potassium Levels in Elderly and Non-elderly Adult Emergency Department Patients.

Objectives This study aims to evaluate the concordance between blood gas and biochemical measurement methods for sodium and potassium levels in elderly and non-elderly patients within an emergency department (ED) setting. Methods A retrospective method comparison study was conducted at an ED from February 1, 2023, to March 1, 2023. The study included 414 patients, categorized into "elderly" (aged 65 and above; n = 138, 33.

February 6, Kahramanmaraş earthquakes and the disaster management algorithm of adult emergency medicine in Turkey: An experience review.

This compilation covers emergency medical management lessons from the February 6 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. The objective is to review relevant literature on emergency services patient management, focusing on Koenig's 1996 Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (START) and Secondary Assessment of Victim Endpoint (SAVE) frameworks. Establishing a comprehensive seismic and mass casualty incident (MCI) protocol chain is the goal.

Comparing Doppler Ultrasonography and Computerized Tomography Angiography in Emergency Department Evaluation of Earthquake-Related Crush Injuries: A Case Series Analysis.

Objective: This case series aims to provide a comprehensive description of the utilization of doppler ultrasonography (USG) and computerized tomography angiography (CTA) in evaluating patients with earthquake-induced crush injuries in the emergency department (ED).

Methods: This retrospective case series was conducted on 11 patients who presented with crush injuries following a seismic event. These patients underwent initial assessment using doppler USG, with CTA performed when deemed necessary.

Earthquake-related isolated blunt thoracic trauma patients: A special population study in the emergency department.

Objective: The objective of this study is to compare patients with severe and mild blunt thoracic trauma, who survived an earthquake and presented to the emergency department (ED), in order to identify factors influencing the severity of trauma in earthquake-related thoracic injuries.

Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional, observational comparative study included patients with isolated thoracic injuries due to the February 6th Kahramanmaraş earthquake. The patients were categorized into severe and mild groups based on chest trauma scoring (CTS), and their characteristics were compared.

Factors influencing recurrent emergency department visits for mild acute respiratory tract infections caused by the influenza virus.

Background: Seasonal viral outbreaks, exemplified by influenza A and B viruses, lead to spikes in emergency department (ED) visits, straining healthcare facilities. Addressing ED overcrowding has become paramount due to its implications for patient care and healthcare operations. Recurrent visits among influenza patients remain an underexplored aspect, necessitating investigation into factors influencing such revisits.

Can we recognize severe community-acquired pneumonia without pneumonia severity index? Use of modified qSOFA with procalcitonin.

Objective: The aim of this study is to analyze the diagnostic value of Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA), modified qSOFA, National Early Warning Score (NEWS) and NEWS + Lactate (NEWS + L) scores in the detection of severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Methods: This research is a retrospective cohort study. Patients admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) with the diagnosis of CAP were divided into severe and mild pneumonia regarding their Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) scores.

Enhancing Triage and Management in Earthquake-Related Injuries: The SAFE-QUAKE Scoring System for Predicting Dialysis Requirements.

Objectives: Identifying early predictors of dialysis requirements in earthquake-related injuries is crucial for optimal resource allocation and timely intervention. This study aimed to develop a predictive scoring system, named SAFE-QUAKE (Seismic Assessment of Kidney Function to Rule Out Dialysis Requirement), to identify patients at high risk of developing acute kidney injury (AKI) and requiring dialysis.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 205 patients presenting with earthquake-related injuries.

Predictors of one-year mortality following hip fracture surgery in elderly.

Background: Understanding mortality risk factors is critical to reducing mortality among elderly hip fracture patients. To investigate the effects of admission and post-operative levels of distribution width of red blood cells (RDW), albumin, and RDW/albumin (RA) ratio on predicting 1-year mortality following hip fracture surgery.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 275 elderly patients who underwent hip fracture surgery in a tertiary hospital between January 2018 and January 2022.

Diagnostic accuracy of high sensitivity troponin and association of electrocardiogram findings for mortality in syncope patients: A retrospective cohort study.

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin-T (hs-cTnT) and electrocardiogram (ECG) are commonly ordered in daily practice in emergency medicine but their value on long term mortality in syncope patients is unclear. Our aim is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of hs-cTnT and association of ECG findings for 1-year mortality in patients presenting with syncope. In this retrospective cohort study, we included patients presenting with syncope to the emergency department (ED) between May 2020 and May 2021.

Can orbital artery resistive indexes detect complications of diabetes in the prediabetic phase?

Aim: Prediabetic patients have generalized microvascular dysfunction, which leads to end-organ damage, just like diabetes. Therefore, prediabetes is not just a mild elevation in blood sugar, and early detection and prevention of possible complications should be the main goal. Color Doppler imaging (CDI) provides morphologic and vascular information on various diseases.

Drop, Cover, and Hold On versus Fetal Position in the Triangle of Life to Survive in an Earthquake: A Delphi Study.

Objective: This study aims to determine and compare the effectiveness of Drop, Cover, and Hold On versus Fetal Position in the Triangle of Life regarding reducing casualties during earthquakes and establishing a consensus among medical search and rescue experts.

Methods: In this study, the data collected from ten experienced medical search and rescue professionals were analyzed using a three-stage Delphi technique to compare Drop, Cover, and Hold On versus Fetal Position in the Triangle of Life.

Results: At the end of the first round of Delphi, all of the experts mentioned the following factors: age, position, and surface area of the injured person.

Agreement of Oscillometric and Auscultatory blood pressure measurement methods: An ambulance noise simulation study.

Objective: Although noise is known to negatively affect blood pressure (BP) measurements, its impact on different BP measurement methods remains unclear. The aim of this study is to compare the agreement of oscillometric and auscultatory BP measurement methods under in-ambulance noise levels.

Methods: This method-comparison study was conducted on 50 healthy volunteers in a tertiary emergency department (ED).

Impact of rigid cervical collars on the vital signs and cervical vasculature: Should we be on the alert for anything?

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to reveal the effect of RCC application on vital signs and physiology of the neck vascular structures.

Methods: The study was designed as a prospective interventional study on 11 volunteers. The factors that would affect the hemodynamics of the volunteers were standardized before the measurements.