Disconnect between charted vestibular diagnoses and emergency department management decisions: a cross-sectional analysis from a nationally representative sample.

Objectives: The most common vestibular disorders seen in the emergency department (ED) are benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and acute peripheral vestibulopathy (APV; i.e., vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis).

Seizure visits in US emergency departments: epidemiology and potential disparities in care.

Introduction: While epilepsy is a well-characterized disease, the majority of emergency department (ED) visits for "seizure" involve patients without known epilepsy. The epidemiology of seizure presentations and national patterns of management are unclear. The aim of this investigation was to characterize ED visits for seizure in a large representative US sample and investigate any potential impact of race or ethnicity on management.

A brief educational intervention may increase public acceptance of emergency research without consent.

Objectives: We hypothesized that knowing the regulations regarding emergency research without consent would increase public support for this type of research.

Methods: Randomized controlled trial. Consecutive patients presenting during eight 24-h periods received one of two interviews; the intervention interview included an educational paragraph.

Inappropriate use of antibiotics for acute asthma in United States emergency departments.

Objectives: The aim was to examine the use of antibiotics to treat asthma patients in U.S. emergency departments (EDs).

Spectrum of dizziness visits to US emergency departments: cross-sectional analysis from a nationally representative sample.

Objective: To describe the spectrum of visits to US emergency departments (EDs) for acute dizziness and determine whether ED patients with dizziness are diagnosed as having a range of benign and dangerous medical disorders, rather than predominantly vestibular ones.

Patients And Methods: A cross-sectional study of ED visits from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) used a weighted sample of US ED visits (1993-2005) to measure patient and hospital demographics, ED diagnoses, and resource use in cases vs controls without dizziness. Dizziness in patients 16 years or older was defined as an NHAMCS reason-for-visit code of dizziness/vertigo (1225.

Increased US emergency department visits for skin and soft tissue infections, and changes in antibiotic choices, during the emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Study Objective: Test the hypotheses that emergency department (ED) visits for skin and soft tissue infections became more frequent during the emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and that antibiotics typically active against community-associated MRSA were chosen increasingly.

Methods: From merged National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data for 1993-2005, we identified ED visits with diagnosis of cellulitis, abscess, felon, impetigo, hidradenitis, folliculitis, infective mastitis, nonpurulent mastitis, breast abscess, or carbuncle and furuncle. Main outcomes were change over time in rate of ED visits with such a diagnosis and proportion of antibiotic regimens including an agent typically active against community-associated MRSA.

United States emergency department visits for vaginal bleeding during early pregnancy, 1993-2003.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiology of emergency department (ED) visits for vaginal bleeding during early pregnancy (VBEP).

Study Design: We analyzed data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 1993-2003. Cases presented with a complaint of vaginal bleeding and had diagnoses consistent with presentation during early pregnancy.

Direct medical costs of acute pancreatitis hospitalizations in the United States.

Objectives: To determine the direct medical costs of hospitalizations for acute pancreatitis in the United States and analyze the demographic characteristics of hospitalized patients.

Methods: We searched the 2003 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample for hospitalizations with a primary discharge diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. These were analyzed with respect to patient demographics, hospitalization rates, and total hospital charges and costs.

National study of Emergency Department visits for burn injuries, 1993 to 2004.

No studies have examined U.S. burn epidemiology from the perspective of the Emergency Department.

US outpatient office visits for bronchiolitis, 1993-2004.

Objective: To describe the clinical epidemiology of US outpatient visits for children younger than 2 years with bronchiolitis.

Methods: Data were obtained from the 1993-2004 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Visits had ICD-9 code 466 and were restricted to patients younger than 2 years.

Increasing US emergency department visit rates and subsequent hospital admissions for atrial fibrillation from 1993 to 2004.

Study Objective: Atrial fibrillation is a significant public health problem that is becoming increasingly prevalent. The clinical epidemiology of US emergency department (ED) visits for atrial fibrillation is uncertain. This study seeks to describe recent trends in ED visits for atrial fibrillation.

National study of US emergency department visits for acute allergic reactions, 1993 to 2004.

Background: The clinical epidemiology of acute allergic reactions in the emergency department (ED) is uncertain.

Objectives: To characterize ED visits for acute allergic reactions and to evaluate national trends in ED management.

Methods: The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey was used to identify a nationally representative sample of ED visits between 1993 and 2004.

U.S. emergency department visits for supraventricular tachycardia, 1993-2003.

Background: Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is often described as a recurrent condition that leads to emergency department (ED) visits. However, the epidemiology of ED visits for SVT is unknown.

Objectives: To define the frequency of SVT in U.

Increasing United States hospital admissions for acute pancreatitis, 1988-2003.

Purpose: To examine the epidemiology of hospital admissions for acute pancreatitis in the United States.

Methods: We compiled data from the 1988-2003 National Hospital Discharge Survey and analyzed it with respect to patient demographics, hospital type and region, procedures performed, length of hospital stay, and inpatient mortality.

Results: Hospital admissions for acute pancreatitis increased from a 1988 low of 101,000 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 87,000-116,000) to a 2002 peak of 210,000 (95% CI: 186,000-234,000).

Declining antibiotic prescriptions for upper respiratory infections, 1993-2004.

Objectives: To examine antibiotic prescribing trends for U.S. emergency department (ED) visits with upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) between 1993 and 2004.

National study of United States emergency department visits for acute pancreatitis, 1993-2003.

Background: The epidemiology of acute pancreatitis in the United States is largely unknown, particularly episodes that lead to an emergency department (ED) visit. We sought to address this gap and describe ED practice patterns.

Methods: Data were collected from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey between 1993 and 2003.

Direct medical costs of bronchiolitis hospitalizations in the United States.

Objectives: Although bronchiolitis is the leading cause of hospitalization for infants, there are limited data describing the epidemiology of bronchiolitis hospitalizations, and the associated cost is unknown. Our objective was to determine nationally representative estimates of the frequency of bronchiolitis hospitalizations and its associated costs.

Patients And Methods: We analyzed the 2002 Health Care Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample, a federal, stratified random survey of hospital discharges.

National study of emergency department visits for sepsis, 1992 to 2001.

Study Objective: Epidemiologic data on emergency department (ED) patients with sepsis are limited. Inpatient discharge records from 1979 to 2000 show that hospitalizations for sepsis are increasing. We examine the epidemiology of sepsis in US EDs and the hypothesis that sepsis visits are increasing.

National study of ambulance transports to United States emergency departments: importance of mental health problems.

Introduction: Understanding ambulance utilization patterns is essential to assessing prehospital system capacity and preparedness at the national level.

Objective: To describe the characteristics of patients transported to U.S.

National study on emergency department visits for transient ischemic attack, 1992-2001.

Objectives: To describe the epidemiology of U.S. emergency department (ED) visits for transient ischemic attack (TIA) and to measure rates of antiplatelet medication use, neuroimaging, and hospitalization during a ten-year time period.

Feasibility of a national fatal asthma registry: more evidence of IRB variation in evaluation of a standard protocol.

Purpose: Approximately 4,500 Americans die from asthma each year. Our objective was to determine the feasibility of creating a national fatal asthma registry to better understand this problem.Methods.

United States emergency department visits for acute decompensated heart failure, 1992 to 2001.

Heart failure is a significant public health problem. The epidemiology and practice pattern of emergency department (ED) visits for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) have not been well characterized. A better description is essential to highlight areas in which improvements or additional research are needed.

Epidemiology of epistaxis in US emergency departments, 1992 to 2001.

Study Objective: The epidemiology of emergency department (ED) visits for epistaxis is unknown. We use national data to fill this gap and test hypotheses that epistaxis visits are more common with increasing age and in winter.

Methods: We identify ED visit with epistaxis from 10 years of the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.