Compliance with the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians' asthma clinical practice guidelines at a tertiary care emergency department.

Introduction: Although evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) exist, emergency department (ED) asthma management remains highly variable. Our objective was to compare asthma management at a tertiary care ED with that advised by the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians' (CAEP) asthma CPG and current best practice.

Methods: This medical record study enrolled patients between the ages of 19 and 60 years with a previous diagnosis of asthma who were seen for an acute asthma exacerbation at the Vancouver General Hospital ED in 2008.

Incidental vertebral fractures discovered with chest radiography in the emergency department: prevalence, recognition, and osteoporosis management in a cohort of elderly patients.

Background: Vertebral fractures are common and usually an indication for osteoporosis treatment. However, screening is not recommended, and many fractures go undetected. Our objectives were to determine the utility of chest radiographs for detecting previously unrecognized vertebral fractures; document rates of recognition; and evaluate osteoporosis treatments.

Utilization of the emergency department after self-inflicted injury.

Objectives: To compare emergency department (ED) utilization by individuals who present with self-inflicted injuries with utilization by control populations. Individuals with self-inflicted injuries commonly present to the ED, yet little research has been conducted on this population in this setting.

Methods: Individuals who had an ED presentation in 1995-1996 for a self-inflicted injury were tracked prospectively for three to four years of follow-up.