Transportation, childcare, lodging, and meals: Key for participant engagement and inclusion of historically underrepresented populations in the healthy brain and child development birth cohort.

Introduction: Participant recruitment and retention (R&R) are well-documented challenges in longitudinal studies, especially those involving populations historically underrepresented in research and vulnerable groups (e.g., pregnant people or young children and their families), as is the focus of the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) birth cohort study.

Experiences of adults with opioid-treated chronic low back pain during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey study.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults with opioid-treated chronic low back pain (CLBP), an understudied area. Participants in a "parent" clinical trial of non-pharmacologic treatments for CLBP were invited to complete a one-time survey on the perceived pandemic impact across several CLBP- and opioid therapy-related domains. Participant clinical and other characteristics were derived from the parent study's data.

Utility of serial conventional troponin testing for emergency department patients stratified by HEART score and symptom timing.

Background: The HEART score for risk stratifying chest pain patients in the emergency department (ED) has been widely adopted in clinical practice, but is often employed with nonconformant serial troponin measurements.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to examine the utility of obtaining a second conventional 3-h troponin I (TnI) level in ED patients presenting with potential acute coronary syndrome (ACS), stratified by HEART score and duration of symptoms.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of consecutive adult ED patients with a complete HEART score.

Triaging patients prior to the arrival of the mass casualty: Emergency Severity Index equivalency to SALT disaster triage.

Objective: To compare the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) and Sort Assess Life Saving Interventions Treatment and Transport (SALT) triage categories for an existing emergency department (ED) patient population.

Design: A prospective, cross-sectional study.

Setting: An academic-affiliated community teaching ED at a Level 1 Trauma Center.

A prospective, multicenter evaluation of point-of-care ultrasound for appendicitis in the emergency department.

Objective: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for the diagnosis of appendicitis in a general emergency department (ED) population as performed by emergency physicians with variable ultrasound experience.

Methods: We performed a prospective, multicenter, observational study examining a convenience sample of adult patients with potential appendicitis presenting to the ED between July 2014 and February 2020. Each emergency physician-performed POCUS was interpreted at the bedside and retrospectively by an expert reviewer.

Impact of creatinine screening on contrast-induced nephropathy following computerized tomography for stroke.

Objective: This study sought to evaluate rates of acute kidney injury in patients undergoing contrast-enhanced computerized tomography for acute stroke in the emergency department (ED) before and after the cessation of creatinine screening.

Methods: This retrospective study compared ED patients receiving contrast-enhanced imaging for suspected acute stroke with and without protocolized creatinine screening. The primary outcome was CIN, defined as an increase in serum creatinine of 0.

A Prospective, Multicenter Evaluation of Point-of-care Ultrasound for Small-bowel Obstruction in the Emergency Department.

Objective: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of emergency physician-performed point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for the diagnosis of small-bowel obstruction (SBO) compared to computed tomography (CT).

Methods: We performed a prospective, multicenter, observational study examining a convenience sample of adult patients with potential SBO presenting to the emergency department (ED) between July 2014 and May 2017. Each POCUS was interpreted at the bedside by the performing emergency physician and retrospectively by an expert reviewer.

Low-level troponin elevations following a reduced troponin I cutoff: Increased resource utilization without improved outcomes.

Objective: The study sought to evaluate changes in mortality and resource utilization in patients with low level troponin elevations following a reduction in the cutoff for normal troponin I (TnI) from 0.5 ng/mL to the 99th percentile (0.06 ng/mL).

Extrabiliary Pathology Identified by Right Upper Quadrant Abdominal Ultrasound in Emergency Department Patients.

Background: The effectiveness of point of care (POC) right upper quadrant ultrasound (RUQ US) in the diagnosis of biliary disease has been well studied. Extrabiliary pathology that might remain undetected in the course of typical, focused POC RUQ US has not been directly examined.

Objectives: Our objective was to determine the prevalence and clinical significance of extrabiliary findings (EBFs) seen on radiology-performed, comprehensive RUQ US.

Intravenous contrast alone vs intravenous and oral contrast computed tomography for the diagnosis of appendicitis in adult ED patients.

Objective: When the diagnosis of appendicitis is uncertain, computerized tomography (CT) scans are frequently ordered. Oral contrast is often used but is time consuming and of questionable benefit. This study compared CT with intravenous contrast alone (IV) to CT with IV and oral contrast (IVO) in adult patients with suspected appendicitis.

Triage nurse prediction of hospital admission.

Introduction: Numerous factors affect patient flow in the emergency department. One important factor that has a negative impact on flow is ED patients waiting for an inpatient bed. It currently takes approximately 5 hours from triage to a request for an inpatient bed in our emergency department.