Care without coverage: is there a relationship between insurance and ED care?

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has concluded that differences in care exist for hospitalized patients on the basis of insurance; we attempted to determine if these differences begin in the emergency department (ED). We retrospectively studied high-acuity adult visits to one ED over 6 months, utilizing electronic databases. Uninsured patients were more often younger, male, and non-white (n = 3899 visits; 468 uninsured, 3431 insured).

Emergency department digital radiology: moving from photos to pixels.

Emergency department (ED) patient care relies heavily on radiologic imaging. As advances in technologic innovation continue to present opportunities to streamline and simplify the delivery of care, emergency medicine (EM) practitioners face the challenge of transitioning from a system of primarily film-based radiography to one that utilizes digitized images. The move to digital radiology can result in enhanced quality of patient care, reduction of errors, and increased ED efficiency; however, making this transition will necessarily involve changes in EM practice.

Ibuprofen and acetaminophen: effect on muscle inflammation after eccentric exercise.

Purpose: We examined the influence of ibuprofen and acetaminophen on muscle neutrophil and macrophage concentrations after novel eccentric contractions.

Methods: Twenty-four males (25 +/- 3 yr) were divided into three groups that received the maximal over-the-counter dose of either ibuprofen (1200 mg x d-1), acetaminophen (4000 mg x d-1), or a placebo after eccentric contractions of the knee extensors. Biopsies from the vastus lateralis were taken before and 24 h after exercise.

Titin and nebulin content in human skeletal muscle following eccentric resistance exercise.

We measured titin and nebulin content in muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis before and 24 h after one bout of high-intensity eccentric knee extensor resistance exercise in seven men (26 +/- 3 years). Titin and nebulin content were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced after exercise by 30 and 15%, respectively.