Impact of the first COVID-19 pandemic wave on the care and quality indicators of a hospital emergency department.

Objectives: To study the impact of the first COVID-19 pandemic wave state of emergency on qualitative and quantitative indicators of demand for the services of a hospital emergency department.

Material And Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of all visits by adults to the department during the Spanish state of emergency. The findings were compared to those for a similar period before the pandemic.

Implementation of the Spanish Triage System in the emergency departments of public health service hospitals in Andalusia, Spain.

Objectives: To describe the process of implementing the Spanish Triage System (SET, in its Spanish abbreviation) in nonspecialist hospital emergency departments (EDs) in the public health service.

Material And Methods: Multicenter cross-sectional study at 4 time cut-points (6 months before implementation and at the end of 1, 2 and 3 semesters afterwards). The study was carried out in 29 public hospital EDs in Andalusia.

[Utility of biomarkers in abdominal pain management].

Abdominal pain conditions that fall into the category of acute abdomen (AA) are the most important ones to identify quickly. Diagnostic delay can lead to death or significant complications. Biological markers have the potential to improve the diagnostic and prognostic capacity of clinical assessment and the conventional complement of tests.

[Value of plasma C-reactive protein and lactate dehydrogenase levels in the diagnosis of intestinal obstruction in an emergency department].

Background: Intestinal obstruction is one of the most frequent surgical emergencies. Its diagnosis is essentially based on clinical history, physical exploration and image tests. The aim of this study was to analyze the diagnostic value of acute phase reactants in patients with benign versus malign intestinal obstruction.