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.

Home intervention and predictor variables for rehospitalization in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation increases mortality and resources used associated with hospitalization. We studied whether early home monitoring reduces the rate of readmission and if there are any predictor variables.

Patients And Methods: We performed a prospective, controlled, parallel-group study in patients who were hospitalized for COPD.