The emergency department care of hemodialysis patients.

Aims: To describe the emergency department (ED) presentation, evaluation and disposition of maintenance hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review of adult HD patients seen 1/1-12/31/97. The following was collected: demographics, mode of arrival, chief complaint, etiology of renal failure, evaluation, treatment, disposition, length of stay and facility charges.

Validation of a brief screening tool to detect depression in elderly ED patients.

Although depression is the most common psychiatric disorder in the elderly, it is often unrecognized by physicians. The objective of the study was to assess the utility of a 3-question screening instrument (ED-DSI) to detect depression among elderly emergency department (ED) patients. We used a prospective convenience sample of English-speaking ED patients >or=65yr.

Socioeconomic and health status differences between depressed and nondepressed ED elders.

The objective of the study was to describe differences in demographics, medical conditions, and social situation between depressed and nondepressed elderly emergency department (ED) patients. We studied a prospective convenience sample of English-speaking ED patients greater-than-or-equal 65 years, without altered mental status, obvious dementia or delirium, participating in a depression screening study during an ED visit for a nonpsychiatric complaint. Demographics were collected.

Benzyl alcohol with epinephrine as an alternative to lidocaine with epinephrine.

A randomized, prospective, double-blind study comparing benzyl alcohol with epinephrine, 1:100,000 (BA), and lidocaine with epinephrine, 1:100,000 (LID), as local anesthetics was carried out on adult patients with simple lacerations. The two study groups were compared for pain of infiltration (100 mm visual analog scale) and need for additional anesthesia. Pain scores were compared by a Mann Whitney Independent Rank Sum test and need for additional anesthesia by a Fishers Exact test.

Home antipyretic use in children brought to the emergency department.

Objective: To determine how often children with a complaint of fever receive antipyretics at home and if any demographic factors are associated with correct dosing.

Methods: A prospective, descriptive study of children 3 to 36 months old presenting with complaint of fever was conducted. Caregivers were questioned about demographics and antipyretic given.