Comparison of CT head interpretation between emergency physicians and neuroradiologists.

Cranial computed tomography (CT) of the head is widely used in the emergency department 24 h a day. We compared the accuracy of CT head interpretation between staff emergency physicians (EPs) and neuroradiologists. We conducted a health records review of patients who required head CT in the emergency department.

Predictors of positive chest radiography in non-traumatic chest pain in the emergency department.

Objectives: To determine predictors associated with positive chest x-ray finding in patients presenting with non-traumatic chest pain in the Emergency Department (ED).

Methods: Health records, including the final radiology reports of all patients who presented with non-traumatic chest pain and had a chest x-ray performed in an urban Canadian tertiary care ED over four consecutive months were reviewed. Demographic and clinical variables were also extracted.

Do beta-blockers reduce short-term mortality following acute myocardial infarction? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains a major cause of death and beta-blockers are known to reduce long-term mortality in post-AMI patients. We sought to determine whether patients receiving beta-blockers acutely (within 72 h) following AMI had a lower mortality rate at 6 weeks than patients receiving placebo.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled clinical trials that assessed 6-week mortality and compared beta-blockers with placebo in patients randomized within the first 72 hours following AMI.