Survival in Out-of-hospital Rapid Sequence Intubation of Non-Traumatic Brain Pathologies.

Introduction: Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) is not only used in traumatic brain injuries in the out-of-hospital setting, but also for non-traumatic brain pathologies (NTBP) such as brain tumors, meningitis, encephalitis, hypoxic/anoxic brain injury, stroke, arteriovenous malformations, tumors, aneurysms, brain hemorrhage, as well as brain injury due to diabetes, seizures and toxicity, metabolic conditions, and alcohol and drug overdose. Previous research suggests that RSI is common in non-traumatic coma, but with an unknown prevalence of NTBP in those that receive RSI. If NTBP is common and if brain trauma RSI evidence is not valid for NTBP then a sizable proportion of NTBP receive this treatment without evidence of benefit.

Computed tomography for head injuries in children: Change in Australian usage rates over time.

Objective: Paediatric head injury is a common presentation to the ED. North American studies demonstrate increasing use of computed tomography (CT) brain scan (CTB) to investigate head injury. No such data exists for Australian EDs.

Sub-dissociative-dose intranasal ketamine for moderate to severe pain in adult emergency department patients.

Background: There are currently no studies assessing effectiveness of sub-dissociative intranasal (IN) ketamine as the initial analgesic for adult patients in the ED.

Objective: The study aims to examine the effectiveness of sub-dissociative IN ketamine as a primary analgesic agent for adult patients in the ED.

Method: This is a prospective, observational study of adult ED patients presenting with severe pain (≥6 on 11-point scale at triage).

Oral versus intravenous corticosteroids in adults hospitalised with acute asthma.

Background: Systemic corticosteroids are routinely used in the management of acute asthma, however the optimum route of administration for patients requiring hospitalisation is unclear. Intravenous (IV) corticosteroids are used in practice, but they may not offer any advantage over oral corticosteroids.

Aim: To compare the efficacy of oral and IV administration of corticosteroids in the treatment of adults hospitalised with acute asthma.