Non-sterile gloves and dressing versus sterile gloves, dressings and drapes for suturing of traumatic wounds in the emergency department: a non-inferiority multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Background: Patients with traumatic wounds frequently present to the ED. Literature on whether to treat these wounds sterile or non-sterile is sparse. Non-sterile treatment has the advantage of saving resources and costs, and could be of value in health settings where sterile materials are not readily available.

Update of the CHIP (CT in Head Injury Patients) decision rule for patients with minor head injury based on a multicenter consecutive case series.

Objective: To update the existing CHIP (CT in Head Injury Patients) decision rule for detection of (intra)cranial findings in adult patients following minor head injury (MHI).

Methods: The study is a prospective multicenter cohort study in the Netherlands. Consecutive MHI patients of 16 years and older were included.

Improving design choices in Delphi studies in medicine: the case of an exemplary physician multi-round panel study with 100% response.

Background: A proper application of the Delphi technique is essential for obtaining valid research results. Medical researchers regularly use Delphi studies, but reports often lack detailed information on methodology and controlled feedback: in the medical literature, papers focusing on Delphi methodology issues are rare. Since the introduction of electronic surveys, details on response times remain scarce.

Correction to: The early identification of disease progression in patients with suspected infection presenting to the emergency department: a multi-centre derivation and validation study.

In the publication of this article [1], there are two errors in contributing author affiliations. This has now been included in this correction article.

The emergency department landscape in The Netherlands: an exploration of characteristics and hypothesized relationships.

Background: Nationwide optimization of the emergency department (ED) landscape is being discussed in The Netherlands. The emphasis is put mostly on the number of EDs actually present at the time versus a proposed minimum number of EDs needed in the future. The predominant idea in general is that by concentrating emergency care in less EDs costs would be saved and quality of care would increase.

The early identification of disease progression in patients with suspected infection presenting to the emergency department: a multi-centre derivation and validation study.

Background: There is a lack of validated tools to assess potential disease progression and hospitalisation decisions in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with a suspected infection. This study aimed to identify suitable blood biomarkers (MR-proADM, PCT, lactate and CRP) or clinical scores (SIRS, SOFA, qSOFA, NEWS and CRB-65) to fulfil this unmet clinical need.

Methods: An observational derivation patient cohort validated by an independent secondary analysis across nine EDs.

External validation of computed tomography decision rules for minor head injury: prospective, multicentre cohort study in the Netherlands.

Objective: To externally validate four commonly used rules in computed tomography (CT) for minor head injury.

Design: Prospective, multicentre cohort study.

Setting: Three university and six non-university hospitals in the Netherlands.

Minimum operational standards for 24/7 available emergency departments in the Netherlands: a first step taken by emergency physicians using an e-Delphi approach.

Objective: The objective of this study was to effectuate a consensus of emergency physicians on minimum requirements for facility, diagnostic, and medical specialist availability as a first step toward minimum operational standards for 24/7 available emergency departments (EDs) in the Netherlands.

Patients And Methods: A two-part e-Delphi through online survey was performed between January 2015 and May 2016, using a panel of 20 experts in emergency medicine. The aim of part I was to reach an agreement on a list of possible ED elements and their definitions.

Damage control and intramedullary nailing for long bone fractures in polytrauma patients.

The early fracture treatment in patients with multiple injuries should be focused on damage control. The fracture type and its location, local soft tissue condition as well as the patient's physiological condition shall determine the time and type of fracture treatment. Prevention of local and systemic complications must be immediately considered and included in the treatment planning.

Traumatic brain injury in the Netherlands, trends in emergency department visits, hospitalization and mortality between 1998 and 2012.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The effects of epidemiological changes such as ageing of the population and increased traffic safety on the incidence of TBI are unknown.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate trends in TBI-related emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalization and mortality in the Netherlands between 1998 and 2012.

Effectiveness of medication withdrawal in older fallers: results from the Improving Medication Prescribing to reduce Risk Of FALLs (IMPROveFALL) trial.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of withdrawal of fall-risk-increasing-drugs (FRIDs) versus ‘care as usual’ on reducing falls in community-dwelling older fallers.

Design: Randomised multicentre trial

Participants: Six hundred and twelve older adults who visited an Emergency Department (ED) because of a fall.

Interventions: Withdrawal of FRIDs.

Cost-utility of medication withdrawal in older fallers: results from the improving medication prescribing to reduce risk of FALLs (IMPROveFALL) trial.

Background: The use of Fall-Risk-Increasing-Drugs (FRIDs) has been associated with increased risk of falls and associated injuries. This study investigates the effect of withdrawal of FRIDs versus 'care as usual' on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), costs, and cost-utility in community-dwelling older fallers.

Methods: In a prospective multicenter randomized controlled trial FRIDs assessment combined with FRIDs-withdrawal or modification was compared with 'care as usual' in older persons, who visited the emergency department after experiencing a fall.

The reliability and reproducibility of the Hertel classification for comminuted proximal humeral fractures compared with the Neer classification.

Introduction: The Neer classification is the most commonly used fracture classification system for proximal humeral fractures. Inter- and intra-observer agreement is limited, especially for comminuted fractures. A possibly more straightforward and reliable classification system is the Hertel classification.

Procalcitonin-guided therapy for the initiation of antibiotics in the ED: a systematic review.

Background: Procalcitonin (PCT) is a new biomarker with a higher accuracy in the diagnosis of bacterial infections. Utilization of PCT may reduce the number of unnecessary antibiotics prescribed to patients and consequently may decrease the rise in antibiotic resistance. The aim of this systematic review is to determine if a PCT-guided algorithm can safely reduce the number of antibiotics prescribed to all patients with a suspected of infection in the emergency department (ED).

Higher diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness using procalcitonin in the treatment of emergency medicine patients with fever (The HiTEMP study): a multicenter randomized study.

Background: Fever is a common symptom in the emergency department(ED). Fever can be caused by bacterial infections, which are treated with antibiotics. Often, bacterial infections cannot be ruled out in the ED using standard diagnostics, and empiric antibiotic treatment is started.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Is Pre-Injury Antiplatelet Therapy Associated with Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage?

The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate whether the pre-injury use of antiplatelet therapy (APT) is associated with increased risk of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (tICH) on CT scan. PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central, reference lists, and national guidelines on traumatic brain injury were used as data sources. Eligible studies were cohort studies and case-control studies that assessed the relationship between APT and tICH.

Effects of Sequence Variations in Innate Immune Response Genes on Infectious Outcome in Trauma Patients: A Comprehensive Review.

Infectious complications, sepsis, and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) remain important causes for morbidity and mortality in patients who survive the initial trauma. Increasing evidence suggests that genetic variants, particularly single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), are critical determinants for interindividual differences in both inflammatory responses and clinical outcome in sepsis patients. Although the effect of SNPs on sepsis and MODS has been studied in many populations and diseases, this review aimed to summarize the current knowledge on the effect of SNPs on infectious complication specifically in trauma patients.

Multiple Infectious Complications in a Severely Injured Patient with Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Important Innate Immune Response Genes.

Trauma is a major public health problem worldwide. Infectious complications, sepsis, and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) remain important causes for morbidity and mortality in patients who survive the initial trauma. There is increasing evidence for the role of genetic variation in the innate immune system on infectious complications in severe trauma patients.

Frequent users of the emergency department services in the largest academic hospital in the Netherlands: a 5-year report.

Objective: To investigate the demographic and service characteristics, motive for consultation, and disposition of adult frequent users (FUs) of the largest academic hospital in the Netherlands over a 5-year period.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective study included all patients aged 18 years and older visiting the emergency department (ED) during a 5-year period (2009-2013). Frequent ED use was defined as having four or more visits to the ED during a year.

Early mobilisation versus plaster immobilisation of simple elbow dislocations: results of the FuncSiE multicentre randomised clinical trial.

Background/aim: To compare outcome of early mobilisation and plaster immobilisation in patients with a simple elbow dislocation. We hypothesised that early mobilisation would result in earlier functional recovery.

Methods: From August 2009 to September 2012, 100 adult patients with a simple elbow dislocation were enrolled in this multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Implant Removal After Internal Fixation of a Femoral Neck Fracture: Effects on Physical Functioning.

Objectives: The effect of implant removal after internal fixation of a femoral neck fracture on physical functioning was analyzed. Characteristics of patients who had their implant removed were studied, as it is currently unknown from which type of patients implants are removed and what effect removal has on function.

Design: Secondary cohort study alongside a randomized controlled trial.

Erratum: Self-referred patients at the Emergency Department: patient characteristics, motivations, and willingness to make a copayment.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s12245-014-0030-7.].

Reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index for elderly patients with a femoral neck fracture.

Background: The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) has been extensively evaluated in groups of patients with osteoarthritis, yet not in patients with a femoral neck fracture. This study aimed to determine the reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness of the WOMAC compared with the Short Form-12 (SF-12) and the EuroQol 5D (EQ-5D) questionnaires for the assessment of elderly patients with a femoral neck fracture.

Methods: Reliability was tested by assessing the Cronbach alpha.

Systematic review of frequent users of emergency departments in non-US hospitals: state of the art.

This review focuses on frequent users (FUs) of the emergency department (ED). Elucidation of the characteristics of frequent ED users will help to improve healthcare services. A systematic review of the literature (from 1999 onwards) on frequent ED users in non-US hospitals was performed.

Good functional recovery of complex elbow dislocations treated with hinged external fixation: a multicenter prospective study.

Background: After a complex dislocation, some elbows remain unstable after closed reduction or fracture treatment. Function after treatment with a hinged external fixator theoretically allows collateral ligaments to heal without surgical reconstruction. However, there is a lack of prospective studies that assess functional outcome, pain, and ROM.