Pharmacologic Management of Acute Agitation in Youth in the Emergency Department.

When youth in the emergency department become acutely agitated, it can be dangerous and distressing to patients, families, and clinicians. Timely, effective, and patient-centered management is key to reducing the potential for patient and staff injury while preserving patient dignity. We review the definition of agitation and pharmacologic management for youth with acute agitation, including common classes of medications, indications for use, and adverse effects.

Development of an Evacuation Tool to Facilitate Disaster Preparedness: Use in a Planned Evacuation to Support a Hospital Move.

Objectives: Our institution relocated to a new facility 3.5 miles from our original location in Chicago on June 9, 2012. We describe the tools we developed to prepare, execute, and manage our evacuation and relocation.

Tumor lysis syndrome: risk factors, diagnosis, and management.

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a potentially fatal complication of induction therapy for several types of malignancies. Electrolyte derangements and even downstream complications may also occur prior to the initial presentation to a medical provider, before an oncologic diagnosis has been established. It is therefore imperative that emergency physicians be familiar with the risk factors for TLS in children as well as the criteria for diagnosis and the strategies for prevention and management.

Developing a practical algorithm for a pediatric emergency department's response to radiological dispersal device events.

Objective: In the aftermath of the detonation of a radiological dispersal device (RDD), or "dirty bomb," a large influx of children would be expected to present to the emergency department, including many patients not directly affected by the event who present with concerns regarding radiation exposure. Our objective was to develop an algorithm for efficiently and effectively triaging and appropriately treating children based on the likelihood of their having been contaminated or exposed.

Methods: The hospital's disaster preparedness committee with the help of disaster planning experts engaged in an iterative process to develop a triage questionnaire and patient flow algorithm for a pediatric hospital following an RDD event.

A review of dengue fever: a resurging tropical disease.

Dengue is a resurging mosquito-borne disease that is often contracted in U.S. travelers to Latin America, Asia, and the Caribbean.

Emergency department management of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus is a known cause of a variety of illnesses that present to the emergency department, including skin and soft tissue infections, pneumonia, and sepsis. Managing these conditions has become more difficult with the emergence of bacterial strains in the community that are resistant to traditional first-line antibiotics. Emergency care providers need to be aware of the increased prevalence of these resistant bacteria, to understand the characteristics of the infections with which they are associated, and to know the effective antibiotic options for treating these bacterial infections in the emergency department patient population.

The new insulins.

Diabetes is a growing problem for a large proportion of children. Insulin is the primary medication used for most cases of pediatric diabetes, though achieving adequate glycemic control with current insulin products can be extremely challenging. New insulin forms, including novel analogues and radically changed delivery systems are providing new approaches to controlling diabetes.

Review of medications used in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic condition. The goal of therapy is to control pain, preserve joint range of motion and function, minimize systemic complications, and assist in normal growth and development. Recent advances in understanding the pathophysiology of arthritis have expanded the treatment of this chronic condition.