Presyncope Is Associated with Intensive Care Unit Admission in Emergency Department Patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism.

Introduction: Syncope is common among emergency department (ED) patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and indicates a higher acuity and worse prognosis than in patients without syncope. Whether presyncope carries the same prognostic implications has not been established. We compared incidence of intensive care unit (ICU) admission in three groups of ED PE patients: those with presyncope; syncope; and neither.

The Standardized Video Interview: How Does It Affect the Likelihood to Invite for a Residency Interview?

Background: The Association of American Medical Colleges instituted a standardized video interview (SVI) for all applicants to emergency medicine (EM). It is unclear how the SVI affects a faculty reviewer's decision on likelihood to invite an applicant (LTI) for an interview.

Objectives: The objective was to determine whether the SVI affects the LTI.

Fentanyl in the out-of-hospital setting: variables associated with hypotension and hypoxemia.

Background: Previous out-of-hospital fentanyl analgesia studies are limited by retrospective nature or low numbers.

Study Objectives: This study sought to prospectively assess fentanyl safety in a large out-of-hospital group, to identify variables associated with post-fentanyl hypotension (HN; systolic blood pressure [SBP] < 90) or hypoxemia (HX; SpO(2) < 90%).

Methods: As part of a new protocol requiring documentation of peri-dose vital signs and adverse effects associated with fentanyl bolus doses, our Emergency Medical Services helicopter service assessed 500 consecutive patients receiving fentanyl from July through September 2006.