Position statement on the use of point-of-care ultrasound in heart failure: Recommendations from the Heart Failure and Atrial Fibrillation, and Clinical Ultrasound Working Groups of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI).

This document provides a comprehensive analysis of the use of point-of-care ultrasound in heart failure (HF), offering detailed recommendations on echocardiography, lung ultrasound, and venous ultrasound. These advanced imaging techniques allow for an accurate, detailed, and non-invasive evaluation of heart failure, facilitating rapid and effective clinical decision-making. Echocardiography enables a rapid assessment of cardiac function at the point of care, enhancing traditional physical examination and being essential for the management of heart failure (HF).

Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics and course of acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock diagnosed in emergency departments.

Objective: To describe the characteristics of patients diagnosed with acute heart failure (AHF) in emergency departments (EDs) who develop cardiogenic shock (CS) not associated with ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (STACS).

Methods: Information for patients diagnosed with AHF in 23 Spanish EDs and registered between 2009 and 2019 were included for analysis if the patients developed symptoms consistent with CS. We described baseline clinical characteristics related to cardiac decompensation and CS, as well as 30-day mortality.

Adherence to periprocedural antithrombotic treatment recommendations and its prognostic impact in patients with high ischemic and hemorrhagic risk.

Introduction And Objectives: To analyze the clinical impact of the inappropriate use of antithrombotic treatment in patients with high ischemic or hemorrhagic risk during the periprocedural/perisurgical period in Spain.

Methods: Prospective multicenter observational registry of patients receiving antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant therapy who required an intervention. The incidence of 30-day events was compared based on the peri-intervention management of antithrombotic treatment and the patients' risk classification (high vs.

Hepatitis C virus detection in hospital emergency departments.

The prevalence of active hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is higher in hospital emergency departments (EDs) than in the general population. Numerous patients who seek emergency care are unaware that they have detectable viremia, yet they fall outside established ED protocols for HCV screening. Often they belong to groups with difficult access to health care who use the ED as their point of entry to the system.

Concordance between risk scales for venous thromboembolism in patients treated in emergency departments.

Objective: To evaluate agreement between risk-assessment models for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients hospitalized for medical conditions and to analyze variables associated with the decision to prescribe pharmacological thromboprophylaxis in hospital emergency departments (EDs). Conclusions.

Methods: Prospective observational multicenter cohort study.

Clinical course in older patients diagnosed with syncope treated in Spanish emergency departments: results from the Emergency Department and Elder Needs-17 study.

Objective: To study factors associated with hospitalization in an unselected population of patients aged 65 years or older treated for syncope in Spanish hospital emergency departments (EDs). To determine the prevalence of adverse events at 30 days in patients discharged home and the factors associated with such events.

Methods: We included all patients aged 65 years or older who were diagnosed with syncope during a single week in 52 Spanish EDs, recording patient clinical and ED case management data.

Differences in toxicology reports and hospital emergency care for patients suspected of experiencing drug-facilitated crimes: an analysis according to gender.

Objective: To analyze gender-related differences in patient and care characteristics and in toxicology findings in suspected cases of drug facilitated crime (DFC).

Methods: Observational cross-sectional study of all patients in suspected DFC cases attended in the emergency department of Hospital Clínico San Carlos and of their blood or urine samples analyzed by the National institute of Toxicology and Forensics in Madrid between March 1, 2015, and March 1, 2023. We analyzed variables from patient records and the toxicology reports according to gender.

Clinical and Analytical Performance of a Novel Point-of-Care High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I Assay.

Background: Point-of-care (POC) high-sensitivity cardiac troponin assays may further accelerate the diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI).

Objectives: This study sought to assess the clinical and analytical performance of the novel high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI)-SPINCHIP POC test.

Methods: Adult patients presenting with acute chest discomfort to the emergency department were enrolled in an international, diagnostic, multicenter study.

Use of diagnostic tests in elderly patients consulting the emergency department. Analysis of the emergency department and elder needs cohort (EDEN-8).

Objective: Analyse the association between the use of diagnostic tests and the characteristics of older patients 65 years of age or more who consult the emergency department (ED).

Methods: We performed an analysis of the EDEN cohort that includes patients who consulted 52 Spanish EDs. The association of age, sex, and ageing characteristics with the use of diagnostic tests (blood tests, electrocardiogram (ECG), microbiological cultures, X-ray, computed tomography, ultrasound, invasive techniques) was studied.

Incidence and clinical impact of inappropriate periprocedural and perioperative management of antiplatelet therapy.

Background And Aims: There is little evidence on the impact of current recommendations on the use of antiplatelet therapy during the perioperative and periprocedural period in our setting. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence and clinical impact of inappropriate use of antiplatelet therapy in a population of patients undergoing surgery or a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure in "real life" in Spain.

Methods: A prospective multicenter observational study of patients treated with antiplatelet agents requiring intervention was conducted.

Use of resources in elderly patients consulting the emergency department: analysis of the Emergency Department and Elder Needs Cohort (EDEN-21).

The elderly population frequently consults the emergency department (ED). This population could have greater use of EDs and hospital health resources. The EDEN cohort of patients aged 65 years or older visiting the ED allowed this association to be investigated.

Antiviral treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection in the current situation: a position paper of the Spanish Society of Emergency Medicine (SEMES).

COVID-19 continues to pose a significant threat: mortality stands at nearly twice that of influenza, and the incidence rate is growing as the population's vaccination rate decreases, particularly in Spain and other areas of Europe. Given this situation, it is vitally important know whether medical protocols are consistent and appropriately implemented by health care staff in the interest of preventing possible inefficiency or inequity. Physicians from hospital emergency departments met to study their hospitals' usual clinical practices for managing SARS-CoV-2 infection and to determine their expert opinions on the use of antiviral agents.

Migraine treatment consensus document of the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN), Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (SEMFYC), Society of Primary Care Medicine (SEMERGEN) and Spanish Association of Migraine and Headache (AEMICE) on migraine treatment.

Migraine is a disease with a high prevalence and incidence, in addition to being highly disabling, causing a great impact on the patient's quality of life at a personal, family and work level, but also social, given its high expense due to its direct (care) and indirect (presenteeism and work absenteeism) costs. The multiple and recent developments in its pathophysiological knowledge and in its therapy require updating and, therefore, in this article the Spanish scientific societies most involved in its study and treatment (SEN, SEMFYC and SEMERGEN), together with the Association Spanish Association for Patients with Migraine and other Headaches (AEMICE), we have developed these updated care recommendations. We reviewed the treatment of migraine attacks, which consisted mainly of the use of NSAIDs and triptans, to which ditans and gepants have been added.

The comfort perception in the critically ill patient from the Kolcaba theoretical model.

Background: The stay in a critical care unit (CCU) has a serious impact on physical condition causing numerous discomfort factors such as pain or difficulty in communicating. All of these are associated with possible sequelae following discharge from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) named post-ICU syndrome. The Kolcaba Comfort Theory allows, from a holistic approach, to identify care needs from the patient's perspective using instruments such as the General Comfort Questionnaire (GCQ).

Analysis of the reasons for requesting HIV serology in the emergency department other than those defined in the targeted screening strategy of the "Urgències VIHgila" program and its potential inclusion in a future consensus document.

Objective: To describe other reasons for requesting HIV serology in emergency departments (ED) other than the 6 defined in the SEMES-GESIDA consensus document (DC-SEMES-GESIDA) and to analyze whether it would be efficient to include any of them in the future.

Methods: Review of all HIV serologies performed during 2 years in 20 Catalan EDs. Serologies requested for reasons not defined by the DC-SEMES-GESIDA were grouped by common conditions, the prevalence (IC95%) of seropositivity for each condition was calculated, and those whose 95% confidence lower limit was >0.

Epidemiological aspects, clinical management and short-term outcomes in elderly patients diagnosed with acute heart failure in the emergency department in Spain: results of the EDEN-34 study.

Objective: To estimate the incidence of acute heart failure (AHF) diagnosis in elderly patients in emergency departments (ED), diagnostic confirmation in hospitalized patients, and short-term adverse events.

Methods: All patients aged ≥65 years attended in 52 Spanish EDs during 1 week were included and those diagnosed with AHF were selected. In hospitalized patients, those diagnosed with AHF at discharge were collected.

Models to predict bacteremia in the emergency department: a systematic review.

Objectives: Blood cultures are ordered in emergency departments for 15% of patients with suspected infection. The diagnostic yield varies from 2% to 20%. Thirty-day mortality in patients with bacteremia is high, doubling or tripling the rate in patients with the same infection but without bacteremia.

Value of the soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor as a predictor of prognosis in patients attended in hospital emergency departments.

Objectives: To determine the value of the soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) for predicting outcomes in emergency department (ED) patients. Secondary objectives were 1) to measure the predictive value of the usual decision points, 2) to identify patients at low risk for mortality who could be safely discharged from the ED, and 3) to measure the correlation between suPAR and other biomarkers.

Material And Methods: Prospective observational cohort study of patients attended in the EDs of participating hospitals.