January 31, 2012 |  0
In this single center study of patients presenting to an ED with deliberate self harm, almost 2/3 were discharged home (not admitted). Of these, only half received a mental health evaluation in the ED before discharge, and only half were seen by a mental health professional within 30 days. Patients with deliberate self harm are […]
January 31, 2012 |  0
In this large trial of patients with a lower extremity DVT, with follow up for 2 years, they were randomized to below the knee or thigh length stockings; the incidence of post thrombotic syndrome was the same between the groups (~33-36%), but stocking related adverse effects were much more common in the thigh high group […]
January 31, 2012 |  0
In this large retrospective analysis of COPD patients, those on 3 inhaled drugs (steroid, long acting beta agonist and tiotropium) has worse baseline lung function, but 35% lower all cause mortality, compared to those on 2 drugs (steroid and long acting beta agonist).  This adds good evidence of benefit for 3 inhaled versus 2 inhaled […]
January 31, 2012 |  0
There is growing evidence that levalbuterol is not associated with any cardiac benefit. In this small study of ICU patients, they were randomized to albuterol or levalbuterol every 4-6 hours; mean increases in heart rates were only ~1 beat per minute after either drug, and rates of arrhythmias were very small (only 1 patient with […]
January 31, 2012 |  0
Yes, another citation.  This one is worth your time though. There simply is too much here to summarize, and besides, by the time I was done , you would have finished the paper anyway.
January 29, 2012 |  0
In this single site study, researchers compared hand hygiene rates (captured by camera audits) before and after a continuous electronic display of compliance. The compliance rates increased from <10% to >80% (and was sustained for over a year. This is an impressive long term compliance rate for hand hygiene, based on a “big brother” approach (abstract)