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OBJECTIVE: Unrecognized adrenal insufficiency can have serious consequences in critically ill emergency department (ED) patients. This prospective pilot study of adrenal function in patients with severe illness was undertaken to determine the prevalence of adrenal dysfunction and any relation to prior herbal drug use. METHODS: In a high-volume urban tertiary care ED, adult patients with sepsis or acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were eligible for the study. Over a two-month period, a convenience sample was enrolled by the authors on arrival to the ED. Inclusion criteria were systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria plus evidence of at least one organ dysfunction or cardiac marker plus electrocardiogram-proven AMI. Exclusion criteria included known corticosteroid use. Serum cortisol was measured on arrival and for those patients with a level of <15 microg/dL (<414 nmol/L), an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test was performed. RESULTS: Of the 30 enrolled patients, 23 (77%) were suffering from severe sepsis and the other seven (23%) had an AMI. Thirteen of the 30 patients (43%; 95% CI = 25% to 65%) had serum cortisol levels of <15 microg/dL, consistent with adrenal insufficiency, nine with severe sepsis and four with an AMI. Eight (62%; 95% CI = 32% to 86%) of the 13 patients with low cortisol levels reported using herbal medications, while only two (12%; 95% CI = 1% to 36%) of the 17 with normal cortisol levels reported taking herb drugs (p = 0.01). Only two (15%; 95% CI = 2% to 45%) of the patients with low cortisol levels failed their corticotropin stimulation test, suggestive of true adrenocortical insufficiency. Both reported using herbal preparations. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that adrenal dysfunction is common among a group of critically ill patients seen in this Taiwanese ED. Moreover, the use of herbal drugs was high in the patients with low serum cortisols. Further studies are required to both confirm these findings and clarify whether a number of herbal medications contain corticosteroids.

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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence of immediate adverse effects from equine fragment antigen binding F(ab)2 bivalent antivenin produced by the National Institute of Preventive Medicine (NIPM) in Taiwan. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients presenting to a 600-bed general hospital over a 3-year period with snakebite who were treated with NIPM antivenin. RESULTS: A total of 130 snakebite victims presented to the emergency department over the study period, and 159 vials of antivenin were given. One hundred two patients (78.5%; 95% CI: 70, 85) received only hemorrhagic bivalent antivenin, 2 (1.5%; 95% CI: 0, 5) received only neurotoxic bivalent antivenin, and the remaining 26 (20.0%; 95% CI: 13, 28) received both kinds of bivalent antivenin. Three received a second vial of hemorrhagic antivenin because of progression of symptoms. Forty-two patients (32.3%; 95% CI: 24, 41) had positive skin tests, but following pretreatment with diphenhydramine and hydrocortisone, only 1 patient developed a skin rash thought to be related to antivenin. No patient developed an anaphylactic reaction. CONCLUSIONS: The use of NIPM F(ab)2 antivenin in snakebite victims in Taiwan has a very low risk of acute adverse reactions.

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BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to catalog the chief complaints and diagnoses of elderly patients visiting to a Taiwanese emergency department (ED), and to compare gender differences. METHODS: ED computer log data of patients 65 years and older, who visited the ED from July 1995 to June 1996, were retrospectively reviewed. The computer log data for each patient was entered prospectively by the doctor providing the ED care. All patient data were separated by gender, and then subdivided into trauma and non-trauma groups for analysis. RESULTS: There were 8038 elderly patients treated during the study period. The most common male chief complaint was dyspnea, and for females, it was abdominal pain, followed by injuries for both genders. Falls were the most common mechanism of injury for both genders, but they were more common among females (63.2% vs. 46.1%, p < 0.001). Motorbike accidents, however, were 3 times as frequent among males (16.05% vs. 5.45%, p < 0.001). Males presented most commonly with COPD (12.2%), compared to only 4.16% for females (p < 0.001), with urinary retention the second most common diagnosis (5.04% vs. 0.72%, p < 0.001). Females suffered a greater number of urinary tract infections (5.42% vs. 2.03%, p < 0.001), presentations for renal failure (2.98% vs. 1.56% p < 0.001), and diabetes-associated problems (4.58% vs. 2.48%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Elderly females presented to the ED more frequently with urinary tract and diabetic problems; while their male counterparts presented with complications of COPD, urinary retention, and motorbike accidents.

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PURPOSE: We evaluated the epidemiology and outcomes of snakebites in northern Taiwan, and the effect of local antivenom injection to speed neutralization and reduce the spread of venom. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 130 venomous snakebite patients treated in a general hospital in northern Taiwan during a 3-year period (1991-1994). Patients received either combined local and intravenous injection of antivenom or intravenous administration only, according to the physicians' decision. The species of snake involved, time of bite, and outcome of the patient were recorded. The effect sof local and systemic antivenom administration were analyzed using the duration of emergency department (ED) stay among patients discharged from the ED with medical approval as a treatment index. RESULTS: Most (76.1%) venomous snakebites were attributed to the green habu (68 patients) and the Taiwan habu (31 patients). All bites were to the extremities: 74 (57%) to the feet and 56 (43%) to the hands or arms. Most bites (n = 70, 53.9%) occurred between 2 PM and 9 PM. The peak months for snakebites were June through October (n = 84, 64.6%). Eighteen patients (13.8%) were admitted for further treatment after being cared for in the ED. The other 112 patients were discharged from the ED (86.2%), although three of these were admitted later because of infection. No patients died, but eight developed wound infections. Of the 93 patients discharged from the ED with medical approval, 26 (28.0%) received local injection plus systemic administration of antivenom. The duration of ED stay did not differ significantly between patients with local plus systemic administration and those who received systemic administration alone (23.7 +/- 19.5 hours vs 27.0 +/- 12.5 hours, p = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: Most snakebites in northern Taiwan were due to habus and caused mild symptoms. Local antivenom injection plus intravenous administration of antivenom had no benefit over intravenous administration alone.

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BACKGROUND: The utilization of emergency services is expected to increase in parallel with an increase of the elderly population. This article compares the elderly patient Emergency Department (ED) utilization at a 3500-bed medical center with that of a 600-bed community hospital serviced by the same group of emergency physicians. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients over 64 years old who presented to Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CGMH) and Keelung CGMH between July 1, 1995 and June 30, 1996 by using the 2 ED's real-time computer logs. Data comparisons included age, gender, mode of arrival, arriving source, triage category, chief complaint, impression, and final disposition. RESULTS: There were 18,285 patients in the Linkou ED and 8038 in Keelung. Significant differences in arrival mode, arriving source, triage category, disease pattern, and final disposition were observed between the Linkou and Keelung CGMH EDs. CONCLUSION: Significant differences reflected the different roles between the Linkou and Keelung CGMH EDs. Hospital EDs should be prepared to adapt to meet the needs of the elderly based on their roles in the medical care system, at the elderly population grows in the 21st century.

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The purpose of this study was to determine the rates and causes of revisits to the emergency department (ED) of a 3,500-bed referral hospital, to identify areas for improvement, and to generate baseline data for the development of a computerized, automatic monthly audit system. We identified all patients returning within 72 hours of their initial ED visits, from 1 July 1995 to 30 June 1997, and monthly revisit rates were calculated. To determine the reasons for revisits, two independent reviewers examined the charts of revisit cases from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997. A one-in-three sampling method was used to select charts. A total of 485 revisit charts were reviewed. The monthly revisit rates ranged from 1.32% to 2.38%, with no particular seasonal or event-specific pattern. Most revisits were attributed to disease factors (79.0%). Those felt to be medical errors only accounted for 7.8% of the revisits but led to a higher hospital admission rate (73.7%) subsequently. By contrast, the overall hospital admission rates for revisit patients (36.5%) and all ED patients (36.2%) were similar. We suggest setting baseline monthly ED revisit rates at 2% for future computer-programmed audit filters. While this study indicates that most revisits are disease-related, further prospective studies are needed to evaluate the most common and serious causes of revisits to see if improvements can be made.

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Aortic injury caused by penetration of a fractured rib is very rare. We present a patient with aortic injury demonstrated using serial imaging studies. A 66-year-old woman fell from a ladder and sustained multiple left-side rib fractures. There was a small left hemothorax and widened mediastinum on the initial chest roentgenogram in the emergency department. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed a posterior segmental fracture of the sixth rib on the left side with a sharp edge penetrating into the posterior aspect of the thoracic aorta. It was initially missed. More than 1000 cc of fresh blood suddenly gushed out of the chest tube 7 hours after the traumatic event. After resuscitation, an aortogram was performed which showed blood extravasation from the thoracic aorta at the rib fracture site. Unfortunately, surgical intervention was delayed and she died. Early detection and early surgical intervention are necessary in patients with a widened mediastinum and positive results on imaging studies.

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INTRODUCTION: Baclofen is frequently used to treat muscle spasticity due to spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis. Baclofen overdose can lead to coma, respiratory depression, hyporeflexia, and flaccidity. An abrupt decrease in the dose of baclofen due to surgery or a rapid tapering program may result in severe baclofen withdrawal syndrome manifesting hallucinations, delirium, seizures, and high fever. Severe baclofen withdrawal syndrome secondary to intentional overdose, however, has not received mention. CASE REPORT: A 42-year-old male receiving chronic baclofen therapy, 20 mg/d, attempted suicide by ingesting at least 800 mg of baclofen. He was found in coma 2 hours postingestion with depressed respirations, areflexia, hypotonia, bradycardia, and hypotension. Treatment with intravenous fluids, atropine, dopamine, and hemodialysis was associated with restoration of consciousness within 2 days but disorientation, hallucinations, fever, delirium, hypotension, bradycardia, and coma developed during the following week. Baclofen withdrawal syndrome was not diagnosed until hospital day 9, when reinstitution of baclofen rapidly stabilized his condition. Oral overdosage of baclofen causes severe neurological and cardiovascular manifestations due to its GABA and dominant cholinergic effects. Severe baclofen withdrawal syndrome is manifest by neuropsychiatric manifestations and hemodynamic instability. Caution should be exercised after a baclofen overdose in patients receiving chronic baclofen therapy.

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PURPOSE: We identified and quantified prognostic factors for emphysematous pyelonephritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical information, laboratory data and radiological findings from 38 patients with emphysematous pyelonephritis were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the nonsurvivor and survivor groups with respect to age, gender, diabetes mellitus history, presence of bacteremia, identity of infecting organisms, blood glucose level, leukocyte count, urinary white blood count, presence or absence of urinary tract obstruction or urolithiasis, and modes of treatment. There were significant differences between the nonsurvivor and survivor groups, however, with respect to platelet count (84,300 +/- 119,500 versus 220,400 +/- 161,800/mm.3, p = 0.001), serum creatinine level (3.61 +/- 1.25 versus 2.19 +/- 1.32 mg./dl., p = 0.003) and urinary red blood counts (56.47 +/- 41.86 versus 27.65 +/- 36.14, p = 0.028). Patients with radiological type I emphysematous pyelonephritis were significantly more likely to die than those with type II (69 versus 18%, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Serum creatinine level is the most reliable predictor of outcome in patients with emphysematous pyelonephritis. By calculating likelihood ratios, patients with creatinine levels greater than 1.4 mg./dl. and platelet counts 60,000/mm.3 or less were at high risk. The posttest probability of death increased from 69 and 18% to 92 and 53% for type I and II emphysematous pyelonephritis, respectively. Patients with creatinine levels 1.4 mg./dl. or less and platelet counts greater than 60,000/mm.3 were at much lower risk. Posttest mortality risk in these patients dropped from 69 and 18% to 27 and 4% for type I and II emphysematous pyelonephritis, respectively.

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Interhospital transfer patients constitute a significant proportion of medical center emergency department (ED) patients in Taiwan. Many such transfers are poorly planned and put the patient at risk. We wished to evaluate the safety and compliance with the Taiwan Medical Law among patients transferred to the Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital ED from other health care centers. We performed a prospective, cross-sectional, observational study on 1,056 patients transferred from August 15 to September 30, 1997. Of these patients, 357 were critically ill or injured and only 160 received adequate pretransfer stabilization. The major omissions included: 1) failure to intubate in 121 (55%) of the 220 patients in severe respiratory distress or unprotected patent airways; 2) no intravenous line in 74 (20.7%) of the 357; and 3) inadequate IV lines in 36 (63.2%) of the 57 severely hypotensive patients. Overall, 894 patients were sent with transfer notes, but few indicated whether the referral was to the ED or outpatient department. This added an unnecessary burden for patients with stable longstanding problems who claimed they had been referred to the ED. While the majority of patients (49.4%) were transferred at the request of physicians for further treatment, 28% of the critically ill patients were transferred because of family requests. Physicians accompanied these patients only on seven occasions and nurses on 84 occasions. Despite the 1993 Department of Health policy of pretransfer phone contact with the receiving hospital for critically ill patients, such contact occurred only 10.6% of the time. While the Taiwan emergency medical system, Emergency Medicine, and Critical Care Medicine are all in their developmental stages, a medical and legal noncompliance rate of above 55% for critically ill transfer patients is unacceptably high. The appropriate medical societies and the Department of Health should work in concert to upgrade existing transfer practices.

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A 76-year-old woman suffered from sudden loss of consciousness while sitting in a chair. She was sent to a local hospital and found to be in shock. After a brief period of external cardiac massage, she was transferred to our hospital. In our emergency department she was lethargic with cool, clammy extremities. Her blood pressure dropped from 113/53 mmHg on arrival to 72/42 mmHg 2 hours later. Echocardiography showed massive pericardial effusion, fair left ventricular contractility and no abnormal segmental motion. The echocardiographic appearance suggested fibrin-like substance in the pericardial space, which was felt to indicate the presence of blood. Enhanced chest computerized tomography showed extravasation of contrast medium from the right ventricular outflow tract. At surgery, a small perforation was found at the infundibular area of the right ventricle, and a total of 500 mL of blood had accumulated in the pericardial space. She was discharged 7 days postoperatively, having made an uneventful recovery. External cardiac massage may cause cardiac disruption, and this should be considered in patients who have secondary hemodynamic instability following successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

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OBJECTIVE: To report the toxic effects of baclofen in patients with severely impaired renal function. DATA SOURCES: From 1991 to 1995, nine patients with severely impaired renal function (2 not receiving dialysis, 1 undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis [CAPD], and 6 receiving maintenance hemodialysis), who exhibited clinical toxicity after baclofen therapy at our hospital were included for analysis. Another seven cases from the literature obtained by computerized (MEDLINE) and manual (Index Medicus) search methods published between 1980 and 1995 were also reviewed. INTERVENTION: Among our nine patients, the six undergoing chronic hemodialysis and one not undergoing dialysis received early (< 48 h) hemodialysis after toxic symptoms developed. The patient undergoing CAPD received late hemodialysis (> 72 h), and the other patient who had not undergone dialysis received only supportive care. RESULTS: A review of these 16 cases revealed that most patients received only small doses and very short-term baclofen therapy. Altered consciousness was the major presenting feature. Severe acute complications, such as seizures and respiratory depression, were relatively uncommon among patients with severely impaired renal function. However, abdominal pain, which has previously rarely been reported, was noted in five of our nine patients. Most patients showed clinical improvement after hemodialysis. An analysis of these nine patients revealed that those who received early hemodialysis had a shorter recovery time than the patient who received only supportive care (2.71 +/- 0.42, respectively, vs. 9 d; p < 0.01). A lag of several hours between the end of the hemodialysis session and an improvement in the level of consciousness was noted. DISCUSSION: As most patients with severely impaired renal function developed toxic symptoms soon after initiating a low-dose baclofen regimen, the accumulated dosage was small and severe complications were less common. Abdominal pain may have occurred as a result of the gamma-aminobutyric acid-mediated cholinergic effect exerted by baclofen. The delay in conscious recovery after hemodialysis may be due to a delay in the clearance of baclofen from the central nervous system. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with severely impaired renal function generally develop baclofen intoxication soon after the initiation of low-dose therapy. Thus, the administration of baclofen, regardless of the dosage, in these patients is not appropriate. Abdominal pain, in addition to altered consciousness, is a common presenting feature in patients with renal failure who have baclofen intoxication. Hemodialysis is effective in alleviating the clinical symptoms and shortening the recovery time for such patients.

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STUDY OBJECTIVE: To highlight the dangers of a precipitous rise in serum potassium levels in patients at risk for renal insufficiency, already receiving an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, who are given a potassium-sparing diuretic. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of five patients who were taking the above combination of medications who were seen in our ED with hyperkalemia. RESULTS: All five patients had diabetes and were older than 50 years of age. Except for one patient, they had some degree of renal impairment and all were receiving an ACE inhibitor. Each had amiloride HCl/hydrochlorothiazide added to their therapeutic regimen 8 to 18 days before presenting to our ED with hyperkalemia. Potassium levels were between 9.4 and 11 mEq/L in 4 of the patients; 2 did not respond to resuscitation measures. CONCLUSION: The concomitant use of ACE inhibitor and potassium-sparing diuretic therapy should be avoided. If impossible, weekly monitoring of both renal function and serum potassium should be performed. In the ED patients who are receiving such a combination should receive immediate ECG monitoring.

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