Objectives: Polymicrobial bloodstream infection (BSI) is a critical condition and has been increasingly reported; however, the authors were unable to find an emergency department (ED) patient-based study in the literature.Methods: A retrospective matched case-control study with a ratio of 1:3 among patients with polymicrobial BSIs in an ED was conducted. The case group was patients aged > 16 years with polymicrobial BSIs. Patients matched for age and sex with monomicrobial BSIs were sampled as the control group. Demographic information, underlying conditions, microbiologic data, and outcomes were collected for further analysis.Results: From January 2005 to December 2007, a total of 112 episodes of polymicrobial BSIs among 109 patients were included. Two pathogens were isolated among 87 (77.7%) episodes and three were found among 25 (22.3%) episodes. A history of hospitalization within 90 days was an independent risk factor for polymicrobial BSIs (p = 0.003). Intraabdominal infection (p < 0.001) and respiratory tract infection (p = 0.017) were more likely to be associated with polymicrobial BSIs. Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria were documented in 95.5 and 46.4% episodes of polymicrobial BSIs, respectively. Inappropriate antimicrobial treatment was observed in 53.6% of polymicrobial BSIs, but only accounted for 23.8% of monomicrobial BSIs (p < 0.001). The overall 30-day mortality rate of the polymicrobial group was significantly higher than those with monomicrobial BSIs (30.3 and 11.6%, respectively; p < 0.001).Conclusions: Patients with polymicrobial BSIs had a high mortality rate. Acknowledgment of the clinical and microbiologic characteristics and recognition of patients at risk for polymicrobial BSIs are critical in EDs.

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Purpose of reviewIn the last decade, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has become a popular method in diagnosis and treatment of acute chest injuries. Except for patients with unstable vital signs who require larger surgical incisions to check bleeding, this endoscopic surgery could be employed in the majority of thoracic injury patients with stable vital signs.Recent findingsIn the past, VATS was used to evacuate traumatic-retained hemothorax. Recent study has revealed further that lung repair during VATS could decrease complications after trauma. Management of fractured ribs could also be assisted by VATS. Early VATS intervention within 7 days after injury can decrease the rate of posttraumatic infection and length of hospital stay. In studies of the pathophysiology of animal models, N-acetylcysteine and methylene blue were used in animals with blunt chest trauma and found to improve clinical outcomes.SummaryRetained hemothorax derived from blunt chest trauma should be managed carefully and rapidly. Early VATS intervention is a well tolerated and reliable procedure that can be applied to manage this complication cost effectively.

This study indicated that an early VATS intervention would decrease chest infection. It also reduced the duration of ventilator dependency. The clinical outcomes were significantly better for patients receiving VATS within 3 days under intensive care. In this study, we suggested that VATS might be delayed by associated injuries, but should not exceed 6 days after trauma.

Objectives: Patients with bacteremia have a high mortality and generally require urgent treatment. The authors conducted a study to describe bacteremic patients in emergency departments (EDs) and to identify risk factors for mortality.Methods: Bacteremic patients in EDs were identified retrospectively at a university hospital from January 2007 to December 2007. Demographic characteristics, underlying illness, clinical conditions, microbiology, and the source of bacteremia were collected and analyzed for their association with 28-day mortality.Results: During the study period, 621 cases (50.2% male) were included, with a mean (±SD) age of 62.8 (±17.4) years. The most common underlying disease was diabetes mellitus (39.3%). Escherichia coli (39.2%) was the most frequently isolated pathogen. The most common source of bacteremia was urinary tract infection (41.2%), followed by primary bacteremia (13.2%). The overall 28-day mortality rate was 12.6%. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis showed age > 60 years (odds ratio Conclusions: Bacteremic patients in the ED have a high mortality, particularly with these risk factors. It is important for physicians to recognize the factors that potentially contribute to mortality of bacteremic patients in the ED.[ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2009; 16:749-755 ª

OBJECTIVESRetained haemothorax and pneumothorax are the most common complications after blunt chest traumas. Lung lacerations derived from fractures of the ribs are usually found in these patients. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is usually used as a routine procedure in the treatment of retained pleural collections. The objective of this study was to find out if there is any advantage in adding the procedure for repairing lacerated lungs during VATS.METHODSPatients who were brought to our hospital with blunt chest trauma were enrolled into this prospective cohort study from January 2004 to December 2011. All enrolled patients had rib fractures with type III lung lacerations diagnosed by CT scans. They sustained retained pleural collections and surgical drainage was indicated. On one group, only evacuation procedure by VATS was performed. On the other group, not only evacuations but also repair of lung injuries were performed. Patients with penetrating injury or blunt injury with massive bleeding, that required emergency thoracotomy, were excluded from the study, in addition to those with cardiovascular or oesophageal injuries.RESULTSDuring the study period, 88 patients who underwent thoracoscopy were enrolled. Among them, 43 patients undergoing the simple thoracoscopic evacuation method were stratified into Group 1. The remaining 45 patients who underwent thoracoscopic evacuation combined with resection of lung lacerations were stratified into Group 2. The rates of post-traumatic infection were higher in Group 1. The durations of chest-tube drainage and ventilator usage were shorter in Group 2, as were the lengths of patient intensive care unit stay and hospital stay.CONCLUSIONSWhen compared with simple thoracoscopic evacuation methods, repair and resection of the injured lungs combined may result in better clinical outcomes in patients who sustained blunt chest injuries.

Introduction. Severe sepsis and septic shock are associated with substantial mortality. However, few studies have assessed the risk of septic shock among patients who suffered from urinary tract infection (UTI). Materials and Methods. This retrospective study recruited UTI cases from an acute care hospital between January 2006 and October 2012 with prospective data collection. Results. Of the 710 participants admitted for UTI, 80 patients (11.3%) had septic shock. The rate of bacteremia is 27.9%; acute kidney injury is 12.7%, and the mortality rate is 0.28%. Multivariable logistic regression analyses indicated that coronary artery disease (CAD) (OR: 2.521, 95% CI: 1.129–5.628, P = 0.024), congestive heart failure (CHF) (OR: 4.638, 95% CI: 1.908–11.273, P = 0.001), and acute kidney injury (AKI) (OR: 2.992, 95% CI: 1.610–5.561, P = 0.001) were independently associated with septic shock in patients admitted with UTI. In addition, congestive heart failure (female, OR: 4.076, 95% CI: 1.355–12.262, P = 0.012; male, OR: 5.676, 95% CI: 1.103–29.220, P = 0.038, resp.) and AKI (female, OR: 2.995, 95% CI: 1.355–6.621, P = 0.007; male, OR: 3.359, 95% CI: 1.158–9.747, P = 0.026, resp.) were significantly associated with risk of septic shock in both gender groups. Conclusion. This study showed that patients with a medical history of CAD or CHF have a higher risk of shock when admitted for UTI treatment. AKI, a complication of UTI, was also associated with septic shock. Therefore, prompt and aggressive management is recommended for those with higher risks to prevent subsequent treatment failure in UTI patients.

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