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In this study of a large nationwide database, mortality during hospitalization for acute exacerbation of COPD was 2.5%, which is substantially lower than that reported in previous studies.
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In a cohort of 91 ICU patients without known causes for hemoglobin decline other than blood draws and critical illness, serum hemoglobin levels declined by an average of 0.52 g/dL/d. The decline was more rapid during the first 3 days in the ICU and among patients who were septic.
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Of 100 keyboards in 29 clinical areas tested for bacterial contamination, 95% were positive for microorganisms, including one with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus.
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Providing a universal consent form to patients, proxies, and staff increased the frequency with which consent was obtained without compromising understanding of the process.
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Jaber and colleagues report a series of 112 intubations of patients in their multidisciplinary ICU in Montpellier, France, during a 14-month period. Every ventilated patient underwent a cuff-leak test prior to extubation, and the incidence of post-extubation stridor was determined.
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Part I of this two-part series covered gastrointestinal causes of chest pain and aortic dissection. This second and final part of the series will focus on pulmonary, psychiatric, and musculoskeletal causes of chest pain.
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The recognition of non-accidental injury is critical for a pediatric trauma patient. In the year 2000, almost 3 million reports of child abuse were made to social service agencies. Forty-four percent of the fatalities were children younger than 1 year of age. Not only are these statistics alarming, but they point out the need for emergency department and trauma physicians and nurses to recognize non-accidental injury and aggressively protect the children who seek our medical expertise and protection.