Examining triage patterns of inhalation injury and toxic epidermal necrolysis-Stevens Johnson syndrome

The American Burn Association recommends that patients with toxic epidermal necrolysis-Stevens Johnson syndrome (TEN-SJS) or burn inhalation injuries would benefit from admission or transfer to a burn center (BC). This study examines to what extent those criteria are observed within a regional burn network. Hospital discharge data from 2000 to 2010 was obtained for all hospitals within the South Florida regional burn network. Patients with International Classification of Disease-9th revision discharge diagnoses for TEN-SJS or burn inhalation injury and their triage destination were compared using burn triage referral criteria to determine whether the patients were triaged differently from American Burn Association recommendations. Two hundred ninety-nine TEN-SJS and 131 inhalation injuries were admitted to all South Florida hospitals. Only 25 (8.4%) of TEN-SJS and 27 (21%) of inhalation injuries were admitted to the BC. BC patients had greater length of stay (TEN-SJS 22 vs 10 days; inhalation 13 vs 7) and were more likely to be funded by charity or be self-paid (TEN-SJS 24 vs 9.5%, P = .025; inhalation 44 vs 14%, P < .001), but less likely to hold some form of private or government insurance (TEN-SJS 72 vs 88%, P = .02; inhalation 48 vs 81%, P = .006). TEN-SJS BC patients were more frequently discharged home for self-care (76 vs 50%, P = .006). Non-BC patients were more often discharged to other healthcare facilities (28 vs 0% TEN-SJS, 20 vs 7.4% inhalation). Inappropriate triage may occur in more than 3 out of 4 of the TEN-SJS and inhalation injury patients within our burn network. Unfamiliarity with triage criteria, patient insurance status, and overcoding may play a role. Further studies should fully characterize the problem and implement education or incentives to encourage more appropriate triage

Caracterização dos casos de violência doméstica contra a mulher atendidos em dois hospitais públicos do Rio de Janeiro Characterization of the cases of domestic violence against women assisted in two public hospitals of Rio Janeiro

O artigo objetiva: (a) analisar a distribuição dos casos de violência doméstica contra a mulher (adolescente e adulta) em relação ao atendimento emergencial por causas externas; (b) caracterizar as vítimas e o atendimento prestado; (c) analisar as circunstâncias em que ocorreram esses eventos. Procurou-se articular as abordagens quantitativas e qualitativas. O estudo foi desenvolvido em dois hospitais públicos de referência situados no Município do Rio de Janeiro. Das 72 mulheres atendidas, a maioria referiu como agressor o esposo/companheiro/namorado (69,4%) e sofreu agressões por espancamento (70,4%), sobretudo na região de face e cabeça. Conclui-se que o atendimento emergencial deve prestar uma atenção clínica e cirúrgica de qualidade, mas também ser capaz de desencadear ações preventivas.<br>This paper aims at: (a) to analyze the distribution of the cases of domestic violence against women (adolescent and adult) in relation to emergency care due to external causes; (b) to characterize the victims and the rendered care; (c) to analyze the circumstances in which events happened. In methodological terms, it tries to articulate the quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study was developed in two public hospitals of reference placed in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Of the 72 assisted women, most referred to the husband, the partner or the boyfriend as the aggressor (69,4%) and were beaten (70.4%), especially on the face and on the head. The study cames to the conclusion that the health services should provide a good clinical care and promote prevention's actions

Demographics of the Dutch multicenter prospective cohort study 'Restoration of mobility in spinal cord injury rehabilitation'

Study design: A multicenter prospective cohort study. Objective: To compare the demographic data of the included population with other studied spinal cord injury (SCI) populations in the international literature. Setting: Eight Dutch rehabilitation centers with a specialized SCI unit. Methods: A total of 205 individuals with SCI participated in this study. Information about personal, lesion and rehabilitation characteristics were collected at the beginning of active rehabilitation by means of a questionnaire. Results: The research group mainly consisted of men (74%), of individuals with a paraplegia (59%), and had a complete lesion (68%). The SCI was mainly caused by a trauma (75%), principally due to a traffic accident (42%). The length of clinical rehabilitation varied between 2 months and more than a year, which seemed to be dependent on the lesion characteristics and related comorbidity. Conclusions: The personal and lesion characteristics of the subjects of the multi-center study were comparable to data of other studies, although fewer older subjects and subjects with an incomplete lesion were included due to the inclusion criteria'age' and 'wheelchair-dependent'. The length of stay in rehabilitation centers in The Netherlands was longer compared to Denmark but much longer than in eg Australia and the USA. © 2006 International Spinal Cord Society. All rights reserved