Intranasal naloxone delivery is an alternative to intravenous naloxone for opioid overdoses ☆

Abstract Introduction: This study proposes that intranasal (IN) naloxone administration is preferable to intravenous (IV) naloxone by emergency medical services for opioid overdoses. Our study attempts to establish that IN naloxone is as effective as IV naloxone but without the risk of needle exposure. We also attempt to validate the use of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) in opioid intoxication. Methods: A retrospective chart review of prehospital advanced life support patients was performed on confirmed opioid overdose patients. Initial and final unassisted respiratory rates (RR) and GCS, recorded by paramedics, were used as indicators of naloxone effectiveness. The median changes in RR and GCS were determined. Results: Three hundred forty-four patients who received naloxone by paramedics from January 1, 2005, until December 31, 2007, were evaluated. Of confirmed opioid overdoses, change in RR was 6 for the IV group and 4 for the IN group (P = .08). Change in GCS was 4 for the IV group and 3 for the IN group (P = .19). Correlations between RR and GCS for initial, final, and change were significant at the 0.01 level (ρ = 0.577, 0.462, 0.568, respectively)

A prospective observational analysis of ambulation after motor vehicle collisions.

OBJECTIVES: Predicting injury patterns of patients based only on mechanism of injury is difficult and is well described in the literature. Characteristics of patients on-scene immediately following injury(ies) may lead to predicting injury patterns. Although reported frequently, the significance of victim ambulation after a motor vehicle crash is poorly understood. It was hypothesized that ambulation at the scene is not predictive of injury severity following a motor vehicle crash (MVC). METHODS: A prospective, cohort study of 117 consecutive injured patients who were ambulatory after MVCs were enrolled. Paramedics in a large urban Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system were mandated to document ambulatory or nonambulatory for motor vehicle collisions in order to complete their prehospital electronic medical records. This assured accuracy and completeness in the data collection. All charts were abstracted for trauma-induced injury and imaging results. RESULTS: A total of 608 (10.9%) persons were ambulatory at the scene, of which 284 had an injury pattern documented in the prehospital or emergency department record. The average age was 35.9 (SD = 16.8) years, and 158 (55.6%) were male. A total of 707 injuries were identified in the 284 patients who had sustained injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Ambulation after motor vehicle collisions appears to be only infrequently associated with major injuries, although this population still may present with significant injuries. A larger, prospective study is warranted

A Prospective Observational Analysis of Ambulation After Motor Vehicle Collisions

OBJECTIVES: Predicting injury patterns of patients based only on mechanism of injury is difficult and is well described in the literature. Characteristics of patients on-scene immediately following injury(ies) may lead to predicting injury patterns. Although reported frequently, the significance of victim ambulation after a motor vehicle crash is poorly understood. It was hypothesized that ambulation at the scene is not predictive of injury severity following a motor vehicle crash (MVC). METHODS: A prospective, cohort study of 117 consecutive injured patients who were ambulatory after MVCs were enrolled. Paramedics in a large urban Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system were mandated to document ambulatory or nonambulatory for motor vehicle collisions in order to complete their prehospital electronic medical records. This assured accuracy and completeness in the data collection. All charts were abstracted for trauma-induced injury and imaging results. RESULTS: A total of 608 (10.9%) persons were ambulatory at the scene, of which 284 had an injury pattern documented in the prehospital or emergency department record. The average age was 35.9 (SD = 16.8) years, and 158 (55.6%) were male. A total of 707 injuries were identified in the 284 patients who had sustained injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Ambulation after motor vehicle collisions appears to be only infrequently associated with major injuries, although this population still may present with significant injuries. A larger, prospective study is warranted

Robust quantitative assessment of collagen fibers with picrosirius red stain and linearly polarized light as demonstrated on atherosclerotic plaque samples.

Collagen is an important component in maintaining structural integrity and functionality of tissues and is modulated in various biological processes. Its visualization and possible quantification using histopathological stains can be important for understanding disease progression or therapeutic response. Visualization of collagen fiber with the histological stain picrosirius red (PSR) is enhanced with polarized light and quantitative analysis is possible using circular polarizers. However, linear polarizers are more commonly available and easier to optically align. The objective of the present study is to demonstrate a novel image acquisition technique and analysis method using linearly polarized light. The proposed imaging technique is based on image acquisition at multiple slide rotation angles, which are co-registered to form a composite image used for quantitative analysis by pixel intensity or pixel counting. The technique was demonstrated on multiple human coronary samples with varying histopathologies and developed specifically to analyze cap collagen in atherosclerotic plaque. Pixel counting image analysis was found to be reproducible across serial tissue sections and across different users and sufficiently sensitive to detect differences in cap structural integrity that are likely relevant to prediction of rupture risk. The benefit of slide rotation angle under linear polarization to acquire images represents a feasible and practical implementation for expanding the general utility of PSR for quantitative analysis