Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 4.5/5 Usefulness Score: 4.5 /5 van der Pol LM, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019 Mar 21;380(12):1139-1149 Question and Methods: Using a prospective cohort study of 510 pregnant women, the authors were trying to see whether an algorithm could safely diagnose PEs and avoidRead More →
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 2.5/5 Usefulness Score: 3/5 Prins HJ, et al. Eur Respir J. 2019 May 23;53(5). Question and Methods: The CATCH Study was a multicentre, randomised, controlled open intervention clinical trial comparing CRP guided antibiotics for COPDE vs the Gold Strategy Findings: The study had a 14.5%Read More →
Journal Club Summary Methodology: 3.5/5 Usefulness: 2.5/5 Ma H, et al N Engl J Med. 2019 May 9;380(19):1795-1803 Editorial: Image-Guided Intravenous Alteplase for Stroke – Shattering a Time Window. Question and Methods: This was an international, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of intravenous tPA in patients with stroke who presented 4.5-9 hours afterRead More →
Journal Club Summary Pellatt R, et al. Ann Emerg Med. 2019 Mar 7. pii: S0196-0644(19)30059-9. Methodology Score: 3/5 Usefulness Score: 3.5/5 Question and Methods: Randomized control trial of 97 adult emergency department patients comparing buddy taping vs. ulnar gutter splinting, in acute, uncomplicated neck of 5th metacarpal (Boxer) fractures. Findings: At 12 weeksRead More →
Journal Club Summary Casey JD, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019 Feb 28;380(9):811-821. Methodology Score: 3.5/5 Usefulness Score: 3.5/5 Question and Methods: Multicenter, unblinded RCT in 7 ICUs comparing rates of hypoxia in patients undergoing BVM vs no ventilation during the period between induction and laryngoscopy. Findings: Compared to no ventilationRead More →
Journal Club Summary Methodology: 3.5/5 Usefulness: 4/5 Mathieson S, et al. N Engl J Med. 2017 Mar 23;376(12):1111-1120. Question and Methods: Double blind, randomized control trial comparing pregabalin against placebo for reducing leg pain symptoms at 8 weeks in 209 patients with acute and chronic sciatica. Findings: The authors found a betweenRead More →
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 4/5 Usefulness Score: 2/5 Pluymaekers NAHA, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019 Mar 18. Editorial: The RACE to Treat Atrial Fibrillation in the Emergency Department. Question and Methods: This multicenter, randomized, open-label, non-inferiority trial compared delayed vs early cardioversion for emergency department patients withRead More →
Journal Club Summary Methodology: 2.5/5 Usefulness: 2/5 Connolly SJ, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019 Feb 7. Question and Methods: This was the first trial looking at clinical outcomes for reversal of factor Xa inhibitor anticoagulation in major bleeding episodes using the specific reversal agent, Andexanet alfa. It wasRead More →
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 2.5/5 Usefulness Score: 2/5 Gaspari RJ, et al. Ann Emerg Med. 2019 Jan;73(1):1-7 Question and Methods: Unblinded single-centre RCT comparing POCUS vs. physical exam guided I&D of abscesses in systemically well patients, comparing treatment failure at 10d defined by repeat I&D producing purulence. Findings: InRead More →
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 3.5/5 Usefulness Score: 3/5 Shaikh N, Hoberman A, Hum SW, Alberty A, Muniz G, Kurs-Lasky M, Landsittel D, Shope T. JAMA Pediatr. 2018 Jun 1;172(6):550-556. Question and Methods: The objective was to develop a risk-tool (UTICalc) to aid physicians in deciding when to perform urinanalysis and when toRead More →