We are excited to introduce the Sixth edition of The Ottawa Handbook of Emergency Medicine. Your bedside guide for approaches to various Emergency Medicine presentations.
Highlights of the Sixth edition include the addition of: Oncologic emergencies, approach to the pregnant patient, geriatrics and more!
Rapid Blood-Pressure Lowering in Patients with Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 4/5 Usefulness Score: 2/5 INTERACT2 Investigators. N Engl J Med. 2013 Jun 20;368(25):2355-65. Article Link This large multicentre, partially blinded RCT compared aggressively lowering SBP to <140 vs....
Efficacy of pain control with topical lidocaine–epinephrine–tetracaine during laceration repair with tissue adhesive in children: a randomized controlled trial
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 4.5/5 Usefulness Score: 3.5/5 Harman S, Zemek R, Duncan MJ, Ying Y, Petrcich W. CMAJ. 2013 Sep 17;185(13):E629-34. Article Link This study was a double blind RCT which demonstrated that using topical LET on...
Bedside focused echocardiography as predictor of survival in cardiac arrest patients: a systematic review.
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 4/5 Usefulness Score: 4/5 Blyth L, Atkinson P, Gadd K, Lang E. Acad Emerg Med. 2012 Oct;19(10):1119-26. Article Link This systematic review of 8 studies found that when transthoracic ultrasound is performed...
Effect of heart rate control with esmolol on hemodynamic and clinical outcomes in patients with septic shock: a randomized clinical trial.
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 4/5 Usefulness Score: 2/5 Morelli A, et al. JAMA. 2013 Oct 23;310(16):1683-91 Article Link This single centre phase 2B trial randomized septic patients still requiring vasopressors after 24hrs of EGDT to...
Safe exclusion of pulmonary embolism using the Wells rule and qualitative D-dimer testing in primary care: prospective cohort study.
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 3/5 Usefulness Score: 2.5/5 Geersing GJ, et al. BMJ. 2012 Oct 4;345:e6564. Article Link This was a prospective cohort validation study using the Wells clinical decision rule combined with D-dimer to exclude...
Targeted temperature management at 33°C versus 36°C after cardiac arrest
Journal Club Summary Landmark Article Series Nielsen N, et al.; TTM Trial Investigators. N Engl J Med. 2013 Dec 5;369(23):2197-206. Methodology Score: 5/5 Usefulness Score: 5/5 Article Link In this multicenter, international RCT of...
Clopridogrel with Aspirin in Acute Minor Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 4 /5 Usefulness Score: 3.5/5 Wang Y, Johnston SC, Wang Y. N Engl J Med. 2013 Oct 3;369(14):1376-7. Article Link This multicenter randomized-control trial of 5,100 patients with TIA/minor stroke treated...
Efficacy and safety of the novel oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 4.5/5 Usefulness Score: 3/5 Dentali F, Riva N, Crowther M, Turpie AG, Lip GY, Ageno W. Circulation. 2012 Nov 13;126(20):2381-91. Article Link This was a systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 phase II/III...
A new and rapid method for epistaxis treatment using injectable form of tranexamic acid topically: a randomized controlled trial
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 2/5 Usefulness Score: 3.5/5 Zahed R, Moharamzadeh P, Alizadeharasi S, Ghasemi A, Saeedi M.Am J Emerg Med.2013 Sep;31(9):1389-92 Abstract Link This single centre, ED based, parallel group randomized control trial...
The benefits of steroids versus steroids plus antivirals for treatment of Bell’s palsy: a meta-analysis
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 3.5/5 Usefulness Score: 3.5/5 Quant EC, Jeste SS, Muni RH, Cape AV, Bhussar MK, Peleg AY. BMJ. 2009 Sep 7;339:b3354. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b3354. Article Link This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing...
