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!
Choosing Wisely Canada: Emergency Medicine
With the Choosing Wisely Canada campaign underway, Emergency Medicine recently published their list of "5 Things Physicians and Patients should question" in conjunction with the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians. Here we'll list the 5 "things" for you to...
Emergency ultrasound-assisted examination of skin and soft tissue infections in the pediatric emergency department
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 3/5 Usefulness Score: 3/5 Marin JR, Dean AJ, Bilker WB, Panebianco NL, Brown NJ, Alpern ER. Acad Emerg Med. 2013 Jun;20(6):545-53 Full Article This prospective single-centre study found that where a clinical question...
When do supervising physicians decide to entrust residents with unsupervised tasks?
Journal Club Summary Methodology: 3/5 Usefulness: 3/5 Sterkenburg A, Barach P, Kalkman C, Gielen M, ten Cate O. Acad Med 2010;85(9):1408–17. Abstract Link In this mixed methods study, the authors employ both quantitative (surveys) and qualitative (interviews)...
A randomized trial of intraarterial treatment for acute ischemic stroke
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 4/5 Usefulness Score: 3/5 Berkhemer OA et al for the MR CLEAN Investigators.N Engl J Med. 2015 Jan;372(1):11-20. Full Article This pragmatic, multicentre, block-randomized RCT in the Netherlands found...
Entrustable Professional Activities: Making Sense of the Emergency Medicine Milestones.
Journal Club Summary Methodology: n/a (concept paper) Usefulness: 4/5 Beeson MS, Warrington S, Bradford-Saffles A, Hart D. J Emerg Med 2014;47(4):441–52. Abstract Link In this concept paper, the authors propose that Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) can be...
Comparison of the efficacy and safety of new oral anticoagulants with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis of randomised trials.
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 3.5/5 Usefulness Score: 4/5 Ruff CT, et al. Lancet. 2014 Mar 15;383(9921):955-62. Abstract Link This systematic review comparing New Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs) to warfarin for patients with atrial fibrillation found...
Ultrasonography versus Computed Tomography for Suspected Nephrolithiasis
Journal Club Summary Landmark Series Methodology Score: 4/5 Usefulness Score: 4/5 Smith-Bindman R, et al. N Engl J Med. 2014 Sep 18;371(12):1100-10. Full Article This multicentre randomized trial of over 2700 patients with suspected nephrolithiasis...
Clinical and safety outcomes associated with treatment of acute venous thromboembolism: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 4/5 Usefulness Score: 3.5/5 Castellucci LA, et al. JAMA. 2014 Sep 17;312(11):1122-35. Full Article This network meta-analysis comparing the efficacy and safety outcomes associated with 8 anticoagulation options...
Comparison of the “real-life” diagnostic value of two recently published electrocardiogram methods for the differential diagnosis of wide QRS complex tachycardias
Journal Club summary Methodology Score: 2/5 Usefulness Score: 2/5 Szelényi Z, et al. Acad Emerg Med. 2013 Nov;20(11):1121-30. Abstract Link This retrospective cohort study found that the Vereckei algorithm for differentiating between VT and SVT...
Antiemetic Use for Nausea and Vomiting in Adult Emergency Department Patients: Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Ondansetron, Metoclopramide, and Placebo
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 3.5/5 Usefulness Score: 2.5/5 Egerton-Warburton D, Meek R, Mee MJ, Braitberg G. Ann Emerg Med. 2014 May 9. pii: S0196-0644(14)00223-6. Abstract Link This prospective placebo-controlled trial found that...
