Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Adult , Pulmonary Embolism/complications , Pulmonary Embolism/diagnosis , Pulmonary Embolism/drug therapy , Factor VIII , Factor VIII/metabolism , Venous Thrombosis/complications , Venous Thrombosis/diagnosis , Risk Factors , Enoxaparin/therapeutic use , Pulmonary Embolism/physiopathology , Coagulants/therapeutic use , Blood Coagulation Factors/therapeutic use , Enoxaparin/metabolism , Enoxaparin/pharmacokinetics , Physical Exertion , Fever/complications , Fever/etiologyABSTRACT
Despite its high frequency, there is not a consensus for the management of a patient with mild head trauma. In this prospective study we analyzed wether the transient loss of consciousness was associated with a higher risk of cranioencephalic injury in function of patient's age. Fifty-two patients with a Glasgow score of 15 at the Emergency Department but who reported a transient loss of consciousness were included. Patients were divided into two groups, patients aged > or = 60 years (n = 21) and patients aged < 60 years (n = 31). In all patients a head CT scan was performed. Nine abnormal CT scans were found in the group of patients aged > or = 60 years (three head fractures, three brain contusion, two subarachnoid haemorrhages, and one subdural haematoma) and one abnormal CT scan in the group of patients aged < 60 years (cranial fracture). This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). In conclusion, an urgent head CT scan should be performed in patients aged over 60 years with mild head trauma and loss of consciousness. In younger patients this scan should be performed when the patient presents with headache and vomiting.
Subject(s)
Brain Injuries/etiology , Craniocerebral Trauma/complications , Unconsciousness/etiology , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Brain Injuries/diagnosis , Chi-Square Distribution , Craniocerebral Trauma/diagnosis , Female , Glasgow Coma Scale , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Prospective Studies , Risk Factors , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Unconsciousness/diagnosisABSTRACT
A retrospective study of all patients diagnosed as having obstructive pulmonary disease (POD), who were admitted to our department during 1989, was carried out. The presence of cardiac arrhythmia (CA) in standard ECG having been correlated to clinical and laboratory parameters on admission. Out ot 101 admissions, 67.3% had a type of CA, the most frequent being sinus tachycardia (54.4%). 71.9% of the patients who had cardio-respiratory decompensation, 72.8% of those admitted in basal situation III/IV and 86% who were regularly taking theophylline (p less than 0.01), had a type of CA. Our data suggests that patients with worst functional situation and those with cardiorespiratory decompensation had a higher incidence of CA and that regular theophylline intake can play a role in the etiopathogenesis of CA.
