The impact of consultation on length of stay in tertiary care emergency departments.

BACKGROUND: Consultations in the emergency department (ED) are infrequently studied. This study quantifies the contribution of consultations to ED length of stay (LOS) and examines patient and consultation characteristics associated with prolonged ED LOS. METHODS: Prospective cohort study of a convenience sample of shifts by volunteering emergency physicians (EP) at two urban tertiary care Canadian EDs. EPs completed standardised forms on all patients for whom a consultation was requested. Medical chart reviews and secondary analyses of administrative databases were also performed. Factors associated with longer LOS were determined through linear regression modelling. RESULTS: 1180 patients received at least one consultation during study shifts and EPs completed data collection on 841 (71%) of these. Median patient age was 54 years, 53.3% were male, and 2.9% had documented dementia. Admitted patients receiving consultations had a longer overall LOS compared to discharged patients. Median time from triage to consultation request accounted for approximately 28% of the total median LOS in admitted patients compared to 46% for discharged patients. Consultation decision time accounted for 33% and 54% of the LOS for admitted and discharged patients, respectively. Linear regression modelling revealed that advanced age, longer latency between arrival and first consultation request, history of dementia and multiple consultations were significantly associated with longer LOS. Conversely, undergoing procedures while in the ED was associated with a shorter LOS. CONCLUSIONS: Consultation decision time contributes significantly to ED LOS. Further efforts are needed to validate these results in other ED settings and improve this aspect of ED throughput.

Corticosteroids in peritonsillar abscess treatment: a blinded placebo-controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Sore throat is a common, benign emergency department (ED) presentation; however, peritonsillar abscess (PTA) is a complication that requires aggressive management. Use of systemic corticosteroids (SCSs) in PTA is occurring without clear evidence of benefit. This study examined the efficacy and safety of SCS treatment for patients with PTA. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. METHODS: A controlled trial with concealed allocation and double-blinding was conducted at two Canadian EDs. Following written informed consent, eligible patients received 48 hours of intravenous clindamycin and a single dose of the study drug (dexamethasone [DEX] or placebo [PLAC], intravenously [IV]). Follow-up occurred at 24 hours, 48 hours, and 7 days. The primary outcome was pain; other outcomes were side effects and return to normal activities/diet. RESULTS: A total of 182 patients were screened for eligibility; 41 patients were enrolled (21 DEX; 20 PLAC). At 24 hours, those receiving DEX reported lower pain scores (1.4 vs. 5.1; P = .009); however, these differences disappeared by 48 hours (P = .22) and 7 days (P = .4). At 24 hours, more patients receiving DEX returned to normal activities (33% vs. 11%) and dietary intake (38% vs 25%); however, these differences were not significant and disappeared by 48 hours and 7 days. Side effects were rare and did not differ between groups (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Combined with PTA drainage and IV antibiotics, 10 mg IV DEX resulted in less pain at 24 hours when compared to PLAC, without any serious side effects. This effect is short-lived, and further research is required on factors associated with PTA treatment success.