Background. A treatment algorithm for sickle cell disease (SCD) pain in adults presenting to a single emergency department (ED) was developed prioritizing initiation of patient controlled analgesia (PCA) for patients awaiting hospitalization. Objectives. Evaluate the proportion of ED visits in which PCA was started in the ED. Methods. A two-year retrospective chart review of consecutive SCD pain ED visits was undertaken. Data abstracted included PCA initiation, low versus high utilizer status, pain scores, bolus opioid number, treatment times, and length of hospitalization. Results. 258 visits resulted in hospitalization. PCA was initiated in 230 (89%) visits of which 157 (68%) were initiated in the ED. Time to PCA initiation was longer when PCA was begun after hospitalization versus in the ED (8.6 versus 4.5 hours, p < 0.001). ED PCA initiation was associated with fewer opioid boluses following decision to admit and less time without analgesic treatment (all p < 0.05). Mean pain intensity (MPI) reduction did not differ between groups. Among visits where PCA was begun in the ED, low utilizers demonstrated greater MPI reduction than high utilizers (2.8 versus 2.0, p = 0.04). Conclusions. ED PCA initiation for SCD-related pain is possible and associated with more timely analgesic delivery.

Context: Adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) presenting to emergency departments (EDs) with severe pain often experience treatment delays and long, costly hospitalizations. Objectives: A fast-track ED SCD pain management algorithm was developed and then evaluated for its clinical and economic impact. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review to compare outcomes of ED visits for SCD-related pain two years before and after algorithm implementation. Patient demographics, ED utilization, and treatment outcome measures including time from registration to first opioid treatment, ED length of stay, hospitalization rate, hospitalization length of stay, and both hospital and ED revenue production were compared. Results: There was a total of 699 consecutive ED visits for SCD-related pain (131 pre-and 568 postalgorithm). Median time to first opioid dose decreased from 53 to 32 minutes (p <0.001). Disposition was determined more efficiently (210 vs. 168 minutes, p <0.001) leading to reduction in ED length of stay (345 vs. 271 minutes, p<0.001). Although ED utilization increased, this was due to a few high utilizers whose patterns of use skewed the mean. Hospitalization rate per ED visit significantly decreased (54% vs. 38%, p=0.001). Average length of stay per hospitalization decreased from 12 to 8 days (p<0.03) which was economically beneficial to the hospital in that revenue production per inpatient day increased by 28%. Conclusions: Our findings suggest algorithmic ED SCD pain management significantly improves quality and economic outcomes.

Olmesartan is an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker commonly used in the treatment of hypertension. Several cases of sprue-like enteropathy associated with the use of this drug have been described which, even with important signs and limitations for the patient, present a full recovery after discontinuing the use of olmesartan. The case of a 64 year-old patient is presented, diagnosed with hypertension, under treatment with olmesartan-amlodipine, with chronic diarrhoea and villous atrophy on intestinal biopsies without diagnostic criteria for celiac disease and with complete remission after suspending discontinuing the use of olmesartan. Based on the clinical features presented by the case reported, the clinical and anatomopathological findings are described as well as the evolution of drug-induced enteropathy.

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Background:The Remitting Seronegative Symmetrical Synovitis with Pitting Edema Syndrome (RS3PE) is a rare rheumatological disease, considered a benign process.Objectives:This study aims to describe its clinical features and serological markers, and also to analyze its possible association with neoplasms.Methods:An observational retrospective study was performed to assess demographic and clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed from RS3PE at a reference hospital amongst the Rheumatology and Internal Medicine departments, from 2010 to 2021.Results:Twenty-seven patients were included, with a mean age of 82.74 y.o. (IC95% 80.45-85.04; range 66 to 93), and a 51.85% proportion of males. Only 22.22% were from rural areas.All patients presented bilateral hand edema although some associated feet edema (40.74%) or morning stiffness (70.37%). Blood tests demonstrated anemia in 44.44% of patients. Inflammatory markers were elevated, such as C-Reactive Protein (29.23 mg/L, IC95% 18.17-40.29), erythrocyte-sedimentation rate (33.74 mm/hour, IC95% 24.22-43.26) and fibrinogen (531.6 mg/dL, IC95% 482.91-580.30). Only a few patients presented any autoimmune serological marker such as antinuclear antibodies (18.18%) or rheumatoid factor (8.70%).X-ray screening was realized to 22 patients. 14 showed of osteoarthritis radiologic presentation, 4 had radiological findings of chondrocalcinosis and one of them presented both. Only one patient had bone erosion.Malignancy screening was performed at diagnosis in only 29.63% of patients (all negative). During follow-up only two tumors were detected (mean accumulated follow-up: 40.37 months, IC95% 26.70-54.04; range 1 to 122) and there were adenocarcinoma primary neoplasms.All but one patient received low-dose corticosteroids, with a good and rapid response in all cases. Three patients received treatment with methotrexate (2) or leflunomide (1).Conclusion:RS3PE must be contemplated in elderly patients presenting with bilateral hand pitting edema and articular symptoms. No specific biomarkers have been described, but inflammatory reaction is often found in the absence of rheumatoid arthritis biomarkers. Rapid response to corticosteroids is prevalent. Only two neoplasms were detected during follow-up.References:[1]Paira S, Graf C, Roverano S, Rossini J. Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting oedema: a study of 12 cases. Clin Rheumatol. 2002 May;21(2):146-9. doi: 10.1007/pl00011218. PMID: 12086166.[2]Cobeta García JC, Martínez Burgui J. RS3PE syndrome or benign edematous polysynovitis in the elderly. Study of 8 cases. Rev Clin Esp. 1999 Dec;199(12):785-9. Spanish. PMID: 10687410.[3]Moreno Obregón F, Del Castillo Madrigal M, Díaz Narváez F, Pérez Delgado FJ. RS3PE syndrome with positive rheumatoid factor. Reumatol Clin. 2019 Nov-Dec;15(6):e168-e169. English, Spanish. doi: 10.1016/j.reuma.2017.11.009. Epub 2017 Dec 15. PMID: 29254743Disclosure of Interests:None declared