Background It is necessary to identify critical patients requiring hospitalization early due to the rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. Aim This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of scoring systems such as emergency department triage early warning score (TREWS) and modified early warning score (MEWS) in predicting mortality in COVID-19 patients. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, PCR positive patients evaluated for COVID-19 and decided to be hospitalized were evaluated. During the first evaluation, MEWS and TREWS scores of the patients were calculated. Intensive care needs as well as 24-h and 28-day mortality rates were evaluated. Results A total of 339 patients were included in the study. While 30 (8.8%) patients were hospitalized in the intensive care unit, 4 (1.2%) died in the emergency. The number of patients who died within 28 days was found to be 57 (16.8%). In 24-h mortality, the median MEWS value was found to be 7 (IQR 25–75) while the TREWS value was 11.5 (IQR 25–75). In the ROC analysis made for the diagnostic value of 28-day mortality of MEWS and TREWS scores, the area under the curve (AUC) for the MEWS score was found to be 0.833 (95% CI 0.777–0.888, p < 0.001) while it was identified as 0.823 (95% CI 0.764–0.882, p < 0.001) for the TREWS. Conclusion MEWS and TREWS calculated at emergency services are effective in predicting 28-day mortality in patients requiring hospitalization due to COVID-19.

Background: Identification of critically ill patient is particularly important in the emergency department (ED). The prolonged duration from hospital admission to delivering intensive care service is related to increased mortality. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) for identifying critical patients with malignancy in ED settings. Methods: We evaluated patients with malignancy who were admitted to our ED of a tertiary university hospital in Turkey over a three-month period. We evaluated MEWS on admission as MEWS 1. After the initial treatment depending on the patients’ health status in ED, at 2 hours after admission, we evaluated MEWS again and recorded as MEWS 2. All patients were followed up for 30 days after the initial admission. Results: Mean age (SD) was 59.2 (13.5) and male/female ratio was 295/206. MEWS1 was higher than MEWS2, (MEWS1: 3.05 ± 3.31, MEWS2: 2.35 ± 3.17, P < 0.001). A total of 362 patients (72.3%) survived and 139 (27.7%) died within 30 days of initial admission. MEWS1/MEWS2 values for alive and dead patients were 1.66/0.87, and 6.67/6.21, respectively, and the difference was significant (P < 0.001). ROC analysis was performed for MEWS 1; the area under curve (AUC) for hospitalization was 0.768 (95% CI 0.729 to 0.804) and for mortality was 0.900 (95% CI 0.870 to 0.924). ROC analysis revealed a cut-off value of 2 for predicting both hospitalization and mortality in these patients. The sensitivity of the presented cut-off was 77.32% (72.1%–82.0%) for hospitalization and 76.24% (95% CI 71.5–80.5) for mortality; the specificity was 69.52 (95% CI 62.8–75.7) for hospitalization and 90.65 (95% CI 84.65–94.9) for mortality. Conclusion: We found in our study that MEWS evaluation for patients with malignancy on admission to ED is predictive of mortality in the subsequent 30 days, and it is a valuable tool for identifying the critical group. Also, AVPU scores alone can predict mortality in patients admitted to ED.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics, methods of suicide and its causes in patients over the age of 15 years admitted to the emergency service for attempted suicide. The importance of the psychosocial support unit that has recently become active in the emergency department is emphasized. Material and Methods: In our study, we retrospectively evaluated the "Suicide Attempt Feedback Forms" of patients over the age of 15 years who were admitted to the emergency service of the Van Education and Research Hospital for suicide attempts between February and November 2009. Results: A total of 112 cases were enrolled in the study, of whom 92 were female (82.2%) and 20 were male (17.8%). The most prominent age range for suicide attempts was between 15-24 years of age (71.4%). In both sexes, the most common suicide attempt method was drug use, and family problems were the most common cause of suicide. Nearly all patients had made suicide attempts with the use of drugs/toxic substances. Suicide attempts were most commonly seen in March, April and October. Conclusion: Considering the number of patients in the emergency department, a team working as a psychosocial support and crisis intervention unit with experience in suicide attempts and enough time to address this issue is important for patients to receive adequate and appropriate service. Implementation of this mechanism in an uninterrupted manner in the emergency department can contribute to the prevention of recurrent suicide attempts. (JAEM 2012; 11: 193-6)

Objective:Our study was carried out to investigate the effects of focused ultrasound imaging which is performed by emergency physicians in diagnosis and duration of treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Methods: The patients over 50 years; who applied to Uludağ University Emergency Department with the complaints of abdominal pain, side pain, chest pain, syncope, unexplained hypotension and under suspicion of the abdominal aortic aneurysm, were included in the study. Bedside ultrasound for abdominal aorta was done and diameter measurements of aorta recorded in order to determine the presence of an abdominal aortic aneurysm or to exclude the diagnosis. Results: A total of 133 patients were included in the study. Eight patients were excluded from the study because of inadequate bedside US imaging. The aortic diameter was measured as ≥ 3 cm in the 54 (43.2%) patients. The aortic diameter was found more than 5 cm in 8 (6.4%) patients. After ultrasonographic investigations, aneurysm rupture (n = 5; 4%), aortic dissction (n = 13; 10.4%) and aortic aneurysm (n =36; 28.8%) were detected. The diagnosis was confirmed with computed tomography in all patients who had aortic pathology. Because of the continuance of clinic suspects in the patients whose aortic diameters were less than 3 cm, their computed tomography images were obtained and their aortic diameters were found within normal limits. Further imaging studies weren't performed at the remaining 48 (38.4%) patients because different prediagnosis was considered. Emergency ultrasound had a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 87-100), a specificity of 91% (95% CI: 90.8-99.8). Conclusions:The diagnosis of abdominal aortic aneurysms is omitted 30% in emergency departments. It has a high morbidity and mortality if the diagnosis is skipped. In the presence of aortic aneurysm suspicion, evaluation of aortic diameter by bedside ultrasound is diagnostic. Bedside ultrasound evaluation by emergency physicians should become routine for using time and investigation numbers properly.The European Research Journal 2019;5(4):599-606 cute abdominal pain is a symptom which is presently less than a week, caused by non-traumatic reasons, developed in the progress of patholo-gies of abdominal or non-abdominal organs. Acute abdominal pain is the most important symptom of surgical or medical emergencies [1]. Abdominal pain