Joonghee Kim, Joon-Won Kang, Kyuseok Kim, Sang Il Choi, Eun Ju Chun, Yeo Goon Kim, Won Young Kim, Dong Woo Seo, Jonghwan Shin, Huijai Lee, Kwang-Nam Jin, Soyeon Ahn, Seung Sik Hwang, Kwang Pyo Kim, Ru-Bi Jeong, Sang Ook Ha, Byungho Choi, Chang-Hwan Yoon, Jung-Won Suh, Hack-Lyoung Kim, Ju Kyoung Kim, Sujin Jang, Ji Seon Seo
Clin Exp Emerg Med 2017;4(4):208-213. Published online December 30, 2017
Objective Chest pain is one of the most common complaints in the emergency department (ED). Cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is a frequently used tool for the early triage of patients with low- to intermediate-risk acute chest pain. We present a study protocol for a multicenter prospective randomized controlled clinical trial testing the hypothesis that a low-dose CCTA protocol using prospective electrocardiogram (ECG)-triggering and limited-scan range can provide sufficient diagnostic safety for early triage of patients with acute chest pain.
Methods The trial will include 681 younger adult (aged 20 to 55) patients visiting EDs of three academic hospitals for acute chest pain or equivalent symptoms who require further evaluation to rule out acute coronary syndrome. Participants will be randomly allocated to either low-dose or conventional CCTA protocol at a 2:1 ratio. The low-dose group will undergo CCTA with prospective ECG-triggering and restricted scan range from sub-carina to heart base. The conventional protocol group will undergo CCTA with retrospective ECG-gating covering the entire chest. Patient disposition is determined based on computed tomography findings and clinical progression and all patients are followed for a month. The primary objective is to prove that the chance of experiencing any hard event within 30 days after a negative low-dose CCTA is less than 1%. The secondary objectives are comparisons of the amount of radiation exposure, ED length of stay and overall cost.
Results and Conclusion Our low-dose protocol is readily applicable to current multi-detector computed tomography devices. If this study proves its safety and efficacy, dose-reduction without purchasing of expensive newer devices would be possible.
Objective Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is an underestimated cause of thunderclap headache that shares many characteristics with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). This fact makes the two easily confused by emergency physicians. This study evaluated the clinical manifestations, radiological features, and outcomes of patients with RCVS.
Methods The electronic medical records of 18 patients meeting the diagnostic criteria of RCVS at our emergency department between January 2013 and December 2014 were retrospectively reviewed.
Results The mean patient age was 50.7 years, and 80% were women. Patients with RCVS encountered physicians 4.7 times before receiving an accurate diagnosis. The mean duration of symptoms until diagnosis was 9.3 days. All but one patient experienced severe headache of 8 to 10 on a numerical rating scale. A total of 44% of patients had nausea, and 66% of patients experienced worsening of the headache while gagging, leaning forward, defecating, urinating, or having sexual intercourse. The most frequently affected vessels were the middle cerebral arteries, which demonstrated a characteristic diffuse “string of beads” appearance. Four cases were complicated by SAH.
Conclusion Patients with RCVS have a unique set of clinical and imaging features. Emergency physicians should have a high index of suspicion for this clinical entity to improve its rate of detection in patients with thunderclap headache when there is no evidence of aneurysmal SAH.
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