Emergency Medicine

Does reaching hypothermia sooner after cardiac arrest improve outcomes? This 2012 journal club examines an observational study of cooling times, using its results to explain relative risk, absolute risk and number needed to treat while questioning whether confounding could explain the apparent benefit of later cooling.

St Emlyn's launched its Twitter journal club in 2012 to take critical appraisal beyond the department. This post explains how shared papers, live discussion and subsequent blog summaries were intended to help colleagues learn together despite different locations and shifts.

Could changing D-dimer thresholds reduce unnecessary CT pulmonary angiography? This 2012 journal club examines a retrospective study, questioning how patients were selected, how risk was assessed and whether small subgroups can support changes to investigation pathways.

When a child's low blood glucose improves, what still needs explaining? In this 2012 discussion, Natalie May explores hypoglycaemia beyond diabetes, the possibility of underlying illness, and the decisions around investigation, observation and referral to paediatric colleagues.

Can ultrasound improve assessment of suspected skin and soft tissue infection in children? This 2012 journal club introduction questions whether finding an abscess necessarily improves outcomes, and raises concern about unnecessary interventions before linking to further ultrasound learning resources.

Procedural sedation involves more than choosing a favourite drug. Using contrasting ankle-injury scenarios, this 2012 discussion explores how analgesia, sedation, anxiety relief and amnesia contribute to a plan tailored to the patient's needs and existing medical problems.