The Academic Contribution of Emergency Departments in Taiwan: Data on Scientific Publications, 1992-2011

Introduction

This study aimed to evaluate the academic contribution of emergency departments (EDs) in Taiwan by analysing scientific publications during the past 20 years.

Methods

This was an observational study. All data were collected from the 2010 Journal Citation Reports (JCR) and the SciVerse Scopus database. Three groups of publications were enrolled: (1) publications from Taiwan EDs in emergency medicine (EM) journals; (2) publications from Taiwan EDs in non-EM journals; (3) publications from Taiwan who were not affiliated with EDs in EM journals. We collected data regarding the name and category of the journal, the publication year, the publication type, and the number of citations for further analysis.

Results

A total of 475 publications affiliated with Taiwan EDs appeared in EM journals and 735 appeared in non-EM journals. A total of 389 publications in EM journals affiliated with departments other than EM. The number of publications showed an increasing trend (all p-value <0.001). The number of publications from Taiwan EDs in EM and non-EM journals changed in opposite directions since 2008. Researches from Taiwan EDs were published in 68 categories of journals in addition to EM. Publications in non-EM journals were more frequently cited than were the publications in EM journals.

conclusions

During the past 20 years, the academic contribution of EDs in Taiwan has increased substantially. The bidirectional change in publication numbers since 2008 constitutes a milestone in the development of EM in Taiwan, and improvements are evident in the quality, quantity, and breadth of research. (Hong Kong j.emerg.med. 2016;23:28-34)

Chlorpyrifos is associated with slower serum cholinesterase recovery in acute organophosphate-poisoned patients

PURPOSE

Organophosphate poisoning (OPP) accounts for 200,000 deaths annually in developing countries. Serum cholinesterase (SChE) is of diagnostic value in patients with OPP and is checked repeatedly during the course of treatment. This study aimed to investigate the recovery pattern in patients with OPP using linear mixed models.

METHODS

Using a retrospective cohort study design, we included 212 adult OPP patients who had visited the emergency department (ED) in a tertiary medical center between 2000 and 2010. One hundred and thirty-one patients were available for analysis, as 81 patients did not meet the criteria and were excluded. Information regarding basic personal characteristics, initial vital signs and severity scores, laboratory data, type and amount of organophosphate ingested, treatment, and serial SChE values was collected. A random coefficient model with a random intercept and a random slope of time were added to address the dynamic relationships of SChE with time and other associated factors.

RESULTS

The initial SChE activity and recovery rates varied among patients with OPP. The type of organophosphate, the first SChE activity, and the initial APACHE II score were significantly related to the SChE recovery trend. Chlorpyrifos and methamidophos had significantly slower and faster SChE recovery rates, respectively, than other organophosphates. Sex, dose of Pralidoxim (2-PAM), and delay in obtaining medical assistance did not significantly affect SChE recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated the pattern and associated correlates of SChE activity recovery in patients with acute OPP. Chlorpyrifos appeared to have a slower SChE activity recovery rate than other organophosphates.