Faculty Bibliography

Although wolf spider venom has been implicated in necrotic arachnidism without acceptably documented verification, limited, prospectively collected data demonstrate a lack of cutaneous necrosis. The infrequent nature of exposure and inherent difficulty in confirming wolf spider bites in humans makes it challenging to study such envenomations. We present the case of a 20 year-old man with confirmed exposure to the wolf spider who developed cutaneous erythema with ulceration following the bite. There was no evidence of skin necrosis. He was treated with aggressive wound care and systemic antibiotics for wound infection, with subsequent resolution of symptoms. This case adds to the limited knowledge regarding wolf spider envenomations and describes the clinical effects and management of wolf spider envenomation.

BACKGROUND: Although emergency department (ED) discharge is often based on the presumption of continued care, the reported compliance rate with follow-up appointments is low. STUDY OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study are to identify factors associated with missed follow-up appointments from the ED and to assess the ability of clinicians to predict which patients will follow-up. METHODS: Patients without insurance or an outpatient primary care provider (PCP) were given a follow-up clinic appointment before discharge. Information identifying potential follow-up barriers was collected, and the physician's perception of the likelihood of follow-up was recorded. Patients who missed their appointment were contacted via telephone and were offered a questionnaire and a rescheduled clinic appointment. RESULTS: A total of 125 patients with no PCP were enrolled. Sixty (48%; 95% confidence interval, 39-57) kept their scheduled appointment. Sex, distance from clinic, availability of transportation, or time since last nonemergent physician visit was associated with attendance to the follow-up visit. Clinicians were unable to predict which patients would follow-up. Contact by telephone was made in 48 (74%) of patients who failed to follow-up. Of the 14 patients willing to reschedule, none returned for follow-up. CONCLUSION: Among ED patients who lack a PCP and are given a clinic appointment from the ED, less than half keep the appointment. Moreover, clinicians are unable to predict which patients will follow up. This study highlights the difficulty in maintaining continuity of care in populations who are self-pay or have Medicaid and lack regular providers. This may have implications on discharge planning from the ED.

We describe a case series of emergency department (ED) visits for intoxication related to the use of the caffeinated alcoholic beverage Four Loko. Medical records from the 4-month period July to November 2010 were hand searched for key words such as 'intoxicated,' 'caffeinated,' 'Four Loko,' 'alcohol,' and 'EtOH.' Patients were included if they were younger than 25 years. Eleven cases were included. Eight (72.7%) patients presented during October 2010. The median age was 16.4 years; 90.9% were under the legal drinking age of 21 years. Seven (63.6 %) were male patients. All arrived by emergency medical services (EMS). Four patients (36.3%) were found in high-risk settings, with altered mental status on subway tracks, in public buildings, or parks after dark. Two patients had blood alcohol concentrations greater than 200 mg/dL. Six patients (54.5%) had emesis. Two patients (18.2%) were admitted to hospital, 1 each because of seizures and persistent tachycardia. Patients intoxicated with Four Loko were younger than the legal drinking age, found in high-risk situations, and often admitted to the hospital. Many of these patients used EMS and resources in the ED for alleviation of adverse effects of Four Loko

Metals such as iron and copper are critical to living organisms, whereas other metals such as lead and arsenic have no known biologic role. Any metals in large amounts may cause toxicity. Many metals cause pervasive systemic effects involving the nervous system, which can be subtle in some cases. Although challenging, the diagnosis and treatment of metal poisoning can be made based on history, physical examination, and the proper use of metal testing. This article focuses on the use, and misuse, of chelation in the diagnosis and management of metal intoxication