Objective: This study analyzed the characteristics and accident patterns of electric scooter accidents using in-depth survey data from 23 hospital emergency rooms (ER) in Korea. The characteristics of accident types were examined depending on alcohol consumption. Methods: An in-depth investigation was conducted on ER patients involved in electric scooter accidents between 2014 and 2021. The research focused on variables such as age, time of ER visit, alcohol use, emergency room discharge outcome, injury severity, and areas of injury. Results: One thousand nine hundred and sixty-two electric scooter injuries were examined. The riders belonged predominantly to the 20-39 years age group (60.40%), and most were males (69.67%). Visits to the ER peaked between 6 pm and 12 am (36.29%). Alcohol was implicated in 24.52% of the accidents. Head and neck injuries occurred commonly (60.70%). The number of accidents increased from 4 to 843. Moreover, alcohol-related incidents surged annually, except during 2014-2015. The alcohol use group comprised more males than the non-alcohol use group (79.42% vs. 66.51%). Accidents occurred more commonly in the 20-39 years age group (76.92% vs. 55.03%), and a higher proportion of emergency room visits occurred between 0 am and 6 am (58.84% vs. 39.43%). Cases with severe Excess Mortality Ratio-adjusted Injury Severity Scores were more frequent (29.29% vs. 12.97%), and head and neck injuries were more common (83.78% vs. 53.21%). Conclusion The regulations for licensing, alcohol use, and helmet compliance should be enforced to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related electric scooter accidents in the younger population.

Objective: This study analyzed the characteristics and accident patterns of electric scooter accidents using in-depth survey data from 23 hospital emergency rooms (ER) in Korea. The characteristics of accident types were examined depending on alcohol consumption. Methods: An in-depth investigation was conducted on ER patients involved in electric scooter accidents between 2014 and 2021. The research focused on variables such as age, time of ER visit, alcohol use, emergency room discharge outcome, injury severity, and areas of injury. Results: One thousand nine hundred and sixty-two electric scooter injuries were examined. The riders belonged predominantly to the 20-39 years age group (60.40%), and most were males (69.67%). Visits to the ER peaked between 6 pm and 12 am (36.29%). Alcohol was implicated in 24.52% of the accidents. Head and neck injuries occurred commonly (60.70%). The number of accidents increased from 4 to 843. Moreover, alcohol-related incidents surged annually, except during 2014-2015. The alcohol use group comprised more males than the non-alcohol use group (79.42% vs. 66.51%). Accidents occurred more commonly in the 20-39 years age group (76.92% vs. 55.03%), and a higher proportion of emergency room visits occurred between 0 am and 6 am (58.84% vs. 39.43%). Cases with severe Excess Mortality Ratio-adjusted Injury Severity Scores were more frequent (29.29% vs. 12.97%), and head and neck injuries were more common (83.78% vs. 53.21%). Conclusion The regulations for licensing, alcohol use, and helmet compliance should be enforced to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related electric scooter accidents in the younger population.

Objective: This study analyzed the characteristics and accident patterns of electric scooter accidents using in-depth survey data from 23 hospital emergency rooms (ER) in Korea. The characteristics of accident types were examined depending on alcohol consumption. Methods: An in-depth investigation was conducted on ER patients involved in electric scooter accidents between 2014 and 2021. The research focused on variables such as age, time of ER visit, alcohol use, emergency room discharge outcome, injury severity, and areas of injury. Results: One thousand nine hundred and sixty-two electric scooter injuries were examined. The riders belonged predominantly to the 20-39 years age group (60.40%), and most were males (69.67%). Visits to the ER peaked between 6 pm and 12 am (36.29%). Alcohol was implicated in 24.52% of the accidents. Head and neck injuries occurred commonly (60.70%). The number of accidents increased from 4 to 843. Moreover, alcohol-related incidents surged annually, except during 2014-2015. The alcohol use group comprised more males than the non-alcohol use group (79.42% vs. 66.51%). Accidents occurred more commonly in the 20-39 years age group (76.92% vs. 55.03%), and a higher proportion of emergency room visits occurred between 0 am and 6 am (58.84% vs. 39.43%). Cases with severe Excess Mortality Ratio-adjusted Injury Severity Scores were more frequent (29.29% vs. 12.97%), and head and neck injuries were more common (83.78% vs. 53.21%). Conclusion The regulations for licensing, alcohol use, and helmet compliance should be enforced to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related electric scooter accidents in the younger population.

Objective: This study analyzed the characteristics and accident patterns of electric scooter accidents using in-depth survey data from 23 hospital emergency rooms (ER) in Korea. The characteristics of accident types were examined depending on alcohol consumption. Methods: An in-depth investigation was conducted on ER patients involved in electric scooter accidents between 2014 and 2021. The research focused on variables such as age, time of ER visit, alcohol use, emergency room discharge outcome, injury severity, and areas of injury. Results: One thousand nine hundred and sixty-two electric scooter injuries were examined. The riders belonged predominantly to the 20-39 years age group (60.40%), and most were males (69.67%). Visits to the ER peaked between 6 pm and 12 am (36.29%). Alcohol was implicated in 24.52% of the accidents. Head and neck injuries occurred commonly (60.70%). The number of accidents increased from 4 to 843. Moreover, alcohol-related incidents surged annually, except during 2014-2015. The alcohol use group comprised more males than the non-alcohol use group (79.42% vs. 66.51%). Accidents occurred more commonly in the 20-39 years age group (76.92% vs. 55.03%), and a higher proportion of emergency room visits occurred between 0 am and 6 am (58.84% vs. 39.43%). Cases with severe Excess Mortality Ratio-adjusted Injury Severity Scores were more frequent (29.29% vs. 12.97%), and head and neck injuries were more common (83.78% vs. 53.21%). Conclusion The regulations for licensing, alcohol use, and helmet compliance should be enforced to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related electric scooter accidents in the younger population.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the power of the Rapid Emergency Medicine Score (REMS) for predicting hospital mortality in trauma patients. Then, we compared the REMS with two other scoring systems, the Emergency Trauma Score (EMTRAS) and the Injury Severity Score (ISS) for predicting prognosis. METHODS: We examined data from a prospectively collected registry in a single trauma center from January 2010 to November 2011. Patients enrolled in the registry were trauma patients who were predicted to have an ISS>15 or who required urgent multiple surgical consultations as soon as possible. Pediatric patients (<18-years-old) who were referred after initial care or death on arrival, and those with injuries due to burns, asphyxia, or drowning were excluded. The study population was divided into two subgroups according to hospital mortality, and the differences in clinical characteristics and calculated scores were examined. The odds ratio (OR) of REMS for predicting In-hospital mortality was calculated and the prognostic power of the three scoring systems for predicting hospital mortality by drawing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was compared. RESULTS: A total of 103 patients were included in the analysis. Of these, 44 died during hospitalization. All three prognostic scores were significantly higher in the hospital mortality subgroup. The OR of the REMS for predicting hospital mortality was 1.35 (p<0.001). The areas under the ROC curves of the REMS, EMTRAS, and ISS were 0.815 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.727-0.884), 0.872 (95% CI, 0.793-0.930), and 0.693 (95% CI, 0.595-0.780), respectively. The area under the ROC curve of the REMS was not different from that of the EMTRAS or ISS. CONCLUSION: The REMS showed good prognostic power for predicting hospital mortality in severely injured patients. Consecutive prospective studies are warranted to determine the utility of this scoring system for trauma patients.
Asphyxia ; Burns ; Drowning ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medicine* ; Hospital Mortality* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Mortality ; Odds Ratio ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Referral and Consultation ; ROC Curve ; Trauma Centers ; Trauma Severity Indices ; Triage ; Wounds and Injuries

The Kaeseong Industrial District (KID) is a special economic zone that is being managed in partnership by North Korea and South Korea. The Kaeseong Industrial District Medical Clinic (KIDMC) was founded to deliver healthcare services to South Korean workers staying at the KID. The purpose of this study is to understand the clinical manifestations of the patients who visited the KIDMC from January 2013 to November 2014. All data were collected by analyzing the medical records of the patients. Gender, age, vital signs, and causes of visits were collected. The causes of visits to the clinic were categorized according to the Korean Standard Classification of Causes of Death and Disease, 6th edition. Information about the patients who underwent emergency evacuation from the KID to South Korea was reviewed in depth. The number of patients included in this study was 1,199. The total number of clinic visits was 2,548 and 3,873 in 2013 and 2014, respectively. The most common reason for a visit was respiratory problems (34.99%). During the study period, 103 patients underwent emergency evacuation from the KID during the study period. The most common reason for evacuation was trauma (20.39%). The mean time of emergency evacuation from the KIDMC to the southern office of Customs, Immigration and Quarantine was 176 minutes. We concluded that the KIDMC must obtain medical equipment and human resources for patients with various health conditions. Furthermore, equipment and medical staff should be obtained, and a system established, for fast, safe evacuation. We expect that this study provides information that would be valuable for such efforts.
Ambulatory Care ; Cause of Death ; Classification ; Delivery of Health Care ; Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emigration and Immigration ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Medical Staff ; Quarantine ; Transportation of Patients ; Vital Signs

PURPOSE: This study reports the clinical features of infant, child, school aged and adolescent patients treated for acute poisoning in nationwide emergency departments (EDs). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data pertaining to patients under 19 years of age who were treated for acute poisoning in nationwide EDs from 2013 to 2015. The data were collected by the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS). All patients were divided into three groups: ‘Infant and child group’ (0 to 5 years), ‘school age group’ (6 to 12 years) and ‘adolescent group’ (13 to 18 years). General characteristics, Korea Standard Classification of Disease 7(th) (KCD-7) codes and results of care were collected. RESULTS: There were 14,500 pediatric poisoning cases during the study period. The distribution of patient age was bimodal with two peaks among infant, child and adolescent group. The proportion of alert mentality at the ED visit of the infant and child group was 99.3%, while that of the adolescent group was 86.4%. The proportion of intentional intoxication was higher in the adolescent group (40.7%) than other age groups. Among children less than 13 years of age, various poisonous substances and therapeutic drugs were common. CONCLUSION: There were some clinical differences in acute poisoning patients between age groups. It is necessary to establish a preventive plan considering characteristics by age. Since the KCD-7 code has limitations in analyzing the characteristics of poisoning patients, it is necessary to consider the registration system of poisoning patients.
Adolescent ; Child ; Classification ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Humans ; Infant ; Information Systems* ; Korea ; Pediatrics ; Poisoning* ; Retrospective Studies*

PURPOSE: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a common medical emergency condition in the emergency department (ED). Patients with UGIB show a wide range of clinical severity, from mild bleeding to death. The objective of this study was to evaluate methods for risk stratification of active UGIB in the ED. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients with UGIB who were admitted to the ED of a tertiary care, university-affiliated hospital center from January 2011 to December 2011. Our study subjects were patients over 20 years old who complained of symptoms and signs of gastrointestinal tract bleeding and underwent endoscopic gastroduodenoscopy (EGD) evaluation. However, patients diagnosed with variceal gastrointestinal bleeding, disseminated malignancy, coagulopathy, and lower gastrointestinal bleeding and patients who did not undergo EGD within 6 hours were excluded. The Blatchford score and the clinical Rockall score were calculated for the enrolled patients. In cases where the value of each score was greater than 0, the scores were considered high risk. Active UGIB was defined as a symptom of patients who underwent emergency endoscopic intervention such as ligation or sclerotherapy. We compared the proportions of patients identified as high risk using chi tests. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve for detection of patients requiring emergency endoscopic intervention were calculated for both the Blatchford score and the clinical Rockall score. RESULTS: The numbers of patients with high risk according to the Blatchford score and the clinical Rockall were 220 (93.6%) and 192 (81.7%) of 235 patients, respectively. The number of patients with active UGIB was 96 (40.9%) of 235 patients. The sensitivity and specificity of risk stratification based on the Blatchford score was 100% (96/96) and 10.8% (15/139) (p=0.001), respectively, while those based on the clinical Rockall score were 80.2% (77/96) and 17.3% (24/139) (p>0.05). The AUROC curves of the Blatchford score and the clinical Rockall score were 0.617 (95% CI; 0.546-0.688) and 0.495 (95% CI; 0.420-0.571), respectively. CONCLUSION: The Blatchford score could be more useful as a risk stratification tool than the clinical Rockall score for active UGIB patients in the ED. The Blatchford score would be preferable as a clinical tool that can discriminate patients who need emergency endoscopic intervention for control of UGIB.
Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Endoscopy ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Ligation ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Sclerotherapy ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tertiary Healthcare

In this study, we investigated playground equipment related injuries in preschool-aged children. This was a retrospective observational study using Emergency Department based Injury In-depth Surveillance, (2011–2014). We included the preschool-aged children with playground equipment related injuries. We surveyed the mechanism and incidence of injuries, and estimated the odds ratio (OR) of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and upper/lower extremities fracture. There were 6,110 patients, mean age was 4.14 ± 1.95 years old. Slide and swing related injuries were 2,475 (40.5%) and 1,102 (18.0%). Fall down (48.5%) was the most common mechanism. The OR of TBI in children 0–2 years old was 1.88 times higher than children 3–7 years old, and in swing was 4.72 (OR, 4.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.37–9.40) times higher than seesaw. The OR of upper extremity fracture in children 3–7 years old was 3.07 times higher than children 0–2 years old, and in climbing was 2.03 (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.63–2.52) times higher than swing. The OR of lower extremity fractures in horizontal bars, tightropes, and trampolines was 2.95 (OR, 2.95; 95% CI, 1.55–5.61) times higher than swing. The most common mechanism and playground equipment were fall down and slide. TBI was associated to younger children (0–2 years old) and swing. Fracture of upper extremities was associated to older children (3–7 years old) and climbing. Fracture of lower extremities was associated to others such as horizontal bars, tightropes, and trampolines.
Brain Injuries ; Child* ; Child, Preschool ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Extremities ; Fractures, Bone ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lower Extremity ; Observational Study ; Odds Ratio ; Play and Playthings ; Retrospective Studies ; Upper Extremity ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: Falling is one of the most common causes of injury for preschool children. Here, we aim to identify the characteristics and risk factors of injuries by falling-down in preschool children. METHODS: Between January 2010 and December 2011, we enrolled patients under the age of 7 years, who were injured by falling down and visited an urban regional emergency center. We retrospectively surveyed the medical record of these patients, including age, sex, place and height of fall, type of floor, guardian's witness, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and fracture of extremities. RESULTS: The odds ratios sex (male), age (under 2 years old), height of fall, type of floor (hard), and guardian's witness (presence) that resulted in TBI were 1.35 (95% confidence interval [Cl], 0.72?2.55; p=0.352), 3.83 (95% Cl, 1.78?8.65; p<0.05), 6.38 (95% Cl, 3.27–12.44;p<0.05), 3.58 (95% Cl, 0.47–27.30; p=0.218), and 1.47 (95% Cl, 0.63–3.43; p=0.377), respectively. The odds ratios sex (male), age (over 2 years old), height of fall, type of floor (soft), and guardian's witness (absence) that resulted in fractures were 1.19 (95% Cl, 0.78–1.81; p=0.433), 3.10 (95%Cl, 1.99–4.84; p<0.05), 1.98 (95%Cl, 1.19–3.29; p<0.05), 2.41 (95% Cl, 1.29–4.54; p<0.05), and 1.15 (95%Cl, 0.72–1.85, p=0.554), respectively. CONCLUSION: In preschool children who experienced an injury from falling down, TBI was increased with younger patients and higher height of fall, but it was not related with patient's sex, type of floor, and guardian's witness; conversely, fractures were increased with older patients, higher height of fall, and soft floor, but not related with patient's sex and guardian's witness.
Accidental Falls ; Brain Injuries ; Child* ; Child, Preschool ; Emergencies ; Extremities ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Odds Ratio ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors*