Pharyngitis accounts for a large number of Emergency Department and Urgent Care visits each year. The majority of cases are due to a viral etiology, and Group A Beta-hemolytic streptococcus accounts for 15% to 30% of cases. However, a wide array of diseases may present similarly, with several of these potentially life-threatening. This post looks at these mimics and more.

Organ transplantation is becoming increasingly common. These patients present a challenge to emergency physicians as they are on immunosuppressive medications and have anatomic and physiologic variations. Transplant patients are at risk for a number of complications including infection, medication effects, rejection and complications specific to the transplanted organ.

Diagnosing seizures in young children can be difficult and even more so in those under the age of one year. This is a brief review of the evaluation and treatment of both febrile and afebrile seizures in those under the age of one year in the emergency department.

Dementia versus delirium is an age old question in emergency medicine. Many studies have been conducted seeking a means of differentiation. First, is there a way to differentiate, and second, is dementia always irreversible? Dementia is often thought to be due to a chronic disease, but studies sugge...

Emergency physicians are always evaluating their own practice with regard to medical management of sick patients. But the all-too-important decision over patient disposition is much less frequently studied. This review takes an in-depth view of admission variability while examining the factors leadi...

ApOx is a concept that has been around for some time in the operating room literature, but only recently been gaining acceptance in the ED, especially after the publication of this concept by Scott and Richard Levitan in the Annals of Emergency Medicine in 2011 [1]. Many nay sayers will argue that t...

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) is an immune-related cause of low platelet levels. It is more common in children than adults, but may occur in both populations. This is a brief review of the signs and symptoms of ITP and initial treatment options in the emergency department.

We have discussed several entities that may lead to a child limping. We have covered osteomyelitis, plantar punctures, and toddler’s fractures. We have also touched upon Osgood Schlatter’s Disease, SCFE, osteosarcoma and even Growing Pains. Now let us review a topic that always crosses our minds when considering the painful extremity: Septic Arthritis.