Temporal Trends, Predictors and Outcomes of Inpatient Palliative Care Use in Cardiac Arrest Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

BackgroundUtilization of inpatient palliative care services (PCS) has been infrequently studied in patients with cardiac arrest complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI-CA). MethodsAdult AMI-CA admissions were identified from the National Inpatient Sample (2000–2017). Outcomes of interest included temporal trends and predictors of PCS use and in-hospital mortality, length of stay, hospitalization costs and discharge disposition in AMI-CA admissions with and without PCS use. Multivariable logistic regression and propensity matching were used to adjust for confounding. ResultsAmong 584,263 AMI-CA admissions, 26,919 (4.6%) received inpatient PCS. From2000 to 2017 PCS use increased from <1% to 11.5%. AMI-CA admissions that received PCS were on average older, had greater comorbidity, higher rates of cardiogenic shock, acute organ failure, lower rates of coronary angiography (48.6% vs 63.3%), percutaneous coronary intervention (37.4% vs 46.9%), and coronary artery bypass grafting (all p < 0.001). Older age, greater comorbidity burden and acute non-cardiac organ failure were predictive of PCS use. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the PCS cohort (multivariable logistic regression: 84.6% vs 42.9%, adjusted odds ratio 3.62 [95% CI 3.48–3.76]; propensity-matched analysis: 84.7% vs. 66.2%, p < 0.001). The PCS cohort received a do- not-resuscitate status more often (47.6% vs. 3.7%), had shorter hospital stays (4 vs 5 days), and were discharged more frequently to skilled nursing facilities (73.6% vs. 20.4%); all p < 0.001. These results were consistent in the propensity-matched analysis. ConclusionsDespite an increase in PCS use in AMI-CA, it remains significantly underutilized highlighting the role for further integrating of these specialists in AMI-CA care.