30-day Readmission Rates Research Articles

Risk factors for readmission after sepsis and its association with mortality

BackgroundSepsis is associated with an approximately 20 % 30-day readmission rate and with subsequent mortality. ObjectivesTo determine the demographics, comorbidities that had been documented prior to sepsis onset, processes of care, commonly administered laboratory tests measured near discharge, and post-sepsis infections that may be associated with readmission and, secondarily, whether readmission is an independent risk factor for 90-day mortality. MethodsUsing a database of patients who met Sepsis-3 criteria divided into Construction and Validation groups, we used logistic regression to estimate the factors independently associated with readmission within 30 days after discharge and proportional hazard regression to estimate the factors independently associated with 90-day mortality. ResultsOf the 30,798 patients ≥ 18 years at our combined referral and community hospital and were discharged alive who met Sepsis-3 criteria between July 10, 2009 and September 7, 2019, 5943 (19 %) were readmitted within 30 days. Thirteen thousand, four hundred forty-four (44 %) of the patients were female, 25,293 (82 %) White, 3523 (11 %) Black, and the mean age was 59 ± 17 years. Among the readmitted patients, 894 (15 %) died within 90 days from the original discharge compared to 11 % (p < 0.001) who had not been readmitted. Seven comorbidities, five processes of care (presepsis platelet transfusion, postsepsis platelet transfusion, operation, ICU length of stay, and hospital length of stay), five culture results, two discharge laboratory values, and discharge location were associated with readmission. The model had good discrimination, 0.770 ± 0.004 (Construction Group) and 0.748 ± 0.006 (Validation Group) and good relevancy (area under the precision recall curve), 0.390 ± 0.004 (Construction group) and 0.476 ± 0.005 (Validation group). Readmission within 30 days was independently associated with a 56 % higher risk of death (HR=1.562, 95 % CI=1.434, 1.703, p < 0.001) within 90 days from discharge. ConclusionsComorbidities, abnormal laboratory values, processes of care, and post-sepsis onset culture results, but not demographic characteristics, were associated with 30-day readmission. Readmission was associated with 90-day mortality.

Impact of Robotic Assistance on Minimally Invasive Surgery for Type II Endometrial Cancer: A National Cancer Database Analysis.

The objective of this study is to compare the overall survival (OS) and surgical outcomes between conventional laparoscopy and robot-assisted laparoscopy (RAL) in women with type II endometrial cancer. We identified a large cohort of women who underwent hysterectomy for type II endometrial cancer between January 2010 and December 2014 using the National Cancer Database (NCDB). The primary outcome was to compare the OS of conventional laparoscopy versus RAL. Secondary outcomes included the length of hospital stay, 30-day readmission rate, 90-day mortality, rates of lymph node retrieval, rates of node positivity, and rates of conversion to laparotomy. Cohorts were compared and multivariable logistic regression was used to determine characteristics with statistically significant predictors of outcome. We identified 7168 patients with stage I-III type II endometrial cancer who had minimally invasive surgery as primary treatment between 2010 and 2014. A total of 5074 patients underwent RAL. Women who underwent RAL were less likely to have stage III disease (26.4% vs. 29.9%, p = 0.008) and had smaller primary tumors (4.6 vs. 4.1 cm, p < 0.001). In a multivariable model, there was no difference in OS between conventional laparoscopy and RAL. With regard to postoperative outcomes, RAL was associated with a decreased risk for conversion to laparotomy (2.7% vs. 12%, p < 0.001), a shorter hospital stay (1 vs. 2 days, p < 0.001), a decreased 90-day mortality (1.3% vs. 2.2%, p = 0.004), and an increased number of lymph nodes sampled (14 vs. 12, p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, the use of RAL was independently associated with a reduced rate of conversion to laparotomy. In conclusion, there was no difference in OS between conventional laparoscopy and RAL in type II endometrial cancer in a large retrospective cohort of patients from the NCDB. RAL was associated with a decreased risk of conversion to laparotomy.

Postoperative Complications and Readmission Rates in Robotic-Assisted Versus Manual Total Knee Arthroplasty: Large, Propensity Score-Matched Patient Cohorts.

There is a paucity of research comparing postoperative complication rates between manual total knee arthroplasty (M-TKA) and robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RA-TKA). This study aims to compare 90-day postoperative complication, readmission, and emergency department rates between RA-TKA and M-TKA. A retrospective review of a multihospital database identified patients who underwent TKA between January 2016 and May 2023. Surgeons who used the robotic-assisted surgery technique in <10% or >90% of their cases annually were excluded. This resulted in 15,999 cases (8,853 RA-TKAs; 7,146 M-TKAs) from 282 surgeons. RA-TKA and M-TKA cohorts were one-to-one matched based on patient sex, age, body mass index, hospital setting, surgeon experience, primary payer, and anesthesia type. Each cohort consisted of 7,146 patients (N = 14,292). 90-day revisits, specifically readmissions, readmissions with >23 hours of observation, and ED visit rates were compared between cohorts. Complications were classified according to the Clinical Classification Software schema and compared between cohorts. Mann-Whitney U, chi-squared, and Fisher exact tests, along with Bonferroni correction, were used to statistically compare cohorts. All-cause 90-day readmission rates were 2.4% for RA-TKA and 2.6% for M-TKA (P = 0.36). RA-TKA had fewer revisits (RA-TKA: 7.8%; M-TKA: 8.8%, P = 0.027) and rates of readmission with >23 hours of observation (RA-TKA: 1.4%; M-TKA: 2.0%, P = 0.003). RA-TKA had fewer hospital revisits due to joint stiffness (RA-TKA: 17 revisits; M-TKA: 42 revisits, P = 0.002) and chronic pain (RA-TKA: 1 revisit; M-TKA: 8 revisits, P = 0.039). Fewer readmissions were observed for acute injuries (lower extremity muscle/tendon strains) in the RA-TKA cohort (RA-TKA: 1; M-TKA: 9, P = 0.021). RA-TKA had fewer ED visits due to hematomas (RA-TKA: 0 visits; M-TKA: 7 visits, P = 0.016). In this retrospective matched cohort analysis, RA-TKA was associated with markedly fewer revisits and readmissions with >23 hours of observation compared with M-TKA. No differences in all-cause 90-day readmission were observed between cohorts. Level III. Retrospective review.

The Effect of Social Drivers of Health on 90-Day Readmission Rates and Costs After Primary Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty.

The effect of social drivers of health (SDOH) on readmissions and costs after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is poorly understood. Policies such as the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program have targeted overall readmission reduction, using value-based strategies to improve healthcare quality. However, the implications of SDOH on these outcomes are not yet understood. We hypothesized that the area deprivation index (ADI) as a surrogate for SDOH would markedly influence readmission rates and healthcare costs in the 90-day postprocedural period for THA and TKA. We used the 100% US fee-for-service Medicare claims data from 2019 to 2021. Patients were identified using diagnosis-related groups. Our primary outcomes included 90-day unplanned readmission after hospital discharge and cost of care, treated as "high cost" if > 1 standard deviation above the mean. The relationships between ADI and primary outcomes were estimated with logistic regression models. A total of 628,399 patients were included in this study. The mean age of patients was 75.6, 64% were female, and 7.8% were dually eligible for Medicaid. After full covariate adjustment, readmission was higher for patients in more deprived areas (high Area Deprivation Index (ADI)) (low socioeconomic status (SES) group OR: 1.30 [95% confidence intervals 1.23, 1.38]). ADI was associated with high cost before adjustment (low SES group odds ratio 1.08 [95% confidence intervals 1.04, 1.11], P < 0.001), although, after adjustment, this association was lost. This analysis highlights the effect of SDOH on readmission rates after THA and TKA. A nuanced understanding of neighborhood-level disparities may facilitate targeted strategies to reduce avoidable readmissions in orthopaedic surgery. Regarding cost, although there is some association between ADI and cost, this study may illustrate that ADI for THA and TKA is not sufficiently granular to identify the contribution of social drivers to elevated costs.

90-Day Emergency Department Utilization and Readmission Rate After Full-Endoscopic Spine Surgery: A Multicenter, Retrospective Analysis of 821 Patients.

Emergency department (ED) utilization and readmission rates after spine surgery are common quality of care measures. Limited data exist on the evaluation of quality indicators after full-endoscopic spine surgery (FESS). The objective of this study was to detect rates, causes, and risk factors for unplanned postoperative clinic utilization after FESS. This retrospective multicenter analysis assessed ED utilization and clinic readmission rates after FESS performed between 01/2014 and 04/2023 for degenerative spinal pathologies. Outcome measures were ED utilizations, hospital readmissions, and revision surgeries within 90 days postsurgery. Our cohort includes 821 patients averaging 59 years of age, who underwent FESS. Most procedures targeted the lumbar or sacral spine (85.75%) while a small fraction involved the cervical spine (10.11%). The most common procedures were lumbar unilateral laminotomies for bilateral decompression (40.56%) and lumbar transforaminal discectomies (25.58%). Within 90 days postsurgery, 8.0% of patients revisited the ED for surgical complications. A total of 2.2% of patients were readmitted to a hospital of which 1.9% required revision surgery. Primary reasons for ED visits and clinic readmissions were postoperative pain exacerbation, transient neurogenic bladder dysfunction, and recurrent disk herniations. Our multivariate regression analysis revealed that female patients had a significantly higher likelihood of using the ED (P = .046; odds ratio: 1.77, 95% CI 1.01-3.1 5.69% vs 10.33%). Factors such as age, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, body mass index, comorbidities, and spanned spinal levels did not significantly predict postoperative ED utilization. This analysis demonstrates the safety of FESS, as evidenced by acceptable rates of ED utilization, clinic readmission, and revision surgery. Future studies are needed to further elucidate the safety profile of FESS in comparison with traditional spinal procedures.

Recent temporal trends, characteristics and outcomes of patients with non-COVID-19 community-acquired pneumonia at two tertiary hospitals in Australia: an observational study.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) leads to considerable morbidity and mortality globally. However, data on CAP burden in Australia, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, are limited. We characterised and assessed clinical outcomes of non-COVID-19 CAP hospitalisations over a 6-year period at two major hospitals in South Australia. All non-COVID-19 CAP hospitalisations were identified using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth revision, Australian modification (ICD-10-AM) codes, between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2023, at two tertiary hospitals in Adelaide. Clinical outcomes included in-hospital and 30-day mortality, length of stay (LOS) in, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and 30-day readmissions. Multilevel regression models were utilised to identify predictors of clinical outcomes. Over the 6-year period, there were 7853 non-COVID-19 CAP hospitalisations, with a temporal increase from 100 per 100 000 population in 2018 to 208 per 100 000 population in 2023 (P < 0.001). The mean (SD) age was 75.1 (17.6) years, and 54.6% were males. The mean age declined over time (P < 0.05), while other characteristics remained stable. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most commonly identified bacterium (21.8% of cases). In-hospital mortality occurred in 7.8% of patients, with 30-day mortality and readmission rates of 14.3% and 16.9% respectively. LOS declined significantly during the pandemic years; however, mortality remained stable over time. Frailty status, malnutrition and number of comorbidities significantly predicted 30-day mortality and LOS, in addition to pneumonia severity and ICU admission. There has been an increasing trend of hospitalisations for non-COVID-19 CAP during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a concomitant trend towards shorter LOS and no significant shift in other clinical outcomes.

VPExam in Heart Failure Innovating Virtual Cardiac Care

Telehealth and Virtual care are growing fields of importance, but the loss of comprehensive physical exam creates barriers to managing complex patients especially those with heart failure. Disruptive digital tools such as VPExam virtual care combine augmented reality instruction of visuals with bluetooth stethoscopes and ECGs to improve accuracy by assessing volume status, cardiopulmonary auscultation, arrythmia detection, and providing structured data including remote patient monitoring (RPM) data, vitals, medication reconciliation, and labs. VPExam intervention has significantly improved outcomes for high-risk and underserved populations with heart failure discharged to Skilled Nursing Facilities and Home Care. VPExam QI revealed workflows for both routine and urgent cardiology consultation following heart failure hospitalizations resulted in moderate significance modification in clinical management in 84% of encounters, while being associated with a 40% relative risk reduction in 30-day hospital readmission rate and a 56% relative risk reduction in 30-day mortality rate. The review summarizes both challenges to cardiac transitions of care and the evolution of cardiac virtual care with actionable physical exam data to optimize readmissions and mortality that is especially relevant to the underserved populations of skilled nursing facilities and home bound patients served by home care agencies.

Ambulatory bariatric surgery: a prospective single-center experience.

Ambulatory bariatric surgery has recently gained interest especially as a potential way to improve access for eligible patients with severe obesity. Building on our previously published research, this follow-up study delves deeper in the evolving landscape of ambulatory bariatric surgery over a 3-year period, focusing on predictors of success/failure. In a prospective single-center follow-up study, we conducted a descriptive assessment of all eligible patients as per our established protocol, who underwent a planned same-day discharge (SDD) primary sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) between 03/01/2021 and 02/29/2024. Trends in SDD surgeries over time were assessed over six discrete 6month intervals. Primary endpoint was defined as a successful discharge on the day of surgery without emergency department visit or readmission within 24h. Secondary outcomes included 30-day postoperative morbidity. A total of 811 primary SG and 325 RYGB procedures were performed during the study period. Among them, 30% (n = 244) were SDD-SGs and 6% (n = 21) were SDD-RYGBs, respectively. At baseline, median age of the entire SDD cohort was 43years old, 81% were females, and body mass index (BMI) was 44.5kg/m2. The planned SDD approach was successful in 89% after SG (n = 218/244) and in 90% after RYGB (n = 19/21). Nausea/vomiting was the main reason for a failed SDD approach after SG (46%). The 30-day readmission rate was 1.5% (n = 4) for the entire SDD cohort including only one readmission in the first 24h. The percentage of SDD-SGs performed as a proportion of total SGs increased over the initial five consecutive six-month intervals (14%, 25%, 24%, 38%, and 49%). Our SDD protocol for bariatric surgery demonstrates a favorable safety profile, marked by high success rate and low postoperative morbidity. These outcomes have led to a continued increase in ambulatory procedures performed over time especially SG.

The impact of discharge letter content on unplanned hospital readmissions within 30 and 90 days in older adults with chronic illness – a mixed methods study

BackgroundCare transitions are high-risk processes, especially for people with complex or chronic illness. Discharge letters are an opportunity to provide written information to improve patients’ self-management after discharge. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of discharge letter content on unplanned hospital readmissions and self-rated quality of care transitions among patients 60 years of age or older with chronic illness.MethodsThe study had a convergent mixed methods design. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or congestive heart failure were recruited from two hospitals in Region Stockholm if they were living at home and Swedish-speaking. Patients with dementia or cognitive impairment, or a “do not resuscitate” statement in their medical record were excluded. Discharge letters from 136 patients recruited to a randomised controlled trial were coded using an assessment matrix and deductive content analysis. The assessment matrix was based on a literature review performed to identify key elements in discharge letters that facilitate a safe care transition to home. The coded key elements were transformed into a quantitative variable of “SAFE-D score”. Bivariate correlations between SAFE-D score and quality of care transition as well as unplanned readmissions within 30 and 90 days were calculated. Lastly, a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was used to investigate associations between SAFE-D score and time to readmission.ResultsAll discharge letters contained at least five of eleven key elements. In less than two per cent of the discharge letters, all eleven key elements were present. Neither SAFE-D score, nor single key elements correlated with 30-day or 90-day readmission rate. SAFE-D score was not associated with time to readmission when adjusted for a range of patient characteristics and self-rated quality of care transitions.ConclusionsWhile written summaries play a role, they may not be sufficient on their own to ensure safe care transitions and effective self-care management post-discharge.Trial registrationClinical Trials. giv, NCT02823795, 01/09/2016.

Impact of Frailty on Surgical Outcomes of Patients With Cushing Disease Using the Multicenter Registry of Adenomas of the Pituitary and Related Disorders Registry.

Despite growing interest in how patient frailty affects outcomes (eg, in neuro-oncology), its role after transsphenoidal surgery for Cushing disease (CD) remains unclear. We evaluated the effect of frailty on CD outcomes using the Registry of Adenomas of the Pituitary and Related Disorders (RAPID) data set from a collaboration of US academic pituitary centers. Data on consecutive surgically treated patients with CD (2011-2023) were compiled using the 11-factor modified frailty index. Patients were classified as fit (score, 0-1), managing well (score, 2-3), and mildly frail (score, 4-5). Univariable and multivariable analyses were conducted to examine outcomes. Data were analyzed for 318 patients (193 fit, 113 managing well, 12 mildly frail). Compared with fit and managing well patients, mildly frail patients were older (mean ± SD 39.7 ± 14.2 and 48.9 ± 12.2 vs 49.4 ± 8.9 years, P < .001) but did not different by sex, race, and other factors. They had significantly longer hospitalizations (3.7 ± 2.0 and 4.5 ± 3.5 vs 5.3 ± 3.5 days, P = .02), even after multivariable analysis (β = 1.01, P = .007) adjusted for known predictors of prolonged hospitalization (age, Knosp grade, surgeon experience, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, complications, frailty). Patients with mild frailty were more commonly discharged to skilled nursing facilities (0.5% [1/192] and 4.5% [5/112] vs 25% [3/12], P < .001). Most patients underwent gross total resection (84.4% [163/193] and 79.6% [90/113] vs 83% [10/12]). No difference in overall complications was observed; however, venous thromboembolism was more common in mildly frail (8%, 1/12) than in fit (0.5%, 1/193) and managing well (2.7%, 3/113) patients (P = .04). No difference was found in 90-day readmission rates. These results demonstrate that mild frailty predicts CD surgical outcomes and may inform preoperative risk stratification. Frailty-influenced outcomes other than age and tumor characteristics may be useful for prognostication. Future studies can help identify strategies to reduce disease burden for frail patients with hypercortisolemia.

Free flap reconstruction following head and neck trauma.

Free flap (FF) reconstruction of traumatic injuries to the head and neck is uncommon. Multi-institutional retrospective case series of patients undergoing FF reconstruction for a traumatic injury (n = 103). Majority were gunshot wounds (GSW; 85%, n = 88) and motor vehicle accidents (11%, n = 11). Majority underwent osseous reconstruction (82%, n = 84). FF failures (9%, n = 9/103) occurred in GSW patients (100%, n = 9/9) and when multiple subsites were injured (89%, n = 8/9). Preoperative antibiotics correlated with lower rates of a neck washouts (4% vs. 19%) (p = 0.01) and 30-day readmissions (4% vs. 17%) (p = 0.02). All FF failures occurred in the setting of a GSW and the majority involved multiple subsites. Preoperative antibiotics correlated with lower rates of postoperative washout procedures and 30-day readmission.

Age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index as an effective tool for the choice between simultaneous or staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty.

The choice between simultaneous and staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA) remains controversial. Age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index(CCI) is a promising tool for risk-stratification. We aimed to compare the outcomes between patients who underwent simultaneous and staged BTKA, stratified by age-adjusted CCI scores. We conducted this retrospective, single-surgeon case series from 2010 to 2020. This study consisted of 1558 simultaneous BTKA and 786 staged BTKA procedures. The outcome domains included 30-day and 90-day readmission and 1-year reoperation events. We performed multivariate regression analysis to compare the risk of readmission and reoperation following simultaneous and staged BTKA. Other factors included age, sex, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, smoking, receiving thromboprophylaxis and blood transfusion. The rates of 30-day, 90-day readmission and 1-year reoperation following simultaneous BTKA was 1.99%, 2.70% and 0.71%, respectively. The rates of 30-day, 90-day readmission and 1-year reoperation following staged BTKA was 0.89%, 1.78% and 0.89%, respectively. For patients with age-adjusted CCI ≥ 4 points, simultaneous BTKA was associated with a higher risk of 30-day (aOR:3.369, 95% CI:0.990-11.466) and 90-day readmission (aOR:2.310, 95% CI:0.942-5.668). In patients with age-adjusted CCI ≤ 3 points, the risk of readmission and reoperation was not different between simultaneous or staged BTKA. Simultaneous BTKA was associated with an increased risk of short-term readmissions in patients with age-adjusted CCI ≥ 4 points but not in those with age-adjusted CCI ≤ 3 points. Age-adjusted CCI can be an effective index for the choice between simultaneous and staged BTKA procedures.

Laparoscopic hepatectomy is a feasible and safe choice for primary hepatocellular carcinoma located at favorable location during the development period of a tertiary hospital: A case-control study.

Laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been well known for its advantages in the past 10 years, but little is known regarding its oncologic outcomes while the technique is being developed at an institution. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of LH for patients with primary HCC at favorable locations, focusing on postoperative short- and long-term outcomes during the development period. We retrospectively reviewed patients diagnosed with primary HCC who underwent hepatectomy between January 2013 and December 2019 at Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital. Patients with HCC at favorable locations (anterolateral segments) were collected and divided into laparoscopic and open hepatectomy (OH) groups. The data for long-term outcomes, as the primary endpoint, and postoperative outcomes, as the secondary endpoint, were collected. The review included 159 patients, among which 42 and 44 patients in favorable locations underwent open and laparoscopic hepatectomies, respectively. There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss, major complication rate, and 90-day mortality rate between the two groups. The laparoscopic group had a lower transfusion rate, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and lower 90-day readmission rate. There were no significant differences in 12-, 36-, and 60-month overall survival and disease-free survival. LH for favorably located HCC is the preferred surgical approach compared to OH due to the decreased transfusion rate, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and lower 90-day readmission rate. LH did not compromise the 90-day mortality rate with sustained long-term overall and disease-free survival. LH for favorably located HCC is a safe and effective surgical approach even during the development period.

Using social risks to predict unplanned hospital readmission and emergency care among hospitalized Veterans.

(1) To estimate the association of social risk factors with unplanned readmission and emergency care after a hospital stay. (2) To create a social risk scoring index. We analyzed administrative data from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Corporate Data Warehouse. Settings were VA medical centers that participated in a national social work staffing program. We grouped socially relevant diagnoses, screenings, assessments, and procedure codes into nine social risk domains. We used logistic regression to examine the extent to which domains predicted unplanned hospital readmission and emergency department (ED) use in 30 days after hospital discharge. Covariates were age, sex, and medical readmission risk score. We used model estimates to create a percentile score signaling Veterans' health-related social risk. We included 156,690 Veterans' admissions to a VA hospital with discharged to home from 1 October, 2016 to 30 September, 2022. The 30-day rate of unplanned readmission was 0.074 and of ED use was 0.240. After adjustment, the social risks with greatest probability of readmission were food insecurity (adjusted probability = 0.091 [95% confidence interval: 0.082, 0.101]), legal need (0.090 [0.079, 0.102]), and neighborhood deprivation (0.081 [0.081, 0.108]); versus no social risk (0.052). The greatest adjusted probabilities of ED use were among those who had experienced food insecurity (adjusted probability 0.28 [0.26, 0.30]), legal problems (0.28 [0.26, 0.30]), and violence (0.27 [0.25, 0.29]), versus no social risk (0.21). Veterans with social risk scores in the 95th percentile had greater rates of unplanned care than those with 95th percentile Care Assessment Needs score, a clinical prediction tool used in the VA. Veterans with social risks may need specialized interventions and targeted resources after a hospital stay. We propose a scoring method to rate social risk for use in clinical practice and future research.

Preoperative electroacupuncture versus sham electroacupuncture for the treatment of postoperative ileus after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer in China: a study protocol for a multicentre, randomised, sham-controlled trial

IntroductionPostoperative ileus (POI) is a postoperative complication that can cause lingering recovery after colorectal resection and a heavy healthcare system burden. Acupuncture aims to prevent postoperative complications, reduce the duration...

The geriatric trauma hospitalist service: An analysis of a management strategy for injured older adults.

Management of geriatric trauma patients requires balancing chronic comorbidities with acute injuries. We developed a care model in which patients are managed by hospitalists with trauma-centered education and hypothesized that clinical outcomes would be similar to outcomes in patients primarily managed by trauma surgeons. This was a retrospective study of trauma patients aged ≥65 from January 2020 to December 2021. Groups were defined by admitting service: trauma surgery service (TSS) or geriatric trauma hospitalist service (GTHS). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Regression analyses and inverse probability treatment weighted (IPTW) propensity score (PS) analyses were performed to determine the association between admitting service and outcomes. A total of 1004 patients were eligible for inclusion-580 GTHS and 424 TSS admissions. GTHS patients were older (82 vs. 74, p < 0.001), more likely to have suffered blunt trauma (99.5% vs. 95%, p < 0.001), more likely to have comorbidities (91.2% vs. 87%, p < 0.001), had higher Charlson Comorbidity Indexes (CCIs), and had lower median injury severity scores (9 vs. 13, p < 0.001). Rates of mortality, delirium, 30-day readmission, and overall complications were low and similar between groups. While TSS patients were likely to be discharged home, GTHS had more discharges to skilled nursing facilities and longer length of stay (LOS). On multivariable analysis adjusted for age, ISS, CCI, and sex, patients admitted to GTHS had lower odds of death with an odds ratio of 0.15 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.02-0.75, p = 0.03) when compared to TSS. On IPTW PS analysis, patients admitted to GTHS had similar odds of death with an odds ratio of 0.3 (95% CI 0.06-1.6, p = 0.16). Protocolized admission criteria to a GTHS resulted in similar low mortality rates but longer LOS when compared to patients admitted to a TSS. This care model may inform other trauma centers in developing their strategies for managing the increasing volume of vulnerable injured older adults.

Catheter ablation compared to medical therapy for ventricular tachycardia in sarcoidosis: nationwide outcomes and hospital readmissions

BackgroundCatheter ablation (CA) for ventricular tachycardia (VT) can be a useful treatment strategy, however, few studies have compared CA to medical therapy (MT) in the sarcoidosis population. ObjectiveTo assess in-hospital outcomes and unplanned readmissions following CA for VT compared to MT in patients with sarcoidosis. MethodsData was obtained from the Nationwide Readmissions Database between 2010 and 2019 to identify patients with sarcoidosis admitted for VT either undergoing CA or MT during elective and non-elective admission. Primary endpoints were a composite endpoint of inpatient mortality, cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest and 30-day hospital readmissions. Procedural complications at index admission and causes of readmission were also identified. ResultsAmong 1581 patients, 1217 with sarcoidosis and VT underwent MT compared to 168 with CA during non-elective admission. 63 patients admitted electively underwent CA compared with 129 managed medically. There was no difference in the composite outcome for patients undergoing catheter ablation or medical therapy during both non-elective (9.0 % vs 12.0 %, p = 0.312) and elective admission (3.2 % vs. 7.8 %, p = 0.343). The most common cause of readmission were ventricular arrhythmias (VA) in both groups, however, those undergoing elective CA were less likely to be readmitted for VA compared to non-elective CA. The most common complication in the CA group was cardiac tamponade (4.8 %). ConclusionVT ablation is associated with similar rates of 30-day readmission compared to MT and does not confer increased risk of harm with respect to inpatient mortality, cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest. Further research is warranted to determine if a subgroup of sarcoidosis patients admitted with VT are better served with an initial conservative management strategy followed by VT ablation.

Influence of Metformin Discontinuation on Readmission Rate in Patients With Acute Heart Failure.

The consequences of discontinuing metformin in patients with heart failure have not been determined. Knowing that acute exacerbation of chronic heart failure contributes to substantial increases in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), we proposed a retrospective study to examine whether discontinuing metformin in patients hospitalized with heart failure impacts mortality and readmission rates. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients admitted with a diagnosis of acute heart failure to hospitals in the HCA Healthcare System from 2020 to 2022. Included patients had a prior diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, acute heart failure, and were taking metformin prior to admission. After applying our exclusion criteria, a total of 7740 patients remained. The primary outcomes were 30-, 60-, and 90-day readmission rates and secondary outcomes were mortality and length of stay. Patients who were discharged without a prescription for metformin (NONDIS-MET) were 4.489 (95% CI 3.673-5.488, p < 0.0001) times more likely to have a MACE outcome in 30 days compared to patients who received a discharge order for metformin (DIS-MET). The findings were similar for 60-day and 90-day readmission rates, with NONDIS-MET patients 3.457 (95% CI 2.893-4.131, p < 0.0001) and 2.992 (95% CI 2.534-3.533 p < 0.0001) times more likely to have a MACE outcome than MET patients, respectively. However, when metformin was continued during the patients' hospital stay (CONT-MET) there was no significant association with MACE outcomes, readmission, or mortality rates. We found that diabetic patients admitted with acute heart failure exacerbations had a higher incidence of major adverse cardiac events and were more likely to be readmitted when they were not prescribed metformin after discharge. Our findings agree with prior work showing the cardioprotective effects of metformin; however, continuing metformin during hospital admission did not affect our patients adverse outcomes.

Safety of robotic cholecystectomy as index training procedure: the UK experience.

To evaluate the safety profile of robotic cholecystectomy performed within the United Kingdom (UK) Robotic Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) training programme. A retrospective evaluation of prospectively collected data from eleven centres participating in the UK Robotic HPB training programme was conducted. All adult patients undergoing robotic cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallstone disease or gallbladder polyp were considered. Bile duct injury, conversion to open procedure, conversion to subtotal cholecystectomy, length of hospital stay, 30-day re-admission, and post-operative complications were the evaluated outcome parameters. A total of 600 patients were included. The median age was 53 (IQR 65-41) years and the majority (72.7%; 436/600) were female. The main indications for robotic cholecystectomy were biliary colic (55.5%, 333/600), cholecystitis (18.8%, 113/600), gallbladder polyps (7.7%, 46/600), and pancreatitis (6.2%, 37/600). The median length of stay was 0 (IQR 0-1) days. Of the included patients, 88.5% (531/600) were discharged on the day of procedure with 30-day re-admission rate of 5.5% (33/600). There were no bile duct injuries and the rate of conversion to open was 0.8% (5/600) with subtotal cholecystectomy rate of 0.8% (5/600). The current study confirms that robotic cholecystectomy can be safely implemented to routine practice with a low risk of bile duct injury, low bile leak rate, low conversion to open surgery, and low need for subtotal cholecystectomy.

High in-hospital preoperative anxiety levels are not associated with an increased length of stay or readmission following primary shoulder arthroplasty

BackgroundAnxiety is prevalent in our society, affecting all facets of patients’ lives. There is, however, a paucity of literature exploring how anxiety extends into the orthopedic perioperative setting. We sought to analyze a subset of patients undergoing primary shoulder arthroplasty to determine whether correlations exist between anxiety, patient characteristics, time spent in the hospital, and likelihood of returning to the hospital after discharge. MethodsAfter obtaining institutional review board approval, our hospital prospectively identified and approached all patients undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty between February and June of 2023. Patients completed the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A) and Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS), two validated tools used to assess preoperative anxiety levels and need for information, in the preoperative holding area before surgery. Patient demographics, hospital length of stay (LOS), and 30-day readmission rate were collected and analyzed. ResultsA total of 79 patients were enrolled. Nineteen percent of patients were found to be anxious using the APAIS tool, while 37.7% of patients were found to be anxious using the VAS-A tool. No significant correlation was found between APAIS or VAS-A anxiety scoring and hospital LOS. No significant correlation was found between APAIS or VAS-A anxiety scoring and 30-day readmission rate. A significant correlation was found between APAIS anxiety scoring and body mass index (BMI), as well as VAS-A scoring and BMI. However, no significant correlation was found between BMI and hospital LOS or between BMI and 30-day readmission rate. ConclusionOur study did not find a statistically significant correlation between immediate preoperative anxiety levels in patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty and their length of stay or 30-day readmission rate. We did discover a linear relationship between patient BMI and their preoperative anxiety scores; however, no significant direct correlation was found between a patient’s BMI and their length of stay or their 30-day readmission rate. Our findings suggest that higher levels of preoperative anxiety should not preclude a patient from the benefits of consideration of early discharge planning such as same-day total shoulder replacement.