Hospital Days For Patients Research Articles

Gender and age specific dynamics of health-related postoperative outcome measures following the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy

BackgroundA variety of bariatric surgical techniques have been implemented to manage obesity, including the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG).The aim of the study was to compare the pre and postoperative features of patients undergoing LSG, analyze the dynamics of BMI and BAROS indices and to assess the impact of body appearance concern on the postoperative outcomes. MethodsA total of 591 participants were divided into 3 age groups (20–39, 40–59 and over 60 years of age). The Charlson Comorbidity Index was used to assess comorbidity in patient groups. The rate of complications, assessment of psychological well-being and number of hospital days for patients were used to compare the features of postoperative recovery in different age groups. ResultsIn the young and middle-aged groups, the BMI reduction speed was similar, and significantly higher than in the elder group with a faster rate of BMI reduction in female participants. Higher scores of BAROS were revealed in the young and middle-aged groups for the 0–1 and 1–6 month periods. The 12-month assessment revealed much higher BAROS scores for male subgroups, compared to female participants. The BAROS scores decreased gradually in female groups within the assessment periods and was the lowest in the third assessment. ConclusionsThe pattern of BAROS reduction can be the result of lower psychological and social well-being scores in female participants who reported significant weight reduction in 6–12 month period with paradoxically decreased quality of life scores explained by the impact of body appearance concern on the postoperative outcomes.

Efficacy of Remote Health Monitoring in Reducing Hospital Readmissions Among High-Risk Postdischarge Patients: Prospective Cohort Study.

Patients with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases often experience higher rates of hospital readmission due to compromised heart-lung function and significant clinical symptoms. Effective measures such as discharge planning, case management, home telemonitoring follow-up, and patient education can significantly mitigate hospital readmissions. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of home telemonitoring follow-up in reducing hospital readmissions, emergency department (ED) visits, and total hospital days for high-risk postdischarge patients. This prospective cohort study was conducted between July and October 2021. High-risk patients were screened for eligibility and enrolled in the study. The intervention involved implementing home digital monitoring to track patient health metrics after discharge, with the aim of reducing hospital readmissions and ED visits. High-risk patients or their primary caregivers received education on using communication measurement tools and recording and uploading data. Before discharge, patients were familiarized with these tools, which they continued to use for 4 weeks after discharge. A project manager monitored the daily uploaded health data, while a weekly video appointment with the program coordinator monitored the heart and breathing sounds of the patients, tracked health status changes, and gathered relevant data. Care guidance and medical advice were provided based on symptoms and physiological signals. The primary outcomes of this study were the number of hospital readmissions and ED visits within 3 and 6 months after intervention. The secondary outcomes included the total number of hospital days and patient adherence to the home monitoring protocol. Among 41 eligible patients, 93% (n=38) were male, and 46% (n=19) were aged 41-60 years, while 46% (n=19) were aged 60 years or older. The study revealed that home digital monitoring significantly reduced hospitalizations, ED visits, and total hospital stay days at 3 and 6 months after intervention. At 3 months after intervention, average hospitalizations decreased from 0.45 (SD 0.09) to 0.19 (SD 0.09; P=.03), and average ED visits decreased from 0.48 (SD 0.09) to 0.06 (SD 0.04; P<.001). Average hospital days decreased from 6.61 (SD 2.25) to 1.94 (SD 1.15; P=.08). At 6 months after intervention, average hospitalizations decreased from 0.55 (SD 0.11) to 0.23 (SD 0.09; P=.01), and average ED visits decreased from 0.55 (SD 0.11) to 0.23 (SD 0.09; P=.02). Average hospital days decreased from 7.48 (SD 2.32) to 6.03 (SD 3.12; P=.73). By integrating home telemonitoring with regular follow-up, our research demonstrates a viable approach to reducing hospital readmissions and ED visits, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing health care costs. The practical application of telemonitoring in a real-world setting showcases its potential as a scalable solution for chronic disease management.

Chronic kidney disease and transvenous cardiac implantable electronic device infection-is there an impact on healthcare utilization, costs, disease progression, and mortality?

Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infections are a burden to hospitals and costly for healthcare systems. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) increases the risk of CIED infections, but its differential impact on healthcare utilization, costs, and outcomes is not known. This retrospective analysis used de-identified Medicare Fee-for-Service claims to identify patients implanted with a CIED from July 2016 to December 2020. Outcomes were defined as hospital days and costs within 12 months post-implant, post-infection CKD progression, and mortality. Generalized linear models were used to calculate results by CKD and infection status while controlling for other comorbidities, with differences between cohorts representing the incremental effect associated with CKD. A total of 584 543 patients had a CIED implant, of which 26% had CKD and 1.4% had a device infection. The average total days in hospital for infected patients was 23.5 days with CKD vs. 14.5 days (P < 0.001) without. The average cost of infection was $121 756 with CKD vs. $55 366 without (P < 0.001), leading to an incremental cost associated with CKD of $66 390. Infected patients with CKD were more likely to have septicaemia or severe sepsis than those without CKD (11.0 vs. 4.6%, P < 0.001). After infection, CKD patients were more likely to experience CKD progression (hazard ratio 1.26, P < 0.001) and mortality (hazard ratio 1.89, P < 0.001). Cardiac implantable electronic device infection in patients with CKD was associated with more healthcare utilization, higher cost, greater disease progression, and greater mortality compared to patients without CKD.

Prediction of additional hospital days in patients undergoing cervical spine surgery with machine learning methods

Background Machine learning (ML), a subset of artificial intelligence (AI), uses algorithms to analyze data and predict outcomes without extensive human intervention. In healthcare, ML is gaining attention for enhancing patient outcomes. This study focuses on predicting additional hospital days (AHD) for patients with cervical spondylosis (CS), a condition affecting the cervical spine. The research aims to develop an ML-based nomogram model analyzing clinical and demographic factors to estimate hospital length of stay (LOS). Accurate AHD predictions enable efficient resource allocation, improved patient care, and potential cost reduction in healthcare. Methods The study selected CS patients undergoing cervical spine surgery and investigated their medical data. A total of 945 patients were recruited, with 570 males and 375 females. The mean number of LOS calculated for the total sample was 8.64 ± 3.7 days. A LOS equal to or <8.64 days was categorized as the AHD-negative group (n = 539), and a LOS > 8.64 days comprised the AHD-positive group (n = 406). The collected data was randomly divided into training and validation cohorts using a 7:3 ratio. The parameters included their general conditions, chronic diseases, preoperative clinical scores, and preoperative radiographic data including ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament (OALL), ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), cervical instability and magnetic resonance imaging T2-weighted imaging high signal (MRI T2WIHS), operative indicators and complications. ML-based models like Lasso regression, random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM) recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) were developed for predicting AHD-related risk factors. The intersections of the variables screened by the aforementioned algorithms were utilized to construct a nomogram model for predicting AHD in patients. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and C-index were used to evaluate the performance of the nomogram. Calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were performed to test the calibration performance and clinical utility. Results For these participants, 25 statistically significant parameters were identified as risk factors for AHD. Among these, nine factors were obtained as the intersection factors of these three ML algorithms and were used to develop a nomogram model. These factors were gender, age, body mass index (BMI), American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scores, magnetic resonance imaging T2-weighted imaging high signal (MRI T2WIHS), operated segment, intraoperative bleeding volume, the volume of drainage, and diabetes. After model validation, the AUC was 0.753 in the training cohort and 0.777 in the validation cohort. The calibration curve exhibited a satisfactory agreement between the nomogram predictions and actual probabilities. The C-index was 0.788 (95% confidence interval: 0.73214–0.84386). On the decision curve analysis (DCA), the threshold probability of the nomogram ranged from 1 to 99% (training cohort) and 1 to 75% (validation cohort). Conclusion We successfully developed an ML model for predicting AHD in patients undergoing cervical spine surgery, showcasing its potential to support clinicians in AHD identification and enhance perioperative treatment strategies.

The Impact of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) in Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia

Background In the realm of healthcare quality, outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) has emerged as the gold standard for managing patients who have transitioned from inpatient care but still require extended intravenous antimicrobial treatment. The adoption of OPAT at Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital in Taif, Saudi Arabia, not only bolsters patient satisfaction but also serves as a catalyst for reduced hospitalization durations, lower rates of emergency department readmissions, and an overall reduction in healthcare expenditures. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of OPAT in a tertiary center facility in Saudi Arabia. Methods In this retrospective investigation, we conducted a thorough review of patient records spanning from November 2020 to October 2021. Our study encompassed all patients who had intravenous antibiotics and were participants in the hospital’s OPAT program during this specific timeframe. Our primary goal was to achieve a 20% reduction in the total number of hospital bed days related to long-term antibiotic therapy. Results The incorporation of OPAT has yielded a multifaceted transformation within the hospital. Over the span of one year, from November 2020 to October 2021, there was a notable decrease in the proportion of patients requiring intravenous antibiotics. This percentage initially dropped from 23% to 12% with the implementation of the OPAT quality improvement project, and later, it reached an even lower 8%. This positive transformation not only had a positive impact on patient care but also led to significant cost savings, exceeding 2 million riyals. These savings were primarily driven by the reduction in hospitalization duration and the more efficient allocation of resources. Moreover, this improvement contributed to the avoidance of 673 patient days of hospitalization, thereby creating additional resources for more critical cases. Conclusion OPAT has emerged as a pivotal component of Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital’s commitment to elevating healthcare quality. This abstract offers a concise insight into the quality-driven impact of OPAT within a specific healthcare context, underlining its capacity to optimize patient care, enhance healthcare efficiency, and elevate resource allocation. Ongoing research and continuous evaluation will play a critical role in refining and expanding the OPAT program while preserving its quality-oriented perspective.

Application of 3D Printing Positioning Technology in Parasagittal Meningioma Surgery: A Single-center Retrospective Study

To assess the utility of 3D printing positioning technology for resection of parasagittal meningioma. Information related to clinical history, application of 3D printing positioning technology, neuroimaging, surgical-related information, and postoperative hospital days of consecutive patients with parasagittal meningioma treated between January 2020 and December 2022 were retrospectively collected. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on whether the 3D printing positioning technology was applied. The values between groups were statistically compared. A total of 41 patients were enrolled. In cases using 3D printing positioning technology (14 patients), the location of craniotomy was much better and the postoperative hospital stay was much shorter. The application of 3D printing positioning technology in parasagittal meningioma surgery could improve the location of craniotomy, and reduce the postoperative hospital stay. It is a low-cost positioning technology, and has the potential to be applied to other superficial intracranial tumors.

Association between vaccination and days of hospitalization in adult patients with non-severe COVID-19.

To explore the association between vaccination status and the days of hospitalization in non-severe adult COVID-19 patients. We retrospectively analyzed the 368 non-severe adult COVID-19 patients which were divided into three groups according to their vaccination status. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analysis were performed to determine the correlation between vaccination and the days of hospitalization. A generalized additive model and hierarchical linear regression model were used for outcome analysis. In the regression equation, the increase in the number of vaccine shots was significantly correlated with the decrease in the days of hospitalization (all p < 0.001). Particularly, the reduction of the days of hospitalization in patients with 3 injections of the vaccine was more significant than that of the 0-1 injection group (β: -2.810, -2.525, and -2.831; p < 0.001). Curve fitting showed that the relationship between the number of vaccination injections and the days of hospitalization was approximately linear, and the β value was -1.522 (95% CI: -2.091 - -0.954; p < 0.001). Among various laboratory indexes, only the monocyte ratio significantly affected the correlation between the number of vaccination injections and the days of hospitalization, indicating an interaction (p =0.027). The β values of the monocyte ratio in normal and elevated groups were -2.230 (95% CI: -3.048 - -1.412; p < 0.001) and -0.763 (95% CI: -1.520 - -0.005; p = 0.050), respectively. In non-severe adult COVID-19 patients, there was a negative linear correlation between the vaccination status and the days of hospitalization.

Comparison of in-patient glucose team based management with conventional blood glucose management- a retrospective study from China

BackgroundGlycemic control for patients with diabetes in the surgical department is often unsatisfactory. Compounding this issue is the fact that conventional glucose management models are often inefficient and difficult to monitor over time.ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of inpatient glucose team-based management on glycemic control and hospital days in surgical patients with diabetes.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on 4156 patients with diabetes in the surgical department who received inpatient management of diabetes at a tertiary medical center from June 2020 to May 2022. Based on whether they received inpatient glucose team-based management, the surgical patients with diabetes were divided into two groups: the inpatient glucose team-based management (GM group, consisting of 1698 participants) and the conventional blood glucose management group (control group, consisting of 2458 participants). We compared the two groups in terms of glycemic control, hospital days, and health-care costs. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to build the hospital days prediction model and nomogram. Finally, the performance of the model was evaluated.ResultsThe rate of glucose detection was higher in the GM group at 2 h postprandial (P < 0.01). The incidence of hypoglycemia and severe hyperglycemia, blood glucose attainment time, pre-operative preparation days, hospital days, and health-care costs were lower in the GM group than in the control group (P < 0.01). The linear regression model revealed that blood glucose attainment time, incidence of hypoglycemia (< 3.9mmol/L), preoperative preparation days, perioperative complications, and health-care costs were the factors influencing the hospital days (Total Point 83.4 points, mean hospital days 9.37 days). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that the nomogram had good accuracy for predicting hospital days (area under the ROC curve 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74 to 0.92).ConclusionInpatient glucose team-based management demonstrated significant improvements in glycemic control among surgical patients with diabetes, resulting in reduced hospital days and associated costs. The developed nomogram also exhibited promising potential in predicting hospital days, offering valuable clinical applications.

Postura prona em pacientes intubados com insuficiência respiratória aguda por COVID-19 em uma UTI do estado de São Paulo

Abstract Introduction The severity of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19 can vary and be influenced by comorbidities. The position is a treatment strategy for critically ill patients; however, it is unclear what the physiological response is and which patients benefit. Objective To determine whether the prone position (PP) and the length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) are associated with the time of orotracheal intubation (OTI) and with the death rate in patients on mechanical ventilation with moderate to severe ARDS. Methods An observational, longitudinal, retrospective study was carried out in a tertiary public hospital in the city of São Paulo. Data were collected from the medical records of all patients diagnosed with COVID-19, with a positive PCR, admitted to the ICU and intubated, from April 2020 to July 2021. Pearson's chi-square and Fischer's exact tests were used to compare sample data, and distributions in the two groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney test. Results There was no statistically significant difference for ICU length of stay, OTI time and death rate between patients who were prone versus non-prone [13 (4.0 – 23.0) vs. 13.5 (7.2 – 17.0), p = 0.453; 12 (3.0 – 13.0) vs. 10 (6.0 -15.5), p = 0.772; 71 vs. 68%, p = 0.817, respectively]. Conclusion This study did not demonstrate an association between PP and days of OTI, days of hospitalization and mortality in patients with severe hypoxemia.

The impact of chronic kidney disease on healthcare utilization and costs associated with pacemaker infection

Abstract Background Patients with CKD are at increased risk of bleeding and device-related infections due to their chronic illness. CKD complicates treatment which could lead to an increase in duration of hospitalizations and higher costs. Purpose The goal of this study is to compare hospitalizations and the total costs associated with permanent pacemaker (PPM) infection in patients with and without CKD. Methods This retrospective analysis used Medicare Fee for service (FFS) claims to identify patients implanted with a transvenous PPM from June 2016-December 2020. Device infections, hospitalizations and costs were identified in a 12-month follow-up period post-device implant. Costs include all inpatient and outpatient hospital costs. Patients with CKD and infections were identified based on ICD-10 diagnostic codes. A generalized linear model was utilized to calculate non-infection and infection costs by CKD status. The simple differences between these cohorts represent the total infection cost with CKD and total infection cost without CKD highlighting the incremental cost of infected patients with CKD. Results A total of 439,679 Medicare FFS patients had PPM insertion from June 2016-December 2020, of which 13% had CKD and 1.2% had a device infection within 12-months post-implant. Infected patients with CKD incurred two admissions on average (p-value = &amp;lt;0.001), versus 1.4 (p-value = &amp;lt;0.001) for an infected patient without CKD. The total days in hospital for infected patients with CKD were 32 days (p-value = &amp;lt;0.001) versus 22 days (p-value=&amp;lt;0.001) for infected patients without CKD (Figure 1). The average cost of an infection in the US for a CKD patient was $176,483 (p-value = &amp;lt;0.001) versus $65,792 (p-value =&amp;lt;0.001) for a patient without CKD. The incremental costs of an infection in CKD as compared to no CKD was $110,691 (p-value of interaction = 0.0160). Conclusion In our analysis PPM-related infection in patients with CKD were characterized by more health care utilizations and higher costs compared to patients without CKD.Figure 1

Predictors of Mortality in Pulmonary Embolism: A Real-Life Study

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the mortality and associated factors in patients with pulmonary embolism. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on adult patients with pulmonary embolism who applied to X University Hospital between January 1, 2017, and January 1, 2023. All-cause mortality and related factors in pulmonary embolism patients were determined. Results: This study included 152 patients with a median age of 59 years and 81 (53.3%) women. The all-cause mortality rate was 25.7%, and pulmonary embolism-related deaths were 1.3%. Age (p&lt;0.001), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (p=0.013), heart failure (p=0.018), atrial fibrillation (p=0.015), massive pulmonary embolism (p=0.029), hemoglobin level (p&lt;0.001) and NT-Pro BNP level (p&lt;0.001) were significantly associated with increased all-cause mortality. In binary logistic regression analysis, for each unit of increasing pulmonary embolism severity index (PESI) score, mortality increased 2.2-fold (95% CI:1.03-5.09), massive PTE 1.6-fold (95% CI:0.14-17.86), anticoagulant duration (daily) 0.98-fold (95% CI:0.98-0.99) and Hb level (per unit Hb reduction) 0.67-fold (95% CI:0.45-1.02) mortality was increasing. There was no statistical difference between the number of hospitalization days for patients with low and high PESI and simplified PE severity index (sPESI) scores. Conclusions: All-cause mortality in patients with pulmonary embolism increased with age, cardiac diseases, and COPD comorbidities. The PESI and sPESI scores used in the acute phase of PTE were found to be highly reliable in predicting all-cause mortality in PE patients. The diagnosis of massive PE and elevated NT-proBNP levels, a marker of right ventricular dysfunction, were factors that increased mortality.

The Association of the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio, Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio, Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio and Systemic Inflammation Response Index with Short-Term Functional Outcome in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke.

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between functional prognosis and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) at discharge. A total of 861 patients with AIS were enrolled between January 2019 and December 2021. Blood cell counts were collected on admission. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between NLR, PLR, LMR, SIRI and adverse functional outcomes (modified Rankin scale score of 3-6) at discharge. We also used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to estimate the overall ability of NLR, PLR, LMR and SIRI to judge short-term functional outcomes. Associations between NLR, PLR, LMR, and SIRI with length of hospital stay were analyzed by Spearman correlation test. A total of 194 patients (22.5%) had poor functional outcomes at discharge. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that NLR (odds ratio [OR], 1.060; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.004-1.120, P=0.037), PLR (OR, 1.003; 95% CI 1.000-1.005, P=0.018), LMR (OR, 0.872; 95% CI 0.774-0.981, P=0.023) and SIRI (OR, 1.099; 95% CI 1.020-1.184, P=0.013) were independent factors for poor functional outcome. The odds ratios of the highest versus lowest quartiles of NLR, PLR and SIRI were 2.495 (95% CI 1.394-4.466), 1.959 (95% CI 1.138-3.373) and 1.866 (95% CI 1.106-3.146), respectively. The odds ratio of the lowest versus highest quartile of LMR was 2.300 (95% CI 1.331-3.975). The areas under the curve (AUCs) of the NLR, PLR, LMR, and SIRI to discriminate poor functional prognosis were 0.644, 0.587, 0.628, and 0.651, respectively. NLR, LMR, and SIRI were related with the length of hospital stay (P<0.05). NLR, PLR, LMR, and SIRI were associated with functional outcome at discharge in AIS patients. NLR, LMR and SIRI were related to hospitalization days in patients with AIS.

Skull base reconstruction using in situ bone flap in patients with pituitary adenomas treated by endoscopic endonasal approach.

The objective of this study is to study the effect of in situ bone flap (ISBF) repositioning, a recently proposed rigid skull base reconstruction technique, on patients diagnosed with pituitary adenoma undergoing endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA). A retrospective analysis was conducted on 188 patients with pituitary adenomas who underwent EEA from February 2018 to September 2022. Patients were divided into the ISBF group and non-ISBF group, according to whether ISBF was used during skull base reconstruction. Of the 75 patients in the non-ISBF group, 6 had postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage (8%), while only 1 of 113 patients in the ISBF group (0.8%) had postoperative CSF leakage, indicating that the incidence of postoperative CSF leakage in the ISBF group was significantly lower than that in the non-ISBF group (P = 0.033). In addition, we also found that the postoperative hospitalization days of patients in the ISBF group (5.34 ± 1.24) were significantly less than those in the non-ISBF group (6.83 ± 1.91, P = 0.015). ISBF repositioning is a safe, effective, and convenient rigid skull base reconstruction method for patients with pituitary adenoma treated by EEA, which can significantly reduce the rate of postoperative CSF leakage and shorten postoperative hospital stays.

Outcomes for 41 260 pediatric surgical patients with opioid-free anesthesia: One center's experience.

Opioid use is common and associated with side effects and risks. Consequently, analgesic strategies to reduce opioid utilization have been developed. Regional anesthesia and multimodal strategies are central tenets of enhanced recovery pathways and facilitate reduced perioperative opioid use. Opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) protocols eliminate all intraoperative opioids, reserving opioids for postoperative rescue treatment. Systematic reviews show variable results for OFA. In a series of Quality Improvement (QI) projects, multidisciplinary teams developed interventions to test and spread OFA first in our ambulatory surgery center (ASC) and then in our hospital. Outcome measures were tracked using statistical process control charts to increase the adoption of OFA. Between January 1, 2016, and September 30, 2022, 19 872 of 28 574 ASC patients received OFA, increasing from 30% to 98%. Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) maximum pain score, opioid-rescue rate, and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) treatment all decreased concomitantly. The use of OFA now represents our ambulatory standard practice. Over the same timeframe, the spread of this practice to our hospital led to 21 388 of 64 859 patients undergoing select procedures with OFA, increasing from 15% to 60%. Opioid rescue rate and PONV treatment in PACU decreased while hospital maximum pain scores and length of stay were stable. Two procedural examples with OFA benefits were identified. The use of OFA allowed relaxation of adenotonsillectomy admission criteria, resulting in 52 hospital patient days saved. Transition to OFA for laparoscopic appendectomy occurred concomitantly with a decrease in the mean hospital length of stay from 2.9 to 1.4 days, representing a savings of >500 hospital patient days/year. These QI projects demonstrated that most pediatric ambulatory and select inpatient surgeries are amenable to OFA techniques which may reduce PONV without worsening pain.

Clinical, biochemical and pulmonary CT imaging features for hepatobiliary involvement in COVID-19.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is a viral disease with primary pulmonary involvement and systemic impact. This article aims to assess the importance of clinical, biological, demographic and radioimaging parameters in COVID-19 patients in characterizing the incidence and severity of the hepatobiliary involvement. We performed an observational cohort study on 132 consecutive patients, evaluating their demographics, hospitalization period, peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) in the ambient air, as well as biochemical markers of hepatobiliary involvement: aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin (TB), direct bilirubin (DB), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), serum albumin, total serum proteins, D-dimers; coagulation tests such as prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and international normalized ratio (INR); inflammatory markers: fibrinogen, serum ferritin, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis alpha (TNF-α). Hepatobiliary involvement was further stratified by type of affection pattern: hepatocytolysis, cholestasis or mixed type. All patients received a computerized tomography (CT) chest scan in the first or second day of hospital admission. We observed lower SaO2 and longer hospitalization days in patients with hepatobiliary involvement, as well as longer coagulation times (PT and INR), lower serum albumin and higher serum ferritin (p<0.05). No significant correlations have been found between the degree or type of pattern of lung involvement as seen on CT scans performed and biochemical liver changes. Hepatobiliary involvement occurred in 72% of patients in the study group, associated with longer hospitalization period, prolonged coagulation parameters, lower serum albumin levels, raised serum ferritin and CRP levels. Cholestatic and mixed types of injury were associated with higher ferritin levels, while mixed type alone presented higher D-dimers levels compared with the cholestatic or hepatocytolysis groups. No significant correlation was found between lung involvement by CT evaluation and hepatobiliary involvement.

Eosinophil recovery in hospitalized COVID-19 patients is associated with lower rates of ICU admission and in-hospital mortality: An observational cohort analysis

BackgroundAdmission eosinopenia (<100 cells/μL) is associated with poor clinical outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. However, the effects of eosinophil recovery (defined as reaching ≥50 eosinophils/μL) during hospitalization on COVID-19 outcomes have been inconsistent. MethodsThe study included 1,831 patients admitted to UCLA hospitals between February 2020 and February 2021 with PCR-confirmed COVID-19. Using competing risk regression and modeling eosinophil recovery as a time-dependent covariate, we evaluated the longitudinal relationship between eosinophil recovery and in-hospital outcomes including ICU admission, need for mechanical ventilation, and in-hospital mortality. All analyses were adjusted for covariates including age, BMI, tobacco smoke exposure, comorbidities known to be risk factors for COVID-19 mortality, and treatments including dexamethasone and remdesivir. ResultsEosinophil recovery was evaluated in patients with <50 eosinophils/μL on admission (n = 1282). These patients cumulatively amassed 11,633 hospital patient-days; 3,985 of those days qualified as eosinophil recovery events, which were represented by 781 patients achieving at least one instance of eosinophil recovery during hospitalization. Despite no significant difference in the rate of mechanical ventilation, eosinophil recoverers had significantly lower rates of in-hospital mortality (aHR: 0.44 [0.29, 0.65], P = 0.001) and ICU admission (aHR: 0.25 [0.11, 0.61], P = 0.002). ConclusionTrending eosinophil counts during hospitalization is simple and can be performed in resource-limited healthcare settings to track the inflammatory status of a patient. Lack of eosinophil recovery events can identify those at risk for future progression to severe COVID.

Prevalence of myocardial injury in patients after acute ischaemic stroke according to standard criteria.

This study examined the prevalence of acute and chronic myocardial injury according to standard criteria in patients after acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) and its relation to stroke severity and short-term prognosis. Between August 2020 and August 2022, 217 consecutive patients with AIS were enrolled. Plasma levels of high-sensitive cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) were measured in blood samples obtained at the time of admission and 24 and 48 h later. The patients were divided into three groups according to the Fourth Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction: no injury, chronic injury, and acute injury. Twelve-lead ECGs were obtained at the time of admission, 24 and 48 h later, and on the day of hospital discharge. A standard echocardiographic examination was performed within the first 7 days of hospitalization in patients with suspected abnormalities of left ventricular function and regional wall motion. Demographic characteristics, clinical data, functional outcomes, and all-cause mortality were compared between the three groups. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at the time of admission and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 90 days following hospital discharge were used to assess stroke severity and outcome. Elevated hs-cTnI levels were measured in 59 patients (27.2%): 34 patients (15.7%) had acute myocardial injury and 25 patients (11.5%) had chronic myocardial injury within the acute phase after ischaemic stroke. An unfavourable outcome, evaluated based on the mRS at 90 days, was associated with both acute and chronic myocardial injury. Myocardial injury was also strongly associated with all-cause death, with the strongest association in patients with acute myocardial injury, at 30 days and at 90 days. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that all-cause mortality was significantly higher in patients with acute and chronic myocardial injury than in patients without myocardial injury (P < 0.001). Stroke severity, evaluated with the NIHSS, was also associated with acute and chronic myocardial injury. A comparison of the ECG findings between patients with and without myocardial injury showed a higher occurrence in the former of T-wave inversion, ST segment depression, and QTc prolongation. In echocardiographic analysis, a new abnormality in regional wall motion of the left ventricle was identified in six patients. Chronic and acute myocardial injury with hs-cTnI elevation after AIS are associated with stroke severity, unfavourable functional outcome, and short-term mortality.

Impact of Administering Intravenous Azithromycin within 7 Days of Hospitalization for Influenza Virus Pneumonia: A Propensity Score Analysis Using a Nationwide Administrative Database.

The potential antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effectiveness of azithromycin against severe influenza is yet unclear. We retrospectively investigated the effect of intravenous azithromycin administration within 7 days of hospitalization in patients with influenza virus pneumonia and respiratory failure. Using Japan's national administrative database, we enrolled and classified 5066 patients with influenza virus pneumonia into severe, moderate, and mild groups based on their respiratory status within 7 days of hospitalization. The primary endpoints were total, 30-day, and 90-day mortality rates. The secondary endpoints were the duration of intensive-care unit management, invasive mechanical ventilation, and hospital stay. The inverse probability of the treatment weighting method with estimated propensity scores was used to minimize data collection bias. Use of intravenous azithromycin was proportional to the severity of respiratory failure (mild: 1.0%, moderate: 3.1%, severe: 14.8%). In the severe group, the 30-day mortality rate was significantly lower with azithromycin (26.49% vs. 36.65%, p = 0.038). In the moderate group, the mean duration of invasive mechanical ventilation after day 8 was shorter with azithromycin; there were no significant differences in other endpoints between the severe and moderate groups. These results suggest that intravenous azithromycin has favorable effects in patients with influenza virus pneumonia using mechanical ventilation or oxygen.

Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Empagliflozin in Patients with Acute Heart Failure from the First Day of Hospitalization

Aim. Evaluation of the safety, clinical and hemodynamic effects of empagliflozin in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) from the first day of hospitalization in the absence of signs of hemodynamic instability.Material and methods. A prospective, comparative, randomized study included 46 patients admitted to the hospital in connection with ADHF in the absence of signs of hemodynamic instability. Inclusion in the study and randomization to receive empagliflozin was carried out in the first 24 hours from the moment of admission to the hospital. The main group (n=23) from the first day of hospitalization and the entire subsequent follow-up period took empagliflozin at a daily dose of 10 and 25 mg (for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus) in addition to basic therapy, the control group (n=23) received standard therapy without gliflozines. The observation period was 3 months and included 3 control points: 1st day of hospitalization, 7th-12th day, 3rd month of observation. Clinical, anamnestic and instrumental data were evaluated at all control points.Results. In the hospital period, by the 7th-12th day, only in the main group there was an improvement in all clinical indicators (p&lt;0.01), an increase in the rate of diuresis (p&gt;&lt;0.01), a decrease in the daily dose of the parenteral diuretic furosemide from 54 mg to 26 mg (p&gt;&lt;0.01). A decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) occurred in both groups (p&gt;&lt;0.01), but it was more pronounced in the comparison group [from 141 (110; 160) to 110 (90; 120) mm Hg) compared to the main group [from 140 (120; 160) to 120 (110; 130) mm Hg]. According to echocardiography data in the main group, there was a decrease in the indexed volume of the right atrium, the end-systolic volume of the left ventricle (LV ESV) and systolic pressure in the pulmonary artery, an increase in the LV ejection fraction (LV EF) (p&gt;&lt;0.05). In the comparison group, only an increase in LV ESV was noted (p=0.04). The index of the indexed volume of the left atrium did not show significant dynamics in the main group (p=0.79), but showed a significant decrease&gt;˂0.01), a decrease in the daily dose of the parenteral diuretic furosemide from 54 mg to 26 mg (p&lt;0.01). A decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) occurred in both groups (p&gt;˂0.01), but it was more pronounced in the comparison group [from 141 (110; 160) to 110 (90; 120) mm Hg) compared to the main group [from 140 (120; 160) to 120 (110; 130) mm Hg]. According to echocardiography data in the main group, there was a decrease in the indexed volume of the right atrium, the end-systolic volume of the left ventricle (LV ESV) and systolic pressure in the pulmonary artery, an increase in the LV ejection fraction (LV EF) (p˂0.05). In the comparison group, only an increase in LV ESV was noted (p=0.04). The index of the indexed volume of the left atrium did not show significant dynamics in the main group (p=0.79), but showed a significant decrease in the 2nd and 3rd control points compared to the control group (p=0.01 and p=0.02). Complications, against the background of taking empagliflozin, were not noted: there were no episodes of hypotension (SBP˂90 mm Hg), hypoglycemia, acute kidney injury.Conclusion. The results obtained indicate the safety of empagliflozin in patients with ADHF, regardless of the status of carbohydrate metabolism and LV EF, as well as taking into account the clinical (more intense positive dynamics of clinical symptoms of ADHF) and hemodynamic (smooth decrease in SBP, increased diuretic effect) effects of empagliflozin, this drug should be considered as an effective and safe supplement to the main therapy from the first day of hospitalization in patients with stable hemodynamic parameters.

Impact of hyperkalemia on hospitalization days in advanced chronic kidney disease patients with Type-2 diabetes mellitus: A prospective study.

This study aimed to explore the impact of hyperkalemia at admission on hospitalization days (HDs) among advanced chronic kidney disease patients (CKD) with type two diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in China. A total of 270 CKD patients with T2DM were prospectively selected from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021. These patients were divided into Group-A (n = 150, serum potassium ≤ 5.5 mmol/L) and B (n = 120, serum potassium > 5.5 mmol/L). The comparison method between the two groups was taken. Linear correlation analysis was performed using the Spearman correlation method, and multivariate analysis was tested using linear regression. The study found statistically significant result between the two groups (Group-A vs Group-B): HDs (7.4 (5.3-11.2) vs 12.1 (8.2-16.5), p < 0.001), renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASIs) (36.2% vs 55.8%, p = 0.014), systolic blood pressure (148.35 ± 19.51 vs 162.26 ± 21.31, p < 0.05), estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) (20.35) (18.31-25.26) vs13.4 (12.50-18.50), p < 0.001, N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) (2245.42 ± 61.09 vs 3163.39 ± 85.15,p < 0.001), and Hb (88.45 ± 12.35 vs 72.26 ± 14.2, p = 0.023). Correlation analysis showed that HDs were positively correlated with age, serum potassium, systolic blood pressure, and NT-proBNP, while negatively with eGFR and Hb. After adjusting for relevant confounding variables, the multivariable linear regression analysis showed that hyperkalemia was an independent risk factor for HDs. Hyperkalemia could be an independent risk factor increasing HDs of advanced CKD patients with T2DM.