Differences In Hospitalization Rates Research Articles

#1899 Transitional care clinic for incident hemodialysis patients : the Singapore experience

Abstract Background and Aims The period of transition from chronic kidney disease (CKD) to End stage kidney disease (ESKD) presents significant morbidity and mortality risk to the patients. This higher mortality risk is largely contributed by cardiovascular factors and infection. The last 2 decades have seen a remarkable succession of programs to improve outcome in incident dialysis patients. One such initiative is the use of ‘fistula first’ policy. In Singapore, pre-emptive access creation among ESKD patients continues to be low, with up to 80% of incident dialysis patients being commenced on hemodialysis (HD) via a dialysis catheter. Ensuring that incident dialysis patients have definitive vascular access, early referral to transplantation and adequate psychosocial support, amongst other factors, is an important consideration in their journey towards improved health outcomes. In order to achieve this, meticulous care coordination and a multifaceted approach is required. This realization is what led to the inception of our transition care clinic (TCC) in 2019. Conducted bi-monthly by a multidisciplinary team of nephrologists and renal coordinators, with inputs from pharmacists and medical social workers as needed, the TCC engages patients within 4-6 weeks post-hospital discharge. Its focus includes vascular access, dietary and fluid compliance, blood pressure control, HD adherence, transplantation referral, and medication reconciliation. Method A retrospective analysis of 314 ESKD patients who initiated HD between September 2019 and September 2022 compared outcomes between TCC attendees (n=164) and non-attendees Results TCC attendees exhibited a lower 1- year mortality rate (p=0.002) and higher rates for vascular access creation within first 6 months (p=0.001) as compared to non-attendees. However, no statistical differences were observed in hospitalization rates in the first year (p=0.760) and kidney transplantation referrals (p=0.20) between the two groups. Conclusion While notable improvements were observed in mortality rates and vascular access creation, there was no significant difference in hospitalization rates or kidney transplantation referrals between the two groups. In spite of the limitations due to its retrospective nature, this study clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of TCC in enhancing patient outcomes during the critical initial phase of hemodialysis. The study highlights the importance of setting up, refinement and expansion of such services in improving the outcome of this vulnerable patient group.

The effect of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors on outcomes after cardiac resynchronization therapy.

The trials upon which recommendations for the use of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in heart failure used optimal medical therapy (OMT) before sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i). Moreover, the SGLT2i heart failure trials included only a small proportion of participants with CRT, and therefore, it remains uncertain whether SGLT2i should be considered part of OMT prior to CRT. We compared electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiographic responses to CRT as well as hospitalization and mortality rates in consecutive patients undergoing implantation at a large tertiary centre between January 2019 to June 2022 with and without SGLT2i treatment. Three hundred seventy-four participants were included aged 74.0±11.5years (mean±standard deviation), with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 31.8±9.9% and QRS duration of 161±29ms. The majority had non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (58%) and were in NYHA Class II/III (83.6%). These characteristics were similar between patients with (n=66) and without (n=308) prior SGLT2i treatment. Both groups demonstrated similar evidence of response to CRT in terms of QRS duration shortening, and improvements in LVEF, left ventricular end-diastolic inner-dimension (LVIDd) and diastolic function (E/A and e/e'). While there was no difference in rates of hospitalization (for heart failure or overall), mortality was significantly lower in patients treated with SGLT2i compared with those who were not (6.5 vs. 16.6%, P=0.049). We observed an improvement in mortality in patients undergoing CRT prescribed SGLT2i compared with those not prescribed SGLT2i, despite similar degrees of reverse remodelling. The authors recommend starting SGLT2i prior to CRT implantation, where it does not delay implantation.

Effects of colchicine on the prevention of AF recurrence after atrial ablation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Catheter ablation has become a widely accepted treatment for atrial fibrillation, but early recurrences remain a challenge, often attributed to inflammatory responses triggered during the procedure. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of colchicine in preventing short-term AF recurrence post-ablation. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies comparing use of colchicine and placebo in patients after AF ablation. Outcomes included AF recurrence, GI side effects, and hospitalization. R program (version 4.3.2) was used for statistical analysis. Heterogeneity was assessed with I2 statistics. Five studies, including 1592 patients, were analyzed. Pooled results revealed no statistically significant decrease in AF recurrence (OR 0.74; 95% CI 0.48-1.12; p = 0.153) and pericarditis rates (OR 0.67; 95% CI 0.26-1.72; p = 0.403) with colchicine use. No significant difference in hospitalization rates was observed between colchicine and placebo groups (OR 1.00; 95% CI 0.63-1.59; p = 0.996). In addition, gastrointestinal side effects were notably higher in the colchicine group (OR 4.84; 95% CI 2.58-9.05; p < 0.001). Prophylactic use of colchicine after atrial ablation was not associated with a reduction in AF recurrence and pericarditis rates. In addition, there was no difference in the rate of all-cause hospitalization between the groups, and colchicine use was associated with gastrointestinal adverse events.

Effect of long-acting antipsychotic treatment on psychiatric hospitalization rate in early psychosis patients: a naturalistic study.

The effectiveness of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics in preventing relapses of first-episode psychosis is currently debated. The study aimed to investigate the number of psychiatric hospitalizations comparing the LAI cohort versus the oral cohort during different phases of the illness, pre-LAI treatment, during LAI treatment, and after LAI treatment. A naturalistic study was conducted on two independent cohorts of early psychosis patients receiving treatment from a specific early intervention service. The first cohort comprised 228 patients who received LAIs, while the second cohort comprised 667 patients who had never received LAIs. This study was designed as a longitudinal observational study conducted within a naturalistic clinical setting in two cohorts of early psychosis patients. Repeated series ANCOVA (ANCOVA-r) was used to study the number of hospitalizations in the different study periods (T1 = from the date of the first psychiatric record to the beginning of the mirror period; T2 = the mirror period; T3 = from the LAI implementation to the LAI discontinuation; and T4 = from the LAI discontinuation to the end). In all cases, discontinuation of LAI involved the return to oral treatment. In all, 35 patients had not T4 as they were still on LAI treatment at the time of database closing (September 2020), and their data were not included in the analysis of the effect of the LAI discontinuation. The patients in the LAI cohort were younger, more frequently males, presented more schizophrenia diagnoses, and had a higher number of hospitalizations (2.50 ± 2.61 versus 1.19 ± 1.69; p < 0.001) than the oral cohort. The number of hospitalizations at the end of the follow-up was higher in the LAI cohort [0.20 (standard deviation (SD)) = 0.79] versus 0.45 [SD = 0.45 (SD = 1.13); F(23.90), p < 0.001]. However, after the introduction of LAIs, the differences in hospitalization rates between the two cohorts became less pronounced. Once LAI treatment was ceased, the hospitalization rate increased again. In our study, early psychosis patients receiving LAIs experienced a greater decrease in hospitalizations after introducing the LAI treatment than those treated solely with oral medication. These findings support using LAIs as a viable strategy for preventing rehospitalization and improving the overall course of treatment for individuals with early psychosis.

465. Use of Monoclonal Antibodies for COVID-19 in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Single-Center Experience

Abstract Background The use of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment in solid organ transplant (SOT) patients have been shown to reduce the rates of hospitalization, Emergency Department (ED) visits, and mortality in previous studies. However, most of these studies provide little or no data in minority patients, specifically Hispanic patients, a group that has been associated with worse outcomes with COVID-19. Our study describes the use of COVID-19 mAbs in the SOT recipients at our institution, where a majority of patients are of Hispanic ethnicity. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of all adult SOT patients who received COVID-19 mAbs from December 2020 to December 2022. Results We identified 54 patients who were SOT recipients. The mean age was 46.3 (IQR 33-59), and 30 (55.6%) were male. Of the 54 patients, 34 (63.0%) identified as Hispanic, 17 (31.5%) as White, 2 (3.7%) as Asian, and 1 (1.9%) as Black. There were 23 (42.6%) heart, 22 kidney (40.7%), 6 liver (11.1%), 2 (3.7%) combined kidney and liver, and 1 (1.9%) combined kidney and pancreas recipients. There were four mAbs available during the study period. Of the 54 SOT recipients, 16 (29.6%) received casirivimab/imdevimab, 5 (9.3%) received bamlanivimab, 19 (35.2%) received bebtelovimab, and 14 (25.9%) received sotrovimab. Average time from symptom onset to receipt of infusion was 4 (IQR 1-5) days. The 30-day hospitalization rate due to COVID-19 from time of diagnosis in our cohort was 5.6%. There were 3 (5.6%) patients who visited the ED due to COVID-19 within 30 days of diagnosis and there were no deaths due to COVID-19 within 30 days of diagnosis. When comparing between the Hispanic and non-Hispanic groups in our cohort, the 30-day hospitalization rate due to COVID-19 from time of diagnosis was not statistically significant (5.6% vs 0, p=0.29). There was one patient who had an infusion reaction and 3 patients who developed allograft rejection within 90 days of mAb infusion. Conclusion In our small cohort of SOT recipients, the majority of which are Hispanic, use of COVID-19 mAbs had low rate of poor outcomes and adverse events. There was no statistically significant difference in hospitalization rate following mAb infusions between the Hispanic and non-Hispanic SOT recipients in our group. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Ambulatory Intensive Care for Medically Complex Patients at a Health Care Clinic for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness

Intensive primary care interventions have been promoted to reduce hospitalization rates and improve health outcomes for medically complex patients, but evidence of their efficacy is limited. To assess the efficacy of a multidisciplinary ambulatory intensive care unit (A-ICU) intervention on health care utilization and patient-reported outcomes. The Streamlined Unified Meaningfully Managed Interdisciplinary Team (SUMMIT) randomized clinical trial used a wait-list control design and was conducted at a health care clinic for patients experiencing homelessness in Portland, Oregon. The first patient was enrolled in August 2016, and the last patient was enrolled in November 2019. Included patients had 1 or more hospitalizations in the prior 6 months and 2 or more chronic medical conditions, substance use disorder, or mental illness. Data analysis was performed between March and May 2021. The A-ICU included a team manager, a pharmacist, a nurse, care coordinators, social workers, and physicians. Activities included comprehensive 90-minute intake, transitional care coordination, and flexible appointments, with reduced panel size. Enhanced usual care (EUC), consisting of team-based primary care with access to community health workers and mental health, addiction treatment, and pharmacy services, served as the comparator. Participants who received EUC joined the A-ICU intervention after 6 months. The main outcome was the difference in rates of hospitalization (primary outcome), emergency department (ED) visits, and primary care physician (PCP) visits per person over 6 months (vs the prior 6 months). Patient-reported outcomes included changes in patient activation, experience, health-related quality of life, and self-rated health at 6 months (vs baseline). We performed an intention-to-treat analysis using a linear mixed-effects model with a random intercept for each patient to examine the association between study group and outcomes. This study randomized 159 participants (mean [SD] age, 54.9 [9.8] years) to the A-ICU SUMMIT intervention (n = 80) or to EUC (n = 79). The majority of participants were men (102 [65.8%]) and most were White (121 [76.1%]). A total of 64 participants (41.0%) reported having unstable housing at baseline. Six-month hospitalizations decreased in both the A-ICU and EUC groups, with no difference between them (mean [SE], -0.6 [0.5] vs -0.9 [0.5]; difference, 0.3 [95% CI, -1.0 to 1.5]). Emergency department use did not differ between groups (mean [SE], -2.0 [1.0] vs 0.9 [1.0] visits per person; difference, -1.1 [95% CI, -3.7 to 1.6]). Primary care physician visits increased in the A-ICU group (mean [SE], 4.2 [1.6] vs -2.0 [1.6] per person; difference, 6.1 [95% CI, 1.8 to 10.4]). Patients in the A-ICU group reported improved social functioning (mean [SE], 4.7 [2.0] vs -1.1 [2.0]; difference, 5.8 [95% CI, 0.3 to 11.2]) and self-rated health (mean [SE], 0.7 [0.3] vs -0.2 [0.3]; difference, 1.0 [95% CI, 0.1 to 1.8]) compared with patients in the EUC group. No differences in patient activation or experience were observed. The A-ICU intervention did not change hospital or ED utilization at 6 months but increased PCP visits and improved patient well-being. Longer-term studies are needed to evaluate whether these observed improvements lead to eventual changes in acute care utilization. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03224858.

Comparison between available early antiviral treatments in outpatients with SARS-CoV-2 infection: a real-life study

PurposeTo investigate the clinical impact of three available antivirals for early COVID-19 treatment in a large real-life cohort.MethodsBetween January and October 2022 all outpatients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 referring to IRCCS S. Orsola hospital treated with an early antiviral therapy were enrolled. A comparison between patients treated with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (NTV/r), molnupiravir (MPV) and remdesivir (RDV) was conducted in term of indications and outcome. To account for differences between treatment groups a propensity score analysis was performed. After estimating the weights, we fitted a survey-weighted Cox regression model with inverse-probability weighting with hospital admission/death versus clinical recovery as the primary outcome.ResultsOverall 1342 patients were enrolled, 775 (57.8%), 360 (26.8%) and 207 (15.4%) in MPV, NTV/r and RDV group, respectively. Median age was 73 (59–82) years, male sex was 53.4%. Primary indication was immunosuppression (438, 32.6%), the median time from symptom onset to drug administration was 3 [2–4] days. Overall, clinical recovery was reached in 96.9% of patients, with hospital admission rate of 2.6%. No significant differences were found in clinical recovery nor hospitalization. Cox regression showed a decreased probability of hospital admission/ death among prior vaccinated patients compared with unvaccinated (HR 0.31 [95%CI 0.14–0.70], p = 0.005]). No difference in hospitalization rates in early treatment compared to late treatment were found.ConclusionsNo differences among MPV, NTV/r and RDV in terms of clinical recovery or hospitalization were found. Patients not vaccinated had a significant increased risk of hospitalization.

1138-P: INNOVATIONS—Improving Care of Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus through Utilization of Telemedicine and Outreach—Twelve-Month Outcomes

Despite advances in diabetes treatment options, many youth fail to meet glucose targets and remain at risk of developing complications. Additional diabetes support in the form of telehealth may help youth meet diabetes related goals. Eligible youth had insulin dependent diabetes, Medicaid insurance, were ages 8-18, and willing to use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). The quality improvement project provided weekly check-ins with a diabetes educator and monthly video visits with a nurse practitioner. Participants also received visit reminder calls. We measured A1c at quarterly clinic visits and tracked ED/hospitalization rates. 12-month data presented. Youth (N=26, 65% female, 88% NHB), aged 8-18 yr, diabetes duration 6.3±4.3 years, 23% were on insulin pumps. There was a significant difference between baseline A1c (mean 12.3%) at 6 months (mean A1c 11.2%) (p=0.02) and at 9 months (mean A1c 11.2%) (p=0.02). There was no significant difference in hospitalization rates during the 12-month intervention. There was no difference in visit adherence at 3, 6, 9, or 12 months during the intervention compared to those times prior. Participants were wearing CGM significantly more 3 months into the intervention compared to 3 months prior (p=0.008). Although not statistically significant, more participants were using CGM consistently at 6, 9 and 12-month time points compared to prior. 27% of participants started insulin pumps during the intervention. An intensive telehealth intervention provided interim improvement in glycemic control. Although not statistically significant, more participants used CGM consistently during the intervention, which could have clinical significance over time. Efforts to improve the durability of technology use and glycemic control warrant exploration. Disclosure L.E.Rasbach: None. V.C.Purrington: None. D.Adkins: None. R.Benjamin: None. Funding Innovation Health Grant (2933476)

Decreased inpatient psychiatric admissions with telepsychiatry use during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study examines the quality of care provided through telepsychiatry by comparing psychiatric hospitalization rates among patients receiving in-person psychiatric care prior to the COVID-19 pandemic with rates among patients receiving virtual psychiatric care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health-related hospitalization rates among patients enrolled in a large academic hospital's outpatient psychiatry programs between March 1, 2018 and February 28, 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Four time periods were created, spanning March 1 to February 28 of the following year. Demographic and clinical data were collected from the electronic health record, and descriptive statistics were calculated. Change in hospitalization rate between time periods was evaluated using McNemar's test. In the 2018 time period, 7.38% of all enrolled patients were hospitalized, compared to 7.70% hospitalized in the 2019 period, 5.74% in the 2020 period, and 5.38% in the 2021 period. Patients enrolled in both the 2018 and the 2019 periods saw no difference in hospitalization rate between the 2 years (2.93% in 2018, 2.83% in 2019; p = 0.830); patients enrolled in both 2019 and 2020 saw significantly lower hospitalization rates in 2020 (5.47% in 2019, 4.58% in 2020; p = 0.022); and patients enrolled in both 2020 and 2021 saw no difference (3.34% in 2020, 3.23% in 2021; p = 0.777). Psychiatric hospitalization rates significantly decreased between the 2019 and the 2020 periods, suggesting a decrease in admissions associated with adoption of telepsychiatry. Future research should differentiate the roles played by telepsychiatry and COVID-19-related factors in reducing hospitalization rates during the pandemic.

Neurologic manifestations in hospitalized patients with COVID‐19

AbstractBackgroundTo investigate the effect of pre‐existing neurological symptoms and disease in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) health outcomes in a large Illinois‐based cohort.MethodA multicenter retrospective study analyzed differences in a cohort of COVID‐19 positive patients with and without baseline neurological symptoms or disease admitted to RUSH University Systems for Health from March to November 2020. We measured sex and health outcome differences in hospitalization rates, symptoms during initial admission, complications, readmissions, and mortality of the two groups.ResultOf the total of 1708 hospitalized COVID‐19 positive patients (mean age: 58.04, 930 males) — 31% [527] patients had a history of neurological symptoms and/or disease, 9% [140] with dementia. Nonspecific symptoms during hospitalization including myalgia (19%), headache (11%), epilepsy (0.8%), tremors (3%), and abdominal pain (11%) were reported more frequently in patients with a neurologic history. Female patients with pre‐existing neurological conditions were hospitalized more than their male counterparts (40% versus 24%). Compared to those with no neurological conditions, patients with neurological conditions had higher rates of complications, such as acute myocardial infarction (13% vs. 8%; p = 0.002) and deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism (14% vs. 10%; p = 0.02). Multivariate analysis showed that history of stroke and migraines are independently associated with readmission to a hospital floor (generalized linear model, z = 2.092, z = 3.320, p = 0.036, p &lt; 0.001, respectively); of those readmitted, 13% had a history of dementia. Of the patients that died in hospital, 6% had a history of dementia.ConclusionNeurologic manifestations are common in hospitalized COVID‐19 positive patients and are associated with higher rates of complications during hospitalization. The increasing evidence for SARS CoV‐2’s impact on the central nervous system raises important questions on the long‐term consequences of this virus to patients with pre‐existing brain injury.

Real world effectiveness of tixagevimab/cilgavimab (Evusheld) in the Omicron era.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19 with tixagevimab/cilgavimab (T/C) received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) based on results of a clinical trial conducted prior to the emergence of the Omicron variant. The clinical effectiveness of T/C has not been well described in the Omicron era. We examined the incidence of symptomatic illness and hospitalizations among T/C recipients when Omicron accounted for virtually all local cases. Through retrospective electronic medical record chart review, we identified patients who received T/C between January 1 -July 31, 2022 within our quaternary referral health system. We determined the incidence of symptomatic COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations due to or presumed to be caused by early Omicron variants before and after receiving T/C (pre-T/C and post-T/C). Chi square and Mann-Whitney Wilcoxon two-sample tests were used to examine differences between the characteristics of those who got COVID-19 before or after T/C prophylaxis, and rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to assess differences in hospitalization rates for the two groups. Of 1295 T/C recipients, 105 (8.1%) developed symptomatic COVID-19 infection before receiving T/C, and 102 (7.9%) developed symptomatic disease after receiving it. Of the 105 patients who developed symptomatic infection pre-T/C, 26 (24.8%) were hospitalized, compared with six of the 102 patients (5.9%) who were diagnosed with COVID-19 post-T/C (RR = 0.24; 95% CI = 0.10-0.55; p = 0.0002). Seven of the 105 (6.7%) patients infected pre-T/C, but none of the 102 infected post-T/C required ICU care. No COVID-related deaths occurred in either group. The majority of COVID-19 cases among those infected pre-T/C treatment occurred during the Omicron BA.1 surge, while the majority of post-T/C cases occurred when Omicron BA.5 was predominant. In both groups, having at least one dose of vaccine strongly protected against hospitalization (pre-T/C group RR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.17-0.57, p = 0.02; post-T/C group RR = 0.15; 95% CI = 0.03-0.94; p = 0.04). We identified COVID-19 infections after T/C prophylaxis. Among patients who received T/C at our institution, COVID-19 Omicron cases occurring after T/C were one-fourth as likely to require hospitalization compared to those with Omicron prior to T/C. However, due to the presence of changing vaccine coverage, multiple therapies, and changing variants, the effectiveness of T/C in the Omicron era remains difficult to assess.

Psychiatric Admission Among Migrants Before and During Pandemic: a Retrospective Study in Acute Psychiatric Ward in Bologna, Italy.

Previous evidence showed significant discrepancies in psychiatric services utilization between migrants and reference populations. Our study aims were to evaluate incidence and characteristics of psychiatric hospitalizations of migrant patients compared with reference populations and to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic affected admissions. All patients admitted to the psychiatric ward "SPDC-Malpighi" of the Bologna Mental Health Department from 01/01/2018 to 31/12/2020 were included. Differences in sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were tested by migrant status. Incidence rate ratios of hospital admissions by migrant status were estimated via Poisson regression considering population-at-risk, gender, and age-group. Migrants had higher hospitalization rates due to any psychiatric disorder (IRR = 1.16). The risk was especially pronounced among women (IRR = 1.25) and within the youngest age-group (IRR = 3.24). Young migrants had also a greater risk of compulsory admission (IRR = 3.77). Regarding admissions due to a specific diagnosis, we found relevant differences in hospitalization rates for psychosis, mood disorders, and personality disorders. Finally, migrants were more likely to be admitted via Emergency Department and less likely to be referred from a specialist. During the year of pandemic (2020) we observed an increase in the proportion of migrants admitted voluntarily or compulsorily. Migrants, especially those from the youngest age-group, had higher hospitalization rates for any disorder. Younger migrants were also at higher risk of compulsory treatment. The distribution of psychiatric admissions during the pandemic period seemed to have further increased discrepancies in mental healthcare needs and provision between migrants and the reference population. Tailored interventions and policies are urgently needed to address this issue.

Severe COVID-19 and breakthrough infections in vaccinated schizophrenia patients: A matched controlled cohort study

IntroductionSchizophrenia patients are at an increased risk for severe SARS-CoV-2 illness. Recent studies indicate that vaccines reduce morbidity gaps between schizophrenia patients and the general population; nonetheless, the ongoing emergence of COVID-19 variants and the increased frequency of breakthrough infections might lead to changes in these risk profiles.ObjectivesIn this study we aimed to bridge this gap by assessing the risk of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality among vaccinated individuals with schizophrenia, as compared to vaccinated individuals with no schizophrenia, matched for age, sex, and vaccination coverage (first, second, and booster) throughout the first year of the vaccination plan.MethodsThe study included 50,958 vaccinated individuals: 25,479 individuals with schizophrenia and 25,479 without schizophrenia. Data were derived from the databases of Clalit Health Services, the largest healthcare organization in Israel.ResultsFindings indicated that differences among vaccinated schizophrenia patients and controls were non-significant after adjusting for infection (HR = 0.93, 95%CI 0.84-1.03, p = 0.14) and mortality rates (HR = 2.18, 95%CI 0.80-5.90, p = 0.12). Nonetheless, differences in rates of hospitalization remained significant even after controlling for demographic and clinical factors (HR = 2.68, 95%CI 1.75-4.08, p&lt;0.001). A longitudinal assessment of relative risk indicated that the rate ratio of differences between the groups increased during the fourth infection wave of the B.1.617.2 (delta) variant across all parameters, with schizophrenia patients demonstrating higher relative risk of hospitalization (RR = 4.19, 95%CI 2.41-7.23) and mortality (RR = 7.61, 95%CI 0.93-61.89) during the relevant periods.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that vaccination coverage is effective in narrowing overall morbidity and mortality gaps; nonetheless, individuals with schizophrenia are still at risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Health outcomes and healthcare resource utilization among Veterans with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer treated with second-line chemotherapy versus immunotherapy.

Until recently, multi-agent chemotherapy (CT) was the standard of care for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Clinical trials have confirmed benefits in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival with immunotherapy (IO) compared to CT. This study compares real-world treatment patterns and outcomes between CT and IO administrations in second-line (2L) settings for patients with stage IV NSCLC. This retrospective study included patients in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system diagnosed with stage IV NSCLC during 2012-2017 and receiving IO or CT in the 2L. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), and adverse events (AEs) were compared between treatment groups. Logistic regression was used to examine differences in baseline characteristics between groups, and inverse probability weighting multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression was used to analyze OS. Among 4,609 Veterans who received first-line (1L) therapy for stage IV NSCLC, 96% received 1L CT alone. A total of 1,630 (35%) were administered 2L systemic therapy, with 695 (43%) receiving IO and 935 (57%) receiving CT. Median age was 67 years (IO group) and 65 years (CT group); most patients were male (97%) and white (76-77%). Patients administered 2L IO had a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index than those administered CT (p = 0.0002). 2L IO was associated with significantly longer OS compared with CT (hazard ratio 0.84, 95% CI 0.75-0.94). IO was more frequently prescribed during the study period (p < 0.0001). No difference in rate of hospitalizations was observed between the two groups. Overall, the proportion of advanced NSCLC patients receiving 2L systemic therapy is low. Among patients treated with 1L CT and without IO contraindications, 2L IO should be considered, as this supports potential benefit of IO for advanced NSCLC. The increasing availability and indications for IO will likely increase the administration of 2L therapy to NSCLC patients.

COVID-19 Vaccination and Hospitalization Among Persons Living With Diagnosed HIV in New York State.

Persons living with diagnosed HIV (PLWDH) have higher COVID-19 diagnoses rates and poorer COVID-19-related outcomes than persons living without diagnosed HIV. The intersection of COVID-19 vaccination status and likelihood of severe COVID-19 outcomes has not been fully investigated for PLWDH. New York State (NYS). We matched HIV surveillance, immunization, and hospitalization databases to compare COVID-19 vaccination and COVID-19-related hospitalizations among PLWDH during B.1.617.2 (Delta) and B.1.1.529 (Omicron) predominance. Through March 4, 2022, 69,137 of the 101,205 (68%) PLWDH were fully vaccinated or boosted for COVID-19. PLWDH who were virally suppressed or in care were more often to be fully vaccinated or boosted compared with PLWDH who were not virally suppressed (77% vs. 44%) or without evidence of care (74% vs. 33%). Overall hospitalization rates were lower among virally suppressed PLWDH. During Delta predominance, PLWDH with any vaccination history who were in care had lower hospitalization rates compared with those not in care; during Omicron predominance, this was the case only for boosted PLWDH. Approximately 28% (28,255) of PLWDH in NYS remained unvaccinated for COVID-19, a rate roughly double of that observed in the overall adult NYS population. PLWDH of color were more often than non-Hispanic White persons to be unvaccinated, as were the virally unsuppressed and those without evidence of HIV-related care, threatening to expand existing disparities in COVID-19-related outcomes. Vaccination was protective against COVID-19-related hospitalizations for PLWDH; however, differences in hospitalization rates between fully vaccinated and unvaccinated PLWDH were smaller than those among all New Yorkers.

Disparities by Race and Ethnicity in Inpatient Hospitalizations Among Autistic Adults.

This study examined hospitalizations in a large, all-payer, nationally representative sample of inpatient hospitalizations in the US and identified differences in rates of hospitalization for conditions by race and ethnicity in autistic adults. Conditions examined included mood disorders, epilepsy, schizophrenia, and ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs). Compared to white, non-Hispanic autistic adults, Black, Hispanic, Asian or Pacific Islander (API), and autistic adults of another race had lower prevalence of admission for a principal diagnosis of a mood disorder. Conversely, Black, Hispanic, API, and autistic adults of another race had higher odds of admission for epilepsy than white autistic adults. Black and Hispanic autistic adults were more likely to have schizophrenia as a principal diagnosis compared to white autistic adults, but only Black autistic adults had increased odds for admission for an ACSCs compared to white autistic adults. Differences in diagnosis prevalence among hospitalized autistic adults may suggest differential access to comprehensive outpatient care that could prevent such hospitalizations, while also pointing to concerns of differential validity of diagnostic tools and treatment approaches. Insurance policy and programs should prioritize optimizing outpatient care to ensure access to care and emphasize the need for equitable treatment.

Effect of national holidays on health outcomes of patients receiving peritoneal dialysis in a single center over a ten-year period

Background National holidays are associated with high mortality in some diseases, but little is known about patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). The research aimed to investigate the impact of national holidays on the health outcomes of PD patients. Methods Over ten years, all episodes of unplanned hospitalization, death, and peritonitis in PD patients were collected in our center. Seven national holidays in China were chosen, and non-holiday days were selected as the control period. The effect of national holidays was observed by comparing the hospitalization, death, and peritonitis rates between holiday and non-holiday groups. Results There were 297 events in all holiday periods and 1247 in non-holiday periods. There is no significant difference in hospitalization rate between holiday and non-holiday groups (32.4% ± 6.4% vs. 29.2% ± 3.4%, p = 0.175). So is the death rate [6.3% (4.8–12.3%) vs.5.0% (4.2–8.9%), p = 0.324] and peritonitis rate [0.19 (0.13–0.53) vs. 0.22 (0.18–0.27), p = 0.445] between the two groups. Significant differences were observed in the distribution of peritonitis causes between the two groups (p = 0.017). The rate of secondary to other infections in the holiday group was significantly higher than in the non-holiday group (25.0 vs. 10.3%, p = 0.015). Conclusion Our study suggested no national holiday effect on health outcomes of PD patients based on ten-year data in our center.

Hydroxychloroquine for treatment of non-hospitalized adults with COVID-19: A meta-analysis of individual participant data of randomized trials.

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was initially promoted as an oral therapy for early treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Conventional meta-analyses cannot fully address the heterogeneity of different designs and outcomes of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy of HCQ in outpatients with mild COVID-19. We conducted a pooled analysis of individual participant data from RCTs that evaluated the effect of HCQ on hospitalization and viral load reduction in outpatients with confirmed COVID-19. We evaluated the overall treatment group effect by log-likelihood ratio test (-2LL) from a generalized linear mixed model to accommodate correlated longitudinal binary data. The analysis included data from 11 RCTs. The outcome of virological effect, assessed in 1560 participants (N=795 HCQ, N=765 control), did not differ significantly between the two treatment groups (-2LL=7.66; p=0.18) when adjusting for cohort, duration of symptoms, and comorbidities. The decline in polymerase chain reaction positive tests from day 1 to 7 was 42.0 and 41.6 percentage points in the HCQ and control groups, respectively. Among the 2037 participants evaluable for hospitalization (N=1058 HCQ, N=979 control), we found no significant differences in hospitalization rate between participants receiving HCQ and controls (odds ratio 0.995; 95% confidence interval 0.614-1.610; -2LL=0.0; p=0.98) when adjusting for cohort, duration of symptoms, and comorbidities. This individual participant data meta-analysis of 11 HCQ trials that evaluated severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 viral clearance and COVID-19 hospitalization did not show a clinical benefit of HCQ. Our meta-analysis provides evidence to support the interruption in the use of HCQ in mild COVID-19 outpatients to reduce progression to severe disease.

A Retrospective Cohort Study Evaluating the Association Between Implementation of a Digital Care Plan and Hospitalization Rates for Home Care Residents in the United Kingdom

Cera, a homecare provider, uses digital care plans (DCP), to streamline the provision of home care. DCP rollout is part of a larger digitization initiative, including carer visit reports collected through a mobile app and branch actions recorded in a web application supported by a secure central database. This retrospective cohort study aimed to assess the association of a DCP rollout with service user hospitalization rates. his study utilized retrospective data from 2 groups of service users, those for whom their first 30 days of Cera membership occurred prior to DCP rollout (pre-DCP group) versus those whose first 30 days of Cera membership occurred after DCP rollout (post-DCP group). The 30-day hospitalization rate was the primary outcome measure and was determined through a combination of carer reports, reporting from service users or their families, and branch staff follow-up. There were 55 hospitalizations among 392 users in the pre-DCP group in the 30 days after joining Cera (14.0% hospitalization rate), compared to 23 hospitalizations among 297 users in the post-DCP group (7.7% hospitalization rate). This represented a significant reduction in hospitalizations in the post-DCP group (6.3% absolute difference in hospitalization rate; 45% relative reduction; P &lt; .001). This result was robust to multiple sensitivity analyses. The implementation of a DCP was associated with a 45% relative reduction in the 30-day hospitalization rate for new service users when compared to pre-DCP enrollment. These benefits could be further amplified by combining the DCP with additional initiatives aimed at the prediction and prevention of avoidable hospitalizations.

Prophylactic feeding tube placement for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

BackgroundPercutaneous endoscopic gastronomy (PEG) tubes are commonly used to administer enteral nutrition during head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment. However, the benefits of placing a prophylactic feeding tube (PFT; prior to radiotherapy [RT]) or reactive feeding tube (RFT, after RT initiation) are unclear. We sought to compare survival, body mass trends, and hospitalization rates between strategies. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of 11,473 Veterans with stages III–IVC HNC treated with chemoradiotherapy. Patients with PEG tube placement within 30 days prior to treatment initiation (PFT) were compared to all other patients (non-PFT) or patients with PEG tube placement within 3 months after treatment initiation placement (RFT). We compared survival, longitudinal body mass changes, and hospitalization rates for PFT versus non-PFT or RFT patients in propensity score (PS)-matched Cox regression models. Results3,186 (28 %) patients received PFT and 8,287 (72 %) were non-PFT, of which 1,874 (23 %) received RFT. After PS-matching, there were no significant differences in overall survival (HR 0.97, 95 % CI 0.92–1.02), HNC-specific survival (HR 0.98, 95 % CI 0.92–1.09), change in BMI (p = 0.24), or hospitalization rates between PFT and non-PFT groups. Significant differences in hospitalization rates between PFT and RFT groups persisted after PS-matching (-0.11 hospitalizations/month), but no differences were found for other outcomes. ConclusionTiming of PEG tube placement in Veterans with HNC was not associated with any significant survival or body mass advantage. However, patients who received PFT had a lower hospitalization rate than those who received RFT.