Hospital Emergency Care Research Articles

An electronic trigger to detect telemedicine-related diagnostic errors.

The COVID-19 pandemic advanced the use of telehealth-facilitated care. However, little is known about how to measure safety of clinical diagnosis made through telehealth-facilitated primary care. We used the seven-step Safer Dx Trigger Tool framework to develop an electronic trigger (e-trigger) tool to identify potential missed opportunities for more timely diagnosis during primary care telehealth visits at a large Department of Veterans Affairs facility. We then applied the e-trigger algorithm to electronic health record data related to primary care visits during a 1-year period (1 April 2020-31 March 2021). The algorithm identified patients with unexpected visits within 10 days of an index telemedicine visit and classified such records as e-trigger positive. We then validated the e-trigger's ability to detect missed opportunities in diagnosis using chart reviews based on a structured data collection instrument (the Revised Safer Dx instrument). We identified 128,761 telehealth visits (32,459 unique patients), of which 434 visits led to subsequent unplanned emergency department (ED), hospital, or primary care visits within 10 days of the index visit. Of these, 116 were excluded for clinical reasons (trauma, injury, or childbirth), leaving 318 visits (240 unique patients) needing further evaluation. From these, 100 records were randomly selected for review, of which four were falsely flagged due to invalid data (visits by non-providers or those incorrectly flagged as completed telehealth visits). Eleven patients had a missed opportunity in diagnosis, yielding a positive predictive value of 11%. Electronic triggers that identify missed opportunities for additional evaluation could help advance the understanding of safety of clinical diagnosis made in telehealth-enabled care. Better measurement can help determine which patients can safely be cared for via telemedicine versus traditional in-person visits.

COVID in oldest old: What we learnt in a tertiary care hospital emergency

BackgroundCOVID-19 created extreme havoc among the elderly and the oldest-old bore the maximum brunt during triaging. With COVID cases again on the raise, this retrospective analysis gives an insight of the clinical spectrum and mortality in COVID-19 infected elderly patients admitted to a tertiary care teaching hospital in southern India during the first and the second waves of COVID. MethodsThe electronic database search for the patients’ records was performed using hospital HIS platform. The variables included patients’ demography, presenting complaints, comorbidities, d-dimer value, treatment received and the length of stay till discharge or death. The data was presented as n (%) and the odds ratio at a 95 % confidence interval was used to identify the predictors. ResultsA total of 1378 COVID-positive elderly patient records were analysed. Elderly aged 60–74 years were considered as young-old, 75–84 years middle old and above 85 years as oldest old. 75.3 % elderly had comorbidities [p < 0.001]. There were 225(16 %) mortalities 31.9 % in oldest-old. Increasing age (OR 1.027, p = 0.022*) male gender (OR 1.598, p = 0.016*), low SpO2 on admission (OR 0.922, p < 0.001*), and duration of hospital stay (OR 0.907, p < 0.001*) were significant predictors of the event. ConclusionMaximum mortality was seen in the oldest old who had fewer days of hospitalization and d-dimer had no prognostication in the oldest old.

Strategies for case-based training with virtual patients: An experimental study of the impact of integrating mental model articulation and self-reflection

Resilient system performance in high-stakes settings, which includes the ability to monitor, respond, anticipate, and learn, can be enhanced for trainees through simulation of realistic scenarios enhanced by augmented reality. Active learning strategies can enhance simulation-based training, particularly the mental model articulation principle where students are prompted to anticipate what will happen next and the reflection principle where students self-assess their performance compared to a gold standard expert model. In this paper, we compared simulation-based training for trauma care with and without active learning strategies during pauses in the simulated action for progressively deteriorating patients. The training was conducted online and real-time without a facilitator, with 42 medical students viewing training materials and then immediately taking an online quiz for three types of trauma cases: hemorrhage, airway obstruction, and tension pneumothorax. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control condition in a between-subjects design. We compared performance in the control and experimental conditions based on: A) the proportion of cues correctly recognized, B) the proportion of accurate diagnoses, C) the proportion of appropriate treatment interventions, and D) verbal briefing quality on a 1–5 scale. We found that the training intervention increased recognition of subtle cues critical for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment interventions; the training did not improve the accuracy of diagnoses or the quality of the verbal briefing. We conclude that incorporating active learning strategies in simulation-based training improved foundational capabilities in detecting subtle cues and intervening to rescue deteriorating patients that can increase the readiness for trainees to contribute to resilient system performance in the high-stakes setting of emergency care in hospitals.

The Occurrence of Anxiety, Depression, and Distress among Professionals Working in Emergency Care.

Maintaining mental health is essential for professions with higher stress levels and challenging environments, including emergency specializations. In this study, the occurrence of distress, anxiety, and depression among a group of ambulance and hospital emergency care professionals was assessed (n = 202). A cross-sectional, quantitative, descriptive online survey was conducted, including the internationally validated Beck depression inventory (BDI), the perceived stress scale (PSS-14), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Statistical analyses involved descriptive statistics, the χ2-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Dunn-Bonferroni test, logistic regression (LR), Cramer coefficient (Cramer's V), Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rs). Based on the results, female professionals are more likely to have depressive symptoms (OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.3-5.1), perceived stress (OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.2-4.1), and anxiety (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.0-4.1) than male professionals. Perceived stress levels decreased proportionally with increasing years spent working in healthcare (OR = 7.4, 95% CI = 7.1-8.3). Extended work shifts of 12 or 24 h increase the risk of perceived stress and anxiety in emergency care workers (p = 0.02). Customized stress management interventions are needed to mitigate the amplified mental strain associated with gender, working years, and longer shifts in the emergency care sector to sustain their mental health and well-being.

Healthcare use according to deprivation among French Alzheimer's Disease and Related Diseases subjects: a national cross-sectional descriptive study based on the FRA-DEM cohort.

Pluriprofessional and coordinated healthcare use is recommended for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Diseases (ADRD). Despite a protective health system, France is characterized by persistent and significant social inequalities in health. Although social health inequalities are well documented, less is known about social disparities in healthcare use in ADRD, especially in France. Therefore, this study aimed to describe healthcare use according to socioeconomic deprivation among ADRD subjects and the possible potentiating role of deprivation by age. We studied subjects identified with incident ADRD in 2017 in the French health insurance database (SNDS). We described a large extent of their healthcare use during the year following their ADRD identification. Deprivation was assessed through French deprivation index (Fdep), measured at the municipality level, and categorized into quintiles. We compared healthcare use according to the Fdep quintiles through chi-square tests. We stratified the description of certain healthcare uses by age groups (40-64 years, 65-74 years, 75-84 years, 85 years, and older), number of comorbidities (0, 1, 2-3, 4 comorbidities and more), or the presence of psychiatric comorbidity. In total, 124,441 subjects were included. The most deprived subjects had less use of physiotherapy (28.56% vs. 38.24%), ambulatory specialists (27.24% vs. 34.07%), ambulatory speech therapy (6.35% vs. 16.64%), preventive consultations (62.34% vs. 69.65%), and were less institutionalized (28.09% vs. 31.33%) than the less deprived ones. Conversely, they were more exposed to antipsychotics (11.16% vs. 8.43%), benzodiazepines (24.34% vs. 19.07%), hospital emergency care (63.84% vs. 57.57%), and potentially avoidable hospitalizations (12.04% vs. 10.95%) than the less deprived ones. The healthcare use of subjects with ADRD in France differed according to the deprivation index, suggesting potential health renunciation as in other diseases. These social inequalities may be driven by financial barriers and lower education levels, which contribute to health literacy (especially for preventive care). Further studies may explore them.

Successful surgical management of ventricular septal perforation following left ventricular free wall rupture due to acute myocardial infarction: a case report

BackgroundThe mechanical complications associated with acute myocardial infarction can be fatal. We report a life-saving case of a very elderly patient with consecutive mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarction.Case presentationA 90-year-old woman was transferred to our hospital for emergency care due to chest pain. She underwent emergency percutaneous coronary intervention of the left anterior descending branch and was diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction and intra-aortic balloon pumping insertion was performed. After returning to the intensive care unit, she experienced chest pain and went into shock. Echocardiography showed left ventricular free wall rupture, and percutaneous cardiopulmonary support was established. Emergency left ventriculoplasty was performed for the left ventricular free wall rupture. A ventricular septal perforation was observed on postoperative day 9, and its closure through right ventriculotomy was performed on postoperative day 10. On the 128th postoperative day, the patient was transferred to the hospital for rehabilitation.ConclusionsA 90-year-old patient with consecutive left ventricular free wall rupture and ventricular septal perforation after acute myocardial infarction was successfully managed with two surgeries.

Operator gender differences in major mechanical complications after central line insertions: a subgroup analysis of a prospective multicentre cohort study

BackgroundA previous study on mechanical complications after central venous catheterisation demonstrated differences in complication rates between male and female operators. The objective of this subgroup analysis was to further investigate these differences. The hypothesis was that differences in distribution of predefined variables between operator genders could be identified.MethodsThis was a subgroup analysis of a prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study conducted between March 2019 and December 2020 including 8 586 patients ≥ 16 years receiving central venous catheters at four emergency care hospitals. The main outcome measure was major mechanical complications defined as major bleeding, severe cardiac arrhythmia, pneumothorax, arterial catheterisation, and persistent nerve injury. Independent t-test and χ2 test were used to investigate differences in distribution of major mechanical complications and predefined variables between male and female operators. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine association between operator gender and major mechanical complications.ResultsFemale operators had a lower rate of major mechanical complications than male operators (0.4% vs 0.8%, P = .02), were less experienced (P < .001), had more patients with invasive positive pressure ventilation (P < .001), more often chose the internal jugular vein (P < .001) and more frequently used ultrasound guidance (P < .001). Male operators more often chose the subclavian vein (P < .001) and inserted more catheters with bore size ≥ 9 Fr (P < .001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that male operator gender was associated with major mechanical complication (OR 2.67 [95% CI: 1.26–5.64]) after correction for other relevant independent variables.ConclusionsThe hypothesis was confirmed as differences in distribution of predefined variables between operator genders were found. Despite being less experienced, female operators had a lower rate of major mechanical complications. Furthermore, male operator gender was independently associated with a higher risk of major mechanical complications. Future studies are needed to further investigate differences in risk behaviour between male and female operators.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT03782324. Date of registration: 20/12/2018.

Oncology and Palliative Care Integration Model: A Cost Analysis Study in a Brazilian Hospital Setting.

Background: In 2019, the São Paulo State Cancer Institute (ICESP) implemented a novel model integrating Oncology with Palliative Care specialists. We evaluated the impact of this model on healthcare resource utilization and costs. Methods: We analyzed data from all patients who passed away in February (1month prior to implementation) and November (8months after model implementation group) at ICESP, Brazil. Healthcare utilization data, including emergency department visits, hospital and intensive care unit admissions, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy use, were retrieved from Electronic Medical Records. Unit cost values were obtained from the administrative database. Results: A total of 198 patients who died in February and 196 in November were included in the analysis. Groups exhibited similarities in sex, age, ECOG, cancer type, previous outpatient palliative care consultations, and place of death (ward: 56.6% pre-intervention, 50% post-intervention). The mean cost per patient was US$13,226.29 pre-intervention and US$11,445.82 post-intervention (P = .007). Statistically significant differences were noted in days hospitalized in the surgical ward (227 vs 115), emergency department visits (233 vs 45), chemotherapy sessions (140 vs 26), and radiotherapy sessions (146 vs 10). Excluding outpatient treatments, the total costs for chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the last 30days of life were US$16,924.45 pre-intervention and US$7851.65 post-intervention. Reductions were more pronounced in patients with ECOG 3-4 (P = .039). Conclusion: Our data suggests that the integration model was associated with a reduction in potentially inappropriate treatments during the last month of life, leading to decreased healthcare utilization and costs.

Real-world experience of patients with sickle cell disease treated with crizanlizumab.

In 2019, crizanlizumab was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reduce the rate of vaso-occlusive crisis in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). We aimed to study the real-world effectiveness of crizanlizumab in our comprehensive sickle cell center. This was a retrospective cohort analysis of patients with SCD who received at least two consecutive doses of crizanlizumab. Clinically significant improvement was captured using the patient global impression of change scale (PGI-C). As of December 2022, there were 18 patients eligible for analysis with a median age of 30.5 years. Eight patients had the HbSS genotype, 7 HbSC, and 3 HbSB null genotype. Median duration of exposure to crizanlizumab was 53.6 weeks, and 16 (88.9%) patients received crizanlizumab for ≥26 weeks. Crizanlizumab was very well tolerated with no serious adverse events (grade ≥3) related to treatment. There was no significant difference in laboratory parameters. There was a remarkable improvement in patients' subjective response to crizanlizumab infusion. The median PGI-C score of our patients was 5, signifying moderately better with slight but noticeable changes. The morphine equivalent daily doses (MEDD) were lower after crizanlizumab infusion. MEDD prior to crizanlizumab was 90; after ≥2 consecutive crizanlizumab doses, it was 60. There was also a reduction in the hospital admissions, emergency, and urgent care visit for acute pain crisis in 6 (28%) patients. This study shows that crizanlizumab was associated with improvement in patients' response, both directly and indirectly related to the reduction of opioids used, which is consistent with results from the SUSTAIN trial.

Speed and Accuracy of Recording Medication History by Pharmacists in Secondary Emergency Rooms.

In Japan, only few hospitals have pharmacists in their secondary emergency rooms to record medication history and provide drug information in real time. In this study, we investigated the benefits of pharmacist intervention in secondary emergency rooms by comparing the time taken by the pharmacists and non-pharmacists in the emergency room to record the medication history in the electronic medical record and the accuracy of its content. The study period was from September 1 to September 30, 2022, and included patients who were transported to our hospital for emergency care between 9:00 and 16:30. We compared the time taken between the patient's arrival until the recording of their medication history and the accuracy of the record by the emergency room pharmacists and non-pharmacists (paramedics or medical clerks). The study included 58 patients whose medication histories were collected by pharmacists, and 11 patients whose histories were collected by non-pharmacists. For pharmacists, the median time to record medication history in the electronic medical record was 12 min, whereas for non-pharmacists, it was 19 min, which was significantly different (p=0.015). The pharmacists accurately recorded the medication history of 98.3% (57/58) of patients, whereas non-pharmacists accurately recorded it for only 54.5% (6/11) of patients, with a significant difference (p<0.01). We observed that in secondary emergency rooms, when pharmacists were responsible for recording the patients' medication histories, it resulted in rapid and accurate sharing of medication history.

Efficacy of the bleeding risk scoring system for optimal prophylactic anticoagulation therapy of venous thromboembolism in trauma patients: a single-center, retrospective, observational cohort study

BackgroundWe developed a bleeding risk scoring system (BRSS) using prophylactic anticoagulation therapy to comprehensively assess the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in trauma patients. This study evaluated the usefulness of this system in trauma patients, with a focus on minimizing the rate of bleeding events associated with prophylactic anticoagulation therapy.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated the efficacy of BRSS in trauma patients who received prophylactic anticoagulation therapy for VTE at the Kitasato University Hospital Emergency and Critical Care Center between April 1, 2015, and August 31, 2020. To compare the incidence of bleeding events, patients were divided into two groups: one group using the BRSS (BRSS group) and another group not using the BRSS (non-BRSS group).ResultsA total of 94 patients were enrolled in this study, with 70 and 24 patients assigned to the non-BRSS and BRSS groups, respectively. The major bleeding event rates were not significantly different between the two groups (BRSS group, 4.2%; non-BRSS group, 5.7%; p = 1.000). However, minor bleeding events were significantly reduced in the BRSS group (4.2% vs.27.1%; p = 0.020). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that BRSS was not an independent influencing factor of major bleeding events (odds ratio, 0.660; 95% confidence interval: 0.067-6.47; p = 0.721). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that BRSS was an independent influencing factor of minor bleeding events (odds ratio, 0.119; 95% confidence interval: 0.015-0.97; p = 0.047). The incidence of VTE did not differ significantly between groups (BRSS group, 4.2%; non-BRSS group, 8.6%; p = 0.674).ConclusionsBRSS may be a useful tool for reducing the incidence of minor bleeding events during the initial prophylactic anticoagulation therapy in trauma patients. There are several limitations of this study that need to be addressed in future research.

Assessing the risk of COVID-19 reinfection and severe outcomes among individuals with substance use disorders: a retrospective study using real-world electronic health records

ObjectiveDespite advancement in vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 over the past 2 years, many concerns remain about reinfection and waning immunity against COVID-19 and its variants, especially among people with...

Asthma control and associated risk factors among adults with current asthma: Findings from 2019 behavioral risk factor surveillance system asthma call-back survey

BackgroundDespite the availability of effective treatments, many adults with asthma have uncontrolled asthma. Uncontrolled asthma can lead to severe exacerbations. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of uncontrolled asthma among adults (≥18 years) with current asthma in the United States. MethodsWe analyzed the 2019 Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System Asthma Call-Back Survey data from 27 states. Asthma control status was classified as “well-controlled” or “uncontrolled” according to the National Asthma Education and Prevention guidelines. The study population consisted of 7937 adults (weighted n = 13,793,220) with current asthma. We used multivariable logistic regression models to identify predictors of uncontrolled asthma. ResultsOverall, 62 % of adults with asthma reported having uncontrolled asthma, and 26 % had emergency or urgent care visits or hospitalizations in the past year. Potentially modifiable risk factors associated with uncontrolled asthma included cost barriers to asthma-related healthcare (OR = 2.94; 95%CI 1.96–4.40), complementary and alternative medicine use (OR = 1.84; 95%CI 1.45–2.32), current smoking (OR = 2.25; 95%CI 1.48–3.44), obesity (OR = 1.39; 95%CI 1.02–1.89), COPD (OR = 1.98; 95%CI 1.43–2.74), depression (OR = 1.47; 95%CI 1.16–1.88), fair/poor general health (OR = 1.54; 95%CI 1.14–2.07), household income <$15,000 (OR = 2.59; 95%CI 1.42–4.71), and less than high school education (OR = 2.59; 95%CI 1.42–4.71). Non-modifiable risk factor was Hispanic ethnicity (OR = 1.73; 95%CI 1.09–2.73). ConclusionOur findings suggest that uncontrolled asthma is common among adults and can be impacted by several factors. Effective asthma control programs are needed to improve asthma management and reduce unnecessary healthcare utilization.

Clinical Research in Prehospital Care: Current and Future Challenges.

Prehospital care plays a critical role in improving patient outcomes, particularly in cases of time-sensitive emergencies such as trauma, cardiac failure, stroke, bleeding, breathing difficulties, systemic infections, etc. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in clinical research in prehospital care, and several challenges and opportunities have emerged. There is an urgent need to adapt clinical research methodology to a context of prehospital care. At the same time, there are many barriers in prehospital research due to the complex context, posing unique challenges for research, development, and evaluation. Among these, this review allows the highlighting of limited resources and infrastructure, ethical and regulatory considerations, time constraints, privacy, safety concerns, data collection and analysis, selection of a homogeneous study group, etc. The analysis of the literature also highlights solutions such as strong collaboration between emergency medical services (EMS) and hospital care, use of (mobile) health technologies and artificial intelligence, use of standardized protocols and guidelines, etc. Overall, the purpose of this narrative review is to examine the current state of clinical research in prehospital care and identify gaps in knowledge, including the challenges and opportunities for future research.

Essential human and material resources for emergency care in the district hospitals of Burundi

IntroductionBurundi, like many African nations, faces challenges in providing accessible emergency care. The aim of this study was to assess the type of staff training, accessibility to imaging, and availability of essential equipment in the district hospitals of Burundi in order to inform strategic planning for healthcare delivery. MethodsIn June 2022 an online survey was sent to each district hospital of the country. Complete responses were analysed and, where appropriate, significance determined by chi-square analysis, with p<0.05 considered significant. ResultsForty of 45 district hospitals completed the survey, of which 35 were rural (matching national demographics). The majority of district hospitals (21/40) had ready access to ≥4/5 critical drugs while few (5/40) were equipped with ≥4/5 key material. One quarter had 24/7 physician coverage and X-ray available. Only 3 had continuous access to ultrasound studies despite most district hospitals having ultrasound machines. Trained emergency room staff were almost totally absent from the field, with only 6 nurses, 4 generalists, and 1 specialist reported across 9 sites. Even a single EM-trained staff member was significantly correlated with being better equipped for emergencies (p<0.01). ConclusionBurundi needs a strategic investment in emergency preparedness and care. Policy initiatives and technology purchases have demonstrated reasonable penetration down to the district hospital level, however, trained personnel are essential to develop sustainable emergency capacity.

Spectrum of firework injuries at auniversity eye clinic after the COVID-19 lockdown

The handling of fireworks regularly leads to avariety of injuries affecting the periocular region. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown and asales ban on consumer fireworks for the private sector the number of injuries massively decreased; however, aconsiderable increase was registered again at the last New Year festivities. The aim of this work was to present the extent and spectrum of such injuries in amaximum care center. As part of the nationwide survey of firework-associated eye injuries in emergency care eye clinics and hospitals, data from the MHH Eye Hospital in Hannover were compiled over the period of 3days (30.12.2022-01.01.2023) and evaluated with respect to gender, age, severity, injury pattern, type of fireworks and treatment. Of atotal of n = 25 injured patients, n = 19 (76%) were male. Most patients presented on New Year's Day (n = 14, New Year's Eve: n = 9; 30.12.2022: n = 2), with the majority of cases presenting with mild injuries with irritation and erosion of the ocular surface (n = 15; 60%). Of the patients four sustained moderate to severe injuries with bulbar contusion, hyphema, and sometimes iris base tears (16%). Of the patients six suffered severe, mainly open, eye injuries (24%), two of which required primary evisceration. Ignition of fireworks batteries revealed the highest risk of serious injury, affecting mainly males 31-40years of age. Children up to 12years of age generally sustained only minor injuries, although there were exceptions as there were among adolescents. The person who caused the fireworks injury was affected in about 52% of the cases; in 48% the victim of the accident was abystander. In cases of complex injuries, under certain conditions only surgical exploratory diagnostics could lead to the correct diagnosis and best possible care. The extent of firework injuries is manifold and the consequences including blindness are considerable. The burden on physicians on duty on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day was enormous, as with the permission of private fireworks alarge number of patients had to be cared for via the emergency room, some of whom required complex surgical care. To prevent serious eye injuries, targeted education about the risks of private fireworks and possibilities to increase safety should be intensified.

What is the existing evidence base for adult medical same day emergency care in UK NHS hospitals? A scoping review protocol

ObjectivesSame day emergency care (SDEC) is a new model of care, which has emerged over the past 5 years, building on prior ambulatory care services. The National Health Service (NHS)...

“Not a Major or Complicated Task”: Activating Dugnad under COVID-19 and the Imagination of Equality in the Norwegian Welfare State

In Norway, the institution of the welfare state and trust in the government defined the country’s approach to tackling the pandemic. In particular, the government’s strategy to activate the cultural concept of dugnad (voluntary, reciprocal communal work), which relies on an equal standing of all participants, plays into the national imaginary of an egalitarian and just society. However, like in other countries, COVID-19 has put the spotlight on inequalities in access to healthcare, information, adequate housing, and more. Investigating infection measures and their indirect consequences can clarify which values and people are given priority in a crisis and who is seen as belonging to Norwegian society. This article points to the pandemic as a magnifying glass revealing the lack of enough emergency care nurses, physicians, equipment, hospital and psychiatry beds, adequate health literacy efforts and more. Moreover, it magnifies heteronormative and Eurocentric ideas of who makes up a family, compounded by nationalistic notions of who is Norwegian enough to belong. By activating dugnad, politicians transferred their responsibilities as elected leaders to individual citizens, leading to the growth of socioeconomic inequalities and health disparities during the pandemic while also resulting in the poor communication of the long-term and indirect costs of pandemic measures.

Out of hospital emergency care in Nigeria: A narrative review

Out of hospital emergency care in Nigeria: A narrative review

Preventive effect of aripiprazole once monthly on rehospitalization for bipolar disorder: A multicenter 1-year retrospective mirror image study.

We conducted a 1-year retrospective mirror-image study to investigate the effect of aripiprazole once monthly (AOM) on rehospitalization for bipolar disorder. Participants were recruited from psychiatric emergency and acute care hospitals in western Japan. We included 39 participants with bipolar disorder who had been administered AOM for at least 1 year with no missing medical records during the observational period. The primary outcomes were rehospitalization rate, number of rehospitalizations, total hospitalization days, and time to rehospitalization in the context of overall psychiatric readmissions. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. AOM significantly reduced the rehospitalization rate from 23/39 (59%) to 7/39 (18%) (p = 0.001). The number of rehospitalizations decreased significantly from a mean of 0.85 per person-year to 0.41 per person-year (p = 0.048). The total hospitalization days significantly decreased from a mean of 34.9 days to 14.4 days (p = 0.008). AOM significantly prolonged the time to rehospitalization (p < 0.001). This study found that AOM reduces overall psychiatric rehospitalization for bipolar disorder based on data from 1 year before and after AOM administration in the real-world setting. Future studies should examine the robustness and persistence of the rehospitalization preventive effect of AOM with larger sample sizes and longer observation periods beyond 1 year.