Greater Risk Of In-hospital Death Research Articles

Enhanced surveillance of hospitalised COVID-19 patients in Europe: I-MOVE-COVID-19 surveillance network, February 2020 to December 2021.

BackgroundIn early 2020, the I-MOVE-COVID-19 hospital surveillance system was adapted from an existing influenza surveillance system to include hospitalised COVID-19 cases.AimTo describe trends in the demographic and clinical characteristics of hospitalised COVID-19 cases across Europe during the first 2 years of the pandemic, and to identify associations between sex, age and chronic conditions with admission to intensive care or high dependency units (ICU/HDU) and in-hospital mortality.MethodsWe pooled pseudonymised data from all hospitalised COVID-19 cases in 11 surveillance sites in nine European countries, collected between 1 February 2020 and 31 December 2021. Associations between sex, age and chronic conditions, with ICU/HDU admission and in-hospital mortality were examined using Pearson's chi-squared test, and crude odds ratio (OR) estimates with respective 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsOf 25,971 hospitalised COVID-19 cases, 55% were male, 35% were 75 years or older and 90% had a chronic underlying condition. Patients with two or more chronic underlying conditions were significantly more likely to die in-hospital from COVID-19 (OR: 10.84; 95% CI: 8.30-14.16) than those without a chronic condition.ConclusionThe surveillance demonstrated that males, those 75 years or older and those with chronic conditions were at greater risk of in-hospital death. Over the surveillance period, outcomes tended to improve, likely because of vaccinations. This surveillance has laid the groundwork for further research studies investigating the risk factors of hospitalised COVID-19 cases and vaccine effectiveness.

Outcome of COVID-19 in hospitalised immunocompromised patients: An analysis of the WHO ISARIC CCP-UK prospective cohort study.

Immunocompromised patients may be at higher risk of mortality if hospitalised with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) compared with immunocompetent patients. However, previous studies have been contradictory. We aimed to determine whether immunocompromised patients were at greater risk of in-hospital death and how this risk changed over the pandemic. We included patients > = 19 years with symptomatic community-acquired COVID-19 recruited to the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol UK prospective cohort study. We defined immunocompromise as immunosuppressant medication preadmission, cancer treatment, organ transplant, HIV, or congenital immunodeficiency. We used logistic regression to compare the risk of death in both groups, adjusting for age, sex, deprivation, ethnicity, vaccination, and comorbidities. We used Bayesian logistic regression to explore mortality over time. Between 17 January 2020 and 28 February 2022, we recruited 156,552 eligible patients, of whom 21,954 (14%) were immunocompromised. In total, 29% (n = 6,499) of immunocompromised and 21% (n = 28,608) of immunocompetent patients died in hospital. The odds of in-hospital mortality were elevated for immunocompromised patients (adjusted OR 1.44, 95% CI [1.39, 1.50], p < 0.001). Not all immunocompromising conditions had the same risk, for example, patients on active cancer treatment were less likely to have their care escalated to intensive care (adjusted OR 0.77, 95% CI [0.7, 0.85], p < 0.001) or ventilation (adjusted OR 0.65, 95% CI [0.56, 0.76], p < 0.001). However, cancer patients were more likely to die (adjusted OR 2.0, 95% CI [1.87, 2.15], p < 0.001). Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic deprivation, comorbidities, and vaccination status. As the pandemic progressed, in-hospital mortality reduced more slowly for immunocompromised patients than for immunocompetent patients. This was particularly evident with increasing age: the probability of the reduction in hospital mortality being less for immunocompromised patients aged 50 to 69 years was 88% for men and 83% for women, and for those >80 years was 99% for men and 98% for women. The study is limited by a lack of detailed drug data prior to admission, including steroid doses, meaning that we may have incorrectly categorised some immunocompromised patients as immunocompetent. Immunocompromised patients remain at elevated risk of death from COVID-19. Targeted measures such as additional vaccine doses, monoclonal antibodies, and nonpharmaceutical preventive interventions should be continually encouraged for this patient group. ISRCTN 66726260.

Cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes in COVID-19: A hospital-based study in India.

Presence of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors enhance adverse outcomes in COVID-19. To determine association of risk factors with clinical outcomes in India we performed a study. Successive virologically confirmed adult patients of COVID-19 at a government hospital were recruited at admission and data on clinical presentation and in-hospital outcomes were obtained. The cohort was classified according to age, sex, hypertension, diabetes and tobacco use. In-hospital death was the primary outcome. Logistic regression was performed to compared outcomes in different groups. From April to September 2020 we recruited 4645 (men 3386, women 1259) out of 5103 virologically confirmed COVID-19 patients (91.0%). Mean age was 46±18y, hypertension was in 17.8%, diabetes in 16.6% and any tobacco-use in 29.5%. Duration of hospital stay was 6.8±3.7 days, supplemental oxygen was in 18.4%, non-invasive ventilation in 7.1%, mechanical ventilation in 3.6% and 7.3% died. Unadjusted and age-sex adjusted odds ratio(OR) and 95% confidence intervals(CI) for in-hospital mortality, respectively, were: age ≥60y vs <40y, OR 8.47(95% CI 5.87-12.21) and 8.49(5.88-12.25), age 40-59y vs <40y 3.69(2.53-5.38) and 3.66(2.50-5.33), men vs women 1.88(1.41-2.51) and 1.26(0.91-1.48); hypertension 2.22(1.74-2.83) and 1.32(1.02-1.70), diabetes 1.88(1.46-2.43) and 1.16(0.89-1.52); and tobacco 1.29(1.02-1.63) and 1.28(1.00-1.63). Need for invasive and non-invasive ventilation was greater among patients in age-groups 40-49 and ≥60y and hypertension. Multivariate adjustment for social factors, clinical features and biochemical tests attenuated significance of all risk factors. Cardiovascular risk factors, age, male sex, hypertension, diabetes and tobacco-use, are associated with greater risk of in-hospital death among COVID-19 patients.

Clinical risk factors for mortality of hospitalized patients with COVID-19: systematic review and meta-analysis.

New evidence from retrospective cohort studies on risk of death from COVID-19 infection became available. We aimed to systematically review the clinical risk factors for fatal outcome of COVID-19. We performed meta-analysis, using PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases from December 1 2019 to June 10 2020. The meta-analysis summarized clinical, laboratory, radiological features, and complications of non-survivors with confirmed COVID-19. In addition, a fixed- or random-effects model was adopted based on the heterogeneity among studies. We also used funnel-plot with Egger's tests to screen potential publication bias. In total, twenty studies with 15,408 COVID-19 cases were included in our meta-analysis. Male, current smoking, and older age were associated with in-hospital death. Patients aged 60 years or over had the highest pooled ORs [OR 4.94 (2.89, 8.44)]. Non-survivors were more likely to have diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease (CVD), respiratory disease, or chronic kidney disease (CKD). Respiratory disease had the highest pooled ORs [OR 2.55 (2.14, 3.05)]. Dyspnea [OR 3.31 (1.78, 6.16); I2 : 83%] and fatigue [OR 1.36 (1.07, 1.73); I2 : 0%] were associated with increased risk of death. Increased white blood cell count, decreased lymphocyte and platelet counts, were also associated with increased risk of death. Biomarkers of coagulation function, inflammation, liver and kidney function, cardiac and muscle injury were also elevated in nonsurvivors. Male, current smoking patients aged 60 years or over might face a greater risk of in-hospital death and the comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, CVD, respiratory disease, and CKD could also influence the prognosis of the COVID-19. Clinical feature such as dyspnea and fatigue could imply the exacerbation and even death. Our findings highlighted early markers of mortality which were beneficial to identify fatal COVID-19.

Hypocapnia, ischemic lesions, and outcomes after intracerebral hemorrhage

BackgroundAn association between spontaneous hyperventilation, delayed cerebral ischemia, and poor clinical outcomes has been reported in subarachnoid hemorrhage. We evaluated the relationship between early pCO2 changes, ischemic lesions and outcomes in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). MethodsConsecutive patients with spontaneous ICH were enrolled in an observational cohort study conducted between 2006 and 2019. Patient characteristics and discharge outcome were prospectively recorded. Arterial blood gas (ABG) measurements and mechanical ventilation settings in the first 72 h of admission were retrospectively collected. MRI images were adjudicated for diffusion-restricted lesions consistent with ischemia and distant from the hematoma. We examined the associations between pCO2 changes, ischemic lesions, and discharge outcomes by univariate and adjusted analyses. ResultsABG data were available for 220 patients. Hyperventilation occurred in 52 (28%) cases and was not associated with clinical severity. Lower initial pCO2 was associated with greater risk of in-hospital death (OR 0.94 per mmHg, 95%CI [0.89, 0.996], p = 0.042) after adjustment for ICH Score, pneumonia and mechanical ventilation requirements. MRI data were available for 33 patients. Lower pCO2 was associated with a higher risk of ischemic lesions, except in patients with low initial systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05 for main and blood pressure interaction effects), after adjustment for other predictors. ConclusionsIn ICH patients with spontaneous ventilation, lower pCO2 was independently associated with greater risk of in-hospital death. In patients with elevated initial blood pressure, who undergo blood pressure reduction per guideline recommendations, lower pCO2 was associated with increased risk to develop ischemic lesions.

COVID-19 and chronic renal disease: clinical characteristics and prognosis.

BackgroundPatients on dialysis were susceptible to COVID-19 and were prone to severe clinical characteristics after infection; acute kidney injury was related to mortality in COVID-19 cases. Limited is known about the characteristics of COVID-19 patients with end-stage renal disease not requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT).AimEvaluate clinical characteristics, course and outcomes of COVID-19 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who did not require RRT and those on dialysis.DesignA two-center retrospective study.Methods836 adult patients with COVID-19 (24 CKD not on dialysis; 15 dialysis-dependent CKD) were included. The study includes no patients with renal transplantation. Risk factors were explored.ResultsCKD not requiring RRT is an independent risk factor for in-hospital death [adjusted OR (aOR) 7.35 (95%CI 2.41-22.44)] and poor prognosis [aOR 3.01 (95%CI 1.23-7.33)]. Compared to COVID-19 cases without CKD, those with CKD not requiring RRT showed similar percentage of initial moderate cases (75.00% vs. 73.65%) but higher incidence of in-hospital neutrophilia (50.00% vs. 27.30%) or death (50.00% vs. 9.03%). The odds ratio of dialysis associated to mortality in CKD patients was 2.00 (95%CI 0.52-7.63), suggesting COVID-19 patients with dialysis-dependent CKD were at greater risk of in-hospital death. For COVID-19 patients with CKD not requiring RRT, statins reduced the risk of neutrophilia [OR 0.10 (95%CI 0.01-0.69)] while diuretics increased the risk of neutrophilia [OR 15.4 (95%CI 1.47-160.97)], although both showed no association to mortality.ConclusionCOVID-19 patients with CKD presented high incidence of neutrophilia, poor prognosis and in-hospital death, with dialysis patients being more vulnerable.

Sex Differences in Outcomes After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

To examine sex differences in inpatient mortality and 30-day and 90-day readmissions after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) among a multistate population. A retrospective analysis of patient hospitalization and discharge records. All-payer patients in nonpsychiatric hospitals in New York, Maryland, Florida, Kentucky, and California. A total of 304,080 patients from the State Inpatient Databases Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality from January 2007 to December 2014 who underwent CABG surgery. Bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed to obtain unadjusted rates and adjusted odds ratios, respectively, for in-hospital mortality and readmissions by sex. Of the patients who underwent CABG, 5,699 patients (1.87%) died, including 2,131 women (2.65%) and 3,568 men (1.60%). The authors found that women were 32% more likely to die compared with men (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25-1.40) after adjusting for age, race, insurance status, median income, Elixhauser comorbidity index measures, year of procedure, state, and hospital surgical volume. Women, compared with men, also had significantly increased adjusted odds of 30-day and 90-day readmissions (30-day aOR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.21-1.28; 90-day aOR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.22-1.28). This study demonstrated that female patients who undergo CABG are at a greater risk of in-hospital death and 30-day and 90-day readmission compared with men. This sex-based disparity in outcomes has persisted since identification some 40 years ago.

Are Older Women More at Risk Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Australia? Cohort Analysis from the GenesisCare Outcomes Registry

Introduction: Older patients are have a greater risk of in-hospital death and bleeding compared with younger patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Older patients are more frequently women, and women have worse outcomes after PCI than men. However, the effect of sex on outcomes after PCI in elderly patients is unknown. Methods: Patients undergoing PCI in the GCOR multicenter Australian dataset were stratified by age (≤75, >75). We assessed the association of 1 year outcomes (death, MACE) with age group and sex adjusted for baseline clinical/lesion characteristics. Results. Data were available for 10,986 patients including 2507 (22.8%) women and 8479 (77.2%) men. Women were older (71.6% ± 10.3 vs 67.3 ± 10.5 years p < 0.001). Older women were more likely to have heart failure (8.8% vs 6.4% p < 0.01), but less likely to have smoked, have prior MI, PCI, CABG or CKD than elderly men. Overall, at 1-year women had higher rates of mortality (1.9% vs 1.2% p = 0.012), and unplanned readmission (10.9% vs 8.8% p = 0.004) however less TVR (0.8% vs 1.5% p = 0.01) than men although there was no interaction by sex (p = 0.83) (Table 1).Table 1OutcomeWomen ≤75Men ≤75pWomen >75Men >75pRadial30.6%32.8%0.1225.4%29.3%0.03DES77.5%78.7%0.3266.0%71.2%0.004Readmission7.6%6.4%0.077.9%7.6%0.771 year death1.0%0.7%0.253.3%2.9%0.511 year MACE2.4%2.5%0.814.4%4.3%0.98 Open table in a new tab Conclusion: Although elderly patients do have a gradient of risk of adverse events after PCI compared to younger patients, in patients over 75 years of age there was no difference in risk-adjusted 1-year outcomes between women and men.

Scores of nutritional risk and parameters of nutritional status assessment as predictors of in-hospital mortality and readmissions in the general hospital population

We have no "gold standard" for the diagnosis of malnutrition. The aim of this study was to determine the importance of many of the parameters used in nutritional status screening and assessment among inpatients for the prediction of in-hospital mortality, readmission and length of hospitalization. On the base of the medical documentation a retrospective analysis was performed of nutritional status screening and assessment parameters for all 20,237 non-selected, consecutive hospitalizations in 15,013 patients over 18 years of age treated in one hospital during the course of one year. The risk of malnutrition expressed as a Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS)-2002 score≥3 concerned 6.4% hospitalizations. The greater risk of in-hospital death, as well as readmission within 14 days and 30 days, was related to an NRS-2002 score ≥3, age >65 years, male gender, urgent admission, body mass deficit calculated as the difference between actual body mass and ideal weight determined according to the Lorentz formula, higher degree of Instant Nutritional Assessment (INA), greater value of a C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio, and plasma glucose concentration. Whereas, greater blood concentration of albumin, hemoglobin, cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as a greater blood lymphocyte count, were associated with reduced risk of the measured outcomes. NRS-2002 score, blood albumin, CRP/albumin ratio, and INA seem to be good predictors of in-hospital mortality, readmission rate and length of hospital stay.

The impact of hospital and ICU organizational factors on outcome in critically ill patients: results from the Extended Prevalence of Infection in Intensive Care study.

To investigate the impact of various facets of ICU organization on outcome in a large cohort of ICU patients from different geographic regions. International, multicenter, observational study. All 1,265 ICUs in 75 countries that contributed to the 1-day point prevalence Extended Prevalence of Infection in Intensive Care study. All adult patients present on a participating ICU on the study day. None. The Extended Prevalence of Infection in Intensive Care study included data on 13,796 adult patients. Organizational characteristics of the participating hospitals and units varied across geographic areas. Participating North American hospitals had greater availability of microbiologic examination and more 24-hour emergency departments than did the participating European and Latin American units. Of the participating ICUs, 82.9% were closed format, with the lowest prevalence among North American units (62.7%) and the highest in ICUs in Oceania (92.6%). The proportion of participating ICUs with 24-hour intensivist coverage was lower in North America than in Latin America (86.8% vs 98.1%, p = 0.002). ICU volume was significantly lower in participating ICUs from Western Europe, Latin America, and Asia compared with North America. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, medical and mixed ICUs were independently associated with a greater risk of in-hospital death. A nurse:patient ratio of more than 1:1.5 on the study day was independently associated with a lower risk of in-hospital death. In this international large cohort of ICU patients, hospital and ICU characteristics varied worldwide. A high nurse:patient ratio was independently associated with a lower risk of in-hospital death. These exploratory data need to be confirmed in large prospective studies that consider additional country-specific ICU practice variations.

Abstract 187: Impact of General Anesthesia on Safety and Outcomes in the Endovascular Arm of IMS III

Objectives: Use of general anesthesia (GA) during endovascular therapy (ET) of AIS patients is controversial with some suggestion of worse outcomes and death. The IMS III trial permitted the study of the effect of GA in a prospectively collected data set to test two hypotheses: (1) intubation is associated with poorer outcomes and (2) there is no increase in the risk of SAH or sICH with local anesthesia (LA). Methods: IMS III was a randomized trial of IV tPA +/- ET in patients presenting within 3hrs of AIS onset. In addition to demographic and outcomes data (mRS, ICH, etc.), information was collected on GA use or not within 7hrs of stroke onset. A good outcome was defined as mRS≤2 at 90 days. A multivariable analysis adjusting for dichotomized NIHSS (8-19 vs. ≥20), age and time from onset to groin puncture was performed. Additional analyses of reasons for intubation are ongoing and will be part of the presentation. Results: Four-hundred-thirty-four patients were randomized to ET, 269(62%) with LA and 147(33.9%) with GA. They were evenly matched in demographics, medical comorbidities, time to tPA, time to groin puncture, 40minute post IV tPA bolus SBP and occlusion location/side. The baseline NIHSS were slightly lower in the LA group (median 16 vs. 18). The GA group was less likely to achieve a good outcome (RR 0.64, CI 0.49-0.84, p=0.001) and had a greater risk of in-hospital death (RR 3.11, CI 1.86-5.20, p&lt;0.0001). There was an increased risk of SAH in the GA group (RR 1.79, CI 1.04-3.08, p=0.0364) but no statistically significant difference in sICH (RR 1.69, CI 0.79-3.61, p=0.18). The multivariable analysis confirmed the negative association between GA and good outcomes (RR 0.68, CI 0.52-0.90, p=0.0027). Conclusions: In the IMS III trial there was an association with worse neurological outcomes and increased mortality with ET under GA. Also, there was an association between GA and an increased risk of SAH. Although the reasons for these associations are not clear, these data support the use of LA when possible during ET.

Moderate hypothermia during aortic arch surgery is associated with reduced risk of early mortality

Selective antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP) during hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) provides cerebral protection during aortic arch surgery. However, the ideal temperature for HCA during ACP remains unknown. Clinical outcomes were compared in patients who underwent moderate (nasopharyngeal temperature, ≥ 20 °C) versus deep (nasopharyngeal temperature, <20 °C) HCA with ACP during aortic arch repair. By using a prospectively maintained clinical database, we analyzed data from 221 consecutive patients who underwent aortic arch replacement with HCA and ACP between December 2006 and May 2009. Seventy-eight patients underwent deep hypothermia (mean lowest temperature, 16.8 °C ± 1.7 °C) and 143 patients underwent moderate hypothermia (mean, 22.9 °C ± 1.4 °C) before systemic circulatory arrest was initiated. Multivariate stepwise logistic and linear regressions were performed to determine whether depth of hypothermia independently predicted postoperative outcomes and blood-product use. Compared with moderate hypothermia, deep hypothermia was associated independently with a greater risk of in-hospital death (7.7% vs 0.7%; odds ratio [OR], 9.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-81.6; P = .005) and 30-day all-cause mortality (9.0% vs 2.1%; OR, 4.7; 95% CI, 1.2-18.6; P = .02), and with longer cardiopulmonary bypass time (154 ± 62 vs 140 ± 46 min; P = .008). Deep hypothermia also was associated with a higher incidence of stroke, although this association was not statistically significant (7.6% vs 2.8%; P = .073; OR, 4.3; 95% CI, 0.9-12.5). No difference was seen in acute kidney injury, blood product transfusion, or need for surgical re-exploration. Moderate hypothermia with ACP is associated with lower in-hospital and 30-day mortality, shorter cardiopulmonary bypass time, and fewer neurologic sequelae than deep hypothermia in patients who undergo aortic arch surgery with ACP.

End-stage renal disease and outcome in a surgical intensive care unit

IntroductionEnd-stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with an increased propensity for critical illness, but whether ESRD is independently associated with a greater risk of death after major surgical procedures is unclear.MethodsThis was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from all adult (>18 years) patients admitted to a 50-bed surgical intensive care unit (ICU) between January 2004 and January 2009. ESRD was defined as the need for chronic peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis for at least 6 weeks prior to ICU admission. We used multivariable logistic regression analysis and propensity-score matching to adjust for possible confounders.ResultsIn total, 12,938 adult patients were admitted during the study period; 199 patients had ESRD at ICU admission, giving a prevalence of 1.5%. Patients with ESRD were more likely to be male (72.9% versus 63.0%, P = 0.004) and had higher severity scores, a higher incidence of diabetes mellitus and cirrhosis, and a lower incidence of cancer at ICU admission than those without ESRD. Patients with ESRD were more likely to have any type of organ failure at ICU admission and during the ICU stay. Patients with ESRD had higher ICU and hospital mortality rates (23.1% and 31.2% versus 5.5% and 10.0%, respectively, P <0.001 pairwise) and longer ICU length of stay (2 (1 to 7) versus 1 (1 to 3) days, P <0.001). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, ESRD was independently associated with a greater risk of in-hospital death (odds ratio = 3.84, 95% confidence interval 2.68 to 5.5, P <0.001). In 199 pairs of patients, hematologic and hepatic failures were more prevalent, ICU and hospital mortality rates were higher (23.1% versus 15.1% and 31.2% versus 19.1%, P <0.05 pairwise), and ICU length of stay was longer (2 (1 to 7) versus 1 (1 to 7) days, P <0.001) in patients with ESRD.ConclusionsIn this large cohort of surgical ICU patients, presence of ESRD at ICU admission was associated with greater morbidity and mortality and independently associated with a greater risk of in-hospital death. Our data can be useful in preoperative risk stratification.

Abstract 17203: Prevalence of Low Levels of High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) at Presentation in Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS) and its Relation to In-Hospital Mortality: Results from the NCDR®

Background: Despite profound advances in medical and procedural therapy, significant residual risk persists for in-hospital mortality among patients admitted with ACS. Low HDL-C, a known independent risk predictor for increased cardiovascular events, may modulate risk in ACS patients. Methods: We evaluated baseline HDL-C levels among 98,276 non-ST-elevation MI patients from the NCDR ACTION-GWTG registry enrolled from 490 U.S. hospitals between January 2007 and December 2010. Clinical characteristics, treatments, and in-hospital outcomes were analyzed by quartiles of HDL-C measured during hospitalization. Using the highest quartile as referent, hazard ratios were obtained for in-hospital mortality using multivariable risk adjustment. Results: Almost half of the patients in the examined cohort had presentation HDL-C levels lower than or equal to the median (36.9 mg/dL). Patients in lower HDL-C quartiles were younger, more often male, white, smokers, obese, diabetic and had greater rates of prior MI, PCI, CABG and revascularization (P &lt;0.0001) compared to those in higher HDL-C quartiles. Use of medical therapy (aspirin, clopidogrel, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors or ARBs, statins and other lipid-lowering agents) at home was greater among patients with lower HDL-C (P = 0.0002 for statins, &lt;0.0001 for others). Significantly greater in-hospital mortality was noted with decreasing HDL-C quartiles in the overall cohort. Among patients in the lowest HDL-C quartile, a 16% greater risk of in-hospital death was noted compared to their counterparts in the highest HDL-C quartile (P = 0.0073) (Figure 1). Conclusion: Low levels of HDL-C at presentation was common among this national contemporary “real-world” cohort of patients admitted with non-ST-elevation ACS. Very low HDL-C levels (≤ 30 mg/dL) at presentation represented an adverse prognostic factor and was associated with higher in-hospital mortality.

Impact of diuretic dosing on mortality in acute heart failure using a propensity‐matched analysis

Loop diuretics are recommended to treat congestion in heart failure (HF), despite limited quality evidence. High-dose (HD) loop diuretics seem to worsen outcomes in chronic HF, though; data for acute HF are scarce, with equivocal results. The ALARM-HF study recorded in-hospital HF therapy in 4953 patients from nine countries. A post-hoc analysis was performed to determine if there was an interaction between intravenous (iv) bolus diuretic dosing and outcomes. Patients were classified as receiving high- or low-dose iv furosemide if their total initial 24 h dose was above (HD) or below [low dose (LD)] 1 mg/kg. Propensity scoring, matching an extensive list of variables, was performed. High-dose and LD patients were matched by propensity scores and outcomes determined. We identified 2460 LD and 848 HD patients, with overall in-hospital mortality of 9 and 13% (P= 0.002), respectively. After propensity matching, there were 506 patients in each subgroup, with the matched LD and HD cohorts having similar mortality (13 vs. 15%; P= 0.4). We further investigated in which subgroups of patients HD diuretics influenced mortality. Before matching, HD diuretics were associated with a greater risk of in-hospital death in some subgroups, including patients aged >80 years, those with an acute coronary syndrome, or with a left ventricular ejection fraction <40%. However, after propensity score matching, no association was found between diuretic dosing and death in any of the studied subgroups. In the initial management of acute HF, HD iv diuretics, per se, do not influence short-term mortality.

Prevention of Nosocomial Pneumonia in the Intensive Care Unit: Beyond the Use of Bundles

The occurrence of nosocomial pneumonia (NP) in the hospital setting is especially problematic, as it is associated with a greater risk of in-hospital death, longer stays on mechanical ventilation and in the intensive care unit (ICU), more need for tracheostomy, and significantly higher medical care costs. Review of the pertinent English-language literature. The adverse effect of NP on healthcare outcomes has increased pressure on clinicians and hospital systems to prevent this infection. This brief review provides an overview of the current approaches to the prevention of NP, focusing primarily on ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Clinicians working in ICUs should consider the following recommendations: (1) Develop a VAP prevention bundle based on evidence-based guidelines; (2) monitor the rates of VAP prior to and during implementation of the program; (3) make adjustments according to VAP occurrence; and (4) integrate VAP prevention with other quality improvement programs.

Adjustment for do-not-resuscitate orders reverses the apparent in-hospital mortality advantage for minorities

Purpose The use of do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders may differ by sex or ethnicity, and DNR status may be associated with outcomes for hospitalized patients. Thus, we sought to determine whether differences in rates of DNR by sex and ethnicity influenced differences in mortality. Subjects and methods We included all patients admitted to nonfederal California hospitals in 1999 with stroke, congestive heart failure, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic renal failure, angina, or diabetes mellitus. Rates of physician orders for DNR written within 24 hours of hospital admission and in-hospital mortality were compared between sexes and ethnicities after adjustment for age, admission source and diagnosis, payment type, and comorbidity scores in multivariable logistic regression models. Results Of 327 890 patients included, 25 196 (7.7%) had DNR orders. In adjusted models, women were more likely to have DNR orders than men (odds ratio [OR] 1.19; 95% confidence interval 1.16–1.23; P <0.001) and non-Hispanic whites were more likely to have DNR orders than other ethnicities (OR 1.75; 1.69–1.82; P <0.001). Overall, 13 549 (4.1%) patients died in the hospital. Risk of death was greater in those with a DNR order (OR 7.0; 6.7–7.3; P <0.001). Non-Hispanic whites appeared to have a greater risk of in-hospital death in adjusted models (OR 1.09; 1.04–1.12; P <0.001) when DNR status was ignored; however, the risk of death appeared to be lower in non-Hispanic whites in the complete model with DNR included (OR 0.94; 0.90–0.99; P = 0.01). A survival advantage for women was also more apparent after including DNR status in the adjusted model. Conclusions Women and non-Hispanic whites are more likely to have DNR orders. DNR status affected the measurement of sex-ethnic differences in mortality risk.

Impact of penicillin susceptibility on medical outcomes for adult patients with bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia.

The impact of penicillin susceptibility on medical outcomes for adult patients with bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia was evaluated in a retrospective cohort study conducted during population-based surveillance for invasive pneumococcal disease in the greater Atlanta region during 1994. Of the 192 study patients, 44 (23%) were infected with pneumococcal strains that demonstrated some degree of penicillin nonsusceptibility. Compared with patients infected with penicillin-susceptible pneumococcal strains, patients whose isolates were nonsusceptible had a significantly greater risk of in-hospital death due to pneumonia (relative risk [RR], 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1-4.3) and suppurative complications of infection (RR, 4.5; 95% CI, 1-19.3), although only risk of suppurative complications remained statistically significant after adjustment for baseline differences in severity of illness. Among adults with bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia, infection with penicillin-nonsusceptible pneumococci is associated with an increased risk of adverse outcome.

Complex gastrointestinal surgery: impact of provider experience on clinical and economic outcomes

Background: Commonly performed elective gastrointestinal surgical procedures are carried out with low morbidity and mortality in hospitals throughout the United States. Complex operative procedures on the alimentary tract are performed with a relatively low frequency and are associated with higher mortality. Volume and experience of the surgical provider team have been correlated with better clinical and economic outcomes for one complex gastrointestinal surgical procedure, pancreaticoduodenectomy. This study evaluated whether provider volume and experience were important factors influencing clinical and economic outcomes for a variety of complex gastrointestinal surgical procedures in one state. Study Design: Complex high-risk gastrointestinal surgical procedures were defined as those with statewide in-hospital mortality of ≥ 5%, frequency of greater than 200 per year in the state, and requiring special surgical skill and expertise. Six procedures met these criteria. Using publicly available discharge data, all patients discharged from Maryland hospitals from July 1989 to June 1997 with a primary procedure code for one of the six study procedures were selected. Hospitals were classified into one of six groups based on the average number of study procedures per year: 10 or less; 11 to 20; 21 to 50; 51 to 100; 101 to 200; and 201 or more procedures per year. A hospital was included if at least one procedure was performed there during the study period. No providers fell within the 51 to 100, and 101 to 200 groups, so all analyses were performed for the remaining four volume groups that were classified, respectively, as minimal (10 or fewer procedures), low (11 to 20 procedures), medium (21 to 50 procedures), and high-volume groups (201 or more procedures). Poisson regression was used to assess the relationship between in-hospital mortality and hospital volume after casemix adjustment. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess differences in average length-of-stay and average total hospital charges among hospital volume groups. We further analyzed mortality, length-of-stay, and charges at the procedural level to understand these subgroups of complex gastrointestinal patients. We also examined the relationship between provider volume and outcomes for malignant versus benign diagnosis groups. Results: Complex gastrointestinal surgical procedures were performed on 4,561 patients in Maryland from July 1989 through June 1997. The study population averaged 61.6 years of age, was 55% male, 71% Caucasian, and had predominantly Medicare as a payment source. After casemix adjustment, patients who underwent complex gastrointestinal surgical procedures at the medium-, low-, and minimal-volume provider groups had a 2.1, 3.3, and 3.2 times greater risk of in-hospital death, respectively, than patients at the high-volume provider (p < 0.001 for all comparisons); longer lengths-of-stay, 16.1, 15.7, and 15.5 days at the low-, medium-, and minimal-volume groups, respectively, versus 14.0 days for the high-volume provider (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Similarly, adjusted charges at the high-volume provider were, on average, 14% less than those of the low-volume group, which had the next lowest charges. Although mortality rates differed by procedure type, for each procedure, mortality increased as provider volume decreased, following the pattern found in the aggregate analysis. After casemix adjustment, the risk of in-hospital death for patients with malignant diagnoses was significantly higher for the medium-, low-, and minimal-volume groups compared with patients at the high-volume provider, relative risk of 3.1, 4.0, and 4.2, respectively, (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that increased hospital experience is associated with a marked decrease in hospital mortality. The decreased mortality at the high-volume provider was also associated with shorter lengths-of-stay and lower hospital charges. These findings were more pronounced for malignant diagnoses than for benign conditions. Characteristics of the high-volume provider thought to contribute to improved outcomes include overall experience level of the physicians and staff; specialized staff, facilities, and equipment in the operating rooms and intensive care units; and the use of critical pathways and detailed care management plans.