Hospital Population Research Articles

A study on the prevalence of scrub typhus among pediatric population in a rural tertiary care hospital in West Bengal

A study on the prevalence of scrub typhus among pediatric population in a rural tertiary care hospital in West Bengal

Lipoprotein(a) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in a Brazilian tertiary hospital population

Abstract Background/Introduction Elevated levels of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] are a strong risk marker of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), including myocardial infarction (MI), ischemic stroke, and peripheral arterial disease, as well as of aortic valve calcification and stenosis. However, few studies have assessed the prevalence of high Lp(a) levels in patients followed at a tertiary hospital specialized in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). In addition, there is scant information about Lp(a) concentrations in Brazilian individuals. Purpose The aim of the study was to describe the demographic characteristics and comorbidities of patients with at least one measure of Lp(a) at a tertiary treatment center for CVD in our city – Brazil. Methods Patients treated at a heart institute had their data extracted between the years 1999 and 2021. Data were obtained through direct electronic extraction of patients' medical records. The patients were categorized according to different Lp(a) cutoff levels (> 50 and < 70, > 70 and < 90, and > 90 mg/dL) and by quartiles. Results Of 4,970 unique patients included in the study, the mean age at baseline was 59.9 years (SD ± 14.5), 2,634 (53%) were male, and the median Lp(a) was 23.2 mg/dL (interquartile range 8.9 - 56.8 mg/dL). In the whole cohort, 460 (9.3%) had Lp(a) > 50 and < 70, 344 (6.9%) > 70 and < 90, 612 (12.3%) > 90 mg/dl and 138 (2.8%) > 150 mg/dL. Established ASCVD was reported in 1,223 (24%) of the individuals, with a progressively higher prevalence across the Lp(a) categories above (31.2%, 33.8%, 34.2%, respectively) (table 1). Moreover, the Lp(a) median (interquartile range) in mg/dL was significantly higher in those with baseline history of ASCVD (31.4 [10.8-71.2] vs 21.2 [8.3-52]), MI (27.8 [10.6-65.9] vs 22.3 [8.5-54.7]) and stroke (24.9 [10-69.5] vs 23.1 [8.9-56.5]), all p < 0.05 (table 2). Lp(a) was also significantly higher among those with LDL-C ≥ 100 mg/dL relative to LDL-C < 100 mg/dl (25.5[9.5-63.2] vs 21.4[8.4 vs 52.2] p < 0.05). Conclusions In this cohort of patients followed at a tertiary center specialized in CVD, approximately a third had Lp(a) levels above 50 mg/dL, a cutoff robustly associated with ASCVD. This finding likely represents an important source of cardiovascular residual risk, particularly in those with established ASCVD, exposing the need of further therapies.

Distribution Patterns of Tumors and Tumor-Like Lesions of the Forefoot and Midfoot A 12.5-Year Study at a University Hospital.

Masses in the forefoot and midfoot are common reasons for medical presentation and can be caused by various pathological conditions. The challenge in clinical practice is to distinguish the multitude of trivialities from the few malignant entities and to arrive at a reliable clinical diagnosis in a reasonable amount of time with a moderate use of diagnostic tools. In a retrospective analysis, tumors, tumor-like lesions, and pseudotumors distal to the Chopart joint presented to our multidisciplinary university tumor board between January 2010 und June 2023 were analyzed concerning entity, location, age, and sex. Of the 167 cases included, 18 were osseous and 149 were soft tissue lesions. Overall, the metatarsal region was most frequently affected, accounting for 42.5% of all cases. Osseous lesions showed a preference for the phalanges and soft-tissue lesions occurring more frequently in the metatarsal region. In total, 88.0% of all cases were benign. All 20 malignant cases derived from soft tissue, occurred in all sections of the forefoot and midfoot and comprised 13 entities. Most lesions affected middle-aged patients, but cases occurred in almost every age group. In the examined patient population of a German university hospital, most cases were benign soft tissue lesions with a substantial share of pseudotumors and tumor-like lesions. However, the malignancy rate of 12.0% highlights the importance of differential diagnostic considerations. In cases of uncertain results, it is crucial to refer individuals with unclear masses to a specialized center for musculoskeletal tumor care early on in their treatment process. III.

Exposure to respirable silica contributes to lower airway inflammation in asthmatic horses.

Respirable mineral particles can induce lower airway inflammation, but the role they play in asthma of horses is unknown. Respirable mineral particles, particularly respirable silica, are an overlooked determinant of chronic lung inflammation (asthma) in horses. Twenty-three horses from an equine hospital population: 11 moderately affected (MEA), 7 severely asthmatic (SEA), and 5 control horses free from respiratory clinical signs. Prospective observational study. The quantity and quality of mineral particles found in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were characterized, with particular attention to silica content. Polarized light microscopy performed on cytospin slides identified intracellular birefringent particles as silica. Spectrometry-based analysis performed on whole BALF determined total mineral and silica percentage and concentration. Group-related differences in BALF mineral and silica load were investigated as well as associations with BALF cytology. Intracellular birefringent particles were increased in SEA vs MEA (median [interquartile range, IQR]), 12 [7] vs 4 [5] particles/30 high power fields [hpf], respectively; P = .01) and vs controls (4 [2] particles/30 hpf; P = .02). Total mineral concentration in BALF was similar between the groups studied, whereas silica concentration and percentage were increased in SEA vs MEA (1758 [887] particles/mL and 20 [10]% vs 867 [662] particles/mL and 8 [6]%; P = .009 and P = .001) and control group (355 [330] particles/mL and 6 [3]%; P = .0003 and P = .002). Silica load in BALF was associated with BALF neutrophilia in MEA and SEA. Respirable silica is associated with neutrophilic lower airway inflammation in horses and might contribute to asthma development.

Patient expectations and understanding of hospital food service provision when declaring a food allergy.

Food allergies are increasingly common and so hospitals must promptly identify and manage these to maintain patient safety. The present study explored patient understanding and expectations of food allergy management in hospital food services. This exploratory descriptive study used mixed methods, including semi-structured interviews and surveys with hospital inpatients declaring food allergies, aiming to explore understanding, expectations and preferences for food allergy management in the hospital setting. Twenty-four participants were interviewed, reporting between one and six food allergies across 25 different allergens. Three main themes were identified: "Shared responsibility for declaring and managing allergens in hospital", "Varied understanding and trust in hospital food service processes" and "Satisfactory hospital food service experience". In the latter, participants identified 13 key factors valued for hospital food, including appearance, food quality and flavour. Remarkably, being "free from" the food allergen was not amongst the most common factors. Generally, participants felt that declaring a food allergy had not negatively impacted their hospital admission, and overall satisfaction with food services did not differ between the food allergic study participants and the general hospital population. Overall, the declaration of a food allergy did not negatively impact on hospital experience. However, further investigations are required to identify the most valued factors for hospital meals, aiming to enable a more targeted approach to better meet patient expectations.

8032 Clinical And Laboratory Characteristics Of Patients With Primary Hyperparathyroidism Followed At A Brazilian University Hospital

Abstract Disclosure: G. Koga: None. D. Amorim: None. L.M. dos Santos: None. D. Calixto: None. M. Ohe: None. J.G. Vieira: None. M. Lazaretti-Castro: None. Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is an endocrine disorder characterized by hypercalcemia due to hyperfunction of parathyroid glands. Its clinical presentation has been changing, becoming mostly asymptomatic. However, there are few data on developing countries.Objective: to describe clinical and biochemical features of primary hyperparathyroidism in a Brazilian population of a tertiary hospital. Methods: 259 individuals with PHPT are followed in a school-hospital in Sao Paulo in the last 2 years and this preliminary analysis included 161 of them. Clinical and laboratorial data were obtained by reviewing medical records. Data are presented as median [min-max] and statistical differences were considered if p<0.05. Results: 133 (82.6%) were women (3.7:1 female:male ratio) with a median age at diagnosis of 63 years [24-88]. There was higher prevalence of Caucasian (62.7%) then among Afro-descendants and Asians/indigenous: 35.4% and 1.9%, respectively. 99 (61.5%) patients were asymptomatic. Symptoms were observed in 38,5% (nephrolithiasis, fractures, bone pain, hypercalcemic crisis). Target organ involvement was evaluated: 48.4% had osteoporosis, and 47.2% kidney stones. At diagnosis, median total calcium (tCa) was 11.2 mg/dL [10.0-19.1], ionized calcium (iCa) 1.48 mmol/L [1.30-2.48], PTH 277.7 pg/mL [51.4-2374.0] and 25OHD 23.5 ng/mL [5.0-54.2]. Symptomatic patients were diagnosed younger (61 [24-83] vs 64 [31-88]; p=0.036), had higher tCa (11.4 [10.2-19.1] vs 11.2 [10-16]; p=0.049) and greater prevalence of 25OHD<20 ng/mL (50.0 vs 30.4%; p=0.03) than asymptomatic. Patients with severe hypercalcemia (>14 mg/dL) were diagnosed younger than those with non-severe hypercalcemia (52 [41-54] vs 63 [24-88] years; p=0.002). Patients with osteoporosis had older age at diagnosis compared to those without (64.0 [42-86] vs 61.5 [24-88]; p=0.018). Histological data were obtained from 94 individuals out of 104 submitted to surgery: 59.6% had single adenoma, 39.3% hyperplasia or multiple adenomas and 1.1% parathyroid carcinoma. Patients with single adenoma had higher levels of tCa and iCa than those with multiglandular disease (median of 11.4 [10.0-19.1] vs 10.9 [10.3-13.4]; p=0.042 and 1.52 [1.32-2.48] vs 1.43 [1.30-1.59]; p=0.02, respectively). Conclusion: Our preliminary data showed that most of the patients were Caucasian women presenting with asymptomatic disease. Compared with other countries, we still have a greater proportion of symptomatic presentations (38.5%) and multiglandular diseases (39.3%) than the reported in literature. Severe forms were diagnosed earlier, in younger patients and with a single adenoma, suggesting that they may have a different disease from the asymptomatic ones. These aspects demonstrate that there may be ethnic and environmental influences interfering with the presentation of this disease. Presentation: 6/2/2024

Integration of big data analytics in the investigation of the relationship between acromegaly and cancer

ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between acromegaly and cancer and different types of cancer by using natural language processing systems and big data analytics. Material and methodsWe conducted an observational, retrospective study utilizing data from the electronic health records (EHRs) of Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain. Information from the EHRs was extracted using artificial intelligence techniques and analyzed using Savana Manager 4.0 software. ResultsOut of a total of 708,047 registered patients (54.7% females), 544 patients (0.08%; 330 women, 60.7%; mean age at diagnosis 53.0±15.8 yr) were diagnosed with acromegaly. The incidence of cancer was higher in patients with acromegaly vs those without this condition (7.7% vs 3.9%, p<0.001; OR, 2.047, 95%CI, 1.493–2.804). Male acromegalic patients had a higher prevalence of cancer vs females (57.1% vs 42.9%, p=0.012). A significantly higher prevalence of colorectal cancer (2.9% vs 1.4%, p=0.006), bladder cancer (1.1% vs 0.3%, p=0.005), and lymphoma (1.1% vs 0.3%, p=0.009) was observed in patients with acromegaly vs those without the condition. Acromegalic men had significantly higher prevalence rates of colorectal cancer (4.7% vs 1.3%, p=0.001), bladder cancer (2.8% vs 0.4%, p<0.001), breast cancer (0.9% vs 0.2%, p=0.042), gastric cancer (0.9% vs 0.1%, p=0.011), lymphoma (1.4% vs 0.3%, p=0.037), and liver cancer (0.9% vs 0.1%, p=0.012) vs non-acromegalic men. On the other hand, acromegalic women showed a higher prevalence of thyroid cancer (1.2% vs 0.4%, p=0.043) vs non-acromegalic women. ConclusionOur study, based on artificial intelligence techniques and analysis of real-world data and information, revealed a significant association between acromegaly and cancer in our hospital population, mainly acromegalic men, with a higher frequency of colorectal cancer, bladder cancer and lymphoma in particular.

Prevalence of chronic urticaria: A study in the pediatric population of a general hospital.

Introduction. Chronic urticaria is an inflammatory skin condition characterized by the presence of evanescent wheals or angioedema that last for ≥ 6 weeks. Objective. To determine the prevalence of urticaria and describe its clinical characteristics in children and adolescents under 19 years of age in a general hospital. Population and methods. This was a cross-sectional study carried out between 2015 and 2020 in a population of children and adolescents seen at a private healthcare facility. Results. A total of 1567 medical records of patients with urticaria seen during the study period were reviewed. Thirty-six patients with chronic urticaria were identified; the prevalence was 0.16% (95% CI: 0.11-0.22). Conclusion. The prevalence of chronic urticaria in children and adolescents was 0.16%. A higher frequency was observed among girls and adolescents.

Adoption of CKD-EPI (2021) for GFR estimation - implications for UK practice.

Recommendations to move to a race free estimating equation for glomerular filtration rate have gained increasing prominence since 2021. We wished to determine the impact of any future adoption upon the CKD patient population of a large teaching hospital, with a population breakdown largely similar to that of England as a whole. We compared four estimating equations (MDRD, CKD-EPI (2009), CKD-EPI (2021) and EKFC) using the Bland-Altman method. Bias and precision were calculated (in both figures and percentages) for all patients with CKD and specific subgroups determined by age, ethnic group, CKD stage and sex. CKD stage was assessed using all four equations. All equations studied had a positive bias in South Asian patients and a negative bias in Black patients compared to CKD-EPI (2021). Similarly, there was a positive bias in White patients across all equations studied. Comparing CKD-EPI (2009) and EKFC this positive bias increased as patients aged, the opposite was seen with MDRD. Between 10% and 28% of patients in our dataset changed their CKD staging depending upon estimating equation used. Our work confirms previous findings that the MDRD equation overestimates eGFR in South Asians and underestimates eGFR in Blacks. The alternative equations also demonstrated similar bias. This may, in part, explain the health inequalities seen in ethnic minority patients in the UK. Applying our findings to the UK CKD population as a whole would result in anywhere from 260,000 - 730,000 patients having their CKD stage reclassified, which in turn will impact secondary care services.

Radiographic Characterization of The Fifth Metatarsal in The Children’s Population in A High Complexity Hospital. Case Series and Literature Review

Radiographic Characterization of The Fifth Metatarsal in The Children’s Population in A High Complexity Hospital. Case Series and Literature Review

Patterns of antidepressant use among older adults in Northern Ireland: An administrative data study.

ObjectiveOver recent decades, there has been a noticeable increase in the prescription of antidepressant medications, particularly among older adults. This study examines the relationship between health outcomes and patterns of antidepressant use among older adults in Northern Ireland (NI). ApproachParticipants included all (General Practitioner) GP-registered hospital patients aged fifty-five years and above on 01/01/2010 (n =395,872). Administrative data linkage included demographic information (age, sex; urbanicity); data on antidepressant use from the NI Enhanced Prescribing Database (EPD); and hospital patient admissions/discharges. Repeated measures latent class analysis (RMLCA) identified patterns of antidepressant use (2010 to 2020) in relation to the association between these patterns and health-related outcomes in 2021. ResultsRMLCA identified four latent classes : long-term antidepressant use (17.4%); decreasing antidepressant use (7.1%); increasing antidepressant use (8.4%); no-antidepressant use (67.1%). Those in the long-term and increasing antidepressant use’ classes had the highest average number of hospital visits and recorded chronic conditions in 2021. ConclusionFindings show that two distinct subgroups (comprising 26% of the hospital population) were disproportionately impacted by increased antidepressant prescription rates. Because of their increased likelihood of experiencing higher ill-health, these people are crucial targets for additional psychosocial support. ImplicationsAnalyses of this kind emphasize the importance of widening access to administrative data, enabling researchers to identify and examine at-risk groups allowing more targeted policymaking to better address their needs. Data for this project was provided by the HSC Honest Broker Service; any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author.

Examining the audiovisual therapy effects on hospital groups of varying linear canopy landscapes and those with hydrodynamic forces.

Recent research has highlighted the beneficial effects of urban green spaces on physical and mental health. This study focused on the hospital population and innovatively subdivided the population into four groups: doctors, caregivers, patients and nurses. A total of 96 volunteers participated in this virtual reality experiment to assess the restoration of a linear canopy landscape and a landscape with different levels of hydrodynamics through interactive audiovisual immersion. We utilized pre-research method, brainwave monitoring technique, psychological scales, observation and interviews in this experiment. The research identified five key findings. First, both linear canopy landscapes and those with low to medium hydrodynamic forces significantly enhance physiological and psychological restoration for all groups, with the most substantial physiological benefits observed in doctors and patients, and the greatest psychological relief noted in caregivers. Second, landscapes with medium hydrodynamic forces yield higher restorative effects than those with low forces in hospital settings. Third, green landscapes with medium and low-density canopies prove more conducive to patient recovery compared to those with high-density canopies. Fourth, the inclusion of bird songs does not markedly affect physiological restoration across the hospital groups. Finally, landscapes that incorporate elements of water dynamics, open skies, and lightly foliated canopies draw significant interest from all groups involved. This study advocates for the integration of natural blue and green elements into hospital environments as complementary therapeutic interventions, aiming to alleviate stress and promote health recovery among hospital communities.

Knowledge and Practice on Hospital Acquired Infections of Tertiary Care Hospital at Dhaka City; Staff Nurse’s Perspective

Introduction: In hospital patients, infections continue to develop and may also be affected by hospital personnel despite progress in the field of public health and hospital care. Infection among hospitable patients is encouraged by many factors: reduced immunity among patients; increasing variety of medical procedures and invasive techniques that lead to potential routes for infection; and transmission among crowded hospital populations of drug-resistant bacteria, where low infect control practices can facilitate transmission. Nosocomial infections occur globally and affect developing countries as well as poor- resource countries. The major causes of death and increased morbidity include infections acquired in health care.  Objective: To find out the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Staff nurses on Hospital Acquired Infections in tertiary care Hospital of Dhaka city.  Method: The study was conducted by Cross sectional, descriptive quantitative research study design with 133 samples included with the inclusion criteria. Data were collected by face to face interviewed method.  Results: Among of the participants, the majority of the nurses were Diploma in Nursing 64.4%, B.Sc. in Nursing 23.7% and MPH/M.Sc. were 11.9%. Distribution of the participants by level of knowledge on hospital acquired infections (n=133), Here the most of the participants had moderate 46% (n=61) knowledge about hospital acquired infections.  Conclusion: Most of the nurses do not have a perfect knowledge about hospital acquired infection control. Therefore, it must be necessary that to learn the knowledge, control and prevention of hospital acquired infections. We also must be known how can use medical personnel about the prevention and control of HAIs according to world standards. Another way of gain knowledge from training, Presentation, academic courses, posters, and conferences.

Conception of a Recognized Accreditation for a Senior-Friendly Hospital: The Accreditation “Hospital Attentive to the Elder”

ObjectivesConsideration of the need to strengthen the commitment of professionals to the good care of the older population in hospitals has been emerging over the last several years. The steering committee of the geriatric sector of the hospitals of our Hospital Consortium (HC) has structured an accreditation project to promote the commitment of professionals to the good care of older adult patients in hospitals: the “Hospital Attentive to the Elder” (HAE) accreditation. This global approach aims to better adapt care to the needs of this population in the hospital and promote positive values (eg, kindness, attentive support). DesignThe creation of the HAE accreditation required the creation of an accreditation board, a referential framework, and an accreditation procedure. Setting and ParticipantsThe whole process was coordinated by the accreditation board, a multidisciplinary entity, representative of the hospitals of our HC. MethodsThe 5-step approach of the accreditation procedure includes a commitment to the HAE, with the support of the institutional board, and an internal self-assessment phase to guide the creation of action plans, followed by an accreditation cross-evaluation visit. The HAE accreditation is awarded to departments that meet the described criteria. This accreditation process was initially initiated by our HC. ResultsIn June 2021, 6 of 10 hospitals of our HC and 11 departments, which mobilized 28 medical, paramedical, and quality referents, initiated the process. All 11 departments fulfilled the criteria for the accreditation, and a ceremony to hand out the certificates was organized in December 2023. Conclusions and ImplicationsWe envisage that this accreditation process could be offered at the regional and national level to any hospital or group of hospitals with departments that receive patients aged >75 years, regardless of their specialty.

Prevalence Of Congenital Abnormalities On Routine Antenatal Ultrasonography During Second And Third Trimester Of Pregnancy: A Study In A District Hospital Of North East India

Background Prevalence of congenital anomalies varies greatly from country to country. It is reported about 2.5% in India. In India, congenital anomalies are responsible for 15% of perinatal mortality and for 10% to 15% of neonatal deaths. The main aim of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of the congenital anomalies and malformation patterns in our hospital population. Material &amp; Method This is a cross-sectional study carried out in the ‘Radiology unit’ of ‘District Hospital, Gomati’, Tripura. The study population includes about 910 antenatal mothers in the second and third trimester, who were referred to ‘Radiology unit’ from the outpatient and inpatient departments of ‘Obstetrics and Gynaecology’ of the same hospital between September 2017 to February 2018 were included in the study. Data of Antenatal ultrasounds was statistically analyzed on structured data collection form to determine the prevalence of congenital anomaly in 2nd &amp; 3rd trimester. Results: Total 910 numbers of 2nd and 3rd trimester prenatal ultrasonography (USG) were done. Out of these 18 numbers of congenital anomalies were detected. The antenatal prevalence of congenital anomalies was 1.97%. The mean maternal age and mean gestational age at diagnosis was 22.9 years and 27.7 weeks respectively. Genitourinary system defect was the commonest (27.77%), of which maximum number had pyelactasis i.e. 3 (16.66%) cases. Conclusion: Ultrasonography is a cost-effective, non-invasive and sensitive tool in detecting the congenital anomalies antenatally in the hands of an experienced radiologist. Besides the first-trimester USG, the second trimester scan is mandatory in detecting anomaly in the growing foetus, as the majority of congenital anomalies are detected between 20 and 22 weeks of pregnancy

From the marrow to the blood: Optimising the diagnosis of iron deficiency in the setting of inflammation

Iron deficiency (ID) is a common condition with readily available treatment but can be challenging to diagnose. Traditional biomarkers of ID are acute-phase reactants, which complicate diagnosis in patients with co-existent inflammation. This study aimed to establish optimal biomarker diagnostic thresholds for ID diagnosis using bone marrow (BM) iron stores as the gold standard and the C-reactive protein (CRP) as an inflammatory marker. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the haematology department of a tertiary academic hospital. Patients undergoing BM biopsies for any reason were recruited for inclusion. Retrospective case finding was used to enrich the data for cases with confirmed BM ID. Laboratory markers including red cell indices, reticulocyte haemoglobin and iron studies were evaluated to establish optimal cut-offs for ID diagnosis. A CRP of >5 mg/L was used as a marker of inflammation. The study included 139 patients. Forty-two had BM ID, with a median serum ferritin (SF) of 48.5 μg/L. Ninety-six of 134 (72%) had inflammation with a CRP >5mg/L. An SF of <80 μg/L had optimal sensitivity (69%) and specificity (94%) for ID diagnosis in the whole group (odds ratio: 23.5; confidence interval: 4.3–129). In patients without inflammation, an SF cut-off of 80-μg/L had high sensitivity (93%) and specificity (96%). An SF <200 μg/L indicated ID in those with inflammation (sensitivity: 78%, specificity: 74%). A transferrin saturation of <13% in those with inflammation increased the diagnostic specificity (92%). The reticulocyte haemoglobin was unhelpful in diagnosing ID in this setting. In this hospital population, SF was the best parameter to diagnose ID, even in the presence of inflammation. The CRP was useful to identify populations with inflammation in whom higher SF thresholds could be used together with the transferrin saturation to accurately diagnose ID.

A composite risk assessment model for venous thromboembolism

ObjectiveVenous thromboembolism (VTE) is a preventable cause of hospitalization-related morbidity and mortality. VTE prevention requires accurate risk stratification. Federal agencies mandated VTE risk assessment for all hospital admissions. We have shown that the widely used Caprini (30 risk factors) and Padua (11 risk factors) VTE risk-assessment models (RAMs) have limited predictive ability for VTE when used for all general hospital admissions. Here, we test whether combining the risk factors from all 23 available VTE RAMs improves VTE risk prediction. MethodsWe analyzed data from the first hospitalizations of 1,282,014 surgical and non-surgical patients admitted to 1298 Veterans Affairs facilities nationwide between January 2016 and December 2021. We used logistic regression to predict VTE within 90 days of admission using risk factors from all 23 available VTE RAMs. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) were used to quantify the predictive power of our models. The metrics were computed at two diagnostic thresholds that maximized (1) the value of sensitivity + specificity-1; and (2) PPV and were compared using McNemar’s test. The Delong-Delong test was used to compare AUCs. ResultsAfter excluding those with missing data, 1,185,633 patients (mean age, 66 years; 93% male; and 72% White) were analyzed, of whom 33,253 (2.8%) had a VTE (deep venous thrombosis [DVT], n = 19,218, 1.6%; pulmonary embolism [PE], n = 10,190, 0.9%; PE + DVT, n = 3845, 0.3%). Our composite RAM included 102 risk factors and improved prediction of VTE compared with the Caprini RAM risk factors (AUC composite model: 0.74; AUC Caprini risk-factor model: 0.63; P < .0001). When the sum of sensitivity and specificity-1 was maximized, the composite model demonstrated small improvements in sensitivity, specificity and PPV; NPV was high in both models. When PPV was maximized, the PPV of the composite model was improved but remained low. The nature of the relationship between NPV and PPV precluded any further gain in PPV by sacrificing NPV and sensitivity. ConclusionsUsing a composite of 102 risk factors from all available VTE RAMs, we improved VTE prediction in a large, national cohort of >1 million general hospital admissions. However, neither model has a sensitivity or PPV that permits it to be a reliable predictor of VTE. We demonstrate the limits of currently available VTE risk prediction tools; no available RAM is ready for widespread use in the general hospital population.

Comparison of polyclonal and monoclonal antibody assays for serum amyloid A in cats: a study based on an automated turbidimetric immunoassay in a primary care veterinary hospital.

Comparing the utility of the anti-human serum amyloid A (SAA)-specific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies assays (LZ-SAA) with the pure monoclonal anti-human antibody assays (VET-SAA) during clinical practice in primary care hospital populations by measuring SAA measurement in healthy and diseased domestic cats. 52 healthy and 185 diseased client-owned cats. SAA concentration was measured using different LZ-SAA and VET-SAA measurements for healthy and various diseased cats. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated for each disease. VET-SAA has higher sensitivity than LZ-SAA for the most common diseases presenting to primary care veterinary hospitals, including chronic kidney disease, tumors, and gingivostomatitis. Our results reveal the capability of detecting low SAA concentrations in healthy and diseased cats using VET-SAA in contrast to LZ-SAA, which found elevations of SAA concentrations only in diseased cats. Our findings indicate that switching to the new VET-SAA instead of the conventional LZ-SAA will likely enhance the diagnostic performance in primary care veterinary hospitals.

Is there a correlation between increasing hospital falls and Covid-19 infection? Retrospective study on the entire hospital population.

Risk Management Unit at Mauriziano hospital analyzed in the present observational study possible correlation with Covid Pandemic and falls risk factors, through comparison of patients falls occurred during year 2021 in Covid and no-Covid wards. The primary outcome of the study is the evaluation of relationship between falls and Covid infection. The secondary outcome is identification of falls risk factors. No direct correlation between falls and Covid-19 infection was found. Among falls risk factors, the most interesting emerged is the fall itself that enhances the risk of relapse. Increasing in patients falls since 2020 could be affected indirectly by strong hospital organization modifications during Covid pandemic.

Clostridioides difficile Infections in Children: What Is the Optimal Laboratory Diagnostic Method?

The diagnosis of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in the pediatric population is complicated by the high prevalence of asymptomatic colonization, particularly in infants. Many laboratory diagnostic methods are available, but there continues to be controversy over the optimal laboratory testing approach to diagnose CDI in children. We evaluated commonly used C. difficile diagnostic commercial tests in our pediatric hospital population at Sidra Medicine in Doha, Qatar. Between June and December 2023, 374 consecutive stool samples from pediatric patients aged 0-18 years old were tested using: Techlab C. diff Quik Chek Complete, Cepheid GeneXpert C. difficile, QIAstat-Dx Gastrointestinal Panel, and culture using CHROMagar C. difficile. The results of these tests as standalone methods or in four different testing algorithms were compared to a composite reference method on the basis of turnaround time, ease of use, cost, and performance characteristics including specificity, sensitivity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value. Our study showed variability in test performance of the different available assays in diagnosing CDI. In our population, a testing algorithm starting with Cepheid GeneXpert C. difficile PCR assay or QIAstat-Dx Gastrointestinal panel as a screening test followed by toxin immunoassay for positive samples using the Techlab C. diff Quik Chek Complete kit showed the best performance (100% specificity and 100% positive predictive value) when combined with clinical review of the patient to assess risk factors for CDI, clinical presentation, and alternative causes of diarrhea.