Long-term Mortality Rates In Patients Research Articles

Clinical and imaging characteristics of patients with cardiac amyloidosis- a single center observational study

Amyloidosis is a disease characterized by the deposition of protein fibrils. Cardiac involvement is a significant factor in determining prognosis. This study aimed to examine the clinical profile, outcomes, and long-term mortality rates in patients with transthyretin (ATTR) and amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. The retrospective cohort study included 94 patients with amyloidosis (69 with AL and 25 with ATTR amyloidosis) diagnosed between 2010 and 2022. The study involved multimodality imaging (ECG, echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) data and survival analyses. Patients with ATTR amyloidosis were older and had a higher proportion of males compared to those with AL amyloidosis. Cardiac involvement was more prevalent in the ATTR group, including atrial fibrillation (AF), while pleural and pericardial effusion were more frequent in the AL group. Biomarkers such as NT-proBNP and troponin T were significantly elevated in both groups and were associated with all-cause mortality only in univariate analyses. CMR data, especially typical late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was not associated with increased mortality, while pleural effusion and left atrial dilatation on echocardiography were identified as powerful predictors of mortality. In conclusion, both AL and ATTR amyloidosis exhibited poor outcomes. Cardiac involvement, particularly dilated left atrium and pleural effusion on echocardiography were associated with an increased risk of mortality, while typical LGE on CMR was not.

The Short- and Long-Term Risk of Mortality in Intracranial Hemorrhage Patients with Tranexamic Acid Treatment in a Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background: The mortality rate associated with nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage (NTICrH) remains consistently high under the current care modality. The effectiveness of tranexamic acid (TXA) as a treatment option is still a subject of debate. This study aims to assess the association between TXA administration and both short-term and long-term mortality rates in patients with NTICrH. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) spanning from January 2000 to December 2017. The study population consists of NTICrH patients admitted to the ICU, divided into two groups: patients who were treated with TXA and those who were not. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to balance the baseline characteristics of the two groups. Cox proportional hazard analysis was conducted to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) for the all-cause mortality. Sensitivity analyses were performed using the inverse probability of treatment-weighted hazard ratio (IPTW-HR). To assess the timing of TXA use, we compared the risk of all-cause mortality within 180 days between patients receiving early TXA treatment and those receiving late TXA treatment. Results: There was no significant difference in 180-day all-cause mortality between the groups; the hazard ratio was 1.07 (95% CI: 0.96-1.20) in patients treated with TXA compared to those without TXA treatment. Within 7 days of admission, patients treated with TXA had a lower hazard ratio of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.74-0.90) for all-cause mortality. Conclusions: Lower mortality within the first 7 days was observed in patients with NTICrH who received TXA.

Mortality of patients presented with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction according to the status of standard modifiable cardiovascular risk factors

BackgroundStandard modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (SMuRFs) remain well-established elements of assessing cardiovascular risk scores. However, there is growing evidence that patients presented without known SMuRFs at admission demonstrate worse post-myocardial outcomes. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of the SMuRF status on short- and long-term mortality rates in patients with first-time ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). MethodsThis observational, cross-sectional study covered 182,726 patients admitted between 2003–2020 to the CathLabs, according to data from the Polish Registry of Acute Coronary Syndrome. Both baseline characteristics and mortality (in-hospital, 30-day, and 12-month) were examined and stratified by SMuRF status. The predictors of mortality were assessed at selected time points by multivariable analysis. ResultsThe majority of STEMI patients had at least one SMuRF (88.7%), however, mortality rates of SMuRF-less individuals were greater at selected time points of the follow-up (p < 0.001), and persisted at a higher level during each year of the follow-up period compared to the SMuRF group and general population. Furthermore, the SMuRFs status constituted an independent predictor of mortality at the 30-day (OR: 1.345; 95% CI: 1.142–1.585, p < 0.001) and 12-month (OR: 1.174; 95% CI: 1.054–1.308, p < 0.001) follow-ups. ConclusionsSMuRF-less individuals presented with STEMI are at an increased risk of all-cause mortality compared to those with at least one SMuRF. Consequently, further investigations regarding the recognition and treatment of risk factors, irrespective of SMuRF status, are indicated.

Transient ischemic attacks in patients with active and occult cancer.

Paraneoplastic coagulopathy can present as stroke and is associated with specific biomarker changes. Identifying paraneoplastic coagulopathy can help guide secondary prevention in stroke patients, and early cancer detection might improve outcomes. However, unlike ischemic stroke, it remains unclear whether paraneoplastic coagulopathy is associated with transient ischemic attacks (TIA). This study assessed the presence of cancer-related biomarkers in TIA patients and evaluated long-term mortality rates in patients with and without active cancer. Active cancer was retrospectively identified in consecutive TIA patients treated at a comprehensive stroke center between 2015 and 2019. An association between the presence of cancer and cancer-related biomarkers was assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Long-term mortality after TIA was analyzed using multivariable Cox regression. Among 1436 TIA patients, 72 had active cancer (5%), of which 17 were occult (1.2%). Cancer-related TIA was associated with male gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.29, 95% CI 1.12-4.68), history of smoking (aOR 2.77, 95% CI 1.34-5.7), elevated D-dimer (aOR 1.77, 95% CI 1.26-2.49), lactate dehydrogenase (aOR 1.003, 95% CI 1.00-1.005), lower leukocyte count (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.04-1.38), and lower hemoglobin (aOR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.04). Long-term mortality was associated with both active cancer (adjusted hazard ratios [aHR] 2.47, 95% CI 1.58-3.88) and occult cancer (aHR 3.08, 95% CI 1.30-7.32). Cancer-related TIA is not uncommon. Biomarkers known to be associated with cancer-related stroke also seem to be present in TIA patients. Early identification would enable targeted treatment strategies and could improve outcomes in this patient population.

The impact of sex on in-hospital and long-term mortality rates in patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement: The SAVR and SEX study.

Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is among the most commonly performed valvular surgeries. Despite many previous studies conducted in this setting, the impact of sex on outcomes in patients undergoing SAVR is still unclear. This study aimed to define sex differences in short- and long-term mortality in patients undergoing SAVR. We analyzed retrospectively all the patients undergoing isolated SAVR from January 2006 to March 2020 in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantology in John Paul II Hospital in Kraków. The primary endpoint was in-hospital and long-term mortality. Secondary endpoints included the duration of hospital stay and perioperative complications. Groups of men and women were compared with regard to the prosthesis type. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics. A total number of 4 510 patients undergoing isolated surgical SAVR were analyzed. A follow- up median (interquartile range [IQR]) was 2120 (1000-3452) days. Females made up 41.55% of the cohort and were older, displayed more non-cardiac comorbidities, and faced a higher operative risk. In both sexes, bioprostheses were more often applied (55.5% vs. 44.5%; P <0.0001). In univariable analysis, sex was not linked to in-hospital mortality (3.7% vs. 3%; P = 0.15) and late mortality rates (23.37% vs. 23.52 %; P = 0.9). Upon adjustment for baseline characteristics (propensity score matching analysis) and considering 5-year survival, a long-term prognosis turned out to be better in women (86.8%) compared to men (82.7%, P = 0.03). A key finding from this study suggests that female sex was not associated with higher in-hospital and late mortality rates compared to men. Further studies are needed to confirm longterm benefits in women undergoing SAVR.

Comparison of in-hospital and long-term mortality and assessment of their predictors in patients with myocardial infarction and unstable angina

Background: The extent of myocardial damage largely determines both in-hospital and long-term mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome. According to the literature, the in-hospital and long-term mortality rates in patients with unstable angina (UA) are lower than those in the patients with myocardial infarction (MI).&#x0D; Aim: To evaluate the in-hospital and long-term mortality rates and their predictors in patients undergoing in-patient treatment for acute coronary syndrome (MI and UA) in the regional cardiovascular center with the service territory of 1 million persons.&#x0D; Materials and methods: This retrospective registry study enrolled 1130 patients (715 [63.3%] men, 415 [36.7%] women) who were treated for UA and MI in the regional cardiovascular center in 2019. Based on the discharge diagnosis, the patients were divided into two groups: patients with MI (n = 766) and those with an UA episode (n = 364). The in-hospital and delayed mortality rates, as well as their predictors, were analyzed in both groups. The mean duration of the follow-up was 17.8 3.6 months.&#x0D; Results: The in-hospital mortality in patients with confirmed MI was 11.1% (85 patients) versus 0.27% (1 patient) in the UA patients (p 0.001). The independent predictors of in-hospital mortality in MI patients were a decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LV EF) (odds ratio (OR) 0.9021, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.82090.9914, p = 0.0324), chronic kidney disease C3a and above (OR 9.3205, 95% CI 2.670632.5283, p = 0.0005), and the extension of coronary involvement at coronary angiography (OR 1.3526, 95% CI 1.06670.0127, p = 0.0127). The long-term mortality in MI patients was 10.4% (72 patients) with no significant difference from that in UA patients (9.9%, 36 patients, p = 0.76). The independent predictors of long-term mortality after MI were older age (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.011.22, p = 0.0052), chronic kidney disease C3a and above (OR 2.3375, 95% CI 1.13924.7963, p = 0.0206), decreased EF (OR 0.8895, 95% CI 0.730.99, p = 0.0364), atrial fibrillation on admission (OR 3.1462, 95% CI 1.35107.3268, p = 0.0079), and diabetes mellitus (OR 2.3163, 95% CI 1.25524.2744, p = 0.0072). In the UA patients, the predictors of the long-term mortality were a decrease in LV EF (OR 0.9139, 95% CI 0.86830.9619, p = 0.0006) and in blood hemoglobin level (OR 0.9729, 95% CI 0.95440.9917, p = 0.0050).&#x0D; Conclusion: The in-hospital mortality in UA patients is lower than that in MI patients, with comparable long-term mortality. This indicates the need of active follow-up of the patients with past UA, irrespective of the endovascular assessment and intervention.

Heart failure admission to a cardiology department versus other internal medicine department is associated with improved long-term survival

Abstract Background Hospitalization for heart failure (HF) is associated with a high risk of in-hospital mortality, but also poor long-term outcomes. Although most hospital systems aim to admit patients with HF to cardiology departments, a significant proportion is admitted to other internal medicine departments due to shortages of beds and limited resources. The prognostic importance of being admitted to different departments is unknown. Purpose To compare the long-term mortality rate in patients admitted to hospital with a first diagnosis for HF to a cardiology department versus other internal medicine departments at a large academic hospital in Norway with a catchment area of 560,000 individuals. Methods Adult patients with a first ICD-10 diagnosis of HF (I11.0, I13.0, I13.2, I42.x, I50.x) admitted to an internal medicine department at our University Hospital between 2011 and 2019 were included. All-cause mortality was obtained from the Norwegian Cause of death registry until December 31, 2021. Results In total, we included 7,692 patients aged 76.1±13.0 years, of whom 46.0% were women, 57.4% had hypertension, 24.1% diabetes, 47.0% established coronary artery disease (CAD) and 36.0% a previous acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Of these, 50.7% were admitted to the cardiology department, 13.5% to the pulmonary department, 7.6% to the infectious disease department and the rest to other internal medicine departments. Patients admitted to the cardiology department were younger and more frequently men with established heart disease. They were more frequently examined with echocardiography during the first 30 days after admission, but had comparable levels of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) to those admitted to other departments (Table 1). During mean 5.9 years of follow-up, 56.6% of patients died. Patients admitted to the cardiology department had 37% lower mortality risk compared to other departments (HR 0.63 [95% CI 0.59–0.66], p&amp;lt;0.001). This association persisted after adjusting for age, sex, comorbidities (listed in the Table), NT-proBNP and undergoing echocardiographic examination (HR 0.75 [0.70–0.80], p&amp;lt;0.001). Having an echocardiographic examination was also associated with lower mortality risk in the same multivariable model (HR 0.92 [95% CI 0.86–0.97], p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusion Admission to a cardiology department with HF is associated with better long-term outcomes compared to admission to other internal medicine departments. These findings support health care policy efforts to expand capacity at cardiology departments to allow best care for these vulnerable patients. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Private grant(s) and/or Sponsorship. Main funding source(s): This study was in part funded by research grants from Novartis.

Preoperative malnutrition as an independent risk factor for the postoperative mortality in elderly Chinese individuals undergoing hip surgery: a single-center observational study.

Objective:Malnutrition is prevalent in elderly with hip fracture and higher than in community-dwelling older adults. Scarce studies have examined the association between preoperative malnutrition and postoperative mortality in elderly Chinese individuals with hip fracture. This study was designed to explore the effect of preoperative malnutrition on the postoperative long-term mortality in elderly Chinese individuals undergoing hip surgery.Methods:As a single-center observational study, this study included 263 consecutive patients above 70 years old with hip fracture and elective surgery. Preoperative nutritional status was evaluated by prognostic nutritional index (PNI). Patients were divided into one group with malnutrition (26 patients with PNI ⩽ 38) and the other group without malnutrition (169 patients with PNI > 38), respectively.Results:The overall malnutrition rate was 13.3% (26 patients). The postoperative long-term mortality rates of patients with and without malnutrition had statistically significant difference [10 patients (38.5%) and 32 patients (18.9%), p < 0.05]. Cox regression analysis showed that malnutrition (hazard ratio: 0.269, 95% confidence interval: 0.085–0.859, p < 0.05) and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (hazard ratio: 0.873, 95% confidence interval: 0.790–0.964, p < 0.05) were independent risk factors for the postoperative long-term mortality.Conclusion:This study demonstrated that preoperative malnutrition was an independent risk factor for the postoperative long-term mortality and resulted in a more than 2.5-fold increase of the postoperative long-term mortality in elderly Chinese individuals undergoing hip surgery.

Incidence, Disability, and Mortality in Patients With Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Korea: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

Background and PurposeThis study aimed to identify the epidemiological features of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in the Korean population.MethodsPatients with GBS were defined as those who were hospitalized with a primary diagnostic code of G61.0 on the Korean Classification of Disease in a department of neurology, rehabilitation medicine, or pediatrics. We evaluated the incidence and prevalence of GBS as well as physical disability, mortality, and cause of death in patients with GBS from 2002 to 2018 in the Korean population using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database.ResultsWe identified 11,146 patients with GBS. The ratio of males to females was 1.48. The age-adjusted incidence rate per 100,000 persons increased steadily from 0.84 in 2002 to 1.68 in 2018, as did the age-adjusted prevalence rate per 100,000 persons, from 0.77 to 15.62. The incidence and prevalence of GBS increased with age, peaking at 70–79 years. Among 10,114 patients without physical disability at the time of GBS being diagnosed, 502 (5.0%) patients had moderate disability and 526 (5.2%) had severe disability by the end of the study period. A total of 1,221 (11.0%) patients with GBS died during the mean follow-up period of 17 years (2002–2019). There were 144 (1.3%) in-hospital deaths.ConclusionsThis was the first nationwide epidemiological study of patients with GBS covering the entire population including patients of all ages in the Republic of Korea. We have revealed the seasonality of admissions, disability, and long-term mortality rates in patients with GBS.

Long-term results of medicamentous therapy alone in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy complicated by severe mitral insufficiency

The aim of this study was to assess survival rates and clinical outcomes in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and severe functional mitral regurgitation (FMR), treated with optimal guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT).Materials and methods. After signing an informed consent, 84 patients with DCM and severe FMR were enrolled in the study. Concomitant tricuspid valve regurgitation was recorded in 82 (97.6 %) cases. The median NT-proBNP level was 2530 pg/ml (2123–3000 pg/ml).Results. Hospital mortality was 5 (6.0 %) cases. Heart transplantation was performed in 4 (5.1 %) patients; therefore long-term results were analyzed in 75 patients. During the mean follow-up period of 45.9 ± 17.6 months, the occurrence of lethal outcomes (all-cause death) was 60.0 %. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year actuarial survival rate was 84.0 %, 53.3 % and 40.0 %, respectively. Left ventricular ejection fraction and systolic pressure in the pulmonary artery were independently associated with long-term all-cause mortality.Conclusions. The study results demonstrate that the short-term and long-term mortality rates in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and severe functional mitral regurgitation remain high despite the treatment with currently accepted pharmacological therapy. One possible method which would improve the treatment results is mitral valve surgery.

Number of lung resections performed and long-term mortality rates of patients after lung cancer surgery: evidence from an Italian investigation.

Although it has been postulated that patients might benefit from the centralization of high-volume specialized centres, conflicting results have been reported on the relationship between the number of lung resections performed and the long-term, all-cause mortality rates among patients who underwent surgery for lung cancer. A population-based observational study was performed to contribute to the ongoing debate. The 2613 patients, all residents of the Lombardy region (Italy), who underwent lung resection for lung cancer from 2012 to 2014 were entered into the cohort and were followed until 2018. The hospitals were classified according to the annual number of pulmonary resections performed. Three categories of lung resection cases were identified: low (≤30), intermediate (31-95) and high (>95). The outcome of interest was all-cause death. A frailty model was used to estimate the death risk associated with the categories of numbers of lung resections performed, taking into account the multilevel structure of the data. A set of sensitivity analyses was performed to account for sources of systematic uncertainty. The 1-year and 5-year survival rates of cohort members were 90% and 63%. Patients operated on in high-volume centres were on average younger and more often women. Compared to patients operated on in a low-volume centre, the mortality risk exhibited a significant, progressive reduction as the numbers of lung resections performed increased to intermediate (-13%; 95% confidence interval +10% to -31%) and high (-26%; 0% to -45%). Sensitivity analyses revealed that the association was consistent. Further evidence that the volume of lung resection cases performed strongly affects the long-term survival of lung cancer patients has been supplied.

A new non-invasive liver disease model to judge the prognosis of patients with acute upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to cirrhosis

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of the new non-invasive liver disease model platelet-albumin-bilirubin index (PALBI) in the diagnosis of patients with acute upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (AUGIB) due to cirrhosis. Methods 277 patients with AUGIB due to cirrhosis were analyzed retrospectively. The data of platelet, total bilirubin, albumin, creatinine, international standardized ratio and etiology of cirrhosis were collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for death in patients with cirrhosis complicated by AUGIB. Analysis of variance was used to compare the differences between the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and PALBI grades. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the association between MELD and PALBI. The operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to compare the predictive power of both for short-term and long-term mortality in patients with cirrhosis complicated by AUGIB. Results The short-term and long-term mortality rates of patients with cirrhosis complicated by AUGIB were 13.7% and 23.5%, respectively. The average hospital stay was (9.1±3.9)days. The high MELD score and high PALBI index were confirmed as independent risk factors of death by single factor and multiple factors [odds ratio (OR)=1.17, 4.43; P 0.05). Conclusions PALBI has a better predictive effect on patients with cirrhosis complicated by AUGIB than MELD scores. PALBI can achieve a more precise prognosis classification for patients with MELD-a, and maintain a good prediction ability on the short-term (within 30 days of hospitalization and discharge) and long-term (within 1 year after discharge) mortality of patients. As a new liver disease model, PALBI can be used as an effective non-invasive means to judge the prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis complicated by AUGIB . Key words: Liver cirrhosis; Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding; PALBI score; MELD score

Predictive factors for long-term mortality in miscellaneous cardiogenic shock: Protective role of beta-blockers at admission

Despite advances in intensive care medicine, management of cardiogenic shock (CS) remains difficult and imperfect, with high mortality rates, regardless of aetiology. Predictive data regarding long-term mortality rates in patients presenting CS are sparse. To describe prognostic factors for long-term mortality in CS of different aetiologies. Two hundred and seventy-five patients with CS admitted to our tertiary centre between January 2013 and December 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Mortality was recorded in December 2016. A Cox proportional-hazards model was used to determine predictors of long-term mortality. Most patients were male (72.7%), with an average age of 64±16 years and a history of cardiomyopathy (63.5%), mainly ischaemic (42.3%). Leading causes of CS were myocardial infarction (35.3%), decompensated heart failure (34.2%) and cardiac arrest (20.7%). Long-term mortality was 62.5%. After multivariable analysis, previous use of beta-blockers (hazard ratio [HR] 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.41-0.89; P=0.02) and coronary angiography exploration at admission (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.38-0.86; P=0.02) were associated with a lower risk of long-term mortality. Conversely, age (HR 1.02 per year, 95% CI 1.01-1.04; P<0.001), catecholamine support (HR 1.45 for each additional agent, 95% CI 1.20-1.75; P<0.001) and renal replacement therapy (HR 1.66, 95% CI 1.09-2.55; P=0.02) were associated with an increased risk of long-term mortality. Long-term mortality rates in CS remain high, reaching 60% at 1-year follow-up. Previous use of beta-blockers and coronary angiography exploration at admission were associated with better long-term survival, while age, renal replacement therapy and the use of catecholamines appeared to worsen the prognosis, and should lead to intensification of CS management.

Increased long-term mortality after myocardial infarction in patients with schizophrenia

BackgroundIschemic heart disease increases mortality in patients with schizophrenia. This nationwide study explored short-term and long-term mortality rates in patients with schizophrenia experiencing myocardial infarction (MI) compared to controls from the general population experiencing MI, as well as patients with schizophrenia and people from the general population not experiencing MI. MethodA Danish nationwide cohort study including incident patients diagnosed with schizophrenia between 1980 and 2015, matched 1:5 on year of birth and gender to controls from the general population. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Data were analysed utilizing Cox regression models, Kaplan-Meier estimates and standardized mortality ratios (SMR). ResultsPatients with schizophrenia experiencing MI had an increased mortality rate (Hazard rate ratio (HR) 9.94, 95%CI(8.71–11.35)), as well as schizophrenia controls (HR 4.50, 95%CI(4.36–4.64)) and MI controls (HR 3.27, 95%CI(3.03–3.52)) with controls not experiencing MI serving as reference in a model adjusted for age at entry, gender and calendar year. No difference in 30-day mortality was observed between groups experiencing MI, but increased mortality rates were shown in patients with schizophrenia at 1-year and 5-year follow-up. Trends in SMR declined in MI controls, while patients with schizophrenia showed an unchanged SMR over time. ConclusionsPatients with schizophrenia have not experienced a decline in mortality rate following MI compared to the general population in long-term follow-up. This finding highlights the need for research in MI follow-up care for patients with schizophrenia.

Impact of hepatitis C virus infection on long-term mortality after acute myocardial infarction: a nationwide population-based, propensity-matched cohort study in Taiwan

IntroductionThe influence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on long-term outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse the impact of HCV...

Antipsychotic medication and long-term mortality risk in patients with schizophrenia; a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Patients with schizophrenia have a higher mortality risk than patients suffering from any other psychiatric disorder. Previous research is inconclusive regarding the association of antipsychotic treatment with long-term mortality risk. To this aim, we systematically reviewed the literature and performed a meta-analysis on the relationship between long-term mortality and exposure to antipsychotic medication in patients with schizophrenia. The objectives were to (i) determine long-term mortality rates in patients with schizophrenia using any antipsychotic medication; (ii) compare these with mortality rates of patients using no antipsychotics; (iii) explore the relationship between cumulative exposure and mortality; and (iv) assess causes of death. We systematically searched the EMBASE, MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases for studies that reported on mortality and antipsychotic medication and that included adults with schizophrenia using a follow-up design of more than 1 year. A total of 20 studies fulfilled our inclusion criteria. These studies reported 23,353 deaths during 821,347 patient years in 133,929 unique patients. Mortality rates varied widely per study. Meta-analysis on a subgroup of four studies showed a consistent trend of an increased long-term mortality risk in schizophrenia patients who did not use antipsychotic medication during follow-up. We found a pooled risk ratio of 0.57 (LL:0.46 UL:0.76 p value <0.001) favouring any exposure to antipsychotics. Statiscal heterogeneity was found to be high (Q = 39.31, I 2 = 92.37%, p value < 0.001). Reasons for the increased risk of death for patients with schizophrenia without antipsychotic medication require further research. Prospective validation studies, uniform measures of antipsychotic exposure and classified causes of death are commendable.

Prognostic Impact of ChronicTotalOcclusions: A Report From SCAAR (Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry).

The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic impact of chronic total occlusion (CTO) on long-term mortality in a large prospective cohort. CTO is present in many patients with coronary artery disease and is difficult to treat with percutaneous coronary intervention. The study population consisted of all consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography in Sweden between January 1, 2005 and January 1, 2012, who were registered in SCAAR (Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry). The patient population was heterogeneous with regard to indication for angiography (stable angina, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI], unstable angina or non-STEMI, and other) and treatment options. The long-term mortality rates of patients with and without CTO were compared by using shared frailty Cox proportional hazards regression adjusted for confounders. Tests were conducted for interactions between CTO and several pre-specified characteristics: indication for angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (stable angina, STEMI, unstable angina or non-STEMI, and other), severity of coronary artery disease (1-, 2-, and 3-vessel and/or left main coronary artery disease), age, sex, and diabetes. During the study period, 14,441 patients with CTO and 75,431 patients without CTO were registered in SCAAR. CTO was associated with higher mortality (hazard ratio: 1.29; 95% confidence interval: 1.22 to 1.37; p< 0.001). In subgroup analyses, the risk attributable to CTO was lowest in patients with stable angina and highest in those with STEMI. In addition, CTO was associated with highest risk in patients under 60 years of age and with lowest risk in octogenarians. There was no interaction between CTO and either diabetes or sex, suggesting an equally adverse effect inboth groups. In this large prospective observational study of patients with coronary artery disease, CTO was associated with increased mortality. This association was most prominent in younger patients and in those with acute coronary syndromes.

Long-Term Survival is not Impaired After the Complete Resection of Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Appendix.

Appendiceal neuroendocrine tumors (aNET) are a common entity in routine medical care, with a rate per appendectomy as high as 0.3-0.9 %. Considering the relatively young age at diagnosis for these patients, exact information about the long-term prognosis of aNET is required. Survival rates vary substantially between 71 and 100 % and are mostly limited to 5 years. This investigation assessed the long-term mortality rates of patients who underwent aNET resections at fifteen hospitals. Between 1990 and 2003, the 10-year survival rates of 79 patients were analyzed using risk-adjusted Cox proportional hazard regression models adjusted for population-based baseline mortality. Additionally, prognostic factors for the oncologic outcomes were assessed. The median follow-up of all patients was 12.1 and 13.7 years for those alive. All patients underwent curative R0 resections. No distant metastases were diagnosed. A total of 31 (39.2 %), 29 (36.7 %), 18 (22.8 %), and 1 (1.3 %) patients had stage I, IIA, IIB, and IIIB aNET, respectively, according to the latest classification by the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society. The 10-year overall and relative survival rates were 83.6 % (95 % CI 75.5-92.6 %) and 96.7 % (95 % CI 87.5-107 %), respectively. The 10-year relative survival rate after resection of aNET did not differ from the survival of the average national population with the same age and gender (p = 0.947). Second primary malignancies (hazard ratio of death 7.0, 95 % CI 1.6-30.6) were identified as a significant prognosticator for long-term survival. Long-term survival is not significantly depreciated after the curative resection of aNET.

Meta-Analysis of Contemporary Short- and Long-Term Mortality Rates in Patients Diagnosed With Critical Leg Ischemia

Early mortality rates in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) are improving compared with historic data, but long-term mortality rates remain high.

Use of Emergency Medical Services in the Second Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events

Data are scarce regarding emergency medical service (EMS) usage by patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the Arabian Gulf region. This 9-month in-hospital prospective ACS registry was conducted in Arabian Gulf countries, with 30-day and 1-year follow-up mortality rates. Of 5184 patients with ACS, 1293 (25%) arrived at the hospital by EMS. The EMS group (vs non-EMS) was more likely to be male, have cardiac arrest on presentation, be current or exsmokers, and have moderate or severe left ventricular dysfunction and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The EMS group had higher crude mortality rates during hospitalization and after hospital discharge but not after adjustment for clinical factors and treatments. The EMSs are underused in the Arabian Gulf region. Short- and long-term mortality rates in patients with ACS are similar between those who used and did not use EMS. Quality improvement in the EMS infrastructure and establishment of integrated STEMI networks are urgently needed.