Risk-adjusted Mortality Research Articles

Weekend and holiday admissions for decompensated heart failure and in-hospital mortality. A cumulative effect of “nonworking” days?

Introduction and objectivesThe aim of this study was to analyze whether nonelective admissions in patients with heart failure (HF) on nonworking days (NWD) are associated with higher in-hospital mortality. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective (2018-2019) observational study of episodes of nonelective admissions in patients aged 18 years and older discharged with a principal diagnosis of HF in acute general hospitals of the Spanish National Health System. NWD at admission were defined as Fridays after 14:00hours, Saturdays, Sundays, and national and regional holidays. In-hospital mortality was analyzed with logistic regression models. The length of NWD was considered as an independent continuous variable. Propensity score matching was used as a sensitivity analysis. ResultsWe selected 235 281 episodes of nonelective HF admissions. When the NWD periods were included in the in-hospital mortality model, the increases in in-hospital mortality compared with weekday admission were as follows: 1 NWD day (OR, 1.11; 95%CI, 1.07-1.16); 2 days (OR, 1.13; 95%CI, 1.09-1.17); 3 (OR, 1.16; 95%CI, 1.05-1.27); and ≥4 days (OR, 1.20; 95%CI, 1.09-1.32). There was a statistically significant association between a linear increase in NWD and higher risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality (chi-square trend P=.0002). After propensity score matching, patients with HF admitted on NWD had higher in-hospital mortality than those admitted on weekdays (OR, 1.11; average treatment effect, 12.2% vs 11.1%; P<.001). ConclusionsWe found an association between admissions for decompensated HF on an NWD and higher in-hospital mortality. The excess mortality is likely not explained by differences in severity. In this study, the “weekend effect” tended to increase as the NWD period became longer.

A new phase Ⅱ risk-adjusted CUSUM chart for monitoring surgical performance

In recent years, the use of risk-adjusted control charts for monitoring surgical performance has gained significant attention among researchers. However, many existing monitoring methods only consider patient risk factors that impact surgical performance, and fail to account for other risk factors, such as the surgeon's level of experience. This study presents a new phase II risk-adjusted cumulative sum (CUSUM) chart based on the score test statistic, which includes a risk-adjusted mortality model with dummy variables. This new control chart not only monitors shifts in location and scale parameters related to surgical performance, but also accounts for changes in the risk distribution of the patient population by using dynamic probability control limits (DPCLs). The proposed method is further elaborated and validated through simulations in a practical context, and simulation results indicate that this method is more sensitive to small abnormal changes.

Regional differences in infective endocarditis epidemiology and outcomes in Spain. A population-based study

Abstract Introduction Population-based studies of infective endocarditis (IE) provide nationwide representative information of the disease, with a lower risk of selection and referral bias. Purpose Our aim was to describe the contemporary epidemiological profile of IE in Spain, and to evaluate regional variations in the incidence, characteristics and outcomes of IE in the different Spanish regions (autonomous communities, AC). Methods Retrospective population-based study to analyse the incidence, epidemiological and clinical characteristics and outcomes of all patients discharged with a diagnosis of IE from hospitals included in the Spanish National Health System, from January 2016 to December 2019. Differences in the IE profile among the 17 Spanish AC were also evaluated. Results A total of 9008 episodes were identified during the study period. Mean age was 69.5 (14.6) years, and 66.1% of the patients were male. 52.6% of episodes were treated at referral centers. Direct standardized incidence of IE in the study period was 5.77 (95% CI: 5.12-6.41) cases per 100000 person-years. 26.8% of episodes were prosthetic valve carriers, 36.8% had some kind of valve heart disease, and 10.6% had a cardiac implantable electronic device. The most frequently isolated microorganisms were staphylococci (33.3%; 19.0% Staphylococcus aureus and 14.3% coagulase-negative staphylococci), followed by gram-negative (21.0%) and streptococci (20.8%). Culture-negative IE accounted for 20.7% of episodes. 38.6% of patients developed heart failure during hospitalization, and 27.5% had acute renal failure. Cardiac surgery was performed in 19.3% of episodes in the total cohort, and in 33.4% of episodes treated in high-volume referral centres. In-hospital mortality was 25.1%. The standardized incidence of IE in Spain in the period 2016-2019 was 5.77 (95% CI: 5.12-6.41) cases per 100000 person-years. Standardized incidence rates (cases per 1000000 person-years) and risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality rates of infective endocarditis among AC are shown at Figure 1, were significant differences were found. In a multilevel logistic regression analysis, cardiogenic shock (OR 5.95, CI 4.98-7.9) and septic shock (OR 4.54, CI 3.78-5.44) were associated with the highest odds ratio for in-hospital mortality, whereas Streptococci viridans was associated with the lowest (OR 0.44, CI 0.37-0.52). Irrespectively of the AC, patients treated at high-volume centres (&amp;gt; 22 episodes per year) had a slightly lower risk-adjusted mortality (22.7±4.1 vs 23±3.6) p&amp;lt;0.001) (Figure 2, blue dots represent low-volume hospitals, red dots represent high-volume hospitals). Conclusions We found relevant and statistically significant differences in standardized incidence rates of IE, and risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality rates among regions. Regardless of the AC, patients treated in high-volume centres (&amp;gt;22 episodes per year) had a slightly lower risk-adjusted mortality.Figure 1Figure 2

Comparing cardiovascular outcomes and costs of perindopril-, enalapril- or losartan-based antihypertensive regimens in South Africa: real-world medical claims database analysis

Abstract Background Effective strategies for hypertension management are essential to reduce associated morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, where blood pressure control rates are alarmingly low. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors are recommended as first-line treatment; however, differences in class or molecule-specific effects have not been conclusively demonstrated. Purpose This real-world study analysed medical insurance claims data to assess clinical and cost outcomes of antihypertensive therapy based on the three most commonly prescribed RAAS inhibitors in South Africa: perindopril, losartan and enalapril. Methods Patients on standard doses of perindopril, enalapril or losartan (alone or in combination with other agents) for ≥12 months prior to January 2015 were identified from a large, South African private health insurance database. Anonymised patient-level claims over the next 5 years (January 2015 to December 2019) were analysed in patients with ≥80% adherence. The primary outcome was the risk-adjusted rate of the composite of myocardial infarction (MI), ischaemic heart disease (IHD), heart failure (HF) or stroke. The key secondary clinical outcome was the risk-adjusted all-cause mortality rate; risk-adjusted costs per life per month (PLPM) in South African Rands (ZAR) were also assessed. Results In total, 63,489 patients who received perindopril (n=32,857), losartan (n=16,693) or enalapril (n=13,939) were included. Within the 5-year study period, the risk-adjusted rate of ≥1 claim for MI, IHD, HF or stroke (primary outcome) was significantly lower with perindopril than losartan (205 vs 221 per 1000 patients; P&amp;lt;0.0001) or enalapril (205 vs 223 per 1000 patients; P&amp;lt;0.0001). The risk-adjusted all-cause mortality rate was also significantly lower with perindopril than enalapril (100 vs 139 deaths per 1000 patients; P=0.007), but similar to that with losartan (100 vs 94 deaths per 1000 patients; P=0.650). Perindopril was also associated with significantly lower overall risk-adjusted costs than the other agents, with mean (95% confidence interval) costs PLPM of ZAR 1342 (87–8973) for perindopril, ZAR 1466 (104–9365) for losartan (P=0.0044) and ZAR 1540 (77–10,546) for enalapril (P=0.0003). Conclusion In this real-world analysis of South African individuals with hypertension, perindopril-based regimens were associated with a lower rate of cardiovascular events (MI, IHD, HF and stroke) over 5 years than enalapril- or losartan-based regimens. Perindopril also provided considerably greater cost-saving benefits, both statistically and socioeconomically, compared with the other RAAS inhibitor agents. Although these observations need to be confirmed in a broader South African population, including those treated in the public health sector, they may have significant implications for the choice of antihypertensive therapy.Time to outcome event over 5 yearsRisk-adjusted cost in South African Rand

Abstract 12155: Trends in the Clinical Outcomes and Resource Utilization of Catheter-Based Thrombolytic Therapy vs. Systemic Thrombolytic Therapy in Patients With Acute Pulmonary Embolism

Introduction: Contemporary trends in clinical outcomes and resource utilization in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) undergoing thrombolytic therapy are not well-known. Research Question: We wanted to analyze the trends in outcomes of catheter-based thrombolytic therapy (CDT) vs. systemic thrombolytic therapy (ST) in patients with PE. Aim: We aimed to compare the trends in in-hospital mortality, length of stay (LOS), and hospital costs in patients with PE who underwent CDT vs. ST. Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample, all adult patients hospitalized with PE from 2012 to 2018 were identified using the International Classification of Disease diagnostic codes. Multivariate linear and logistic regression were used to obtain trends and effect sizes. Results: We identified 1.27 million patients with PE, of which 45,950 underwent thrombolytic therapy (CDT=30.1% and ST=69.9%). The mean age of patients receiving CDT vs. ST wasn't different (59.7 vs. 59.3, P=0.14). The proportion of CDT among all patients with PE increased from 0.4% in 2012 to 1.9% in 2018. Baseline characteristics of patients who underwent CDT vs. ST are shown in panel A. Risk-adjusted mortality was significantly lower in patients receiving CDT vs. ST (AOR=0.38, P=&lt;.01). Risk-adjusted LOS was 0.19 days non-significantly higher in patients with CDT vs. ST (P-value=0.12). The hospital cost was significantly higher in patients who underwent CDT vs. ST (β=2917 USD, P&lt;.01). Temporal trends of these outcomes are shown in panels B-D. Conclusions: It is encouraging to see an increasing trend in the utilization of CDT. In-hospital mortality decreased in patients with CDT and ST, but CDT continues to be superior. The LOS was not significantly different among these groups but significantly decreased in both groups over time. Finally, hospital cost was higher in patients with CDT vs ST, but these cost differences between CDT and ST narrowed due to decreasing cost of CDT and increasing cost of ST over time.

Abstract 14708: Heart Failure While Homeless: Examining the Relationship Between HF Hospitalizations and Housing Insecurity

Background: The association between housing insecurity and outcomes of hospitalizations for heart failure (HF) has not been previously well-established. Methods: We analyzed HF hospitalizations using the 2020 United States National Inpatient Sample database. Individuals were identified as having housing insecurity by related ICD-10 codes. Other demographic and comorbidity data were identified using corresponding ICD-10 codes. Characteristics of patients hospitalized for HF that were identified as having housing insecurity were compared to those hospitalized for HF who had no housing insecurity. We performed a multivariable risk adjustment for in-hospital mortality based on patient characteristics. Results: Out of 1,003,270 hospitalizations for HF, 16,150 were identified as having housing insecurity (1.6%). The average age of patients with housing insecurity hospitalized for HF was 56, as compared to 71 in the housed population. A higher proportion of patients in the housing-insecure group were Black (35% vs 20.1%) or Hispanic (11.1% vs 7.3%). Patients with housing insecurity were more likely to carry a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder (15.2% vs 3.3%) or substance use disorder (70.2% vs 17.8%), however they were less likely to use tobacco (18.3% vs 28.7%). Patients with housing insecurity were over 4.5 times more likely to have a primary Medicaid payer (52.4% vs 11.3%). Average length of stay did not differ between housing-insecure patients versus those without (5.37 vs 5.51 days). After adjusting for patient characteristics, housing insecurity was predictive of lower in-hospital mortality (OR 0.622, 95% CI 0.403 - 0.960). Conclusions: Significant differences occur between patients hospitalized for HF who also have housing insecurity. These differences are most pronounced for substance use and psychiatric disorders. However, housing insecurity was predictive of lower in-hospital mortality. Admissions for heart failure may provide important opportunities to screen for and address comorbid conditions for patients with housing insecurity, as well as for other vulnerable populations.

Abstract 18131: Outcomes of Catheter-Based Thrombectomy versus Surgical Embolectomy Among Patients With Massive Pulmonary Embolism: A Nationwide Analysis From the United States

Background: Clinical outcomes of catheter-based thrombectomy (CBT) compared with surgical embolectomy (SE) in patients with massive pulmonary embolism (mPE) have not been previously examined. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the 2016-2020 National Inpatient Sample database to compare the outcomes of CBT versus SE in patients with mPE. Outcomes of interest included risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality, major bleeding, stroke, acute kidney injury (AKI), hospital length of stay (LOS), and total cost. Results: The total cohort included 5,845 patients with mPE, of which 5,490 (93.9%) underwent CBT and 215 (3.7%) underwent SE. After risk-adjustment, CBT had similar odds of in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.60-3.66, p=0.37) and stroke (aOR 1.49, 95% CI 0.30-7.38, p=0.62), lower odds of major bleeding (aOR 0.28, 95% CI 0.13-0.63, p&lt;0.01), and higher odds of AKI (aOR 2.40, 95% CI 1.11-5.17, p=0.02) compared with SE. CBT had a similar LOS (p=0.58) and total cost (p=0.23) compared with SE. Between 2016 and 2020, there was a temporal increase in the performance of CBT in patients with mPE (p trend &lt;0.01). Conclusions: In patients with massive PE, CBT was associated with similar in-hospital mortality, stroke, LOS, and total cost, lower major bleeding, and higher AKI compared with SE. Randomized controlled trials are indicated to confirm our findings.

Abstract 16570: Benchmarking Risk-Adjusted Outcomes in Congenital Heart Surgery

Background: Robust models exist to predict risk-adjusted mortality following congenital heart surgery. It is known that underlying diagnosis modifies predicted risk of operations, and institution-level outcomes vary based on their unique case mix. We therefore evaluated risk-adjusted outcomes for a subset of diagnosis-procedure (D-P) combinations within the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' (STS) congenital heart surgery database (CHSD). Methods: A clinician panel identified the most frequently encountered D-P combinations in CHSD between 07/2017 and 06/2021. Candidate modeling techniques were compared in a random 80% development cohort. Model performance was assessed using internal and cross-validation calibration, discrimination plots and optimism adjusted C-statistics. The final selected model was evaluated in the 20% validation sample. Results: The chosen subset of D-P combinations represented 45,384 of 87,589 (52%) unique episodes of surgical care in CHSD during this time-period. The development cohort (36,350 episodes) had 1.8% mortality (667 deaths). All candidate models had excellent discrimination with C-statistics ranging from 0.862 to 0.876. The model with the best combination of discrimination, calibration, and clinical face validity was a modified version of the current STS mortality risk model. This version included all current risk model variables with the addition of indicator variables for D-P combinations. In the 20% validation sample (9,034 episodes), this model was well calibrated (Figure) and had excellent discrimination (C = 0.879). Conclusion: We describe a cohort of D-P combinations widely encountered in the STS CHSD. Further, we refined the existing STS CHSD risk model for application to these D-P dyads to derive empirical risk-adjusted benchmark outcomes. This approach will benefit quality improvement efforts at an institutional level and may have implications for publicly reporting congenital heart surgery outcomes.

Impact of dexmedetomidine on mortality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury: a retrospective propensity score matching analysis

ObjectivesThis study sought to estimate the effect of dexmedetomidine (DEX) administration on mortality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI).DesignA retrospective cohort study.SettingThe study sourced its data from...

Trauma Quality Improvement Program: A Retrospective Analysis from A Middle Eastern National Trauma Center.

The Trauma Quality Improvement Program (American College of Surgery (ACS-TQIP)) uses the existing infrastructure of the Committee on Trauma programs and provides feedback to participating hospitals on risk-adjusted outcomes. This study aimed to analyze and compare the performance of the Level I Hamad Trauma Centre (HTC) with other TQIP participating centers by comparing TQIP aggregate database reports. The primary goal was to pinpoint the variations in adult trauma outcomes and quality measures, identify areas that need improvement, and leverage existing resources to facilitate quality improvement. A retrospective analysis was performed for the TQIP data from April 2019-March 2020 to April 2020-March 2021. We used the TQIP methodology, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and outcomes. There were 915 patients from Fall 2020 and 884 patients from Fall 2021 that qualified for the TQIP database. The HTC patients' demographics differed from the TQIP's aggregate data; they were younger, more predominantly male, and had significantly different mechanisms of injury (MOI) with more traffic-related blunt trauma. Penetrating injuries were more severe in the other centers. During the TQIP Fall 2020 report, the HTC was a low outlier (good performer) in one cohort (all patients) and an average performer in the remaining cohorts. However, during Fall 2021, the HTC showed an improvement and was a low outlier in two cohorts (all patients and severe TBI patients). Overall, the HTC remained an average performer during the report cycles. There was an improvement over time in the risk-adjusted mortality, which reflects the continuous and demanding effort put together by the trauma team. The ACS-TQIP for the external benchmarking of quality improvement could be a contributor to better monitored patient care. Evaluating the TQIP data with emphases on appropriate methodologies, quality measurements, corrective measures, and accurate reporting is warranted.

The Association Between Prepandemic ICU Performance and Mortality Variation in COVID-19: A Multicenter Cohort Study of 35,619 Critically Ill Patients

During the COVID-19 pandemic, ICUs remained under stress and observed elevated mortality rates and high variations of outcomes. A knowledge gap exists regarding whether an ICU performing best during nonpandemic times would still perform better when under high pressure compared with the least performing ICUs. Does prepandemic ICU performance explain the risk-adjusted mortality variability for critically ill patients with COVID-19? This study examined a cohort of adults with real-time polymerase chain reaction-confirmed COVID-19 admitted to 156 ICUs in 35 hospitals from February 16, 2020, through December 31, 2021, in Brazil. We evaluated crude and adjusted in-hospital mortality variability of patients with COVID-19 in the ICU during the pandemic. Association of baseline (prepandemic) ICU performance and in-hospital mortality was examined using a variable life-adjusted display (VLAD) during the pandemic and a multivariable mixed regression model adjusted by clinical characteristics, interaction of performance with the year of admission, and mechanical ventilation at admission. Thirty-five thousand six hundred nineteen patients with confirmed COVID-19 were evaluated. The median age was 52 years, median Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 was 42, and 18%underwent invasive mechanical ventilation. In-hospital mortality was 13%and 54%for those receiving invasive mechanical ventilation. Adjusted in-hospital mortality ranged from 3.6%to 63.2%. VLAD in the most efficient ICUs was higher than the overall median in 18%of weeks, whereas VLAD was 62%and 84%in the underachieving and least efficient groups, respectively. The least efficient baseline ICU performance group was associated independently with increased mortality (OR, 2.30; 95%CI, 1.45-3.62) after adjusting for patient characteristics, disease severity, and pandemic surge. ICUs caring for patients with COVID-19 presented substantial variation in risk-adjusted mortality. ICUs with better baseline (prepandemic) performance showed reduced mortality and less variability. Our findings suggest that achieving ICU efficiency by targeting improvement in organizational aspects of ICUs may impact outcomes, and therefore should be a part of the preparedness for future pandemics.

Practice makes perfect? Institutional coronary artery bypass case volumes and outcomes.

Older studies of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) institutional case volumes and outcomes reported conflicting results. We explored this association in the rapidly changing contemporary practice of American surgeons using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Adult Cardiac Surgery Database. The 2018-2019 isolated primary CABG experience in the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database was analysed (241902 patients; 1014 hospitals; 2718 surgeons). Generalized Estimating Equations were used to estimate coefficients between CABG institutional case volumes and outcomes. The observed-to-expected ratios based on STS risk models were used to assess risk-adjusted operative mortality (OM), mortality/major morbidity (MM) and deep sternal wound infections (DSWI) as a function of institutional case volumes. The mean (standard deviation) OM, MM and DSWI rates were 2.1% (2.7), 11.1% (9.2) and 0.6% (0.5), respectively. The mean (standard deviation) institutional case volumes per study period was 239 (192); 23% and 9% of institutions performed <100 and >500 cases/study period, respectively. There was a weak negative correlation between expected mortality (R2 -0.0014), OM (R2 -0.0272), MM (R2 -0.1213) and DSWI (R2 -0.003) and institutional case volumes. CABG outcomes generally improve with increasing institutional case volumes. Given the large number of CABG cases performed nationally, even the documented weak correlation has the potential to appreciably decrease OM, MM and DSWI if cases are performed at higher volume institutions. Studies focusing on additional hospital and surgeon factors are warranted to further define quality improvement opportunities.

Análisis de los datos del Registro Español de Cirugía Cardiaca (RECC) 2021-2022

IntroductionSince February 8, 2021, the Spanish Society of Cardiovascular and Endovascular Surgery got under way the Spanish Registry of Cardiac Surgery (RECC), which is available for the different units of cardiovascular surgeons in our country. It is a tool that allows collect patient-level data of patients undergoing cardiac, vascular or endovascular surgery. After two years of development, we have carried out an analysis of the quality of the information obtained in order to acquire an overview of its content. MethodsThe information has been analyzed anonymously at patient, hospital and province level. For risk-adjusted mortality estimation, the EuroSCORE II preoperative risk estimation scale was used. ResultsA total of 7087 interventions have been included. Six thousand two hundred and sixty-seven were major cardiac surgeries: 53.9% valvular, 25.2% coronary artery bypass grafting, and 14.9% aortic procedures. The overall mortality was 5.0% and the risk-adjusted mortality rate was 0.88. The EuroSCORE II calibration in the overall sample was good in the lowest-risk patients, although it overestimated mortality in high-risk patients. ConclusionsRECC is a nationally defined clinical database in the field of cardiovascular surgery. RECC allows a patient-level data analysis in order to perform an accurate analysis of the volumen of activity, risk adjustment and results. Locally, it could be used as a tool to improve the quality of care and development of corrective programs.

Prognostic Value of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Predicting Long-Term Mortality After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background Patient-reported outcome measures have been shown to have important prognostic value after various cardiac interventions. We assessed the association between the change in Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire 12 (KCCQ-12) score after transcatheter aortic valve replacement and mortality. Methods and Results We included patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement at Mayo Clinic between February 2012 to June 2022 and who completed a KCCQ-12 before and 30 to 45 days after the procedure. Patients were categorized into 3 groups: those who experienced significant (>+19 points; group 1), modest (1-19 points; group 2), and no (≤0 points; group 3) improvement. A total of 1124 patients were included: 60.8% men; 97.6% White. Mean age was 79.4±8.3 years, baseline KCCQ-12 score was 53.9±24.5, and median Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 4.9% (interquartile range, 3.1-8.0). At 45 days, the mean change in KCCQ-12 score was 19±24 points; 46.3% (n=520) of patients had a significant improvement in their KCCQ-12 score, while 33.4% (n=375) and 20.4% (n=229) had modest and no improvement, respectively. Median survival was higher in group 1 (5.7±0.2 years) compared with groups 2 and 3 (5.1±0.3 and 4.1±0.4 years, respectively; P<0.001). Compared with patients in group 1, those in groups 2 and 3 had higher long-term risk-adjusted mortality (adjusted hazard ratios, 1.54 [95% CI, 1.20-1.96], and 2.30 [95% CI, 1.74-3.04], respectively). Conclusions Patients who experience modest or no improvement in KCCQ-12 score after transcatheter aortic valve replacement have substantially higher long-term mortality. Delta KCCQ-12 is a cost-effective, efficient tool that can identify patients at increased risk of death at long-term follow-up post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Telemedicine Critical Care-Mediated Mortality Reductions in Lower-Performing Patient Diagnosis Groups: A Prospective, Before and After Study.

Studies evaluating telemedicine critical care (TCC) have shown mixed results. We prospectively evaluated the impact of TCC implementation on risk-adjusted mortality among patients stratified by pre-TCC performance. Prospective, observational, before and after study. Three adult ICUs at an academic medical center. A total of 2,429 patients in the pre-TCC (January to June 2016) and 12,479 patients in the post-TCC (January 2017 to June 2019) periods. TCC implementation which included an acuity-driven workflow targeting an identified "lower-performing" patient group, defined by ICU admission in an Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation diagnoses category with a pre-TCC standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of greater than 1.5. The primary outcome was risk-adjusted hospital mortality. Risk-adjusted hospital length of stay (HLOS) was also studied. The SMR for the overall ICU population was 0.83 pre-TCC and 0.75 post-TCC, with risk-adjusted mortalities of 10.7% and 9.5% (p = 0.09). In the identified lower-performing patient group, which accounted for 12.6% (n = 307) of pre-TCC and 13.3% (n = 1671) of post-TCC ICU patients, SMR decreased from 1.61 (95% CI, 1.21-2.01) pre-TCC to 1.03 (95% CI, 0.91-1.15) post-TCC, and risk-adjusted mortality decreased from 26.4% to 16.9% (p < 0.001). In the remaining ("higher-performing") patient group, there was no change in pre- versus post-TCC SMR (0.70 [0.59-0.81] vs 0.69 [0.64-0.73]) or risk-adjusted mortality (8.5% vs 8.4%, p = 0.86). There were no pre- to post-TCC differences in standardized HLOS ratio or risk-adjusted HLOS in the overall cohort or either performance group. In well-staffed and overall higher-performing ICUs in an academic medical center, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation granularity allowed identification of a historically lower-performing patient group that experienced a striking TCC-associated reduction in SMR and risk-adjusted mortality. This study provides additional evidence for the relationship between pre-TCC performance and post-TCC improvement.

Comparing Cardiovascular Outcomes and Costs of Perindopril-, Enalapril- or Losartan-Based Antihypertensive Regimens in South Africa: Real-World Medical Claims Database Analysis.

Differences in class or molecule-specific effects between renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors have not been conclusively demonstrated. This study used South African data to assess clinical and cost outcomes of antihypertensive therapy with the three most common RAAS inhibitors: perindopril, losartan and enalapril. Using a large, South African private health insurance claims database, we identified patients with a hypertension diagnosis in January 2015 receiving standard doses of perindopril, enalapril or losartan, alone or in combination with other agents. From claims over the subsequent 5years, we calculated the risk-adjusted rate of the composite primary outcome of myocardial infarction, ischaemic heart disease, heart failure or stroke; rate of all-cause mortality; and costs per life per month (PLPM), with adjustments based on demographic characteristics, healthcare plan and comorbidity. Overall, 32,857 individuals received perindopril, 16,693 losartan and 13,939 enalapril. Perindopril-based regimens were associated with a significantly lower primary outcome rate (205 per 1000 patients over 5years) versus losartan (221; P<0.0001) or enalapril (223; P<0.0001). The risk-adjusted all-cause mortality rate was lower with perindopril than enalapril (100 vs. 139 deaths per 1000 patients over 5years; P=0.007), but not losartan (100 vs. 94; P=0.650). Mean (95% confidence interval) overall risk-adjusted cost PLPM was Rands (ZAR) 1342 (87-8973) for perindopril, ZAR 1466 (104-9365) for losartan (P=0.0044) and ZAR 1540 (77-10,546) for enalapril (P=0.0003). In South African individuals with private health insurance, a perindopril-based antihypertensive regimen provided better clinical and cost outcomes compared with other regimens.

Understanding the biases to sepsis surveillance and quality assurance caused by inaccurate coding in administrative health data

PurposeTimely and accurate data on the epidemiology of sepsis are essential to inform policy decisions and research priorities. We aimed to investigate the validity of inpatient administrative health data (IAHD) for surveillance and quality assurance of sepsis care.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective validation study in a disproportional stratified random sample of 10,334 inpatient cases of age ≥ 15 years treated in 2015–2017 in ten German hospitals. The accuracy of coding of sepsis and risk factors for mortality in IAHD was assessed compared to reference standard diagnoses obtained by a chart review. Hospital-level risk-adjusted mortality of sepsis as calculated from IAHD information was compared to mortality calculated from chart review information.ResultsICD-coding of sepsis in IAHD showed high positive predictive value (76.9–85.7% depending on sepsis definition), but low sensitivity (26.8–38%), which led to an underestimation of sepsis incidence (1.4% vs. 3.3% for severe sepsis-1). Not naming sepsis in the chart was strongly associated with under-coding of sepsis. The frequency of correctly naming sepsis and ICD-coding of sepsis varied strongly between hospitals (range of sensitivity of naming: 29–71.7%, of ICD-diagnosis: 10.7–58.5%). Risk-adjusted mortality of sepsis per hospital calculated from coding in IAHD showed no substantial correlation to reference standard risk-adjusted mortality (r = 0.09).ConclusionDue to the under-coding of sepsis in IAHD, previous epidemiological studies underestimated the burden of sepsis in Germany. There is a large variability between hospitals in accuracy of diagnosing and coding of sepsis. Therefore, IAHD alone is not suited to assess quality of sepsis care.

Association of Discontinuing Preinjury Beta-Adrenergic Blockade Medications With Mortality in Severe Blunt Traumatic Brian Injury.

Beta-adrenergic receptor blocker (BB) administration has been shown to improve survival after traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, studies to date that observe a benefit did not distinguish between continuation of preinjury BB versus de novo initiation of BB. To determine the effect of continuation of preinjury BB and de novo initiation of BB on risk-adjusted mortality and complications for patients with TBI. Trauma quality collaborative data (2016-2021) were analyzed. Patients were excluded with hospitalization <48 hours, direct admission, or penetrating injury. Severe TBI was identified as a head abbreviated injury scale (AIS) value of 3 to 5. Patients were placed into 4 groups based on the preinjury BB use and administration of BB during hospitalization. Propensity score matching was used to create 1:1 matched cohorts of patients for comparisons. Odd ratios of mortality accounting for hospital clustering were calculated. A sensitivity analysis was performed excluding patients with AIS >2 injuries in all other body regions to create a cohort of isolated TBI patients. A total of 15,153 patients treated at 35 trauma centers were available for analysis. Patients were divided into 4 cohort groupings related to preinjury BB use and postinjury receipt of BB. The odds of mortality was significantly reduced for patients with a TBI on a preinjury BB who had the medication continued in the acute setting (as compared with patients on preinjury BB who did not) (odds ratio [OR], 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54-0.98; P = 0.04). Patients with a TBI who were not on preinjury BB did not benefit from de novo initiation of BB with regard to mortality (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.64-1.08; P = 0.2). In the sensitivity analysis, excluding polytrauma patients, patients on preinjury BB who had BB continued had a reduction in mortality when compared with patients in which BB was stopped following a TBI (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.47-0.91; P = 0.01). Continuing BB is associated with reduced odds of mortality in patients with a TBI on preinjury BB. We were unable to demonstrate benefit from instituting beta blockade in patients who are not on a BB preinjury.

Early and late withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the United Kingdom: Institutional variation and association with hospital mortality

AimFrequency and timing of Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Treatment (WLST) after Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) vary across Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in the United Kingdom (UK) and may be a marker of lower healthcare quality if instituted too frequently or too early. We aimed to describe WLST practice, quantify its variability across UK ICUs, and assess the effect of institutional deviation from average practice on patients’ risk-adjusted hospital mortality. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective multi-centre cohort study including all adult patients admitted after OHCA to UK ICUs between 2010 and 2017. We identified patient and ICU characteristics associated with early (within 72 h) and late (>72 h) WLST and quantified the between-ICU variation. We used the ICU-level observed-to-expected (O/E) ratios of early and late-WLST frequency as separate metrics of institutional deviation from average practice and calculated their association with patients’ hospital mortality. ResultsWe included 28,438 patients across 204 ICUs. 10,775 (37.9%) had WLST and 6397 (59.4%) of them had early-WLST. Both WLST types were strongly associated with patient-level demographics and pre-existing conditions but weakly with ICU-level characteristics. After adjustment, we found unexplained between-ICU variation for both early-WLST (Median Odds Ratio 1.59, 95%CrI 1.49–1.71) and late-WLST (MOR 1.39, 95%CrI 1.31–1.50). Importantly, patients’ hospital mortality was higher in ICUs with higher O/E ratio of early-WLST (OR 1.29, 95%CI 1.21–1.38, p < 0.001) or late-WLST (OR 1.39, 95%CI 1.31–1.48, p < 0.001). ConclusionsSignificant variability exists between UK ICUs in WLST frequency and timing. This matters because unexplained higher-than-expected WLST frequency is associated with higher hospital mortality independently of timing, potentially signalling prognostic pessimism and lower healthcare quality.

Increasing surgeon experience and cumulative institutional experience drive decreasing hospital mortality after reoperative cardiac surgery

ObjectiveThe study objective was to identify the effects of surgeon experience and age, in the context of cumulative institutional experience, on risk-adjusted hospital mortality after cardiac reoperations. MethodsFrom 1951 to 2020, 36 surgeons performed 160,338 cardiac operations, including 32,871 reoperations. Hospital death was modeled using a novel tree-bagged, generalized varying-coefficient method with 6 variables reflecting cumulative surgeon and institutional experience up to each cardiac operation: (1) number of total and (2) reoperative cardiac operations performed by a surgeon, (3) cumulative institutional number of total and (4) reoperative cardiac operations, (5) year of surgery, and (6) surgeon age at each operation. These were adjusted for 46 patient characteristics and surgical components. ResultsThere were 1470 hospital deaths after cardiac reoperations (4.5%). At the institutional level, hospital death decreased exponentially and became less variable, leveling at 1.2% after approximately 14,000 cardiac reoperations. For all surgeons as a group, hospital death decreased rapidly over the first 750 reoperations and then gradually decreased with increasing experience to less than 1% after approximately 4000 reoperations. Surgeon age up to 75 years was associated with ever-decreasing hospital death. ConclusionsSurgeon age and experience have been implicated in adverse surgical outcomes, particularly after complex cardiac operations, with young surgeons being novices and older surgeons having declining ability. However, at Cleveland Clinic, outcomes of cardiac reoperations improved with increasing primary surgeon experience, without any suggestion to mid-70s of an age cutoff. Patients were protected by the cumulative background of institutional experience that created a culture of safety and teamwork that mitigated adverse events after cardiac surgery.