Significant Difference In In-hospital Mortality Research Articles

Effectiveness and Safety of Hydroxychloroquine, Chloroquine, with or without Azithromycin in the Treatment of COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: The outbreak of COVID-19 has caused a serious threat to the lives of people all over the world. At present, there is a lack of specific drugs for the treatment of COVID-19, and the development of effective vaccines is also in progress. With the increasing number of patients worldwide, how to choose safe and effective drugs to treat COVID-19 is imminent. Purpose: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, and azithromycin in the treatment of COVID-19. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search by combining the MeSH and free words on Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, medRxiv, and bioRxiv. The type of study is limited to clinical trials and observational studies. We used the Jadad scale and the American Agency for Health Research and Quality tool to evaluate the quality of the literature. A meta-analysis was undertaken using STATA version 15.0. Results: A total of 14 related articles including 5048 subjects were included in the study, of which 3 articles were randomized controlled studies and 11 articles were observational cohort studies. In terms of drug effectiveness, compared with patients receiving neither drug, there were no significant differences in in-hospital mortality, mechanical ventilation rate, ICU admission rate, and negative conversion rate of SARS-COV-2 for patients receiving hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine. In terms of drug safety, compared with patients receiving neither drug, adverse drug events were no significant differences in patients receiving hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine. In addition, our study also found that compared with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine treatment alone, combined with azithromycin treatment does not increase the risk of QT interval prolongation and the mortality of hospitalized patients. Conclusions: Treatment with hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, or azithromycin, compared with patients receiving neither drug, was not significant differences in drug effectiveness and safety. However, the interpretation of these results may be limited by the small samples and observational studies. So, it is very necessary to conduct more large-scale randomized, double-blind, prospective controlled studies.

Role of Hospital Teaching Status on Outcomes of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Nationwide Analysis

Data regarding hospitalization outcomes in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with respect to hospital teaching status are largely unknown. We aimed to investigate the impact of hospital teaching status on IBD hospitalization outcomes. In this retrospective analysis, we queried the 2016 and 2017 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) databases using the International Classification of Diseases 10th revision (ICD-10) coding system. All adult patients with a principal diagnosis of IBD were included. We stratified the IBD group into ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn's disease (CD), and complicated IBD. Our primary outcome was mortality. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA, version 16.0. Of the 189,950 adult patients with IBD, the majority were admitted to teaching hospitals (70.9%). There was no significant difference in mortality based upon hospital teaching status (aOR 1.18, p = 0.48); however, these patients had an increased mean length of stay (adjusted coefficient: 0.82, p < 0.01), charges (adjusted coefficient: $8732, p < 0.01), and costs ($2871, p < 0.01). On subgroup analysis, patients with UC admitted to teaching hospitals had a significantly increased in-hospital mortality (aOR 2.11, p < 0.05), while those admitted with CD did not (aOR 0.80, p = 0.4). Among patients with complicated IBD, 73.17% were admitted to teaching hospitals, and no significant difference in in-hospital mortality was seen (aOR 1.06, p = 0.8). While outcome differences are likely related to multiple unaccounted factors, greater efforts should be placed to cost-effectively manage patients with IBD at teaching institutions. Future studies are warranted to fully comprehend these variations.

Transcatheter and Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement Outcomes for Patients with Chronic Heart Failure

To determine in-hospital outcomes and assess high-risk groups among chronic heart failure (CHF) patients with aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). A retrospective analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from January 2012 to September 2015 was performed. Hospitals across the United States that offer TAVRs or SAVRs. Adults with a diagnosis of CHF and AS. The patients underwent either TAVR or SAVR. Totals of 5,871 and 4,008 CHF patients underwent TAVR and SAVR, respectively. TAVR patients were significantly older, more were female, and had a higher comorbidity burden. No significant differences in in-hospital mortality were noted between TAVR and SAVR. However, mean length of stay was significantly longer by 3.5 days in the SAVR group, as was the mean total cost. With the exception of complete heart block, permanent pacemaker implantation, and vascular complications, the majority of postoperative events were higher among the SAVR group. Multivariate regression analysis identified postoperative cardiac, respiratory and renal complications as significant predictors of in-hospital mortality for both groups. Additionally, age ≥75 years and vascular complications were significant predictors of mortality for patients undergoing TAVR. Among CHF patients with symptomatic AS, TAVR had similar in-hospital mortality rate compared with SAVR despite higher comorbidity burden. TAVR patients are at a lower risk of cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal complications and might lead to reduced length of hospital stay and cost. Hence, TAVR may be a safer option in this population.

Empirical Treatment With Carbapenem vs Third-generation Cephalosporin for Treatment of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis

Third-generation cephalosporins (TGCs) are recommended as first-line antibiotics for treatment of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). However, antibiotics against multidrug-resistant organisms (such as carbapenems) might be necessary. We aimed to evaluate whether carbapenems are superior to TGC for treatment of SBP. We performed a retrospective study of 865 consecutive patients with a first presentation of SBP (275 culture positive; 103 with TGC-resistant bacterial infections) treated at 7 referral centers in Korea, from September 2013 through January 2018. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. We made all comparisons using data from patients whose baseline characteristics were balanced by inverse probability of treatment weighting. Of patients who initially received empirical treatment with antibiotics, 95 (11.0%) received carbapenems and 655 (75.7%) received TGCs. Among the entire study cohort, there was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between the carbapenem (25.8%) and TGC (25.3%) groups (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.97; 95% CI, 0.85-1.11; P = .66). In the subgroup of patients with high chronic liver failure-sequential organ failure assessment (CLIF-SOFA) scores (score of 7 or greater, n = 314), carbapenem treatment was associated with lower in-hospital mortality (23.1%) than in the TGC group (38.8%) (aOR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75-0.94; P=.002). In contrast, among patients with lower CLIF-SOFA scores (n = 436), in-hospital mortality did not differ significantly between the carbapenem group (24.7%) and the TGC group (16.0%) (aOR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.85-1.32; P = .58). For patients with a first presentation of SBP, empirical treatment with carbapenem does not reduce in-hospital mortality compared to treatment with TGCs. However, among critically ill patients (CLIF-SOFA scores ≥7), empirical carbapenem treatment was significantly associated with lower in-hospital mortality than TGCs.

Early Immunoparalysis Was Associated with Poor Prognosis in Elderly Patients with Sepsis: Secondary Analysis of the ETASS Study.

PurposeAlthough immune dysfunction has been investigated in adult septic patients, early immune status remains unclear. In this study, our primary aim was to assess early immune status in adult patients with sepsis stratified by age and its relevance to hospital mortality.Patients and MethodsA post hoc analysis of a multicenter, randomized controlled trial was conducted; 273 patients whose immune status was evaluated within 48 hours after onset of sepsis were enrolled. Early immune status was evaluated by the percentage of monocyte human leukocyte antigen-DR (mHLA-DR) in total monocytes within 48 hours after onset of sepsis and it was classified as immunoparalysis (mHLA-DR ≤30%) or non-immunoparalysis (>30%). Three logistic regression models were conducted to explore the associations between early immunoparalysis and hospital mortality. We also developed two sensitivity analyses to find out whether the definition of early immune status (24 hours vs 48 hours after onset of sepsis) and immunotherapy affect the primary outcome.ResultsOf the 181 elderly (≥60yrs) and 92 non-elderly (<60yrs) septic patients, 71 (39.2%) and 25 (27.2%) died in hospital, respectively. The percentage of early immunoparalysis in the elderly was twice of that in the non-elderly patients (32% vs 16%, p=0.006). For the elderly, hospital mortality was higher in the immunoparalysis ones than the non-immunoparalysis ones (53.4% vs 32.5%, p=0.009). But there was no significant difference in hospital mortality between immunoparalysis non-elderly patients and non-immunoparalysis non-elderly ones (33.5% vs 26.0%, p=0.541). By means of logistic regression models, we found that early immunoparalysis was independently associated with increased hospital mortality in elderly, but not in non-elderly patients. Sensitivity analysis further confirmed the definition of early immune status and immunotherapy did not affect the outcomes.ConclusionThe elderly were more susceptible to early immunoparalysis after onset of sepsis. Early immunoparalysis was independently associated with poor prognosis in elderly, but not in non-elderly patients.

Impact of infectious disease consultation on patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia at a Japanese tertiary hospital: A retrospective observational study

Several studies across various countries have shown the benefit of infectious disease consultation in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB). However, the effect of such consultation services in patients with SAB in Japan remains unknown. Accordingly, we aimed to examine the effectiveness of infectious disease consultation in SAB patients at an accredited hospital in Japan. We hypothesized that infectious disease consultation in SAB patients is associated with lower in-hospital mortality. We identified patients with SAB between January 2011 and January 2014. SAB was defined as the presence of at least one set of positive blood culture samples. The outcomes of patients who did and did not receive bedside infectious disease consultation were compared. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. We identified 183 patients with SAB. Eighty-seven patients (48%) received infectious disease consultation services, while 96 (52%) did not. There were no significant differences in in-hospital mortality between the infectious disease consultation and control groups (15.0% vs. 23.0%, p = 0.20). Logistic regression analysis showed that bedside infectious disease consultation (odds ratio, 0.23; 95% confidence interval, 0.08–0.69; p = 0.01) was independently associated with lower in-hospital mortality. In conclusion, bedside infectious disease consultation may help reduce the in-hospital mortality in patients with SAB in Japan.

Impact of the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index on In-Hospital Mortality and Length of Hospitalization in Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure with Preserved or Reduced Ejection Fraction.

In patients with heart failure (HF), the impact of the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) on in-hospital mortality and length of hospital stay remains unclear. We aimed to identify the factors associated with increased in-hospital mortality and longer length of hospital stay considering the GNRI in acute decompensated HF with reduced and preserved ejection fraction (HFrEF and HFpEF, respectively). Patients with acute decompensated HF who were admitted to our institution between 2007 and 2011 were investigated. A total of 451 (201, HFrEF; 250, HFpEF) patients were divided into the following: patients with GNRI < 92 and ≥92. In HFrEF, there were no significant differences in in-hospital mortality and length of hospital stay between patients with GNRI < 92 and ≥92 (median (interquartile range), 24.0 (23.8) days and 20.0 (15.0) days, respectively, p = 0.32). In HFpEF, despite no differences in in-hospital mortality, patients with GNRI < 92 had significantly longer length of hospital stay than those with GNRI ≥ 92 (median (interquartile range), 20.0 (22.3) days and 17.0 (16.0) days, respectively, p = 0.04). In HFpEF, GNRI < 92, along with lower hemoglobin, higher B-type natriuretic peptide, and elevated C-reactive protein levels, were the independent factors for longer length of hospital stay. Among patients with acute decompensated HF, assessment of nutritional status with GNRI is useful for stratifying patients at high risk for longer length of hospital stay in HFpEF but not in HFrEF. These observations are particularly important when considering the increasing elderly population and prevalence of HFpEF.

Stent as a bridge to surgery or immediate colectomy for malignant right colonic obstruction: propensity-scored, national database study.

The aim of this study was to compare perioperative outcomes of urgent colectomy and placement of a self-expanding metallic stent followed by colectomy for patients with malignant right colonic obstruction. Right-sided malignant obstruction is less common than left-sided. Stenting for malignant left colonic obstruction has been reported to reduce postoperative complications. However, the impact of stenting for malignant right colonic obstruction remains undefined. The study included patients with right-sided malignant obstruction or stenosis undergoing colectomy between April 2012 and March 2017 identified from a nationwide database. Propensity score matching analysis was used to compare mortality and morbidity rates, proportion receiving a stoma and postoperative stay between urgent colectomy and stent groups. From 9572 patients, 1500 pairs were generated by propensity score matching. There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between the urgent colostomy and stent groups (1·6 versus 0·9 per cent respectively; P = 0·069). Complications were more common after urgent colectomy than stenting (22·1 versus 19·1 per cent; P = 0·042). Surgical-site infection was more likely with urgent colectomy (7·1 versus 4·4 per cent; P = 0·001). There was no significant difference between the two groups in anastomotic leakage (3·8 versus 2·6 per cent; P = 0·062). The proportion of patients needing a stoma was higher with urgent colectomy than primary treatment with stents (5·1 versus 1·7 per cent; P < 0·001). Postoperative stay was longer after urgent colectomy (15 versus 13 days; P < 0·001). Stenting followed by colectomy in patients with malignant right colonic obstruction may provide more favourable perioperative outcomes than urgent colectomy.

Abstract P224: Effect Of Body Mass Index On In-hospital Outcomes In Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Introduction: The prevalence of obesity in the US is 41.1% and is on the rise. Data are limited and results are mixed on the effect of body mass index (BMI) on outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The objective of this study was to determine the effect of BMI on the in-hospital outcomes of patients undergoing TAVR. Methods: Data from the 2015 and 2016 Health Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was used. Patients who underwent TAVR were identified and in-hospital outcomes compared between patients with a normal BMI and underweight, overweight, obese, and severely obese patients. Propensity score matching was done using a greedy matching algorithm. Results: A total of 2,618 patients were included in this study. The rate of in-hospital mortality was highest in underweight patients (2.94%) and lowest in overweight (0.49%) patients. It was 2.13% in normal weight, 1.23% in obese and 1.97% in severely obese patients. There was no statistically significant difference in in-hospital mortality between overweight and underweight (0.49% vs. 2.94% p=0.056) overweight and normal BMI (0.49% vs. 2.13% p=0.16), overweight and obese (0.49% vs. 1.23% p=0.35) and overweight and severely obese (0.49% vs. 1.97% p=0.14). Compared with overweight patients, underweight (5.6 vs. 7.0 days p=0.07 ) and normal patients (5.6 vs. 7.5 days p=0.03) had the highest mean length of hospital stay (LOS). There was no significant difference in the proportion of patients discharged home among all BMI categories (p=0.23). Conclusions: There was no significant difference among the BMI categories for in-hospital mortality and the proportion of patients discharged home. Overweight patients had a shorter LOS compared with underweight and normal BMI patients.

Effect of renal replacement therapy modalities on renal recovery and mortality for acute kidney injury: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis.

Previous investigations showed inconsistent results for comparison in renal recovery, in-hospital, and in-intensive care unit (ICU) mortalities between acute kidney injury (AKI) patients treated with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and some kinds of intermittent renal replacement therapies (IRRTs). We systematically searched for articles published in the databases (PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Medline, and Google Scholar) until June 2019. We made all statistical analysis using STATA 12.0 software. In the present meta-analysis, relative risks with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for binary outcomes (renal recovery status or mortality). The present study indicated no significant differences in renal recovery, in-hospital mortality, and in-ICU mortality between AKI patients given CRRT and those given sustained low-efficiency dialysis (SLED). Additionally, the study showed no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between AKI patients given CRRT and those given intermittent hemodialysis (IHD), whereas elevated in-ICU mortality was detected in AKI patients given CRRT, compared to those given IHD. The three modalities (CRRT, IHD, and SLED) have their own advantages and disadvantages. More rigorous trials design with large cohort should be made to explore the differences in renal recovery, in-hospital, and in-ICU mortalities between different kinds of RRTs.

Targeted Temperature Management at 33 Versus 36 Degrees: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

To determine the association between targeted temperature management goal temperature of 33°C versus 36°C and neurologic outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. This was a retrospective, before-and-after, cohort study. Urban, academic, level 1 trauma center from 2010 to 2017. Adults with nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who received targeted temperature management. Our primary exposure was targeted temperature management goal temperature, which was changed from 33°C to 36°C in April of 2014 at the study hospital. Primary outcome was neurologically intact survival to discharge. Secondary outcomes included hospital mortality and care processes. Of 782 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients transported to the study hospital, 453 (58%) received targeted temperature management. Of these, 258 (57%) were treated during the 33°C period (targeted temperature management 33°C) and 195 (43%) were treated during the 36°C period (targeted temperature management 36°C). Patients treated during targeted temperature management 33°C were older (57 vs 52 yr; p < 0.05) and had more arrests of cardiac etiology (45% vs 35%; p < 0.05), but otherwise had similar baseline characteristics, including initial cardiac rhythm. A total of 40% of patients treated during targeted temperature management 33°C survived with favorable neurologic outcome, compared with 30% in the targeted temperature management 36°C group (p < 0.05). After adjustment for demographic and cardiac arrest characteristics, targeted temperature management 33°C was associated with increased odds of neurologically intact survival to discharge (odds ratio, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.09-2.94). Targeted temperature management 33°C was not associated with significantly improved hospital mortality. Targeted temperature management was implemented faster (1.9 vs 3.5 hr from 911 call; p < 0.001) and more frequently in the emergency department during the targeted temperature management 33°C period (87% vs 55%; p < 0.001). Comatose, adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients treated during the targeted temperature management 33°C period had higher odds of neurologically intact survival to hospital discharge compared with those treated during the targeted temperature management 36°C period. There was no significant difference in hospital mortality.

Characteristics and outcomes of bacteremia among ICU-admitted patients with severe sepsis

The clinical implications of bacteremia among septic patients remain unclear, although a vast amount of data have been accumulated on sepsis. We aimed to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of severe sepsis patients with and without bacteremia. This secondary analysis of a multicenter, prospective cohort study included 59 intensive care units (ICUs) in Japan between January 2016 and March 2017. The study cohort comprised 1,184 adults (aged ≥ 16 years) who were admitted to an ICU with severe sepsis and diagnosed according to the Sepsis-2 criteria. Of 1,167 patients included in the analysis, 636 (54.5%) had bacteremia. Those with bacteremia had significantly higher rates of septic shock (66.4% vs. 58.9%, p = 0.01) and higher sepsis severity scores, including the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA). No significant difference in in-hospital mortality was seen between patients with and without bacteremia (25.6% vs. 21.0%, p = 0.08). In conclusion, half of severe sepsis patients in ICUs have bacteremia. Although patients with bacteremia had more severe state, between-group differences in patient-centered outcomes, such as in-hospital mortality, have not been fully elucidated.

Admission serum cholinesterase concentration for prediction of in-hospital mortality in very elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke: a retrospective study.

Cholinesterase as a sensitive biomarker for prognosis in a variety of conditions but it is rare in stroke studies. The very elderly (≥ 80years of age) represent the most susceptible group of ischemic stroke. We aimed to determine whether admission serum cholinesterase concentration had any effect on clinical outcome in very elderly patients (individuals aged ≥ 80years) with acute ischemic stroke. A retrospective record review was conducted in two tertiary university hospitals. Elderly patients aged ≥ 80years admitted with a diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke from January 1, 2014 to November 30, 2019, who had a cholinesterase concentration drawn, were included. The patients were grouped based on the inflection points of the locally weighted regression and smoothing scatterplot (LOESS) curve between cholinesterase levels and in-hospital mortality (study outcome) with lower concentration as reference group. A total of 612 patients were admitted with a diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke, and 569 met the inclusion criteria. A threshold effect was identified using regression smoothing scatterplot (LOESS), with one cutoff point of 4.0 KU/L. There was a significant difference in-hospital mortality was observed (P < 0.001). After adjusted demographic and clinical features, the OR of cholinesterase for mortality was 0.43 (95% CI 0.34-0.54, P < 0.001), suggesting that lower admission cholinesterase level was an independent risk factors for all-cause mortality among patients with AIS. We have demonstrated a significant association between admission cholinesterase concentration and in-hospital mortality in very elderly patients with AIS.

Abstract WP380: Thyrotoxicosis is Associated With Worse In-Hospital Mortality in Patients With Ischemic Stroke

Introduction: Hyperthyroidism increases the basal metabolic rate and affects most systems in the body. Patients with hyperthyroidism have been shown to have a higher incidence of ischemic stroke. There is a paucity of information regarding its effects on the short-term outcomes of patients admitted with ischemic stroke. Hypothesis: Hyperthyroidism is associated with worse in-hospital outcomes in patients admitted for ischemic stroke. Methods: We queried the National Inpatient Sample to identify adult patients(aged 18 and above) admitted for ischemic stroke between January 2011 and December 2014. We compared those with a history of hyperthyroidism (group 1) and thyrotoxicosis on admission (group 2) with the rest of the patients (group 3). The main outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included the length of hospital stay and cost of hospitalization. We used the logistic regression model and adjusted for baseline characteristics and co-morbidities. Results: There were 643,786 patients in the study, 0.44% had a history of hyperthyroidism, and 0.01% had thyrotoxicosis at the time of presentation. The odd of mortality in group 1 compared to group 3 was 0.89, 95% CI 0.75-1.05, p=0.16 while in group 2 compared to group 3, it was 2.42, 95% CI 1.29-4.52, p&lt;0.006. The mean length of stay was also longer in group 2 with a mean difference of 8.06, 95% CI 4.74 - 11.39, p&lt;0.0001. Conclusion: From the study, there was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between patients with previously diagnosed hyperthyroidism and those without diagnosed hyperthyroidism. Patients who had thyrotoxicosis on admission, on the other hand, had worse outcomes compared to patients without thyrotoxicosis.

Early enteral nutrition in patients with severe traumatic brain injury: a propensity score–matched analysis using a nationwide inpatient database in Japan

Whether enteral nutrition (EN) should be administered early in severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients has not been fully addressed. The present study aimed to evaluate whether early EN can reduce mortality or nosocomial pneumonia among severe TBI patients. Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database from April 2014 to March 2017 linked with the Survey for Medical Institutions, we identified patients admitted for intracranial injury with Japan Coma Scale scores≥30 (corresponding to Glasgow Coma Scale scores≤8) at admission. We designated patients who started EN within 2 d of admission as the early EN group, and those who started EN at 3-5 d after admission as the delayed EN group. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The secondary outcome was nosocomial pneumonia. Propensity score-matched analyses were performed to compare the outcomes between the 2 groups. We identified 3080 eligible patients during the 36-mo study period, comprising 1100 (36%) in the early EN group and 1980 (64%) in the delayed EN group. After propensity score matching, there was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality (difference: -0.3%; 95% CI: -3.7%, 3.1%) between the 2 groups. The proportion of nosocomial pneumonia was significantly lower in the early EN group than in the delayed EN group (difference: -3.2%; 95% CI: -5.9%, -0.4%). Early EN may not reduce mortality, but may reduce nosocomial pneumonia in patients with severe TBI.

Beta-Blocker Therapy in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

BackgroundObservational studies have demonstrated improved outcomes in TBI patients receiving in-hospital beta-blockers. The aim of this study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial examining the effect of beta-blockers on outcomes in TBI patients.MethodsAdult patients with severe TBI (intracranial AIS ≥ 3) were included in the study. Hemodynamically stable patients at 24 h after injury were randomized to receive either 20 mg propranolol orally every 12 h up to 10 days or until discharge (BB+) or no propranolol (BB−). Outcomes of interest were in-hospital mortality and Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E) score on discharge and at 6-month follow-up. Subgroup analysis including only isolated severe TBI (intracranial AIS ≥ 3 with extracranial AIS ≤ 2) was carried out. Poisson regression models were used.ResultsTwo hundred nineteen randomized patients of whom 45% received BB were analyzed. There were no significant demographic or clinical differences between BB+ and BB− cohorts. No significant difference in in-hospital mortality (adj. IRR 0.6 [95% CI 0.3–1.4], p = 0.2) or long-term functional outcome was measured between the cohorts (p = 0.3). One hundred fifty-four patients suffered isolated severe TBI of whom 44% received BB. The BB+ group had significantly lower mortality relative to the BB− group (18.6% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.012). On regression analysis, propranolol had a significant protective effect on in-hospital mortality (adj. IRR 0.32, p = 0.04) and functional outcome at 6-month follow-up (GOS-E ≥ 5 adj. IRR 1.2, p = 0.02).ConclusionPropranolol decreases in-hospital mortality and improves long-term functional outcome in isolated severe TBI. This randomized trial speaks in favor of routine administration of beta-blocker therapy as part of a standardized neurointensive care protocol.Level of evidenceLevel II; therapeutic.Study typeTherapeutic study.

Acute Kidney Injury Outcomes of Elderly and Nonelderly Patients in the Medical Intensive Care Unit of a University Hospital in a Developing Country.

Background Aging is associated with a high risk of acute kidney injury (AKI), and the elderly with AKI show a higher mortality rate than those without AKI. In this study, we compared AKI outcomes between elderly and nonelderly patients in a university hospital in a developing country. Materials and Methods This retrospective cohort study included patients with AKI who were admitted to the medical intensive care unit (ICU) between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2017. The patients were divided into the elderly (eAKI; age ≥65 years; n = 158) and nonelderly (nAKI; n = 142) groups. Baseline characteristics, comorbidities, principle diagnosis, renal replacement therapy (RRT) requirement, hospital course, and in-hospital mortality were recorded. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Results The eAKI group included more females, patients with higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores, and patients with more comorbidities than the nAKI group. The etiology and staging of AKI were similar between the two groups. There were no significant differences in in-hospital mortality (p=0.338) and RRT requirement (p=0.802) between the two groups. After adjusting for covariates, the 28-day mortality rate was similar between the two groups (p=0.654), but the 28-day RRT requirement was higher in the eAKI group than in the nAKI group (p=0.042). Conclusion Elderly and nonelderly ICU patients showed similar survival outcomes of AKI, although the elderly were at a higher risk of requiring RRT.

Clinical Effect of the Acrylonitrile-Co-Methallyl Sulfonate Surface-Treated Membrane as a Cytokine Adsorption Therapy for Sepsis due to Acute Panperitonitis: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Introduction: Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome caused by infectious diseases, with cytokines possibly having an important role in the disease mechanism. Acrylonitrile-co-methallyl sulfonate surface-treated (AN69ST) membrane is expected to improve the outcomes of patients with sepsis through cytokine adsorption. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical effect of the AN69ST membrane in comparison to standard continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) membranes for panperitonitis due to lower gastrointestinal perforation. Methods: Using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we identified adult patients with sepsis due to panperitonitis receiving any CRRT. Propensity score matching was used to compare patients who received CRRT with the AN69ST membrane (AN69ST group) and those who received CRRT with other membranes (non-AN69ST group). The primary outcome measure was in-hospital mortality. Results: A total of 528 and 1,445 patients were included in the AN69ST group and in the non-AN69ST group, respectively. Propensity score matching resulted in 521 pairs. There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality (32.1 vs. 35.5%; p = 0.265) and 30-day mortality (41.3 vs. 42.8%, p = 0.074) between the AN69ST group and the non-AN69ST group. Conclusion: There is no significant difference in-hospital mortality between CRRT with the AN69ST membrane and CRRT with standard CRRT membranes for panperitonitis due to lower gastrointestinal perforation. These results indicate that the AN69ST membrane is not superior to the standard CRRT membrane.

Propensity Score Matching Analysis for the Patients of Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysm from a Post Hoc Analysis of a Nationwide Database in Japan

This study aimed to compare the functional outcome at discharge for unruptured cerebral aneurysms (UCAs) between surgical clipping and endovascular coiling in total, nonelderly (<65 years), and elderly (≥65 years) patients by nonbiased analysis based on a national database in Japan. A total of 15,671 patients with UCA were registered in the Diagnosis Procedure Combination, the nationwide database, from 2010 to 2015 in Japan. The outcome of the Barthel Index (BI) at discharge was investigated, and propensity score-matched analysis was conducted in total, nonelderly, and elderly patient groups. Propensity score-matched analysis found no significant difference for in-hospital mortality between the 2 treatment methods in the total and both age-groups. The rate of morbidity of BI <90 at discharge was higher after surgical clipping than after endovascular coiling in the total (4.9% vs. 3.9%; P= 0.040; risk difference, -1.0%; 95% confidence interval, -3.6 to 2.3%) and the elderly age-group (8.1% vs. 5.0%; P < 0.001; risk difference, -3.1%; -4.8% to 1.5%), however, no significant association between the 2 treatment methods (2.4% vs. 2.6%; P= 0.67; risk difference, 0.22%; -0.79 to 1.22%) was found in the nonelderly group. In elderly patients with UCA, a better outcome at discharge after endovascular coiling was found. However, no significantly different functional outcome at discharge between surgical clipping and endovascular coiling for UCA in nonelderly patients was confirmed by propensity score-matched analysis from a nationwide database in Japan.

Gender difference in long- and short-term outcomes of off-pump coronary endarterectomy.

Background:The role of gender in the selection of the most effective method for treatment of patients with diffused coronary artery diseases remains a matter of debate. This study thus evaluated the effect of gender on long- and short-term outcomes of off-pump coronary endarterectomy (CE).Methods:This was a single-center retrospective study of patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). The patients were divided into two groups, the CABG and the CABG + CE group, and further stratified into male and female. Long-term survival for each group was estimated by Kaplan–Meier analysis with log-rank testing. In addition, Cox regression analyses of each gender were also carried out to identify the predictors of the primary and secondary endpoints.Results:Overall, 25.8% of the patients were female. Diseased vessels were not statistically different in the two groups – men and women. There was no significant difference in postoperative outcomes between males and females in the CABG and CABG + CE groups. There was no significant difference in hospital mortality in the two groups between males and females. Kaplan–Meier curves show that there was no significant difference in the 5-year cardiac mortality between males and females belonging to the CABG and CABG + CE groups.Conclusion:The results of this study show that there was no significant difference in the short- and long-term outcomes of off-pump CABG and CE in both genders although women tend to carry a greater risk.