Racial disparities in outcomes for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the United States

BackgroundRacial disparities in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) outcomes in patients with a broad set of indications are not well documented.MethodsAdults requiring ECMO were identified in the 2016–2019 National Inpatient Sample. Patient and hospital characteristics, including mortality, clinical outcomes, and resource utilization were analyzed using multivariable regressions.ResultsOf 43,190 adult ECMO patients, 67.8% were classified as White, 18.1% Black, and 10.4% Hispanic. Although mortality for Whites declined from 47.5 to 41.0% (P = 0.002), it remained steady for others. Compared to White, Asian/Pacific Islander (PI) race was linked to increased odds of mortalty (AOR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.1–2.0). Black race was associated with increased odds of acute kidney injury (AOR = 1.4, 95%-CI: 1.2–1.7), while Hispanic race was linked to neurologic complications (AOR 21.6; 95% CI 1.2–2.3). Black and Hispanic race were also associated with increased incremental costs.ConclusionsRace-based disparities in ECMO outcomes persist in the United States. Further work should aim to understand and mitigate the underlying reasons for such findings.     

Medicare's hospital readmissions reduction program and the rise in observation stays

Objective

To evaluate whether Medicare's Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) is associated with increased observation stay use.

Data Sources and Study Setting

A nationally representative sample of fee-for-service Medicare claims, January 2009–September 2016.

Study Design

Using a difference-in-difference (DID) design, we modeled changes in observation stays as a proportion of total hospitalizations, separately comparing the initial (acute myocardial infarction, pneumonia, heart failure) and subsequent (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) target conditions with a control group of nontarget conditions. Each model used 3 time periods: baseline (15 months before program announcement), an intervening period between announcement and implementation, and a 2-year post-implementation period, with specific dates defined by HRRP policies.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

We derived a 20% random sample of all hospitalizations for beneficiaries continuously enrolled for 12 months before hospitalization (N = 7,162,189).

Principal Findings

Observation stays increased similarly for the initial HRRP target and nontarget conditions in the intervening period (0.01% points per month [95% CI −0.01, 0.3]). Post-implementation, observation stays increased significantly more for target versus nontarget conditions, but the difference is quite small (0.02% points per month [95% CI 0.002, 0.04]). Results for the COPD analysis were statistically insignificant in both policy periods.

Conclusions

The increase in observation stays is likely due to other factors, including audit activity and clinical advances.     

两种标准分析老年住院患者的潜在不适当用药

目的： 采用Beers标准（2015版）、《中国老年人潜在不适当用药判断标准》（简称"中国标准"2017版）分析我院心内科老年住院患者潜在不适当用药（Potential Inappropriate Medication，PIM）的发生情况。方法： 将我院心内科2018年1月至3月，年龄≥ 65岁的住院患者纳入本研究。收集患者年龄、性别、ADL评分、临床诊断、住院医嘱、住院天数、药品费用、总医疗费用等基本信息，分别采用上述两种标准审查老年住院患者的潜在不适当用药发生情况，并应用二元Logistic回归分析PIM发生的相关危险因素。结果： 共纳入患者661例，包括男性350例、女性311例，平均年龄73.86±6.55岁，平均用药种类10.17±4.01种，住院天数的区间为3~30天，临床诊断的区间为1~17种。依据Beers标准，387例（58.55%）患者至少发现1项PIM；依据中国标准，542例（82.00%）患者至少发现1项PIM，Logistic结果显示，用药种类是PIM发生的危险因素。结论： 联合使用Beers标准与中国标准可审查出更多老年患者应谨慎使用或避免使用的潜在不适当药物，在临床应用中，应结合两种标准给出的用药建议，通过减少或避免潜在不适当药物的应用来减少其可能引起的不良的临床结局。     

护理专案改善在减少住院患者跌倒中的应用

目的了解护理专案改善在降低住院患者跌倒发生率中的应用效果。方法将医院2016年1月—2018年12月的80例住院患者随机分组,传统护理组对于住院患者给予传统护理,护理专案模式组对于住院患者采取护理专案模式。比较两组满意评分;护理人员工作积极性评分;护理前后住院患者对跌倒危险因素的掌握水平、住院患者遵医行为;跌倒的发生率。结果护理专案模式组满意评分、住院患者对跌倒危险因素的掌握水平、住院患者遵医行为、护理人员工作积极性评分、跌倒的发生率对比传统护理组有优势,P<0.05。结论住院患者实施护理专案模式效果确切,可提高护理服务质量和住院患者自我防护能力,降低跌倒的发生率。     

Pediatric Inpatient Headache Therapy: What is Available

Status migrainosus is defined by the international classification of headache disorders (ICHD) criteria as a debilitating migraine lasting more then 72 hours. The epidemiology of status migrainosus is still unknown in adult and children, and frequently underdiagnosed. Children and adolescents often end up in the emergency room with an intractable headache that failed outpatient therapy. Six to seven percent of these children do not respond to acute infusion therapy and require hospitalization. It is imperative that more aggressive therapy is considered when patients are affected by a severe intractable headache to prevent further disability and returning the child to baseline activity. Multiple therapies are available for adults and children. Studies for acute therapy in the emergency room are available in adults and pediatric groups. Small studies are available for inpatient therapy in children and, along with available therapies for children and adolescents, are described in this review. A review of the literature shows growing evidence regarding the use of dihydroergotamine intravenously once patients are hospitalized. Effectiveness and safety have been proven in the last decades in adults and small studies in the pediatric populations.     

Trends in utilization,mortality, major complications,and cost after total artificial heart implantation in the United States (2009-2015)

ObjectiveTotal artificial heart (TAH) is a viable bridge to transplant (BTT) strategy for patients with severe biventricular failure or complex congenital heart disease. These patients have higher mortality and morbidity than patients undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. To assess national trends in in-hospital mortality, major complications, cost, length of stay, and disposition of patients undergoing TAH implantation.MethodsData from the National Inpatient Sample, the largest all-payer inpatient data set in the United States, and the US Census Bureau, for the years 2009 to 2015 were analyzed. Participants included all adult patients who received TAH from 2009 to 2015. Endpoints included in-hospital mortality, in-hospital complications, heart transplantation (HT) in the same admission, length of stay, cost, and disposition at the time of discharge.ResultsWe identified a total of 143 (weighted = 703) TAH implantations. The number of TAH implants increased during the study period (average annual change +5.8%, p = 0.03). Rates of in-hospital mortality and major complications including ischemic stroke, major bleeding, postoperative infections, acute kidney injury requiring dialysis, and HT did not change significantly over the study period. Although the length of stay and disposition patterns did not change over time, we found a significant increase in cost of hospitalization (average annual change +44,362, p = 0.01). The number of HT during the same hospital stay decreased significantly (average annual change −8.1%, p = 0.02).ConclusionIn-hospital mortality and complication rates associated with TAH implantation remain increased and did not change in the era of continuous flow LVADs.