Augusta Campos

Ritmo circadiano em óbitos hospitalares: comparação entre unidade de tratamento intensivo e unidade de tratamento não intensivo

OBJECTIVE: The demonstration that cardiovascular mortality follows a circadian rhythm led us to verify whether patients dying at the intensive unit care (ICU) and at the non-intensive unit care (non-ICU) follow that rhythm. METHODS: All hospitals deaths occurring between January 1, 2006 and July 31, 2010 were analyzed. The circadian pattern of the time of death was analyzed in twelve 2 hour intervals. The Chi-square test was used to compare proportions, and Students t test or ANOVA single factor to compare continuous variables. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: During the study period 700 deaths occurred in the hospital, 211 (30.1%) at the ICU and 88 (12.6%) at the non-ICU. There were more deaths in the first hours of the day, between 6 am and 12 am, at the non-ICU in comparison to the ICU (38% vs. 21%; p = 0.004). In the ICU, we observed that 21% of the deaths occurred between 6 am and 12 pm, 30% between 12 pm and 6 pm, 26% between 6 pm and 12 am and 24% between 12 am and 6 am (p = 0.13), whereas, at the non-ICU, 38% of the deaths occurred between 6 am and 12 pm, 18% between 12 pm and 6 pm, 19% between 6 pm and 12 am and 25% between 12 am and 6 am (p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: At the non-ICU, deaths occur more often in the morning period and follow a circadian rhythm, which does not occur at the ICU.

Circadian rhythm of hospital deaths: comparison between intensive care unit and non-intensive care unit

OBJECTIVE The demonstration that cardiovascular mortality follows a circadian rhythm led us to verify whether patients dying at the intensive unit care (ICU) and at the non-intensive unit care (non-ICU) follow that rhythm. METHODS All hospitals deaths occurring between January 1, 2006 and July 31, 2010 were analyzed. The circadian pattern of the time of death was analyzed in twelve 2 hour intervals. The Chi-square test was used to compare proportions, and Students t test or ANOVA single factor to compare continuous variables. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS During the study period 700 deaths occurred in the hospital, 211 (30.1%) at the ICU and 88 (12.6%) at the non-ICU. There were more deaths in the first hours of the day, between 6 am and 12 am, at the non-ICU in comparison to the ICU (38% vs. 21%; p = 0.004). In the ICU, we observed that 21% of the deaths occurred between 6 am and 12 pm, 30% between 12 pm and 6 pm, 26% between 6 pm and 12 am and 24% between 12 am and 6 am (p = 0.13), whereas, at the non-ICU, 38% of the deaths occurred between 6 am and 12 pm, 18% between 12 pm and 6 pm, 19% between 6 pm and 12 am and 25% between 12 am and 6 am (p = 0.005). CONCLUSION At the non-ICU, deaths occur more often in the morning period and follow a circadian rhythm, which does not occur at the ICU.

Safety, feasibility, and results of exercise testing for stratifying patients with chest pain in the emergency room

OBJECTIVE To assess safety, feasibility, and the results of early exercise testing in patients with chest pain admitted to the emergency room of the chest pain unit, in whom acute myocardial infarction and high-risk unstable angina had been ruled out. METHODS A study including 1060 consecutive patients with chest pain admitted to the emergency room of the chest pain unit was carried out. Of them, 677 (64%) patients were eligible for exercise testing, but only 268 (40%) underwent the test. RESULTS The mean age of the patients studied was 51.7 12.1 years, and 188 (70%) were males. Twenty-eight (10%) patients had a previous history of coronary artery disease, 244 (91%) had a normal or unspecific electrocardiogram, and 150 (56%) underwent exercise testing within a 12-hour interval. The results of the exercise test in the latter group were as follows: 34 (13%) were positive, 191 (71%) were negative, and 43 (16%) were inconclusive. In the group of patients with a positive exercise test, 21 (62%) underwent coronary angiography, 11 underwent angioplasty, and 2 underwent myocardial revascularization. In a univariate analysis, type A/B chest pain (definitely/probably anginal) (p<0.0001), previous coronary artery disease (p<0.0001), and route 2 (patients at higher risk) correlated with a positive or inconclusive test (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION In patients with chest pain and in whom acute myocardial infarction and high-risk unstable angina had been ruled out, the exercise test proved to be feasible, safe, and well tolerated.