Giorgio R. Sansone

Impact of haart on causes of death of persons with late-stage AIDS

ContextThe increasing use of highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAARTs) has changed the course of AIDS-related illnesses and enhanced the quality of life of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and may have changes the causes of deaths in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to investigate causes of deaths in long-term care hospital patients with late-stage AIDS who expired at the Coler-Goldwater Memorial Hospital in New York City in 1995, and in 1998 and 1999, that is, immediately before and the two most recent years after the advent of HAART.MethodsAnalysis of causes of deaths as recorded on the death certificates of 232 AIDS patients.ResultsThe overall mortality rate declined from 75.6 deaths per 100 person-years in 1995 to 33.2 deaths per 100 person-years in 1998–1999 (P<.001) The number of AIDS patients who expired because of sepsis and opportunistic infections, which includedPneumocystis carinii Pneumonia (PCP), decreased significantly from 30 (26.1%) and 24 (20.9%) in 1995 to 15 (12.8%) and 10 (8.5%) in 1998–1999, respectively (P<.05). In contrast, deaths from hepatic failure increased from 0(0%) in 1995 to 7 (6%) in 1998–1999 (P<.05). Increases, although not significant statistically, were associated with pneumonias excluding PCP, end-stage AIDS, renal failure, and malignancies. Analysis of cause-specific mortality by gender between 1995 and 1998–1999 revealed very little difference between men and women. This analysis showed, however, that the infectious processes taken together (pneumonias excluding PCP, sepsis, and opportunistic infections including PCP) were significantly less frequent causes of death in 1998–1999 than in 1995 (P<.01).ConclusionThese findings indicate that HAART affected the causes of deaths in patients with AIDS, with “traditional” opportunistic infections diminishing in importance relative to chronic medical conditions and malignancies.

Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation in 540 Seriously Ill Older Adults: Effects of Increasing Age on Clinical Outcomes and Survival

To investigate effects of older age, comorbidities, and physiological measures on outcomes of elderly adults requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV).

Influence of age on rehabilitation outcomes and survival in post-acute inpatient cardiac rehabilitation.

PURPOSE To investigate the relationship of increasing age to clinical characteristics, rehabilitation outcomes, and long-term survival in a post-acute inpatient cardiac rehabilitation program. METHODS The study population consisted of all 364 consecutive cardiac rehabilitation patients admitted over a 4-year period to an inpatient cardiac rehabilitation program in a long-term acute care hospital.Admission and discharge comparisons were made between 3 age cohorts: 65 years (n = 117), 65 to 74 years (n = 127), and ≥ 75 years (n = 120). Patients were followed through January, 2010 for survival. RESULTS The 3 cohorts on admission differed significantly in Functional Independence Measure, estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate, smoking and hypertension histories, body mass index, and cardiac diagnoses (all P < .05) but not in Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics, or left ventricular ejection fraction. There were no cohort differences in rehabilitation outcomes of physical function, inpatient days, and discharge disposition. Survival was longest in the youngest cohort whereas the 2 older cohorts had similar survivals (P < .01; log-rank test). All 3 cohorts had at least 40% survival at 8 years. Cox regression analyses showed that the comorbidity burden as quantified by the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics was the only predictor of death in all cohorts (all P ≤ .002). CONCLUSIONS This study provided evidence that post-acute inpatient cardiac rehabilitation programs equally benefited both elderly patients and younger patients. These programs are valuable in the continuum of care for elderly patients who are not yet ready for discharge to home following a serious cardiac event.

A comparison of seriously ill patients with or without AIDS requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to compare differences in underlying diagnoses, weaning outcomes, discharge disposition, and survival in prolonged mechanical ventilator (PMV)-dependent patients with and without AIDS. METHODS Ninety consecutive AIDS patients requiring PMV were retrospectively matched with 90 clinically similar non-AIDS patients to form matched cohorts to determine differences in their outcomes. RESULTS AIDS patients had more acute diagnoses requiring PMV, whereas non-AIDS patients had more chronic diagnoses (P < .001). Weaning outcomes were alike with 31 (35%) AIDS and 37 (41%) non-AIDS patients successfully weaned. More AIDS patients went home, and fewer, to nursing facilities (P = .04). In each cohort, successfully weaned patients had significantly longer survival than their unweaned counterparts (all P < .001). Successful weaning reduced the risk of death in AIDS and non-AIDS patients (hazard ratios, 0.29 and 0.20; 95% confidence intervals, 0.17-0.50 and 0.11-0.36, respectively; all P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AIDS had little effect on weaning success or survival. Successful weaning increased survival regardless of a diagnosis of AIDS. The AIDS patients had more home discharges and fewer to nursing facilities, which likely resulted from the AIDS patients having more acute illnesses leading to PMV than the non-AIDS patients.

Relationship of the Duration of Ventilator Support to Successful Weaning and Other Clinical Outcomes in 437 Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation Patients.

Objective: To investigate the relationships between durations of ventilator support and weaning outcomes of prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) patients. Methods: Cohort study of 957 PMV patients sequentially admitted to a long-term acute care hospital (LTACH). The study population was 437 PMV patients who underwent weaning, having achieved ≥4 hours of sustained spontaneous breathing. They were divided into tertiles of mechanical ventilation (MV) durations and compared for differences (tertile A: 21-58 days, n = 146; tertile B: 59-103 days, n = 147; and tertile C: ≥104 days, n = 144). Results: Tertiles showed comparable weaning success rates and survival. As MV durations increased, LTACH postweaning days became progressively greater, whereas decannulations and discharge physical function diminished, and home discharges decreased while nursing facility discharges increased (all P < .001). Patients with lower physical function before critical illness or greater burdens of comorbidities were least likely to be weaned (all P < .001). Younger ages, lower comorbidity burdens, neurological diagnoses, higher admission prealbumin levels, and successful weaning, each independently reduced the risk of death (all P < .01). Conclusion: Durations of MV did not affect weaning success or survival, although deleterious effects were found in discharges, decannulations, LTACH postweaning days, and discharge physical function. Durations of MV alone should not guide transfer decisions for subsequent continuing care.

Effects of Reinstitution of Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation on the Outcomes of 370 Patients in a Long-Term Acute Care Hospital

Objective: To investigate the effects of the reinstitution of continuous mechanical ventilator support of >21 days in 370 prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) patients, all free from ventilator support for ≥5 days. Methods: Four groups were formed based on the time and number of PMV reinstitutions and compared (group A: reinstitutions within 28 days, n = 51; group B: a single reinstitution after 28 days, n = 53; group C: multiple reinstitutions after 28 days, n = 52; and group D: no known reinstitutions, n = 214). Results: Of the 370 patients, 156 (42%) required PMV reinstitutions. Most reinstitutions occurred within 7 months: 51 (33%) of the 156 patients within 28 days and 49 (31%) within the next 6 months. Group comparisons revealed a progression of outcomes from group A, the worst, to group D, the best, with groups B and C having intermediate but significantly different values. Decannulation was associated with an 88% decreased risk of PMV reinstitution and a 43% lower risk of death (all P < .001). Conclusion: Prolonged mechanical ventilation reinstitution rates were high, with most occurring within 7 months of freedom from MV. In general, the longer the period of ventilator freedom, the less the likelihood of a PMV reinstitution. The identification of 4 distinct PMV groups of patients by time and number of reinstitutions added useful prognostic information. Since PMV reinstitutions within 28 days lead to permanent MV support, >28 days of ventilator freedom provided an optimal cut point for assessing the likelihood of again requiring PMV.

Chronic Comorbid Illnesses Predict the Clinical Course of 866 Patients Requiring Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation in a Long-Term, Acute-Care Hospital

Objective: To determine whether burdens of chronic comorbid illnesses can predict the clinical course of prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV)patients in a long-term, acute-care hospital (LTACH). Methods: Retrospective study of 866 consecutive PMV patients whose burdens of chronic comorbid illnesses were quantified using the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS). Based on increasing CIRS scores, 6 groups were formed and compared: group A (≤25; n = 97), group B (26-28; n = 105), group C (29-31; n = 181), group D (32-34; n = 208), group E (35-37; n = 173), and group F (>37; n = 102). Results: As CIRS scores increased from group A to group F, rates of weaning success, home discharges, and LTACH survival declined progressively from 74% to 17%, 48% to 0%, and 79% to 21%, respectively (all P < .001). Negative correlations between the mean score of each CIRS group and correspondent outcomes also supported patients’ group allocation and an accurate prediction of their clinical course (all P < .01). Long-term survival progressively declined from a median survival time of 38.9 months in group A to 3.2 months in group F (P < .001). Compared to group A, risk of death was 75% greater in group F (P = .03). Noteworthy, PMV patients with CIRS score <25 showed greater ability to recover and a low likelihood of becoming chronically critically ill. Diagnostic accuracy of CIRS to predict likelihood of weaning success, home discharges, both LTACH and long-term survival was good (area under the curves ≥0.71; all P <.001). Conclusions: The burden of chronic comorbid illnesses was a strong prognostic indicator of the clinical course of PMV patients. Patients with lower CIRS values showed greater ability to recover and were less likely to become chronically critically ill. Thus, CIRS can be used to help guide clinicians caring for PMV patients in transfer decisions to and from postacute care setting.