Kevin Bryan Lo

Etiologies, predictors, and economic impact of readmission within 1 month among patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Limited data exist on readmission among patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC), a commonly reversible cause of heart failure.

Etiologies, Predictors and Economic Impact of 30 Day Readmissions among Patients with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a pregnancy-associated cause of heart failure. Given the significant impact of heart failure on healthcare, we sought to identify etiologies and predictive factors for readmission in PPCM. We queried the 2013 to 2014 National Readmissions Database to identify patients admitted with a diagnosis of PPCM. Patients who were readmitted within 30 days were evaluated to identify etiologies and predictors of readmission. We identified 6,977 index admissions with PPCM. Of the 6,880 (98.6%) patients who survived the index hospitalization, 30-day readmission rate was 13%. Seventy-six percent of readmitted patients were admitted once, and the other 24% were readmitted at least twice within 30 days of discharge. Length of stayu2009was ≥8 days (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.08 to 3.77), multiparity (aOR 2.07, 95% CI 1.09 to 3.92), coronary artery disease (aOR 2.28, 95% CI 1.42 to 3.67), and long-term anticoagulation use (aOR 2.51, 95% CI 1.73 to 3.64) were independently associated with increased risk of 30-day readmission. Among the readmissions, 48% were due to cardiac causes, where PPCM and related complications (24%) were the most common cardiac cause followed by heart failure (16%). The annual cost of stay for index admissions was

Left ventricular thrombosis in acute anterior myocardial infarction: Evaluation of hospital mortality, thromboembolism, and bleeding

64.2 million (average cost for index admission was

Cervical diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) causing oropharyngeal dysphagia

16,892). The annual charges attributed to readmission within 30 days were ≈

Late presentation of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia after renal transplant: A case report

9 million. Cardiac etiologies were the most common cause for 30-day readmissions in PPCM patients, with a readmission rate of 13%. Long-term anticoagulation use, multiparity, coronary disease and length of stay predicted higher 30-day readmission.

Case Report: Kikuchi: The great mimicker

Left ventricular thrombosis (LVT) is a well‐known complication of acute myocardial infarction, most commonly seen in anterior wall ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). It is associated with systemic thromboembolism.

National Trends in Hospitalizations and Outcomes in patients with Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a non-inflammatory condition characterised by calcification and ossification of the vertebral ligaments. It is most commonly seen to affect the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae and is usually seen among elderly men. The cause of this condition is unknown. Risk factors include male gender, obesity, diabetes and advancing age. The majority of these cases are found incidentally on imaging and patients are generally asymptomatic. Cervical DISH is less common than its thoracic and lumbar counterparts. When symptomatic, it can cause dysphagia or sometimes airway compromise. If this happens, surgical intervention should be performed. Although a rare cause of dysphagia, DISH is easily diagnosed with imaging. When identified, surgical decompression produces very good clinical outcomes.

When a Seemingly Harmless Prescription Turns into Toxicity

The highest risk of opportunistic infections is from 1 to 6 months post-transplant. We report a rare case of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in a renal transplant recipient only on maintenance immunosuppression eleven years after transplant without concomitant CMV infection or recent episodes of graft rejection.

PULMONARY ARTERIAL CAPACITANCE AND RENAL FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE WITH PRESERVED AND REDUCED EJECTION FRACTION

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease is a form of a benign necrotizing lymphadenitis which is most commonly misdiagnosed as tuberculosis and or lymphoma, usually more common among young adults in Asia. It is a benign disease but can mimic a lot of other disease processes spanning infectious, rheumatologic and even hematologic malignancies. Our patient presented with prolonged fever and lymphadenopathy. Initial considerations were lymphoma and a nonspecific viral infection. A CT scan showed diffuse cervical lymphadenopathy with lacrimal gland involvement. An excisional lymph node biopsy was done which revealed Kikuchi disease. Patient was given steroids with immediate response with defervescence. Kikuchi is a disease with many mimics and a complete workup is needed to exclude serious disease like malignancy.

Right Ventricular Free Wall Strain Is Associated With Long-Term Renal Function in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Numerous studies have shown conflicting results regarding the natural history and outcomes with alcoholic cardiomyopathy (AC).