Sachin Sule

Trends in incidence, management, and outcomes of cardiogenic shock complicating ST-elevation myocardial infarction in the United States.

Background Limited information is available on the contemporary and potentially changing trends in the incidence, management, and outcomes of cardiogenic shock complicating ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods and Results We queried the 2003–2010 Nationwide Inpatient Sample databases to identify all patients ≥40 years of age with STEMI and cardiogenic shock. Overall and age‐, sex‐, and race/ethnicity‐specific trends in incidence of cardiogenic shock, early mechanical revascularization, and intra‐aortic balloon pump use, and inhospital mortality were analyzed. From 2003 to 2010, among 1 990 486 patients aged ≥40 years with STEMI, 157 892 (7.9%) had cardiogenic shock. The overall incidence rate of cardiogenic shock in patients with STEMI increased from 6.5% in 2003 to 10.1% in 2010 (Ptrend<0.001). There was an increase in early mechanical revascularization (30.4% to 50.7%, Ptrend<0.001) and intra‐aortic balloon pump use (44.8% to 53.7%, Ptrend<0.001) in these patients over the 8‐year period. Inhospital mortality decreased significantly, from 44.6% to 33.8% (Ptrend<0.001; adjusted OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.75), whereas the average total hospital cost increased from

Regional Variation in the Incidence and Outcomes of In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in the United States

35 892 to

Hyperkalemia among hospitalized patients and association between duration of hyperkalemia and outcomes.

45 625 (Ptrend<0.001) during the study period. There was no change in the average length of stay (Ptrend=0.394). These temporal trends were similar in patients <75 and ≥75 years of age, men and women, and across each racial/ethnic group. Conclusions The incidence of cardiogenic shock complicating STEMI has increased during the past 8 years together with increased use of early mechanical revascularization and intra‐aortic balloon pumps. There has been a concomitant decrease in risk‐adjusted inhospital mortality, but an increase in total hospital costs during this period.

Nebivolol: New Therapy Update

Background— Regional variation in the incidence and outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is not well studied and may have important health and policy implications. Methods and Results— We used the 2003 to 2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample databases to identify patients ≥18 years of age who underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition, Clinical Modification procedure codes 99.60 and 99.63) for IHCA. Regional differences in IHCA incidence, survival to hospital discharge, and resource use (total hospital cost and discharge disposition among survivors) were analyzed. Of 838 465 patients with IHCA, 162 270 (19.4%) were in the Northeast, 159 581 (19.0%) were in the Midwest, 316 201 (37.7%) were in the South, and 200 413 (23.9%) were in the West. Overall IHCA incidence in the United States was 2.85 per 1000 hospital admissions. IHCA incidence was lowest in the Midwest and highest in the West (2.33 and 3.73 per 1000 hospital admissions, respectively). Compared with the Northeast, risk-adjusted survival to discharge was significantly higher in the Midwest (odds ratio, 1.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.31–1.36), South (odds ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.19–1.23), and West (odds ratio, 1.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.23–1.27). IHCA survival increased significantly from 2003 to 2011 in the United States and in all regions (all Ptrend<0.001). Total hospital cost was highest in the West, whereas discharge to skilled nursing facility and use of home health care among survivors was highest in the Northeast. Conclusions— We observed significant regional variation in IHCA incidence, survival, and resource use in the United States. This variation was explained only partially by differences in patient and hospital characteristics. Further studies are needed to identify other potential factors responsible for these regional differences to improve outcomes after IHCA.

Experience with faculty supervision of an electronic resident sign-out system.

Introduction The aim of the study was to investigate predictors of mortality in patients hospitalized with hyperkalemia. Material and methods Data among hospitalized patients with hyperkalemia (serum potassium ≥ 5.1 mEq/l) were collected. Patients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis were excluded. Results Of 15,608 hospitalizations, 451 (2.9%) episodes of hyperkalemia occurred in 408 patients. In patients with hyperkalemia, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease and heart failure were common comorbidities. Acute kidney injury (AKI) and metabolic acidosis were common metabolic abnormalities, and 359 patients (88%) were on at least one drug associated with hyperkalemia. Mean duration to resolution of hyperkalemia was 12 ±9.9 h. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (HR = 1.59), highest potassium level (HR = 0.61), tissue necrosis (HR = 0.61), metabolic acidosis (HR = 0.77), and AKI (HR = 0.77) were significant independent determinants of duration prior to hyperkalemia resolution. Tissue necrosis (OR = 4.55), potassium supplementation (OR = 5.46), metabolic acidosis (OR = 4.84), use of calcium gluconate for treatment of hyperkalemia (OR = 4.62), AKI (OR = 3.89), and prolonged duration of hyperkalemia (OR = 1.06) were significant independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. Conclusions Tissue necrosis, potassium supplementation, metabolic acidosis, calcium gluconate for treatment of hyperkalemia, AKI and prolonged duration of hyperkalemia are independent predictors of in-hospital mortality.

Association of Chronic Renal Insufficiency With In‐Hospital Outcomes After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Nebivolol is a β-blocker under U.S. Food and Drug Administration review for the treatment of hypertension. The unique pharmacologic properties of nebivolol include high specificity for the β-1 receptor and a nitric oxide-mediated vasodilatory effect. The agent provides significant blood pressure reduction from baseline values as compared with placebo. Clinical trials have demonstrated that nebivolol reduces blood pressure similarly to atenolol, bisoprolol, amlodipine, nifedipine, lisinopril, and hydrochlorothiazide. The tolerability of nebivolol is similar to or better than that of these agents. In elderly patients (≥70 years of age) with clinically stable congestive heart failure, the addition of nebivolol to the treatment regimen improved the time to all-cause mortality and cardiovascular hospital admissions over that of placebo. If approved, nebivolol would likely be a viable alternative therapy for hypertension and heart failure; however, additional studies are needed in patients having coronary artery disease.

Etiology of Syncope in Patients Hospitalized With Syncope and Predictors of Mortality and Rehospitalization for Syncope at 27-Month Follow-Up

The Association of Professors of Medicine (APM) is the national organization of departments of internal medicine at the US medicalschools and numerous affiliated teaching hospitals as represented by chairs and appointed leaders. As the official sponsor of TheAmerican Journal of Medicine, the association invites authors to publish commentaries on issues concerning academic internalmedicine.For the latest information about departments of internal medicine, please visit APM’s website at www.im.org/APM.

Fecal Transplantation for the Treatment of Recurrent Clostridium Difficile Infection

Background The association of chronic renal insufficiency with outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the current era of drug-eluting stents and modern antithrombotic therapy has not been well characterized. Methods and Results We queried the 2007–2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample databases to identify all patients aged ≥18 years who underwent PCI. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare in-hospital outcomes among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and those without CKD or ESRD. Of 3 187 404 patients who underwent PCI, 89% had no CKD/ESRD; 8.6% had CKD; and 2.4% had ESRD. Compared to patients with no CKD/ESRD, patients with CKD and patients with ESRD had higher in-hospital mortality (1.4% versus 2.7% versus 4.4%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio for CKD 1.15, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.19, P<0.001; adjusted odds ratio for ESRD 2.29, 95% CI 2.19 to 2.40, P<0.001), higher incidence of postprocedure hemorrhage (3.5% versus 5.4% versus 6.0%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio for CKD 1.21, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.23, P<0.001; adjusted odds ratio for ESRD 1.27, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.32, P<0.001), longer average length of stay (2.9 days versus 5.0 days versus 6.4 days, respectively; P<0.001), and higher average total hospital charges (

Predictors of In-hospital Mortality and Acute Myocardial Infarction in Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

60 526 versus

Mobile physician reporting of clinically significant events-a novel way to improve handoff communication and supervision of resident on call activities.

77 324 versus