Soumya Patnaik

Trends in mechanical circulatory support use and hospital mortality among patients with acute myocardial infarction and non-infarction related cardiogenic shock in the United States

BackgroundRecent trends on outcomes in cardiogenic shock (CS) complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI) suggest improvements in early survival. However, with the ever-changing landscape in management of CS, we sought to identify age-based trends in these outcomes and mechanical circulatory support (MCS) use among patients with both AMI and non-AMI associated shock.MethodsWe queried the 2005–2014 Nationwide Inpatient Sample databases to identify patients with a diagnosis of cardiogenic shock. Trends in the incidence of hospital-mortality, and use of MCS such as intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), Impella/TandemHeart (IMP), and extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) were analyzed within the overall population and among different age-categories (50 and under, 51–65, 66–80 and 81–99 years). We also made comparisons between patient groups admitted with CS complicating AMI and those with non-AMI associated CS.ResultsWe studied 144,254 cases of CS, of which 55.4% cases were associated with an AMI. Between 2005 and 2014, an overall decline in IABP use (29.8–17.7%; ptrend < 0.01), and an uptrend in IMP use (0.1–2.6%; ptrend < 0.01), ECMO use (0.3–1.8%; ptrend < 0.01) and in-hospital mortality (44.1–52.5% AMI related, 49.6–53.5% non-AMI related; ptrend < 0.01) was seen. Patients aged 81–99 years had the lowest rate of MCS use (14.8%), whereas those aged 51–65 years had highest rate of MCS use (32.3%). Multivariable analysis revealed that patients aged 51-65 years (aOR 1.46, 95% CI 1.40–1.52; p<0.001), 66–80 years (aOR 2.51, 95% CI 2.39–2.63; p<0.01) and 81–99 years (aOR 5.04, 95% CI 4.78–5.32; p<0.01) had significantly higher hospital mortality compared to patients aged ≤ 50 years. Patients admitted with CS complicating AMI were older and had more comorbidities, but lower hospital mortality (45.0 vs. 48.2%; p < 0.001) when compared to non-AMI related CS. We also noted that the proportion of patients admitted with CS complicating AMI significantly decreased from 2005 to 2014 (65.3–45.6%; ptrend < 0.01) whereas those admitted without an associated AMI increased.ConclusionsIABP use has declined whereas IMP and ECMO use has increased over time among CS admissions. Older age was associated with an incrementally higher independent risk for hospital mortality. Recent trends indicate an increase in both proportion of patients admitted with CS without associated AMI and in-hospital mortality across all CS admissions irrespective of AMI status.

Atrial myocardial infarction: A tale of the forgotten chamber

It has been almost a century since atrial infarction was first described, yet data describing its significance remain limited. To date, there are still no universally accepted criteria for the diagnosis of atrial infarction. Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of atrial infarction but it has also been described in cor pulmonale and pulmonary hypertension. Atrial infarction almost always occurs concomitantly with ventricular infarction. Its clinical presentation depends largely on the extent and site of ventricular involvement. Atrial infarction can present with supraventricular tachyarrhythmias. Electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria for diagnosing atrial infarction have been described but none have yet to be validated by prospective studies. Atrial ECG patterns include abnormal P-wave morphologies, PR-segment deviations, as well as transient rhythm abnormalities, including atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, atrial tachycardia, wandering atrial pacemaker (WAP) and atrioventricular (AV) blocks. Complications of atrial infarction include thromboembolic events and cardiogenic shock. There are no specific additional recommendations in the management of myocardial infarction with suspected involvement of the atria. The primary goal remains coronary reperfusion and maintenance of, or conversion to, sinus rhythm.

The day of the week and acute heart failure admissions: Relationship with acute myocardial infarction, 30-day readmission rate and in-hospital mortality.

BACKGROUND In-hospital care may be constrained during the weekend due to lesser resources. Impact on outcomes of weekend versus weekday care in congestive heart failure (HF) needs further study. METHODS Admissions with a primary diagnosis of HF using ICD-9CM codes were studied. 22,287 HF-admissions from Einstein Medical Center (2003-2013) and 2,248,482 HF-admissions from the 2002-2012 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) were analyzed separately. Primary outcomes were 30-day HF-readmission and in-hospital mortality. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate outcomes. RESULTS Weekends experienced lower rates of admission and discharge. Mondays experienced the highest admission rate and Fridays experienced the highest discharge rate. Friday was independently associated with highest 30-day HF-readmission rates (Adjusted OR 1.12, CI 1.01-1.23; p=0.02) in addition to risk factors such as African-American race, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, end-stage renal disease and coronary artery disease. Within the NIS sample, 85,479 in-hospital deaths (3.8%) were recorded. Compared to weekdays, patients admitted over the weekend had greater comorbidities, higher incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (15.8% vs. 16.8%; p<0.01), higher Charlson-comorbidity index and underwent less procedures such as echocardiography, right heart catheterization, coronary angiography, coronary revascularization or mechanical circulatory support. Weekend HF admission predicted higher in-hospital mortality (aOR 1.07, 95%CI 1.05-1.08; p<0.01) on multivariate analysis. This relationship was applicable for teaching and non-teaching hospitals. CONCLUSION Friday was associated with the highest discharge and 30-day HF-readmission rate. Weekend HF admissions experienced more AMI, had greater comorbidities, received less cardiac procedures and predicted higher in-hospital mortality. Higher weekend mortality may be related to the greater degree of severity of illness among admitted patients.

Infective endocarditis due to Bacillus cereus in a pregnant female: A case report and literature review.

Incidence of infective endocarditis during pregnancy is around 0.006% with high maternal and fetal mortality. Bacillus cereus is an extremely rare cause for endocarditis in intravenous drug abusers (IVDA) or those with valvular disease or devices such as pacemakers. We report a case of B. cereus endocarditis, which, to the best of our knowledge, has never been reported in pregnancy. A 30-year-old, 25-week pregnant female presented with right shoulder pain, swelling and erythema on the lateral aspect of deltoid muscle from large abscess over her deltoid muscle. She was found to have a vegetation on the native tricuspid valve. Cultures from abscess fluid and blood cultures grew B. cereus, she was appropriately treated with antimicrobials and had favorable outcomes. There are <20 cases of B. cereus endocarditis reported but none during pregnancy. When cultures grow unusual organisms the case must be thoroughly investigated. This case illustrates a rare situation (endocarditis in pregnancy) with an unusual outcome (B. cereus) on an uncommon valve (tricuspid valve).

NON-BACTERIAL THROMBOTIC ENDOCARDITIS IN A PATIENT WITH PRIMARY ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID SYNDROME

Non bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE)/Libman Sacks is described in patients with mucin-producing cancers & connective tissue disorders (usually SLE); commonly involving the mitral & aortic valves. We report NBTE in primary Antiphopholipid antibody syndrome (APLS). A 65 yo female with breast

Dosing Cefepime for Renal Function Does Not Completely Prevent Neurotoxicity in a Patient With Kidney Transplant.

Dosing cefepime for renal function does not completely prevent neurotoxicity in a kidney transplant patient. Cefepime neurotoxicity has been reported primarily among patients with renal insufficiency who received standard doses of the antibiotic. We report a case of nonconvulsive status epilepticus from dose-adjusted cefepime in a kidney transplant patient. The timing of symptoms along with clinical and electroencephalographic improvement after discontinuation of cefepime was critical to the diagnosis. Whether we should adjust the dose of cefepime differently in a patient with transplanted kidney to prevent neurotoxicity is unknown.

All Those Liver Masses are not Necessarily from the Liver: A Case of a Giant Adrenal Pseudocyst Mimicking a Hepatic Cyst

Patient: Male, 50 Final Diagnosis: Adrenal pseudocys Symptoms: Abdominal pain • fever Medication: — Clinical Procedure: — Specialty: — Objective: Unusual clinical course Background: Most abdominal cysts, including adrenal pseudocysts, are benign and asymptomatic. Rapid enlargement, hemorrhage, infection, rupture with leakage of cyst contents, or pressure on adjacent organs can cause symptoms. Although usually diagnosed incidentally on imaging, determining the origin of a cyst can sometimes be challenging. In these situations, surgical excision and pathological analysis is crucial to diagnosis and management. We report here a case of a giant symptomatic adrenal pseudocyst that closely mimicked a hepatic cyst at presentation. Case Report: A 50-year-old man, with a history of an incidentally detected hepatic cyst, presented with severe abdominal pain, fevers, leukocytosis, and mildly abnormal liver function tests. CT scan revealed a large well defined cystic space-occupying lesion within the liver, with findings suggesting cyst rupture and possible infection. Early laparotomy was performed, and the origin was determined intraoperatively to be right adrenal, which was later confirmed by pathology. Conclusions: Contrast-enhanced CT scan is the criterion standard for evaluation for abdominal cystic masses. Precise diagnosis of a giant abdominal cyst can be challenging. Surgery is both diagnostic and curative in such situations. We also discuss the specific situations in which surgery should be considered in cases of adrenal cystic masses.

Is Levamisole-Induced Vasculitis a Relegated Diagnostic Possibility? A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Patient: Female, 38 Final Diagnosis: Levamisole induced vasculitis Symptoms: Skin and joint Medication: — Clinical Procedure: None Specialty: Toxicology Objective: Unusual clinical course Background: Levamisole, a veterinary anti-helminthic, is a common adulterant in cocaine. Levamisole-induced vasculopathy (LIV) is a relatively new entity, and is being increasingly recognized since it was first reported in 2010. Although cutaneous findings, agranulocytosis, and positive antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are characteristic, the full clinical picture and appropriate management remain unclear. Case Report: A 38-year-old woman presented with malaise and a pruritic, painful rash on all extremities, right ankle pain, and effusion and necrosis of the right 2nd and 3rd finger tips. After extensive work-up, we determined that she had LIV. Conclusions: Arthritis-dermatitis syndrome in cocaine users should raise suspicion for LIV. Although some features are characteristic, the full clinical spectrum is yet to be described. Management is supportive.

Clinical utility of the HEART score in patients admitted with chest pain to an inner-city hospital in the USA

Background Chest pain is one of the most common presentations to a hospital, and appropriate triaging of these patients can be challenging. The HEART score has been used for such purposes in some countries and only a few validation studies from the USA are available. We aim to determine the utility of the HEART score in patients presenting with chest pain to an inner-city hospital in the USA. Patients and methods We retrospectively screened 417 consecutive patients admitted with chest pain to the observation/telemetry units at Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 299 patients were included in the analysis. Patients were divided into low-risk (0–3) and intermediate-high (≥4)-risk HEART score groups. Baseline characteristics, thrombolysis in myocardial infarction score, need for revascularization during index hospitalization, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) at 6 weeks and 12 months were recorded. Results There were 98 and 201 patients in the low-score group and intermediate-high-score group, respectively. Compared with the low-score group, patients in the intermediate-high-risk group had a higher incidence of revascularization during the index hospital stay (16.4 vs. 0%; P=0.001), longer hospital stay, higher MACE at 6 weeks (9.5 vs. 0%) and 12 months (20.4 vs. 3.1%), and higher cardiac readmissions. HEART score of at least 4 independently predicted MACE at 12 months (odds ratio 7.456, 95% confidence interval: 2.175–25.56; P=0.001) after adjusting for other risk factors in regression analysis. Conclusion HEART score of at least 4 was predictive of worse outcomes in patients with chest pain in an inner-city USA hospital. If validated in multicenter prospective studies, the HEART score could potentially be useful in risk-stratifying patients presenting with chest pain in the USA and could impact clinical decision-making.

Spontaneous Iliopsoas Tendon Tear: A Rare Cause of Hip Pain in the Elderly.

Hip pain is one of the most common reasons for the elderly to present to the emergency department, and the differential diagnosis spectrum is vast. Iliopsoas injury is a relatively uncommon condition that may present with hip or groin pain. It is usually seen in athletes due to trauma, particularly flexion injuries. However, spontaneous iliopsoas tendon tear is extremely rare, and only a small number of cases have been reported; it has an estimated prevalence of 0.66% in individuals from 7 to 95 years. Risk factors include aging, use of steroids, and chronic diseases. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using its high soft-tissue contrast resolution remains the most valuable imaging modality. A prompt diagnosis and treatment, which is usually conservative, is important to improve the quality of life in this group of patients. We describe a case of spontaneous iliopsoas tendon tear in an elderly woman.