ABSTRACT
Background. Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, it has seemed that the virus is nondiscriminatory causing 3.73 million deaths worldwide. The Charleston Comorbidity Index (CCI) is a scoring system predicting the one-year mortality for patients with a range of comorbid conditions and is widely used as a predictor of prognosis and survival for a range of pathologies. This study aims to assess if there is an impact of comorbidity burden on COVID-19 patients by utilizing their CCI score. Charleston Comorbidity Index Score Scoring system for Charleston Comorbidity Index (CCI). Plus 1 point for every decade age 50 years and over, maximum 4 points. Higher scores indicate a more severe condition and consequently, a worse prognosis. Methods. Multicenter, retrospective review of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 from January 2020 to September 2020 throughout the HCA Healthcare system. CCI scores for all COVID-19 positive patients were calculated and logistic regression analysis was performed to predict hospitalization and ICU admission by CCI controlling for age, sex and race. A multinomial regression model was also performed to predict discharge status by CCI controlling for age, sex and race. ROC curves to indicate the CCI cut-off point for each outcome (hospitalization, ICU admission and mortality) was performed, and Youden's Index was used to identify the optimal point. Results. In the study timeframe, 92,800 patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 and of those, 48,270 were hospitalized. A one-point increase in CCI was associated with higher odds of hospitalization [OR 1.718;95% CI 1.696-1.74]. The threshold for significance to predict hospitalization was a CCI of 1.5 (AUC 0.804, Youden Index 0.48) with a specificity (73%) and sensitivity (75%). A one-point increase in CCI was associated with 1.444 higher odds of an ICU admission (95% CI 1.134-1.155). A one-point increase in CCI significantly increased the odds of discharge to hospice compared to any discharge other than hospice [OR 1.162;95% CI 1.142-1.182]). A one-point increase in CCI score was associated with 1.188 higher odds of in-hospital mortality (95% CI, 1.173-1.203) with a CCI threshold of 3.5 having the highest specificity (50.9%) and sensitivity (79.9%) to predict mortality outcome (AUC 0.704, Youden Index 0.31). Conclusion. In conclusion CCI score is an adequate predictor of hospitalization and in-hospital mortality but less so in predicting ICU admission in COVID-19 positive patients.
ABSTRACT
Background. As the COVID-19 pandemic raged throughout the United States, the healthcare system was strained due to a sudden increase in demand. Testing was initially limited, and the perception was that patients with high comorbidity burden were at higher risk for poor outcomes. The Charleston Comorbidity Index (CCI) is widely used as a predictor of prognosis and one-year mortality for a wide range of pathologies. This study aims to assess whether a correlation exists between CCI score, COVID-19 incidence throughout the pandemic and patient outcomes. Scoring system for Charleston Comorbidity Index (CCI). Plus 1 point for every decade age 50 years and over, maximum 4 points. Higher scores indicate a more severe condition and consequently, a worse prognosis. Methods. Multicenter, retrospective review of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 from January 2020 to September 2020 throughout the HCA Healthcare system. The percent of total encounters that were COVID-19 positive by state was calculated along with the average CCI score for COVID-19 patients in 2-month increments. Patient outcomes were obtained across the entire population. Results. A clear surge of infected patients was seen in almost all states in the dataset from May 2020 onward except in Colorado and Louisiana where the percentage of COVID-19 positive encounters decreased until July 2020. As summer 2020 progressed, the highest percentage of COVID-19 positive encounters among HCA Healthcare facilities was in Florida and Texas. However, despite the fact that more patients were COVID-19 positive in these states, the CCI score was the lowest (Figure 1). The highest average CCI throughout the 9-month period was 7.66 in Colorado. In the first two months of the pandemic, patients who tested positive for COVID-19 had higher CCI scores on average than those who became COVID-19 positive later in the pandemic. Missouri had the lowest CCI average but the highest ICU admissions and in-hospital mortality. Indiana had the lowest average CCI score, and lowest admission rate (Figure 2). Conclusion. We observed an inverse correlation between CCI score and COVID-19 incidence while seeing that, on average, COVID-19 positive patients had higher CCI score in the first few months of the pandemic when incidence rate was lower. CCI score did not correlate to ICU admission, but a higher CCI score correlated to higher admission rate.
ABSTRACT
Background. Syringe Services Programs (SSPs) is one aspect of a comprehensive Harm Reduction approach necessary to reduce the transmission of blood borne infections including Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimates that in 2019 that 595,000 veterans engage in opioid misuse with at least 57,000 veterans engaging in heroin. Stigmas to SSP are pervasive in the community and within the government system. Federal law prohibited the use of federal funds to purchase sterile needles or syringes for the purposes of illegal use of drugs by injection. It was officially clarified in May 24, 2021 that the prohibition to purchase syringes does not apply to Veterans Health Administration (VHA). While awaiting approximately 2 years to secure this clarification, syringes were obtained through a community donation. We aim to describe our process including difficulties encountered and data collected for SSP at two locations. Difficulties included developing an anonymous process to track quality, motivating providers to refer, educating highest risk veterans, providing face to face engagement during COVID-19 pandemic and ability to mail Harm Reduction kits containing sterile syringes. Results. Approximately 3000 syringes were dispensed. Of the 17 veterans, 65% received syringes, 82% received naloxone, 100% engagement in mental health and 94% engagement in substance use disorder clinics. In total, 65% were screened for HIV, 82% for HCV and 29% for sexually transmitted infections. Conclusion. These numbers, while modest, are notable, especially given the financial and organizational barriers that were in place. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted full implementation and outreach. With the recent, official clarification on syringe purchase and support for SSPs, the number of SSPs in the VA will grow, along with opportunity for more robust data collection. The experience of both facilities is a model for programs currently in development and moves us closer to ending the HIV epidemic by 2030.
ABSTRACT
Background. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been multiple reports concerning patients falling out of healthcare. The National VA HIV and Hepatitis and Related Conditions (HHRC) has created the Sexually TRansmitted Infection Key Evaluation (STRIKE) Dashboard to help clinicians identify Veterans who need to complete co-testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and allows providers to document if the Veteran was offered pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Methods. A national VA Veteran dataset was generated from data within the Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW) that included all active PLWH. Positive HIV status is evaluated based on positive antibody test and positive confirmatory result or positive viral load lab result. Negative HIV status is evaluated based on a negative antibody test in the past year. Of the 140 sites, 39 participated but only 9 were active throughout the period of October 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. Active and nonactive participating sites had metrics assessed across the study period at 3 time points: October 1, 2020, January 1, 2021 and April 1, 2021. Sites with at least 48 visits to report across the 6-month QI period were considered active. Results. Multiple sites had scarcity of supplies due to the national shortage of CT/NG Test Kits during COVID-19. To improve access to CT/NG testing, the dashboard suppress the list of Veterans with + syphlis who were not co-tested for CT/NG. Co-testing improved from 60.2% to 77.2% in active sites and from 61.9% to 68.7% for nonactive across the study period. Percent of Veterans with completed HIV testing on or after STI diagnosis in active sites had an upward trend of 2.1% compared to the nonactive which increased 0.6%. Likewise, new diagnosis of STI for those on PrEP increased 2.6% in active and 0.5% increase in nonactive. On average, active sites increased percent of high risk veterans with active PrEP prescriptions by 2%, compared with nonactive that only increased 1%. Conclusion. The STRIKE Dashboard efficiently flags Veterans with STI diagnosis who need completion of STI co-testing, including HIV testing and PrEP offer. Active participating facilities who used the STRIKE Dashboard improved STI Co-testing and PrEP prescription in a short 6 month period even during COVID-19.