Disparities in postoperative outcomes among diverse patient groups with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) represents a significant burden in the United States. We aim to evaluate disparities in postoperative outcomes among diverse patients undergoing surgery for IBD. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) (2016-2018) was used to calculate national estimates for a number of postoperative complications in patients with IBD. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS survey procedures when calculating the national estimates. Results: A majority of the 107,375 patients (weighted) undergoing surgery for IBD were White (81.7%), rather than Black (10.1%) or Hispanic (8.2%). Black patients had higher rates of postoperative infections compared to White or Hispanic patients (4.2% vs. 3.1% vs. 2.7%, P=0.0137). There was a significant difference in morbidity and mortality, with higher rates in Black patients (20.1% vs. 17.1% vs. 17.9%, P=0.0029). Black patients experienced longer average hospital stays compared to White or Hispanic patients (12.6 vs. 9.6 vs. 11.2 days, P<0.001), despite suffering fewer comorbidities (Modified Charlson Index 1.9 vs. 2.3 vs. 2.0, P<0.001). Conclusions: This study demonstrated racial disparities in postoperative outcomes, with Black patients experiencing significantly higher rates of postoperative infections, overall morbidity and mortality, and length of stay, despite suffering from fewer comorbidities. This suggests an opportunity to improve equity of care for all patients with IBD by further examining social determinants of health that have not been traditionally studied.

Adjunct neutralization plating in patella fracture fixation: a technical trick.

Patella fracture outcomes are positive overall; however, in some cases, traditional fixation methods result in complications, including loss of fixation and irritable hardware requiring removal. We present a technique of plate fixation that we believe has the potential to improve stability and is less offensive in more comminuted fracture patterns. Improved stability should allow unfettered advancement of rehabilitation without concern for loss of fixation. Lower profile fixation offers a potential for diminishing the presence of irritating hardware requiring removal. We present our technique for using plate fixation to augment more complex patella fracture patterns.

Identification of concomitant injuries associated with specific spine level fractures in polytrauma patients.

INTRODUCTION: Spine fractures are associated with high energy mechanisms and can lead to substantial morbidity and mortality in the trauma setting. Rapid identification and treatment of these fractures and their associated injuries are paramount in preventing adverse outcomes. The purpose of this study is to identify concomitant skeletal and non-skeletal injuries related to cervical, thoracic, and lumbar fractures. METHODS: A retrospective review of institutional American College of Surgeons (ACS) registry was conducted on 3,399 consecutive trauma patients identifying those with spine fractures from 1/2016-12/2019. Two-hundred ninety patients were included(8.5%) and separated into three groups based on fracture location: eighty-eight cervical(C)-spine, 129thoracic(T)-spine, and 143lumbar(L)-spine. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify associated injuries, presenting injury severity score(ISS) and Glasgow coma scale(GCS), mechanism of injury, demographic data, substance use, and paralysis for each group. Cox hazard regression was utilized to identify factors associated with inpatient mortality. RESULTS: C-spine fractures were associated with head trauma(OR2.18,p = 0.003),intracranial bleeding (OR2.64,p = 0.001),facial(OR2.25,p = 0.02) and skull fractures(OR3.92,p = 0.001),and cervical cord injuries(OR4.78,p = 0.012). T-spine fractures were associated with rib fractures(OR2.31,p = 0.003). L-spine fractures were associated with rib(OR1.77, p = 0.04), pelvic(OR5.11,p<0.001), tibia/fibula (OR2.31,p = 0.05), and foot/ankle fractures(OR3.32,p = 0.04), thoracic(OR2.43,p = 0.008) and retroperitoneal cavity visceral injuries(OR27.3,p = 0.001). Falls≤6meters were also significantly associated with C-spine fractures(OR1.70,p = 0.04) while falls>6meters were associated with L-spine fractures(OR4.30,p = 0.001). Inpatient mortality risk increased in patients with C-spine fractures(HR4.41,p = 0.002), higher ISS(HR1.05, p<0.001), and lower GCS(HR0.85,p<0.001). Last, patients≥65-years-old were more likely to experience C-spine fractures(OR1.88,p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Patients who experience fractures of the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spine are at risk for additional fractures, visceral injury, and/or death. Awareness of the associations between spinal fractures and other injuries can increase diagnostic efficacy, improve patient care, and provide valuable prognostic information. These associations highlight the importance of effective and timely communication and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Prediction of stroke using an algorithm to estimate arterial stiffness.

BACKGROUND: Arterial stiffness is important because it is associated with adverse cardiovascular events including stroke. Methods that are based on pulse wave velocity have significant limitations in estimating arterial stiffness. The purpose of this paper is to present a novel easy to apply non-invasive method to estimate arterial stiffness that is based on pulse pressure. METHODS: Two indices to estimate arterial stiffness, (1) arterial stiffness 1 (AS1) and (2) arterial stiffness 2 (AS2) were developed and applied in two National Institutes of Health funded clinical trials, the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program and the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial. These indices were developed by fitting individual survival models for selected predictor variables to the response, i.e. time to stroke, by selecting the coefficients that were statistically significant at the 0.05 α level after adjusting the variable weights. The indices were derived as the weighted linear combination of the coefficients. RESULTS: AS1 and AS2 performed well in two goodness of fit criteria i.e. overall model p-value and concordance correlation. Comparison of Cox models using indices AS1 and AS2 and chronological age indicated that AS1 and AS2 independently predicted the occurrence of stroke at five years better than chronological age. Nearly identical effects were observed when the analyses were limited to Black participants in SPRINT with a concordance correlation of 0.80 and log rank test p-value of 0.007. CONCLUSION: These indices that are derived from pulse pressure predict the occurrence of stroke better than either pulse pressure or chronological age alone and may be used in designing new randomized clinical trials, and possibly incorporated in hypertension and stroke guidelines.

Takotsubo syndrome-associated ventricular standstill in a peripartum patient: case report and review of the literature.

Takotsubo syndrome is classically characterized by apical ballooning and left ventricle akinesis associated with an underlying catecholamine surge. In patients with suspected Takotsubo syndrome, clinicians should be vigilant for acute coronary syndrome and arrhythmias. Ventricular standstill with underlying Takotsubo syndrome should be managed with a dual-chambered pacemaker to improve patient outcome.

Years of palpitations and a heart rate of 213 beats per minute.

Belhassen tachycardia is the most common idiopathic ventricular tachycardia arising from the left ventricle, classically characterized by a right bundle branch block and left axis deviation. Vigilance for Belhassen tachycardia is essential as intravenous verapamil has proven to be highly efficacious for treating symptomatic patients with this underlying arrhythmia.