Determinants of the length of stay in stroke patients.

OBJECTIVES: The study objective was to identify the factors that influence the length of stay (LOS) in hospital for stroke patients and to provide data for managing hospital costs by managing the LOS. METHODS: This study used data from the Discharge Injury Survey of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which included 17,364 cases from 2005 to 2008. RESULT: The LOS for stroke, cerebral infarction, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage was 18.6, 15.0, 28.9, and 25.3 days, respectively. Patients who underwent surgery had longer LOS. When patients were divided based on whether they had surgery, there was a 2.4-time difference in the LOS for patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, 2.0-time difference for patients with cerebral infarction, and 1.4-time difference for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. The emergency route of admission and other diagnosis increased LOS, whereas hypertension and diabetic mellitus reduced LOS. CONCLUSION: In the present rapidly changing hospital environments, hospitals approach an efficient policy for LOS, to maintain their revenues and quality of assessment. If LOS is used as the indicator of treatment expenses, there is a need to tackle factors that influence the LOS of stroke patients for each disease group who are divided based on whether surgery is performed or not for the proper management of the LOS.

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia in a patient with recurrent exertional syncope.

A 16-year-old male with a prior history of recurrent syncope was referred to our hospital after being resuscitated from cardiac arrest developed while playing volleyball. His electrocardiogram (ECG) demonstrated ventricular fibrillation at a local emergency department. After referral, an ECG showed bidirectional ventricular tachycardia (VT) and nonsustained Torsade de Pointes. Two days later, his heart rate became regular, and no additional episodes of VT were observed. His ECG showed sinus rhythm with a corrected QT interval of 423 msec, and two-dimensional echocardiography was unremarkable. We made the diagnosis of a catecholaminergic polymorphic VT. However, only premature ventricular complex bigeminy was induced on exercise ECG and epinephrine infusion tests, and the patient showed no episodes of syncope. His father and mother had different missense mutations in the cardiac ryanodine receptor on genetic testing. The proband had both mutations in different alleles and was symptomatic. It was recommended that the patient avoid competitive physical activities, and a ß-blocker was prescribed.

Aseptic Endocarditis in Behçet's Disease Presenting as Tricuspid Valve Stenosis.

Aseptic endocarditis is an uncommon complication of Behçet's disease (BD). We describe a rare case of a 39-year-old female who had BD with aseptic endocarditis of the tricuspid valve (TV) presenting as tricuspid stenosis. She was diagnosed with BD four years ago. The mucocutaneous lesions were well-controlled with colchicine and short courses of corticosteroids. She remained free of signs and symptoms of BD for one year without any medication. Three months before admission, she gradually developed dyspnea on exertion and peripheral edema. Echocardiography revealed dilated right atrium and markedly thickened TV with severe stenosis. TV replacement was performed. Pathologic examination of the valve showed fibrinoid necrotic material and inflammatory cell infiltration. Blood cultures and cultures of the excised valve were negative for microorganisms.

Prognostic value of standard electrocardiographic parameters for predicting major adverse cardiac events after acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic value of electrocardiographic (ECG) variables in predicting major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the era of modern therapy is unclear. This study was conducted to evaluate the prognostic significance of ECG parameters in predicting 1-year MACEs for AMI patients. METHODS: Between January 2006 and January 2008, 529 AMI patients were included. ECG variables were analyzed from the ECG taken on discharge day. The 1-year MACEs were defined as death, nonfatal MI, and revascularization including repeat percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Mean follow-up duration was 360 ± 119 days. RESULTS: Of these patients, 497 (94%) patients provided complete follow-up data (355 males; 67 ± 12 years old). The rate of 1-year MACEs was 16%. In univariate analysis, heart rate, corrected QT interval, left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, voltage (SV(1) + RV(5) ), lateral ST-depression (V(5-6) or I, aVL), pathologic Q wave (V(1-4) , V(5-6) ), ST-elevation (V(1-4) , V(5-6) or I, aVL), and T-wave inversion (V(1-4) , V(5-6) , or I, aVL) had a significant association with 1-year MACEs. In the Cox regression hazard model, lateral ST-depression (hazard ratio [HR] 2.260, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.204 to 4.241, P = 0.011) and corrected QT interval (HR 1.007, 95% CI 1.002 to 1.011, P = 0.004) were independent predictors of 1-year MACEs. After adjustment for all risk variables, lateral ST-depression (HR 3.781, 95% CI 1.047 to 13.656, P = 0.042) was the only ECG variable that independently predicted 1-year MACEs. CONCLUSION: Lateral ST-depression on discharge day ECG is an independent predictor of 1-year MACEs after AMI.

Epinephrine-Induced Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia in a Patient With Congenital Long QT Syndrome.

A 24-year-old woman presented to the department of plastic surgery for surgical excision of a nevus on her nose. Although her history failed to reveal any cardiac disease, her pre-operative electrocardiogram (ECG) showed an extremely prolonged QT interval of up to 528 msec. Repeated history-taking after admission revealed three syncopal episodes associated with both physical and emotional stress, and because the two-dimensional echocardiography and exercise ECG test were normal except for the prolonged QT interval, an epinephrine test was done to assess QT interval changes after an epinephrine infusion. Immediately after a bolus injection of epinephrine (0.1 microg/kg), marked prolongation of the QT interval developed, followed by polymorphic ventricular tachycardia which was immediately terminated with direct current shock, resulting in the diagnosis of a long QT syndrome (LQTS), probably type 1. Gene studies were recommended, but declined by the patient and her family. She was instructed to avoid competitive sports, and a beta-blocker was prescribed after which she remained symptom-free.