Single-use Duodenoscope: The Cleaner Standard.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is the gold standard in the endoscopic management of biliary disease. An average of 700,000 ERCPs are performed every year, and most are performed using a reusable flexible duodenoscope. The innovation of disposable duodenoscopes has changed the dynamic in the advanced endoscopy field of study to primarily reduce or eliminate the risk of cross-contamination between patients. Many factors affect whether institutions can convert from standard reusable duodenoscopes to single-use duodenoscopes including the cost of the devices, reimbursement from insurance companies for the new devices, and the overall environmental impact. However, the reduction of cross-contamination leading to active infection in patients, environmental waste produced with high-level disinfection procedures, staff and equipment required for reprocessing, and the inability to frequently upgrade duodenoscopes for optimal performance are all factors that favor transitioning to single-use duodenoscopes. As these devices are new to the field of gastroenterology, the purpose of this review is to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of transitioning to single-use devices and a brief mention of alternative options for institutions unable to make this change.

In-hospital Outcomes and Characteristics of Heart Failure in Sickle Cell Disease.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) predominantly affects African-Americans (AAs) in the United States (US). Due to increasing life expectancy in developed countries, SCD-associated cardiomyopathy is typically seen in adults. The aim of this study was to distinguish hospitalization for this phenotype from traditional heart failure (HF) in AAs. We used the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database to identify HF hospitalizations in AAs between 2005 and 2014 and stratified them according to SCD status. We compared the characteristics and outcomes before and after matching in a 1:3 ratio for age, gender, insurance, smoking status and admission year. Amongst the 1,195,718 HF admissions in AAs, SCD accounted for 7835. The age (mean ± SD) in the SCD cohort was significantly younger (45.66 ± 13.2) vs non-SCD (64.8 ± 15.2), p<0.001. SCD adults had significantly higher rates of pulmonary hypertension (PH), deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism while non-SCD adults had higher rates of cardiogenic shock and respiratory failure requiring intubation. The national hospitalization rate for HF in AAs increased from 151 to 257 per million between 2005 and 2011 before declining to 241 per million in 2014. There was a decrease in in-hospital mortality in AAs from 4.8% in 2005 to 3.6% in 2014. We also identified independent predictors of in-hospital mortality in SCD with HF. In conclusion, we described hospitalizations for an emerging heart failure phenotype in AAs. Although there is a national decreasing rate of HF hospitalizations in the US, this may not be reflective of the AA population.