Ambulatory Cardiology or General Internal Medicine Assessment Prior to Scheduled Major Vascular Surgery is Associated with Improved Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the association between ambulatory cardiology or general internal medicine (GIM) assessment prior to surgery and outcomes following scheduled major vascular surgery. BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular risk assessment and management prior to high-risk surgery remains an evolving area of care. METHODS: This is population-based retrospective cohort study of all adults who underwent scheduled major vascular surgery in Ontario, Canada, April 1, 2004-March 31, 2019. Patients who had an ambulatory cardiology and/or GIM assessment within 6 months prior to surgery were compared to those who did not. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes included: composite of 30-day mortality, myocardial infarction or stroke; 30-day cardiovascular death; 1-year mortality; composite of 1-year mortality, myocardial infarction or stroke; and 1-year cardiovascular death. Cox proportional hazard regression using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to mitigate confounding by indication. RESULTS: Among 50,228 patients, 20,484 (40.8%) underwent an ambulatory assessment prior to surgery: 11,074 (54.1%) with cardiology, 8,071 (39.4%) with GIM and 1,339 (6.5%) with both. Compared to patients who did not, those who underwent an assessment had a higher Revised Cardiac Risk Index (N with Index over 2= 4,989[24.4%] vs. 4,587[15.4%], P<0.001) and more frequent pre-operative cardiac testing (N=7,772[37.9%] vs. 6,113[20.6%], P<0.001) but, lower 30-day mortality (N=551[2.7%] vs. 970[3.3%], P<0.001). After application of IPTW, cardiology or GIM assessment prior to surgery remained associated with a lower 30-day mortality (weighted Hazard Ratio [95%CI] = 0.73 [0.65-0.82]) and a lower rate of all secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Major vascular surgery patients assessed by a cardiology or GIM physician prior to surgery have better outcomes than those who are not. Further research is needed to better understand potential mechanisms of benefit.

Uptake of SGLT2i and Outcomes in Patients with Diabetes and Heart Failure: A Population-Based Cohort and a Specialized Clinic Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are effective in adults with diabetes mellitus (DM) and heart failure (HF) based on randomized clinical trials. We compared SGLT2 inhibitor uptake and outcomes in two cohorts: a population-based cohort of all adults with DM and HF in Alberta, Canada and a specialized heart function clinic (HFC) cohort. METHODS: The population-based cohort was derived from linked provincial healthcare datasets. The specialized clinic cohort was created by chart review of consecutive patients prospectively enrolled in the HFC between February 2018 and August 2022. We examined the association between SGLT2 inhibitor use (modeled as a time-varying covariate) and all-cause mortality or deaths/cardiovascular hospitalizations. RESULTS: Of the 4,885 individuals from the population-based cohort, 64.2% met the eligibility criteria of the trials proving the effectiveness of SGLT2 inhibitors. Utilization of SGLT2 inhibitors increased from 1.2% in 2017 to 26.4% by January 2022. In comparison, of the 530 patients followed in the HFC, SGLT2 inhibitor use increased from 9.8% in 2019 to 49.1 % by March 2022. SGLT2 inhibitor use in the population-based cohort was associated with fewer all-cause mortality (aHR 0.51, 95%CI 0.41-0.63) and deaths/cardiovascular hospitalizations (aHR 0.65, 95%CI 0.54-0.77). However, SGLT2 inhibitor usage rates were far lower in HF patients without DM (3.5% by March 2022 in the HFC cohort). CONCLUSIONS: Despite robust randomized trial evidence of clinical benefit, the uptake of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with HF and DM remains low, even in the specialized HFC. Clinical care strategies are needed to enhance the use of SGLT2 inhibitors and improve implementation.

Applicability and impact of the COMPASS trial in a Canadian population of patients with atherosclerotic disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In the COMPASS trial, low-dose rivaroxaban with aspirin improved cardiovascular outcomes in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). We aimed to assess the potential clinical implications of this therapy in a generalizable population. METHODS AND RESULTS: A retrospective cohort of adults with ASVCD was formed using healthcare administrative databases in Alberta, Canada (population 4.4 million). Patients with a new diagnosis between 2008 and 2019 formed the epidemiological cohort (n = 224,600) and those with long-term follow-up (>5 years) formed the outcomes cohort (n = 232,460). The primary outcome of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) was assessed and categorized based on the COMPASS trial eligibility. In the outcomes cohort, 77% had only coronary artery disease, 15% had only peripheral artery disease, and 8% had both. Of those, 37% met the COMPASS trial eligibility criteria, 36% met exclusion criteria and 27% did not meet inclusion criteria. Over a median of 7.8 years, the COMPASS exclusion group demonstrated the highest rate of MACE (5.9 per 100 person-years), following by the eligible group and the group that did not meet COMPASS inclusion criteria (3.1 and 1.4 per 100 person-years respectively). The expected net clinical benefit of antithrombotic therapy in the eligible group was 5.6 fewer events per 1000 person-years. CONCLUSIONS: In a real-world population of 4.4 million adults, there are roughly 20,000 new cases of ASVCD diagnosed yearly, with ∼40% being eligible for the addition of low-dose rivaroxaban therapy to antiplatelet therapy. The theoretical implementation of dual antithrombotic treatment in this population could result in a substantial reduction in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Iron Deficiency, Anemia, and Iron Supplementation in Patients With Heart Failure: A Population-Level Study.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown an association between iron deficiency (ID) and clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF), irrespective of the presence of ID anemia (IDA). The current study used population-level data from a large, single-payer health care system in Canada to investigate the epidemiology of ID and IDA in patients with acute HF and those with chronic HF, and the iron supplementation practices in these settings. METHODS: All adult patients with HF in Alberta between 2012 and 2019 were identified and categorized as acute or chronic HF. HF subtypes were determined through echocardiography data, and ID (serum ferritin concentration <100 µg/L, or ferritin concentration between 100 and 300 µg/L along with transferrin saturation <20%), and IDA through laboratory data. Broad eligibility for 3 clinical trials (AFFIRM-AHF [Study to Compare Ferric Carboxymaltose With Placebo in Patients With Acute HF and ID], IRONMAN [Intravenous Iron Treatment in Patients With Heart Failure and Iron Deficiency], and HEART-FID [Randomized Placebocontrolled Trial of Ferric Carboxymaltose as Treatment for HF With ID]) was determined. RESULTS: Among the 17 463 patients with acute HF, 38.5% had iron studies tested within 30 days post-index-HF episode (and 34.2% of the 11 320 patients with chronic HF). Among tested patients, 72.6% of the acute HF and 73.9% of the chronic HF were iron-deficient, and 51.4% and 49.0% had IDA, respectively. Iron therapy was provided to 41.8% and 40.5% of patients with IDA and acute or chronic HF, respectively. Of ID patients without anemia, 19.9% and 21.7% were prescribed iron therapy. The most common type of iron therapy was oral (28.1% of patients). Approximately half of the cohort was eligible for each of the AFFIRM-AHF, intravenous iron treatment in patients with HF and ID, and HEART-FID trials. CONCLUSIONS: Current practices for investigating and treating ID in patients with HF do not align with existing guideline recommendations. Considering the gap in care, innovative strategies to optimize iron therapy in patients with HF are required.

Increased frequency and mortality in persons with neurological disorders during COVID-19.

Determining the frequency and outcomes of neurological disorders associated with COVID-19 is imperative for understanding risks as well as recognition of emerging neurological disorders. We investigated the susceptibility and impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection among persons with premorbid neurological disorder rs, as well as the post-infection incidence of neurological sequelae in a case-control population-based cohort. Using health service data collected from March 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, we constructed a cohort of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-positive (n=177,892) and -negative (n=177,800) adults who were age-, sex-, and comorbidity-matched and underwent RT- PCR testing at similar times. COVID-19 associated mortality rates were examined within the cohort. Neurological sequelae were analysed during the acute (less than three months) and the post-acute (three to nine months) phases post-infection. The risk of death was significantly greater in the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-positive (2,140 per 100,000 person years) compared to RNA-negative (922 per 100,000 person years) over a follow-up of 9 months, particularly amongst those with premorbid neurological disorders: adjusted odds ratios (aOR, 95% CI) in persons with a prior history of parkinsonism (1·65, 1·15-2·37), dementia (1·30, 1·11-1·52), seizures (1·91, 1·26-2·87), encephalopathy (1·82, 1·02-3·23), and stroke (1·74, 1·05-2·86). There was also a significantly increased risk for diagnosis of new neurological sequelae during the acute time phase after COVID-19 including encephalopathy (2·0, 1·10-3·64), dementia (1·36, 1·07-1·73), seizure (1·77, 1·22-2·56), and brain fog (1·96, 1·20-3·20). These risks persisted into the post-acute phase after COVID-19 during which inflammatory myopathy (2·57, 1·07-6·15) and coma (1·87, 1·22-2·87) also became significantly increased. Thus, persons with SARS-CoV-2 infection and premorbid neurological disorders are at greater risk of death while SARS-CoV-2 infection was complicated by increased risk of new onset neurological disorders in both the acute and post-acute phases of COVID-19.

Targeted Coaching to Improve Osteoporosis Therapy Adherence: A Single Arm Variation of the C-STOP Study.

BACKGROUND: In this pre-planned variation of the Comparing Strategies Targeting Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures After an Upper Extremity Fracture (C-STOP) trial, we investigated whether adherence-specific coaching by the case manager (CM) further improved the adherence and persistence rates compared to those seen in the C-STOP trial. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of community-dwelling adults 50 years or older who suffered an upper-extremity fracture and were not previously treated with osteoporosis medications, to assess whether a well-trained CM can partner with patients to improve adherence to and persistence with oral bisphosphonate intake. The primary outcome was adherence (taking > 80% of prescribed doses) to oral bisphosphonate intake at 12 months after study enrollment. Secondary outcomes included primary adherence to and 12-month persistence with oral bisphosphonate and calcium and vitamin D supplement intake at 12 months. RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 84 participants, of which 30 were prescribed an oral bisphosphonate. Twenty-two (73.3%) started treatment within 3 months. The adherence rate at 12 months was 77.3%. The persistence rate at 12 months was 95.5%. Of those not prescribed an oral bisphosphonate, 62.8% were taking supplemental calcium and 93.0% were taking supplemental vitamin D at 12 months. Depression was a significant predictor of 12-month non-adherence (adjusted odds ratio, 9.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-81.5). CONCLUSIONS: Adherence-specific coaching by a CM did not further improve the level of medication adherence achieved in the original C-STOP study. Importantly, these results can inform adherence in future intervention studies.

The Need for Fiber Addition in Symptomatic Heart Failure (FEAST-HF): A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.

Background: Preclinical and observational studies suggest that the gut microbiome plays a role in the pathogenesis of heart failure (HF); the gut microbiome may be modified by fermentable dietary fibre (FDF). The Need for Fiber Addition in Symptomatic Heart Failure (FEAST-HF) trial evaluated feasibility of recruitment and supplementation with FDF in HF and whether FDF (acacia), compared to control, reduced the level of N-terminal pro-b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and growth stimulation expressed gene 2 (ST2), and produced changes in the gut microbiome. Methods: Participants were randomly allocated 1:1:1 to either of the intervention arms (5 g/d or 10 g/d acacia) or to the control arm (10 g/d microcrystalline cellulose (MCC; nonfermentable active control). Adherence and tolerance were assessed, and clinical events were monitored for safety. All outcomes (NT-proBNP, ST2, New York Heart Association class, Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire scores, 6-minute walk test score, gut microbiome) were measured at baseline, and at 6 and 12 weeks. Results: Between September 13, 2018 and December 16, 2021, 51 patients were randomly allocated to either MCC (n = 18), acacia 5 g daily (n = 13), or acacia 10 g daily (n = 18). No differences occurred between either dose of acacia and MCC in NT-proBNP level, ST2, New York Heart Association class, or questionnaire scores over 12 weeks. Dietary treatment arms had a negligible impact on microbial communities. No safety, tolerability, or adherence issues were observed. Conclusions: Dietary supplementation with acacia gum was both safe and well tolerated in ambulatory patients with HF; however, it did not change NT-proBNP level, ST2, or the composition of the gut microbiome.ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03409926.

Contexte: Des études précliniques et observationnelles donnent à penser que le microbiome intestinal joue un rôle dans la pathogenèse de l'insuffisance cardiaque (IC). Or, ce microbiome pourrait être modifié par la consommation de fibres alimentaires fermentescibles (FAF). L'essai pilote contrôlé avec répartition aléatoire FEAST-HF (pour The Need forFiberAddition inSymptomaticHeartFailure) visait à évaluer la possibilité d'administrer un supplément de FAF (l'acacia) et à déterminer si celui-ci entraîne une réduction du taux du propeptide natriurétique de type B N-terminal (NT-proBNP) et du récepteur ST2 (growth stimulation expressed gene 2) ou une modification du microbiome intestinal comparativement au placebo. Méthodologie: Les participants ont été répartis de façon aléatoire selon un rapport 1:1:1 dans l'un des groupes d'intervention (recevant 5 g/jour ou 10 g/jour d'acacia) ou dans le groupe témoin (recevant 10 g/jour de cellulose microcristalline [CMC], une fibre de référence non fermentescible). La tolérance et l'observance du traitement ont été évaluées, et les événements cliniques ont été surveillés pour évaluer l'innocuité. Tous les indicateurs (NT-proBNP, ST2, classe d'IC selon l'échelle de la New York Heart Association, score au questionnaire de cardiomyopathie de Kansas City, score à un test de marche de 6 minutes et microbiome intestinal) ont été évalués au début de l'étude, à la semaine 6 et à la semaine 12. Résultats: Entre le 13 septembre 2018 et le 16 décembre 2021, 51 patients ont pris, après répartition aléatoire, de la CMC (n = 18), 5 g d'acacia par jour (n = 13) ou 10 g d'acacia par jour (n = 18). Aucune différence n'a été observée quant au taux de NT-proBNP ou de ST2, à la classe d'IC selon la New York Heart Association ou aux scores au questionnaire entre les groupes prenant l'une ou l'autre des doses d'acacia et le groupe prenant la CMC au cours d'une période de 12 semaines. L'effet sur la flore microbienne était négligeable dans les groupes de traitement alimentaire. Par ailleurs, aucun problème lié à l'innocuité, à la tolérabilité ou à l'observance du traitement n'a été observé. Conclusions: Les suppléments alimentaires d'acacia (gomme arabique) sont sûrs et bien tolérés; toutefois, ces suppléments n'ont pas entraîné de changement dans les taux de NT-proBNP ou de ST2, ni dans la composition du microbiome intestinal.ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT03409926.

Right Ventricular Systolic Pressure Trajectory as a Predictor of Hospitalization and Mortality in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension is common among patients with heart failure (HF). Right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) is frequently used to assess its presence and severity. Although RVSP has been associated with adverse outcomes, the importance of serial measurements has not been studied. We evaluated associations between serial RVSP measurements and cardiovascular events in patients with HF. Methods: Patients with HF and 2 echocardiograms performed ≥ 6 months apart were included. RVSP was categorized, using the second echocardiogram, as follows: normal (< 40 mm Hg); severely elevated (≥ 60 mm Hg); moderately elevated (50-59 mm Hg); or mildly elevated (40-49 mm Hg). Patients also were classified according to change in RVSP categories between echocardiograms. The primary outcome was time to HF hospitalization (HFH) or all-cause mortality (ACM) after the second echocardiogram. Results: In total, 4319 patients were included (median age: 78 years; 52.1% female). During a median follow-up period of 19.4 months, HFH/ACM occurred in 2714 patients (62.8%). In multivariable analysis, baseline RSVP that was mildly elevated (1069 patients, hazard ratio [HR] 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-1.54), moderately elevated (797 patients, HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.30-1.82), or severely elevated (837 patients, HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.60-2.31) was independently associated with HFH/ACM. Additionally, improving RVSP was associated with increased HFH/ACM in both categorical (HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.01-1.33) and continuous analyses. Conclusions: RVSP measurements identify patients at increased risk who may require more-aggressive monitoring and medical therapy. Our study raises the hypothesis that, in addition to the absolute value of RVSP, improving RVSP category may identify higher-risk patients, but further study is needed to elucidate the underlying reasons.

Contexte: L'hypertension pulmonaire est fréquente chez les patients atteints d'insuffisance cardiaque. La pression systolique ventriculaire droite (PSVD) est souvent utilisée pour évaluer la présence et la gravité de l'hypertension pulmonaire. Bien que la PSVD ait été associée à des complications, l'importance de mesures répétitives n'a pas été étudiée. Nous avons évalué les liens entre des mesures répétitives de la PSVD et des événements cardiovasculaires chez des patients atteints d'insuffisance cardiaque. Méthodologie: Ont été inclus des patients atteints d'insuffisance cardiaque pour lesquels on disposait de deux échocardiogrammes réalisés dans un intervalle ≥ 6 mois. La PSVD a été catégorisée comme suit, au moyen du deuxième échocardiogramme : normale (< 40 mmHg); gravement élevée (≥ 60 mmHg); modérément élevée (50 à 59 mmHg) ou légèrement élevée (40 à 49 mmHg). Les patients ont également été classés dans des catégories en fonction de la variation de la PSVD d'un échocardiogramme à l'autre. Le paramètre d'évaluation principal était le temps écoulé avant une hospitalisation pour insuffisance cardiaque ou un décès, toutes causes confondues, après le second échocardiogramme. Résultats: Au total, 4 319 patients ont été inclus (âge médian de 78 ans; 52,1 % de sexe féminin). Pendant une période de suivi médian de 19,4 mois, une hospitalisation pour insuffisance cardiaque ou un décès, toutes causes confondues, se sont produits chez 2 714 patients (62,8 %). Une analyse multivariée a déterminé qu'une PSVD initiale légèrement élevée (1 069 patients, rapport de risques instantanés [RRI] de 1,31, intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95 % de 1,12 à 1,54), modérément élevée (797 patients, RRI de 1,54, IC à 95 % de 1,30 à 1,82) ou gravement élevée (837 patients, RRI de 1,92, IC à 95 % de 1,60 à 2,31) était indépendamment associée à une hospitalisation pour insuffisance cardiaque ou à un décès, toutes causes confondues. En outre, l'amélioration de la PSVD était associée à une hausse des hospitalisations pour insuffisance cardiaque ou des décès, toutes causes confondues, dans les analyses des catégories (RRI de 1,16, IC à 95 % de 1,01 à 1,33) et continues. Conclusions: Les mesures de la PSVD ont permis de repérer les patients présentant un risque accru qui pourraient nécessiter une surveillance et un traitement médical plus intenses. Notre étude incite à poser l'hypothèse voulant qu'en plus de la valeur absolue de la PSVD, l'amélioration des catégories de PSVD puisse permettre de repérer les patients présentant un risque accru, mais des études plus approfondies sont nécessaires pour élucider les raisons sous-jacentes.

Comparing methods to classify admitted patients with SARS-CoV-2 as admitted for COVID-19 versus with incidental SARS-CoV-2: A cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Not all patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection develop symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), making it challenging to assess the burden of COVID-19-related hospitalizations and mortality. We aimed to determine the proportion, resource utilization, and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients admitted for COVID-19, and assess the impact of using the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) discharge diagnosis-based algorithm and the Massachusetts state department's drug administration-based classification system on identifying admissions for COVID-19. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we enrolled consecutive SARS-CoV-2 positive patients admitted to one of five hospitals in British Columbia between December 19, 2021 and May 31,2022. We completed medical record reviews, and classified hospitalizations as being primarily for COVID-19 or with incidental SARS-CoV-2 infection. We applied the CDC algorithm and the Massachusetts classification to estimate the difference in hospital days, intensive care unit (ICU) days and in-hospital mortality and calculated sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: Of 42,505 Emergency Department patients, 1,651 were admitted and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, with 858 (52.0%, 95% CI 49.6-54.4) admitted for COVID-19. Patients hospitalized for COVID-19 required ICU admission (14.0% versus 8.2%, p<0.001) and died (12.6% versus 6.4%, p<0.001) more frequently compared with patients with incidental SARS-CoV-2. Compared to case classification by clinicians, the CDC algorithm had a sensitivity of 82.9% (711/858, 95% CI 80.3%, 85.4%) and specificity of 98.1% (778/793, 95% CI 97.2%, 99.1%) for COVID-19-related admissions and underestimated COVID-19 attributable hospital days. The Massachusetts classification had a sensitivity of 60.5% (519/858, 95% CI 57.2%, 63.8%) and specificity of 78.6% (623/793, 95% CI 75.7%, 81.4%) for COVID-19-related admissions, underestimating total number of hospital and ICU bed days while overestimating COVID-19-related intubations, ICU admissions, and deaths. CONCLUSION: Half of SARS-CoV-2 hospitalizations were for COVID-19 during the Omicron wave. The CDC algorithm was more specific and sensitive than the Massachusetts classification, but underestimated the burden of COVID-19 admissions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04702945.

The COVID-19 pandemic did not negatively impact frequency or continuity of outpatient care in Alberta, Canada.

Outpatient care patterns have changed markedly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this population-based retrospective cohort study, we compared the frequency of outpatient care (whether in-person or virtual) and continuity of care for all community-dwelling adults in Alberta between March 1, 2019 and February 29, 2020 (pre-pandemic) versus March 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021 (pandemic). We calculated provider continuity using Breslau's Usual Provider Continuity (UPC) for patients with at least 2 outpatient encounters. In 2019-20, 594,350 (98.4%) of 603,877 community-dwelling adults with ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) had [Formula: see text] 1 outpatient visit (median 8 visits, mean UPC score 0.61, SD 0.23), compared to 566,569 (98.6%) of 574,613 (median 8 visits, mean UPC score 0.67, SD 0.23) during the first year of the pandemic. Similar patterns were seen for adults without ACSC: 2,207,710 (93.9%) of 2,350,147 had [Formula: see text] 1 outpatient visit (median 3 visits, mean UPC score 0.61, SD 0.24) pre-pandemic compared to 2,113,239 (93.5%, median 4 visits, mean UPC 0.67, SD 0.24) in the first year of the pandemic. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic did not impact frequency of follow-up while continuity of care improved both for patients with or without ACSC in Alberta, Canada.

Kidney function monitoring and trajectories in patients with atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) frequently co-exist. The frequency of kidney monitoring and range of kidney function in patients with AF in clinical practice are uncertain. METHODS: All adult Albertans with AF between 2008 and 2017 were identified using ICD-9 and -10 codes 427.3 and I48. Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) risk categories were defined using eGFR by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaborative equation and albuminuria results within 6 months of eGFR measurement. eGFR trajectories were compared from baseline to maximum value within the following year. RESULTS: Among 105,946 patients with AF, 16.0% were KDIGO category G1 (eGFR ≥ 90), 49.0% G2 (60-89.9), 19.8% G3a (45-59.9), 11.4% G3b (30-44.9), and G4 3.8% (15-29.9). Albuminuria was normal/mild 83.4%, moderate 11.7%, and severe 4.9%. Kidney monitoring was more common among people with lower eGFR and worse albuminuria, from approximately twice annually for G1-2/A1-2 to 8 times annually in stage G4A3. Approximately 60-80% of patients received guideline-recommended monitoring, consistent across KDIGO stages. With lower baseline eGFR, annual change in eGFR decreased while the relative proportion of patients who worsened compared to improved increased: for baseline eGFR 60-89.9, 16.7% worsened vs 6.7% improved, but for eGFR 30-44.9, 8.8% worsened but only 1.0% improved. CONCLUSION: The frequency of kidney function monitoring in patients with AF increased with worsening KDIGO risk category and adhered to KDIGO guidelines in approximately three quarters of patients. A minority of patients had moderate to severe eGFR impairment, of whom most remained stable over 1 year.

Outcomes Among Patients Hospitalized With Non-COVID-19 Conditions Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Alberta and Ontario, Canada.

Importance: The association of inpatient COVID-19 caseloads with outcomes in patients hospitalized with non-COVID-19 conditions is unclear. Objective: To determine whether 30-day mortality and length of stay (LOS) for patients hospitalized with non-COVID-19 medical conditions differed (1) before and during the pandemic and (2) across COVID-19 caseloads. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study compared patient hospitalizations between April 1, 2018, and September 30, 2019 (prepandemic), vs between April 1, 2020, and September 30, 2021 (during the pandemic), in 235 acute care hospitals in Alberta and Ontario, Canada. All adults hospitalized for heart failure (HF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma, urinary tract infection or urosepsis, acute coronary syndrome, or stroke were included. Exposure: The monthly surge index for each hospital from April 2020 through September 2021 was used as a measure of COVID-19 caseload relative to baseline bed capacity. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary study outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality after hospital admission for the 5 selected conditions or COVID-19 as measured by hierarchical multivariable regression models. Length of stay was the secondary outcome. Results: Between April 2018 and September 2019, 132 240 patients (mean [SD] age, 71.8 [14.8] years; 61 493 female [46.5%] and 70 747 male [53.5%]) were hospitalized for the selected medical conditions as their most responsible diagnosis compared with 115 225 (mean [SD] age, 71.9 [14.7] years, 52 058 female [45.2%] and 63 167 male [54.8%]) between April 2020 and September 2021 (114 414 [99.3%] of whom had negative SARS-CoV-2 test results). Patients admitted during the pandemic with any of the selected conditions and concomitant SARS-CoV-2 infection exhibited a much longer LOS (mean [SD], 8.6 [7.1] days or a median of 6 days longer [range, 1-22 days]) and greater mortality (varying across diagnoses, but with a mean [SD] absolute increase at 30 days of 4.7% [3.1%]) than those without coinfection. Patients hospitalized with any of the selected conditions without concomitant SARS-CoV-2 infection had similar LOSs during the pandemic as before the pandemic, and only patients with HF (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.16; 95% CI, 1.09-1.24) and COPD or asthma (AOR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.30-1.53) had a higher risk-adjusted 30-day mortality during the pandemic. As hospitals experienced COVID-19 surges, LOS and risk-adjusted mortality remained stable for patients with the selected conditions but were higher in patients with COVID-19. Once capacity reached above the 99th percentile, patients' 30-day mortality AOR was 1.80 (95% CI, 1.24-2.61) vs when the surge index was below the 75th percentile. Conclusions and Relevance: This cohort study found that during surges in COVID-19 caseloads, mortality rates were significantly higher only for hospitalized patients with COVID-19. However, most patients hospitalized with non-COVID-19 conditions and negative SARS-CoV-2 test results (except those with HF or with COPD or asthma) exhibited similar risk-adjusted outcomes during the pandemic as before the pandemic, even during COVID-19 caseload surges, suggesting resiliency in the event of regional or hospital-specific occupancy strains.

Association Between Vaccination Status and Outcomes in Patients Admitted to the ICU With COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: Although COVID-19 vaccines can reduce the need for intensive care unit admission in COVID-19, their effect on outcomes in critical illness remains unclear. We evaluated outcomes in vaccinated patients admitted to the ICU with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections and the association between vaccination and booster status on clinical outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING AND PATIENTS: All patients were admitted to an ICU between January 2021 (after vaccination was available) and July 2022 with a diagnosis of COVID-19 based on a SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test in Alberta, Canada. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENT: The propensity-matched primary outcome of all-cause in-hospital mortality was compared between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients, and vaccinated patients were stratified by booster dosing. Secondary outcomes were mechanical ventilation (MV) duration ICU length of stay (LOS). MAIN RESULTS: The study included 3,293 patients: 743 (22.6%) were fully vaccinated (54.6% with booster), 166 (5.0%) were partially vaccinated, and 2,384 (72.4%) were unvaccinated. Unvaccinated patients were more likely to require invasive MV (78.4% vs 68.2%), vasopressor use (71.1% vs 66.6%), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (2.1% vs 0.5%). In a propensity-matched analysis, in-hospital mortality was similar (31.8% vs 34.0%, adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.25; 95% CI, 0.97-1.61), but median duration MV (7.6 vs 4.7 d; p < 0.001) and ICU LOS (6.6 vs 5.2 d; p < 0.001) were longer in unvaccinated compared to fully vaccinated patients. Among vaccinated patients, greater than or equal to 1 booster had lower in-hospital mortality (25.5% vs 40.9%; adjusted OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.0.36-0.68) and duration of MV (3.8 vs 5.6 d; p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly one in four patients admitted to the ICU with COVID-19 after widespread COVID-19 vaccine availability represented a vaccine-breakthrough case. Mortality risk remains substantial in vaccinated patients and similar between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients after the onset of critical illness. However, COVID-19 vaccination is associated with reduced ICU resource utilization and booster dosing may increase survivability from COVID-19-related critical illness.

Sex-Based Differences in Severe Outcomes, Including Cardiovascular Hospitalization, in Adults With COVID-19 in Ontario, Canada.

Background: While men have experienced higher risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to women, an analysis of sex differences by age in severe outcomes during the acute phase of infection is lacking. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess heterogeneity in severe outcome risks by age and sex by conducting a retrospective cohort study of community-dwelling adults in Ontario who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection during the first 3 waves. Methods: Adjusted odds ratios were estimated using multilevel multivariable logistic regression models including an interaction term for age and sex. The primary outcome was a composite of severe outcomes (hospitalization for a cardiovascular (CV) event, intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, or death) within 30 days. Results: Among 30,736, 199,132, and 186,131 adults who tested positive during the first 3 waves, 1,908 (6.2%), 5,437 (2.7%), and 5,653 (3.0%) experienced a severe outcome within 30 days. For all outcomes, the sex-specific risk depended on age (all P for interaction <0.05). Men with SARS-CoV-2 infection experienced a higher risk of outcomes than infected women of the same age, except for the risk of all-cause hospitalization being higher for young women than men (ages 18-45 years) during waves 2 and 3. The sex disparity in CV hospitalization across all ages either persisted or increased with each subsequent wave. Conclusions: To mitigate risks in subsequent waves, it is helpful to further understand the factors that contribute to the generally higher risks faced by men across all ages, and the persistent or increasing sex disparity in the risk of CV hospitalization.

The burden of incidental SARS-CoV-2 infections in hospitalized patients across pandemic waves in Canada.

Many health authorities differentiate hospitalizations in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 as being "for COVID-19" (due to direct manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection) versus being an "incidental" finding in someone admitted for an unrelated condition. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all SARS-CoV-2 infected patients hospitalized via 47 Canadian emergency departments, March 2020-July 2022 to determine whether hospitalizations with "incidental" SARS-CoV-2 infection are less of a burden to patients and the healthcare system. Using a priori standardized definitions applied to hospital discharge diagnoses in 14,290 patients, we characterized COVID-19 as (i) the "Direct" cause for the hospitalization (70%), (ii) a potential "Contributing" factor for the hospitalization (4%), or (iii) an "Incidental" finding that did not influence the need for admission (26%). The proportion of incidental SARS-CoV-2 infections rose from 10% in Wave 1 to 41% during the Omicron wave. Patients with COVID-19 as the direct cause of hospitalization exhibited significantly longer LOS (mean 13.8 versus 12.1 days), were more likely to require critical care (22% versus 11%), receive COVID-19-specific therapies (55% versus 19%), and die (17% versus 9%) compared to patients with Incidental SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, patients hospitalized with incidental SARS-CoV-2 infection still exhibited substantial morbidity/mortality and hospital resource use.

Towards artificial intelligence-based learning health system for population-level mortality prediction using electrocardiograms.

The feasibility and value of linking electrocardiogram (ECG) data to longitudinal population-level administrative health data to facilitate the development of a learning healthcare system has not been fully explored. We developed ECG-based machine learning models to predict risk of mortality among patients presenting to an emergency department or hospital for any reason. Using the 12-lead ECG traces and measurements from 1,605,268 ECGs from 748,773 healthcare episodes of 244,077 patients (2007-2020) in Alberta, Canada, we developed and validated ResNet-based Deep Learning (DL) and gradient boosting-based XGBoost (XGB) models to predict 30-day, 1-year, and 5-year mortality. The models for 30-day, 1-year, and 5-year mortality were trained on 146,173, 141,072, and 111,020 patients and evaluated on 97,144, 89,379, and 55,650 patients, respectively. In the evaluation cohort, 7.6%, 17.3%, and 32.9% patients died by 30-days, 1-year, and 5-years, respectively. ResNet models based on ECG traces alone had good-to-excellent performance with area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.843 (95% CI: 0.838-0.848), 0.812 (0.808-0.816), and 0.798 (0.792-0.803) for 30-day, 1-year and 5-year prediction, respectively; and were superior to XGB models based on ECG measurements with AUROC of 0.782 (0.776-0.789), 0.784 (0.780-0.788), and 0.746 (0.740-0.751). This study demonstrates the validity of ECG-based DL mortality prediction models at the population-level that can be leveraged for prognostication at point of care.