Trends and outcomes of infective endocarditis in cirrhosis: a propensity-matched national study.

BACKGROUND: Cirrhosis is the most common cause of liver-related death and bacterial infection is a common comorbidity in cirrhosis. We aimed to study the trends and outcomes of infective endocarditis in cirrhosis. METHODS: A propensity-matched analysis of the National Inpatient Sample database was performed to assess outcomes of infective endocarditis in adult patients (>18 years) from 2004-2013 with and without cirrhosis. Various outcomes were assessed for outcomes of infective endocarditis in cirrhosis. Multivariate regression analysis was performed for predictors of mortality in infective endocarditis. RESULTS: There has been no significant change in incidence (3.3-3.6%, P = 0.27) and overall mortality (6.3-8.6%, P = 0.42) of infective endocarditis in cirrhosis. After propensity matching, patients with cirrhosis had significantly higher in-hospital mortality (15 vs. 10.6%, P < 0.001) and acute kidney injury (AKI) (31.8 vs. 28.5%, P < 0.001) as compared to no cirrhosis. Microbiological analysis revealed significantly higher rates of streptococci (35.3 vs. 31.9%, P < 0.001) and fungal infective endocarditis (0.03 vs. 0%, P < 0.001) and lower incidence of Gram-negative infective endocarditis (3.9 vs. 6.3%, P < 0.001) in cirrhosis. Cirrhosis patients had significantly less surgical intervention (10.2 vs. 30.3%, P < 0.001) along with overall total cost and length of stay as compared to no cirrhosis. On multivariate analysis, advanced age, AKI, shock and mechanical ventilation were positive predictors of mortality in infective endocarditis patients with cirrhosis patients. CONCLUSIONS: Cirrhosis is an independent predictor of mortality in infective endocarditis with worse outcomes and less surgical intervention. Gram-negative infective endocarditis is lower in cirrhosis, whereas streptococci and fungal infective endocarditis are higher than noncirrhotic patients.

The utility of intracystic glucose levels in differentiating mucinous from non-mucinous pancreatic cysts.

BACKGROUND: Differentiating benign non-mucinous from potentially malignant mucinous pancreatic cysts is still a challenge. This study aims to improve this distinction with cyst fluid analysis. METHODS: A cohort study of pancreatic cyst undergoing EUS/FNA was performed from a prospectively maintained database between 2014 and 2018 was performed. RESULTS: 113 patients were analyzed (40 non-mucinous and 73 mucinous). For differentiating mucinous from non-mucinous cyst: intracyst glucose ≤41 mg/dl had a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 92%; positive predictive value (PPV) of 96 and negative predictive value (NPV) of 86. Glucose ≤21 mg/dl had a sensitivity of 88%, specificity of 97%, PPV of 98 and NPV of 81. CEA ≥192 ng/mL had a sensitivity of 50% and a specificity of 92%; PPV of 92 and NPV of 50. Glucose ≤21 mg/dl or CEA ≥192 ng/mL combined had a sensitivity of 93%, specificity of 92%, PPV of 96 and NPV of 87 (Fig. 1, Table 1). CONCLUSION: Intra-cyst glucose levels (≤41 mg/dl) outperforms classic CEA testing for differentiation of mucinous from non-mucinous pancreatic cysts. It was found to be an excellent diagnostic test with an AUC of 0.95 (95% CI: 0.81, 0.97).

The triad of diabetes ketoacidosis, hypertriglyceridemia and acute pancreatitis. How does it affect mortality and morbidity?: A 10-year analysis of the National Inpatient Sample.

The triad of acute pancreatitis (AP) coexisting with diabetes ketoacidosis (DKA) and hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) has been reported, but no impact on mortality has been found to date. We aim to assess if patients with this triad are at a higher inpatient mortality compared to patients with acute pancreatitis only.Retrospective cohort. The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2003 to 2013 was queried for patients with a discharge diagnosis of AP and presence of DKA and HTG was ascertained based on International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision (ICD9) codes. Adjusted for age, gender, race, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), median income quartile, and hospital characteristics.Over 2.8 million AP patients were analyzed. When compared with patients with AP-only, patients with the triad of AP + DKA + HTG had higher inpatient mortality (aOR 2.8, P < .001; CI: 1.9 - 4.2), Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) (aOR 4.1, P < .001; CI: 3.6-4.6), Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) (aOR 4.9, P < .001), Shock (aOR 4.3, P < .001), Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) (aOR 3.0, P < .001), sepsis (aOR 2.6, P < .001), ileus (aOR 2.1, P < .001), parenteral nutrition requirement (aOR 1.8, P < .001), inflation-adjusted hospital charges (US$ 17,704.1), and had longer length of stay (LOS) (aOR 2.0, P < .001; CI 1.8-2.3). Furthermore, when compared to AP-only, patients with AP + HTG had lower mortality, which is different from the current AP knowledge. Finally, it appears that the driving force for the increased in mortality of patients with the triad (AP, DKA, HTG) is the DKA rather than the HTG.Patients with the triad of AP, DKA, and HTG constitute a unique subgroup of patients that has higher inpatient mortality, multi-organ failure, hospital charges, and longer hospital length of stay. Therefore, hospital protocols targeting this subgroup of AP patients could improve mortality and outcomes.

Non-invasive testing for Helicobacter pylori in patients hospitalized with peptic ulcer hemorrhage: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

PURPOSE: Guidelines recommend routine invasive screening for Helicobacter pylori in patients with peptic ulcer hemorrhage (PUH). However, compliance with screening remains suboptimal. The aim of this study was to determine if a simplified approach based on noninvasive screening is cost effective in PUH. RESULTS: In the base case, post-endoscopy urea breath test (UBT) dominated the invasive testing with 34 fewer hemorrhages and cost savings of $406,600 in a cohort of 10,000 patients. When compliance with invasive testing decreases to 60%, post-endoscopy UBT leads to 109 fewer hemorrhages and cost savings of $1,089,600. The invasive strategy becomes the preferred choice if the sensitivity of UBT reduces to <75%, such as in patients taking proton-pump inhibitors (PPI) before hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Post-endoscopy UBT is cost effective in PPI-naïve patients presenting with PUH. This strategy, once prospectively validated, can prove to be a preferred approach in institutions where compliance with invasive testing is suboptimal.