Gender disparities and predictors of in-hospital mortality with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is classically associated with significant gender disparities, such that it is more prevalent in females, but the clinical outcomes are worse for male patients. The goal of this study was to assess contemporary gender disparities in clinical outcomes of TCM hospitalizations and to determine predictors of male in-hospital mortality. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis involving adult hospitalizations for TCM in the U.S between 2016 and 2020. Multivariable Logistic regression was used to estimate Odds Ratio (OR) for in-hospital mortality between the two genders. Univariable Cox regression was performed to identify predictors associated with in-hospital mortality for male hospitalizations. All factors from the univariable analysis with p < 0.20 were included in a multivariable Cox regression model. RESULTS: A total of 199,920 patients with TCM were identified. Female patients with TCM had 50% lower risk of in-hospital mortality compared to male patients (Adjusted OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.46-0.55, p < 0.001). Older age, higher Charlson comorbidity index, history of intracranial hemorrhage, cardiac arrest, need for vasopressor agents, mechanical intubation, and cardiogenic shock without the use of temporary mechanical circulatory support (MCS) were associated with higher in-hospital male mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Although TCM is more prevalent among females, gender disparities exist in the clinical outcomes of TCM patients. Cardiac arrest and cardiogenic shock without the use of temporary MCS were found to be the most significant predictors of male in-hospital mortality. Cardiogenic shock with use of temporary MCS did not lead to higher male in-hospital mortality.

Acute Lung Injury As Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome After Fentanyl Overdose.

Acute lung injury following fentanyl overdose is an unusual presentation. Pulmonary edema has been associated with opioid and naloxone use. However, to our knowledge, there have been no previous reports of inhaled fentanyl-associated acute lung injury presenting with acute hypoxic respiratory failure secondary to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. We report a case of inhaled fentanyl-related severe acute respiratory distress syndrome which presented immediately after snorting fentanyl. This patient developed hypoxia requiring 100% oxygen on non-rebreather mask, and acute respiratory distress syndrome was confirmed on chest X-ray and computed tomography on admission. He was successfully treated with steroids with recovery in 48 hours. Naloxone was used in this patient, which has been associated with pulmonary edema in case reports and series, but clinical findings were more consistent with acute respiratory distress syndrome rather than pulmonary edema. The mechanism for this clinical presentation is not well known. Proposed mechanisms include lung injury from inhalation against an obstruction in a manner similar to post-obstructive pulmonary edema. Although our patient rapidly responded to symptomatic treatment and steroid course, our case also highlights the need for further study to elucidate the various clinical presentations associated with fentanyl use-related lung toxicity including acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Gender disparities, causes and predictors of immediate and short-term cardiovascular readmissions following COVID-19-related hospitalisations in the USA.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to identify the causes, predictors and gender disparities of 30-day and 90-day cardiovascular readmissions after COVID-19-related hospitalisations using National Readmission Database (NRD) 2020. SETTING: We used the NRD from 2020 to identify hospitalised adults with a principal diagnosis of COVID-19 infection. PARTICIPANTS: We included subjects who were readmitted within 30 days and 90 days after index admission. We excluded subjects with elective and traumatic admissions. We used a multivariate Cox regression model to identify independent predictors of readmission. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES MEASURES: Our outcomes were inpatient mortality, 30-day and 90-day cardiovascular readmission rates following COVID-19 infection. RESULTS: During the study period, there were 1 024 492 index hospitalisations with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 infection in the 2020 NRD database, 644 903 (62.9%) were included for 30-day readmission analysis, and 418 122 (40.8%) were included for 90-day readmission analysis. Of patients involved in the 30-day analysis, 7140 (1.1%) patients had a readmission within 30 days; of patients involved in the 90-day analysis, 8379 (2.0%) had a readmission within 90 days due to primarily cardiovascular causes. Cox regression analysis revealed that the female sex (aHR 0.89; 95% CI 0.82 to 0.95; p=0.001) was associated with a lower hazard of 30-day cardiovascular readmissions; however, congestive heart failure (aHR 2.45; 95% CI 2.2 to 2.72; p<0.001), arrhythmias (aHR 2.45; 95% CI 2.2 to 2.72; p<0.001) and valvular disease (aHR 2.45; 95% CI 2.2 to 2.72; p<0.001) had a higher hazard. The most common causes of cardiovascular readmissions were heart failure (34.3%), deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism (22.5%) and atrial fibrillation (9.5%). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that male gender, heart failure, arrhythmias and valvular disease carry higher hazards of 30-day and 90-day cardiovascular readmissions. Identifying risk factors and common causes of readmission may assist with lowering the burden of cardiovascular disease in patients with COVID-19 infection.

Readmission rates and outcomes in adults with and without COVID-19 following inpatient chemotherapy admission: A nationwide analysis.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has received considerable attention in the scientific community due to its impact on healthcare systems and various diseases. However, little focus has been given to its effect on cancer treatment. AIM: To determine the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on cancer patients' care. METHODS: A retrospective review of a Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD) was conducted to analyze hospitalization patterns of patients receiving inpatient chemotherapy (IPCT) during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Two cohorts were defined based on readmission within 30 d and 90 d. Demographic information, readmission rates, hospital-specific variables, length of hospital stay (LOS), and treatment costs were analyzed. Comorbidities were assessed using the Elixhauser comorbidity index. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of readmission. Statistical analysis was conducted using Stata® Version 16 software. As the NRD data is anonymous and cannot be used to identify patients, institutional review board approval was not required for this study. RESULTS: A total of 87755 hospitalizations for IPCT were identified during the pandemic. Among the 30-day index admission cohort, 55005 patients were included, with 32903 readmissions observed, resulting in a readmission rate of 59.8%. For the 90-day index admission cohort, 33142 patients were included, with 24503 readmissions observed, leading to a readmission rate of 73.93%. The most common causes of readmission included encounters with chemotherapy (66.7%), neutropenia (4.36%), and sepsis (3.3%). Comorbidities were significantly higher among readmitted hospitalizations compared to index hospitalizations in both readmission cohorts. The total cost of readmission for both cohorts amounted to 1193000000.00 dollars. Major predictors of 30-day readmission included peripheral vascular disorders [Hazard ratio (HR) = 1.09, P < 0.05], paralysis (HR = 1.26, P < 0.001), and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (HR = 1.14, P = 0.03). Predictors of 90-day readmission included lymphoma (HR = 1.14, P < 0.01), paralysis (HR = 1.21, P = 0.02), and peripheral vascular disorders (HR = 1.15, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the management of patients undergoing IPCT. These findings highlight the urgent need for a more strategic approach to the care of patients receiving IPCT during pandemics.

Independent Predictors and Causes of Thirty-Day Gastrointestinal Readmissions Following COVID-19-Related Hospitalizations: Analysis of the National Readmission Database.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to significant mortality and morbidity in the United States. The burden of COVID-19 was not limited to the respiratory tract alone but had significant extrapulmonary manifestations. We decided to examine the causes, predictors, and outcomes of gastrointestinal (GI)-related causes of 30-day readmission following index COVID-19 hospitalization. Methods: We used the National Readmission Database (NRD) from 2020 to identify hospitalizations among adults with principal diagnosis of COVID-19. We identified GI-related hospitalizations within 30 days of index admission after excluding elective and traumatic admissions. We identified the top causes of GI-related readmission, and the outcomes of these hospitalizations. We used a multivariate Cox regression analysis to identify the independent predictors of readmission. Results: Among 1,024,492 index hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 in the 2020 NRD database, 644,903 were included in the 30-day readmission study. Of these 3,276 (0.5%) were readmitted in 30 days due to primary GI causes. The top five causes of readmissions we identified in this study were GI bleeding, intestinal obstruction, acute diverticulitis, acute pancreatitis, and acute cholecystitis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis done adjusting for confounders showed that renal failure, alcohol abuse, and peptic ulcer disease were associated with increased odds of 30-day readmission from GI-related causes. Conclusions: GI manifestations of COVID-19 are not uncommon and remain an important cause of readmission. Targeted interventions addressing the modifiable predictors of readmission identified will be beneficial in reducing the burden on already limited healthcare resources.

Imaging in Vaping-associated Lung Injury: Beyond the Haze.

E-cigarette or vaping, product associated lung injury is a rampant public health issue with a total of 2807 reported hospitalized patients in the United States as of February 18, 2020. Limited data, non-specific symptoms, non-responsiveness to antibiotics, and the lack of a specific biomarker, make it a diagnosis of exclusion. Overlap of clinical and imaging findings with other ongoing respiratory illness (MERS, SARS and COVID-19) poses a challenge in accurate diagnosis. We compiled 3 cases of patients hospitalized with confirmed vaping-associated lung injury and analyzed their imaging patterns, which revealed bilateral consolidation, ground-glass opacities and pleural effusions. We also reviewed the available literature on pathophysiology, imaging findings of EVALI and other respiratory illness.