Hypertension as an Independent Risk Factor for In-Patient Mortality in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Multicenter Study.

Despite the lack of direct evidence that hypertension increases the likelihood of new infections, hypertension is known to be the most common comorbid condition in COVID-19 patients and also a major risk factor for severe COVID-19 infection. The literature review suggests that data is heterogeneous in terms of the association of hypertension with mortality. Hence, it remains a topic of interest whether hypertension is associated with COVID-19 disease severity and mortality. Herein, we perform a multicenter retrospective analysis to study hypertension as an independent risk for in-hospital mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. This multicenter retrospective analysis included 515 COVID-19 patients hospitalized from March 1, 2020 to May 31, 2020. Patients were divided into two groups: hypertensive and normotensive. Demographic characteristics and laboratory data were collected, and in-hospital mortality was calculated in both groups. The overall mortality of the study population was 25.3% (130 of 514 patients) with 96 (73.8%) being hypertensive and 34 (26.2%) being normotensive (p-value of 0.01, statistically non-significant association). The mortality rate among the hypertensive was higher as compared to non-hypertensive; however, hypertensive patients were more likely to be old and have underlying comorbidities including obesity, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, chronic kidney disease (CKD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cancer. Therefore, multivariable logistic regression failed to show any significant association between hypertension and COVID-19 mortality. To our knowledge, few studies have shown an association between hypertension and COVID-19 mortality after adjusting confounding variables. Our study provides further evidence that hypertension is not an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality when adjusted for other comorbidities in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Contemporary trends in the incidence of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) - ethnic and household income disparities.

OBJECTIVES: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) may contribute to 35% of acute coronary syndrome among women ≤50 years of age. We aimed to investigate the overall incidence, as well as the trends of SCAD incidence based on race, household income, and the U.S. census regions utilizing the National Inpatient Sample. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study the discharge data were extracted from the NIS using 9th and 10th revisions of the International Classification Disease for SCAD. RESULTS: We found that the incidence of SCAD is rising in all U.S. census regions, and patients were predominantly females. Overall crude incidence of SCAD per 1,000,000 discharges per year was found to be 4.95 (2010), 5.73 (2011), 5.34 (2012), 6.18 (2013), 7.64 (2014), 8.11 (2015), 14.58 (2016), and 14.81 (2017). There was a higher incidence of SCAD in white population and higher-income groups. Among U.S. census regions, West has had the highest incidence followed by the Northeast, Midwest, and South. Statistically significant differences were observed in year-to-year SCAD incidence among racial groups, household income quintiles, and U.S. census regions (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Recent trends indicate that the incidence is highest among White race, highest household income quintile, and in U.S. CENS-R4 (Census Region 4: West). These findings defy classic racial trends in cardiovascular disease burden which need further discovery.

Heart Failure Patients and Implications of Obesity: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Background and objective The prevalence of heart failure (HF) is on the rise; currently, it affects around five million people in the United States (US) and the prevalence is expected to rise from 2.42% in 2012 to 2.97% in 2030. HF is a leading cause of hospitalizations and readmissions, accounting for a major economic burden to the US healthcare system. Obesity is a widely accepted risk factor of HF; however, data regarding its independent association with HF mortality and morbidity is heterogeneous. Globally, more than two-thirds of deaths attributable to high body mass index (BMI) are due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD). This study aimed to investigate the potential role of obesity (BMI >30 Kg/m2) in HF patients in terms of 30-day readmissions, in-hospital mortality, and the use of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV). Methods In this single-center, retrospective study, all adult (age: >18 years) patients who were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of HF at the Abington Jefferson Hospital from January 2015 to January 2018 were included. Demographic characteristics were collected manually from electronic medical records. Outcomes were 30-day readmission due to HF, all-cause in-hospital mortality, and requirement for NIPPV. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the association of obesity with HF outcomes. Results A total of 1,000 patients were initially studied, of these 800 patients were included in the final analysis based on the inclusion criteria. Obese patients showed higher odds for 30-day readmissions and the use of NIPPV compared to non-obese patients. There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality in obese vs. non-obese patients. Conclusions Based on our findings, BMI >30 Kg/m2 is an independent risk factor for HF readmissions. Additionally, our results highlight the importance of guidelines-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for HF exacerbation, a low threshold for use of NIPPV in obese patients, promotion of lifestyle modifications including weight loss, and early follow-up after discharge to prevent HF readmissions in the obese population.

Hard Palate Perforation in an Elderly Man With Dementia.

A 74-year-old male with a history of mild cognitive impairment presented to the emergency department with failure to thrive and generalized weakness. He was having difficulty swallowing leading to 30 pounds of unintentional weight loss in the last three months. His social history was significant for 12.5 pack-year smoking and drinking (two to three glasses of wine/day). The oral cavity examination revealed a large (3 × 2 cm2) defect with the erythematous border that encompassed the mid-palatal structures and emanated from the hard palate into his nasal cavity. Auto-immune work-up was negative. Palatal biopsy showed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC; well-differentiated). A diagnosis of locally advanced (stage IVa) oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) was made based on PET scan findings. A palatal obturator (prosthesis) was placed to improve his eating, prevent regurgitation. The patient opted for palliative care and did not want to pursue further treatment. He was discharged home with a regular follow-up visit.