Racial Disparities in Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample From 2007 to 2014.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a deadly disease, with patients' best hope for a cure being liver transplantation; however, access to health care resources, such as donor organs, between ethnic groups has historically been unbalanced. Ensuring equitable access to donor livers is crucial to minimize disparities in HCC outcomes. As a result, we sought to better elucidate the differences in transplantation rates among various ethnic groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was utilized to evaluate for disparities in liver transplantation in patients whose primary or secondary diagnosis was recorded as HCC or hepatoma. The study included admissions between 2007 and 2014 to centers with at least 1 documented liver transplant. RESULTS: A total of 7244 transplants were performed over 70,406 weighted admissions. Black race was associated with lower transplantation rates, with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.46 (95% confidence interval: 0.42-0.51, P <0.01) when accounting for a number of possible confounders including socioeconomic and geographic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our study observed decreased rates of liver transplant in blacks compared with whites for HCC. Furthermore, improved economic status and private insurance had a significantly higher odds ratio for transplantation. Hospital-level studies are needed to clarify confounding factors not apparent in large administrative datasets and help better investigate factors that lead to less optimal transplant rates among blacks. Interventions may include more optimal screening policies and procedures, improved interdisciplinary management, and earlier referrals.

A Case of Wernicke Encephalopathy Secondary to Anorexia Nervosa Complicated by Refeeding Syndrome and Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) is a neurological condition commonly associated with sustained alcohol abuse. However, it should be noted that disorders resulting in severe malnutrition, such as anorexia nervosa (AN), can precipitate nonalcoholic WE. AN is a life threatening psychological and eating disorder defined by inappropriate weight loss from food restriction due to the fear of gaining weight and immoderate desire to be thin. Treatment of those suffering with AN can often be complicated by severe electrolyte derangements after caloric intake termed refeeding syndrome. Although extremely rare, severe cardiomyopathy and ultimately death may occur in patients from AN. CASE REPORT Herein describes the case of a 20-year-old female with AN induced WE complicated by refeeding syndrome and hemodynamic compromise in the setting of findings consistent with takotsubo cardiomyopathy. She required ventilatory and hemodynamic support with aggressive intravenous thiamine and phosphorus repletion. Nutritional supplementation was imperative and carefully administered throughout her hospitalization. Her symptoms improved over the course of a few weeks with an ultimate reversal of her cardiomyopathy. CONCLUSIONS Given the morbidity surrounding AN, practitioners should exhibit caution when caring for those with severe nutritional deficiencies. Clinicians must monitor for severe electrolyte abnormalities and offer aggressive repletion. In addition to electrolyte derangements, severe cardiomyopathy may result as a rare sequela of the aforementioned complications associated with AN. Moreover, it is imperative to understand that patients with AN have the highest mortality of any psychiatric disorder and early intervention is necessary for survival in this vulnerable patient population.