Use of resources in elderly patients consulting the emergency department: analysis of the Emergency Department and Elder Needs Cohort (EDEN-21).

The elderly population frequently consults the emergency department (ED). This population could have greater use of EDs and hospital health resources. The EDEN cohort of patients aged 65 years or older visiting the ED allowed this association to be investigated. To analyse the association between healthcare resource use and the characteristics of patients over 65 years of age who consult hospital EDs. We performed an analysis of the EDEN cohort, a retrospective, analytical, and multipurpose registry that includes patients over 65 years of age who consulted in 52 Spanish EDs. The impact of age, sex, and characteristics of ageing on the following outcomes was studied: need for hospital admission (primary outcome) and need for observation, stay in the ED > 12 h, prolonged hospital stay > 7 days, need for intensive care unit (ICU) and return to the ED at 30 days related to the index visit (secondary outcomes). The association was analysed by calculating the adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI), using a logistic regression model. A total of 25,557 patients with a mean age of 78.3 years were analysed, 45% were males. Of note was the presence of comorbidity, a Charlson index ≥ 3 (33%), and polypharmacy (66%). Observation in the ED was required by 26%, 25.4% were admitted to the hospital, and 0.9% were admitted to the ICU. The ED stay was > 12 h in 12.5% and hospital stay > 7 days in 13.5% of cases. There was a progressive increase in healthcare resource use based on age, with an aOR for the need for observation of 2.189 (95% CI 2.038-2.352), ED stay > 12 h 2.136 (95% CI 1.942-2.349) and hospital admission 2.579 (95% CI 2.399-2.772) in the group ≥ 85 years old. Most of the characteristics inherent to ageing (cognitive impairment, falls in the previous 6 months, polypharmacy, functional dependence, and comorbidity) were associated with significant increases in the use of healthcare resources, except for ICU admission, which was less in all the variables studied. Age and the characteristics inherent to ageing are associated with greater use of structural healthcare resources.

Effect of early initiation of noninvasive ventilation in patients transported by emergency medical service for acute heart failure.

BACKGROUND: While the indication for noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in severely hypoxemic patients with acute heart failure (AHF) is often indicated and may improve clinical course, the benefit of early initiation before patient arrival to the emergency department (ED) remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the impact of early initiation of NIV during emergency medical service (EMS) transportation on outcomes in patients with AHF. DESIGN: A secondary retrospective analysis of the EAHFE (Epidemiology of AHF in EDs) registry. SETTING: Fifty-three Spanish EDs. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with AHF transported by EMS physician-staffed ambulances who were treated with NIV at any time during of their emergency care were included and categorized into two groups based on the place of NIV initiation: prehospital (EMS group) or ED (ED group). OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was the composite of in-hospital mortality and 30-day postdischarge death, readmission to hospital or return visit to the ED due to AHF. Secondary outcomes included 30-day all-cause mortality after the index event (ED admission) and the different component of the composite primary endpoint considered individually. Multivariate logistic regressions were employed for analysis. RESULTS: Out of 2406 patients transported by EMS, 487 received NIV (EMS group: 31%; EMS group: 69%). Mean age was 79 years, 48% were women. The EMS group, characterized by younger age, more coronary artery disease, and less atrial fibrillation, received more prehospital treatments. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for composite endpoint was 0.66 (95% CI: 0.42-1.05). The aOR for secondary endpoints were 0.74 (95% CI: 0.38-1.45) for in-hospital mortality, 0.74 (95% CI: 0.40-1.37) for 30-day mortality, 0.70 (95% CI: 0.41-1.21) for 30-day postdischarge ED reconsultation, 0.80 (95% CI: 0.44-1.44) for 30-day postdischarge rehospitalization, and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.25-2.04) for 30-day postdischarge death. CONCLUSION: In this ancillary analysis, prehospital initiation of NIV in patients with AHF was not associated with a significant reduction in short-term outcomes. The large confidence intervals, however, may preclude significant conclusion, and all point estimates consistently pointed toward a potential benefit from early NIV initiation.

Overnight stay in Spanish emergency departments and mortality in older patients.

To assess whether older adults who spend a night in emergency departments (ED) awaiting admission are at increased risk of mortality. This was a retrospective review of a multipurpose cohort that recruited all patients ≥ 75 years who visited ED and were admitted to hospital on April 1 to 7, 2019, at 52 EDs across Spain. Study groups were: patients staying in ED from midnight until 8:00 a.m. (ED group) and patients admitted to a ward before midnight (ward group). The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality, truncated at 30 days, and secondary outcomes assessed length of stay for the index episode. The sample comprised 3,243 patients (median [IQR] age, 85 [81-90] years; 53% women), with 1,096 (34%) in the ED group and 2,147 (66%) in the ward group. In-hospital mortality for patients spending the night in the ED the ED group was 10.7% and 9.5% for patients transferred to a ward bed before midnight the ward group (adjusted OR: 1.12, 95%CI: 0.80-1.58). Sensitivity analyses rendered similar results (ORs ranged 1.06-1.13). Interaction was only detected for academic/non-academic hospitals (p < 0.001), with increased mortality risk for the latter (1.01, 0.33-3.09 vs 2.86, 1.30-6.28). There were no differences in prolonged hospitalization (> 7 days), with adjusted OR of 1.16 (0.94-1.43) and 1.15 (0.94-1.42) depending on whether time spent in the ED was or was not taken into consideration. No increased risk of in-hospital mortality or prolonged hospitalization was found in older patients waiting overnight in the ED for admission. Nonetheless, all estimations suggest a potential harmful effect of staying overnight, especially if a proper bedroom and hospitalist ward bed and hospitalized care are not provided.

Combining loop with thiazide diuretics in patients discharged home after a heart failure decompensation: Association with 30-day outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of the addition of thiazide diuretic on top of loop diuretic and standard of care with short-term outcomes of patients discharged after surviving an acute heart failure (AHF) episode. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of 14,403 patients from three independent cohorts representing the main departments involved in AHF treatment for whom treatment at discharge was recorded and included loop diuretics. Patients were divided according to whether treatment included or not thiazide diuretics. Short-term outcomes consisted of 30-day all-cause mortality, hospitalization (with a separate analysis for hospitalization due to AHF or to other causes) and the combination of death and hospitalization. The association between thiazide diuretics on short-term outcomes was explored by Cox regression and expressed as hazard ratios (HR) with 95 % confidence intervals, which were adjusted for 18 patient-related variables and 9 additional drugs (aside from loop and thiazide diuretics) prescribed at discharge. RESULTS: The median age was 81 (interquartile range=73-86) years, 53 % were women, and patients were mainly discharged from the cardiology (42 %), internal medicine or geriatric department (29 %) and emergency department (19 %). There were 1,367 patients (9.5 %) discharged with thiazide and loop diuretics, while the rest (13,036; 90.5 %) were discharged with only loop diuretics on top of the remaining standard of care treatments. The combination of thiazide and loop diuretics showed a neutral effect on all outcomes: death (adjusted HR 1.149, 0.850-1.552), hospitalization (0.898, 0.770-1.048; hospitalization due to AHF 0.799, 0.599-1.065; hospitalization due to other causes 1.136, 0.756-1.708) and combined event (0.934, 0.811-1.076). CONCLUSION: The combination of thiazide and loop diuretics was not associated with changes in risk of death, hospitalization or a combination of both.

Prevalence and outcomes of fear of falling in older adults with falls at the emergency department: a multicentric observational study.

PURPOSE: Fear of falling (FOF) may result in activity restriction and deconditioning. The aim of the study was to identify factors associated with FOF in older patients and to investigate if FOF influenced long-term outcomes. METHODS: Multicentric, observational, prospective study including patients 65 years or older attending the emergency department (ED) after a fall. Demographical, patient- and fall-related features were recorded at the ED. FOF was assessed using a single question. The primary outcome was all-cause death. Secondary outcomes included new fall-related visit, fall-related hospitalisation, and admission to residential care. Logistic regression and Cox regression models were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Overall, 1464 patients were included (47.1% with FOF), followed for a median of 6.2 years (2.2-7.9). Seven variables (age, female sex, living alone, previous falls, sedative medications, urinary incontinence, and intrinsic cause of the fall) were directly associated with FOF whereas use of walking aids and living in residential care were inversely associated. After the index episode, 748 patients (51%) died (median 3.2 years), 677 (46.2%) had a new fall-related ED visit (median 1.7 years), 251 (17.1%) were hospitalised (median 2.8 years), and 197 (19.4%) were admitted to care (median 2.1 years). FOF was associated with death (HR 1.239, 95% CI 1.073-1.431), hospitalisation (HR 1.407, 95% CI 1.097-1.806) and institutionalisation (HR 1.578, 95% CI 1.192-2.088), but significance was lost after adjustment. CONCLUSION: FOF is a prevalent condition in older patients presenting to the ED after a fall. However, it was not associated with long-term outcomes. Future research is needed to understand the influence of FOF in maintenance of functional capacity or quality of life.

Impact of specialized training for emergency department nurses screening or undetected HIV infection: the "Urgències VIHgila" project experience. / Impacto de una formación específica y generalizada de los profesionales de enfermería en el despistaje en urgencias de infección oculta por VIH: experiencia del proyecto "Urgències VIHgila".

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of specialized training for nurses on selective screening for undetected HIV infection in the emergency department. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The intervention group was comprised of 6 emergency departments that had been participating in a screening program (the "Urgències VIHgila" project) for at least 3 months. Nurses on all shifts attended training sessions that emphasized understanding the circumstances that should lead to suspicion of unidentified HIV infection and the need to order serology. Two studies were carried out: 1) a quasi-experimental pre-post study to compare the number of orders for HIV serology in each time period and measures of sensitivity, and 2) a case-control study to compare the changes made in the 6 hospitals where specialized training was provided (cases) vs 6 control hospitals in the HIV screening program where no training was given. RESULTS: A total of 280 HIV serologies were ordered for the 81015 patients (0.3%) attended during the period before training; 331 serologies were ordered for the 79620 patients in the period after training (0.4%). The relative increase in serologies was 20.3% (95% CI, 2.9% to 34.5%; P = .022). The relative increase in measures of sensitivity ranged between 19% and 39%, consistent with the main comparison. Serologies in the control group decreased between periods, from 0.9% to 0.8%, indicating a relative decrease of 15.7% (95% CI, -25.1% to -6.2%; P = .001). The absolute number of patients tested in the training group was 0.2% higher in the training hospitals (95% CI, 0.11% to 0.31%; P .001) than in the control hospitals. CONCLUSION: Training nurses to screen for undetected HIV infection in the emergency department increased the number of patients tested, according to the pre-post and case-control comparisons.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar el impacto de una formación específica para enfermería en el servicio urgencias (SU) sobre el despistaje selectivo de infección por VIH oculta. METODO: Participaron 6 SU adheridos al programa "Urgències VIHgila" con un mínimo de 3 meses y se realizaron sesiones formativas para los diferentes turnos. Las sesiones enfatizaban en qué circunstancias debía sospecharse infección oculta VIH y la necesidad de solicitar serología. Se realizaron dos estudios: 1) cuasiexperimental pre/post, que comparó la tasa de solicitudes VIH entre ambos periodos, con diversos análisis de sensibilidad; 2) caso-control, que comparó el cambio entre periodos de los 6 SU con formación (caso) con el cambio en otros 6 SU que no tuvieron formación (control). RESULTADOS: Se realizaron serologías de VIH a 280 de los 81.015 pacientes atendidos durante el periodo preintervención (0,3%) y a 331 de los 79.620 del periodo posintervención (0,4%). El incremento relativo fue del 20,3% (IC 95% de +2,9% a +34,5%; p = 0,022). Los análisis de sensibilidad mostraron incrementos relativos congruentes con el análisis principal (entre 19% y 39%). En el grupo control hubo descenso de solicitudes entre periodos, del 0,9% al 0,8% (descenso relativo del 15,7%, IC 95% de ­25,1% a­6,2%; p = 0,001). El grupo caso, en relación con el grupo control, tuvo un incremento absoluto de 0,2% (IC 95% de +0,11 a +0,31%, p 0,001) de pacientes testados. CONCLUSIONES: La formación de enfermería para despistaje de la infección VIH oculta en urgencias incrementa el número de pacientes investigados, tanto comparado con el periodo previo a la formación como comparado con SU sin formación específica para enfermería.

Dietary sodium and fluid intake in heart failure. A clinical consensus statement of the Heart Failure Association of the ESC.

Sodium and fluid restriction has traditionally been advocated in patients with heart failure (HF) due to their sodium and water avid state. However, most evidence regarding the altered sodium handling, fluid homeostasis and congestion-related signs and symptoms in patients with HF originates from untreated patient cohorts and physiological investigations. Recent data challenge the beneficial role of dietary sodium and fluid restriction in HF. Consequently, the European Society of Cardiology HF guidelines have gradually downgraded these recommendations over time, now advising for the limitation of salt intake to no more than 5 g/day in patients with HF, while contemplating fluid restriction of 1.5-2 L/day only in selected patients. Therefore, the objective of this clinical consensus statement is to provide advice on fluid and sodium intake in patients with acute and chronic HF, based on contemporary evidence and expert opinion.

Impact of dementia on 30-, 180-, and 365-day mortality during the first pandemic wave in older adults seen in spanish emergency departments diagnosed with or without COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether dementia is an independent predictor of death after a hospital emergency department (ED) visit by older adults with or without a COVID-19 diagnosis during the first pandemic wave. METHOD: We used data from the EDEN-Covid (Emergency Department and Elderly Needs during Covid) cohort formed by all patients ≥65 years seen in 52 Spanish EDs from March 30 to April 5, 2020. The association of prior history of dementia with mortality at 30, 180 and 365 d was evaluated in the overall sample and according to a COVID-19 or non COVID diagnosis. RESULTS: We included 9,770 patients aged 78.7 ± 8.3 years, 51.1% men, 1513 (15.5%) subjects with prior history of dementia and 3055 (31.3%) with COVID-19 diagnosis. 1399 patients (14.3%) died at 30 d, 2008 (20.6%) at 180 days and 2456 (25.1%) at 365 d. The adjusted Hazard Ratio (aHR) for age, sex, comorbidity, disability and diagnosis for death associated with dementia were 1.16 (95% CI 1.01-1.34) at 30 d; 1.15 at 180 d (95% CI 1.03-1.30) and 1.19 at 365 d (95% CI 1.07-1.32), p < .001. In patients with COVID-19, the aHR were 1.26 (95% CI: 1.04-1.52) at 30 days; 1.29 at 180 d (95% CI: 1.09-1.53) and 1.35 at 365 d (95% CI: 1.15-1.58). CONCLUSION: Dementia in older adults attending Spanish EDs during the first pandemic wave was independently associated with 30-, 180- and 365-day mortality. This impact was lower when adjusted for age, sex, comorbidity and disability, and was greater in patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

Timing of previous heart failure hospitalization as a prognostic factor for emergency department heart failure patients.

To investigate whether the timing of a previous hospital admission for acute heart failure (AHF) is a prognostic factor for AHF patients revisiting the emergency department (ED) in the subsequent 12-month follow-up. All ED AHF patients enrolled in the previously described EAHFE registry were stratified by the presence or absence of an AHF hospitalization admission in the prior 12 months. The primary outcome was 12-month all-cause mortality post ED visit. Secondary end points were hospital admission, prolonged hospitalization (> 7 days), mortality during hospitalization and a 90-day post-discharge adverse composite event (ACE) rate, defined as ED revisits due to AHF, hospitalizations due to AHF, or all-cause mortality. Outcomes were adjusted for baseline and AHF episode characteristics.Of 5,757 patients included, the median age was 84 years (IQR 77-88); 57% were women, and 3,759 (65.3%) had an AHF hospitalization in the previous 12 months. The 12-month mortality was 37% (41.7% vs. 28.3% p < 0.001), hospital admission was 76.1% (78.8% vs. 71.1% p < 0.001) ACE was 60.2% (65.1% vs. 50.5% p < 0.001). In the adjusted analysis, patients with AHF hospitalization in the prior 12 months had a higher mortality (HR = 1.41; 95% CI 1.27-1.56), 90-day ACE rate (HR = 1.45: 95% CI 1.32-1.59), and more hospital admissions (OR = 1.32; 95% CI 1.16-1.51), with shorter times since the previous hospitalization being related to the outcomes analyzed. One-year mortality, adverse events at 90 days, and readmission rates are increased in ED AHF patients previously admitted within the last 12 months.

Morbimortalidad no cardiovascular en función de la fracción de eyección del ventrículo izquierdo tras una hospitalización por insuficiencia cardiaca / Noncardiovascular morbidity and mortality across left ventricular ejection fraction categories following hospitalization for heart failure

Introducción y objetivos Los eventos no cardiovasculares son una importante causa de morbimortalidad en pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca (IC), pero parece que su riesgo difiere en función de la fracción de eyección del ventrículo izquierdo (FEVI). Nuestro objetivo es evaluar el riesgo de mortalidad y hospitalizaciones no cardiovasculares totales en función de la FEVI tras una hospitalización por IC. Métodos Se evaluó en retrospectiva a una cohorte multicéntrica de 4.595 pacientes tras una hospitalización por IC. Se evaluó la FEVI como variable continua y estratificada en 4 categorías (FEVI ≤ 40%, 41%-49%, 50-59% y ≥ 60%). Los objetivos fueron los riesgos de muerte no cardiovascular y de hospitalizaciones recurrentes por causas no cardiovasculares según la FEVI. Resultados Tras una mediana de seguimiento de 2,2 [intervalo intercuartílico, 0,76-4,8] años, se registraron 646 muertes y 4.014 episodios de rehospitalización por causas no cardiovasculares. En el análisis multivariante, que incluía el riesgo de evento cardiovascular como evento adverso competitivo, se halló relación directa entre la FEVI y el riesgo de muerte o rehospitalización no cardiovascular (p<0,001). En comparación con la FEVI ≤ 40%, la FEVI del 51-59% y especialmente la ≥ 60% se asociaron de manera significativa con un mayor riesgo de muerte no cardiovascular (respectivamente, HR=1,31; IC95%, 1,02-1,68; p=0,032; y HR=1,47; IC95%, 1,15-1,86; p=0,002) y de rehospitalizaciones no cardiovasculares (IRR=1,17; IC95%, 1,02-1,35; p=0,024; IRR=1,26; IC95%, 1,11-1,45; p=0,001). Conclusiones Tras una hospitalización por IC, la FEVI tiene relación directa con el riesgo de morbimortalidad no cardiovascular. Los pacientes con FEVI conservada tienen un riesgo significativamente mayor de muerte y hospitalizaciones por causas no cardiovasculares, fundamentalmente si la FEVI es ≥ 60%. (AU)

Introduction and objectives Noncardiovascular events represent a significant proportion of the morbidity and mortality burden in patients with heart failure (HF). However, the risk of these events appears to differ by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) status. In this study, we sought to evaluate the risk of noncardiovascular death and recurrent noncardiovascular readmission by LVEF status following an admission for acute HF. Methods We retrospectively assessed a cohort of 4595 patients discharged after acute HF in a multicenter registry. We evaluated LVEF as a continuum, stratified in 4 categories (LVEF ≤ 40%, 41%-49%, 50%-59%, and ≥ 60%). Study endpoints were the risks of noncardiovascular mortality and recurrent noncardiovascular admissions during follow-up. Results At a median follow-up of 2.2 [interquartile range, 0.76-4.8] years, we registered 646 noncardiovascular deaths and 4014 noncardiovascular readmissions. After multivariable adjustment including cardiovascular events as a competing event, LVEF status was associated with the risk of noncardiovascular mortality and recurrent noncardiovascular admissions. When compared with patients with LVEF ≤ 40%, those with LVEF 51%-59%, and especially those with LVEF ≥ 60%, were at higher risk of noncardiovascular mortality (HR, 1.31; 95%CI, 1.02-1,68; P=.032; and HR, 1.47; 95%CI, 1.15-1.86; P=.002; respectively), and at higher risk of recurrent noncardiovascular admissions (IRR, 1.17; 95%CI, 1.02-1.35; P=.024; and IRR, 1.26; 95%CI, 1.11-1.45; P=.001; respectively). Conclusions Following an admission for HF, LVEF status was directly associated with the risk of noncardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Patients with HFpEF were at higher risk of noncardiovascular death and total noncardiovascular readmissions, especially those with LVEF ≥ 60%. (AU)

Analysis of the reasons for requesting HIV serology in the emergency department other than those defined in the targeted screening strategy of the "Urgències VIHgila" program and its potential inclusion in a future consensus document.

OBJECTIVE: To describe other reasons for requesting HIV serology in emergency departments (ED) other than the 6 defined in the SEMES-GESIDA consensus document (DC-SEMES-GESIDA) and to analyze whether it would be efficient to include any of them in the future. METHODS: Review of all HIV serologies performed during 2 years in 20 Catalan EDs. Serologies requested for reasons not defined by the DC-SEMES-GESIDA were grouped by common conditions, the prevalence (IC95%) of seropositivity for each condition was calculated, and those whose 95% confidence lower limit was >0.1% were considered efficient. Sensitivity analysis considered that serology would have been performed on 20% of cases attended and the remaining 80% would have been seronegative. RESULTS: There were 8044 serologies performed for 248 conditions not recommended by DC-SEMES-GESIDA, in 17 there were seropositive, and in 12 the performance of HIV serology would be efficient. The highest prevalence of detection corresponded to patients from endemic countries (7.41%, 0.91-24.3), lymphopenia (4.76%, 0.12-23.8), plateletopenia (4.37%, 1.20-10.9), adenopathy (3.45%, 0.42-11.9), meningoencephalitis (3.12%, 0.38-10.8) and drug use (2.50%, 0.68-6.28). Sensitivity analysis confirmed efficiency in 6 of them: endemic country origin, plateletopenia, drug abuse, toxic syndrome, behavioral-confusional disorder-agitation and fever of unknown origin. CONCLUSION: The DC-SEMES-GESIDA targeted HIV screening strategy in the ED could efficiently include other circumstances not previously considered; the most cost-effective would be origin from an endemic country, plateletopenia, drug abuse, toxic syndrome, behavioral-confusional-agitation disorder and fever of unknown origin.

Short-term prognosis of polypharmacy in elderly patients treated in emergency departments: results from the EDEN project.

Background: Polypharmacy is a growing phenomenon among elderly individuals. However, there is little information about the frequency of polypharmacy among the elderly population treated in emergency departments (EDs) and its prognostic effect. This study aims to determine the prevalence and short-term prognostic effect of polypharmacy in elderly patients treated in EDs. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the Emergency Department Elderly in Needs (EDEN) project's cohort was performed. This registry included all elderly patients who attended 52 Spanish EDs for any condition. Mild and severe polypharmacy was defined as the use of 5-9 drugs and ⩾10 drugs, respectively. The assessed outcomes were ED revisits, hospital readmissions, and mortality 30 days after discharge. Crude and adjusted logistic regression analyses, including the patient's comorbidities, were performed. Results: A total of 25,557 patients were evaluated [mean age: 78 (IQR: 71-84) years]; 10,534 (41.2%) and 5678 (22.2%) patients presented with mild and severe polypharmacy, respectively. In the adjusted analysis, mild polypharmacy and severe polypharmacy were associated with an increase in ED revisits [odds ratio (OR) 1.13 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-1.23) and 1.38 (95% CI: 1.24-1.51)] and hospital readmissions [OR 1.18 (95% CI: 1.04-1.35) and 1.36 (95% CI: 1.16-1.60)], respectively, compared to non-polypharmacy. Mild and severe polypharmacy were not associated with increased 30-day mortality [OR 1.05 (95% CI: 0.89-2.26) and OR 0.89 (95% CI: 0.72-1.12)], respectively. Conclusion: Polypharmacy was common among the elderly treated in EDs and associated with increased risks of ED revisits and hospital readmissions ⩽30 days but not with an increased risk of 30-day mortality. Patients with polypharmacy had a higher risk of ED revisits and hospital readmissions ⩽30 days after discharge.

Short-term prognosis of polypharmacy in elderly patients treated in emergency departments: results from the EDEN project Management elderly patients with polypharmacy is becoming a major challenge to the emergency services. The progressive aging of the population is producing a progressive increase in the number of patients treated with multiple comorbidities and chronic medications. It's well known that polypharmacy is associated with an increase in hospital admissions and health care system costs. However, the impact of polypharmacy over the risk of new visits to the emergency rooms is not well defined. Understanding the impact of polypharmacy on the frequency of new visits to the emergency room and on patient mortality is the first step to establish prevention measures for new visits, proposing improvements in chronic treatment at discharge. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and effect on short-term prognosis of polypharmacy in elderly patients treated in Emergency departments. The authors used a retrospective multipurpose registry in 52 hospitals in Spain. This study includes 25,557 patients with a mean age of 78 years. On admission, the median number of drugs was 6 (IQR: 3­9), with 10,534 (41.2%) patients taking 5­9 drugs and 5,678 (22.2%) taking ⩾10 drugs. In these patients comorbidities were associated with an increase in the number of drugs. In the patients with severe polypharmacy (⩾10 drugs), diuretics were the most frequently drugs prescribed, followed by antihypertensives and statins. The results obtained indicate that polypharmacy is a frequent phenomenon among the elderly population treated in Emergency departments, being antihypertensives the most frequently used drugs in this population. Those patients who takes ⩾10 drugs have a higher risk of new visits to the emergency room and hospital readmissions in short term period.

Epidemiological and clinical management aspects of pneumonias diagnosed in the emergency department in elderly patients in Spain: Results of the EDEN-29 study.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the incidence of pneumonia diagnosis in elderly patients in Spanish emergency departments (ED), need for hospitalization, adverse events and predictive capacity of biomarkers commonly used in the ED. METHODS: Patients ≥65 years with pneumonia seen in 52 Spanish EDs were included. We recorded in-hospitaland 30-day mortality as adverse events, as well as intensive care unit (ICU) admission among hospitalizedpatients. Association of 10 predefined variables with adverse events was calculated and expressed as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI), as well as predictive capacity of 5 commonly used biomarkers in the ED (leukocytes, hemoglobin, C-reactive protein, glucose, creatinine) was investigated using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC). RESULTS: 591 patients with pneumonia attended in the ED were included (annual incidence of 18,4 per 1000 inhabitants). A total of 78.0% were hospitalized. Overall, 30-day mortality was 14.2% and in-hospital mortality was 12.9%. Functional dependency was associated with both events (OR=4.453, 95%CI=2.361-8.400; and OR=3.497, 95%CI=1.578-7.750, respectively) as well as severe comorbidity (2.344, 1.363-4.030, and 2.463, 1.252-4.846, respectively). Admission to the ICU during hospitalization occurred in 3.5%, with no associated factors. The predictive capacity of biomarkers was only moderate for creatinine for ICU admission (AUC-ROC=0.702, 95% CI=0.536-0.869) and for leukocytes for post-discharge adverse event (0.669, 0.540-0.798). CONCLUSIONS: Pneumonia is a frequent diagnosis in elderly patients consulting in the ED. Their functional dependence and comorbidity is the factor most associated with adverse events. The biomarkers analyzed do not have a good predictive capacity for adverse events.

Machine Learning for Myocardial Infarction Compared With Guideline-Recommended Diagnostic Pathways.

BACKGROUND: Collaboration for the Diagnosis and Evaluation of Acute Coronary Syndrome (CoDE-ACS) is a validated clinical decision support tool that uses machine learning with or without serial cardiac troponin measurements at a flexible time point to calculate the probability of myocardial infarction (MI). How CoDE-ACS performs at different time points for serial measurement and compares with guideline-recommended diagnostic pathways that rely on fixed thresholds and time points is uncertain. METHODS: Patients with possible MI without ST-segment-elevation were enrolled at 12 sites in 5 countries and underwent serial high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I concentration measurement at 0, 1, and 2 hours. Diagnostic performance of the CoDE-ACS model at each time point was determined for index type 1 MI and the effectiveness of previously validated low- and high-probability scores compared with guideline-recommended European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 0/1-hour, ESC 0/2-hour, and High-STEACS (High-Sensitivity Troponin in the Evaluation of Patients With Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome) pathways. RESULTS: In total, 4105 patients (mean age, 61 years [interquartile range, 50-74]; 32% women) were included, among whom 575 (14%) had type 1 MI. At presentation, CoDE-ACS identified 56% of patients as low probability, with a negative predictive value and sensitivity of 99.7% (95% CI, 99.5%-99.9%) and 99.0% (98.6%-99.2%), ruling out more patients than the ESC 0-hour and High-STEACS (25% and 35%) pathways. Incorporating a second cardiac troponin measurement, CoDE-ACS identified 65% or 68% of patients as low probability at 1 or 2 hours, for an identical negative predictive value of 99.7% (99.5%-99.9%); 19% or 18% as high probability, with a positive predictive value of 64.9% (63.5%-66.4%) and 68.8% (67.3%-70.1%); and 16% or 14% as intermediate probability. In comparison, after serial measurements, the ESC 0/1-hour, ESC 0/2-hour, and High-STEACS pathways identified 49%, 53%, and 71% of patients as low risk, with a negative predictive value of 100% (99.9%-100%), 100% (99.9%-100%), and 99.7% (99.5%-99.8%); and 20%, 19%, or 29% as high risk, with a positive predictive value of 61.5% (60.0%-63.0%), 65.8% (64.3%-67.2%), and 48.3% (46.8%-49.8%), resulting in 31%, 28%, or 0%, who require further observation in the emergency department, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CoDE-ACS performs consistently irrespective of the timing of serial cardiac troponin measurement, identifying more patients as low probability with comparable performance to guideline-recommended pathways for MI. Whether care guided by probabilities can improve the early diagnosis of MI requires prospective evaluation. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT00470587.

Protocolized Natriuresis-Guided Decongestion Improves Diuretic Response: The Multicenter ENACT-HF Study.

BACKGROUND: The use of urinary sodium to guide diuretics in acute heart failure is recommended by experts and the most recent European Society of Cardiology guidelines. However, there are limited data to support this recommendation. The ENACT-HF study (Efficacy of a Standardized Diuretic Protocol in Acute Heart Failure) investigated the feasibility and efficacy of a standardized natriuresis-guided diuretic protocol in patients with acute heart failure and signs of volume overload. METHODS: ENACT-HF was an international, multicenter, open-label, pragmatic, 2-phase study, comparing the current standard of care of each center with a standardized diuretic protocol, including urinary sodium to guide therapy. The primary end point was natriuresis after 1 day. Secondary end points included cumulative natriuresis and diuresis after 2 days of treatment, length of stay, and in-hospital mortality. All end points were adjusted for baseline differences between both treatment arms. RESULTS: Four hundred one patients from 29 centers in 18 countries worldwide were included in the study. The natriuresis after 1 day was significantly higher in the protocol arm compared with the standard of care arm (282 versus 174 mmol; adjusted mean ratio, 1.64; P<0.001). After 2 days, the natriuresis remained higher in the protocol arm (538 versus 365 mmol; adjusted mean ratio, 1.52; P<0.001), with a significantly higher diuresis (5776 versus 4381 mL; adjusted mean ratio, 1.33; P<0.001). The protocol arm had a shorter length of stay (5.8 versus 7.0 days; adjusted mean ratio, 0.87; P=0.036). In-hospital mortality was low and did not significantly differ between the 2 arms (1.4% versus 2.0%; P=0.852). CONCLUSIONS: A standardized natriuresis-guided diuretic protocol to guide decongestion in acute heart failure was feasible, safe, and resulted in higher natriuresis and diuresis, as well as a shorter length of stay.

Predictive usefulness of qSOFA, NEWS and GYM scores in the elderly patient: EDEN-5 study.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prognostic accuracy of the scores NEWS, qSOFA, GYM used in hospital emergency department (ED) in the assessment of elderly patients who consult for an infectious disease. METHODS: Data from the EDEN (Emergency Department and Elderly Need) cohort were used. This retrospective cohort included all patients aged ≥65 years seen in 52 Spanish EDs during two weeks (from 1-4-2019 to 7-4-2019 and 30/3/2020 to 5/4/2020) with an infectious disease diagnosis in the emergency department. Demographic variables, demographic variables, comorbidities, Charlson and Barthel index and needed scores parameters were recorded. The predictive capacity for 30-day mortality of each scale was estimated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and sensitivity and specificity were calculated for different cut-off points. The primary outcome variable was 30-day mortality. RESULTS: 6054 patients were analyzed. Median age was 80 years (IQR 73-87) and 45.3% women. 993 (16,4%) patients died. NEWS score had better AUC than qSOFA (0.765, 95CI: 0.725-0.806, versus 0.700, 95%CI: 0.653-0.746; P < .001) and GYM (0.716, 95%CI: 0.675-0.758; P = .024), and there was no difference between qSOFA and GYM (P = .345). The highest sensitivity scores for 30-day mortality were GYM ≥ 1 point (85.4%) while the qSOFA score ≥2 points showed high specificity. In the case of the NEWS scale, the cut-off point ≥4 showed high sensitivity, while the cut-off point NEWS ≥ 8 showed high specificity. CONCLUSION: NEWS score showed the highest predictive capacity for 30-day mortality. GYM score ≥1 showed a great sensitivity, while qSOFA ≥2 scores provide the highest specificity but lower sensitivity.

GRACE scores or high-sensitivity troponin for timing of coronary angiography in non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes.

BACKGROUND: The GRACE risk score is generically recommended by guidelines for timing of invasive coronary angiography without stating which score should be used. The aim was to determine the diagnostic performance of different GRACE risk scores in comparison to the ESC 0/1 h-algorithm using high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn). METHODS: Prospectively enrolled patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of myocardial infarction (MI) in two large studies testing biomarker diagnostic strategies were included. Five GRACE risk scores were calculated. The amount of risk reclassification and the theoretical impact on guideline-recommended timing of invasive coronary angiography was studied. RESULTS: Overall, 8,618 patients were eligible for analyses. Comparing different GRACE risk scores, up to 63.8% of participants were reclassified into a different risk category. The proportion of MIs identified (i.e., sensitivity) dramatically differed between GRACE risk scores (range 23.8-66.5%) and was lower for any score than for the ESC 0/1 h-algorithm (78.1%). Supplementing the ESC 0/1 h-algorithm with a GRACE risk score slightly increased sensitivity (P < 0.001 for all scores). However, this increased the number of false positive results. CONCLUSION: The substantial amount of risk reclassification causes clinically meaningful differences in the proportion of patients meeting the recommended threshold for pursuing early invasive strategy according to the different GRACE scores. The single best test to detect MIs is the ESC 0/1 h-algorithm. Combining GRACE risk scoring with hs-cTn testing slightly increases the detection of MIs but also increases the number of patients with false positive results who would undergo potential unnecessarily early invasive coronary angiography.

Noncardiovascular morbidity and mortality across left ventricular ejection fraction categories following hospitalization for heart failure.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Noncardiovascular events represent a significant proportion of the morbidity and mortality burden in patients with heart failure (HF). However, the risk of these events appears to differ by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) status. In this study, we sought to evaluate the risk of noncardiovascular death and recurrent noncardiovascular readmission by LVEF status following an admission for acute HF. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed a cohort of 4595 patients discharged after acute HF in a multicenter registry. We evaluated LVEF as a continuum, stratified in 4 categories (LVEF ≤ 40%, 41%-49%, 50%-59%, and ≥ 60%). Study endpoints were the risks of noncardiovascular mortality and recurrent noncardiovascular admissions during follow-up. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 2.2 [interquartile range, 0.76-4.8] years, we registered 646 noncardiovascular deaths and 4014 noncardiovascular readmissions. After multivariable adjustment including cardiovascular events as a competing event, LVEF status was associated with the risk of noncardiovascular mortality and recurrent noncardiovascular admissions. When compared with patients with LVEF ≤ 40%, those with LVEF 51%-59%, and especially those with LVEF ≥ 60%, were at higher risk of noncardiovascular mortality (HR, 1.31; 95%CI, 1.02-1,68; P=.032; and HR, 1.47; 95%CI, 1.15-1.86; P=.002; respectively), and at higher risk of recurrent noncardiovascular admissions (IRR, 1.17; 95%CI, 1.02-1.35; P=.024; and IRR, 1.26; 95%CI, 1.11-1.45; P=.001; respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Following an admission for HF, LVEF status was directly associated with the risk of noncardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Patients with HFpEF were at higher risk of noncardiovascular death and total noncardiovascular readmissions, especially those with LVEF ≥ 60%.