Utility of the Shock Index for Risk Stratification in Patients with Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) frequently require hospitalization, and a small but significant percentage of these patients have adverse outcomes. Risk-scoring tools can help clinicians organize care and make predictions about outcomes. The shock index (heart rate divided by systolic blood pressure) has been used in multiple acute disorders and has the potential to identify patients with UGIB who are at risk for adverse outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of patients admitted with UGIB between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2015. We collected information about patient demographics, presenting symptoms, underlying clinical disorders, endoscopic results, and outcomes. We calculated risk scores using the Glasgow-Blatchford score, the pre-endoscopy Rockall score, the full Rockall score, the AIMS65 (albumin, international normalized ratio, mental status, systolic blood pressure, age older than 65 years) score, and the shock index. RESULTS: This study included 214 admissions for acute UGIB. The mean age was 59.0 ± 15.9 years, 64.5% were men, the mean hemoglobin was 9.2 ± 3.1 g/dL, and the mean shock index was 0.78 ± 0.21 bpm/mm Hg. The mean shock index was significantly increased in patients requiring endoscopic therapy, admission to the intensive care unit, blood component transfusion, and red blood cell transfusion. Classification of patients by a shock index >0.7 preferentially selected patients with these adverse short-term outcomes. Among the scoring tools evaluated in this study, the shock index was the best predictor of the need for endoscopic therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The shock index is a good tool to identify patients with the potential for short-term adverse outcomes when they present with UGIB. It performs as well as other risk-scoring tools for GI bleeding and has the potential for serial use during hospitalization to identify changes in the clinical course.

Percutaneous gallbladder aspiration for acute cholecystitis.

Early cholecystectomy for patients with acute cholecystitis may not be possible in some clinical settings. Percutaneous gallbladder aspiration (PGBA) offers an alternative approach, but the benefits and risks of this procedure are unclear. We synthesized data on the outcomes of PGBA in acute cholecystitis patients using data sources from online databases, including MEDLINE and EMBASE, and bibliographies of included studies from January 2000 through December 2015. Two reviewers independently reviewed and critiqued the quality of each study. Seven eligible studies met our criteria. The success rates in single PGBA and repetitive PGBA (2-4 times) were 50% to 93% and 76% to 96%, respectively. Complication rates were 0% to 8% and were unrelated to the size of needle gauge used for aspiration and the number of aspirations. Salvage percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) and urgent surgery were required in 0% to 43% of patients and 0% to 4% of patients, respectively. Two studies with antibiotic instillation had clinical success rates of 95% and 96%. In conclusion, repetitive PGBA combined with antibiotic instillation and salvage PC are useful alternatives to early cholecystectomy in patients with acute cholecystitis.

Predictor of 90-Day Readmission Rate for Hepatic Encephalopathy.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of our study was to identify clinical parameters associated with readmissions within 90 days in patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE). METHODS: We reviewed electronic medical records of patients admitted between January 1, 2010 and September 30, 2013 at University Medical Center, Lubbock, Texas. Inclusion criteria were admission to the hospital with diagnosis of HE in patients older than 18 years. We compared the patients with readmission within 90 days with patients with no readmission using routine clinical data. RESULTS: A total of 140 admissions met inclusion criteria; 35% were white, 59.3% were Hispanic, and their mean age was 55.6 ± 10.5 years. The median admission Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score was 15.5 (4-38). Univariate analysis demonstrated that a history of diabetes mellitus, a history of hypertension, prior transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement, a history of prior HE, and the use of lactulose posthospitalization were associated with increased readmission rates and the presence of gastrointestinal bleeding was associated with decreased readmission rates (P < 0.05 for each factor). Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that history of hypertension (P = 0.02) predicted an increased readmission rate. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that hypertension increased the risk of readmission in patients with HE. More intensive interventions in these patients may decrease readmission rates and improve outcomes.

Utility of the Shock Index and Other Risk-Scoring Tools in Patients with Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

Patients with upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding frequently require hospitalization and have a mortality rate that ranges from 6% to 14%. These patients need rapid clinical assessment to determine the urgency of endoscopy and the need for endoscopic treatment. Risk-scoring tools, such as the Rockall score and the Glasgow-Blatchford score, are commonly used in this assessment. These tools clearly help identify high-risk patients but do not necessarily have good predictive value in identifying important outcomes. Their diagnostic accuracy in identifying rebleeding and mortality ranges from poor to fair. The shock index (heart rate divided by systolic blood pressure) provides an integrated assessment of the cardiovascular status. It can be easily calculated during the initial evaluation of patients and monitoring after treatment. The shock index has been used in a few studies in patients with acute GI bleeding, including studies to determine which patients need emergency endoscopy, to predict complications after corrosive ingestions, to identify delayed hemorrhage following pancreatic surgery, and to evaluate the utility of angiograms to identify sites of GI bleeding. Not all studies have found the shock index to be useful in patients with GI bleeding, however. This may reflect the unpredictable natural history of various etiologies of GI bleeding, comorbidity that may influence blood pressure and/or heart rate, and inadequate data acquisition. The shock index needs more formal study in patients with GI bleeding admitted to medical intensive care units. Important considerations include the initial response to resuscitation, persistent bleeding following initial treatment, and rebleeding following a period of stabilization. In addition, it needs correlation with other risk-scoring tools.

Meta-analysis of the effect of proton pump inhibitors on obstructive sleep apnea symptoms and indices in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

This study was designed to assess evidence for an association between the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and improvement in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies to evaluate the treatment effect of PPIs on OSA symptoms and indices in patients with GERD. EMBASE, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and ClinicalTrials.gov were reviewed up to October 2014. From 238 articles, two randomized trials and four prospective cohort studies were selected. In four cohort studies there were no differences in the apnea-hypopnea indices before and after treatment with PPIs (standard mean difference, 0.21; 95% confidence interval, -0.11 to 0.54). There was moderate heterogeneity among these studies. Two cohort studies revealed significantly decreased apnea indices after treatment (percent change, 31% and 35%), but one showed no significant difference. A significant improvement in the Epworth Sleepiness Scale was observed in three cohort studies and one trial. The frequency of apnea attacks recorded in diaries was decreased by 73% in one trial. In conclusion, available studies do not provide enough evidence to make firm conclusions about the effects of PPI treatment on OSA symptoms and indices in patients with concomitant GERD. Controlled clinical trials with larger sample sizes are needed to evaluate these associations. We recommend PPIs in OSA patients with concomitant GERD to treat reflux symptoms. This treatment may improve the quality of sleep without any effect on apnea-hypopnea indices.

When Should a Patient with a Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleed Be Fed?

Nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage is a common cause for admission to the intensive care unit. Most patients are prohibited from oral or enteral feeding for 72 hours despite different risks for rebleeding. Fasting is believed to improve the ability to control intragastric pH, stabilize clots, and reduce the risk of rebleeding; however, studies have shown no difference in intragastric pH and complications in patients who received early feeding. Approximately 50% of patients are classified as low risk for rebleeding and can be safely fed immediately and discharged early, even on the same day as endoscopy. Only the patients with a high risk of rebleeding should be kept nil per os and be hospitalized for at least 72 hours after endoscopic treatment. Most high-risk lesions become low-risk lesions within 72 hours, and most rebleeding occurs within this time. Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that early feeding does not have adverse consequences, however. More studies on the timing and type of nutrition in patients with high-risk stigmata are needed.

Right-sided hydropneumothorax as a presenting symptom of Boerhaave's syndrome (spontaneous esophageal rupture).

Boerhaave's syndrome, or spontaneous esophageal rupture, is a rare condition that classically presents with Mackler's triad of vomiting, subcutaneous emphysema, and severe sudden onset of chest pain and requires immediate medical attention. Approximately 90% of the perforations occur at the left lateral aspect of the distal esophagus, causing a left-sided pleural effusion. Less than 10% of patients have bilateral effusions, and few patients have a right-sided pleural effusion only. We present the case of a 59-year-old man with spontaneous esophageal rupture. His clinical presentation is of interest since he had no inciting event for spontaneous esophageal rupture and had a delayed presentation with a right-sided hydropneumothorax.

Postextubation Dysphagia.

Postextubation dysphagia (PED) is a common problem in critically ill patients with recent intubation. Although several risk factors have been identified, most of them are nonmodifiable preexisting or concurrent conditions. Early extubation, small endotracheal tube size, and small bore of nasogastric tube potentially decrease the risk of PED. The majority of patients receive treatment based on only bedside swallow evaluations, which has an uncertain diagnostic accuracy as opposed to gold standard instrumental tests. Therefore, the treatment decision for patients may not be appropriately directed for each individual. Current treatments are mainly focused on dietary modifications and postural changes/compensatory maneuvers rather than interventions, but recent studies have shown limited proven benefits. Direct therapies in oromotor control, such as therapeutic exercises and neuromuscular stimulations, should be considered as potential effective treatments.

Reversal of liver function without exchange transfusion in sickle cell intrahepatic cholestasis.

Sickle cell intrahepatic cholestasis (SCIC) is a rare but fatal complication of sickle cell disease. It is found mainly in homozygous sickle cell disease. To date, there are no standard diagnostic criteria or well-established therapeutic approaches to this condition. Herein, we report this case of a 48-year-old man with sickle cell anemia and a total bilirubin of 78.5 mg/dL without evidence of extrahepatic biliary obstruction or viral hepatitis. The patient had a hemoglobin S level of 87.9%, acute renal failure, and mild coagulopathy. Despite the disease severity, he refused exchange transfusion (ET) with packed red blood cells. He was transfused with 2 units of blood and treated mainly with supportive measures. His total bilirubin levels trended down to normal days after discharge. Multiple studies have shown a significant decrease in the mortality rate in SCIC after ET. To date, only two reported adult cases have survived SCIC without aggressive treatment. Our case is the third case that demonstrates recovery of severe SCIC without ET.