Abstract TP334: Clinical Impact of Hematoma Expansion in LVAD Patients

Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kara Melmed ◽  
David Roh ◽  
Josh Willey
Keyword(s):  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Similar Rate ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Hematoma Expansion ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Continuous Variables ◽  
Ich Score ◽  
The Impact

Background: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients is a devastating complication. Hematoma expansion (HE) is associated with poor outcomes in ICH patients, but the impact of HE on LVAD patients is not known. Prevention of HE includes rapid and complete coagulopathy reversal, adding further potential complications in LVAD patients given the inherent risk of hardware thrombosis. We aimed to define the occurrence of HE in the LVAD population and to determine the association between HE and mortality in this population. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of ICH patients with preceding LVAD implantation admitted to Columbia University Irving Medical Center between Jan 2008 and April 2019. Intentionally matched ICH controls without LVADs were identified to compare rate of HE in LVAD and non LVAD patients. ICH volume was measured using ABC/2 method.We defined HE as an increase in hematoma volume of 6 ml or 33% comparing the first and last scan in 24 hours. Demographic data was compared using Pearson’s χ2 test for categorical variables and students T test and Wilcoxon rank sum test for normal and non-parametric continuous variables. The association between HE and hospital mortality in LVAD patients was examined using regression modeling after adjusting for Glasgow coma scale, age, hematoma size and location and admission INR. Results: Of605 LVAD patients, we identified 40 patients with ICH. Of these, 28 patients met the inclusion criteria. Mean (SD) age of LVAD patients was 56 (10), 29% of patients were female and the majority (81%) of LVAD patients were supported by Heartmate II. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) baseline hematoma size was 20.1 ml (8.6-46.9), median (IQR) ICH score was 1 (1-2). HE occurred in 16 (57%) patients supported by LVAD, and in 50% of patients without LVAD with no difference (p=0.6).There was an association between HE and in-hospital mortality in LVAD patients after adjusting for admission ICH score and INR (OR of 20.5, 95% CI: 1.8-232.8). Conclusions: HE is a potentially modifiable risk factor for mortality. We demonstrate that LVAD patients experience HE at a similar rate to matched controls. We show that prevention of HE with anticoagulation reversal does not increase mortality.

The Compliance of Prescribed Activity Restriction in Women at High Risk for Preterm Birth

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghamar Bitar ◽  
Anthony Sciscione
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Compliance Rate ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Prescribing Patterns ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Continuous Variables ◽  
Activity Restriction ◽  
The Impact

Objective Despite lack of evidence to support efficacy, activity restriction is one of the most commonly prescribed interventions used for the prevention of preterm birth. We have a departmental policy against the use of activity restriction but many practitioners still prescribe it in an effort to prevent preterm birth. We sought to evaluate the rate and compliance of women who are prescribed activity restriction during pregnancy to prevent preterm birth. Study Design This was a single-site retrospective questionnaire study at a tertiary care, academic affiliated medical center. Women with a history of preterm delivery or short cervix were included. Once patients were identified, each patient was contacted and administered a questionnaire. We assessed the rates of activity restriction prescription and compliance. Secondary outcomes included details regarding activity restriction and treatment in pregnancy. Continuous variables were compared with t-test and categorical variables with Chi-square test. The value p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results Among the 52 women who responded to the questionnaire, 18 reported being placed on activity restriction by a physician, with 1 self-prescribing activity restriction, giving a rate of our primary outcome of 19 of 52 (36.5%). All women reported compliance with prescribed activity restriction (100%). Gestational age at delivery was not different in women placed on activity restriction. Conclusion This questionnaire suggests that approximately one in three high-risk women were placed on activity restriction during their pregnancy despite a departmental policy against its use. The 100% compliance rate in patients placed on activity restriction is a strong reminder of the impact prescribing patterns of physicians can have on patients. Key Points

Abstract 1122‐000215: Scheduled Head CT in Neurologically Stable Spontaneous ICH Patients May be Unnecessary

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Almajali ◽  
Farid Khasiyev ◽  
Abdullah M Hakoun ◽  
M. Khurram Afzal ◽  
Michael Sunnaa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neurological Status ◽  
Hematoma Expansion ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Continuous Variables ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Head Ct ◽  
Neuroimaging Data ◽  
Population Sizes ◽  
Initial Imaging ◽  
Ich Score

Introduction : Obtaining serial head computed tomography (CTH) imaging for patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) is commonly utilized to monitor for hematoma expansion (HE), defined as an increase in ICH volume by 33%. Obtaining recurrent CTH in the ICU setting may burden nursing and transport staff, expose patients to radiation, and inflate healthcare costs. It remains unclear whether utilizing scheduled CTH for sICH patients is more advantageous than targeted CTH, which is prompted by a decline in neurological status. We reviewed clinical factors and imaging studies in patients with and without HE. Methods : This retrospective cohort study conducted over two years identified 171 sICH patients. Patient demographics, clinical and neuroimaging data were recorded (including the reason for repeat imaging). These variables were then compared and analyzed in relation to HE using SPSS version 26, chi‐square tests for categorical variables, and independent‐samples t‐tests were used for continuous variables. Results : Patients were predominantly male (65%), with a mean age of 65±14 years, a median GCS of 14, a median ICH score of 1, and a median ICH volume of 12.1 ccs. Repeat CTH was obtained within 14 hours after the initial imaging on average. Admission blood pressure (BP), BP‐lowering interventions, pre‐admission use of anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy, GCS on admission, ICH volume, ICH score, and presence of spot signs were similar between the two groups. 15% of total patients (26/171) had HE. In the group that underwent scheduled repeat CTH, only 7% (9 patients) had HE, while the remaining 93% (119 patients) did not. Patients who underwent a second scan following a change in the neurologic assessment included 39% (17 patients) who had HE, compared to 61% (26 patients) that did not. HE detection was significantly lower in patients that underwent scheduled CTH (p < 0.0001). Conclusions : In patients with a stable exam, scheduled head CT only showed HE in 6% of patients; thus, the excess burden, radiation, and costs may not be necessary for these patients. Hematoma expansion is significantly lower in patients who underwent scheduled imaging than those prompted by a decline in neurologic status. However, our sample size is small and additional studies with larger population sizes are required to validate our findings.

Patients With Vasculitides Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit: Implications From a Single-Center Retrospective Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (10) ◽  
pp. 828-834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yael Haviv ◽  
Ora Shovman ◽  
Nicola Luigi Bragazzi ◽  
Kassem Sharif ◽  
Yarden Yavne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Sofa Score ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Continuous Variables ◽  
Cardiovascular Involvement ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
The Impact

Background: Vasculitides are a group of disorders characterized by inflammation of vessels. Vasculitides may have life-threatening complications with significant morbidity and mortality; however, information regarding the outcome and prognosis of patients with vasculitides requiring intensive care unit (ICU) is scarce. Methods: Data of patients with vasculitides admitted to the ICU of the Sheba Medical Center between the years 2000 and 2014 were retrieved retrospectively. Continuous variables were computed as mean (standard deviation), whereas categorical variables were recorded as percentages. In order to investigate the impact of clinical variables on mortality, Student t test and χ2 analyses were performed. Results: Twenty-five patients with vasculitides were admitted to the ICU during the study period with mean age of 52 ± 14 years and sex ratio of male/female: 12/13. The mortality rate among these patients was 48%. Leading causes for ICU admission were infection (64%), disease exacerbation (34%), and hemorrhage (16%), while respiratory or cardiovascular involvement accounted for the majority of mortality during admission. An elevated Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score was significantly associated with mortality ( P = .041). Conclusion: Our study confirms the high mortality rate among patients with vasculitides who require ICU care as well as the roles of infection and disease flare-up as causes for admission. An elevated SOFA score was found to be predictive of mortality.

scholarly journals 108. Impact of Accelerate Pheno System in the Management of Gram-Negative Rod Bacteremia

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S69-S69
Author(s):  
Iaswarya Ganapathiraju ◽  
Amanda Bushman ◽  
Rossana Rosa Espinoza
Keyword(s):  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Blood Culture ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
Culture Collection ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Fisher Exact Test ◽  
Continuous Variables ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Early pathogen identification and initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy is key in the management of Gram-negative rods (GNR) bloodstream infection (BSI). The Accelerate Pheno System (ACC) has been shown to reduce time to GNR identification compared to traditional culture-based methods. We aimed to determine the impact of ACC on the management of GNR BSI in the setting of a well-established antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP). Table 1 Methods ACC was introduced in our institution on February 2019. Due to issues incorporating ACC, of patients with GNR BSI, 74% had ACC done and 26% had reporting through traditional methods. This allowed for the design of a retrospective cohort study (instead of a pre-post analysis) to evaluate the association of interest. We included adult patients admitted to three affiliated hospitals in Des Moines, Iowa with BSI due to Enterobacteriales from February 2019 to February 2020. Exclusion criteria were Emergency Department visit only and death within 48 hours of blood culture collection. Primary outcomes were length of hospital stay, days to therapy optimization and in-hospital mortality. Continuous variables were compared by non-parametric methods and categorical variables were compared by Chi-square and Fisher-exact test. Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratio for the impact of the intervention on therapy optimization. Results A total of 268 patients were analyzed. The median length of stay among patients who had ACC done was 5.2 days (IQR 3.6–8.7) and in those on who ACC was not done it was 5.5 (IQR 3.8–8.9) (p=0.54). No differences in in-hospital mortality were found (p=0.942). Changes in therapy and missed opportunities for optimization according to whether ACC was done are shown in Table 1. Patients who had ACC done had 99% higher odds of de-escalation within 48 hours of blood culture collection compared to patients who did not have it done (95% CI 1.01–3.92; p=0.044). Conclusion In the context of hospitals with baseline short length of stay and a well-established ASP, performing ACC was associated with higher odds of de-escalation within 48 hours of blood culture collection but did not impact length of stay or mortality among patients hospitalized with GNR BSI. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

The in-hospital outcomes of the use of microaxial left ventricular assist device vs intra-aortic ballon pump in acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
C Jin ◽  
Y Yang ◽  
B Liu
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Blood Transfusion ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Propensity Score ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
Cardiogenic Shock ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Bleeding Complications ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Cardiac Complications

Abstract Purpose To compare the outcomes of patients with AMI underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) complicated by cardiogenic shock treated with IABP vs MLVAD. Methods The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database is the largest inpatient registry in the U.S. We used NIS year 2009–2014 to identify adult patients admitted for AMI, who received PCI and complicated by cardiogenic shock. Based on the use of IABP or MLVAD, the study population was divided into 2 groups. To reduce selection bias, we performed propensity score matching using Kernell method. Patient characteristics, hospital characteristics, and comorbidities were matched. Logistic regression was used for categorical variables including in-hospital mortality, requirement of blood transfusion, sepsis, cardiac arrest and cardiac complications (including iatrogenic complications, hemopericardium, and cardiac tamponade). Poisson regression was used for continuous variables including length of stay and total cost. Results A total of 49837 patients were identified. With propensity score match, 34132 patients in IABP group were matched to 1430 patients in MLVAD group. Compared with MLVAD group, the IABP group had lower in-hospital mortality rates (28.29% vs 40.36%, OR 0.58 (0.42–0.81), p=0.002), lower rate of blood transfusion (9.63% vs 11.50%, OR 0.49 (0.27–0.88), p=0.017), and lower cost (47167 vs 70429 USD, p&lt;0.001). IABP and MLVAD group had similar length of stay (8.9 versus 9.3 days, p=0.882), rates of cardiac complication (6.50% vs 7.24%, OR 0.56 (0.26–1.19), p=0.134), rates of sepsis (9.30% vs 14.98%, OR 0.66 (0.38–1.14), p=0.133), and rates of cardiac arrest (37.84% vs 41.05%, OR 0.70 (0.45–1.10), p=0.123). Conclusion In patients with AMI underwent PCI and complicated by cardiogenic shock, MLAVD compared with IABP was associated with higher risk of in-hospital mortality, requirement of blood transfusion indicating presence of major bleeding complications, and cost, although study interpretation is limited by retrospective observational design. Further research is warranted to elucidate the optimal MCSD in these patients. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

617 Who Benefits the Most from Burn Camps?

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S162-S163
Author(s):  
Jennifer B Radics-Johnson ◽  
Daniel W Chacon ◽  
Li Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Retrospective Review ◽  
Burn Injury ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
P Value ◽  
Continuous Variables ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Return Home ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Introduction Burn camps provide a unique environment and activities for children that have experienced a burn-injury. Positive outcomes from attending burn camp include increased self-esteem, decreased feelings of isolation and a greater sense of self-confidence. In a 3-year retrospective review of camper evaluations from one of the largest and longest running week-long burn camps in the nation for ages 5–17, we aimed to assess if a child’s gender, age, TBSA or ethnicity affected the impact that burn camp had on a child. Methods A 3-year retrospective review of a Burn Camp’s camper evaluation forms was conducted for campers that attended burn camp between 2017–2019. Camp rosters were reviewed to determine the camper gender, age, TBSA and ethnicity. Camper self-evaluation forms completed at the end of each camp session were reviewed to record camper responses to questions regarding their opinions on the impact camp had on them as well as how camp will impact their lives once they return home. Categorical variables were summarized as frequency and percentage, and continuous variables were described as median and range. To check the relationship between two categorical variables, Chi-square test was used. To compare the continuous variable among groups, Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA was used. Statistical significance was declared based on a p value&lt; 0.5. Results Within 2017–2019, there were 413 camper records. Participants’ demographic characteristics are summarized in Table 1. There were 208 males (50.3%) and 205 females (49.6%). The median age of campers were 11.86, 12.44 and 12.45 for 2017–2019, with the range from 5.16 years to 17.96 years. The median TBSA were 20, 20 and 18 for 2017–2019, with the range from 0.08 to 90. Collectively there were 47.7% Hispanic (n= 197); 24.2% Whites (n=100); 13.1% Black (n= 54); 4.6% Asian (n=19) and 7.7% Other (n=32). There were 395 camper self-evaluation forms submitted. Results of three questions there we were interested in are summarized collectively in Table 2. 57% of campers responded, “Yes, Definitely” to the question “After going to this event, will you feel more comfortable being around your classmates or friends?” 54% responded, “ Yes, Definitely” to the question “Do you feel more confidents in sharing your burn story with others when returning home?” and 51% responded “Yes, Definitely” to “Did you learn anything that will help you when you return home?” Conclusions In analyzing the camper responses, there was no statistically significant difference in responses comparing gender, age, TBSA or ethnicity.

scholarly journals Impact on hospital mortality and morbidity of right ventricular involvement among patients with acute left ventricular infarction

2006 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. 186-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Afonso Celso Pereira ◽  
Roberto Alexandre Franken ◽  
Sandra Regina Schwarzwälder Sprovieri ◽  
Valdir Golin
Keyword(s):  
Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
Right Ventricular ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Hospital Death ◽  
Inferior Wall ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Killip Class ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: There is uncertainty regarding the risk of major complications in patients with left ventricular (LV) infarction complicated by right ventricular (RV) involvement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact on hospital mortality and morbidity of right ventricular involvement among patients with acute left ventricular myocardial infarction. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective cohort study, at Emergency Care Unit of Hospital Central da Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo. METHODS: 183 patients with acute myocardial infarction participated in this study: 145 with LV infarction alone and 38 with both LV and RV infarction. The presence of complications and hospital death were compared between groups. RESULTS: 21% of the patients studied had LV + RV infarction. In this group, involvement of the dorsal and/or inferior wall was predominant on electrocardiogram (p < 0.0001). The frequencies of Killip class IV upon admission and 24 hours later were greater in the LV + RV group, along with electrical and hemodynamic complications, among others, and death. The probability of complications among the LV + RV patients was 9.7 times greater (odds ratio, OR = 9.7468; 95% confidence interval, CI: 2.8673 to 33.1325; p < 0.0001) and probability of death was 5.1 times greater (OR = 5.13; 95% CI: 2.2795 to 11.5510; p = 0.0001), in relation to patients with LV infarction alone. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with LV infarction with RV involvement present increased risk of early morbidity and mortality.

Perianal disease remains an understudied and difficult complication in leukemia patients.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e19016-e19016
Author(s):  
Shreya Gupta ◽  
Nirav Patil ◽  
Emily Steinhagen-Golbig ◽  
Benjamin Kent Tomlinson ◽  
Sharon Stein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
Hospital Cost ◽  
Hospital Costs ◽  
Perianal Abscess ◽  
Lymphocytic Leukemia ◽  
Operative Intervention ◽  
Perianal Disease ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Continuous Variables

e19016 Background: Perianal infection is a rare and poorly understood complication of patients with acute myeloid/lymphocytic leukemia (AML/ALL). With the advancements in oncology, patients are living longer in an immunocompromised state and thus bearing the inherent problems such as infections that arise with it. Perianal infection and its management impacts patients' quality of life as well as interrupts their ongoing oncologic treatment. The optimal treatment strategy for perianal infections in this highly immunocompromised group remains unclear, as does the selection and outcomes of patients for operative intervention. The aim of this study is to identify patient characteristics associated with perianal infection and to delineate outcomes in patients that undergo operative intervention. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was used to identify hospitalized patients with diagnoses of perianal abscess and AML/ALL between 2007 and 2015. Patient data were weighted to obtain national estimates. Demographics and clinical characteristics were compared between patients with and without perianal disease using Rao-Scott Chi-square test for categorical variables, and weighted simple linear regression for continuous variables. Characteristics and outcomes were compared between patients who underwent operative or non-operative management. Results: There were 12,626 (0.7%) patients with perianal disease among 1,782,778 AML/ALL patient admissions. Patients with perianal disease were more likely to be younger (43.9 (42.5 – 45.3) years, p < 0.001), male (67.4% vs 32.6%, p < 0.001) and white (65.8% vs 54.8%, p < 0.001). Length of stay (18.4 days vs 9 days, p < 0.001) and hospital cost ($54K vs $25K, p < 0.001) were higher in those with perianal disease, but there was no difference in in-hospital mortality (5.5% in those with perianal diseases vs 6.2% in those without, p = 0.150). Greater proportion of patients without perianal disease were discharged to hospice (12.6% patients without perianal disease vs 5.1% patients with perianal disease, p < 0.001). Receiving a surgical intervention did not improve outcomes with respect to in-hospital mortality (5.9% operative vs 5.4 non-operative, p = 0.596), length of stay (20.2 days vs 18.2 days, p = 0.582) or hospital cost ($67K vs $53K, p = 0.525). Conclusions: Perianal disease is a rare but distressing complication in AML/ALL patients associated with longer hospital stays and higher hospital costs. Operative intervention for perianal disease did not reduce rates of in-hospital mortality, length of stay or hospital cost but it does impact the probability of discharge to hospice. Non-operative and operative intervention both remain equivocal in changing the outcomes these patients. Further studies are required to examine these associations and determine best practices for treatment of this condition in this complex patient population.

Abstract 18942: Is Bilirubin Protective Against Anthracycline-induced Cardiomyopathy?

Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Trinity Vera ◽  
Timothy M Morgan ◽  
Jennifer H Jordan ◽  
Matthew C Whitlock ◽  
Dalane Kitzman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Center ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Left Ventricular Ejection ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Response Analysis ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Ventricular Ejection Fraction ◽  
Therapeutic Implications ◽  
Group 3 ◽  
Group 1

Introduction: Reductions in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) may occur after the administration of anthracycline-based chemotherapeutic regimens. Oxidative stress at the myocellular level has been implicated in these reductions, and as a consequence, we hypothesized that bilirubin, an effective endogenous anti-oxidant, would ameliorate some of the reductions in LVEF associated with anthracyline administration. Methods: From 1/1/2002 to 12/31/2012, we identified 751 consecutive individuals who were treated with anthracyclines at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, received serial LVEF measures, and exhibited basal serum bilirubin levels < 2mg/dl prior to their treatment for cancer. The correlation between pre-chemotherapy bilirubin levels and serial pre- to post-chemotherapy changes in LVEF was analyzed using linear regression models. For dose response analysis, the participants were divided into 3 groups based on their bilirubin levels. ANOVA was used to test for the difference in the mean LVEF change across groups. Tukey’s Studentized Range test was used in pairwise comparisons. Chi-square test was used for categorical variables. Results: There were 65 (35%), 86 (30%) and 68 (24%) participants whose LVEF decreased by more than 15% in Group 1 (bilirubin ≤0.5mg/dl), Group2 (bilirubin 0.6 - 0.8mg/dl) and Group 3 (bilirubin 0.9 - 1.9mg/dl) respectively (Table 1). On pairwise comparison, there was a significant decrease in LVEF between Group 1 and Group 3 (2.9, 95% CI: 0.15 - 5.7). After adjusting for age, BMI, race, CAD/MI, diabetes, hematocrit and medications; increased bilirubin and reduced BMI were associated with LVEF preservation (p = 0.028 and 0.033 respectively). Conclusions: In patients treated with anthracyclines, bilirubin level was negatively correlated with reduction in LVEF. These results have potential therapeutic implications for preserving left ventricular function in patients treated with anthracyclines.

Abstract 289: Hospital Volume of LVAD Procedures Determines Patient Outcome

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Feldman ◽  
Rami Doukky ◽  
Tricia Johnson ◽  
David Levine ◽  
Sam Hohmann
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
The United States ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Ventricular Assist Devices ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Procedure Volume ◽  
End Stage Heart Failure ◽  
End Stage

Background: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) provide mechanical circulatory support to patients with end-stage heart failure. The use of these devices in the United States has been increasing since the FDA approved the first device in 1994. There are no published studies that have evaluated the relationship between LVAD procedural volume and hospital mortality, despite large variation across hospitals in the volume of LVAD procedures performed. This study sought to explore whether a correlation exists between hospital and surgeon’s procedural volumes and patient outcomes, and also to identify a critical threshold. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of all patient discharges from UHC member hospitals from January 2008 through June 2012 after an insertion of an LVAD during their hospitalization. Patients were identified from UHC’s Clinical Database/Resource Manager (CDB/RM) on the basis of the principal or secondary International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification ( ICD-9-CM) procedure code 37.66. The primary outcome was all cause mortality. Results: There were 87 hospitals that admitted at least 1 patient for an LVAD procedure during the study period (77.5 percent males, mean age 54.3). The mean length of stay was 42.1 days and a mean total cost of $299,067. We identified variation of in-hospital mortality by hospital LVAD procedure volume quartile. Quartile 1 included hospitals performing 1-9 procedures (38.8% mortality), quartile 2 performed 10-46 procedures (18.1% mortality), quartile 3 performed 55-97 procedures (12.8% mortality), and the fourth quartile performed 107-319 procedures (16.1% mortality) during the study period. Categorical variables were compared with the Chi-Square Test, and continuous variables were compared with t-tests. There was significant variation in the mortality for almost all study variables including age, gender, admission severity of illness, and admission risk of mortality, and the variation persisted by volume quartile. Conclusion: Initial results suggest that there is a correlation between hospital LVAD procedure volume and in-hospital mortality. LVADs are becoming an increasingly common treatment method for patients with end-stage heart failure and are either awaiting transplant or will receive the device as the final method of therapy. Identifying critical volume thresholds could improve outcomes and ultimately improve the efficiency and value of care. Implications: Identifying mortality associated with LVAD procedures at these hospitals will provide patients and physicians with more information when seeking treatment options for heart failure. This study may also have health policy implications for cardiac treatment by implementing guidelines that LVAD hospital and surgeon programs must adhere to.

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