Optimal use of tocilizumab for severe and critical COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Several studies have revealed the potential use of tocilizumab in treating COVID-19 since no therapy has yet been approved for COVID-19 pneumonia. Tocilizumab may provide clinical benefits for cytokine release syndrome in COVID-19 patients. Methods: We searched for relevant studies in PubMed, Embase, Medline, and Cochrane published from March to October 2020 to evaluate optimal use and baseline criteria for administration of tocilizumab in severe and critically ill COVID-19 patients. Research involving patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, treated with tocilizumab and compared with the standard of care (SOC) was included in this study. We conducted a systematic review to find data about the risks and benefits of tocilizumab and outcomes from different baseline criteria for administration of tocilizumab as a treatment for severe and critically ill COVID-19 patients. Results: A total of 26 studies, consisting of 23 retrospective studies, one prospective study, and two randomised controlled trials with 2112 patients enrolled in the tocilizumab group and 6160 patients in the SOC group, were included in this meta-analysis. Compared to the SOC, tocilizumab showed benefits for all-cause mortality events and a shorter time until death after first intervention but showed no difference in hospital length of stay. Upon subgroup analysis, tocilizumab showed fewer all-cause mortality events when CRP level ≥100 mg/L, P/F ratio 200-300 mmHg, and P/F ratio <200 mmHg. However, tocilizumab showed a longer length of stay when CRP <100 mg/L than the SOC. Conclusion: This meta-analysis demonstrated that tocilizumab has a positive effect on all-cause mortality. It should be cautiously administrated for optimal results and tailored to the patient's eligibility criteria.

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Hypophosphatemia and Outcomes in ICU: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Journal of Intensive Care Medicine ◽

10.1177/0885066620940274 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 088506662094027

Author(s):

Jeremy Cheuk Kin Sin ◽

Lillian King ◽

Emma Ballard ◽

Stacey Llewellyn ◽

Kevin B. Laupland ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Length Of Stay ◽

Critically Ill ◽

Critically Ill Patients ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Hospital Length ◽

Hospital Length Of Stay ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Icu Length Of Stay ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale

Purpose: Hypophosphatemia is reported in up to 5% of hospitalized patients and ranges from 20% to 80% in critically ill patients. The consequences of hypophosphatemia for critically ill patients remain controversial. We evaluated the effect of hypophosphatemia on mortality and length of stay in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library (Reviews and Trials), and PubMed were searched for articles in English. The primary outcome was mortality and secondary outcome was length of stay. The quality of evidence was graded using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results: Our search yielded 828 articles and ultimately included 12 studies with 7626 participants in the analysis. Hypophosphatemia was associated with increased hospital length of stay (2.19 days [95% CI, 1.74-2.64]) and ICU length of stay (2.22 days [95% CI, 1.00-3.44]) but not mortality (risk ratio: 1.13 [95% CI, 0.98-1.31]; P = .09). Conclusions: Hypophosphatemia in ICU was associated with increased hospital and ICU length of stay but not all-cause mortality. Hypophosphatemia appears to be a marker of disease severity. Limited number of available studies and varied study designs did not allow for the ascertainment of the effect of severe hypophosphatemia on patient mortality.

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Clinical and Economic Outcomes of Telemedicine Programs in the Intensive Care Unit: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Journal of Intensive Care Medicine ◽

10.1177/0885066617726942 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 33 (7) ◽

pp. 383-393 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Jing Chen ◽

Dalong Sun ◽

Weiming Yang ◽

Mingli Liu ◽

Shufan Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Hospital Mortality ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Hospital Length ◽

Hospital Length Of Stay ◽

Icu Length Of Stay ◽

The Impact

Objective: To evaluate the impact of telemedicine programs in intensive care unit (Tele-ICU) on ICU or hospital mortality or ICU or hospital length of stay and to summarize available data on implementation cost of Tele-ICU. Methods: Controlled trails or observational studies assessing outcomes of interest were identified by searching 7 electronic databases from inception to July 2016 and related journals and conference literatures between 2000 and 2016. Two reviewers independently screened searched records, extracted data, and assessed the quality of included studies. Random-effect models were applied to meta-analyses and sensitivity analysis. Results: Nineteen of 1035 records fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The pooled effects demonstrated that Tele-ICU programs were associated with reductions in ICU mortality (15 studies; risk ratio [RR], 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72 to 0.96; P = .01), hospital mortality (13 studies; RR, 0.74; 95% CIs, 0.58 to 0.96; P = .02), and ICU length of stay (9 studies; mean difference [MD], −0.63; 95% CI, −0.28 to 0.17; P = .007). However, there is no significant association between the reduction in hospital length of stay and Tele-ICU programs. Summary data concerning costs suggested approximately US$50 000 to US$100 000 per Tele-ICU bed was required to implement Tele-ICU programs for the first year. Hospital costs of US$2600 reduction to US$5600 increase per patient were estimated using Tele-ICU programs. Conclusions: This systematic review and meta-analysis provided limited evidence that Tele-ICU approaches may reduce the ICU and hospital mortality, shorten the ICU length of stay, but have no significant effect in hospital length of stay. Implementation of Tele-ICU programs substantially costs and its long-term cost-effectiveness is still unclear.

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Local or general anesthesia for TAVI surgery? An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/eurheartj/ehab724.1670 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 42 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

D R Cheng

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Mortality Rate ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Cohort Studies ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Hospital Length ◽

Cardiovascular Drugs ◽

Hospital Length Of Stay ◽

Procedure Time ◽

Procedural Success

Abstract Background The choice of anesthesia for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is still under controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the safety of local anesthesia (LA) with or without conscious sedation (CS) and general anesthesia (GA) for the TAVI-procedure. Methods This meta-analysis is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021221777). We searched OVID, PUBMED, EMBASE, Web of Science databases to collect all the related studies published from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2020. The primary outcome measures were hospital length of stay, operation time, 30-day mortality, use of cardiovascular drugs, permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation rate, stroke rate, the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI), incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI), major bleeding (MB) rate, rate of procedural success. Results A total of 33 studies (3 RCT studies, 23 retrospective cohort studies, 4 prospective cohort studies, 3 case-control studies) including 23244 patients were analyzed. There were no significant statistically differences between LA and GA with respect to PPM [OR=0.99, 95% CI (0.88, 1.11), P=0.88], shock [OR=0.91, 95% CI (0.69, 1.21), P=0.52], MI [OR=0.89, 95% CI (0.52, 1.53), P=0.68], AKI [OR=1.26, 95% CI (0.99, 1.62), P=0.06], rate of procedural success [OR=0.66, 95% CI (0.43, 1.03), P=0.06]. However, compared to GA, LA for TAVI was associated with a significantly shorter hospital length of stay [WMD=−2.45, 95% CI (−2.77, −2.13), P<0.ehab724.16701], a reduction in procedure time [WMD=−12.32, 95% CI (−13.78, −10.87), P<0.ehab724.16701], a reduction in using of cardiovascular drugs [OR=0.52, 95% CI (0.35, 0.78), P=0.002] and in MB [OR=0.59, 95% CI (0.46, 0.75), P<0.0001], reduced 30-day mortality rate [OR=1.19, 95% CI (1.00, 1.42), P=0.05]. Conclusion This Systematic review and meta-analysis showed that compared to GA, LA for TAVI can reduce hospital length of stay, procedure time, 30-day mortality rate, use of cardiovascular drugs, and MB rate, but no significant differences in PPM, shock, MI, AKI, and the rate of procedural success. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

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1951. Extended Infusions of Β-lactam Antibiotics are Feasible and May Improve Mortality in the Pediatric Population

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofz359.128 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. S59-S60

Author(s):

Rachael L Schortemeyer ◽

Tracy N Zembles ◽

Glenn Bushee ◽

Evelyn Kuhn ◽

Michelle L Mitchell

Keyword(s):

Length Of Stay ◽

Clinical Outcomes ◽

Critically Ill ◽

Interim Analysis ◽

Pediatric Population ◽

Hospital Length ◽

Hospital Length Of Stay ◽

Readmission Rates ◽

Drug Concentrations ◽

All Cause Mortality

Abstract Background Infections due to multi-drug-resistant organisms (MDRO) are associated with poor clinical outcomes. Due to limited treatment options for MDROs, it is essential to improve the delivery of available antibiotics. Optimal efficacy of β-lactam antibiotics can be achieved when free drug concentrations exceed the minimum inhibitory concentration of the organism for at least 50% of the dosing interval. This is more feasible when extending the duration of infusion. Adult literature supporting the use of extended infusion β-lactams (EIBL) is robust; however, pediatric data are limited. Furthermore, extended infusions (EI) may be more difficult to achieve in pediatric patients due to limited intravenous line access. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of EIBLs as the standard of care and compare clinical outcomes between standard infusions (SI) and extended infusions (EI). Methods This retrospective chart analysis included hospitalized patients less than 18 years old between October 1, 2017 and March 31, 2019 who received at least 72 hours of cefepime, piperacillin/tazobactam, or meropenem. Patients weighing less than 3.5 kg or requiring continuous renal replacement therapy were excluded. EI were defined as antibiotic delivery over 3–4 hours, while SI were delivered over 30 minutes. The percent of patients completing therapy utilizing EI was measured. Clinical outcomes compared hospital length of stay; time to blood culture clearance, defervescence, inflammatory marker normalization; 30-day readmission rates; and 30-day all-cause mortality between the SI and EI groups. Results A total of 560 patients were included in the interim analysis. Over 90% of patients were able to complete therapy utilizing EI (Figure 1). The EI group had lower readmission rates, but the interim analysis has not yet controlled for planned admissions. A sub-analysis of critically ill patients requiring vasopressors identified a lower mortality rate (5.1% vs. 23.1%, P = 0.023) and decreased the length of stay (554 vs. 1,055 hours, P = 0.035) in the EI compared with SI group (Table 1). Conclusion EIBLs are feasible in the pediatric population and may lead to improved outcomes including decreased all-cause mortality and hospital length of stay, especially in critically ill children. Disclosures All Authors: No reported Disclosures.

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Efficacy of Prehabilitation Including Exercise on Postoperative Outcomes Following Abdominal Cancer Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Frontiers in Surgery ◽

10.3389/fsurg.2021.628848 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Jamie L. Waterland ◽

Orla McCourt ◽

Lara Edbrooke ◽

Catherine L. Granger ◽

Hilmy Ismail ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Functional Capacity ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Hospital Length ◽

Cancer Surgery ◽

Postoperative Outcomes ◽

Hospital Length Of Stay ◽

Whole Body ◽

Controlled Trials

Objectives: This systematic review set out to identify, evaluate and synthesise the evidence examining the effect of prehabilitation including exercise on postoperative outcomes following abdominal cancer surgery.Methods: Five electronic databases (MEDLINE 1946-2020, EMBASE 1947-2020, CINAHL 1937-2020, PEDro 1999-2020, and Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials 1991-2020) were systematically searched (until August 2020) for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the effects of prehabilitation interventions in patients undergoing abdominal cancer surgery. This review included any form of prehabilitation either unimodal or multimodal that included whole body and/or respiratory exercises as a stand-alone intervention or in addition to other prehabilitation interventions (such as nutrition and psychology) compared to standard care.Results: Twenty-two studies were included in the systematic review and 21 studies in the meta-analysis. There was moderate quality of evidence that multimodal prehabilitation improves pre-operative functional capacity as measured by 6 min walk distance (Mean difference [MD] 33.09 metres, 95% CI 17.69–48.50; p = <0.01) but improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness such as preoperative oxygen consumption at peak exercise (VO2 peak; MD 1.74 mL/kg/min, 95% CI −0.03–3.50; p = 0.05) and anaerobic threshold (AT; MD 1.21 mL/kg/min, 95% CI −0.34–2.76; p = 0.13) were not significant. A reduction in hospital length of stay (MD 3.68 days, 95% CI 0.92–6.44; p = 0.009) was observed but no effect was observed for postoperative complications (Odds Ratio [OR] 0.81, 95% CI 0.55–1.18; p = 0.27), pulmonary complications (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.28–1.01; p = 0.05), hospital re-admission (OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.61–1.90; p = 0.81) or postoperative mortality (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.43–2.09, p = 0.90).Conclusion: Multimodal prehabilitation improves preoperative functional capacity with reduction in hospital length of stay. This supports the need for ongoing research on innovative cost-effective prehabilitation approaches, research within large multicentre studies to verify this effect and to explore implementation strategies within clinical practise.

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Effect of timing of intubation on clinical outcomes of critically ill patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis of non-randomized cohort studies

Critical Care ◽

10.1186/s13054-021-03540-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Eleni Papoutsi ◽

Vassilis G. Giannakoulis ◽

Eleni Xourgia ◽

Christina Routsi ◽

Anastasia Kotanidou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Mechanical Ventilation ◽

Clinical Outcomes ◽

Critically Ill ◽

Critically Ill Patients ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Mortality And Morbidity ◽

Icu Admission ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Detectable Difference

Abstract Background Although several international guidelines recommend early over late intubation of patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), this issue is still controversial. We aimed to investigate the effect (if any) of timing of intubation on clinical outcomes of critically ill patients with COVID-19 by carrying out a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods PubMed and Scopus were systematically searched, while references and preprint servers were explored, for relevant articles up to December 26, 2020, to identify studies which reported on mortality and/or morbidity of patients with COVID-19 undergoing early versus late intubation. “Early” was defined as intubation within 24 h from intensive care unit (ICU) admission, while “late” as intubation at any time after 24 h of ICU admission. All-cause mortality and duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) were the primary outcomes of the meta-analysis. Pooled risk ratio (RR), pooled mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a random effects model. The meta-analysis was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020222147). Results A total of 12 studies, involving 8944 critically ill patients with COVID-19, were included. There was no statistically detectable difference on all-cause mortality between patients undergoing early versus late intubation (3981 deaths; 45.4% versus 39.1%; RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.99–1.15, p = 0.08). This was also the case for duration of MV (1892 patients; MD − 0.58 days, 95% CI − 3.06 to 1.89 days, p = 0.65). In a sensitivity analysis using an alternate definition of early/late intubation, intubation without versus with a prior trial of high-flow nasal cannula or noninvasive mechanical ventilation was still not associated with a statistically detectable difference on all-cause mortality (1128 deaths; 48.9% versus 42.5%; RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.99–1.25, p = 0.08). Conclusions The synthesized evidence suggests that timing of intubation may have no effect on mortality and morbidity of critically ill patients with COVID-19. These results might justify a wait-and-see approach, which may lead to fewer intubations. Relevant guidelines may therefore need to be updated.

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Music intervention to relieve anxiety and pain in adults undergoing cardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Open Heart ◽

10.1136/openhrt-2020-001474 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. e001474

Author(s):

Ellaha Kakar ◽

Ryan J Billar ◽

Joost van Rosmalen ◽

Markus Klimek ◽

Johanna J M Takkenberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Cardiac Surgery ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Numeric Rating Scale ◽

Hospital Length ◽

Hospital Length Of Stay ◽

Music Intervention ◽

Opioid Use ◽

Beneficial Effects

ObjectivesPrevious studies have reported beneficial effects of perioperative music on patients’ anxiety and pain. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials investigating music interventions in cardiac surgery.MethodsFive electronic databases were systematically searched. Primary outcomes were patients’ postoperative anxiety and pain. Secondary outcomes were hospital length of stay, opioid use, vital parameters and time on mechanical ventilation. PRISMA guidelines were followed and PROSPERO database registration was completed (CRD42020149733). A meta-analysis was performed using random effects models and pooled standardised mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated.ResultsTwenty studies were included for qualitative analysis (1169 patients) and 16 (987 patients) for meta-analysis. The first postoperative music session was associated with significantly reduced postoperative anxiety (SMD = –0.50 (95% CI –0.67 to –0.32), p<0.01) and pain (SMD = –0.51 (95% CI –0.84 to –0.19), p<0.01). This is equal to a reduction of 4.00 points (95% CI 2.56 to 5.36) and 1.05 points (95% CI 0.67 to 1.41) on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)/Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), respectively, for anxiety, and 1.26 points (95% CI 0.47 to 2.07) on the VAS/NRS for pain. Multiple days of music intervention reduced anxiety until 8 days postoperatively (SMD = –0.39 (95% CI –0.64 to –0.15), p<0.01).ConclusionsOffering recorded music is associated with a significant reduction in postoperative anxiety and pain in cardiac surgery. Unlike pharmacological interventions, music is without side effects so is promising in this population.

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The Impact of Selenium Supplementation on Trauma Patients—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu14020342 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 342

Author(s):

Jen-Fu Huang ◽

Chih-Po Hsu ◽

Chun-Hsiang Ouyang ◽

Chi-Tung Cheng ◽

Chia-Cheng Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Length Of Stay ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Infectious Complications ◽

Hospital Length ◽

Hospital Length Of Stay ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Trauma Patients ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Standard Difference ◽

The Impact

This study aimed to assess current evidence regarding the effect of selenium (Se) supplementation on the prognosis in patients sustaining trauma. MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched with the following terms: “trace element”, “selenium”, “copper”, “zinc”, “injury”, and “trauma”. Seven studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that Se supplementation was associated with a lower mortality rate (OR 0.733, 95% CI: 0.586, 0.918, p = 0.007; heterogeneity, I2 = 0%). Regarding the incidence of infectious complications, there was no statistically significant benefit after analyzing the four studies (OR 0.942, 95% CI: 0.695, 1.277, p = 0.702; heterogeneity, I2 = 14.343%). The patients with Se supplementation had a reduced ICU length of stay (standard difference in means (SMD): −0.324, 95% CI: −0.382, −0.265, p < 0.001; heterogeneity, I2 = 0%) and lesser hospital length of stay (SMD: −0.243, 95% CI: −0.474, −0.012, p < 0.001; heterogeneity, I2 = 45.496%). Se supplementation after trauma confers positive effects in decreasing the mortality and length of ICU and hospital stay.

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What Is the Impact of Ambulatory Vital Sign Monitoring on Deterioration Detection and Related Clinical Outcomes in Hospitalised Patients: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-697407/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Carlos Morgado Areia ◽

Christopher Biggs ◽

Mauro Santos ◽

Neal Thurley ◽

Stephen Gerry ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Clinical Outcomes ◽

Standard Care ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Ambulatory Monitoring ◽

Hospital Length ◽

Hospital Length Of Stay ◽

Monitoring Systems ◽

Hospitalised Patients ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background: Timely recognition of the deteriorating inpatient remains challenging. Ambulatory monitoring systems (AMS) may augment current monitoring practices. However, there are many challenges to implementation in the hospital environment, and evidence describing the clinical impact of AMS on deterioration detection and patient outcome remains unclear. Objective: To assess the impact of vital signs monitoring on detection of deterioration and related clinical outcomes in hospitalised patients using ambulatory monitoring systems, in comparison with standard care.Methods: A systematic search was conducted in August 2020 using MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CENTRAL and Health Technology Assessment databases, as well as grey literature. Studies comparing the use of AMS against standard care for deterioration detection and related clinical outcomes in hospitalised patients were included. Deterioration related outcomes (primary) included unplanned intensive care admissions, rapid response team or cardiac arrest activation, total and major complications rate. Other clinical outcomes (secondary) included in-hospital mortality and hospital length of stay. Exploratory outcomes included alerting system parameters and clinical trial registry information. Results: Of 8706 citations, 10 studies with different designs met the inclusion criteria, of which 7 were included in the meta-analyses. Overall study quality was moderate. The meta-analysis indicated that the AMS, when compared with standard care, was associated with a reduction in intensive care transfers (risk ratio, RR, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.66 to 1.15), rapid response or cardiac arrest team activation (RR, 0.84; 95% CI 0.69 to 1.01), total (RR, 0.77; 95% CI 0.44 to 1.32) and major (RR, 0.55; 95% CI 0.24 to 1.30) complications prevalence. There was also association with reduced mortality (RR, 0.48; 95% CI 0.18 to 1.29) and hospital length of stay (mean difference, MD, -0.09; 95% CI -0.43 to 0.44). However, none were statistically significant.Conclusion: This systematic review indicates that implementation of AMS may have a positive impact on early deterioration detection and associated clinical outcomes, but differing design/quality of available studies and diversity of outcomes measures limits a definite conclusion. Our narrative findings suggested that alarms should be adjusted to minimise false alerts and promote rapid clinical action in response to deterioration.PROSPERO Registration number: CRD42020188633

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Abstract 17143: Shorter Length of Stay is Associated With Significantly Lower 30-day All-cause Readmission and 30-day All-cause Mortality in Older Medicare Beneficiaries Hospitalized for Heart Failure

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.132.suppl_3.17143 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽

Author(s):

Cherinne Arundel ◽

Ali Ahmed ◽

Rahul Khosla ◽

Charles Faselis ◽

Charity Morgan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Prospective Payment System ◽

Early Discharge ◽

Continuous Variable ◽

Hospital Length ◽

Hospital Length Of Stay ◽

Medicare Beneficiaries ◽

Post Discharge ◽

All Cause Mortality

Background: A shorter hospital length of stay, encouraged by Prospective Payment System Act, may result in suboptimal care and early discharge. Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause for 30-day all-cause readmission. However, it is unknown whether hospitalized HF patients with a shorter length of stay may have higher 30-day all-cause readmission, the reduction of which is a goal of the Affordable Care Act. Methods: The 8049 Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for HF and discharged alive from 106 U.S. hospitals (1998-2001) had a median length of stay of 5 days (interquartile, 4-8 days), of which 4272 (53%) had length of stay ≤ 5 days. Using propensity scores for length of stay 1-5 days, we assembled a matched cohort of 2788 pairs of patients with length of stay 1-5 and ≥6 days, balanced on 32 baseline characteristics. Results: 30-day all-cause readmission occurred in 19% and 23% of matched patients with length of stay 1-5 and ≥6 days, respectively (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.70-0.89; Figure, left panel). When the length of stay of the 8049 pre-match patients was used as a continuous variable and adjusted for the same 32 variables, each day longer hospital stay was associated with a 2% higher risk of 30-day all-cause readmission (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.03; p<0.001). Among matched patients, HR for 30-day HF readmission associated with length of stay 1-5 days was 0.84 (95% CI, 0.69-1.01; p=0.063). 30-day all-cause mortality occurred in 4.6% and 6.2% of matched patients with length of stay 1-5 and ≥6 days, respectively (HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.58-0.91; Figure, right panel). These associations persisted throughout 12 months post-discharge. Conclusions: Among hospitalized patients with HF, length of stay 1-5 days (vs. longer) was associated with significantly lower 30-day all-cause readmissions and all-cause mortality that persisted throughout first year post-discharge.

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