scholarly journals Treatment of Hypertriglyceridemia with Aggressive Continuous Intravenous Insulin

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 336-342
Author(s):  
Abigail Hoff ◽  
Kara Piechowski

Purpose: Severe hypertriglyceridemia requiring hospitalization for intravenous insulin to lower triglycerides and prevent complications of pancreatitis is becoming an increasing problem with little consensus treatment evidence. This is the largest case series to date to evaluate this under-studied area of literature. The objective of this study was to determine the average time to triglyceride lowering less than 500 mg/dL. Methods: This was a retrospective case series from March 2018 to March 2020 at a single rural academic medical center. 23 patients were included who received weight-based intravenous insulin at 0.1 units/kg/hour through a hypertriglyceridemia management order-set over a two-year period. Results: The median triglyceride level at initiation of the insulin infusion was 3759 mg/dL with an interquartile range of 5555. The median time to a triglyceride level less than 1000 mg/dL and 500 mg/dL was 45 hours (1.8 days) and 75 hours (3.1 days) respectively. Patients remained on intravenous insulin for a median of 60 hours (2.5 days). Conclusions: In this largest case series to date evaluating the use of intravenous insulin for the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia, a weight-based insulin infusion demonstrated reduction of triglyceride levels to less than 1000 mg/dL in approximately 2 days and less than 500 mg/dL in approximately 3 days.

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lance T. Uradomo ◽  
Peter E. Darwin

Background. The use of through-the-scope (TTS) miniprobe catheter endoscopic ultrasound is a valuable technique for evaluating subepithelial lesions in the proximal colon. Few reports include the evaluation of the appendix by EUS. Objective. To describe endoscopic and endosonographic characteristics of subepithelial lesions of the appendix. Methods. Retrospective case series in a single academic medical center. Adult patients referred for evaluation of subepithelial lesions of the appendix identified by colonoscopy between April 1, 2003 to February 29, 2008. Data were abstracted from an electronic endoscopic database for all patients undergoing miniprobe endoscopic ultrasound examination of the appendix. Medical records were reviewed for patient followup and outcomes. Results. Nine cases were identified. Seven (78%) patients were female. Seven (78%) utilized the 12 MHz miniprobe device and two (22%) used the 20 MHz device. Three mucoceles were described and confirmed by surgical resection. Cases also included one inverted appendix, one gastrointestinal stromal tumor, and one lipoma. In three cases, no abnormality was found. Conclusions. EUS evaluation of the appendix is feasible with standard miniprobe devices and may assist in the selection of patients who may benefit from surgical management.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert P Lennon ◽  
Theodore J Demetriou ◽  
M Fahad Khalid ◽  
Lauren Jodi Van Scoy ◽  
Erin L Miller ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Introduction Virtually all hospitalized coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outcome data come from urban environments. The extent to which these findings are generalizable to other settings is unknown. Coronavirus disease-2019 data from large, urban settings may be particularly difficult to apply in military medicine, where practice environments are often semi-urban, rural, or austere. The purpose of this study is compare presenting characteristics and outcomes of U.S. patients with COVID-19 in a nonurban setting to similar patients in an urban setting. Materials and Methods This is a retrospective case series of adults with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection who were admitted to Hershey Medical Center (HMC), a 548-bed tertiary academic medical center in central Pennsylvania serving semi-urban and rural populations, from March 23, 2020, to April 20, 2020 (the first month of COVID-19 admissions at HMC). Patients and outcomes of this cohort were compared to published data on a cohort of similar patients from the New York City (NYC) area. Results The cohorts had similar age, gender, comorbidities, need for intensive care or mechanical ventilation, and most vital sign and laboratory studies. The NYC’s cohort had shorter hospital stays (4.1 versus 7.2 days, P < .001) but more African American patients (23% versus 12%, P = .02) and higher prevalence of abnormal alanine (>60U/L; 39.0% versus 5.9%, P < .001) and aspartate (>40U/L; 58.4% versus 42.4%, P = .012) aminotransferase, oxygen saturation <90% (20.4% versus 7.2%, P = .004), and mortality (21% versus 1.4%, P < .001). Conclusions Hospitalists in nonurban environments would be prudent to use caution when considering the generalizability of results from dissimilar regions. Further investigation is needed to explore the possibility of reproducible causative systemic elements that may help improve COVID-19-related outcomes. Broader reports of these relationships across many settings will offer military medical planners greater ability to consider outcomes most relevant to their unique settings when considering COVID-19 planning.


2019 ◽  
Vol 161 (1) ◽  
pp. 164-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyndy J. Wilcox ◽  
Claudia Schweiger ◽  
Catherine K. Hart ◽  
Alessandro de Alarcon ◽  
Nithin S. Peddireddy ◽  
...  

ObjectiveThis study documents the growth and course of repaired complete tracheal rings over time after slide tracheoplasty.Study DesignCase series with review.SettingTertiary pediatric academic medical center.Subjects/MethodsMedical records of pediatric patients with confirmed tracheal rings on bronchoscopy who underwent slide tracheoplasty between January 2001 and December 2015 were reviewed. Patients who had operative notes documenting tracheal sizing over time were included. Exclusion criteria included tracheal stenosis not caused by complete tracheal rings, surgical repair prior to presentation at our institution, or lack of adequate sizing information. The postoperative follow-up was examined and airway growth over time documented.ResultsOf 197 slide tracheoplasties performed during the study time period, 139 were for complete tracheal rings, and 40 of those children met inclusion criteria. The median age at time of surgery was 7 months, and the median initial airway size was 3.9 mm (n = 34). The median growth postoperatively was 1.9 mm over a median follow-up period of 57 months (0.42 mm/year), which is similar to growth rates of unrepaired complete tracheal rings ( P = .53). Children underwent a median of 10 postoperative endoscopies, with time between endoscopies increasing further out from surgery. The most commonly performed adjunctive procedure was balloon dilation.ConclusionsThis is the first study documenting continued growth of repaired complete tracheal rings after slide tracheoplasty. Postoperative endoscopic surveillance ensures adequate growth. Intervals between airway endoscopies can be increased as the child gets older, as the airway increases in size, and as long as symptoms are minimal.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Perisa ◽  
Keri Streby ◽  
Mark Ranalli ◽  
Micah A. Skeens ◽  
Nilay Shah

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (11) ◽  
pp. 1127-1129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Chang ◽  
M. Todd Greene ◽  
Carol E. Chenoweth ◽  
Latoya Kuhn ◽  
Emily Shuman ◽  
...  

Little is known about the epidemiology of nosocomial urinary tract-related bloodstream infection. In a case series from an academic medical center, Enterococcus (28.7%) and Candida (19.6%) species were the predominant microorganisms, which suggests a potential shift from gram-negative microorganisms. A case-fatality rate of 32.8% highlights the severity of this condition.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Andrew McCracken ◽  
Mohamed Nakeshbandi ◽  
Jeffrey Arace ◽  
Wayne J Riley ◽  
Roopali Sharma

Abstract Background Available studies are lacking in analysis of baseline demographics and hospital presentation of patients at risk of expiring due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), particularly Black American patients. We conducted a retrospective chart review to determine similarities in demographics and hospital presentation among patients who expired due to COVID-19 at an academic medical center in Brooklyn, New York.Study design and methods This is a retrospective observational study of 200 patients who expired due to complications of COVID-19. Patients were included in this study if they had laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and expired during their admission. Data were collected on patients who expired between March 17 and April 16, 2020. Results A vast majority of patients were Black Americans (89%) with no history of international travel who had more than one comorbidity (81%), with the most common comorbidities being hypertension (84·5%), diabetes mellitus (57·5%), and obesity (41·5%). Fifty-five percent of our patient population had three or more comorbidities. Among patients with available data, C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, and ferritin values were elevated above normal limits at admission. Dyspnea was the most common presenting symptom (92·5%). Most (90·5%) presented within the first week of symptoms, with a median time of symptoms prior to expiration being 8·42 days (IQR 5·57 – 12·72). Interpretation Socioeconomic status and healthcare inequalities have greatly affected the Black population of Brooklyn, New York, and these disparities become even more apparent in COVID-19 infection. Patients presenting with numerous comorbidities and elevated inflammatory markers represent a population at high risk of in-hospital mortality.


2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (30_suppl) ◽  
pp. 283-283
Author(s):  
Jim Doolin ◽  
Daniel Aaron Roberts ◽  
Christina Cibotti ◽  
Scott M Devlin ◽  
Holly Dowling ◽  
...  

283 Background: Monitoring of toxicity and adherence is often lacking for patients recently started on oral chemotherapy. National guidelines recommend active outreach to patients within a week after treatment start. We developed an online tool to actively reach out to patients newly started on oral chemotherapy at one academic medical center and community practice. Methods: A multi-disciplinary team, including patients, developed an online oral chemotherapy adherence, symptom, and financial toxicity assessment tool within REDCap. We implemented this tool for new oral chemotherapy prescriptions in May 2018 in the gastrointestinal oncology group of an academic medical center and a general community practice. To quantify the impact of this tool on symptom management, we completed a retrospective analysis of patients receiving new oral chemotherapy prescriptions at these same sites, in the 13 months immediately preceding clinical implementation of the online tool, May 2017 to May 2018. Results: In the pre-intervention historical cohort (n = 58) the median time to first symptom assessment by a clinician was 7 days (range 1 – 41 days, SD 7 days), median time to identifying a new or worsening symptom was 10 days (range 1-55 days, SD 10 days), and median time to clinical action regarding a new or worsening symptom was 10 days (range 1-104, SD 20 days). Our first intervention patient used the online tool in May 2018 to report symptoms of “nausea and fatigue,” 4 days after starting oral chemotherapy. This resulted in an oncology clinical nurse calling the patient to review symptom management by phone. Conclusions: The median time to first symptom assessment in our historical control cohort is 7 days, with standard deviation of 7 days, suggesting potential room for improvement. Thus far, the online tool has been completed by one patient. Further data will be reported regarding the uptake of this tool, the tool’s impact on quality measures, and patient reported symptoms, adherence, and financial toxicity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 215265672110450
Author(s):  
Milap D. Raikundalia ◽  
Ryan J. Huang ◽  
Lyndon Chan ◽  
Tracy Truong ◽  
Maragatha Kuchibhatla ◽  
...  

Objective To assess olfactory outcomes as measured by an olfactory-specific quality of life (QOL) questionnaire in patients undergoing EESBS for sellar lesions. Design Retrospective case series. Setting Tertiary academic medical center. Participants In total, 36 patients undergoing EESBS for lesions limited to the sella were evaluated. Main Outcome Measures The following were performed before and three months after surgery: 22-Item Sinonasal Outcomes Test (SNOT-22), University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), and the Assessment of Self-reported Olfactory Functioning (ASOF), which has three domains: subjective olfactory capability scale (SOC), smell-related problems (SRP), and olfactory-related quality of life (ORQ). Results Median age at surgery was 52.5 years, with a median tumor size of 1.8 cm (range: 0.2 to 3.9 cm). Pre- and postoperative median scores were 35 [34, 36.2] and 34.5 [32, 36] for UPSIT, 21 [7.5, 33.5] and 21.5 [6.8, 35.7] for SNOT-22, 10 [9, 10] and 9 [8, 10] for ASOF-SOC, 5 [4.8, 5] and 4.5 [4, 5] for ASOF-SRP, and 5 [5, 5] and 5 [4.5, 5] for ASOF-ORQ. There was no significant change in the two of the three domains of the ASOF. Correlation between ASOF and UPSIT scores were weak. Older age and larger tumor size were associated with worsened olfaction after surgery. Conclusions Patients did not experience significant changes in olfactory-specific QOL three months after EESBS, as measured by two domains of the ASOF. The ASOF may serve as a useful adjunctive tool for assessing olfaction after surgery. The lack of correlation between UPSIT and ASOF suggests the need for more research in subjective olfactory-related quality of life after surgery.


Stroke ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah C Ramos ◽  
Cynthia Steffen ◽  
Sarah Gay ◽  
Julio Chalela

Background: Historically stroke patients receiving intravenous tPA are admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). Providing post-tPA care in a non-ICU setting could result in cost reduction and allow allocation of ICU beds to other critically ill patients. We sought to determine if care can be provided safely and effectively for post-tPA patients in a Neuro Intermediate Unit (NIU). Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective case series study performed in a tertiary academic medical center with a comprehensive, accredited, stroke program. We analyzed ischemic stroke patients admitted to our NIU during a 24-month period. A standardized data collection form was used to abstract data from medical records. Results: During a 24-month period 104 patients were admitted for post-tPA stroke care. The sample is composed of 60 males and 44 females. The median age was 69.5 and the mean age was 67.96. The sample is composed of 72 (69%) White and 32 (31%) Black patients. The mean admission NIHSS was 9.32. The most common stroke risk factors were hypertension (76%), diabetes mellitus (25%), hyperlipidemia (51%), tobacco use (21%), atrial fibrillation (21%), prior stroke (26%), congestive heart failure (20%), and coronary artery disease (21%). Mean admission systolic blood pressure was 143.5 mm Hg. For blood pressure management, 18% of the patients received medication by intravenous push and 5.7% by continuous infusion to meet established goals. Gastrointestinal hemorrhage was seen in 1.9%, intracranial hemorrhage in 3.8%, and blood transfusions needed in 1.9%. Insulin drips were needed to control persistent hyperglycemia in 3.8%. Sepsis occurred in 0.96% patients. The rate of fatality was 3.8%. Excellent functional outcome as defined as Modified Rankin Score (mRS) less than 2 was seen in 46% of patients and minimal to no disability (mRS < 1 ) was seen in 35.6%. Conclusions: In this retrospective study, stroke patients receiving intravenous tPA admitted to an NIU had similar outcomes and complications to that described in previous data. Significant cost savings can be accomplished by admitting thrombolysis patients to an NIU without compromising patient safety. Specialized nursing care available in a stroke unit is a key component in improving patient outcome.


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