Challenges in Antenatal Corticosteroid Prescribing: A Retrospective Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 327-333
Author(s):  
Shannon Armstrong-Kempter ◽  
Lucinda Beech ◽  
Sarah J. Melov ◽  
Adrienne Kirby ◽  
Roshini Nayyar

Background: The discovery of the benefits of antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) for preterm infants was one of the most significant developments in obstetric care. However, due to the difficulty in predicting preterm delivery, optimal use of ACS, is challenging. Objective: To describe prescribing practices for antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) at a tertiary hospital over five years to determine whether ACS were received at optimal timing; to determine patient characteristics of women receiving ACS at optimal timing; to determine patient characteristics of those who did not receive ACS as indicated and to examine the trend in ACS prescribing over the study period. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of all deliveries from January 2011 to December 2015. The rates of ACS prescription for each group of women (preterm, late preterm, and term) were recorded and analysed. Results: A total of 65% of women who delivered before 34 weeks’ gestation received ACS. Of these women, 63% delivered within 7 days of receiving ACS. Women most likely to receive ACS with optimal timing were primiparous (relative risk [RR], 1.25 [CI, 1.08-1.45]), or women diagnosed with pre-eclampsia (RR, 1.34 [CI 1.10-1.63]), preterm premature rupture of membranes (RR, 1.33 [CI, 1.15-1.54]) or threatened preterm labour (RR, 1.42 [CI, 1.22-1.65]). Conclusion: A significant number of women and babies are exposed to ACS without commensurate benefit, and a significant number who deliver preterm do not receive ACS. The percentage of preterm and term infants receiving ACS should be determined to optimise service delivery.

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benju Pandit

Aim: To analyse the demographic factors and parity in women influencing choice of contraceptive methods. Methods: This is a hospital record based retrospective study at Bhaktapur hospital, a tertiary hospital in a span of 6 months from October 2020 to March 2021. Data were collected from medical record and descriptive analysis was done. Results: There were 142 women taking contraceptive service in six months.Implant was the most commonly used method of contraception (48%), followed by the IUCD (26%), Injectable (16%) and OCP (10%). Age group of 20-39 had more acceptance of contraception as compared to adolescent and women above 40. More the parity more usage of long acting reversible contraception was found. Conclusion: The most common contraceptive method used among women was implant. Client having two or more children are more to receive long acting contraception.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Paola Aghajanian ◽  
Quy T. Nguyen ◽  
Naomi H. Greene ◽  
Kimberly D. Gregory

Background. Accurate timing of antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) has resulted in improved neonatal outcomes. Objectives. Our primary objective was to determine predictors for optimal timing of ACS in women presenting with spontaneous preterm labor. Study Design. A retrospective cohort study of women receiving ACS for spontaneous preterm birth was conducted. Women were included if they presented with preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes. Accurate timing of ACS was defined as administration within 7 days of delivery. Maternal demographic and obstetrics characteristics were compared between the groups receiving ACS ≤7 days and >7 days from delivery. Statistical analyses were performed using parametric and nonparametric tests. P<0.05 was considered significant. Results. The study included 215 subjects. Median latency from ACS administration to delivery was 6 days (IQR 32). Accurate timing of ACS occurred in 113 (53%) women and was associated with rupture of membranes (OR 13.8, 95% CI 5.9–32.6), cervical change (OR 7.1, 95% CI 3.0–17.1), and cervical dilation ≥ 2 cm (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.5–10.3). Conclusions. Rupture of membranes, cervical change, and cervical dilation ≥ 2 cm were strong predictors of optimal timing. 53% of women with preterm labor received ACS optimally.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 375-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tristan B. Weir ◽  
Neil Sardesai ◽  
Julio J. Jauregui ◽  
Ehsan Jazini ◽  
Michael J. Sokolow ◽  
...  

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Objective: As hospital compensation becomes increasingly dependent on pay-for-performance and bundled payment compensation models, hospitals seek to reduce costs and increase quality. To our knowledge, no reported data compare these measures between hospital settings for elective lumbar procedures. The study compares hospital-reported outcomes and costs for elective lumbar procedures performed at a tertiary hospital (TH) versus community hospitals (CH) within a single health care system. Methods: Retrospective review of a physician-maintained, prospectively collected database consisting of 1 TH and 4 CH for 3 common lumbar surgeries from 2015 to 2016. Patients undergoing primary elective microdiscectomy for disc herniation, laminectomy for spinal stenosis, and laminectomy with fusion for degenerative spondylolisthesis were included. Patients were excluded for traumatic, infectious, or malignant pathology. Comparing hospital settings, outcomes included length of stay (LOS), rates of 30-day readmissions, potentially preventable complications (PPC), and discharge to rehabilitation facility, and hospital costs. Results: A total of 892 patients (n = 217 microdiscectomies, n = 302 laminectomies, and n = 373 laminectomy fusions) were included. The TH served a younger patient population with fewer comorbid conditions and a higher proportion of African Americans. The TH performed more decompressions ( P < .001) per level fused; the CH performed more interbody fusions ( P = .007). Cost of performing microdiscectomy ( P < .001) and laminectomy ( P = .014) was significantly higher at the TH, but there was no significant difference for laminectomy with fusion. In a multivariable stepwise linear regression analysis, the TH was significantly more expensive for single-level microdiscectomy ( P < .001) and laminectomy with single-level fusion ( P < .001), but trended toward significance for laminectomy without fusion ( P = .052). No difference existed for PPC or readmissions rate. Patients undergoing laminectomy without fusion were discharged to a facility more often at the TH ( P = .019). Conclusions: We provide hospital-reported outcomes between a TH and CH. Significant differences in patient characteristics and surgical practices exist between surgical settings. Despite minimal differences in hospital-reported outcomes, the TH was significantly more expensive.


Author(s):  
Abby P. Douglas ◽  
Lisa Hall ◽  
Rodney S. James ◽  
Leon J. Worth ◽  
Monica A. Slavin ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives: To compare antimicrobial prescribing practices in Australian hematology and oncology patients to noncancer acute inpatients and to identify targets for stewardship interventions. Design: Retrospective comparative analysis of a national prospectively collected database. Methods: Using data from the 2014–2018 annual Australian point-prevalence surveys of antimicrobial prescribing in hospitalized patients (ie, Hospital National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey called Hospital NAPS), the most frequently used antimicrobials, their appropriateness, and guideline concordance were compared among hematology/bone marrow transplant (hemBMT), oncology, and noncancer inpatients in the setting of treatment of neutropenic fever and antibacterial and antifungal prophylaxis. Results: In 454 facilities, 94,226 antibiotic prescriptions for 62,607 adult inpatients (2,230 hemBMT, 1,824 oncology, and 58,553 noncancer) were analyzed. Appropriateness was high for neutropenic fever management across groups (83.4%–90.4%); however, hemBMT patients had high rates of carbapenem use (111 of 746 prescriptions, 14.9%), and 20.2% of these prescriptions were deemed inappropriate. Logistic regression demonstrated that hemBMT patients were more likely to receive appropriate antifungal prophylaxis compared to oncology and noncancer patients (adjusted OR, 5.3; P < .001 for hemBMT compared to noncancer patients). Oncology had a low rate of antifungal prophylaxis guideline compliance (67.2%), and incorrect dosage and frequency were key factors. Compared to oncology patients, hemBMT patients were more likely to receive appropriate nonsurgical antibacterial prophylaxis (aOR, 8.4; 95% CI, 5.3–13.3; P < .001). HemBMT patients were also more likely to receive appropriate nonsurgical antibacterial prophylaxis compared to noncancer patients (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.9–5.0; P < .001). However, in the Australian context, the hemBMT group had higher than expected use of fluoroquinolone prophylaxis (66 of 831 prescriptions, 8%). Conclusions: This study demonstrates why separate analysis of hemBMT and oncology populations is necessary to identify specific opportunities for quality improvement in each patient group.


Author(s):  
Sanjula D. Singh ◽  
Floris H. B. M. Schreuder ◽  
Koen M. van Nieuwenhuizen ◽  
Wilmar M. Jolink ◽  
Jasper R. Senff ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In patients with spontaneous cerebellar intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) guidelines advocate evacuation when the hematoma diameter is > 3 cm. We studied outcome in patients with cerebellar ICH > 3 cm who did not undergo immediate hematoma evacuation. Methods We included consecutive patients with cerebellar ICH > 3 cm at two academic hospitals between 2008 and 2017. Patients who died < 24 h (h) were excluded because of probable confounding by indication. We determined patient characteristics, hematoma volumes, EVD placement, secondary hematoma evacuation, in-hospital and 3-month case-fatality, and functional outcome. Results Of 130 patients with cerebellar ICH, 98 (77%) had a hematoma > 3 cm of whom 22 (23%) died < 24 h and 28 (29%) underwent hematoma evacuation < 24 h. Thus, 48 patients were initially treated conservatively (mean age 70 ± 13, 24 (50%) female). Of these 48 patients, 7 (15%) underwent secondary hematoma evacuation > 24 h, of whom 1 (14%) had received an EVD < 24 h. Five others also received an EVD < 24 h without subsequent hematoma evacuation. Of the 41 patients without secondary hematoma evacuation, 11 (28%) died and 20 (51%) had a favorable outcome (mRS of 0–3) at 3 months. The 7 patients who underwent secondary hematoma evacuation had a decrease in GCS score of at least two points prior to surgery; two (29%) had deceased at 3 months; and 5 (71%) had a good functional outcome (mRS 0–3). Conclusions While cerebellar ICH > 3 cm is often considered an indication for immediate hematoma evacuation, there may be a subgroup of patients in whom surgery can be safely deferred. Further data are needed to assess the optimal timing and indications of surgical treatment in these patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S807-S807
Author(s):  
John Raymond U Go ◽  
Cristina G Corsini Campioli ◽  
Omar Abu Saleh ◽  
John Wilson ◽  
Sharon Deml ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Mycobacterium septicum is a rapidly growing non-tuberculous mycobacterium. It is a ubiquitous organism capable of causing infections in both healthy and immunocompromised individuals. Only a few cases have been reported to date, and standard therapeutic regimens, and optimal treatment duration have not been defined. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients seen at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN from July 2014 to March 2020 from whom Mycobacterium septicum was isolated in culture by our clinical microbiology laboratory. Results There were 12 patients identified with M. septicum infection – 7 males and 5 females. The average age was 67 years, with an age range of 48 to 80 years. Seven of 12 isolates obtained were from sputum samples. Only one patient was on immunosuppressive medication. Three cases were considered clinically significant infections for which directed anti-mycobacterial therapy was instituted. In two of these three cases, co-infection with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) was seen. Underlying structural lung disease was present in the two cases of pulmonary infections. Peritoneal dialysis catheter-related peritonitis was seen in the third case. All the isolates were susceptible to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, linezolid, moxifloxacin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX). The isolates were resistant to clarithromycin and doxycycline. Patient Characteristics, Associated M. septicum Illness, and Therapy Provided Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of the Mycobacterium septicum Isolates, MIC (mcg/mL) and Interpretation Patient Demographics and Specimen Source of Mycobacerium septicum Isolates Conclusion M. septicum is an unusual cause of non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection. The presence of a foreign body may increase the risk of infection. Individuals with underlying structural lung disease are also likely to be at increased risk of developing pulmonary infection. Generalized treatment recommendations are limited by the lack of prospective controlled trials; hence, optimal antibiotic regimen and treatment duration have not been firmly established. Susceptibility testing should be performed to guide treatment selection, but the use of combination therapy with potentially empiric agents like amikacin, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, linezolid, moxifloxacin, and TMP-SMX as demonstrated in this small study, can be considered. A high rate of macrolide resistance was noted in our study. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


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