A real-time electronic alert to improve detection of acute kidney injury in a large teaching hospital.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and serious problem in hospitalized patients. Early detection is critical for optimal management but in practice is currently inadequate. To improve outcomes in AKI, development of early detection tools is essential. METHODS: We developed an automated real-time electronic alert system employing algorithms which combined internationally recognized criteria for AKI [Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End-stage kidney disease (RIFLE) and Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN)]. All adult patients admitted to Nottingham University Hospitals were included. Where a patient's serum creatinine increased sufficiently to define AKI, an electronic alert was issued, with referral to an intranet-based AKI guideline. Incidence of AKI Stages 1-3, in-hospital mortality, length of stay and distribution between specialties is reported. RESULTS: Between May 2011 and April 2013, 59,921 alerts resulted from 22,754 admission episodes, associated with 15,550 different patients. Overall incidence of AKI for inpatients was 10.7%. Highest AKI stage reached was: Stage 1 in 7.2%, Stage 2 in 2.2% and Stage 3 in 1.3%. In-hospital mortality for all AKI stages was 18.5% and increased with AKI stage (12.5, 28.4, 35.7% for Stages 1, 2 and 3 AKI, respectively). Median length of stay was 9 days for all AKI. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first fully automated real time AKI e-alert system, using AKIN and RIFLE criteria, to be introduced to a large National Health Service hospital. It has provided one of the biggest single-centre AKI datasets in the UK revealing mortality rates which increase with AKI stage. It is likely to have improved detection and management of AKI. The methodology is transferable to other acute hospitals.

Impact of COX-2 rs5275 and rs20417 and GPIIIa rs5918 polymorphisms on 90-day ischemic stroke functional outcome: a novel finding.

We hypothesized that polymorphisms in 5 genes related to thrombolytic and inflammation pathways will independently influence occurrence, severity, and 3-month functional outcome in patients with ischemic stroke. This was a case-control design with ischemic stroke patients recruited from 4 public hospitals (n = 640) and community controls (n = 627). Baseline clinical data were collected, and follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with 520 patients at 90 days postevent to determine stroke outcome using the Barthel Index (BI), Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS). Blood samples were collected and genotyped for polymorphisms in platelet glycoprotein Ibα (GPIbα) rs224309 and rs6065, glycoprotein IIIa (GPIIIa) rs5918, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) rs63020761, plasminogen activating inhibitor (PAI-1) rs72578597, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) rs5275 and rs20417. COX-2 polymorphism rs5275 demonstrated a significant association with poststroke mRS, with a dominant genetic model demonstrating the best fit (CC + TC) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.61; P = .026). The COX-2 rs20417 C allele showed an association with GOS (aOR = 1.95; P = .012), and again a dominant genetic model demonstrated the best fit (CC + GC). GPIIIa rs5918 (A1A2) was associated with poststroke BI, with a dominant model demonstrating the best fit (A1A2 + A2A2) (aOR = 0.56; P = .014). There was a significant association between stroke severity and tPA rs63020761 TT allele (aOR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.03-3.72; P = .040). This is the first study to demonstrate associations between stroke functional outcome and 2 COX-2 variants (rs20417 and rs5275) and a GPIIIa variant (rs5918).

Hepatitis C virus infection rates and risk factors in an Australian hospital endoscopy cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the reservoir and risk factors of HCV infection in a hospital population. METHODS: The presence of anti-HCV in 2,119 endoscopy patients was related to putative risk factors for exposure using the SAS statistical package. RESULTS: Most of the 4.7% of anti-HCV positive patients had multiple risk factors for HCV exposure. The risk was significantly increased in patients; with a previous history of hepatitis (36.4 fold), past history of injecting drugs (IDU) (32.1 fold), those born in North Africa, Middle East and Mediterranean countries (4.3 fold), had been tattooed before 1980s (3.3 fold), from 1980s-1990s (5.9 fold), had acupuncture before 1980s (3.8 fold), had a blood transfusion (3.6 fold), had clotting factors or growth hormone (4 fold), had contact with someone diagnosed with hepatitis in 1990s (4.1 fold). Of the anti-HCV patients 38 had a history of IDU, 43 were migrants and 10 were both. CONCLUSION: Anti-HCV prevalence was five times higher than predicted by the passive surveillance scheme and 20% of patients were unaware of their infection. Only one of these patients reported IDU. The evidence of HCV intersecting epidemics between developing and developed countries in Australia was strongly supported. IMPLICATIONS: The study provides a rational basis for targeted programs to identify asymptomatic HCV carriers who might benefit from the new antiviral treatment.

A prospective study of the efficacy of routine decontamination for gastrointestinal endoscopes and the risk factors for failure.

BACKGROUND: Patient-ready endoscopes were monitored over an 80-week period to determine the efficacy of decontamination procedures in a busy endoscopy center. Decontamination failure was related to patient and procedural parameters. METHODS: Samples from patient-ready endoscopes were cultured aerobically and anaerobically and subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and HIV. PCR to detect coliforms from 109 culture negative washes was used as a surrogate marker for biofilm in endoscopes. PCR was used to detect the presence of Helicobactor pylori in endoscopes used on infected patients. Procedural information such as biopsy retrieval, endoscope number, diagnosis, attending personnel, and decontamination system procedures was collected. RESULTS: Gastroscopes (n = 1,376) and colonoscopes (n = 987) were equally contaminated (1.8% vs 1.9%, respectively) with low numbers of organisms commonly isolated from the nasopharynx and/or feces. Only 1 wash contained viral nucleic acid (HCV). There was a significant correlation (P < .001) between the number of times a patient-ready endoscope was contaminated and its frequency of use. Colonoscopes used on patients with gastrointestinal disease were significantly more likely to remain contaminated through the decontamination process (P < .05). All other patient, staff, and decontamination system parameters remained not statistically significant. Coliform DNA was detected in 40% of culture-negative washes collected from patient-ready endoscopes, suggesting the presence of biofilm. No H pylori DNA was detected. CONCLUSION: Recommended decontamination procedures do not entirely eliminate persistence of low numbers of organisms on a few endoscopes, but this is unlikely to cause serious consequences in patients. Bacterial biofilm is difficult to remove and may explain this low-level persistence.

The impact of hepatitis B vaccination in a Western country: recall of vaccination and serological status in Australian adults.

Notifications of acute icteric hepatitis B have declined since the introduction of vaccination but it is not clear whether the reservoir of infection and the proportion of adults who remain susceptible have also changed. This has been investigated by evaluation of serological evidence of infection and immunity, patient recall of vaccination and risk factors for exposure to hepatitis B in 2115 adult endoscopy patients in central Sydney. Twenty-one percent were immune, two thirds of these by vaccination. One third of the 440 who recalled "vaccination" were anti-HBs negative. 2.1% of the cohort was HBsAg positive and of these 31% (14/45) were viraemic. Amongst epidemiological risk groups recommended for vaccination, multivariate analysis showed that health care workers (odd ratio, OR = 5.35) and patients diagnosed with hepatitis A (OR = 2.6) or hepatitis C (OR = 2.1) were 5.35, 2.6 and 2.1 times more likely to be immunised, respectively. The great majority of immigrants from high prevalence countries, and of patients reporting other known risks for hepatitis B exposure remain susceptible.

The significance of transfusion in the past as a risk for current hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection: a study in endoscopy patients.

BACKGROUND: The objective was to determine the contribution of transfusion in the past to the risk of current infection with hepatitis B or C among patients attending a large hospital for endoscopic procedures. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Blood samples had been tested for hepatitis markers by routine methods. Patients completed a comprehensive risk factor questionnaire and results were analyzed using computer software. RESULTS: Twenty-seven percent of the 2120 participants in the study received transfusions in the past. There was no increase in prevalence of hepatitis B among those transfused. Compared with nontransfused participants, recipients of blood before the implementation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening in 1990 had a 4.6-fold increased risk of HCV infection, whereas those transfused with screened blood had a 3-fold increased risk. The difference between the odds ratios for patients before and after screening was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Because screening has almost completely eliminated HCV from the blood supply, our finding of a continuing association of HCV infection with transfusion was unexpected. It implies that there are significant other nosocomial risks for hepatitis C transmission associated with the clinical situations where patients received blood. These should be actively investigated.