Revisiting the Role of Balloon Atrial Septostomy Prior to the Arterial Switch Operation.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with dextro-transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA) frequently undergo balloon atrial septostomy (BAS) prior to the arterial switch operation (ASO) to promote atrial-level mixing. Balloon atrial septostomy has inherent risks as an invasive procedure and may not always be necessary. This study revisits the routine utilization of BAS prior to ASO. METHODS: Single-center, retrospective review of d-TGA patients undergoing the ASO from July 2018 to March 2023. Preoperative patient characteristics, pulse oximetry oxygen saturations (SpO2), cerebral/renal near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) readings along with prostaglandin status at the time of the ASO were analyzed with descriptive and univariate statistics. RESULTS: Thirty patients underwent the ASO. Of these, 7 (23%) were female, 25 (83%) were white, and median weight at ASO was 3.2 kg (range 0.8-4.2). Twenty-two (73%) patients underwent BAS. There were no demographic differences between BAS and no-BAS patients. Of those who underwent BAS, there was a significant increase in SpO2 (median 83% [range 54-92] to median 87% [range 72-95], P = .007); however, there was no change in NIRS from pre-to-post BAS. Six (27%) patients in the BAS group were prostaglandin-free at ASO. Balloon atrial septostomy patients underwent the ASO later compared with no-BAS patients (median 8 [range 3-32] vs 4 [range 2-10] days old, P = .016) and had a longer hospital length of stay (median 13 [range 7-43] vs 10 [range 8-131] days, P = .108). CONCLUSIONS: While BAS is an accepted preoperative procedure in d-TGA patients to improve oxygen saturations, it is also an additional invasive procedure, does not guarantee prostaglandin-free status at the time of ASO, and may increase the interval to ASO. Birth to direct early ASO, with prostaglandin support, should be revisited as an alternative, potentially more expeditious strategy.

Factors associated with higher hemoglobin A1c and type 2 diabetes-related costs: Secondary data analysis of adults 18 to 64 in Texas with commercial insurance.

OBJECTIVE: This study will identify factors associated with higher hemoglobin A1c (A1c) values and diabetes-related costs among commercially insured adults in Texas diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This secondary data analysis was based on claims data from commercially insured individuals 18-64 years of age residing in Texas with diagnosed type 2 diabetes during the 2018-2019 study period. The final analysis sample after all the exclusions consisted of 34,992 individuals. Measures included hemoglobin A1c, diabetes-related costs, Charlson Comorbidity Index, diabetes-related complications, rurality and other socioeconomic characteristics. Longitudinal A1c measurements were modeled using age, sex, rurality, comorbidity, and diabetes-related complications in generalized linear longitudinal regression models adjusting the observation time, which was one of the 8 quarters in 2018 and 2019. The diabetes-related costs were similarly modeled in both univariable and multivariable generalized linear longitudinal regression models adjusting the observation time by calendar quarters and covariates. RESULTS: The median A1c value was 7, and the median quarterly diabetes-related cost was $120. A positive statistically significant relationship (p = < .0001) was found between A1c levels and diabetes-related costs, although this trend slowed down as A1c levels exceeded 8.0%. Higher A1c values were associated with being male, having diabetes-related complications, and living in rural areas. Higher costs were associated with higher A1c values, older age, and higher Charlson Comorbidity Index scores. CONCLUSION: The study adds updated analyses of the interrelationships among demographic and geographic factors, clinical indicators, and health-related costs, reinforcing the role of higher A1c values and complications as diabetes-related cost drivers.

Opioid Use and the Risk of Falls, Fall Injuries and Fractures among Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing concern about opioid use as a pain treatment option among older adults. Existing literature implies an association between opioid use and fracture, increasing the risk of death and disabilities; yet, this relationship with other fall-related outcomes has not been fully explored. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the associations between opioid use and adverse health outcomes of falls, fall injuries, and fractures among older adults. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using nine databases: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo, Global Health, Northern Light Sciences Conference Abstracts, Cochrane CENTRAL, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and ClinicalTrials.gov. We log-transformed effect sizes (relative risk [RR], odds ratio [OR], and hazard ratio [HR]) to compute pooled risk estimates comparable across the studies. The random-effects model was applied to calculate the pooled risk estimates due to heterogeneity. Meta-regressions explored differences in risk estimates by analysis method, study design, setting, and study quality. RESULTS: Thirty studies, providing 34 relevant effect sizes, met the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. Overall, opioid use was significantly associated with falls, fall injuries, and fractures, with effect sizes ranging from 0.15 to 0.71. In meta-regressions, no selected factors explained heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: While heterogeneity is present, results suggest an increased risk of falls, fall injuries, and fractures among older adults who used opioids. Findings highlight the need for opioid education and nonopioid-related pain management interventions among older adults to decrease fall-related risk.