Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Peripheral Vascular Disease Admissions Using a Nationally Representative Sample.

Our study aimed to identify clinical outcomes and resource utilization associated with race and ethnicity in patients admitted with peripheral vascular disease (PVD) across the United States. We queried the National Inpatient Sample database from 2015 to 2019 and identified 622,820 patients admitted with PVD. Patients across 3 major race and ethnic categories were compared in terms of baseline characteristics, inpatient outcomes, and resource utilization. Black and Hispanic patients were more likely to be younger and of the lowest median income but incur higher total hospital costs. Black race predicted higher rates of acute kidney injury, need for blood transfusion, and need for vasopressor but lower rates of circulatory shock, and mortality. Black and Hispanic patients were less likely to undergo limb-salvaging procedures and more likely to undergo amputation than White patients. In conclusion, our findings indicate that Black and Hispanic patients experience health disparities in resource utilization and inpatient outcomes for PVD admissions.

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection Case Series: Clinical Presentation, Angiographic Imaging, Management, and Outcomes.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare but more frequently recognized cause of acute coronary syndrome. Due to the low incidence rate of this condition, there are no consensus guidelines to treat this clinical entity. Most of the information on the clinical presentation and management of SCAD originates from case reports and series; however, there has not been yet a prospective randomized study to guide treatment of SCAD. It is mostly seen in women and particularly those of younger ages. Most cases have an underlying etiology although the underlying pathophysiology is not fully understood. Patients might present in various ways including chest pain, ST- elevation acute coronary syndrome, ventricular arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death. Although conservative management is mostly recommended with better outcomes, revascularization should be considered in certain circumstances. In this article, we describe a case series of five patients with SCAD. Additionally, this article reviews clinical presentation, incidence, diagnostic modalities, management and risk of recurrences in patients diagnosed with SCAD.

Independent Risk Factors for Thromboembolic Events in High-Risk Patients With Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is characteristically associated with left ventricular apical ballooning and regional wall motion abnormalities that predispose to the formation of left ventricular (LV) thrombi and subsequent thromboembolic events (VTE). There is limited data about the risk factors of developing stroke in the absence of LV thrombi in patients with TCM. Identify risk factors that predispose patients with TCM to develop VTE and stroke. We retrospectively reviewed all patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of stress induced or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy at a large tertiary care center from 2005 to 2019. Patients who met the echocardiographic criteria of TCM, had resolution of WMA on repeat echocardiogram, did not have coronary artery disease if angiography was performed and survived for > 3 months after index presentation were included in the analysis. Patients were followed for up to a period of 1 year. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors of thromboembolism. Among the 400 patients who presented with TCM, 146 patients were included in the analysis. A total of 13 patients (8.9%) had documented thromboembolic events. Patients with VTE more often had Atrial fibrillation (30.8% vs 6.8%, P = 0.018), higher LV mass (224.5g vs 184g, P = 0.04), lower EF on presentation (31.5% vs 40%, P = 0.011) and were less likely to have undergone coronary angiography following diagnosis (23.1% vs 54.9%, P = 0.04). On multivariate analysis, atrial fibrillation (OR 9.15, CI 1.15-72.70) and low ejection fraction on admission (OR 0.88, CI 0.81-0.97) were independent risk factors for the development of VTE. Atrial fibrillation and low ejection fraction on presentation were associated with higher risk of developing thromboembolic events in patients with TCM.

Predicting the Severity and Outcome of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn Using New Echocardiography Parameters.

To examine echocardiographic parameters correlation with clinical severity indices, Alveolar- arterial gradient (A-a gradient), oxygenation index and clinical outcomes in newborns with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). Retrospective cohort study of 67 subjects, >35 weeks' gestation with the diagnosis of PPHN admitted to the University of Kentucky neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) between September 2014 and December 2016. High left ventricular end-systolic eccentricity index (EIs) correlates with the overall clinical severity of PPHN as it is associated with higher A-a gradient and oxygenation index (P = 0.0003 and P < 0.0001, respectively). Elevated EIs was also predictive for the use of inhaled nitric oxide and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (P = 0.0004 and P < 0.0001, respectively). EIs value of >1.38 provides cutoff value as an objective marker for the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. EIs can be used to assess clinical severity and outcomes and should be reported routinely. Further studies are warranted to confirm these results.

Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Outcomes in Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background: The prevalence of obesity in the United States is high. Obesity is one of the leading risk factors in the development of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Nevertheless, how obesity impacts AMI in-hospital outcomes remains controversial. Methods: Using National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, we identified patients diagnosed with AMI from the year 2015 to 2018. We divided these patients into five subgroups based on their body mass index (BMI). We compared outcomes such as mortality, length of inpatient stay, and inpatient complications between our subgroups. Statistical analysis was done using the program STATA. Our nationally representative analysis included 561,535 patients who had an AMI event across various weight classes. Results: Most of our sample was obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) and male. Obese patients were significantly younger than the rest. Length of stay (LOS) for AMI was highest for those with a BMI of less than 24 kg/m2. In-hospital mortality is highest for those with a BMI of < 30 kg/m2 and lowest for those with a BMI of 30 - 40 kg/m2. Inpatient complications are highest in the lower BMI population (BMI < 24 kg/m2). Conclusion: The current analysis of a nationally representative sample showed the clinical implications of BMI in patients with AMI. Patients with a BMI of 30 - 40 kg/m2 had more favorable LOS, inpatient complications, and in-hospital mortality when compared to those with an ideal body weight. Hence, this supports and expands on the concept of the "obesity paradox". Further studies are needed to further investigate the possible mechanism behind this.

Usefulness of non-gated chest computed tomography scans in the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction.

Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) is frequently utilized to evaluate patients who present to the emergency department with chest pain for a pulmonary or aortic disease but is not routinely used to evaluate for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Decreased myocardial enhancement in non-electrocardiogram-gated contrast-enhanced CT has been proposed to indicate AMI. These two cases highlight the importance of carefully evaluating the myocardium for perfusion defects on non-gated chest CT scans in patients suspected of having AMI.

Ortner's syndrome: A rare case of hoarseness secondary to chronic aortic dissection.

Ortner's syndrome, also known as cardiovocal syndrome, is a rare presentation of aortic dissection. Symptoms occur as a result of recurrent laryngeal nerve compression. Our report describes a case of a patient who complained of hoarseness for a few months and was eventually diagnosed with chronic aortic dissection.

Impact of Digoxin Use on Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy in Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Background: Digoxin was one of the first agents used in the management of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Concerns over its safety, efficacy, and the introduction of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) have relegated it to a secondary role. The efficacy of digoxin is still under debate, and its use in patients on GDMT remains unclear. We aim to evaluate whether patients with HFrEF on digoxin can tolerate higher doses of a ß-blocker (BB), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI). Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on 233 patients with HFrEF managed at a tertiary care center in Cleveland, Ohio. A bivariate analysis was performed to compare patients on digoxin with patients not on digoxin in terms of ability to progress the dosing of BB, ACEI, MRA, ARB, or ARNI. Results: Thirty-four (14.6%) of our 233 patients were receiving digoxin at baseline visit. The digoxin group was more likely to have lower initial and last systolic blood pressure, initial diastolic blood pressure, and left ventricular ejection fraction. Mean follow-up duration and baseline sodium level were higher in the digoxin group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of patients receiving higher doses of BB (P = 0.235), ACEI/ARB (P = 0.903), MRA (P = 0.331), or ARNI (P = 0.717). Conclusions: There was no significant difference between the doses of BB, ACEI, ARB, MRA, or ARNI among HFrEF patients on digoxin compared to those that were not. Randomized control trials with a larger sample are needed to establish our findings of digoxin not significantly affecting the ability to up titrate GDMT in HFrEF patients.

Determining the Safety of Radiofrequency Ablation in Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices.

Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is an effective treatment for arrhythmias. The effects of RFCA on cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIED) function have varied. We aim to study the effect of RFCA on device parameters and clinical outcomes in patients with CIED. We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study between 2011 and 2018. Generator and lead parameters were compared pre- and post-ablation using paired sample t-test. The median follow-up interval for documentation of procedure-related complications and clinical outcomes was 8 weeks. We identified 119 eligible patients; whose mean age was 64.5 ± 11.91 years and 22 (18.4%) were females. Types of CIED include single-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillators (8.93%), dual-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillators (41.96%), and either dual-chamber or biventricular pacemakers (44.54%). Arrhythmias for which patients underwent RFCA include atrial fibrillation/atrial tachycardia (15.22%), atrial flutter (38.14%), atrioventricular node reentrant tachycardia (13.56%), and premature ventricular complex or ventricular tachycardia (20.34%). No statistically significant difference was observed in pre- and post-ablation: (1) atrial sensing thresholds, pacing thresholds, lead impedance; (2) right ventricle sensing and pacing thresholds; and (3) left ventricle pacing threshold and impedance. A decrease in right ventricle impedance after ablation (549.77 ± 173 ohm vs 507.40 ± 129.0 ohm, P-value <0.004) was observed. Zero complications or deaths were observed. In this single-center study, RFCA did not significantly impact CIED function and was not associated with short-term complications. However longer follow-up is required to confirm these findings.

Demographic Undertones for Sepsis Mortality in a Community-Based Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis continues to take main stage in healthcare. Therefore, it remains crucial to elucidate contributors to sepsis mortality. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of race, insurance type, and code status on sepsis mortality in a community health system. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of inpatient adults of any sex, race, and insurance type with a diagnosis of sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock, or pneumonia. RESULTS: We included 913 patients, with an average age of 69 years for expired patients and 62 years for non-expiring patients (P < 0.0001). After controlling for other variables, patients who presented as comfort care arrest were 4.3 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.8 to 9.9, P = 0.0007) times more likely to have died than full code patients. Those who were comfort care only were 10.6 (95% CI: 0.8 to 140.6, P = 0.0741) times more likely to have died than the full code, although this was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that patients who are comfort care arrest have an increased risk of sepsis mortality. The results show no impact of insurance type or race on sepsis mortality, which is in contrast to some existing literature. The study suggests that institutions may need to investigate internal variables related to sepsis mortality.

Pregnancy-Associated Myocardial Infarction: A Review of Current Practices and Guidelines.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pregnancy-associated myocardial infarction is a principal cause of cardiovascular disease with a steadily rising incidence of 4.98 AMI events/100,000 deliveries over the last four decades in the USA. It is also linked with significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality, with maternal case fatality rate ranging from 5.1 to 37%. The management of acute myocardial infarction can be challenging in pregnant patients since treatment modalities and medication use are limited by their safety during pregnancy. RECENT FINDINGS: Limited guidelines exist regarding the management of pregnancy-associated myocardial infarction. Routinely used medications in myocardial infarction including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), and statin therapy are contraindicated during pregnancy. Aspirin use is considered safe in pregnant women, but dual antiplatelet therapy and therapeutic anticoagulation can be associated with increased risk of maternal and fetal complications, and should only be used after a comprehensive benefit-to-risk assessment. The standard approach to revascularization requires additional caution in pregnant women. Percutaneous coronary intervention is generally considered safe but can be associated with high failure rates and poor outcomes depending on the etiology. Fibrinolytic therapy may have significant sequelae in pregnant patients, and hemodynamic management during surgery is complex and adds risk during pregnancy. Understanding the risks and benefits of the different treatment modalities available and their utility depending on the underlying etiology, encompassed with a multidisciplinary team approach, is vital to improve outcomes and minimize maternal and fetal complications.