Digital Maturity Consulting and Strategizing to Optimize Services: Overview.

The National Health Service (NHS), the health care system of the United Kingdom, is one of the largest health care entities in the world and has been successfully serving the UK population for decades. The NHS is also the fourth-largest employer globally. True to its reputation, some of the most modern and technically advanced medical services are available in the United Kingdom. However, between the acute, primary, secondary, and tertiary care providers of the NHS, there needs to be seamless integration and interoperability to provide timely holistic care to patients at a national level. Various efforts have been taken and programs launched since 2002 to achieve digital transformation in the NHS but with partial success rates. As it is important to understand a problem before trying to solve it, in this paper, we focus on tools used to assess the digital maturity of NHS trusts and organizations. Additionally, we aim to present the impact of ongoing transformation attempts on secondary services, particularly mental health. This paper considered the literature on digital maturity and performed a rapid review of currently available tools to measure digital maturity. We have performed a multivocal literature review that included white papers and web-based documents in addition to peer-reviewed literature. Further, the paper also provides a perspective of the ground reality from a mental health service provider's point of view. Assessment tools adopted from the global market, later modified and tailor-made to suit local preferences, are currently being used. However, there is a need for a robust framework that assesses status, allows target setting, and tracks progress across diverse providers.

International recruitment of mental health nurses to the national health service: a challenge for the UK.

The UK's National Health Service (NHS) has been dealing with a shortage in the nursing workforce for the past few decades. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and post-Brexit effects, it is important now more than ever to concentrate on recruiting new staff and retaining current staff in the National Health Service. The increasing demand for mental health services stresses the importance of prioritising recruitment of mental health nurses. One of the main strategies being implemented to combat this shortage is the recruitment of internationally trained mental health nurses. Whilst this is a favourable solution, the multiple challenges this proposal brings makes it hard for the National Health Service to practically implement this to increase staff numbers. In this discursive position paper, we consider the difficulties the National Health Service is currently facing in terms of recruiting mental health nurses and then discuss the importance of and need for international recruitment including the strategies that are currently being implemented. The challenges and obstacles associated with this proposed resolution will also be addressed.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of digital application use in clinical research in pain medicine.

Importance: Pain is a silent global epidemic impacting approximately a third of the population. Pharmacological and surgical interventions are primary modes of treatment. Cognitive/behavioural management approaches and interventional pain management strategies are approaches that have been used to assist with the management of chronic pain. Accurate data collection and reporting treatment outcomes are vital to addressing the challenges faced. In light of this, we conducted a systematic evaluation of the current digital application landscape within chronic pain medicine. Objective: The primary objective was to consider the prevalence of digital application usage for chronic pain management. These digital applications included mobile apps, web apps, and chatbots. Data sources: We conducted searches on PubMed and ScienceDirect for studies that were published between 1st January 1990 and 1st January 2021. Study selection: Our review included studies that involved the use of digital applications for chronic pain conditions. There were no restrictions on the country in which the study was conducted. Only studies that were peer-reviewed and published in English were included. Four reviewers had assessed the eligibility of each study against the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Out of the 84 studies that were initially identified, 38 were included in the systematic review. Data extraction and synthesis: The AMSTAR guidelines were used to assess data quality. This assessment was carried out by 3 reviewers. The data were pooled using a random-effects model. Main outcomes and measures: Before data collection began, the primary outcome was to report on the standard mean difference of digital application usage for chronic pain conditions. We also recorded the type of digital application studied (e.g., mobile application, web application) and, where the data was available, the standard mean difference of pain intensity, pain inferences, depression, anxiety, and fatigue. Results: 38 studies were included in the systematic review and 22 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The digital interventions were categorised to web and mobile applications and chatbots, with pooled standard mean difference of 0.22 (95% CI: -0.16, 0.60), 0.30 (95% CI: 0.00, 0.60) and -0.02 (95% CI: -0.47, 0.42) respectively. Pooled standard mean differences for symptomatologies of pain intensity, depression, and anxiety symptoms were 0.25 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.46), 0.30 (95% CI: 0.17, 0.43) and 0.37 (95% CI: 0.05, 0.69), respectively. A sub-group analysis was conducted on pain intensity due to the heterogeneity of the results (I 2 = 82.86%; p = 0.02). After stratifying by country, we found that digital applications were more likely to be effective in some countries (e.g., United States, China) than others (e.g., Ireland, Norway). Conclusions and relevance: The use of digital applications in improving pain-related symptoms shows promise, but further clinical studies would be needed to develop more robust applications. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42021228343.

A Systematic Review and Single-center Experience of Azygos Vein Defibrillator Lead Insertion.

Defibrillation threshold (DFT) testing is performed in individuals with higher predicted risks of defibrillation failure. Many strategies have been explored to overcome the challenge of high DFT, including an insertion of a defibrillator lead into the azygos vein. We performed a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the safety and efficacy of azygos vein implantable cardioverter-defibrillator insertion for high DFT combined with the analysis of a single-center experience of the procedure at our institution. The literature search was performed in PubMed and Embase from database inception to December 2020 to identify all case reports and case series related to azygos vein defibrillator lead insertion. Our search identified 291 records. After excluding duplicate studies and those without DFT thresholds and non-azygos vascular destinations, 12 studies (23 cases) were reviewed from the current database. We also conducted a retrospective analysis of 5 cases performed at our institution, and a total of 28 patients were included in our final analysis. The mean age of the pooled cohort was 47 years (range, 17-88 years). Men composed 92% of the total cases, and the average body mass index was 34 kg/m2. The mean ejection fraction (EF) was 25%, with 78% having non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. The left axillary (36%) or subclavian (48%) vein was the common percutaneous access point. The mean duration of azygos vein access and lead delivery was 22 min (range, 13-60 min). The average DFT prior to azygos coil insertion was 35 J (range, 20-45 J). Fifty-seven percent of cases achieved substantial DFT improvement, whereas 18% achieved relative improvement compared to the pre-procedural threshold. No immediate or remote procedure-related complications were reported in 24 cases where data were available. During an average follow-up period of 18 months, 5 patients had ventricular arrhythmic events requiring device therapy and 4 had successful cardioversion from the device. One patient died from cardiac arrest with variable device therapies of both unsuccessful and successful events. In conclusion, azygos vein defibrillator lead insertion has a considerable rate of success, ease of vascular access with minimal procedural time, and lower risks and complications. Larger studies and longer follow-up periods are warranted to establish its efficacy and safety.

Mental health impact of the Middle East respiratory syndrome, SARS, and COVID-19: A comparative systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Over the last few decades, 3 pathogenic pandemics have impacted the global population; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2. The global disease burden has attributed to millions of deaths and morbidities, with the majority being attributed to SARS-CoV-2. As such, the evaluation of the mental health (MH) impact across healthcare professionals (HCPs), patients and the general public would be an important facet to evaluate to better understand short, medium and long-term exposures. AIM: To identify and report: (1) MH conditions commonly observed across all 3 pandemics; (2) Impact of MH outcomes across HCPs, patients and the general public associated with all 3 pandemics; and (3) The prevalence of the MH impact and clinical epidemiological significance. METHODS: A systematic methodology was developed and published on PROSPERO (CRD42021228697). The databases PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were used as part of the data extraction process, and publications from January 1, 1990 to August 1, 2021 were searched. MeSH terms and keywords used included Mood disorders, PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, Psychological stress, Psychosis, Bipolar, Mental Health, Unipolar, Self-harm, BAME, Psychiatry disorders and Psychological distress. The terms were expanded with a 'snowballing' method. Cox-regression and the Monte-Carlo simulation method was used in addition to I 2 and Egger's tests to determine heterogeneity and publication bias. RESULTS: In comparison to MERS and SARS-CoV, it is evident SAR-CoV-2 has an ongoing MH impact, with emphasis on depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. CONCLUSION: It was evident MH studies during MERS and SARS-CoV was limited in comparison to SARS-CoV-2, with much emphasis on reporting symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress and sleep disturbances. The lack of comprehensive studies conducted during previous pandemics have introduced limitations to the "know-how" for clinicians and researchers to better support patients and deliver care with limited healthcare resources.

Impact of right ventricular impairment on morbidity and mortality in takotsubo syndrome-a meta-analysis of observational trials.

The impact of right ventricular impairment (RVI) on the morbidity and mortality of patients with Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is well-debated. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the mortality and morbidity risk associated with RVI compared with those without RVI in patients with TTS. A comprehensive search was performed in PubMed and Embase from inception to April 19, 2019. Our primary outcome of interest was in-hospital and long-term mortality. Other outcomes of interest were acute heart failure, left ventricular systolic function, tricuspid and mitral regurgitation, and length of hospital stay (LOS). We are reporting our outcomes as a cumulative odds ratio (OR). After an initial search, 10 studies with 1210 subjects were included in the quantitative analysis. Mean follow-up was 31 months. The odds of in-hospital and long-term mortality in TTS patients with and without RVI were not significantly different (p = 0.13 and 0.40). In TTS patients without RVI, the odds of acute heart failure, and mitral and tricuspid regurgitation were significantly lower at an OR of 0.26 (p < 0.0001), 0.40 (p = 0.0001), and 0.52 (p = 0.02) respectively. TTS patients with RVI had significantly lower mean LVEF (34% vs 41%, p = 0.03) and numerically higher mean LOS (9.5 days vs 7.6 days, p = 0.52) compared with those without RVI. The presence of RVI represents a severe form of TTS disease spectrum, characterized by severely reduced LVEF, higher incidence of MR and presence of TR. Although there was a trend toward increased in-hospital and long-term mortality, RVI in TTS does not portend worse survival.

Prognostic Implications of Ambulatory N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Changes in Patients with Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

Data regarding the role of N-terminal Pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP) in patients with a continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CFLVAD) is scarce. To evaluate the prognostic implications of measuring both absolute values and changes in NT-pro BNP concentrations in ambulatory patients with a CFLVAD, we performed a retrospective study of 168 consecutive patients who had an LVAD implantation at our institution and survived beyond their index hospitalization. Of these, 127 patients (56.2 ± 12.5 years, 21.2% female) had NT-pro BNP measured at 1 and 3 months postdischarge in ambulatory settings. Compared to the NT-pro BNP concentration at 1 month, 94 patients (74%) had a decline, and 33 patients (26%) had an increase in concentrations, from their 1 month baseline. After a median follow-up of 17 months, a total of 53 (41.7%) adverse events occurred. Of these, 37 (69.8%) were heart failure (HF) hospitalizations, and 16 (30.2%) were deaths. For each 1,000 unit increase in NT-pro BNP concentration at 3 months, there was a 17% increase in the risk of HF hospitalization or death (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04-1.32, p = 0.007). Conversely, each 1000 unit decline during the same time, was associated with an 11% decrease in the risk of HF hospitalization or death (HR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.77-0.98, p = 0.04). In conclusion, in patients with a CFLAD, an increase in NT-pro BNP concentration from 1 to 3 months is associated with an increased risk of HF hospitalization and death. In contrast, a decline is associated with a reduction in the risk of HF hospitalization and death.

Artificial intelligence: A rapid case for advancement in the personalization of Gynaecology/Obstetric and Mental Health care.

To evaluate and holistically treat the mental health sequelae and potential psychiatric comorbidities associated with obstetric and gynaecological conditions, it is important to optimize patient care, ensure efficient use of limited resources and improve health-economic models. Artificial intelligence applications could assist in achieving the above. The World Health Organization and global healthcare systems have already recognized the use of artificial intelligence technologies to address 'system gaps' and automate some of the more cumbersome tasks to optimize clinical services and reduce health inequalities. Currently, both mental health and obstetric and gynaecological services independently use artificial intelligence applications. Thus, suitable solutions are shared between mental health and obstetric and gynaecological clinical practices, independent of one another. Although, to address complexities with some patients who may have often interchanging sequelae with mental health and obstetric and gynaecological illnesses, 'holistically' developed artificial intelligence applications could be useful. Therefore, we present a rapid review to understand the currently available artificial intelligence applications and research into multi-morbid conditions, including clinical trial-based validations. Most artificial intelligence applications are intrinsically data-driven tools, and their validation in healthcare can be challenging as they require large-scale clinical trials. Furthermore, most artificial intelligence applications use rate-limiting mock data sets, which restrict their applicability to a clinical population. Some researchers may fail to recognize the randomness in the data generating processes in clinical care from a statistical perspective with a potentially minimal representation of a population, limiting their applicability within a real-world setting. However, novel, innovative trial designs could pave the way to generate better data sets that are generalizable to the entire global population. A collaboration between artificial intelligence and statistical models could be developed and deployed with algorithmic and domain interpretability to achieve this. In addition, acquiring big data sets is vital to ensure these artificial intelligence applications provide the highest accuracy within a real-world setting, especially when used as part of a clinical diagnosis or treatment.

Characteristics, trends, outcomes, and costs of stimulant-related acute heart failure hospitalizations in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) hospitalizations remains a significant burden on the health care system. Stimulants including cocaine, amphetamine and its derivatives are amongst the most used illegal substances in the United States. The information regarding stimulant-related HF hospitalizations is scarce. We sought to evaluate the characteristics and trends of stimulant-related HF hospitalizations in the United States and their associated outcomes and resource utilization. METHODS: Using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS), we identified patients with a primary diagnosis of HF hospitalization. These hospitalizations were further divided into those with and without a concomitant diagnosis of stimulant (cocaine or amphetamine) dependence or abuse. Survey specific techniques were employed to compare trends in baseline characteristics, complications, procedures, outcomes and resource utilization between the two cohorts. RESULTS: We identified 9,932,753 hospitalizations (weighted) with a primary diagnosis of heart failure, of those 138,438 (1.39%) had a diagnosis of active stimulant use. The proportion of stimulant-related HF hospitalization is on the rise (1.1% to 1.9%). Stimulant-related HF hospitalization was highest amongst age group 30-39 years and 7.9% of HF hospitalizations in this age group were due to stimulant use. The proportion of stimulant-related HF hospitalization for the White and Hispanic race has doubled from 2008 to 2017. Stimulant-related HF hospitalization is associated with increased incidence of in-hospital complications like cardiogenic shock, acute kidney injury and ventricular tachycardia. These patients have more than 7-fold higher discharge against medical advice. CONCLUSIONS: Stimulant-related HF hospitalizations have been increasing. It is associate with significant morbidity burden and health care utilization.

Radial vs. Femoral Access for Percutaneous Coronary Artery Intervention in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of transradial vs transfemoral access for coronary angiography and intervention in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) without cardiogenic shock. METHODS: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing outcomes of STEMI patients who underwent transradial angiography (TRA) compared to transfemoral angiography (TFA). Our outcomes of interest were major adverse cardiac events (MACE), all-cause mortality, severe bleeding, access site bleeding, myocardial infarction, stroke, and major vascular complications. Summary statistics are reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: In a pooled analysis of 17 RCTs with 12,118 randomized patients, the use of transradial compared to transfemoral approach in STEMI patients without cardiogenic shock was associated with a significant reduction in MACE [OR 0.85 (95% CI 0.73-0.99; p = 0.04; NNT = 111; I2 = 0%)] and all-cause mortality [OR 0.71 (95% CI 0.57-0.88; p < 0.01; NNT = 111; I2 = 0%)]. Severe bleeding [OR 0.57 (95% CI 0.44-0.74; p < 0.01; NNT = 77; I2 = 0%)], access-site bleeding [OR 0.39 (95% CI 0.26-0.59; p < 0.01; NNT = 67; I2 = 24%)], and major vascular complications [OR of 0.31 (95% CI 0.17-0.55; p < 0.01; NNT = 125; I2 = 0%)] were lower in TRA compared to TFA. There was no difference in stroke (0.6% vs 0.5%) or recurrent myocardial infarction (2.01% vs 2.02%) between the two approaches. CONCLUSIONS: For coronary intervention in STEMI patients without cardiogenic shock, there is a clear mortality benefit with the TRA over TFA. Further studies are needed to see if this mortality benefit persists over the long-term.

In-Hospital Outcomes of Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation and Concomitant Valvular Surgery.

Valvular heart disease is common among left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients. However, its management at the time of LVAD implantation remains controversial. Patients who underwent LVAD implantation and concomitant aortic (AVR), mitral (MVR), or tricuspid valve (TVR) repair or replacement from 2010 to 2017 were identified using the national inpatient sample. End points were in-hospital outcomes, length of stay, and cost. Procedure-related complications were identified via ICD-9 and ICD-10 coding and analysis was performed via mixed effect models. A total of 25,171 weighted adults underwent LVAD implantation without valvular surgery, 1,329 had isolated TVR, 1,021 AVR, 377 MVR, and 615 had combined valvular surgery (411 had TVR + AVR, 115 TVR + MVR, 62 AVR + MVR, 25 AVR + MVR + TVR). During the study period, rates of AVR decreased and combined valvular surgeries increased. Patients who underwent TVR or combined valvular surgery had overall higher burden of co-morbidities than LVAD recipients with or without other valvular procedures. Postoperative bleeding was higher with AVR whereas acute kidney injury requiring dialysis was higher with TVR or combined valvular surgery. In-hospital mortality was higher with AVR, MVR, or combined surgery without differences in the rates of stroke. Length of stay did not differ significantly among groups but cost of hospitalization and nonroutine discharge rates were higher for cases of TVR and combined surgery. Approximately 1 in 9 LVAD recipients underwent concomitant valvular surgery and TVR was the most frequently performed procedure. In-hospital mortality and cost were lower among those who did not undergo valvular surgery.

Racial disparities in in-hospital outcomes after left ventricular assist device implantation.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies of patients undergoing various cardiac surgeries demonstrated worse outcomes among African-American (AA) patients. It remains unclear if the race is a predictor of outcomes among left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients. METHODS: Patients who underwent LVAD implantation between 2010 and 2017 were identified using the National Inpatient Sample. The race was classified as Caucasians vs AA vs Hispanics, and endpoints were in-hospital outcomes, length of stay, and cost. Procedure-related complications were identified via the International Classification of Diseases-9 (ICD-9) and ICD-10 coding and analysis performed via mixed-effect models. RESULTS: A total of 27 132 adults (5114 unweighted) underwent LVAD implantation in the U.S. between 2010 and 2017, including Caucasians (63.8%), AA (23.8%), and Hispanics (6%). The number of LVAD implantations increased in both Caucasians and AA during the study period. AA LVAD recipients were younger, with higher rates of females and mostly comorbidities, but lower rates of coronary artery disease and bypass grafting compared to Caucasians and Hispanics. Medicaid and median income at the lowest quartile were more frequent among AA LVAD recipients. We did not identify differences in stroke, bleeding complications, tamponade, infectious complications, acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis, and in-hospital mortality among racial groups. AA LVAD recipients had lower rates of routine discharge than Caucasians and Hispanics, longer length of stay than Caucasians, but similar cost of hospitalization. After adjustment for clinical comorbidities, race was not a predictor of in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: We identified differences in clinical characteristics but not in in-hospital complications among LVAD recipients of a different races.

Impact of acute kidney injury on in-hospital outcomes among patients hospitalized with acute heart failure - A propensity-score matched analysis.

AIM: We sought to determine the impact of acute kidney injury (AKI) on in-hospital outcomes in patients presenting with acute heart failure (AHF). Data from National Inpatient Sample (2012- 14) were used to identify patients with the principal diagnosis of AHF and the concomitant secondary diagnosis of AKI. METHODS: Propensity score matching was performed on 30 baseline variables to identify a matched cohort. The outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality. We further evaluated in-hospital procedures and complications. RESULTS: Of 1,470,450 patients admitted with AHF, 24.3% had AKI. After propensity matching a matched cohort of 356,940 patients was identified. In this matched group, the AKI group had significantly higher in-hospital mortality (3.8% vs 1.7%, p<0.001). Complications such as sepsis, transfusions and cardiac arrest were also higher in the AKI group (p<0.01). Similarly, in-hospital procedures including pacemaker, coronary artery bypass graft, mechanical ventilation and intra-aortic balloon pump were performed more in the AKI group compared to the non-AKI group. The rate of AKI in patients with AHF has gradually increased from 29 % in the year 2012 to 35% in 2014. AHF patients with AKI had longer in-hospital stay of ~1.7 days. CONCLUSION: In this propensity score-matched cohort of AHF with and without AKI, the risk of in-hospital mortality was >2-fold in the AKI group. Healthcare utilization and burden of complications were higher in the AKI group.

"Takotsubo effect" in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial infarction can be a trigger of Takotsubo syndrome. We recently characterized imaging features of acute myocardial infarction-induced Takotsubo syndrome ("Takotsubo effect"). In this study, we investigate diagnostic and prognostic implications of Takotsubo effect in patients with anterior wall ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. METHODS: We enrolled 111 consecutive patients who developed anterior wall ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and received percutaneous coronary intervention, and studied systolic/diastolic function, hemodynamic consequences, adverse cardiac events, as well as 30-day and five-year outcomes in patients with and without Takotsubo effect. RESULTS: Patients with Takotsubo effect showed significantly worse average peak systolic longitudinal strain (-9.5 ± 2.6% vs -11.1 ± 3.6%, p = 0.038), left ventricular ejection fraction (38.5 ± 6.8% vs 47.7 ± 8.7%, p = 0.000) and myocardial performance index (0.54 ± 0.17 vs 0.37 ± 0.15, p = 0.000) within 48 h of myocardial infarction. There was no significant difference between the two groups in diastolic ventricular filling pressures, hemodynamic consequences, and 30-day rehospitalization and mortality (Gehan-Breslow-Wilcoxon test: p = 0.157). However, patients with Takotsubo effect developed more major adverse cardiac events (log-rank test: p = 0.019) when tested at the five-year follow-up. Cox regression analysis revealed that age, hypotension, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, and Takotsubo effect were independent prediction factors for five-year major adverse cardiac events. The Doppler/tissue Doppler parameter E/e' correlated with MACE only in patients without Takotsubo effect. CONCLUSION: Takotsubo effect secondary to anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction predicts a worse long-term prognosis.

Impact of Frailty on Mortality, Readmissions, and Resource Utilization After TAVI.

With aging population and preponderance of severe aortic stenosis occurring in elderly patients, the number of transcatheter aortic valve implantations (TAVI) performed in the elderly are growing. Frailty is common in the elderly and is known to be associated with worse outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the impact of frailty on hospital readmissions rates after TAVI. We used the 2016 Nationwide Readmission Database and categorized patients who underwent TAVI low, intermediate, and high frailty status. The primary outcome was 6-months readmission rates across the 3 frailty categories. Secondary outcomes included causes of readmissions, in-hospital mortality and cost of care. STATA 16.0 was used for survey-specific statistical tests. Of 20,504 patients who underwent TAVI, 58.9% were low-, 39.6% were intermediate-, and 1.5% were in the high-frailty group. Overall in-hospital mortality was 1.9% (n = 396), and was 0.6%, 3.3%, and 16.8% (p <0.01) with increasing frailty. Of the 20,108 patients who survived to discharge, 6,427 (32%) patients were readmitted within 6-months after TAVI. Readmission rates increased across the categories from 27.9% in low, 37.6% in intermediate and 51.1% in high frailty group (p <0.01). While cardiac causes (mostly heart failure) were the predominant readmission etiologies across frailty categories (low: 51.2%, intermediate: 34.1%, high: 27.2%), rates of infectious and injury-related readmissions increased (low: 11%, intermediate: 30%, high: 45%). Mortality during readmissions also worsened from 0.8%, 5.3%, and 8.5% (p <0.01). Over 40% of patients undergoing TAVI were of intermediate-high frailty. In conclusion, an increasing frailty was associated with significantly worse postprocedure mortality, readmissions, and related mortality.

Meta-analysis of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Versus Monotherapy With P2Y12 Inhibitors in Patients After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

The optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in the era of second-generation drug-eluting stents is a matter of considerable debate with more data suggesting a shorter period of DAPT is feasible. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate DAPT compared with monotherapy with a P2Y12 inhibitor after a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central were searched from inception to October 2019 to identify randomized controlled trials that compared outcomes of patients treated with either DAPT or monotherapy with a P2Y12 inhibitor following PCI. Primary outcomes of interest included major bleeding, ischemic events (myocardial infarction, stroke, stent thrombosis, major adverse cardiac events), and both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Event rates were extracted, and the Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effects model was used to perform a meta-analysis. Summary statistics are reported as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Subgroup analyses were performed using the generic inverse method. We identified four trials with 29,089 randomized patients. Use of P2Y12 monotherapy was associated with 30% lower odds of major bleeding 0.70 (0.60-0.81; p <0.01). Ischemic and mortality outcomes were similar in the two groups. For the outcome of major bleeding the results favor the use of P2Y12 monotherapy in the subgroups of age, sex, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, acute coronary syndrome, and multivessel disease. The present meta-analysis provides the most updated data on the use of DAPT duration. Following an initial period of short-term DAPT, monotherapy with a P2Y12 inhibitor appears to be the superior strategy for optimization of bleeding and thrombotic risk after PCI.