The relative and combined ability of stress hyperglycemia ratio and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide to predict all-cause mortality in diabetic patients with multivessel coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are independently associated with increased mortality risk in diabetic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the role of these biomarkers in patients with diabetes and multivessel disease (MVD) remains unknown. The present study aimed to assess the relative and combined abilities of these biomarkers to predict all-cause mortality in patients with diabetes and MVD. METHODS: This study included 1148 diabetic patients with MVD who underwent coronary angiography at Tianjin Chest Hospital between January 2016 and December 2016. The patients were divided into four groups according to their SHR (SHR-L and SHR-H) and NT-proBNP (NT-proBNP-L and NT-proBNP-H) levels. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association of SHR and NT-proBNP levels with all-cause mortality. RESULTS: During a mean 4.2 year follow-up, 138 patients died. Multivariate analysis showed that SHR and NT-proBNP were strong independent predictors of all-cause mortality in diabetic patients with MVD (SHR: HR hazard ratio [2.171; 95%CI 1.566-3.008; P < 0.001; NT-proBNP: HR: 1.005; 95%CI 1.001-1.009; P = 0.009). Compared to patients in the first (SHR-L and NT-proBNP-L) group, patients in the fourth (SHR-H and NT-proBNP-H) group had the highest mortality risk (HR: 12.244; 95%CI 5.828-25.721; P < 0.001). The areas under the curve were 0.615(SHR) and 0.699(NT-proBNP) for all-cause mortality. Adding either marker to the original models significantly improved the C-statistic and integrated discrimination improvement values (all P < 0.05). Moreover, combining SHR and NT-proBNP levels into the original model provided maximal prognostic information. CONCLUSIONS: SHR and NT-proBNP independently and jointly predicted all-cause mortality in diabetic patients with MVD, suggesting that strategies to improve risk stratification in these patients should incorporate SHR and NT-porBNP into risk algorithms.

Metabolic Syndrome and Heart Transplantation: An Underestimated Risk Factor?

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), a multifactorial condition that increases the risk of cardio-vascular events, is frequent in Heart-transplant (HTx) candidates and worsens with immunosuppressive therapy. The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of MetS on long-term outcome of HTx patients. Since 2007, 349 HTx patients were enrolled. MetS was diagnosed if patients met revised NCEP-ATP III criteria before HTx, at 1, 5 and 10 years of follow-up. MetS was present in 35% of patients pre-HTx and 47% at 1 year follow-up. Five-year survival in patients with both pre-HTx (65% vs. 78%, p < 0.01) and 1 year follow-up MetS (78% vs 89%, p < 0.01) was worst. At the univariate analysis, risk factors for mortality were pre-HTx MetS (HR 1.86, p < 0.01), hypertension (HR 2.46, p < 0.01), hypertriglyceridemia (HR 1.50, p=0.03), chronic renal failure (HR 2.95, p < 0.01), MetS and diabetes at 1 year follow-up (HR 2.00, p < 0.01; HR 2.02, p < 0.01, respectively). MetS at 1 year follow-up determined a higher risk to develop Coronary allograft vasculopathy at 5 and 10 year follow-up (25% vs 14% and 44% vs 25%, p < 0.01). MetS is an important risk factor for both mortality and morbidity post-HTx, suggesting the need for a strict monitoring of metabolic disorders with a careful nutritional follow-up in HTx patients.

Right Ventricular Dysfunction on Transthoracic Echocardiography and Long-Term Mortality in the Critically Unwell: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) is common in the critically ill. To date studies exploring RVD sequelae have had heterogenous definitions and diagnostic methods, with limited follow-up. Additionally much literature has been pathology specific, limiting applicability to the general critically unwell patient. METHOD AND STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of RVD diagnosed with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) on long-term mortality in unselected critically unwell patients compared to those without RVD. A systematic search of EMBASE, Medline and Cochrane was performed from inception to March 2022. All RVD definitions using TTE were included. Patients were those admitted to a critical or intensive care unit, irrespective of disease processes. Long-term mortality was defined as all-cause mortality occurring at least 30 days after hospital admission. A priori subgroup analyses included disease specific and delayed mortality (death after hospital discharge/after the 30th day from hospital admission) in patients with RVD. A random effects model analysis was performed with the Dersimionian and Laird inverse variance method to generate effect estimates. RESULTS: Of 5985 studies, 123 underwent full text review with 16 included (n = 3196). 1258 patients had RVD. 19 unique RVD criteria were identified. The odds ratio (OR) for long term mortality with RVD was 2.92 (95% CI 1.92-4.54, I2 76.4%) compared to no RVD. The direction and extent was similar for cardiac and COVID19 subgroups. Isolated RVD showed an increased risk of delayed mortality when compared to isolated left/biventricular dysfunction (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.05-3.86, I2 46.8%). CONCLUSION: RVD, irrespective of cause, is associated with increased long term mortality in the critically ill. Future studies should be aimed at understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms by which this occurs. Commonly used echocardiographic definitions of RVD show significant heterogeneity across studies, which contributes to uncertainty within this dataset.

COVID-19 infection and 2-year mortality in nursing home residents who survived the first wave of the pandemic.

BACKGROUND: During the first COVID-19 pandemic wave (1st CoPW), nursing homes (NHs) experienced a high rate of COVID-19 infection and death. Residents who survived the COVID-19 infection may have become frailer. This study aimed to determine the predictive value of having a COVID-19 infection during the 1st CoPW for 2-year mortality in NH residents. METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted in three NHs. Residents who had survived the 1st CoPW (March to May 2020) were included. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was based on the results of a positive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction test. The collected data also included age, sex, length of residence in the NH, disability status, legal guardianship status, nutritional status, need for texture-modified food, hospitalization or Emergency Department visits during lockdown and SARS-COV2 vaccination status during the follow-up. Non-adjusted and adjusted Cox models were used to analyse factors associated with 2-year post-1st CoPW mortality. RESULTS: Among the 315 CoPW1 survivors (72% female, mean age 88 years, 48% with severe disability), 35% presented with COVID-19. Having a history of COVID-19 was not associated with 2-year mortality: hazard ratio (HR) [95% confidence interval] = 0.96 [0.81-1.13], p = 0.62. The factors independently associated with 2-year mortality were older age (for each additional year, HR = 1.05 [1.03-1.08], p < 0.01), severe disability vs. moderate or no disability (HR = 1.35 [1.12-1.63], p < 0.01) and severe malnutrition vs. no malnutrition (HR = 1.29 [1.04-1.60], p = 0.02). Considering that vaccination campaign started during the follow-up, mortality was associated with severe malnutrition before and severe disability after the start of the campaign. Vaccination was independently associated with better survival (HR 0.71 [0.55-0.93], p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Having survived a COVID-19 infection during the 1st CoPW did not affect subsequent 2-year survival in older adults living in NHs. Severe malnutrition and disability remained strong predictor of mortality in this population, whereas vaccination was associated to better survival.

Long-term survival after primary decompressive craniectomy for severe traumatic brain injury: an observational study from 1 to 17 years.

Primary decompressive craniectomy (DC) is carried out to prevent intracranial hypertension after removal of mass lesions resulting from traumatic brain injury (TBI). While primary DC can be a life-saving intervention, significant mortality risks persist during the follow-up period. This study was undertaken to investigate the long-term survival rate and ascertain the risk factors of mortality in TBI patients who underwent primary DC. We enrolled 162 head-injured patients undergoing primary DC in this retrospective study. The primary focus was on long-term mortality, which was monitored over a range of 12 to 209 months post-TBI. We compared the clinical parameters of survivors and non-survivors, and used a multivariate logistic regression model to adjust for independent risk factors of long-term mortality. For the TBI patients who survived the initial hospitalization period following surgery, the average duration of follow-up was 106.58 ± 65.45 months. The recorded long-term survival rate of all patients was 56.2% (91/162). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval = 1.12, 1.07-1.18; p < 0.01) and the status of basal cisterns (absent versus normal; odds ratio, 95% confidence interval = 9.32, 2.05-42.40; p < 0.01) were the two independent risk factors linked to long-term mortality. In conclusion, this study indicated a survival rate of 56.2% for patients subjected to primary DC for TBI, with at least a one-year follow-up. Key risk factors associated with long-term mortality were advanced age and absent basal cisterns, critical considerations for developing effective TBI management strategies.

Life Expectancy of Patients Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty: Comparison With General Population.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the life expectancy and cause of death in osteoarthritis (OA) patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and to identify risk factors that affect long-term mortality rate after TKA. METHODS: Among 601 patients, who underwent primary TKA due to OA by a single surgeon from July 2005 to December 2011, we identified patients who died after the operation using data obtained from the National Statistical Office of Korea. We calculated 5-, 10-, and 15-year survival rates of the patients and age-specific standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) compared to general population of South Korea according to the causes of death. We also identified risk factors for death. RESULTS: The 5-year, 10-year, and 15-year survival rates were 94%, 84%, and 75%, respectively. The overall age-specific SMR of the TKA cohort was lower than that of the general population (0.69; P < 0.001). Cause-specific SMRs for circulatory diseases, neoplasms, and digestive diseases after TKA were significantly lower than those of the general population (0.65, 0.58, and 0.16, respectively; all P < 0.05). Male gender, older age, lower body mass index (BMI), anemia, and higher Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) were significant factors associated with higher mortality after TKA. CONCLUSION: TKA is a worthwhile surgery that can improve life expectancy, especially from diseases of the circulatory system, neoplasms, and digestive system, in patients with OA compared to the general population. However, careful follow-up is needed for patients with male gender, older age, lower BMI, anemia, and higher CCI, as these factors may increase long-term mortality risk after TKA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Neonatal intensive care admission for term neonates and subsequent childhood mortality: a retrospective linkage study.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission among term neonates is a rare event. The aim of this study was to study the association of the NICU admission of term neonates on the risk of long-term childhood mortality. METHODS: A single-center case-control retrospective study between 2005 and 2019, including all in-hospital ≥ 37 weeks' gestation singleton live-born neonates. The center perinatal database was linked with the birth and death certificate registries of the Israeli Ministry of Internal Affairs. The primary aim of the study was to study the association between NICU admission and childhood mortality throughout a 15-year follow-up period. RESULTS: During the study period, 206,509 births were registered; 192,527 (93.22%) term neonates were included in the study; 5292 (2.75%) were admitted to NICU. Throughout the follow-up period, the mortality risk for term neonates admitted to the NICU remained elevated; hazard ratio (HR), 19.72 [14.66, 26.53], (p < 0.001). For all term neonates, the mortality rate was 0.16% (n = 311); 47.9% (n = 149) of those had records of a NICU admission. The mortality rate by time points (ratio1:10,0000 births) related to the age at death during the follow-up period was as follows: 29, up to 7 days; 20, 7-28 days; 37, 28 days to 6 months; 21, 6 months to 1 year; 19, 1-2 years; 9, 2-3 years; 10, 3-4 years; and 27, 4 years and more. Following the exclusion of congenital malformations and chromosomal abnormalities, NICU admission remained the most significant risk factor associated with mortality of the study population, HRs, 364.4 [145.3; 913.3] for mortality in the first 7 days of life; 19.6 [12.1; 32.0] for mortality from 28 days through 6 months of life and remained markedly elevated after age 4 years; HR, 7.1 [3.0; 17.0]. The mortality risk related to the NICU admission event, adjusted for admission diagnoses remained significant; HR = 8.21 [5.43; 12.4]. CONCLUSIONS: NICU admission for term neonates is a pondering event for the risk of long-term childhood mortality. This group of term neonates may benefit from focused health care.

Fibrinogen-to-Albumin Ratio and Long-Term Mortality in Coronary Artery Disease Patients with Different Glucose Metabolism Status.

Background: Abnormal glucose metabolism is present in most patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Inflammation is considered to be a common risk factor for CAD and diabetes. Fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR), a novel inflammation biomarker, has been proposed as a predictor for cardiovascular disease. However, the relationship between the level of FAR and long-term mortality including all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality, remains unknown in CAD patients, especially those with prediabetes. Methods: We enrolled 66,761 CAD patients from 2007 to 2020 from a multi-center registry cohort study. The primary outcomes were the all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality. FAR was calculated using the following formula: Fibrinogen (g/L)/Albumin (g/L). Patients were divided into three groups by FAR tertile (low FAR (FAR-L), median FAR (FAR-M), high FAR (FAR-H)), and further categorized into 9 groups according to FAR and glucose metabolism status (normal glucose regulation (NGR), prediabetes mellitus (PreDM), diabetes mellitus (DM)). Cox regression models and competing risk models were used to examine the relationships between FAR and clinical outcomes. Results: 66,761 patients (63.1 ± 11.0 years, 75.3% male) were enrolled. During the follow-up, 10,534 patients died, including 4991 cardiovascular deaths and 1092 cancer deaths. After adjusting for confounders, higher FAR was associated with increased risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in CAD patients with NGR, PreDM and DM. The risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality was highest in FAR-H with DM (HR (95% CI) = 1.71 (1.58-1.86), 2.11 (1.86-2.38), respectively; p < 0.001). FAR-H with PreDM was significantly associated with the highest risk of cancer mortality (HR (95% CI) = 2.27 (1.70-3.02), p < 0.001). Adding FAR to the original model significantly improved the prediction of long-term mortality. Conclusions: Increased FAR was significantly associated with higher risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in CAD patients with NGR, PreDM and DM. Abnormal glucose metabolism augments the relationship between FAR and mortality. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05050877.

Analysis of long-term mortality after total body irradiation-based and melphalan-based chemotherapy conditioning for acute myeloid leukemia.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a curative treatment option for selected patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Yet, the influence of total body irradiation (TBI)-based conditioning as compared to non-TBI-based conditioning on long-term mortality is unclear. We retrospectively evaluated outcomes after TBI-based (n = 91) and non-TBI-based conditioning (melphalan-based, n = 248) for 1st allo-HSCT patients transplanted at the University Hospital Regensburg between 1999 and 2020. TBI was performed with an average dose rate of 4 cGy/min. Median follow-up was 8.3 years (interquartile range, 4.8-12.9 years). Cumulative incidence rates of 5-year non-relapse mortality (NRM) were 17% (95% confidence interval, CI, 10-25) and 33% (95% CI, 27-40) after TBI- and non-TBI-based conditioning (P < 0.001). Five-year cumulative incidences of relapse (CIR) were 42% (95% CI, 32-52) and 29% (95% CI, 23-35) after TBI- and non-TBI-based conditioning (P = 0.030). The 5-year OS was 54% (95% CI, 43-64) and 55% (95% CI, 48-62) after TBI- and non-TBI-based conditioning. Both groups had similar 100-day acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD, 43% vs. 40%) and 5-year chronic GVHD (34% vs. 36%). The multivariable regression models found no associations of TBI with the outcomes NRM, CIR, PFS, OS, aGVHD, and cGVHD. TBI was no risk factor for NRM, even including mortality caused by secondary malignancies. NRM was influenced by patient age, advanced disease status, and the use of female donors for male recipients. TBI- and non-TBI-based conditioning appear to be equally effective and tolerable for AML patients eligible for 1st allo-HSCT.

Clinical characteristics, management, and 5-year survival compared between no standard modifiable risk factor (SMuRFless) and ≥ 1 SMuRF ACS cases: an analysis of 15,051 cases from Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: There has been an increase in Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) patients without standard modifiable risk factors i.e. hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and tobacco use (SMuRFless) compared to the patients with ≥ 1 SMuRF but this has not been studied in South Asia despite them being a high-risk population. We conducted a comparative analysis of first episodes of ACS cases admitted to a tertiary cardiac center in Pakistan between SMuRFless and ≥ 1 SMuRF patients for clinical presentation, management, in-hospital, and 5-year mortality. METHODS: We undertook a retrospective study and data of 15,051 patients admitted at Tabba Heart Institute (THI) with the first episode of ACS was extracted from Chest Pain-MI™, and the CathPCI Registry® registry affiliated with the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR®), USA. Logistic regression and Cox proportional algorithm yielded odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for associated factors of in-patient and 5-year mortality. RESULTS: There were 15% SMuRFless cases and in-hospital mortality was 4.1% in SMuRFless vs. 3.9% in the ≥ 1 SMuRF group (p-0.59), the difference remained insignificant after adjusting for age, gender, Killip class, multivessel disease, type of ACS, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) (Adjusted OR:1.1 [0.8, 1.3]. Unadjusted 5-year mortality was 40% lower in the SMuRFless group but the difference was insignificant after adjusting for age, gender, disease at presentation, its severity, and management (Adjusted HR 0.7 95% CI[0.5, 1.0]). STEMI, NSTEMI, Killip class, and multivessel disease increased the risk of overall 5-year mortality. CONCLUSION: In-hospital and 5-year mortality was not different between the SMuRFless and ≥ 1 SMuRF group, there is a need to understand mediators of immediate and long-term mortality risk in SMuRFless patients.

Predictors of long-term survival in Japanese patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillators (CRT-D).

BACKGROUND: Reports on the factors predicting long-term survival of CRT-D cases from Western countries are increasing, however, those from Asia including Japan are still sparse. We aimed to clarify the factors predicting long-term survival of Japanese CRT-D cases. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed consecutive 133 patients who underwent CRT-D implantation between 2006 and 2021. We compared clinical factors between patients who died within 5 years after implantation (short-survival group: n = 31) and who had survived for more than 5 years (long-survival group: n = 36) after implantation. RESULTS: Major underlying heart diseases were dilated cardiomyopathy (45%) and ischemic heart disease (12%). There was no difference between the short-survival group and the long-survival group in incidence of CLBBB (32% vs. 30%), whereas CRBBB was more common in the short-survival group (26% vs. 0%, p = .004). Mechanical dyssynchrony at implantation was more frequent in the long-survival group (48% vs. 78%, p = .02). The incidence of response to CRT at 1 year after implantation was higher in long-survival group (19% vs. 50%, p = .02). Multiple logistic regression analysis identified NYHA class, mechanical dyssynchrony at implantation, and response at one year as predictors of long-term survival. CONCLUSIONS: In Japanese CRT-D cases, lower NHYA class, preexisting mechanical dyssynchrony, and 1-year response to CRT predict long-term survival.

Potential Interaction Between Sepsis and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and Effect on the 6-Month Clinical Outcomes: A Preliminary Secondary Analysis of a Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the potential interaction between sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) on the 6-month clinical outcomes. METHODS: This secondary analysis of a prospective multicenter observational study included patients who were expected to receive mechanical ventilation for more than 48 h. Patients were stratified based on the incidence of sepsis and further subdivided according to the presence of ARDS. The primary endpoints for patients whose follow-up information was available included mortality (n = 162) and the occurrence of PICS (n = 96) at six months. The diagnosis of PICS was based on any of the following criteria: (1) decrease ≥ 10 points in the physical component score of the 36-item Short Form (SF36) questionnaire; (2) decrease ≥ 10 points in the mental component score of the SF-36; or (3) decline in the Short Memory Questionnaire (SMQ) score and SMQ score < 40 at six months after ICU admission. We conducted multivariate logistic regression analyses to assess the effect of the potential interaction between ARDS and sepsis on the 6-month clinical outcomes. RESULTS: The mortality in the ARDS sub-group was higher than that in the non-ARDS subgroup [47% (7/15) versus 21% (18/85)] in the non-sepsis group. However, the mortality in the ARDS and non-ARDS subgroups was similar in the sepsis group. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that ARDS was significantly associated with mortality in the non-sepsis group (adjusted OR: 5.25; 95% CI: 1.45-19.09; p = .012), but not in the sepsis group (P for interaction = .087). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed ARDS was not associated with PICS occurrence in the non-sepsis and sepsis groups (P-value for the interaction = .039). CONCLUSIONS: This hypothesis-generating study suggested that the effect of ARDS on the 6-month outcomes depended on the presence or absence of sepsis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.

Cholinesterase inhibitors associated with lower rate of mortality in dementia patients with heart failure: a nationwide propensity weighting study.

PURPOSE: This study investigates the potential impact of cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) on patients with heart failure (HF) and dementia. ChEIs are known to boost acetylcholine levels and benefit cognition in patients with dementia; however, their effect on patients with HF is uncertain. This study aimed to assess whether cardiovascular events and mortality among patients with HF and dementia are altered by ChEI therapy. METHODS: Data from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan were retrospectively analyzed. Dementia patients diagnosed with HF were followed for 5 years until all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, hospitalization for worsening HF, or the end of the study. Multivariable Cox models and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) were employed. RESULTS: Out of 20,848 patients with dementia, 5138 had HF. Among them, 726 were ChEI users and 4412 were non-users. Based on IPTW, the ChEI users had significantly lower estimated risks of all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 0.43; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.38-0.49, p < 0.001] and cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.41; 95% CI 0.33-0.53, p < 0.001) compared with the non-users, but there was no significant difference in hospitalization for worsening HF (HR 0.73; 95% CI 0.51-1.05, p = 0.091) after 5 years. The survival benefits of ChEIs were consistent across subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this retrospective cohort study suggest that ChEIs may be beneficial in reducing all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with dementia with HF. Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore the potential benefits of ChEIs in all patients with HF, including those without dementia.

Association of nutritional status and comorbidity with long-term survival among community-dwelling older males.

BACKGROUND: Estimates of survival in the older can be of benefit in various facets, particularly in medical and individual decision-making. We aim to validate the value of a combination of nutrition status evaluation and comorbidity assessment in predicting long-term survival among community-dwelling older. METHODS: The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was applied for comprehensive evaluation of comorbidities. Participants were classified into CCI score ≤ 2 and ≥ 3 subgroups. Nutritional status was assessed by using Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) and Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) evaluations. Mortality rates and survival curves over a 5-year period were compared among subgroups classified by CCI and/or MNA-SF/GNRI evaluations. RESULTS: A total of 1033 elderly male participants were enrolled in this study, with an average age of 79.44 ± 8.61 years. 108 deceased participants (10.5%) were identified during a follow-up of 5 years. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that age, CCI, MNA-SF and GNRI were independent predictors of 5-year all-cause death in this cohort. Compared to those with normal nutrition status and CCI ≤ 2, the subgroup at risk of malnutrition and CCI ≥ 3 had a significantly higher 5-year all-cause mortality rate (HR = 4.671; 95% CI:2.613-8.351 for MNA-SF and HR = 7.268; 95% CI:3.401-15.530 for GNRI; P < 0.001 for both). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that a combination of either MNA-SF or GNRI with CCI had significantly better performance than CCI, MNA-SF or GNRI alone in predicting all-cause death. CONCLUSION: The combination of nutritional assessment (MNA-SF or GNRI) with CCI can significantly improve the predictive accuracy of long-term mortality outcomes among community-dwelling older males.

Association between early blood urea nitrogen-to-albumin ratio and one-year post-hospital mortality in critically ill surgical patients: a propensity score-matched study.

BACKGROUND: Blood urea nitrogen to albumin ratio (BAR) is increasingly recognized as an early predictor for short-term outcomes in critically ill patients, but the association of BAR with long-term outcomes in critically ill surgical patients remains underexplored. METHODS: We enrolled consecutive patients who were admitted to surgical intensive care units (ICUs) at Taichung Veterans General Hospital between 2015 and 2020, and the dates of death were retrieved from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. In addition to Cox regression, we also used propensity score matching to determine the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for one-year post-hospital mortality of the variables. RESULTS: A total of 8,073 eligible subjects were included for analyses. We found that age, male gender, high Charlson Comorbidity Index, high Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, positive microbial culture, and leukocytosis were predictors for mortality, whereas high body mass index, scheduled surgery, and high platelet counts were protective factors against long-term mortality. The high BAR was independently associated with increased post-hospital mortality after adjustment for the aforementioned covariates (adjHR 1.258, 95% CI, 1.127-1.405). Notably, the association tended to be stronger in females and patients with fewer comorbidities and lower disease severity of critical illness. The propensity score matching, dividing subjects by BAR higher or lower than 6, showed a consistent association between week-one BAR and post-hospital mortality (adjHR 1.503, 95% CI 1.247-1.811). CONCLUSIONS: BAR is a newly identified predictor of short-term outcome, and we identified long-term outcome-relevant factors, including BAR, and the identified factors may be useful for risk stratification of long-term outcomes in patients discharged from surgical ICUs.

Predictors of Long-Term Mortality in Patients with Stable Angina Pectoris and Coronary Slow Flow.

Background and Objectives: Coronary slow flow (CSF) is an angiographic phenomenon characterized by the slow progression of an injected contrast agent during diagnostic coronary angiography in the absence of significant stenosis. Although CSF is a common angiographic finding, the long-term outcomes and mortality rates are still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the underlying causes of mortality over a 10-year period in patients diagnosed with stable angina pectoris (SAP) and CSF. Materials and Methods: This study included patients with SAP who underwent coronary angiography from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012. All patients displayed CSF despite having angiographically normal coronary arteries. Hypertension (HT), diabetes mellitus (DM), hyperlipidaemia, medication compliance, comorbidities, and laboratory data were recorded at the time of angiography. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count (TFC) was calculated for each patient. The cardiovascular (CV) and non-CV causes of long-term mortality were assessed. Results: A total of 137 patients with CSF (93 males; mean age: 52.2 ± 9.36 years) were included in this study. Twenty-one patients (15.3%) died within 10 years of follow-up. Nine (7.2%) and 12 (9.4%) patients died of non-CV and CV causes, respectively. Total mortality in patients with CSF was associated with age, HT, discontinuation of medications, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. The mean TFC was associated with CV mortality. Conclusion: Patients with CSF exhibited a notable increase in cardiovascular-related and overall mortality rates after 10 years of follow-up. HT, discontinuation of medications, HDL-C levels, and mean TFC were associated with mortality in patients with CSF.

Multidisciplinary treatment for locally advanced gastric cancer: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of multidisciplinary treatment for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) who underwent radical gastrectomy. Patients and Methods: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effectiveness of surgery alone, adjuvant chemotherapy (CT), adjuvant radiotherapy (RT), adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT), neoadjuvant CT, neoadjuvant RT, neoadjuvant CRT, perioperative CT and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for LAGC were searched. Overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), recurrence and metastasis, long-term mortality, adverse events (grade ≥3), operative complications and R0 resection rate were used as outcome indicators for meta-analysis. Results: Forty-five RCTs with 10077 participants were finally analysed. Adjuvant CT had higher OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.74, 95% credible interval [CI] = 0.66-0.82) and DFS (HR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.60-0.74) than surgery-alone group. Perioperative CT (odds ratio [OR] = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.19-5.50) and adjuvant CT (OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.27-0.86) both had more recurrence and metastasis than HIPEC + adjuvant CT, while adjuvant CRT tended to have less recurrence and metastasis than adjuvant CT (OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.29-2.42) and even adjuvant RT (OR = 1.83, 95% CI = 0.98-3.40). Moreover, the incidence of mortality in HIPEC + adjuvant CT was lower than that in adjuvant RT (OR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.11-0.72), adjuvant CT (OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.23-0.86) and perioperative CT (OR = 2.39, 95% CI = 1.05-5.41). Analysis of adverse events (grade ≥3) showed no statistically significant difference between any two adjuvant therapy groups. Conclusion: A combination of HIPEC with adjuvant CT seems to be the most effective adjuvant therapy, which contributes to reducing tumour recurrence, metastasis and mortality - without increasing surgical complications and adverse events related to toxicity. Compared with CT or RT alone, CRT can reduce recurrence, metastasis and mortality but increase adverse events. Moreover, neoadjuvant therapy can effectively improve the radical resection rate, but neoadjuvant CT tends to increase surgical complications.

Invasive Pneumococcal Disease and Long-Term Mortality Rates in Adults, Alberta, Canada.

The relationship between increased short-term mortality rates after invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) has been frequently studied. However, the relationship between IPD and long-term mortality rates is unknown. IPD patients in Alberta, Canada, had clinical data collected that were linked to administrative databases. We used Cox proportional hazards modeling, and the primary outcome was time to all-cause deaths. First IPD events were identified in 4,522 patients, who had a median follow-up of 3.2 years (interquartile range 0.8‒9.1 years). Overall all-cause mortality rates were consistently higher among cases than controls at 30 days (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 3.75, 95% CI 3.29-4.28), 30‒90 days (aHR 1.56, 95% CI 1.27‒1.93), and >90 days (aHR 1.43, 95% CI 1.33-1.54). IPD increases risk for short, intermediate, and long-term mortality rates regardless of age, sex, or concurrent conditions. These findings can help clinicians focus on postdischarge patient plans to limit long-term effects after acute IPD infection.

Long-Term Mortality in Women With Pregnancy Loss and Modification by Race/Ethnicity.

Pregnancy loss is a common reproductive complication, but its association with long-term mortality and whether this varies by maternal race/ethnicity is not well understood. Data from a racially diverse cohort of pregnant women enrolled in the Collaborative Perinatal Project (CPP) from 1959 to 1966 were used for this study. CPP records were linked to the National Death Index and the Social Security Death Master File to identify deaths and underlying cause (until 2016). Pregnancy loss comprised self-reported losses, including abortions, stillbirths, and ectopic pregnancies. Among 48,188 women (46.0% White, 45.8% Black, 8.2% other race/ethnicity), 25.6% reported at least 1 pregnancy loss and 39% died. Pregnancy loss was associated with a higher absolute risk of all-cause mortality (risk difference, 4.0 per 100 women, 95% confidence interval: 1.4, 6.5) and cardiovascular mortality (risk difference, 2.2 per 100 women, 95% confidence interval: 0.8, 3.5). Stratified by race/ethnicity, a higher risk of mortality persisted in White, but not Black, women. Women with recurrent losses are at increased risk of death, both overall and across all race/ethnicity groups. Pregnancy loss is associated with death; however, it does not confer an excess risk above the observed baseline risk in Black women. These findings support the need to assess reproductive history as part of routine screening in women.

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.