Racial and Ethnic Concordance Between the Patient and Anesthesia Team and Patients' Satisfaction With Pain Management During Cesarean Delivery.

BACKGROUND: Racial and ethnic concordance between patients and health care providers increases patient satisfaction but has not been examined in obstetric anesthesia care. This study evaluated the association between racial and ethnic concordance and satisfaction with management of pain during cesarean delivery (PDCD). METHODS: This was a secondary analysis on a cohort of patients undergoing cesarean deliveries under neuraxial anesthesia that examined PDCD. The outcome was satisfaction, recorded within 48 hours after delivery using the survey question, "Overall, how satisfied are you with the anesthesia care during the C-section as it relates to pain management?" Using a 5-point Likert scale, satisfaction was defined with the answer "very satisfied." Participants were also asked, "If you have another C-section, would you want the same anesthesia team?" The exposure was racial and ethnic concordance between the patient and anesthesia team members (attending with a resident, nurse anesthetist, or fellow) categorized into full concordance, partial concordance, discordance, and missing. Risk factors for satisfaction were identified using a multivariable analysis. RESULTS: Among 403 participants, 305 (78.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 73.8-82.1) were "very satisfied," and 358 of 399 (89.7%; 95% CI, 86.3-92.5) "would want the same anesthesia team." Full concordance occurred in 18 (4.5%) cases, partial concordance in 117 (29.0%), discordance in 175 (43.4%), and missing in 93 (23.1%). Satisfaction rate was 88.9% for full concordance, 71.8% for partial concordance, 81.1% for discordance, and 78.5% for missing (P value = .202). In the multivariable analysis, there was insufficient evidence for an association of concordance with satisfaction. Compared to full concordance, partial concordance was associated with a nonsignificant 57% (95% CI, -113 to 91) decrease in the odds of being satisfied, discordance with a 29% (95% CI, -251 to 85) decrease, and missing with a 39% (95% CI, -210 to 88) decrease. Risk factors for not being "very satisfied" were PDCD, anxiety disorders, pregnancy resulting from in vitro fertilization, intravenous medication administration, intrapartum cesarean with extension of labor epidural, having 3 anesthesia team members (instead of 2), and a higher intraoperative blood loss. CONCLUSIONS: Our inability to identify an association between concordance and satisfaction is likely due to the high satisfaction rate in our cohort (78.2%), combined with low proportion of full concordance (4.5%). Addressing elements such as PDCD, anxiety, intravenous medication administration, and use of epidural anesthesia for cesarean delivery, and a better understanding of the interplay between concordance and satisfaction are warranted.

State-Level Indicators of Structural Racism and Severe Adverse Maternal Outcomes During Childbirth.

OBJECTIVES: Structural racism (SR) is viewed as a root cause of racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes. However, evidence linking SR to increased odds of severe adverse maternal outcomes (SAMO) is scant. This study assessed the association between state-level indicators of SR and SAMO during childbirth. METHODS: Data for non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic white women came from the US Natality file, 2017-2018. The exposures were state-level Black-to-white inequity ratios for lower education level, unemployment, and prison incarceration. The outcome was patient-level SAMO, including eclampsia, blood transfusion, hysterectomy, or intensive care unit admission. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of SAMO associated with each ratio were estimated using multilevel models adjusting for patient, hospital, and state characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 4,804,488 birth certificates were analyzed, with 22.5% for Black women. SAMO incidence was 106.4 per 10,000 (95% CI 104.5, 108.4) for Black women, and 72.7 per 10,000 (95% CI 71.8, 73.6) for white women. Odds of SAMO increased 35% per 1-unit increase in the unemployment ratio for Black women (aOR 1.35; 95% CI 1.04, 1.73), and 16% for white women (aOR 1.16; 95% CI 1.01, 1.33). Odds of SAMO increased 6% per 1-unit increase in the incarceration ratio for Black women (aOR 1.06; 95% CI 1.03, 1.10), and 4% for white women (aOR 1.04; 95% CI 1.02, 1.06). No significant association was observed between SAMO and the lower education level ratio. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: State-level Black-to-white inequity ratios for unemployment and incarceration are associated with significantly increased odds of SAMO.

Association of Labor Neuraxial Analgesia with Maternal Blood Transfusion.

BACKGROUND: Labor neuraxial analgesia may reduce the odds of postpartum hemorrhage, the leading indication for maternal blood transfusion during childbirth. This study tested the hypothesis that labor neuraxial analgesia is associated with reduced odds of maternal blood transfusion overall. METHODS: U.S. birth certificate data in the Natality File of the National Vital Statistics System for all 50 states from 2015 to 2018 for vaginal and intrapartum cesarean deliveries were analyzed. The exposure was labor neuraxial analgesia. The primary outcome was maternal blood transfusion, recorded on the birth certificate, which has low sensitivity for this outcome. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% CIs of blood transfusion associated with neuraxial analgesia were estimated using propensity score matching. The adjusted odds ratios were estimated overall and according to delivery mode, and treatment effect was compared between vaginal and intrapartum cesarean deliveries using an interaction term. Sensitivity analyses were performed using inverse propensity score weighting and quantitative bias analysis for outcome misclassification. RESULTS: Of the 12,503,042 deliveries analyzed, 9,479,291 (75.82%) were with neuraxial analgesia, and 42,485 (0.34%) involved maternal blood transfusion. After propensity score matching, the incidence of blood transfusion was 0.30% in women without neuraxial analgesia (7,907 of 2,589,493) and 0.20% in women with neuraxial analgesia (5,225 of 2,589,493), yielding an adjusted odds ratio of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.82 to 0.91) overall. For intrapartum cesarean deliveries, the adjusted odds ratio was 0.55 (95% CI, 0.48 to 0.64), and for vaginal deliveries it was 0.93 (95% CI,. 0.88 to 0.98; P value for the interaction term < 0.001). The results were consistent in the sensitivity analyses, although the quantitative bias analysis demonstrated wide variation in potential effect size point estimates. CONCLUSIONS: Labor neuraxial analgesia may be associated with reduced odds of maternal blood transfusion in intrapartum cesarean deliveries and, to a lesser extent, vaginal deliveries. The specific effect size varies widely by delivery mode and is unclear given the poor sensitivity of the data set for the maternal transfusion primary outcome.

Association of the United States Affordable Care Act Dependent Coverage Provision with Labor Neuraxial Analgesia Use.

BACKGROUND: Providing continuous health insurance coverage during the perinatal period may increase access to and utilization of labor neuraxial analgesia. This study tested the hypothesis that implementation of the 2010 Dependent Coverage Provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, requiring private health insurers to allow young adults to remain on their parent's plan until age 26 yr, was associated with increased labor neuraxial analgesia use. METHODS: This study used a natural experiment design and birth certificate data for spontaneous vaginal deliveries in 28 U.S. states between 2009 and 2013. The intervention was the Dependent Coverage Provision, categorized into pre- and postintervention periods (January 2009 to August 2010 and September 2010 to December 2013, respectively). The exposure was women's age, categorized as exposed (21 to 25 yr) and unexposed (27 to 31 yr). The outcome was the labor neuraxial analgesia utilization rate. RESULTS: Of the 4,515,667 birth certificates analyzed, 3,033,129 (67.2%) indicated labor neuraxial analgesia use. For women aged 21 to 25 yr, labor neuraxial analgesia utilization rates were 64.9% during the preintervention period and 68.9% during the postintervention period (difference, 4.0%; 95% CI, 3.9 to 4.2). For women aged 27 to 31 yr, labor neuraxial analgesia utilization rates were 64.9% during the preintervention period and 67.7% during the postintervention period (difference, 2.8%; 95% CI, 2.7 to 2.9). After adjustment, implementation of the Dependent Coverage Provision was associated with a 1.0% (95% CI, 0.8 to 1.2) absolute increase in labor neuraxial analgesia utilization rate among women aged 21 to 25 yr compared with women aged 27 to 31 yr. The increase was statistically significant for White and Hispanic women but not for Black and Other race and ethnicity women. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the Dependent Coverage Provision was associated with a statistically significant increase in labor neuraxial analgesia use, but the small effect size is unlikely of clinical significance.

Delivery Outcomes and Postpartum Readmissions Associated with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Given that updated estimates of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and risks for obstetric complications including postpartum readmission may be of public health significance, we sought to analyze associated obstetric trends and outcomes in a nationally representative population. STUDY DESIGN: The 2016 to 2020 Nationwide Readmissions Database was used for this retrospective cohort study. Delivery hospitalizations to women aged 15 to 54 with and without Ehlers-Danlos syndrome were identified. Temporal trends in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome diagnoses during delivery hospitalizations were analyzed using joinpoint regression to estimate the average annual percent change with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). To determine whether adverse obstetric outcomes during the delivery were associated with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were fit with unadjusted (odds ratio [OR]) and adjusted ORs with 95% CIs as measures of association. In addition to analyzing adverse delivery outcomes, risk for 60-day postpartum readmission was analyzed. RESULTS: An estimated 18,214,542 delivery hospitalizations were included of which 7,378 (4.1 per 10,000) had an associated diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome diagnosis increased from 2.7 to 5.2 per 10,000 delivery hospitalization from 2016 to 2020 (average annual percent change increase of 16.1%, 95% CI: 9.4%, 23.1%). Ehlers-Danlos syndrome was associated with increased odds of nontransfusion severe maternal morbidity (OR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.38, 2.45), cervical insufficiency (OR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.46, 3.13), postpartum hemorrhage (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.17, 1.68), cesarean delivery (OR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.17, 1.36), and preterm delivery (OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.56). Estimates for transfusion, placental abruption, and placenta previa did not differ significantly. Risk for 60-day postpartum readmission was 3.0% among deliveries with Ehlers-Danlos (OR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.37, 2.25). CONCLUSION: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome diagnoses approximately doubled over the 5-year study period and was associated with a range of adverse obstetric outcomes and complications during delivery hospitalizations as well as risk for postpartum readmission. KEY POINTS: · Ehlers-Danlos syndrome diagnoses approximately doubled over the 5-year study period.. · Ehlers-Danlos was associated with a range of adverse obstetric outcomes.. · Ehlers-Danlos was associated with increased readmission risk..

Trends in and complications associated with mental health condition diagnoses during delivery hospitalizations.

BACKGROUND: Mental health conditions during delivery hospitalizations are not well characterized. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to characterize the prevalence of maternal mental health condition diagnoses and associated risk during delivery hospitalizations in the United States. STUDY DESIGN: The 2000 to 2018 National Inpatient Sample was used for this repeated cross-sectional analysis. Delivery hospitalizations of women aged 15 to 54 years with and without mental health condition diagnoses, including depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, bipolar spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia spectrum disorder, were identified. Temporal trends in mental health condition diagnoses during delivery hospitalizations were determined using the National Cancer Institute's Joinpoint Regression Program to estimate the average annual percent change with 95% confidence intervals. The trends in chronic conditions associated with mental health condition diagnoses, including asthma, pregestational diabetes mellitus, chronic hypertension, obesity, and substance use, were analyzed. The association between mental health conditions and the following adverse outcomes was determined: (1) severe maternal morbidity, (2) preeclampsia or gestational hypertension, (3) preterm delivery, (4) postpartum hemorrhage, (5) cesarean delivery, and (6) maternal mortality. Regression models for each outcome were performed with unadjusted and adjusted risk ratios as measures of effects. RESULTS: Of 73,109,791 delivery hospitalizations, 2,316,963 (3.2%) had ≥1 associated mental health condition diagnosis. The proportion of delivery hospitalizations with a mental health condition increased from 0.6% in 2000 to 7.3% in 2018 (average annual percent change, 11.4%; 95% confidence interval, 10.3%-12.6%). Among deliveries in women with a mental health condition diagnosis, chronic health conditions, including asthma, pregestational diabetes mellitus, chronic hypertension, obesity, and substance use, increased from 14.9% in 2000 to 38.5% in 2018. Deliveries to women with a mental health condition diagnosis were associated with severe maternal morbidity (risk ratio, 1.88; 95% confidence interval, 1.86-1.90), preeclampsia and gestational hypertension (risk ratio, 1.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.58-1.60), preterm delivery (risk ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.35-1.36), postpartum hemorrhage (risk ratio, 1.37; 95% confidence interval, 1.36-1.38), cesarean delivery (risk ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.20-1.20), and maternal death (risk ratio, 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-1.56). The increased risk was retained in adjusted models. CONCLUSION: The proportion of delivery hospitalizations with mental health condition diagnoses increased significantly throughout the study period. Mental health condition diagnoses were associated with other underlying chronic health conditions and a modestly increased risk of a range of adverse outcomes. The findings suggested that mental health conditions are an important risk factor in adverse maternal outcomes.

Trends and outcomes for deliveries with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy from 2000 to 2018: A repeated cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse trends, risk factors, and outcomes related to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). DESIGN: Repeated cross-sectional. SETTING: US delivery hospitalisations. POPULATION: Delivery hospitalisations in the 2000-2018 National Inpatient Sample. METHODS: US hospital delivery hospitalisations with HDP were analysed. Several trends were analysed: (i) the proportion of deliveries by year with HDP, (ii) the proportion of deliveries with HDP risk factors and (iii) adverse outcomes associated with HDP including maternal stroke, acute renal failure and acute liver injury. Risk ratios were determined using regression models with HDP as the exposure of interest. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of HDP, risk factors for HDP and associated adverse outcomes. RESULTS: Of 73.1 million delivery hospitalisations, 7.7% had an associated diagnosis of HDP. Over the study period, HDP doubled from 6.0% of deliveries in 2000 to 12.0% in 2018. The proportion of deliveries with risk factors for HDP increased from 9.6% in 2000 to 24.6% in 2018. In adjusted models, HDP were associated with increased stroke (aRR [adjusted risk ratio] 15.9, 95% CI 14.8-17.1), acute renal failure (aRR 13.8, 95% CI 13.5-14.2) and acute liver injury (aRR 1.2, 95% CI 1.2-1.3). Among deliveries with HDP, acute renal failure and acute liver injury increased; in comparison, stroke decreased. CONCLUSION: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy increased in the setting of risk factors for HDP becoming more common, whereas stroke decreased. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: While hypertensive disorders of pregnancy increased from 2000 to 2018, stroke appears to be decreasing.

Utilization and Outcomes of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Obstetric Patients in the United States, 1999-2014: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Utilization of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for adult critically ill patients is increasing, but data in obstetric cohorts are scant. This study analyzed ECMO utilization and maternal outcomes in obstetric patients in the United States. METHODS: Data were abstracted from the 1999-2014 National Inpatient Sample (NIS), a 20% US national representative sample. ECMO hospitalizations (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] code 39.65) in patients ≥15 years of age were categorized into obstetric ECMO and nonobstetric ECMO. Obstetric patients included 4 categories: (1) loss or termination of pregnancy, (2) delivery (term or preterm), (3) postdelivery hospitalization, and (4) pregnancy without an obstetrical outcome. Possible underlying causes for obstetric ECMO were identified by analysis of ICD-9-CM codes in individual records. In-hospital death was abstracted from the NIS, and ECMO complications were identified using ICD-9-CM algorithms. Statistical significance in time-effect was assessed using weighted regression models. RESULTS: During the 16-year study period, 20,454 adult ECMO cases were identified, of which 331 occurred in obstetric patients (1.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-1.8). Obstetric ECMO utilization rate was 4.7 per million obstetric discharges (95% CI, 4.2-5.2). The top 3 possible indications were sepsis (22.1%), cardiomyopathy (16.6%), and aspiration pneumonia (9.7%). Obstetric ECMO utilization rate increased significantly during the study period from 1.1 per million obstetric discharges in 1999-2002 (95% CI, 0.6-1.7) to 11.2 in 2011-2014 (95% CI, 9.6-12.9), corresponding to a 144.7% increase per 4-year period (95% CI, 115.3-178.1). Compared with nonobstetric ECMO, obstetric ECMO was associated with decreased in-hospital all-cause mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.78; 95% CI, 0.66-0.93). In-hospital all-cause mortality for obstetric ECMO decreased from 73.7% in 1999-2002 (95% CI, 48.8-90.8) to 31.9% in 2011-2014 (95% CI, 25.2-39.1), corresponding to a 26.1% decrease per 4-year period (95% CI, 10.1-39.3). Compared with nonobstetric ECMO, obstetric ECMO was associated with significantly increased risk of both venous thromboembolism without associated pulmonary embolism (aOR 1.83; 95% CI, 1.06-3.15) and of nontraumatic hemoperitoneum (aOR 4.32; 95% CI, 2.41-7.74). CONCLUSIONS: During the study period, obstetric ECMO utilization has increased significantly and maternal prognosis improved.

Health equity research in obstetric anesthesia.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Health equity is an important priority for obstetric anesthesia, but describing disparities in perinatal care process and health outcome is insufficient to achieve this goal. Conceptualizing and framing disparity is a prerequisite to pose meaningful research questions. We emphasize the need to hypothesize and test which mechanisms and drivers are instrumental for disparities in perinatal processes and outcomes, in order to target, test and refine effective countermeasures. RECENT FINDINGS: With an emphasis on methodology and measurement, we sketch how health systems and disparity research may advance maternal health equity by narrating, conceptualizing, and investigating social determinants of health as key drivers of perinatal disparity, by identifying the granular mechanism of this disparity, by making the economic case to address them, and by testing specific interventions to advance obstetric health equity. SUMMARY: Measuring social determinants of health and meaningful perinatal processes and outcomes precisely and accurately at the individual, family, community/neighborhood level is a prerequisite for healthcare disparity research. A focus on elucidating the precise mechanism driving disparity in processes of obstetric care would inform a more rational effort to promote health equity. Implementation scientists should rigorously investigate in prospective trials, which countermeasures are most efficient and effective in mitigating perinatal outcome disparities.

The 2014 New York State Medicaid Expansion and Severe Maternal Morbidity During Delivery Hospitalizations.

BACKGROUND: Medicaid expansions under the Affordable Care Act have increased insurance coverage and prenatal care utilization in low-income women. However, it is not clear whether they are associated with any measurable improvement in maternal health outcomes. In this study, we compared the changes in the incidence of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) during delivery hospitalizations between low- and high-income women associated with the 2014 Medicaid expansion in New York State. METHODS: Data for this retrospective cohort study came from the 2006-2016 New York State Inpatient Database, a census of discharge records from community hospitals. The outcome was SMM during delivery hospitalizations, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We used regression coefficients (ß) from multivariable logistic models: (1) to compare independently in low-income women and in high-income women the changes in slopes in the incidence of SMM before (2006-2013) and after (2014-2016) the expansion, and (2) to compare low- and high-income women for the changes in slopes in the incidence of SMM before and after the expansion. RESULTS: A total of 2,286,975 delivery hospitalizations were analyzed. The proportion of Medicaid beneficiaries in parturients increased a relative 12.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.8-12.4), from 42.9% in the preexpansion period to 48.1% in the postexpansion period, whereas the proportion of the uninsured decreased a relative 4.8% (95% CI, 2.8-6.8). Multivariable logistic modeling revealed that implementation of the 2014 Medicaid expansion was associated with a decreased slope during the postexpansion period both in low-income women (ß = -0.0161 or 1.6% decrease; 95% CI, -0.0190 to -0.0132) and in high-income women (ß = -0.0111 or 1.1% decrease; 95% CI, -0.0130 to -0.0091). The decrease in slope during the postexpansion period was greater in low- than in high-income women (ß = -0.0042 or 0.42% difference; 95% CI, -0.0076 to -0.0007). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the Medicaid expansion in 2014 in New York State is associated with a small but statistically significant reduction in the incidence of SMM in low-income women compared with high-income women.

Exposure to General Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery and Odds of Severe Postpartum Depression Requiring Hospitalization.

BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests that, compared with regional anesthesia, general anesthesia is associated with increased odds of postoperative depressive disorders. No study has specifically evaluated the possible protective effect of neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean delivery on maternal mental health compared with general anesthesia. This exploratory study was designed to test the hypothesis that general anesthesia for cesarean delivery is associated with increased odds of severe postpartum depression (PPD) requiring hospitalization compared with neuraxial anesthesia. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included cesarean delivery cases performed in New York State hospitals between January 2006 and December 2013. Exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) having >1 cesarean delivery during the study period; (2) residing outside of New York State; (3) having a general anesthetic for other surgery or delivery in the previous year or in the year after the index case. The primary outcome was the occurrence of PPD, and the secondary outcomes were: (1) the composite of suicidal ideation or self-inflicted injury (ie, suicidality); (2) anxiety disorders; and (3) posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD). Primary and secondary outcomes were identified during the delivery hospitalization and up to 1 year after delivery. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of adverse psychiatric outcomes associated with general anesthesia were estimated using propensity score matching. RESULTS: Of the 428,204 cesarean delivery cases included, 34,356 had general anesthesia (8.0%). Severe PPD requiring hospitalization was recorded in 1158 women (2.7/1000; 95% CI, 2.5-2.9); of them, 60% were identified during readmission, with a median of 164 days after discharge. Relative to neuraxial anesthesia, general anesthesia in cesarean delivery was associated with a 54% increased odds of PPD (aOR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.21-1.95) and a 91% increased odds of suicidal ideation or self-inflicted injury (aOR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.12-3.25). There was insufficient evidence in these data that general anesthesia was associated with anxiety disorders (aOR, 1.37; 95% CI, 0.97-1.95) or PTSD (aOR, 1.50; 95% CI, 0.50-4.47). CONCLUSIONS: General anesthesia for cesarean delivery is associated with increased odds of severe PPD requiring hospitalization, suicidal ideation, and self-inflicted injury. If confirmed, these preliminary findings underscore the need to avoid the use of general anesthesia for cesarean delivery whenever possible, and to provide mental health screening, counseling, and other follow-up services to obstetric patients exposed to general anesthesia.

Anesthesiologists' and Intensive Care Providers' Exposure to COVID-19 Infection in a New York City Academic Center: A Prospective Cohort Study Assessing Symptoms and COVID-19 Antibody Testing.

BACKGROUND: Protecting first-line health care providers against work-related coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection at the onset of the pandemic has been a crucial challenge in the United States. Anesthesiologists in particular are considered at risk, since aerosol-generating procedures, such as intubation and extubation, have been shown to significantly increase the odds for respiratory infections during severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreaks. This study assessed the incidence of COVID-19-like symptoms and the presence of COVID-19 antibodies after work-related COVID-19 exposures, among physicians working in a large academic hospital in New York City (NYC). METHODS: An e-mail survey was addressed to anesthesiologists and affiliated intensive care providers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center on April 15, 2020. The survey assessed 4 domains: (1) demographics and medical history, (2) community exposure to COVID-19 (eg, use of NYC subway), (3) work-related exposure to COVID-19, and (4) development of COVID-19-like symptoms after work exposure. The first 100 survey responders were invited to undergo a blood test to assess antibody status (presence of immunoglobulin M [IgM]/immunoglobulin G [IgG] specific to COVID-19). Work-related exposure was defined as any episode where the provider was not wearing adequate personal protective equipment (airborne or droplet/contact protection depending on the exposure type). Based on the clinical scenario, work exposure was categorized as high risk (eg, exposure during intubation) or low risk (eg, exposure during doffing). RESULTS: Two hundred and five health care providers were contacted and 105 completed the survey (51%); 91 completed the serological test. Sixty-one of the respondents (58%) reported at least 1 work-related exposure and 54% of the exposures were high risk. Among respondents reporting a work-related exposure, 16 (26.2%) reported postexposure COVID-19-like symptoms. The most frequent symptoms were myalgia (9 cases), diarrhea (8 cases), fever (7 cases), and sore throat (7 cases). COVID-19 antibodies were detected in 11 of the 91 tested respondents (12.1%), with no difference between respondents with (11.8%) or without (12.5%) a work-related exposure, including high-risk exposure. Compared with antibody-negative respondents, antibody-positive respondents were more likely to use NYC subway to commute to work and report COVID-19-like symptoms in the past 90 days. CONCLUSIONS: In the epicenter of the United States' pandemic and within 6-8 weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak, a small proportion of anesthesiologists and affiliated intensive care providers reported COVID-19-like symptoms after a work-related exposure and even fewer had detectable COVID-19 antibodies. The presence of COVID-19 antibodies appeared to be associated with community/environmental transmission rather than secondary to work-related exposures involving high-risk procedures.

Prevalence of malignant hyperthermia diagnosis in obstetric patients in the United States, 2003 to 2014.

BACKGROUND: The cost-benefit of stocking dantrolene in maternity units for treating malignant hyperthermia (MH) has been recently questioned because of the low incidence of MH crisis in the general population and the low utilization of general anesthesia in obstetrics. However, no study has examined the prevalence of MH susceptibility in obstetrics. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of MH diagnosis and associated factors in obstetric patients. METHODS: Data for this study came from the National Inpatient Sample from 2003 to 2014, a 20% nationally representative sample of discharge records from community hospitals. A diagnosis of MH due to anesthesia was identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 995.86. MH prevalence was estimated according to the delivery mode and patient and hospital characteristics. RESULTS: During the 12-year study period, 47,178,322 delivery-related discharges [including 15,175,127 (32.2%) cesarean deliveries] were identified. Of them, 215 recorded a diagnosis of MH, yielding a prevalence of 0.46 per 100,000 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.40 to 0.52]. The prevalence of MH diagnosis in cesarean deliveries was 0.81 per 100,000 (95% CI, 0.67 to 0.97), compared with 0.29 per 100,000 (95% CI, 0.23 to 0.35) in vaginal deliveries (P <  0.001). Multivariable logistic regression revealed that cesarean delivery was associated with a significantly increased risk of MH diagnosis [adjusted rate ratio (aOR) 2.88; 95% CI, 2.19 to 3.80]. Prevalence of MH diagnosis was lower in Hispanics than in non-Hispanic whites (aOR 0.47; 95% CI, 0.29 to 0.76) and higher in the South than in the Northeast census regions (aOR 2.44; 95% CI, 1.50 to 3.96). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of MH-susceptibility is about 1 in 125,000 in cesarean deliveries, similar to the prevalence reported in non-obstetrical surgery inpatients. The findings of this study suggest that stocking dantrolene in maternity units is justified.

Adverse Events and Factors Associated with Potentially Avoidable Use of General Anesthesia in Cesarean Deliveries.

BACKGROUND: Compared with neuraxial anesthesia, general anesthesia for cesarean delivery is associated with increased risk of maternal adverse events. Reducing avoidable general anesthetics for cesarean delivery may improve safety of obstetric anesthesia care. This study examined adverse events, trends, and factors associated with potentially avoidable general anesthetics for cesarean delivery. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed cesarean delivery cases without a recorded indication for general anesthesia or contraindication to neuraxial anesthesia in New York State hospitals, 2003 to 2014. Adverse events included anesthesia complications (systemic, neuraxial-related, and drug-related), surgical site infection, venous thromboembolism, and the composite of death or cardiac arrest. Anesthesia complications were defined as severe if associated with death, organ failure, or prolonged hospital stay. RESULTS: During the study period, 466,014 cesarean deliveries without a recorded indication for general anesthesia or contraindication to neuraxial anesthesia were analyzed; 26,431 were completed with general anesthesia (5.7%). The proportion of avoidable general anesthetics decreased from 5.6% in 2003 to 2004 to 4.8% in 2013 to 2014 (14% reduction; P < 0.001). Avoidable general anesthetics were associated with significantly increased risk of anesthesia complications (adjusted odds ratio, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.4 to 1.9), severe complications (adjusted odds ratio, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.6 to 5.2), surgical site infection (adjusted odds ratio, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.5 to 2.1), and venous thromboembolism (adjusted odds ratio, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.3 to 3.0), but not of death or cardiac arrest. Labor neuraxial analgesia rate was one of the most actionable hospital-level factors associated with avoidable general anesthetics. Relative to hospitals with a rate greater than or equal to 75%, the adjusted odds ratio of avoidable general anesthetics increased to 1.3 (95% CI, 1.2 to 1.4), 1.6 (95% CI, 1.5 to 1.7), and 3.2 (95% CI, 3.0 to 3.5) as the rate decreased to 50 to 74.9%, 25 to 49.9%, and less than 25%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with neuraxial anesthesia, avoidable general anesthetics are associated with increased risk of adverse maternal outcomes.

Major Neurologic Complications Associated With Postdural Puncture Headache in Obstetrics: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Increased risks of cerebral venous thrombosis or subdural hematoma, bacterial meningitis, persistent headache, and persistent low back pain are suggested in obstetric patients with postdural puncture headache (PDPH). Acute postpartum pain such as PDPH may also lead to postpartum depression. This study tested the hypothesis that PDPH in obstetric patients is associated with significantly increased postpartum risks of major neurologic and other maternal complications. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study consisted of 1,003,803 women who received neuraxial anesthesia for childbirth in New York State hospitals between January 2005 and September 2014. The primary outcome was the composite of cerebral venous thrombosis and subdural hematoma. The 4 secondary outcomes were bacterial meningitis, depression, headache, and low back pain. PDPH and complications were identified during the delivery hospitalization and up to 1 year postdelivery. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using the inverse probability of treatment weighting approach. RESULTS: Of the women studied, 4808 (0.48%; 95% CI, 0.47-0.49) developed PDPH, including 264 cases (5.2%) identified during a readmission with a median time to readmission of 4 days. The incidence of cerebral venous thrombosis and subdural hematoma was significantly higher in women with PDPH than in women without PDPH (3.12 per 1000 neuraxial or 1:320 vs 0.16 per 1000 or 1:6250, respectively; P < .001). The incidence of the 4 secondary outcomes was also significantly higher in women with PDPH than in women without PDPH. The aORs associated with PDPH were 19.0 (95% CI, 11.2-32.1) for the composite of cerebral venous thrombosis and subdural hematoma, 39.7 (95% CI, 13.6-115.5) for bacterial meningitis, 1.9 (95% CI, 1.4-2.6) for depression, 7.7 (95% CI, 6.5-9.0) for headache, and 4.6 (95% CI, 3.3-6.3) for low back pain. Seventy percent of cerebral venous thrombosis and subdural hematoma were identified during a readmission with a median time to readmission of 5 days. CONCLUSIONS: PDPH is associated with substantially increased postpartum risks of major neurologic and other maternal complications, underscoring the importance of early recognition and treatment of anesthesia-related complications in obstetrics.

Postoperative Cardiac Troponin I Thresholds Associated With 1-Year Cardiac Mortality After Adult Cardiac Surgery: An Attempt to Link Risk Stratification With Management Stratification in an Observational Study.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiac troponin (cTn) concentrations are measured routinely in some centers after cardiac surgery as part of risk stratification, but there are no data on how increased cTn concentrations could change patients' management. The aim of this study was to estimate relevant cTnI thresholds and identify potential interventions (additional monitoring/therapeutic interventions) that could be part of management changes of patients with cTnI greater than relevant thresholds. DESIGN: Retrospective, single-center, observational study. SETTING: Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital, Paris, France, between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2012. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: cTnI was measured on the 20th postoperative hour. Causes of death and possible interventions were determined by analysis of individual medical records. cTnI thresholds for 1-year cardiac mortality with a specificity >80% were calculated. For this study, 3,228 procedures were analyzed; 129 deaths occurred (4%), 83 of which (2.6%) were cardiac deaths. Threshold cTnI values were 4.2 µg/L for coronary artery bypass grafting (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.9-4.5) and 10.7 µg/L for non-coronary artery bypass grafting (95% CI 10.0-11.3). In multivariable analysis, the EuroSCORE II (odds ratio 1.1 [95% CI 1.06-1.13]; p < 0.001) and cTnI concentrations greater than the thresholds (odds ratio 5.62 [95% CI 3.37-9.37]; p < 0.001) were associated with significantly increased risk of death. The additive and absolute Net Reclassification Index were 0.288% and 14.1%, respectively, for a logistic model including cTnI and EuroSCORE II (area under the curve C-index 0.82 [95% CI 0.77-0.87]) compared with a model including only EuroSCORE II (area under the curve C-index 0.80 [95% CI 0.75-0.84]). Fifty-three of the 83 patients who experienced cardiac death (64%) had a cTnI concentration greater than the threshold, and an intervention was deemed possible in 47 of those 53 (89%) (mostly patients with mild postoperative cardiac dysfunction). For noncardiac deaths, 28% of patients had a cTnI concentration greater than the threshold and no interventions were deemed possible. CONCLUSIONS: In an attempt to evolve from risk to management stratification, this study's results identified a subgroup of patients with mild cardiac dysfunction and a cTnI concentration greater than the threshold who could be the target for interventions in future validation studies concerning changes in patient management.

Patient-, Hospital-, and Neighborhood-Level Factors Associated with Severe Maternal Morbidity During Childbirth: A Cross-Sectional Study in New York State 2013-2014.

Background The incidence of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) during childbirth is increasing in the United States. A better characterization of risk factors for SMM may identify targets for improving maternal outcomes. This study aims to characterize patient-, hospital-, and neighborhood-level factors associated with SMM during childbirth. Methods SMM during childbirth was identified in the 2013-2014 State Inpatients Database for New York. Hospital and neighborhood characteristics were abstracted from the American Hospital Association and the Area Health Resources files. Multilevel modeling was used to identify factors associated with SMM, with and without blood transfusion, and its between-hospital variation. Results 403,116 delivery-related discharges from 139 hospitals were analyzed; 1557 (0.39%) recorded SMM without blood transfusion. In the final multilevel model, 7 patient-level factors were associated with a greater than fourfold increase in the risk of SMM: pulmonary hypertension, postpartum hemorrhage, placenta accreta, chronic kidney disease, cardiac conduction disorders, emergent cesarean delivery, and preeclampsia. Three hospital-level factors were associated with SMM: proportion of non-White patients, proportion of Medicaid beneficiaries, and coding intensity. No neighborhood-level factors were predictive of SMM. The proportion of variation in SMM explained by the model was 23.5 with 23.2% related to patient-level factors. The model explained 55% of the between-hospital variation, primarily related to patient-level factors. Similar results were observed for SMM with blood transfusion. Conclusions This study confirms the association between patient-level factors and SMM. It identifies patient-level factors as the major driver of between-hospital variation in SMM. Efforts to improve maternal outcomes should target patient-level factors.

Pulmonary Hypertension During Pregnancy in New York State, 2003-2014.

Objectives This study examined the prevalence and temporal trends in (a) pulmonary hypertension (PH) during pregnancy and (b) mortality and morbidity during pregnancy with and without PH. Methods This was a retrospective observational study of the 2003-2014 New York State Inpatient Database. PH was categorized as primary or secondary and pregnancy as loss or termination of pregnancy, preterm birth, or term birth. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definition of maternal morbidity was used, including 17 diagnoses and 5 procedures. Changes were assessed using Cochran-Armitage trend tests. Results Of 2,940,868 pregnancy-related discharges, 746 indicated a diagnosis of PH (25/100,000; 95% CI 24-27). PH was secondary in 677/746 (91%) discharges and 488/746 were term births (65%). Prevalence of secondary PH increased from 17 to 30/100,000 between 2003- 2004 and 2013-2014 (+ 69%; P < 0.001), with an increase in the prevalence of heart valve disease, obesity, and systemic hypertension. Primary PH decreased 81% (P = 0.002). Term-birth PH discharges increased from 13 to 22/100,000 between 2003-2004 and 2013-2014 (+ 66%; P = 0.003), without change in preterm births and loss or termination of pregnancies. No change in morbidity in PH discharges was observed between 2003-2004 and 2013-2014, contrasting with a 64% increase in discharges without PH. Conclusions for Practice Prevalence of secondary PH during pregnancy markedly increased since 2003, underscoring the importance of screening for PH, especially in women with heart valve disease, obesity, or systemic hypertension.

Emergency-to-Elective Surgery Ratio: A Global Indicator of Access to Surgical Care.

BACKGROUND: Surgical care is essential to health systems but remains a challenge for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Current metrics to assess access and delivery of surgical care focus on the structural components of surgery and are not readily applicable to all settings. This study assesses a new metric for surgical care access and delivery, the ratio of emergent surgery to elective surgery (Ee ratio), which represents the number of emergency surgeries performed for every 100 elective surgeries. METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed and Medline was conducted for studies describing surgical volume and acuity published between 2006 and 2016. The relationship between Ee ratio and three national indicators (gross domestic product, per capital healthcare spending, and physician density) was analyzed using weighted Pearson correlation coefficients (r w) and linear regression models. RESULTS: A total of 29 studies with 33 datasets were included for analyses. The median Ee ratio was 14.6 (IQR 5.5-62.6), with a range from 1.6 to 557.4. For countries in sub-Saharan Africa the median value was 62.6 (IQR 17.8-111.0), compared to 9.4 (IQR 3.4-13.4) for the United States and 5.5 (IQR 4.4-10.1) for European countries. In multivariable linear regression, the per capita healthcare spending was inversely associated with the Ee ratio, with a 63-point decrease in the Ee ratio for each 1 point increase in the log of the per capita healthcare spending (regression coefficient ß = -63.2; 95% CI -119.6 to -6.9; P = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS: The Ee ratio appears to be a simple and valid indicator of access to available surgical care. Global health efforts may focus on investment in low-resource settings to improve access to available surgical care.