Evaluating models of expert judgment to inform assessment of ecosystem viability and collapse.

Expert judgment underpins assessment of threatened ecosystems. However, experts are often narrowly defined, and variability in their judgments may be substantial. Models built from structured elicitation with large diverse expert panels can contribute to more consistent and transparent decision-making. We conducted a structured elicitation under a broad definition of expertise to examine variation in judgments of ecosystem viability and collapse in a critically endangered ecosystem. We explored whether variation in judgments among 83 experts was related to affiliation and management expertise and assessed performance of an average model based on common ecosystem indicators. There were systematic differences among individuals, much of which were not explained by affiliation or expertise. However, of the individuals affiliated with government, those in conservation and environmental departments were more likely to determine a patch was viable than those in agriculture and rural land management. Classification errors from an average model, in which all individuals were weighted equally, were highest among government agriculture experts (27%) and lowest among government conservation experts (12%). Differences were mostly cases in which the average model predicted a patch was viable but the individual thought it was not. These differences arose primarily for areas that were grazed or cleared of mature trees. These areas are often the target of restoration, but they are also valuable for agriculture. These results highlight the potential for conflicting advice and disagreement about policies and actions for conserving and restoring threatened ecosystems. Although adoption of an average model can improve consistency of ecosystem assessment, it can fail to capture and convey diverse opinions held by experts. Structured elicitation and models of ecosystem viability play an important role in providing data-driven evidence of where differences arise among experts to support engagement and discussion among stakeholders and decision makers and to improve the management of threatened ecosystems.

Análisis de los modelos de opiniones de expertos para informar la evaluación de la viabilidad y el colapso ambiental Resumen La evaluación de los ecosistemas amenazados se basa en la opinión de los expertos. Sin embargo, la definición de experto suele ser limitada y la variabilidad de sus juicios puede ser considerable. Los modelos elaborados a partir de consultas estructuradas con grupos de expertos amplios y diversos pueden contribuir a una toma de decisiones más coherente y transparente. Realizamos una consulta estructurada con una definición amplia de experto para analizar la variación en los juicios sobre la viabilidad y el colapso de un ecosistema en peligro crítico. Exploramos si la variación en los juicios entre 83 expertos estaba relacionada con la afiliación y la experiencia en gestión y evaluamos el rendimiento de un modelo medio basado en indicadores comunes del ecosistema. Observamos diferencias sistemáticas entre los expertos, gran parte de las cuales no se explicaban por la afiliación o la experiencia. Sin embargo, entre los expertos vinculados a la administración pública, los de los departamentos de conservación y medio ambiente tenían más probabilidades de determinar que una parcela era viable que los de agricultura y gestión de tierras rurales. Los errores de clasificación de un modelo medio con todos los individuos ponderados por igual, fueron mayores entre los expertos gubernamentales en agricultura (27%) y menores entre los expertos gubernamentales en conservación (12%). En la mayoría de los casos, las diferencias se debían a que el modelo medio predecía que una parcela era viable, pero el individuo pensaba que no lo era. Estas diferencias surgieron sobre todo en zonas que habían sido pastoreadas o con una tala total de árboles maduros. Estas zonas suelen ser objeto de restauración, pero también son valiosas para la agricultura. Estos resultados ponen de manifiesto la posibilidad de que se produzcan consejos contradictorios y desacuerdos sobre las políticas y acciones de conservación y restauración de los ecosistemas pastoreados y forestales. Si bien la adopción de un modelo medio puede mejorar la coherencia de la evaluación de los ecosistemas, también puede fallar a la hora de captar y transmitir las diversas opiniones de los expertos. Las consultas estructuradas y los modelos de viabilidad de los ecosistemas desempeñan un papel importante a la hora de aportar pruebas basadas en datos de dónde surgen las diferencias entre los expertos para apoyar el compromiso y el debate entre las partes interesadas y los responsables de la toma de decisiones, así como para mejorar la gestión de los ecosistemas amenazados.

Physical Restraint Usage in Hospitals Across the United States: 2011-2019.

Objective: To determine the change in rates of physical restraint (PR) use and associated outcomes among hospitalized adults. Patients and Methods: Using national inpatient sample databases, we analyzed years 2011-2014 and 2016-2019 to determine trends of PR usage. We also compared the years 2011-2012 and 2018-2019 to investigate rates of PR use, in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and total hospital charges. Results: There were 242,994,110 hospitalizations during the study period. 1,538,791 (0.63%) had coding to signify PRs, compared with 241,455,319 (99.3%), which did not. From 2011 to 2014, there was a significant increase in PR use (p-trend<.01) and a nonsignificant increase in PR rates from 2016-2019 (p-trend=.07). Over time, PR use increased (2011-2012: 0.52% vs 2018-2019: 0.73%; p<.01). Patients with PRs reported a higher adjusted odds for in-hospital mortality in 2011-2012 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.9; 95% CI, 3.7-4.2; p<.01) and 2018-2019 (aOR, 3.5; 95% CI, 3.4-3.7; p<.01). Length of stay was prolonged for patients with PRs in 2011-2012 (adjusted mean difference [aMD], 4.3 days; 95% CI, 4.1-4.5; p<.01) and even longer in 2018-2019 (aMD, 5.8 days; 95% CI, 5.6-6.0; p<.01). Total hospital charges were higher for patients with PRs in 2011-2012 (aMD, +$55,003; 95% CI, $49,309-$60,679; p<.01). Following adjustment for inflation, total charges remained higher for patients with PRs compared with those without PRs in 2018-2019 (aMD, +$70,018; 95% CI, $65,355-$74,680; p<.01). Conclusion: Overall, PR rates did not decrease across the study period, suggesting that messaging and promulgating best practice guidelines have yet to translate into a substantive change in practice patterns.

The importance of expert selection when identifying threatened ecosystems.

Identifying threatened ecosystem types is fundamental to conservation and management decision-making. When identification relies on expert judgment, decisions are vulnerable to inconsistent outcomes and can lack transparency. We elicited judgements of the occurrence of a widespread, critically endangered Australian ecosystem from a diverse pool of 83 experts. We asked 4 questions. First, how many experts are required to reliably conclude that the ecosystem is present? Second, how many experts are required to build a reliable model for predicting ecosystem presence? Third, given expert selection can narrow the range opinions, if enough experts are selected, do selection strategies affect model predictions? Finally, does a diverse selection of experts provide better model predictions? We used power and sample size calculations with a finite population of 200 experts to calculate the number of experts required to reliably assess ecosystem presence in a theoretical scenario. We then used boosted regression trees to model expert elicitation of 122 plots based on real-world data. For a reliable consensus (90% probability of correctly identifying presence and absence) in a relatively certain scenario (85% probability of occurrence), at least 17 experts were required. More experts were required when occurrence was less certain, and fewer were needed if permissible error rates were relaxed. In comparison, only ∼20 experts were required for a reliable model that could predict for a range of scenarios. Expert selection strategies changed modeled outcomes, often overpredicting presence and underestimating uncertainty. However, smaller but diverse pools of experts produced outcomes similar to a model built from all contributing experts. Combining elicited judgements from a diverse pool of experts in a model-based decision support tool provided an efficient aggregation of a broad range of expertise. Such models can improve the transparency and consistency of conservation and management decision-making, especially when ecosystems are defined based on complex criteria.

La importancia de seleccionar expertos para identificar ecosistemas amenazados Resumen La identificación de los tipos de ecosistemas amenazados es fundamental para decidir sobre su conservación y gestión. Cuando la identificación se basa en la opinión de expertos, las decisiones son vulnerables a resultados incoherentes y pueden carecer de transparencia. Recabamos la opinión de 83 expertos sobre la presencia de un ecosistema australiano extendido y en peligro crítico. Se plantearon cuatro preguntas: ¿Cuántos expertos son necesarios para concluir con fiabilidad que el ecosistema está presente?; ¿Cuántos expertos son necesarios para construir un modelo fiable de predicción de la presencia del ecosistema?; ya que la selección de expertos puede reducir el rango de opiniones, si se seleccionan suficientes expertos, ¿afectan las estrategias de selección a las predicciones del modelo; y ¿Una selección diversa de expertos proporciona mejores predicciones del modelo? Utilizamos cálculos de potencia y tamaño de muestra con una población finita de 200 expertos para obtener el número de expertos necesarios para evaluar de forma fiable la presencia de ecosistemas en un escenario teórico. Después usamos árboles de regresión reforzada para modelar la consulta de expertos de 122 parcelas basadas en datos del mundo real. Para obtener un consenso fiable (90% de probabilidad de identificar correctamente la presencia y la ausencia) en un escenario relativamente seguro (85% de probabilidad de ocurrencia), se necesitaban al menos 17 expertos. Se necesitaban más expertos cuando la ocurrencia era menos segura, y menos si se relajaban los porcentajes de error permitidos. En comparación, sólo se necesitaron unos 20 expertos para obtener un modelo fiable que pudiera predecir una serie de escenarios. Las estrategias de selección de expertos modificaron los resultados modelados, a menudo con sobre predicción de la presencia y subestimación de la incertidumbre. Sin embargo, los grupos de expertos más pequeños pero diversos produjeron resultados similares a los de un modelo construido a partir de todos los expertos participantes. La combinación de las opiniones obtenidas de un grupo diverso de expertos en una herramienta de apoyo a la toma de decisiones basada en un modelo proporcionó una agregación eficiente de una amplia gama de conocimientos. Estos modelos pueden mejorar la transparencia y coherencia de la toma de decisiones en materia de conservación y gestión, especialmente cuando los ecosistemas se definen en función de criterios complejos.

Outcomes among hospitalized patients with dementia and behavioral disturbances when physical restraints are introduced.

BACKGROUND: Physical restraint use among patients hospitalized with dementia and behavioral disturbances has not been studied nationally in the United States. METHODS: National Inpatient Sample database years 2016 through 2020 were used to compare physically restrained and unrestrained patients with dementia and behavioral disturbances. Multivariable regression analyses were used to assess patient outcomes. RESULTS: There were 991,605 patients coded for dementia with behavioral disturbances. Among these, physical restraints were used with 64,390 (6.5%) and not with 927,215 (93.5%). Patients in the restrained group were younger (mean age ± standard error: 78.7 ± 0.25 vs. 79.9 ± 0.34 ; p < 0.01) and more often male (59.0% vs. 45.8%; p < 0.01) compared to the unrestrained group. A higher proportion of Black patients were in the restrained group (15.2% vs. 11.8%; p < 0.01). Larger hospitals also made up a more significant proportion of restrained versus unrestrained patients (53.3% vs. 45.1%; p < 0.01). Those with physical restraints had longer lengths of stays (adjusted mean difference [aMD] = 2.6 days CI [2.2-3.0]; p < 0.01) and higher total hospital charges (aMD = $13,150 CI [10,827-15,472]; p < 0.01). There were similar adjusted odds for in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.0 [CI 0.95-1.1]; p = 0.28) and lower odds of being discharged to home after hospitalization (aOR = 0.74 [0.70-0.79]; <0.01) for patients with physical restraints compared to those without. CONCLUSION: Among patients hospitalized with dementia and behavioral disturbances, those with physical restraints had greater hospital resource utilization outcomes. Attempts to limit physical restraint use whenever possible may improve outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Implementation of high-sensitivity troponin with a rapid diagnostic algorithm reduces emergency department length of stay for discharged patients.

INTRODUCTION: High sensitivity troponin (hs-cTn) and diagnostic algorithms are used to rapidly triage patients with symptoms of acute myocardial infarction in emergency departments (ED). However, few studies have evaluated the impact of simultaneously implementing hs-cTn and a rapid rule-out algorithm on length of stay (LOS). METHODS: We assessed the impact of transitioning from contemporary cTnI to hs-cTnI in 59,232 ED encounters over three years. hs-cTnI was implemented with an orderable series that included baseline, two-, four-, and six-hour specimens collected at provider discretion and operationalized with an algorithm to calculate the change in hs-cTnI from baseline and provide interpretations of "insignificant", "significant," or "equivocal." Patient demographics, results, chief complaint, disposition, and ED LOS were captured from the electronic medical record. RESULTS: cTnI was ordered for 31,875 encounters prior to hs-cTnI implementation and 27,357 after. The proportion of cTnI results above the 99th percentile upper reference limit decreased from 35.0% to 27.0% for men and increased from 27.8% to 34.8% for women. Among discharged patients, the median LOS decreased by 0.6 h (0.5-0.7). LOS among discharged patients with a chief complaint of chest pain decreased by 1.0 h (0.8-1.1) and further decreased by 1.2 h (1.0-1.3) if the initial hs-cTnI was below the limit of quantitation. The rate of acute coronary syndrome upon re-presentation within 30 days did not change post-implementation (0.10% versus 0.07%). CONCLUSION: Implementation of an hs-cTnI assay with a rapid rule-out algorithm decreased ED LOS among discharged patients, particularly among those with a chief complaint of chest pain.

Inpatient outcomes comparing White and Black patients with obesity hospitalized for COVID-19 infection.

OBJECTIVE: Comparisons between Black and White patients with obesity hospitalized with COVID-19 have not been fully studied. We sought to determine outcomes differences between these two groups. METHODS: National Inpatient Sample database year 2020 was studied using multivariable regression to compare Black and White patients with obesity and COVID-19 infection. Outcomes were in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and hospital charges. RESULTS: 205,365 Black and White patients with obesity were hospitalized for COVID-19. 141,010 (68.6%) were White and 64,355 (31.3%) were Black. Black patients were younger (mean age [± standard error] 55.5 ± 0.14 vs. 62.1± 0.11; p < 0.01), more likely female (63.2% vs 50.9%; p < 0.01), and had lower mean comorbidity (Elixhauser score means [± standard error] 4.4 ± 0.02 vs. 4.6 ± 0.01; p < 0.01) than White patients. Black patients had lower odds of in-hospital mortality (adjusted Odds Ratio {aOR}=0.86 CI [0.77-0.97]; p = 0.01), longer hospital stays (adjusted Mean Difference {aMD}=0.32 days CI [0.14-0.51]; p < 0.01) and incurred higher, though non-significant hospital charges (aMD = $2,144 CI [-2270-+6560]; p = 0.34) than White patients. CONCLUSION: During the first year of the pandemic, Black patients with obesity and COVID-19 were less likely to die during the incident hospitalization but used greater hospital resources compared to White patients.

Outcomes for Hospitalized Aggressive and Violent Patients When Physical Restraints Are Introduced.

BACKGROUND: Hospital outcomes among patients acting aggressively or violently have not been extensively studied in the United States. OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study are to determine rates of physical restraint use among hospitalized patients who are aggressive/violent and to characterize associations with mortality and utilization metrics. DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: National Inpatient Sample databases from 2016 to 2019 were analyzed with multivariable regression to compare aggressive/violent patients in whom physical restraints were or were not used. MEASURES: Prevalence of physical restraint use, in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and total hospital charges were measures. RESULTS: A total of 40,309 hospitalized patients were coded as having aggressive/violent behavior, of whom 4475 (11.1%) were physically restrained. Physically restrained patients were younger (mean age ± standard error, 42.6 ± 0.64 versus 45.7± 0.41; P < 0.01), more frequently male (71.0% versus 65.4%; P < 0.01), and had less comorbidity (Charlson Index score >3: 7.9% versus 12.5%; P < 0.01) than unrestrained patients. Patients with physical restraints had higher odds of in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 2.4, confidence interval [CI], 1.0-5.7; P = 0.04) and lower odds of being discharged to home (adjusted odds ratio, 0.46; CI, 0.38-0.56; P < 0.01) compared with unrestrained patients. Longer hospital stays (adjusted mean difference, 4.1 days CI, 2.1-6.0; P < 0.01) and higher hospitalization charges (adjusted mean difference, $16,996; CI, 6883-27,110; P < 0.01) were observed for those who were physically restrained. CONCLUSIONS: Physically restrained aggressive/violent patients had worse in-hospital outcomes compared with their unrestrained counterparts. Avoiding physical restraints whenever possible should be considered when managing this confrontational yet vulnerable patient population. When restraints are needed, providers must thoughtfully bear in mind heightened risks for worse outcomes.

Predicting Postoperative Troponin in Patients Undergoing Elective Hip or Knee Arthroplasty: A Comparison of Five Cardiac Risk Prediction Tools.

Background: Elderly patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty are at a risk for myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS). We evaluated the ability of five common cardiac risk scores, alone or combined with baseline high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI), in predicting MINS and postoperative day 2 (POD2) hs-cTnI levels in patients undergoing elective total hip or knee arthroplasty. Methods: This study is ancillary to the Genetics-InFormatics Trial (GIFT) of Warfarin Therapy to Prevent Deep Venous Thrombosis, which enrolled patients 65 years and older undergoing elective total hip or knee arthroplasty. The five cardiac risk scores evaluated were the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease calculator (ASCVD), the Framingham risk score (FRS), the American College of Surgeon's National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) calculator, the revised cardiac risk index (RCRI), and the reconstructed RCRI (R-RCRI). Results: None of the scores predicted MINS in women. Among men, the ASCVD (C-statistic of 0.66; p=0.04), ACS-NSQIP (C-statistic of 0.69; p=0.01), and RCRI (C-statistic of 0.64; p=0.04) predicted MINS. Among all patients, spearman correlations (r s) of the risk scores with the POD2 hs-cTnI levels were 0.24, 0.20, 0.11, 0.11, and 0.08 for the ASCVD, Framingham, ACS-NSQIP, RCRI, and R-RCRI scores, respectively, with p values of <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, 0.006, and 0.025. Baseline hs-cTnI predicted MINS (C-statistics: 0.63 in women and 0.72 in men) and postoperative hs-cTnI (r s = 0.51, p=0.001). Conclusion: In elderly patients undergoing elective hip or knee arthroplasty, several of the scores modestly predicted MINS in men and correlated with POD2 hs-cTnI.

Position paper on undergraduate Palliative Medicine education for doctors in South Africa.

BACKGROUND:  Basic palliative care teaching should be included in training curricula for health care providers (HCPs) at all levels of the health service to ensure that the goal set by the South African (SA) National Policy Framework and Strategy for Palliative Care, to have an adequate number of appropriately trained HCPs in South Africa, is achieved. Furthermore, palliative learning objectives for nurses and doctors should be standardised. Many SA medical schools have integrated elements of Palliative Medicine (PM) teaching into undergraduate medical training programmes for doctors; however, the degree of integration varies widely, and consensus and standardisation of the content, structure and delivery of such PM training programmes are not yet a reality. AIM:  This joint position paper aims to describe the current state of undergraduate medical PM teaching in South Africa and define the PM competencies required for an SA generalist doctor. SETTING:  Palliative Medicine programme leads and teachers from eight medical schools in South Africa. METHODS:  A survey exploring the structure, organisation and content of the respective medical undergraduate PM programmes was distributed to PM programme leads and teachers. RESULTS:  Responses were received from seven medical schools. Through a process of iterative review, competencies were defined and further grouped according to suitability for the pre-clinical and clinical components of the curriculum. CONCLUSION:  Through mapping out these competencies in a spiralled medical curriculum, the authors hope to provide guidance to medical curriculum designers to effectively integrate PM teaching and learning into current curricula in line with the goals of the SA National Policy Framework and Strategy on Palliative Care (NPFSPC).

Serial cardiac biomarkers for risk stratification of patients with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: Several studies have demonstrated an association between elevated cardiac biomarkers and adverse outcomes in patients with COVID-19. However, the prognostic and predictive capability of a multimarker panel in a prospectively collected, diverse "all-comers" COVID-19 population has not been fully elucidated. DESIGN & METHODS: We prospectively assessed high sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hsTnI), NT-pro B-type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP), Galectin-3 (Gal-3), and procalcitonin (PCT) in 4,282 serial samples from 358 patients admitted with symptomatic, RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Outcomes examined were 30-day in-hospital mortality and requirement for intubation within 10 days. RESULTS: Baseline hsTnI had the highest AUC for predicting 30-day mortality (0.81; 95% CI, 0.73-0.88), followed by NT-proBNP (0.80; 0.74-0.86), PCT (0.77; 0.70-0.84), and Gal-3 (0.68; 0.60-0.76). HsTnI < 3.5 ng/L at baseline identified patients at low risk for in-hospital mortality (NPV 95.9%, sensitivity 97.3%) and 10-day intubation (NPV 90.4%, sensitivity 88.5%). Continuous, log-2 increases in troponin concentration were associated with reduced survival (p < 0.001) on Kaplan-Meier curves and increased risk of 30-day mortality: HR 1.26 (1.16-1.37) in univariate and 1.19 (1.03-1.4) in multivariate models. Time-varying doubling of concentrations of hsTnI and Gal-3 were associated with increased risk of 30-day mortality (adjusted HR 1.21, 1.06-1.4, and 1.92, 1.40-2.6). CONCLUSION: HsTnI, NT-proBNP, Gal-3, and PCT are elevated at baseline in patients that have worse outcomes from COVID-19. HsTnI was the only independent predictor of 30-day mortality and intubation. Time-varying, doubling in hsTnI and Gal-3 further aided in prognostication of adverse outcomes. These results support the use of hsTnI for triaging patients with COVID-19.

Association of Obesity on Outcomes of Hospitalized Patients with Cerebral Palsy.

OBJECTIVE: Among hospitalized adults with cerebral palsy (CP), it is unknown whether obesity is associated with clinical and resource utilization outcomes. We sought to identify the association of obesity on clinical and resource utilization outcomes in this population. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analyzed years 2016 and 2017 of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database and examined hospitalized adults with CP. Regression analyses were used to evaluate mortality and resource utilization. RESULTS: In total, 154,219 adults with CP were hospitalized. Among them, 13,475 (8.7%) had a secondary diagnosis for obesity. Patients with obesity were older (mean age ± standard error of the mean: 49.9 ± 0.18 versus 44.7 ± 0.18 years, P < 0.01), a greater proportion were female (60.7% vs 43.2%, P < 0.01), and were more likely to be insured by Medicare (65.2% vs 56.2%, P < 0.01). Patients with obesity had higher comorbidity burdens (Charlson comorbidity score ≥ 3: 22.3% vs 9.8%, P < 0.01). Those with obesity had lower mortality rates (1.6% vs 2.4%; P < 0.01). After adjustment for confounders, mortality for patients with obesity remained lower (adjusted odds ratio 0.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.4-0.7, P < 0.01). Hospital charges (adjusted mean difference $2499, 95% CI $6202-$1202, P = 0.18) and length of stay (adjusted mean difference 0.01 days; 95% CI -0.28 to 0.31, P = 0.93) were not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity was associated with reduced mortality among adult patients in the hospital who had CP. This finding is consistent with the obesity paradox that has been observed repeatedly in patients with other chronic diseases. Further studies investigating hospitalized patients with CP are needed to corroborate these findings.

Palliative Care Involvement in Patients Hospitalized in the United States with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Background: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) has a high mortality rate and significantly impacts survivors' quality of life. Objective: To assess impact of specialty palliative care services (sPCS) among patients hospitalized with aSAH. Design: A retrospective cohort study using the National Inpatient Sample (2017-2018). Setting/Subjects: U.S. adult patients hospitalized for aSAH with and without sPCS involvement. Measurements: Mortality and health care utilization variables. Results: Among 48,050 patients with aSAH, 12.7% received sPCS input. aSAH patients with sPCS were more likely to be sicker (higher National Inpatient Sample-subarachnoid hemorrhage [NIS-SAH] severity score, p < 0.01). Patients with sPCS had a 70% in-hospital mortality rate, whereas only 9% of the rest of this cohort died during the incident hospitalization (p < 0.01). Those with sPCS involvement had shorter lengths of stay (p < 0.05) and nonsignificantly lower hospital charges. Conclusion: sPCS involvement, inferred by International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) code Z51.5, was associated with shorter length of stay and lower hospital charges among survivors, but this did not meet prespecified statistical significance. There may be significant benefits to consulting sPCS for patients hospitalized with aSAH.

Severe vision impairment and blindness in hospitalized patients: a retrospective nationwide study.

BACKGROUND: Outcomes among hospitalized patients with severe vision impairment or blindness have not been extensively explored. This study sought to determine clinical and resource utilization outcomes in patients with severe vision impairment/blindness (SVI/B). Because obesity is very common among those who are hospitalized, we also sought to understand its impact among patients with SVI/B. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study using the National Inpatient Sample for the year 2017; hospitalized adults with and without SVI/B were compared. In addition, for all patients with SVI/B, we compared those with and without obesity. Multiple logistic regression and linear analysis were used to evaluate mortality, disposition, length of stay, and hospital charges; the analyses were adjusted for multiple variables including age, sex, and race. RESULTS: 30,420,907 adults were hospitalized, of whom 37,200 had SVI/B. Patients with SVI/B were older (mean age ± SEM: 66.4 ± 0.24 vs. 57.9 ± 0.09 years, p < 0.01), less likely to be female (50 % vs. 57.7 %, p < 0.01), more frequently insured by Medicare (75.7 % vs. 49.2 %, p < 0.01), and had more comorbidities (Charlson comorbidity score ≥ 3: 53.2 % vs. 27.8 %, p < 0.01). Patients with SVI/B had a higher in-hospital mortality rate (3.9 % vs. 2.2 %; p < 0.01), and had lower odds to be discharged home after hospital discharge (adjusted Odds Ratio {aOR} =0.54, [Confidence Interval (CI) 0.51-0.58]; p < 0.01) compared to those without SVI/B. Hospital charges were not significantly different (adjusted Mean Difference {aMD} = $247 CI [-$2,474-2,929]; p = 0.85) but length of stay was longer (aMD = 0.5 days CI [0.3-0.7]; p < 0.01) for those with SVI/B. Patients with vision impariment who were also obese had higher total hospital charges compared to those without obesity (mean difference: $9,821 [CI $1,375-$18,268]; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Patients admitted to American hospitals in 2017 who had SVI/B had worse clinical outcomes and greater resources utilization than those without SVI/B. Hospital-based healthcare providers who understand that those with SVI/B may be at risk for worse outcomes may be optimally positioned to help them to receive the best possible care.

A Nationwide Study Examining Deafness Among Hospitalized Adults.

Background It is unknown whether hospital outcomes differ among nonspeaking deaf patients compared to those without this disability. Objective This article aims to compare clinical outcomes and utilization data among patients with and without deafness. Design This study used a retrospective cohort study. Setting and Participants The participants included Nationwide Inpatient Sample, year 2017, hospitalized adults with and without diagnostic codes related to deafness and inability to speak. Method Multiple logistic and linear regression were used to compare in-hospital outcomes. Results Thirty million four hundred one thousand one hundred seventeen adults were hospitalized, and 7,180 had deafness and inability to speak related coding. Patients with deafness were older (mean age ± SEM: 59.2 ± 0.51 vs. 57.9 ± 0.09 years, p = .01), and less likely female (47.0% vs. 57.7%, p < .01) compared to controls. Those with deafness had more comorbidities compared to the controls (Charlson comorbidity score ≥ 3: 31.2% vs. 27.8%, p < .01). Mortality was higher among deaf versus controls (3.6% vs. 2.2%; p < .01); this translated into higher adjusted odds of mortality (adjusted odds ratio = 1.7. [confidence interval (CI) 1.3-2.4]; p = .01). Deaf patients had lower odds of being discharged home compared to controls {aOR} = 0.6, (CI) 0.55-0.73]; p < .01. Length of stay was longer (adjusted mean difference = 1.5 days CI [0.7-2.3]; p < .01) and hospital charges were higher, but not significantly so (adjusted mean difference = $4,193 CI [-$1,935-$10,322]; p = .18) in patients with deafness. Conclusions Hospitalized nonspeaking deaf patients had higher mortality and longer hospital stays compared to those without this condition. These results suggest that specialized attention may be warranted when deaf patients are admitted to our hospitals in hopes of reducing disparities in outcomes. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14336663.

Malnutrition in Hospitalized Adults With Cerebral Palsy.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition among hospitalized adults with cerebral palsy (CP) has not been extensively explored. We sought to identify impacts of malnutrition on clinical and resource outcomes among hospitalized adults with CP. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study surveyed years 2016 and 2017 from the National Inpatient Sample database. Regression models evaluated mortality and resource utilization. RESULTS: 154,219 adults with CP were hospitalized. Among them, 21,064/154,219 (13.5%) had malnutrition. Patients with and without malnutrition were similar in age (mean age ± SEM, 45.1 ± 0.30 vs 45.2 ± 0.18 years; P = .70). Patients with malnutrition were more likely male (12,175/21,604 [57.8%] vs 72,929/133,155 [54.8%], P < .01) and had higher comorbidity scores (Charlson comorbidity score ≥ 3; 2,464/21,064 [11.7%] vs 14,380/133,155 [10.8%]; P = .01). Mortality rates were higher among patients with malnutrition (905/21,064 [4.3%] vs 2,796/21,064 [2.1%], P < .01), and they had higher odds for mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.1; CI, 1.7-2.5; P < .01). Those with malnutrition were less likely discharged home (aOR = 0.52; CI, 0.48-0.56; P < .01). Hospital charges were higher (adjusted mean difference [aMD] = +$42,540; CI, $36,934-48,146; P < .01) and length of stay longer (aMD = +4.3 days; CI, 3.9-4.7; P < .01) among patients with malnutrition. CONCLUSION: Malnutrition in hospitalized patients with CP is associated with increased mortality and hospital resource utilization. Flagging these patients as being "high risk" when they are hospitalized may result in heightened attentiveness about clinical outcomes in this vulnerable population.

On the Basis of Race: The Utility of a Race Factor in Estimating Glomerular Filtration.

BACKGROUND: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a measure of the combined rate of filtration of all functional nephrons in the kidney. Measurement of GFR is used in the clinic to detect, stratify, and monitor progression of kidney dysfunction, and also serves as a prognostic tool for staging chronic kidney disease (CKD). The gold standard method for measuring GFR is by plasma or urine clearance of exogenous filtration markers, but this is not feasible in routine clinical practice. The most commonly used method to assess GFR is using equations for estimated GFR (eGFR). CONTENT: Addition of a race factor to eGFR equations has been recommended to optimize performance for Black individuals. Here, we review the basis of the race-based equation and assess its utility and widespread applicability. SUMMARY: Although evidence supporting the performance of a race factor exists in the unique populations in which these estimation equations were derived, more studies are needed to assess the need, or lack thereof, for race factors for all ethnicities. Furthermore, ethnicity is complex and likely cannot be qualified with a 2-level descriptor.

Adequacy of hemodialysis in acute kidney injury: Real-time monitoring of dialysate ultraviolet absorbance vs. blood-based Kt/Vurea.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend monitoring the adequacy of hemodialysis (HD) treatments in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Blood-based methods for calculating urea such as reduction ratio (URR) and single-pool Kt/Vurea (spKt/Vurea) require pre- and post-HD blood urea nitrogen (BUN) measurements. This study aims to compare real-time monitoring of urea clearance using dialysate ultraviolet absorbance (UV) with laboratory-measured spKt/Vurea. METHODS: We conducted a single-center, retrospective study among hospitalized patients with AKI, who required intermittent hemodialysis (IHD). Those patients whose dialysis dose was simultaneously monitored by spKt/Vurea and UV-absorbance (UV-spKt/Vurea) were included in the study. The statistical correlation between both methods was assessed by means of the Pearson moment product correlation, Mann-Whitney U-test and Bland-Altman analysis of agreement. RESULTS: Thirty patients with AKI were evaluated. There was no statistical difference between the mean spKt/Vurea calculated by traditional methods and the mean UV-spKt/Vurea. (1.37 ± 0.37 vs. 1.28 ± 0.36, P = 0.12, CI: 95%). A Pearson moment correlation analysis revealed a close agreement between both methods (r = 0.79, P < 0.001). Furthermore, Bland-Altman analysis showed that >95% of the data points were confined within the upper and lower levels of agreement. CONCLUSION: In this pilot study of patients with AKI, UV-spKt/Vurea correlated with standard blood-based spKt/Vurea and may be a useful tool to monitor dialysis adequacy. Larger studies evaluating multiple UV and blood-based measurements per patient and a more diverse AKI population are needed to confirm this initial observation.