Microbiological findings in patients with community-acquired pneumonia: An analysis using the National Hospital Organization Clinical Data Archives.

Although large-scale administrative databases may be useful for studies of infectious diseases, conventional databases lack microbiological data. To illustrate the applicability of the National Hospital Organization Clinical Data Archives, a novel database of electronic medical records in Japan, we conducted a descriptive study of the microbiological findings in patients with community-acquired pneumonia using the database. We identified patients aged ≥18 years who were hospitalized for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia between April 2016 and March 2019. We evaluated the results of bacterial culture and antibacterial susceptibility of specimens obtained on the first day of hospitalization, in addition to patient characteristics, diagnosis codes, and intravenous antibiotics administered. The analysis identified 2200 eligible patients from 15 hospitals. Sulbactam-ampicillin was the most frequently used initial antibiotic (32 %), followed by ceftriaxone (22 %) and tazobactam-piperacillin (19 %). Overall, 56 %, 95 %, 56 %, and 73 % of patients with pathogen-specific diagnosis codes in the database for Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively, also tested positive for the corresponding pathogen in their sputum or blood cultures. Antibacterial susceptibilities were consistent with a previous report from Japan; 81 % of S. pneumoniae cases were resistant to azithromycin, and 48 % of H. influenzae cases were resistant to ampicillin. These microbiological characteristics warrant the future use of this database for detailed real-world research on infectious diseases.

Differences in asthma-related outcomes by anti-IL-5 biologics, omalizumab, and dupilumab based on blood eosinophil counts.

BACKGROUND: Selecting optimal biologics based on type 2 biomarkers has been of interest in severe asthma treatment. However, few direct biomarker stratification-based comparisons have been made. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of anti-IL-5 (mepolizumab, benralizumab), omalizumab, and dupilumab in reducing the number of hospitalizations from asthma and exacerbations across all and eosinophil-stratified subgroups. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study using the National Hospital Organization database (2016-2020) was performed. Asthmatic patients using biologics were selected, and the baseline backgrounds of the groups were balanced using inverse probability treatment weighting for propensity scores. Weighted rate ratios (RRs) were obtained using a Poisson regression model. RESULTS: Among the 320 patients with asthma using biologics, 205 (64.1%), 75 (23.4%), and 40 (12.5%) were categorized into the anti-IL-5, omalizumab, and dupilumab groups, respectively. After weighting, there were 47.1, 30.0, and 62.6 hospitalizations per 100 person-years [omalizumab vs. anti-IL-5: weighted RR, 0.61 (0.34-1.08); dupilumab vs. anti-IL-5: 1.48 (0.81-2.72)], and 117.0, 134.6, and 287.3 exacerbations per 100 person-years [omalizumab vs. anti-IL-5: 1.13 (0.83-1.54); dupilumab vs. anti-IL-5: 2.69 (1.91-3.78)] in these respective groups. In patients with eosinophil of ≥ 300/µL, the dupilumab group had more exacerbations compared with the anti-IL-5 group [weighted RR, 2.85 (1.82-4.46)]. In patients with eosinophil of < 300/µL, the omalizumab group had fewer hospitalizations compared with the anti-IL-5 group [weighted RR, 0.32 (0.13-0.51)]. CONCLUSION: Anti-IL-5 biologics may be more effective than dupilumab in patients with high blood eosinophil counts, while less effective than omalizumab in patients with low eosinophil counts.

Validity of a model using routinely collected data for identifying infections following gastric, colon, and liver cancer surgeries.

PURPOSE: Validating outcome measures is a prerequisite for using administrative databases for comparative effectiveness research. Although the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database is widely used in surgical studies, the outcome measure for postsurgical infection has not been validated. We developed a model to identify postsurgical infections using the routinely collected Diagnosis Procedure Combination data. METHODS: We retrospectively identified inpatients who underwent surgery for gastric, colon, or liver cancer between April 2016 and March 2018 at four hospitals. Chart reviews were conducted to identify postsurgical infections. We used bootstrap analysis with backwards variable elimination to select independent variables from routinely collected diagnosis and procedure data. Selected variables were used to create a score predicting the chart review-identified infections, and the performance of the score was tested. RESULTS: Among the 746 eligible patients, 96 patients (13%) had postoperative infections. Three variables were identified as predictors: diagnosis of infectious disease recorded as a complication arising after admission, addition of an intravenous antibiotic, and bacterial microscopy or culture. The prediction model had a C-statistic of 0.885 and pseudo-R2 of 0.358. A cut-off of one point of the score showed a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 72%, and a cut-off of two points showed a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 91%. CONCLUSIONS: Our model using routinely collected administrative data accurately identified postoperative infections. Further external validation would lead to the application of the model for research using administrative databases.

Prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis: A multi-center retrospective observational study.

AIM: Despite advances in the management of liver diseases and changes in the etiology of cirrhosis, few studies have updated the prognosis of cirrhosis. This study aimed to clarify the recent prognosis of cirrhosis and identify risk factors for death. METHODS: In this retrospective observational study by the Hepatic Disease Network of the National Hospital Organization in Japan, chart reviews were performed to follow patients with cirrhosis beginning in 2011. We conducted Kaplan-Meier survival time analyses stratified by Child-Pugh classification and albumin-bilirubin grade. Cox regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for death. RESULTS: We identified 444 eligible patients from 25 hospitals, including 303 (68%), 110 (25%), and 31 (7%) patients with Child-Pugh classes A, B, and C, respectively. Hepatitis C virus infection was the cause of cirrhosis for 63% of the patients. The 1-year and 5-year cumulative survival rates of patients with Child-Pugh classes A, B, and C were 90% and 61%, 78% and 42%, and 65% and 25%, respectively. The 1-year and 5-year cumulative survival rates of patients with albumin-bilirubin grades 1, 2, and 3 were 98% and 80%, 91% and 56%, and 58% and 23%, respectively. Cirrhosis classification (Child-Pugh and albumin-bilirubin), age, liver cancer, and untreated esophageal varices were associated with increased hazard of death. CONCLUSIONS: Little improvement was observed in the prognosis of cirrhosis compared with previous reports, and the prognosis of Child-Pugh class C cirrhosis remained poor. Untreated esophageal varices were identified as a risk factor for death.

Validity of administrative database detection of previously resolved hepatitis B virus in Japan.

The risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation has increased owing to advances in the immunosuppressive therapy field. However, the HBV reactivation incidence among patients with previously resolved HBV (prHBV) infection during immunosuppressive therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains unclear. The objective of this work is to describe the validity of detecting prHBV infection from administrative data through comparisons with chart abstraction and determine the incidence of HBV reactivation during immunosuppressive therapy for RA in Japan. In this retrospective cohort study, data on selected patients were extracted from administrative claims data. To identify patients with prHBV infection and de novo hepatitis, and HBsAg carriers, we conducted chart abstraction. The incidence rate of de novo hepatitis was 1.23 of 100 person-years. The positive predictive value (PPV) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) of administrative data for the identification of suspected prHBV infections was 85.8% (95% CI: 81.7%-89.3%). This study evaluated the PPV of the algorithm of HBV-DNA testing with immunosuppressive therapy performed four times or more per year for the detection of prHBV infection from administrative data. Additionally, we determined the incidence rate of HBV reactivation among preHBV infections during immunosuppressive therapy for RA to be 1.23 of 100 person-years.

End-of-life care for cancer patients in Japanese acute care hospitals: A nationwide retrospective administrative database survey.

BACKGROUND: End-of-life (EOL) cancer care in Japanese acute care hospitals has not been well described. METHODS: We aimed to assess the aggressiveness of EOL care and examine common treatments administered to cancer patients using a health administrative database. Subjects are adult cancer patients who died at acute care hospitals between April 2011 and March 2014. Data from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database were analysed to measure the aggressiveness of care (chemotherapy, intensive care unit [ICU] admission and cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR]) and describe procedures and prescriptions administered in the last 14 and 30 days of life, disaggregated by hospital case volume: high, intermediate and low volumes. RESULTS: Of 248,978 cancer decedents, 170,024 died in high-, 70,231 in intermediate- and 8,723 in low-volume hospitals. Aggressive treatment in the last 14 days of life included chemotherapy (9.4%, 7.3%, and 5.4%, respectively), ICU admission (3.0%, 2.0%, and 2.4%) and CPR (5.8%, 6.4%, and 8.3%). Opioids were administered to 66.0%, 59.0% and 49.4% patients, while Palliative Care Team intervention was performed for 8.5%, 2.2% and 2.0% of patients, respectively in the last 30 days. In high-volume hospitals, radiotherapy and certified outpatient chemotherapy fees were more frequent. Catecholamines and hyperalimentation were more frequently administered in low-volume hospitals. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to assess EOL care among Japanese acute care hospitals. More frequent use of chemotherapy at high-volume hospitals may reflect a well-established cancer treatment system. The approach for low-volume hospitals might improve the EOL care for all cancer patients in Japan.

The ADOPT-LC score: a novel predictive index of in-hospital mortality of cirrhotic patients following surgical procedures, based on a national survey.

AIM: We aimed to develop a model for predicting in-hospital mortality of cirrhotic patients following major surgical procedures using a large sample of patients derived from a Japanese nationwide administrative database. METHODS: We enrolled 2197 cirrhotic patients who underwent elective (n = 1973) or emergency (n = 224) surgery. We analyzed the risk factors for postoperative mortality and established a scoring system for predicting postoperative mortality in cirrhotic patients using a split-sample method. RESULTS: In-hospital mortality rates following elective or emergency surgery were 4.7% and 20.5%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, patient age, Child-Pugh (CP) class, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and duration of anesthesia in elective surgery were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. In emergency surgery, CP class and duration of anesthesia were significant factors. Based on multivariate analysis in the training set (n = 987), the Adequate Operative Treatment for Liver Cirrhosis (ADOPT-LC) score that used patient age, CP class, CCI, and duration of anesthesia to predict in-hospital mortality following elective surgery was developed. This scoring system was validated in the testing set (n = 986) and produced an area under the curve of 0.881. We also developed iOS/Android apps to calculate ADOPT-LC scores to allow easy access to the current evidence in daily clinical practice. CONCLUSION: Patient age, CP class, CCI, and duration of anesthesia were identified as important risk factors for predicting postoperative mortality in cirrhotic patients. The ADOPT-LC score effectively predicts in-hospital mortality following elective surgery and may assist decisions regarding surgical procedures in cirrhotic patients based on a quantitative risk assessment.

Mortality and hemorrhagic complications associated with radiofrequency ablation for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients on hemodialysis for end-stage renal disease: A nationwide survey.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Because of the rarity of invasive treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients on hemodialysis (HD) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), the risks associated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in such patients remain uncertain. We used a nationwide database to investigate in-hospital mortality and hemorrhagic complications following RFA in patients on HD for ESRD. METHODS: Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we enrolled patients on HD for ESRD who underwent RFA for HCC. For each patient, we randomly selected up to four non-dialyzed patients using a matched-pair sampling method based on patient age, sex, treatment hospital, and treatment year. In-hospital mortality and hemorrhagic complications were compared between dialyzed and non-dialyzed patients following RFA. RESULTS: We compared matched-pair samples of 437 dialyzed and 1345 non-dialyzed patients. In patients on HD for ESRD, mortality was significantly lower in those aged ≤70 years than in older patients (P = 0.02). In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in dialyzed ESRD patients than in non-dialyzed patients (1.1% vs 0.15%, respectively; odds ratio = 7.77, P < 0.001). Hemorrhagic complications differed significantly between dialyzed ESRD patients and non-dialyzed patients (3.4% vs 0.87%, respectively; odds ratio = 4.75, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In-hospital mortality following RFA was higher in dialyzed ESRD patients than in non-dialyzed patients. The indications for RFA in dialysis-dependent patients should be considered carefully. Patient age may be a useful indicator when considering RFA for HCC in patients on HD for ESRD.

Validity of diagnoses, procedures, and laboratory data in Japanese administrative data.

BACKGROUND: Validation of recorded data is a prerequisite for studies that utilize administrative databases. The present study evaluated the validity of diagnoses and procedure records in the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) data, along with laboratory test results in the newly-introduced Standardized Structured Medical Record Information Exchange (SS-MIX) data. METHODS: Between November 2015 and February 2016, we conducted chart reviews of 315 patients hospitalized between April 2014 and March 2015 in four middle-sized acute-care hospitals in Shizuoka, Kochi, Fukuoka, and Saga Prefectures and used them as reference standards. The sensitivity and specificity of DPC data in identifying 16 diseases and 10 common procedures were identified. The accuracy of SS-MIX data for 13 laboratory test results was also examined. RESULTS: The specificity of diagnoses in the DPC data exceeded 96%, while the sensitivity was below 50% for seven diseases and variable across diseases. When limited to primary diagnoses, the sensitivity and specificity were 78.9% and 93.2%, respectively. The sensitivity of procedure records exceeded 90% for six procedures, and the specificity exceeded 90% for nine procedures. Agreement between the SS-MIX data and the chart reviews was above 95% for all 13 items. CONCLUSION: The validity of diagnoses and procedure records in the DPC data and laboratory results in the SS-MIX data was high in general, supporting their use in future studies.

Coexisting infectious diseases on admission as a risk factor for mechanical ventilation in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate patient characteristics on admission to hospital that increase the risk of subsequent mechanical ventilation (MV) use for patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). METHODS: We extracted data from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) database for 4132 GBS patients admitted to hospital. Clinical characteristics of GBS patients with and without MV were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of requirement for MV with coexisting infectious diseases, after adjustment for potential confounding variables, age, sex, hospital type, and ambulance transportation. RESULTS: In total, 281 patients required MV, and 493 patients had coexisting respiratory diseases on admission. After adjustment for covariates and stratification by coexisting respiratory diseases, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that coexisting cytomegaloviral (CMV) disease (OR 8.81; 95% CI, 2.34-33.1) and herpes simplex viral (HSV) infections (OR 4.83; 95% CI, 1.16-20.1) were significantly associated with the requirement for MV in the group without coexisting respiratory diseases. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that coexisting CMV and HSV infections on admission might be significantly associated with increased risk of respiratory failure in GBS patients.

Impact of end-stage renal disease on hospital outcomes among patients admitted to intensive care units: A retrospective matched-pair cohort study.

AIM: We aimed to estimate the burden of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs), by comparing hospital outcomes between patients with and without ESRD. METHODS: Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we identified patients aged 20 years or older who were admitted to ICUs for ≥3 days (2 nights) in 2011. We created a matched cohort of patients with and without ESRD for hospital, age, sex, main diagnosis category, and ICU admission type (medical or surgical) at a maximum ratio of 1:3. For these matched patients, we compared patient characteristics, treatment regimens at ICU admission, and hospital outcomes. We also performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis for the associations between ESRD and 28-day (counting from ICU admission) and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Among the 164 423 eligible patients, 7998 (4.9%) had ESRD, from which 5228 ESRD and 12 274 non-ESRD patients were matched for the aforementioned factors. Compared to non-ESRD patients, ESRD patients were on more intensive treatment regimens, including mechanical ventilation, vasoactive drugs, and blood transfusion. Patients with ESRD showed significantly higher ICU, 28-day, and in-hospital mortality and longer lengths of stay in the ICU and hospital (28-day mortality: 11.7% vs. 8.3%; P < 0.001, in-hospital mortality: 21.1% vs. 12.0%; P < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors, ESRD was independently associated with 28-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio: 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22-1.52) and in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.69-2.02). CONCLUSION: This study involving the Japanese national inpatient database, with a matched-pair cohort design, suggested that ESRD is an important burden in the critical care setting.

Outcomes of Argatroban Treatment in Patients With Atherothrombotic Stroke: Observational Nationwide Study in Japan.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Argatroban, a selective thrombin inhibitor, is recommended for the use in patients with atherothrombotic stroke by the Japanese Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke. We performed a nationwide Japanese study to investigate whether argatroban improved early stroke outcomes in patients with acute atherothrombotic stroke. METHODS: This retrospective observational study, using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database in Japan, included patients who were hospitalized from July 1, 2010, to March 31, 2012, with a diagnosis of atherothrombotic stroke within 1 day of stroke onset. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those receiving argatroban on admission (argatroban group), and those who did not receive argatroban during hospitalization (control group). To balance the baseline characteristics and concomitant treatments during hospitalization between the 2 groups, one-to-one propensity-score matching analyses were performed. The main outcomes were the modified Rankin Scale score at discharge and the occurrence of hemorrhagic complications during hospitalization. An ordinal logistic regression analysis evaluated the association between argatroban use and modified Rankin Scale at discharge. RESULTS: After propensity-score matching, 2289 pairs of patients were analyzed. There were no significant differences in modified Rankin Scale at discharge between the argatroban and the control groups (adjusted odds ratio, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 0.88-1.16). The occurrence of hemorrhagic complications did not differ significantly between the argatroban and the control groups (3.5% versus 3.8%; P=0.58). CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggested that argatroban was safe, but had no added benefit in early outcomes after acute atherothrombotic stroke.

Complications and Postoperative Mortality Rate After Surgery for Pathological Femur Fracture Related to Bone Metastasis: Analysis of a Nationwide Database.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there are few reports regarding predictors of postoperative complications and short-term mortality after surgery for pathological femur fracture related to bone metastasis. METHODS: Using data from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination Database from 2007 to 2012, we retrospectively identified 1497 patients who underwent internal fixation (n = 1073) or proximal femur resection and endoprosthetic reconstruction of the proximal femur (n = 424) for pathological femur fracture related to bone metastasis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship of various factors with postoperative complications and 30-day mortality. RESULTS: The overall 30-day mortality after surgery was 2.6%, and the proportion of postoperative complications was 12.1%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that postoperative complications overall were significantly associated with older age [odds ratio (OR), 2.15; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23-3.74 for age ≥80 vs. ≤59 years]; lung carcinoma (OR 2.05; 95% CI 1.47-2.86); esophageal carcinoma (OR 4.41; 95% CI 1.57-12.43); higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR 1.50; 95% CI 1.03-2.18 for ≥9 vs. 8); and blood transfusion (OR 1.57; 95% CI 1.14-2.15). Thirty-day mortality also was significantly higher in patients with rapid-growth tumors, visceral metastasis, internal fixation, and no postoperative chemotherapy in the univariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Older age, type of primary tumor, higher Charlson Comorbidity Index, and blood transfusion were associated with higher morbidity. These findings can provide important information to assess perioperative risk in patients with pathological femur fracture related to bone metastasis.

Comparison of Procedure-Based and Diagnosis-Based Identifications of Severe Sepsis and Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation in Administrative Data.

BACKGROUND: Diagnoses recorded in administrative databases have limited utility for accurate identification of severe sepsis and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). We evaluated the performance of alternative identification methods that use procedure records. METHODS: We obtained data for adult patients admitted to intensive care units in three hospitals during a 1-year period. Severe sepsis and DIC were identified by three means: laboratory data, diagnoses, and procedures. Using laboratory data as a reference, the sensitivity and specificity of procedure-based methods and diagnosis-based methods were compared. RESULTS: Of 595 intensive care unit admissions, 212 (35.6%) and 81 (13.6%) were identified as severe sepsis and DIC, respectively, using laboratory data. The sensitivity of procedure-based methods for identifying severe sepsis was 64.2%, and the specificity was 65.3%. Two diagnosis-based methods -the Angus and Martin algorithms- exhibited sensitivities of 21.7% and 14.6% and specificities of 98.7% and 99.5%, respectively, for severe sepsis. For DIC, the sensitivity of procedure-based methods was 55.6%, and the specificity was 67.1%, and the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis-based methods were 35.8% and 98.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Procedure-based methods were more sensitive and less specific than diagnosis-based methods in identifying severe sepsis and DIC. Procedure records could improve disease identification in administrative databases.

Association Between Colorectal Cancer and Atherosclerotic Diseases: A Study Using a National Inpatient Database in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Both colorectal neoplasms and atherosclerosis can be induced by common visceral fat accumulation. However, the association between these diseases at the advanced stage, colorectal cancer and cardiovascular/cerebrovascular diseases, has not been elucidated. AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the association between colorectal cancer and vascular diseases in relation to obesity and metabolic disorders, using a nationwide database of hospitalized patients in Japan. We used non-cardiac gastric cancer patients as a reference, because they were considered to be neutral for obesity or metabolic disorders. METHODS: We identified 54,591 patients with colorectal cancer and 19,565 patients with gastric cancer from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database. The data collected included: sex; age; body mass index (BMI); smoking status; comorbidity; and medication data, comprising hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, and stroke. We compared these data in a cross-sectional setting by multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that female sex, increased BMI, hypertension [odds ratio (OR) 1.11; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.15; P < 0.0001], and diabetes (OR 1.17; 95 % CI 1.12-1.23; P < 0.0001) were more associated with colorectal cancer than with gastric cancer. Smoking, aspirin use (OR 0.85; 95 % CI 0.79-0.92; P < 0.0001), and coronary artery disease (OR 0.90; 95 % CI 0.86-0.95; P = 0.0001) were inversely associated with colorectal cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity and metabolic disorders were more associated with colorectal cancer than with non-cardiac gastric cancer, while coronary artery disease (CAD) was inversely associated. Some mechanisms involving separate populations of colorectal cancer and CAD under visceral fat accumulation might be suggested.

Potential Survival Benefit of Polymyxin B Hemoperfusion in Septic Shock Patients on Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: A Propensity-Matched Analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We assessed the survival benefit of polymyxin B hemoperfusion (PMX) in septic shock patients starting continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), who are known to have an increased rate of mortality. METHODS: Adult patients in the Japanese diagnosis procedure combination database satisfying the following criteria were enrolled: hospitalized in 2007-2012; diagnosed as having sepsis; required noradrenaline and/or dopamine; and started CRRT in intensive care unit. Propensity scores for receiving PMX were created from patient and hospital characteristics. RESULTS: Of 3,759 eligible patients, 1,068 received PMX. Propensity-score matching produced a matched cohort of 978 pairs. The 28-day mortality was 40.2% (393/978) in the PMX group and 46.8% (458/978) in the control group (p = 0.003). Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between the use of PMX and decreased 28-day mortality (adjusted OR 0.75; 95% CI 0.62-0.91). CONCLUSION: This large retrospective study suggests that septic shock patients starting CRRT may benefit from PMX.

Ozagrel for Patients With Noncardioembolic Ischemic Stroke: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Ozagrel sodium (ozagrel), a thromboxane A2 synthesis inhibitor, is used for ischemic stroke patients in several countries, despite a lack of strict evidence of its benefits. We investigated whether ozagrel was beneficial for patients with atherothrombotic stroke or lacunar infarction. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database in Japan. We identified patients with atherothrombotic stroke or lacunar infarction who were admitted to 781 hospitals from July 1, 2010 to March 31, 2012. Propensity score-matched analyses were performed separately for patients with atherothrombotic stroke and those with lacunar infarction, which balanced differences in baseline characteristics between patients who received ozagrel (ozagrel group) and those who did not (control group) in each stroke subtype. The modified Rankin Scale scores at discharge and occurrence of hemorrhagic complications after admission were compared between the ozagrel and control groups. RESULTS: After the propensity score matching, 2726 pairs of patients with atherothrombotic stroke and 1612 pairs of patients with lacunar infarction were analyzed. Ordinal logistic regression analyses showed that ozagrel use was not significantly associated with modified Rankin Scale score at discharge in patients with atherothrombotic stroke (odds ratio: .99; 95% confidence interval: .88-1.11) or in those with lacunar infarction (odds ratio: 1.00; 95% confidence interval: .87-1.16). The occurrence of hemorrhagic complications did not differ significantly between the ozagrel and control groups. CONCLUSION: The present study suggested that ozagrel was safe to use but did not improve functional outcomes in patients with atherothrombotic or lacunar infarction.

Severe bleeding after percutaneous transhepatic drainage of the biliary system: effect of antithrombotic agents--analysis of 34 606 cases from a Japanese nationwide administrative database.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between antithrombotic agents (antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants) and severe bleeding after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) for biliary obstruction, or cholecystostomy for acute cholecystitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was institutional review board-approved, and patient consent was waived. Between July 2007 and March 2012, 34 606 patients who underwent PTBD (23 375 patients) or cholecystostomy (11 231 patients) were identified in the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database covering 1119 Japanese hospitals. The association between oral administration of antithrombotic agents prior to the procedure and severe bleeding was evaluated, with adjustment for other potential risk factors, such as age, chronic renal failure, liver cirrhosis, and procedure type. Users of antithrombotic agents were categorized as the continuation group, when they took these agents on the procedure day, or as the discontinuation group, when none were taken. Severe bleeding was defined as bleeding which required red blood cell transfusion or transcatheter arterial embolization within 3 days of the procedure. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models fitted with generalized estimating equations were performed to evaluate the effect of antithrombotic agents on the bleeding complication. RESULTS: Overall, 780 of 34 606 patients (2.3%) experienced severe bleeding. In the multivariate model, continuation of antiplatelet agents was significantly associated with severe bleeding versus nonuse (odds ratio [OR], 1.87; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14, 3.05; P = .013), whereas discontinuation of antiplatelet agents showed no association (OR, 0.92; 95% CI: 0.70, 1.20; P = .517). The effect of neither continuation nor discontinuation of anticoagulants on severe bleeding was significant. Other significant risk factors for bleeding included older age, chronic renal failure, liver cirrhosis, academic hospital, and PTBD. CONCLUSION: The continuation of antiplatelet agents can increase severe bleeding after percutaneous transhepatic drainage, whereas the effect of continuation of anticoagulants was inconclusive.

Low-dose corticosteroid use and mortality in severe community-acquired pneumonia patients.

The relationship between low-dose corticosteroid use and mortality in patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains unclear. 6925 patients with severe CAP who received mechanical ventilation with or without shock (defined as use of catecholamines) at 983 hospitals were identified using a Japanese nationwide administrative database. The main outcome measure was 28-day mortality. 2524 patients with severe CAP who received catecholamines were divided into corticosteroid (n=631) and control (n=1893) groups. The 28-day mortality was significantly different between corticosteroid and control groups (unmatched: 24.6% versus 36.3%, p<0.001; propensity score-matched: 25.3% versus 32.6%, p=0.01; inverse probability-weighted: 27.5% versus 34.2%, p<0.001). 4401 patients with severe CAP who did not receive catecholamines were also divided into corticosteroid (n=1112) and control (n=3289) groups. The 28-day mortality was not significantly different between corticosteroid and control groups in propensity score-matched analyses (unmatched: 16.0% versus 19.4%, p=0.01; propensity score-matched: 17.7% versus 15.6%, p=0.22; inverse probability-weighted: 18.8% versus 18.2%, p=0.44). Low-dose corticosteroid use may be associated with reduced 28-day mortality in patients with septic shock complicating CAP.

The Volume-Outcome Relationship in Critically Ill Patients in Relation to the ICU-to-Hospital Bed Ratio.

OBJECTIVES: A volume-outcome relationship in ICU patients has been suggested in recent studies. However, it is unclear whether the ICU-to-hospital bed ratio affects the volume-outcome relationship. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between hospital volume and in-hospital mortality of adult ICU patients in relation to the ratio of ICU beds to regular hospital beds. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Four hundred seventy-seven Japanese hospitals from 2007 to 2012 in the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database. PATIENTS: A total of 596,143 patients discharged from acute care hospitals. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We analyzed data from 596,143 ICU patients from 2007 through 2012 using a nationwide administrative database. Patients were categorized into nine subgroups (the tertiles of hospital volume of ICU patients combined with the tertiles of ICU-to-hospital bed ratio). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the concurrent effects of hospital volume of ICU patients and ICU-to-hospital bed ratio on in-hospital mortality, with adjustment for patient and hospital characteristics. Higher hospital volume of ICU patients and a higher ICU-to-hospital bed ratio were independently associated with lower mortality. When patients were stratified by ICU-to-hospital bed ratio categories, in-hospital mortality was significantly lower in the high-volume subgroup (odds ratio, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.58-0.93) compared with the low-volume subgroup in hospitals with a high ICU-to-hospital bed ratio. However, these relationships were not significant in hospitals with low ICU-to-hospital bed ratios (odds ratio, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.59-1.50) or in hospitals with intermediate ICU-to-hospital bed ratios (odds ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.71-1.08). CONCLUSIONS: An inverse relationship between hospital volume of ICU patients and mortality was seen only when the ICU-to-hospital bed ratio was sufficiently high. Regionalization and increasing the number of ICU beds in referral centers may improve patient outcomes.