Facilitating the identification of patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction and heart failure and the assessment of their readmission risk through the Patient Navigator Program.

BACKGROUND: Optimal transition care mitigates early hospital readmission risk. Given limited resources, hospitals need to identify patients with high readmission risk. This article examines whether a coordinated quality improvement campaign can help achieve this objective. METHODS: The American College of Cardiology Patient Navigator Program, a 2-year quality improvement campaign, sought to assess the impact of transition care interventions on 30-day readmission rates for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or heart failure (HF) at 35 hospitals. This article examines the change in 2 of the 36 performance metrics the campaign tracked: the number of AMI and HF patients identified predischarge and those whose readmission risk was assessed. RESULTS: The number of facilities identifying AMI and HF patients predischarge increased from 24 (68.6%) and 28 (80.0%), respectively, at baseline, to 34 (97.1%) (P = .0016) and 34 (97.1%) (P = .014), respectively, at 2 years. The number of facilities assessing the readmission risk of AMI and HF patients risk increased from 9 (25.7%) and 11 (31.4%), respectively, at baseline, to 32 (91.4%) (P < .0001) and 33 (94.5%) (P < .0001), respectively, at 2 years. Importantly, baseline reporting of performance for both metrics was poor, with >25% of the hospitals missing data. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a coordinated quality improvement campaign may increase the number of facilities identifying AMI and HF patients predischarge and assessing their readmission risk. Further research is needed to determine if increased identification reduces 30-day readmission or facilitates improvement in other important clinical outcomes.

Multimodality Imaging in the Evaluation of Intracardiac Masses.

Intracardiac masses are classified as neoplastic or non-neoplastic. Prognosis varies based on the diagnosis of the mass since treatment options differ greatly. As novel imaging techniques emerge, a multimodality approach to the evaluation of intracardiac masses becomes an important part of non-invasive evaluation prior to potential surgical planning or oncological treatment. The purpose of this article is to compare the available imaging modalities-echocardiography, cardiovascular magnetic resonance, cardiac computed tomography, nuclear imaging, and emerging novel hybrid imaging techniques for future clinical applications-and to review the characteristic features seen on those modalities for the most common intracardiac masses.

Referral to Cardiac Rehabilitation and Outcomes for Patients With Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine participation rates and outcomes for patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) in a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program. METHODS: Patients at 2 academic medical centers with a discharge diagnosis of TC from January 2008 to March 2015 were retrospectively identified. Patients meeting the Mayo Clinic criteria for TC were cross-matched to the CR center affiliated with the hospitals to determine the referral rate and outcomes after completion of the program. RESULTS: In total, 380 unique patients were identified who survived the index hospitalization. Eighteen patients (5%) were referred to CR, 15 enrolled, and of those enrolled, 10 patients (67%) completed the program. Patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention of a nonculprit vessel at the time of diagnosis was the only predictor for referral to CR (11% vs 1%, P = .01). The 10 patients who completed CR attended 33 ± 6 (range, 20-36) sessions. Weight and body mass index reduction were 2.8 ± 3.5 lb and 0.6 ± 0.7 kg/m (P = .04, both), respectively. Post-CR exercise duration was 37 ± 4 min/session, which improved by 13 ± 6 min/session from baseline (P < .01). Two patients entered the phase III maintenance program. One-year cardiac readmission rates were comparable among patients who completed CR and those who were referred but did not attend or complete CR (0% vs 13%, P = .47). CONCLUSIONS: Referral for the TC population was low; however, enrollment and completion rates were adequate, with percutaneous coronary intervention in nonculprit vessel as the only predictor of CR referral. Limited data showed CR may help with weight reduction and improve exercise duration.

Intrauterine device infection causing concomitant streptococcal toxic shock syndrome and pelvic abscess with Actinomyces odontolyticus bacteraemia.

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are rarely associated with serious infections. We report an unusual concomitant infection of group A Streptococcus (GAS) causing toxic shock syndrome and pelvic abscess with Actinomyces odontolyticus associated with an IUD in a healthy 50-year-old patient. The IUD was subsequently removed and the patient recovered on the appropriate antibiotics. This case highlights the importance of clinicians' high index of suspicion of an IUD infection and prompt removal of the infected foreign body to obtain source control.