National Estimates for the Percentage of All Readmissions With Demographic Features, Morbidity, Overall and Gender-Specific Mortality of Transcutaneous Versus Open Surgical Tricuspid Valve Replacement/Repair.

Background: The aim of the study was to determine national estimates for the percentage of all readmissions with demographic features, length of stay (LOS), cost analysis, comorbidities, complications, overall and gender-specific mortality and complications of transcutaneous tricuspid valve replacement/repair (TTVR) vs. open surgical tricuspid valve replacement/repair (open TVR). Methods: Data were extrapolated from the Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD) 2015-19. Of the 75,266,750 (unweighted) cases recorded in the 2015 - 2019 dataset, 429 had one or more of the percutaneous approach codes as per the ICD-10 dataset, and 10,077 had one or more of the open approach codes. Results: Overall, the number of cases performed each year through open TVR was higher than TTVR, but there was an increased trend towards the TTVR every passing year. TTVR was performed more in females and advanced age groups than open TVR. The LOS and cost were lower in the TTVR group than in open TVR. Patients undergoing TTVR had more underlying comorbidities like congestive heart failure, hypertension, and uncomplicated diabetes mellitus. Overall mortality was 3.49% in TTVR vs. 6.09% in open TVR. The gender-specific analysis demonstrated higher female mortality in the open TVR compared to TTVR (5.45% vs. 3.03%). Male mortality was statistically insignificant between the two groups (6.8% vs. 4.3%, P-value = 0.15). Patients with TTVR had lower rates of complications than open TVR, except for arrhythmias, which were higher in TTVR. Patients undergoing open TVR required more intracardiac support, such as intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) and Impella, than TTVR. Conclusion: TTVR is an emerging alternative to open TVR in patients with tricuspid valve diseases, especially tricuspid regurgitation. Despite having more underlying comorbidities, the TTVR group had lower in-hospital mortality, hospital cost, LOS, and fewer complications than open TVR.

Recent Advances in Biosensor Technology for Early-Stage Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Specific Biomarkers: An Overview.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is currently the most common malignancy of the liver. It typically occurs due to a series of oncogenic mutations that lead to aberrant cell replication. Most commonly, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurs as a result of pre-occurring liver diseases, such as hepatitis and cirrhosis. Given its aggressive nature and poor prognosis, the early screening and diagnosis of HCC are crucial. However, due to its plethora of underlying risk factors and pathophysiologies, patient presentation often varies in the early stages, with many patients presenting with few, if any, specific symptoms in the early stages. Conventionally, screening and diagnosis are performed through radiological examination, with diagnosis confirmed by biopsy. Imaging modalities tend to be limited by their requirement of large, expensive equipment; time-consuming operation; and a lack of accurate diagnosis, whereas a biopsy's invasive nature makes it unappealing for repetitive use. Recently, biosensors have gained attention for their potential to detect numerous conditions rapidly, cheaply, accurately, and without complex equipment and training. Through their sensing platforms, they aim to detect various biomarkers, such as nucleic acids, proteins, and even whole cells extracted by a liquid biopsy. Numerous biosensors have been developed that may detect HCC in its early stages. We discuss the recent updates in biosensing technology, highlighting its competitive potential compared to conventional methodology and its prospects as a tool for screening and diagnosis.

Emerging role of exosomal microRNA in liver cancer in the era of precision medicine; potential and challenges.

Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) have great potential in the fight against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In this study, we explored the various applications of these small molecules while analyzing their complex roles in tumor development, metastasis, and changes in the tumor microenvironment. We also discussed the complex interactions that exist between exosomal miRNAs and other non-coding RNAs such as circular RNAs, and show how these interactions coordinate important biochemical pathways that propel the development of HCC. The possibility of targeting exosomal miRNAs for therapeutic intervention is paramount, even beyond their mechanistic significance. We also highlighted their growing potential as cutting-edge biomarkers that could lead to tailored treatment plans by enabling early identification, precise prognosis, and real-time treatment response monitoring. This thorough analysis revealed an intricate network of exosomal miRNAs lead to HCC progression. Finally, strategies for purification and isolation of exosomes and advanced biosensing techniques for detection of exosomal miRNAs are also discussed. Overall, this comprehensive review sheds light on the complex web of exosomal miRNAs in HCC, offering valuable insights for future advancements in diagnosis, prognosis, and ultimately, improved outcomes for patients battling this deadly disease.

Biosensing of Alpha-Fetoprotein: A Key Direction toward the Early Detection and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is currently one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. Associated risk factors include, but are not limited to, cirrhosis and underlying liver diseases, including chronic hepatitis B or C infections, excessive alcohol consumption, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and exposure to chemical carcinogens. It is crucial to detect this disease early on before it metastasizes to adjoining parts of the body, worsening the prognosis. Serum biomarkers have proven to be a more accurate diagnostic tool compared to imaging. Among various markers such as nucleic acids, circulating genetic material, proteins, enzymes, and other metabolites, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a protein marker primarily used to diagnose HCC. However, current methods need a large sample and carry a high cost, among other challenges, which can be improved using biosensing technology. Early and accurate detection of AFP can prevent severe progression of the disease and ensure better management of HCC patients. This review sheds light on HCC development in the human body. Afterward, we outline various types of biosensors (optical, electrochemical, and mass-based), as well as the most relevant studies of biosensing modalities for non-invasive monitoring of AFP. The review also explains these sensing platforms, detection substrates, surface modification agents, and fluorescent probes used to develop such biosensors. Finally, the challenges and future trends in routine clinical analysis are discussed to motivate further developments.

Bioengineered Organoids Offer New Possibilities for Liver Cancer Studies: A Review of Key Milestones and Challenges.

Hepatic cancer is widely regarded as the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Despite recent advances in treatment options, the prognosis of liver cancer remains poor. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop more representative in vitro models of liver cancer for pathophysiology and drug screening studies. Fortunately, an exciting new development for generating liver models in recent years has been the advent of organoid technology. Organoid models hold huge potential as an in vitro research tool because they can recapitulate the spatial architecture of primary liver cancers and maintain the molecular and functional variations of the native tissue counterparts during long-term culture in vitro. This review provides a comprehensive overview and discussion of the establishment and application of liver organoid models in vitro. Bioengineering strategies used to construct organoid models are also discussed. In addition, the clinical potential and other relevant applications of liver organoid models in different functional states are explored. In the end, this review discusses current limitations and future prospects to encourage further development.

Current status of indocyanine green fluorescent angiography in assessing perfusion of gastric conduit and oesophago-gastric anastomosis.

Anastomotic leak (AL) remains a significant complication after esophagectomy. Indocyanine green fluorescent angiography (ICG-FA) is a promising and safe technique for assessing gastric conduit (GC) perfusion intraoperatively. It provides detailed visualization of tissue perfusion and has demonstrated usefulness in oesophageal surgery. GC perfusion analysis by ICG-FA is crucial in constructing the conduit and selecting the anastomotic site and enables surgeons to make necessary adjustments during surgery to potentially reduce ALs. However, anastomotic integrity involves multiple factors, and ICG-FA must be combined with optimization of patient and procedural factors to decrease AL rates. This review summarizes ICG-FA's current applications in assessing esophago-gastric anastomosis perfusion, including qualitative and quantitative analysis and different imaging systems. It also explores how fluorescent imaging could decrease ALs and aid clinicians in utilizing ICG-FA to improve esophagectomy outcomes.

Clinical Outcomes of Aortic Stenosis in Amyloidosis: A United States National Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Literature regarding outcomes associated with surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) among amyloidosis (AM) with aortic stenosis (AS) is limited. OBJECTIVES: We aim to study the mortality and in-hospital clinical outcomes among AM with AS associated with SAVR or TAVR. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of all hospitalisation encounters associated with a diagnosis of AM with AS, using the Nationwide Readmissions Database for the years 2012-2019. Primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, and 30-day readmissions. RESULTS: A total of 4,820 index hospitalisations of AS (mean age 78.35±10.11; female 37.76%) among AM were reported. Total 464 patients had mechanical intervention, 251 patients (54.1%) TAVR and 213 patients (45.9%) SAVR. A total of 317 patients (6.77%) with AS died; TAVR 4.4%, SAVR 11.9% (p=0.01) and 6.66% died among the subgroup who did not have any mechanical intervention. Higher complication rates were observed among patients who had SAVR than those who had TAVR including acute kidney injury (39.8% vs 22.4%; p=0.01), septic shock (12.1% vs 4.4%; p=0.05) and cardiogenic shock (22% vs 4.4%; p<0.001). Acute heart failure was higher among patients who had TAVR (40.2% vs 27.5%; p=0.04) than those who had SAVR. All conduction block and ischaemic stroke were similar between the two groups (p=0.09 and p=0.1). The overall 30-day readmission rate among AM with AS encounters was 16.82%, higher among TAVR compared to SAVR subgroups (21.25% vs 11.17%; p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Among AM with AS hospitalisations, TAVR had mortality benefits compared to SAVR and non-mechanical intervention subgroups. Moreover, higher 30-day mortality rate were observed among SAVR subgroup, which may suggest that TAVR should be strongly considered in AM patients complicated by AS.

Lung Metastasis From Uterine Leiomyosarcoma: An Asymptomatic Presentation for a Rare Tumor.

Uterine leiomyosarcoma (ULC) is an uncommon neoplasm characterized by poor prognosis, it can predispose to distant metastasis, causing various symptomatic presentations. We present a unique case of a large heterogeneous mass in the lung cavity arising from a ULC, with complete absence of pulmonary symptoms and with concurrent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. A high degree of clinical suspicion is required for ULC with accompanying metastasis.

Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Hospitalized Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Recipients: Outcomes Based on the United States National Readmission Database.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is a well-established treatment for hematologic malignancies and certain autoimmune and congenital conditions. HSCT is associated with immunocompromise and increased risk of infections. This study assessed whether invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) affects in-hospital mortality and 30-day readmission among HSCT patients. A secondary objective was to examine potential differences in complications between HSCT with and without IPA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of a nationally representative cohort of hospital admissions was conducted, with data collected from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Readmissions Database between 2013 and 2019. The International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10), and 9th revision (ICD-9) diagnostic codes were used to identify patients with IPA and HSCT. All adult patients ≥18 years were included in the study. RESULTS: There were 90,451 hospitalizations for HSCT from 2013 to 2019; 89,331 (98.8%) had HSCT without IPA, while 1092 (1.2%) hospitalizations had HSCT with IPA. The in-hospital mortality for HSCT-IPA was higher compared to HSCT without IPA (18.3% vs. 4.2%; p < 0.001). HSCT-IPA had a significantly higher 30-day readmission rate (36.2%) than that of HSCT without IPA (24.0%). HSCT-IPA also had a higher mean cost of admission ($303,437) than that of HSCT without IPA ($57,587).The HSCT-IPA group had higher multi-organ complications, including respiratory failure (51.3% vs. 13.5%, p < 0.001), sepsis (38.2% vs. 18.5%, p < 0.001), septic shock (16.1% vs. 5.1%, p < 0.001), need for mechanical ventilation (21.1% vs. 5.1% p < 0.001), non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (4.9% vs. 2.5%, p < 0.001), and intensive-care unit admission (21.8% vs. 6.1% p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: IPA is a rare but severe complication associated with HSCT, with higher in-hospital mortality, complications due to multi-organ failure, readmission rates, and cost of hospitalization when compared to HSCT without IPA.

Emerging Biosensing Methods to Monitor Lung Cancer Biomarkers in Biological Samples: A Comprehensive Review.

Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed of all cancers and one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among men and women worldwide, causing 1.5 million deaths every year. Despite developments in cancer treatment technologies and new pharmaceutical products, high mortality and morbidity remain major challenges for researchers. More than 75% of lung cancer patients are diagnosed in advanced stages, leading to poor prognosis. Lung cancer is a multistep process associated with genetic and epigenetic abnormalities. Rapid, accurate, precise, and reliable detection of lung cancer biomarkers in biological fluids is essential for risk assessment for a given individual and mortality reduction. Traditional diagnostic tools are not sensitive enough to detect and diagnose lung cancer in the early stages. Therefore, the development of novel bioanalytical methods for early-stage screening and diagnosis is extremely important. Recently, biosensors have gained tremendous attention as an alternative to conventional methods because of their robustness, high sensitivity, inexpensiveness, and easy handling and deployment in point-of-care testing. This review provides an overview of the conventional methods currently used for lung cancer screening, classification, diagnosis, and prognosis, providing updates on research and developments in biosensor technology for the detection of lung cancer biomarkers in biological samples. Finally, it comments on recent advances and potential future challenges in the field of biosensors in the context of lung cancer diagnosis and point-of-care applications.

Endovascular Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Outcomes in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Insights from the National Inpatient Sample (2014-2018).

BACKGROUND: Outcomes of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remain largely unknown. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to assess the clinical characteristics and outcomes of HCM patients following TAVR. METHODS: We queried the National Inpatient Sample from 2014 to 2018 for TAVR hospitalizations with and without HCM, creating a propensity-matched cohort to compare outcomes. RESULTS: 207,880 patients that underwent TAVR during the study period, 810 (0.38%) had coexisting HCM. In the unmatched population, TAVR patients with HCM compared to those without HCM, were more likely to be female, had a higher prevalence of heart failure, obesity, cancer, and history of pacemaker/implantable cardioverter defibrillation, and were more likely to have nonelective and weekend admissions (p for all <0.05). TAVR patients without HCM had higher prevalence of coronary artery disease, prior percutaneous coronary intervention, prior coronary artery bypass grafting, and peripheral arterial disease compared to their counterparts (p for all <0.05). In the propensity-matched cohort, TAVR patients with HCM had significantly higher incidence of in-hospital mortality, acute kidney injury/hemodialysis, bleeding complications, vascular complications, permanent pacemaker requirement, aortic dissection, cardiogenic shock, and mechanical ventilation requirement. CONCLUSION: Endovascular TAVR in HCM patients is associated with an increased incidence of in-hospital mortality and procedural complications.

Clinical outcomes and 30-day readmissions associated with high-output heart failure.

BACKGROUND: High-output heart failure (HOHF) is an underdiagnosed type of heart failure (HF) characterized by low systemic vascular resistance and high cardiac output. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to characterize the causes, mortality, and readmissions related to HOHF within the United States. METHODS: Data were collected from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) National Readmissions Database (NRD) from January 1, 2017, to November 30, 2019. We used the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10), diagnostic codes to identify encounters with HOHF and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). RESULTS: Of the total 5,080,985 encounters with HF, 3,897 hospitalizations (mean age 62.5 ± 17.9 years, 56.5% females) with HOHF and 5,077,088 hospitalizations with HFrEF were recorded. The most commonly associated putative etiologies of HOHF included pulmonary disease (19.8%), morbid obesity (9.9%), sepsis (9.6%), cirrhosis (8.9%), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) (7.9%), hyperthyroidism (5.5%), and sickle cell disease (3.3%). There was no significant difference in mortality rates [4.3% vs. 5.2%; odds ratio (OR) 0.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.7-1.2] between HOHF and HFrEF. However, the 30-day readmission rate for HOHF was significantly lower than that for HFrEF (5.7% vs. 21.2%; OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.30-0.51). Cardiovascular (39.9%) followed by hematological (20.6%) complications accounted for the majority of 30-day readmissions in the HOHF group. CONCLUSIONS: HOHF is an infrequently reported cardiovascular complication associated with noncardiovascular disorders and is encountered in 0.07% of all encounters with HF. Although comparable in-hospital mortality between studied cohorts was observed, raising awareness and timely recognition of this entity are warranted.

Outcomes of Cardiac Arrest with Valve Surgery Among Infective Endocarditis Patients: A United States National Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac arrest can complicate infective endocarditis (IE) and is associated with significant in-hospital complications and mortality rates. We report the characteristics, outcomes, and readmission rates for IE patients with cardiac arrest in the United States. METHODS: We surveyed the Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD), a database designed to support national level readmission analyses, for patients admitted with IE and who had cardiac arrest during index admission between 2016 and 2019. Baseline demographics, comorbidities, surgical procedures, and outcomes were identified using their respective International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes. RESULTS: There were 663 index admissions (mean age 55.87 ± 17.21 years;34.2 % females) for IE with cardiac arrest in the study period, with an overall mortality rate of 55.3 %. Of these, 270 (40.7 %) had surgical procedures performed during the hospitalization encounter. In patients who had a surgical procedure, 72 (26.8 %) patients had in-hospital mortality while 293 (74.9 %) patients without surgical procedures had in-hospital mortality (p < 0.001). After coarsened matching for baseline characteristics, surgical valve procedures were less likely to be associated with mortality (OR = 0.09, 95%CI 0.04-0.24; p < 0.001). Among the 295 alive discharges associated with cardiac arrest, 76 (38.57 %) were readmitted within 30-days, with a mortality rate of 22 % noted for readmissions. CONCLUSION: Among IE patients who had cardiac arrest, surgical procedures subgroup had low mortality despite having higher complication rates. However, due to chances of bias more randomized trials are needed evaluate the hypothesis.

Association of HIV infection with clinical features and outcomes of patients with aortic aneurysms.

Data on the characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients with aortic aneurysms (AA) and HIV remain scarce. This is a cohort study of hospitalized adult patients with a diagnosis of AA from 2013 to 2019 using the US National Inpatient Readmission Database. Patients with a diagnosis of HIV were identified. Our outcomes included trends in hospitalizations and comparison of clinical characteristics, complications, and mortality in patients with AA and HIV compared to those without HIV. Among 1,905,837 hospitalized patients with AA, 4416 (0.23%) were living with HIV. There was an overall age-adjusted increase in the rate of HIV among patients hospitalized with AA over the years (14-29 per 10,000 person-years; age-adjusted p-trend < 0.001). Patients with AA and HIV were younger than those without HIV (median age: 60 vs 76 years, p < 0.001) and were less likely to have a history of smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and obesity. Thoracic aortic aneurysms were more prevalent in those with HIV (37.5% vs 26.7%, p < 0.001). On multivariable logistic regression, HIV was not associated with increased risk of aortic rupture (OR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.61-1.01, p = 0.06), acute aortic dissection (OR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.51-1.06, p = 0.3), readmissions (OR: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.95-1.13, p = 0.4), or aortic repair (OR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.79-1.00, p = 0.05). Hospitalized patients with AA and HIV had a lower crude mortality rate compared to those without HIV (OR: 0.75 (0.63-0.91), p = 0.003). Hospitalized patients with AA and HIV likely constitute a distinct group of patients with AA; they are younger, have fewer traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and a higher rate of thoracic aorta involvement. Differences in clinical features may account for the lower mortality rate observed in patients with AA and HIV compared to those without HIV.

Outcome and Post-Surgical Lung Biopsy Change in Management of ARDS: A Proportional Prevalence Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Limited epidemiological data are available on changes in management, benefits, complications, and outcomes after open lung biopsy in patients with ARDS. METHODS: We performed a literature search of PubMed, Ovid, and Cochrane databases for articles from the inception of each database till November 2020 that provided outcomes of lung biopsy in ARDS patients. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients that had a change in management with alteration of treatment plan, after lung biopsy. Secondary outcomes included pathological diagnoses and complications related to the lung biopsy. Pooled proportions with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for the prevalence of outcomes. RESULTS: After analysis of 22 articles from 1994 to 2018, a total of 851 ARDS patients (mean age 59.28 ± 7.41, males 56.4%) that were admitted to the ICU who underwent surgical lung biopsy for ARDS were included. Biopsy changed the management in 539 patients (pooled proportion 75%: 95% CI 64-84%). There were 394 deaths (pooled proportion 49%: 95% CI 41-58%). The most common pathologic diagnosis was diffuse alveolar damage that occurred in 30% (95% CI 19-41%), followed by interstitial lung disease in 10% (95% CI 3-19%), and viral infection in 9% (95% CI 4-16%). Complications occurred among 201 patients (pooled proportion 24%, 95% CI 17-31%). The most common type of complication was persistent air-leak among 115 patients (pooled estimate 13%, 95% CI 9-17%). CONCLUSION: Despite the high mortality risk associated with ARDS, lung biopsy changed management in about 3/4 of the patients. However, 1/4 of the patients had a complication due to lung biopsy. The risks from the procedure should be carefully weighed before proceeding with lung biopsy.

Coronary Artery Aneurysms in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (From a United States Based National Cohort).

This study aimed to study group differences in patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) based on the presence or absence of associated coronary artery aneurysms (CAA). The cause-and-effect relationship between CAAs and STEMI is largely unknown. The Nationwide Readmission database was used to identify and study group differences of patients with STEMI and with and without CAA from 2014 to 2018. The primary outcome in the 2 groups was mortality. Secondary outcomes in the 2 groups included differences in clinical outcomes, cardiovascular interventions performed, and prevalence of coronary artery dissection. The total number of patients with STEMI included was 1,038,299. In this sample, 1,543 (0.15%) had CAA. Compared with those without CAA, patients with CAAs and STEMI were younger (62.6 vs 65.4), more likely to be male (78 vs 66%), and had a higher prevalence of a history of Kawasaki disease (2.5 vs 0.01%). A difference exists in the prevalence of coronary dissection in patients with STEMI with and without CAA (73% vs 1%). Patients with CAA were more often treated with coronary artery bypass grafting (13.1 vs 5.6%), thrombectomy (16.5 vs 6%), and bare-metal stent implantation (8 vs 4.4). Patients in the CAA STEMI group had lower all-cause mortality (6.3 vs 11.7%). In conclusion, there are important differences in patients with STEMI with and without CAA, which include, but are not limited to, factors such as patient profile, the risk for coronary dissection, treatment, outcomes, and mortality.

ST-elevation myocardial infarction among cardiac amyloidosis patients; a national readmission database study.

Literature regarding recent trends, mortality outcomes of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in cardiac amyloidosis (CA) patients is limited.To study coronary interventions, and trends in prevalence and mortality outcomes among CA patients with STEMI.Data from the national readmissions database (NRD) sample that constitutes 49.1% of the stratified sample of all hospitals in the USA, representing more than 95% of the national population, were analyzed for hospitalizations associated with CA with STEMI. A linear p-trend was used to assess the trends.Out of the total 4252 adult patients (mean age 73.3 ± 11.7 years, 40.2% females) with diagnosis of CA, 439 (10.3%) had STEMI while 3813 (89.7%) had no STEMI. STEMI-CA patients had higher rates of multi-organ manifestations including VT/VF (12% vs 8.5%; p-value < 0.001), cardiogenic shock (12.7% vs 7.3%; p < 0.001), AKI requiring dialysis (5.3% vs 4%; p < 0.001), and ICU admissions (25.2% vs 15.3%; p < 0.001) compared to CA without STEMI. CA-STEMI had increased mortality rates (23.7% vs 16.1%, p < 0.001) compared to CA without STEMI. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, coronary interventions including PCI (OR 0.6, CI 0.4-1.1; p = 0.3) and CABG (OR 0.7, CI 0.3-1.8; p = 0.2) had no association with mortality among CA patients. The absolute yearly trends for prevalence and mortality associated with STEMI in CA patients remained steady over the study years (linear p-trends 0.2 and 0.6, respectively).CA-STEMI is associated with significant complications and mortality. Coronary interventions may not have significant mortality benefits. Thus, more research will be needed to improve mortality rates among these patients.

Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction and cardiac arrest: The United States Nationwide Emergency Department Sample.

BACKGROUND: Literature regarding outcomes of cardiac arrest with associated NSTEMI is limited. We aim to study the predictors and survival outcomes of cardiac arrest patients presenting to the emergency department who were diagnosed with non-ST elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). METHODS: Data from the nationwide emergency department sample (NEDS) that constitutes 20% sample of hospital-owned emergency departments in the United States was analyzed for the cardiac arrest related visits from 2009-2018. Cardiac arrest was defined by the ICD codes. RESULTS: Out of 3,235,555 cardiac arrests (mean age 64.0 ± 19.5 years, 40.7% females) there were 163,970 (5.1%) patients diagnosed with NSTEMI during the years 2009-2018. Among cardiac arrest patients, the survival for NSTEMI patients was higher than patients without NSTEMI (46.7% vs. 22.7%). These patients were more likely to be males and elderly. Among the predictors for NSTEMI cardiac arrests, hypertension (OR 1.12, p < 0.001), peripheral vascular disease (OR 1.16, p < 0.001), prior-coronary artery bypass graft (OR 1.20, p < 0.001) were the predominant ones. Cardiovascular interventions were more common in NSTEMI cardiac arrests and were associated with lower mortality rates (p < 0.001). However, trend for coronary interventions remained steady over study years. We observed an increase in prevalence of NSTEMI cardiac arrests with a worsening trend in survival from 2009-2018. CONCLUSIONS: NSTEMI was not uncommon in patients with cardiac arrest. NSTEMI cardiac arrest had a better prognosis than patients without NSTEMI. Cardiovascular interventions might have survival benefits. More research is required to identify NSTEMI in cardiac arrest patients and further evaluate the effect of cardiovascular interventions on survival.

Mortality outcomes associated with invasive aspergillosis among acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patient population.

BACKGROUND: Literature regarding trends of mortality, and complications of aspergillosis infection among patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is limited. METHODS: Data from the National Readmissions Database (NRD) that constitutes 49.1% of the stratified sample of all hospitals in the United States (US), representing more than 95% of the national population were analyzed for hospitalizations with aspergillosis among AECOPD. Predictors and trends related to aspergillosis in AECOPD were evaluated. A Linear p-trend was used to assess the trends. RESULTS: Out of the total 7,282,644 index hospitalizations for AECOPD (mean age 69.17 ± 12.04years, 55.3% females), 8209 (11.2/10,000) with primary diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis were recorded in the NRD for 2013-2018. Invasive aspergillosis was strongly associated with mortality (OR 4.47, 95%CI 4.02-4.97, p < 0.001) among AECOPD patients. Malignancy and organ transplant status were predominant predictors of developing aspergillosis among AECOPD patients. The IA-AECOPD group had higher rates of multi-organ manifestations including ACS (3.7% vs 0.44%; p-value0.001), AF (20% vs 18.4%; p-value0.001), PE (4.79% vs1.87%; p-value0.001), AKI (22.3% vs17.5%; p-value0.001), ICU admission (16.5% vs11.9%; p-value0.001), and MV (22.3% vs7.31%; p-value0.001) than the AECOPD group. The absolute yearly trend for mortality of aspergillosis was steady (linear p-trend 0.22) while the yearly rate of IA-AECOPD had decreased from 15/10,000 in 2013 to 9/10,000 in 2018 (linear p-trend 0.02). INTERPRETATION: Aspergillosis was related with high mortality among AECOD hospitalizations. There has been a significant improvement in the yearly rates of aspergillosis while the mortality trend was steady among aspergillosis subgroups. Improved risk factor management through goal-directed approach may improve clinical outcomes.

Thrombotic superior vena cava syndrome: a national emergency department database study.

Literature regarding etiology and trends of incidence of major thoracic vein thrombosis in the United States is limited. To study the causes, complications, in-hospital mortality rate, and trend in the incidence of major thoracic vein thrombosis which could have led to superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) between 2010 and 2018. Data from the nationwide emergency department sample (NEDS) that constitutes 20% sample of hospital-owned emergency departments (ED) and in-patient sample in the United States were analyzed using diagnostic codes. A linear p-trend was used to assess the trends. Of the total 1082 million ED visits, 37,807 (3.5/100,000) (mean age 53.81 ± 18.07 years, 55% females) patients were recorded with major thoracic vein thrombosis in the ED encounters. Among these patients, 4070 (10.6%) patients had one or more cancers associated with thrombosis. Pacemaker/defibrillator-related thrombosis was recorded in 2820 (7.5%) patients, while intravascular catheter-induced thrombosis was recorded in 1755 (4.55%) patients. Half of the patients had associated complication of pulmonary embolism. A total of 59 (0.15%) patients died during these hospital encounters. The yearly trend for the thrombosis for every 100,000 ED encounters in the United States increased from 2.17/100,000 in 2010 to 5.98/100,000 in 2018 (liner p-trend < 0.001). Yearly trend for catheter/lead associated thrombosis was also up-trending (p-trend 0.015). SVCS is an uncommon medical emergency related to malignancy and indwelling venous devices. The increasing trend in SVCS incidence, predominantly catheter/lead induced, and the high rate of associated pulmonary embolism should prompt physicians to remain vigilant for appropriate evaluation.