Comparative Safety and Effectiveness of Warfarin or Rivaroxaban Versus Apixaban in Patients With Advanced CKD and Atrial Fibrillation: Nationwide US Cohort Study.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Head-to-head data comparing the effectiveness and safety of oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) are lacking. We compared the safety and effectiveness of warfarin or rivaroxaban versus apixaban in patients with AF and non-dialysis-dependent CKD stage 4/5. STUDY DESIGN: Propensity score-matched cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 2 nationwide US claims databases, Medicare and Optum's deidentified Clinformatics Data Mart Database, were searched for the interval from January 1, 2013, through March 31, 2022, for patients with nonvalvular AF and CKD stage 4/5 who initiated warfarin versus apixaban (matched cohort, n=12,488) and rivaroxaban versus apixaban (matched cohort, n = 5,720). EXPOSURES: Warfarin, rivaroxaban, or apixaban. OUTCOMES: Primary outcomes included major bleeding and ischemic stroke. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, major gastrointestinal bleeding, and intracranial bleeding. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Cox regression was used to estimate HRs, and 1:1 propensity-score matching was used to adjust for 80 potential confounders. RESULTS: Compared with apixaban, warfarin initiation was associated with a higher rate of major bleeding (HR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.59-2.15), including major gastrointestinal bleeding (1.86; 1.53-2.25) and intracranial bleeding (2.15; 1.42-3.25). Compared with apixaban, rivaroxaban was also associated with a higher rate of major bleeding (1.69; 1.33-2.15). All-cause mortality was similar for warfarin (1.08; 0.98-1.18) and rivaroxaban (0.94; 0.81-1.10) versus apixaban. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences for ischemic stroke were observed for warfarin (1.14; 0.83-1.57) or rivaroxaban (0.71; 0.40-1.24) versus apixaban, but the CIs were wide. Similar results were observed for warfarin versus apixaban in the positive control cohort of patients with CKD stage 3, consistent with randomized trial findings. LIMITATIONS: Few ischemic stroke events, potential residual confounding. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with AF and advanced CKD, rivaroxaban and warfarin were associated with higher rates of major bleeding compared with apixaban, suggesting a superior safety profile for apixaban in this high-risk population. PLAIN-LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Different anticoagulants have been shown to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, such as warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants like apixaban and rivaroxaban. Unfortunately, the large-scale randomized trials that compared direct anticoagulants versus warfarin excluded patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. Therefore, the comparative safety and effectiveness of warfarin, apixaban, and rivaroxaban are uncertain in this population. In this study, we used administrative claims data from the United States to answer this question. We found that warfarin and rivaroxaban were associated with increased risks of major bleeding compared with apixaban. There were few stroke events, with no major differences among the 3 drugs in the risk of stroke. In conclusion, this study suggests that apixaban has a better safety profile than warfarin and rivaroxaban.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With a History of Gastrointestinal Bleeding (From the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium).

Potent antithrombotic agents are routinely prescribed after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to reduce ischemic complications. However, in patients who are at an increased bleeding risk, this may pose significant risks. We sought to evaluate the association between a history of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) and outcomes after PCI. We linked clinical registry data from PCIs performed at 48 Michigan hospitals between 1/2013 and 3/2018 to Medicare claims. We used 1:5 propensity score matching to adjust for patient characteristics. In-hospital outcomes included bleeding, transfusion, stroke or death. Post-discharge outcomes included 90-day all-cause readmission and long-term mortality. Of 30,206 patients, 1.1% had a history of GIB. Patients with a history of GIB were more likely to be older, female, and have more cardiovascular comorbidities. After matching, those with a history of GIB (n = 312) had increased post-procedural transfusions (15.7% vs 8.4%; p < 0.001), bleeding (11.9% vs 5.2%; p < 0.001), and major bleeding (2.8% vs 0.6%; p = 0.004). Ninety-day readmission rates were similar among those with and without a history of GIB (34.3% vs 31.3%; p = 0.318). There was no significant difference in post-discharge survival (1 year: 78% vs 80%; p = 0.217; 5 years: 54% vs 51%; p = 0.189). In conclusion, after adjusting for baseline characteristics, patients with a history of GIB had increased risk of post-PCI in-hospital bleeding complications. However, a history of GIB was not significantly associated with 90-day readmission or long-term survival.

Novel insights into the assessment of risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in decompensated cirrhotic children.

OBJECTIVES: Cirrhotic children wait-listed for liver transplant are prone to bleeding from gastrointestinal varices. Grade 2-3 esophageal varices, red signs, and gastric varices are well-known risk factors. However, the involvement of hemostatic factors remains controversial because of the rebalanced state of coagulation during cirrhosis. METHODS: Children suffering from decompensated cirrhosis were prospectively included while being on waitlist. Portal hypertension was assessed by ultrasound and endoscopy. Coagulopathy was evaluated through conventional tests, thromboelastometry, and platelet function testing. The included children were followed up until liver transplantation, and all bleeding episodes were recorded. Children with or without bleeding were compared according to clinical, radiological, endoscopic, and biological parameters. In addition, validation of a predictive model for risk of variceal bleeding comprising of grade 2-3 esophageal varices, red spots, and fibrinogen level <150 mg/dL was applied on this cohort. RESULTS: Of 20 enrolled children, 6 had upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Significant differences were observed in fibrinogen level, adenosine diphosphate, and thrombin-dependent platelet aggregation. The model used to compute the upper gastrointestinal bleeding risk had an estimated predictive performance of 81.0%. Platelet aggregation analysis addition improved the estimated predictive performance up to 89.0%. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated an association between hemostatic factors and the upper gastrointestinal bleeding risk. A low fibrinogen level and platelet aggregation dysfunction may predict the risk of bleeding in children with decompensated cirrhosis. A predictive model is available to assess the upper gastrointestinal bleeding risk but needs further investigations. Clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT03244332.

Invasive and non-invasive assessment of portal hypertension.

Portal hypertension is the central driver of complications in patients with chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis. The diagnosis of portal hypertension has important prognostic and clinical implications. In particular, screening for varices in patients with portal hypertension can effectively reduce the morbidity and mortality of variceal bleeding. In this article, we review the invasive and non-invasive methods to assess portal hypertension. Hepatic venous pressure gradient remains the gold standard to measure portal pressure but is invasive and seldom performed outside expert centers and research settings. In recent years, a number of non-invasive tests of fibrosis have shown good correlation with liver histology. They also show promise in identifying patients with portal hypertension and large varices. As a result, the latest Baveno VI consensus guidelines endorse the use of liver stiffness measurement by transient elastography and platelet count as initial assessment to select patients for varices screening. On the other hand, the performance of non-invasive tests in assessing the response to non-selective beta-blockers or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting is either suboptimal or unclear.

Prevalence of and risk for gastrointestinal bleeding and peptic ulcerative disorders in a cohort of HIV patients from a U.S. healthcare claims database.

The primary study objectives were to estimate the frequencies and rates of gastrointestinal bleeding and peptic ulcerative disorder in HIV-positive patients compared with age- and sex-matched HIV-negative subjects. Data from a US insurance claims database was used for this analysis. Among 89,207 patients with HIV, 9.0% had a GI bleed, 1.0% had an upper gastrointestinal bleed, 5.6% had a lower gastrointestinal bleed, 1.9% had a peptic ulcerative disorder diagnosis, and 0.6% had both gastrointestinal/peptic ulcerative disorder. Among 267,615 HIV-negative subjects, the respective frequencies were 6.9%, 0.6%, 4.3%, 1.4%, and 0.4% (p<0.0001 for each diagnosis subcategory). After combining effect measure modifiers into comedication and comorbidity strata, gastrointestinal bleeding hazard ratios (HRs) were higher for HIV-positive patients without comedication/comorbidity, and those with comedication alone (HR, 2.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.62-2.84; HR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.47-1.71). The rate of peptic ulcerative disorder among those without a history of ulcers and no comorbidity/comedication was also elevated (HR, 2.72; 95% CI, 2.48-2.99). Hazard ratios of gastrointestinal bleeding, and peptic ulcerative disorder without a history of ulcers were lower among patients infected with HIV with comedication/comorbidity (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.56-0.73; HR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.33-0.65). Rates of gastrointestinal bleeding plus peptic ulcerative disorder followed a similar pattern. In summary, the rates of gastrointestinal/peptic ulcerative disorder events comparing HIV-infected subjects to non-HIV-infected subjects were differential based on comorbidity and comedication status.

Clinical Characteristics, Treatment Outcomes and Risk Assessment of Patients with Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Rajavithi Hospital, Thailand.

Background: Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is common and carries significant morbidity worldwide. Effective risk assessment for UGIB is required in order to deliver the optimal therapeutic plans. Objectives: To describe clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of acute UGIB in Thailand and to evaluate predictors for rebleeding and complications. Material and Method: Consecutive patients with acute UGIB who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy at Rajavithi Hospital, Bangkok, between 2012 and 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Important clinical data, endoscopic findings and hospital course were reviewed. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify the predictors of rebleeding and complications within 4 weeks. Results: 286 patients were included of whom 180 were non-variceal UGIB (NVUGIB) and 106 were variceal UGIB (VUGIB). Males accounted for 71.7% of participants and had amean age of 53.6 years. Of patients with NVUGIB, 43.4% were taking NSAIDs/ASA, and the most common causes of bleeding were peptic ulcers (62.8%) and gastritis (32.2%). All patients with VUGIB had cirrhosis, and 54.7% were Child-Pugh B/C. When compared to NVUGB, patients with VUGIB were more likely to have active bleeding on presentation, longer prothrombin time, and lower serum albumin and platelet counts. Endoscopic treatments were more commonly performed in VUGIB patients than in NVUGI Bones (62.3% vs. 20.6%, p<0.001). The overall rebleed in grate was 7.3% and mortality was 1%; with no significant difference between NVUGIB and VUGIB. Hospital complications (39.6% vs. 11.7%, p<0.001) and units of blood transfusion (1.85 vs. 1.46 units, p<0.001) were significantly higher in patients with VUGIB than in those with NVUGIB. In the NVUGIB cohort, lower serum sodium and bleeding from duodenal ulcers were independent predictors of rebleeding, where as female gender, hemodynamic instability, and rebleeding were independent predictors of complications. In the VUGIB cohort, lower platelet count was an independent predictor of rebleeding, and lower serum sodium was an independent predictor of complications. Based on the AIMS65 system, the overall rebleeding rates were 5.3% (8/151), 7.0% (6/86), 18.2% (6/33), 7.1% (1/14), 0% (0/1) and 0% (0/1), and complication rates were 9.3% (14/151), 23.2% (20/86), 48.5% (16/33), 78.6% (11/14), 100% (1/1) and 100% (1/ 1), corresponding to the AIMS65 score of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. Conclusion: The overall outcomes of UGIB were good, with better outcomes in NVUGIB than in VUGIB. AIMS65 score and serum sodium may be useful in predicting rebleeding and complications in UGIB.

[Diagnostic yield of video capsule endoscopy in premenopausal women with iron-deficiency anemia]. / Rentabilidad de la cápsula endoscópica en mujeres premenopáusicas con anemia ferropénica.

UNLABELLED: Clinical practice guidelines recommend video capsule endoscopy (VCE) studies in patients with iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) after conventional upper and lower endoscopies but there is a need for studies demonstrating the diagnostic yield, clinical impact, and cost in some patient subgroups. OBJECTIVES: 1.To determine the diagnostic yield of VCE in premenopausal women with IDA compared with that in men and postmenopausal women. 2. To identify the presence of VCE predictors in premenopausal women. 3. To estimate the cost-clinical impact relationship associated with VCE in this indication. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed 408 patients who underwent VCE. Patients with IDA were enrolled (premenopausal, postmenopausal women, and men), with previous normal work-up by conventional endoscopies. RESULTS: A total of 249 patients were enrolled: 131 women (52.6%), of which 51 were premenopausal and 80 were post-menopausal, and 118 men. The mean age was 60.7±16 years. The diagnostic yield of VCE for the diagnosis of IDA was 44.6% (95% CI 39.9 - 50.8). Diagnostic yield was 50.8% vs 38.9% in men vs women (p=0.05) and was 55% vs 13.7% in postmenopausal vs premenopausal women (p<0.001). No predictors of small bowel lesions were found in premenopausal women. The most common findings in the postmenopausal group were angioectasias (70.5%) and erosions (57.1%) in the premenopausal group. The cost in premenopausal women was 44.727€ and 86.3% of the procedures had no clinical impact. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic yield of VCE is low in the etiological study of IDA in premenopausal women and there is no cost-effectiveness in relation to clinical impact. No predictors of small bowel lesions were found in this group.

Risk of comorbidities and outcomes in patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding - a nationwide study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of comorbidities on outcomes of patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: Investigate the prevalence of comorbidities and impact on outcomes of patients with LGIB. METHODS: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample 2010 was used to identify patients who had a primary discharge diagnosis of LGIB based on International Classification of Diseases, the 9th revision, clinical modification codes. The presence of comorbid illness was assessed using the Elixhauser index. Logistic regression models were used to assess the contributions of the individual Elixhauser comorbidities to predict in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: A total of 58,296 discharges with LGIB were identified. The overall mortality was 2.3 %. Among the patients who underwent colonoscopy, 17.3 % of patients had therapeutic intervention. As the number of comorbidities increased (i.e., 0, 1, 2, or >3), mortality increased (1.7, 2.0, 2.4, and 2.4 %, respectively). The mortality rate was highest in patients >65 years of age (2.7 %). Patients >65 years of age with two or more comorbidities had a mortality rate of 5 % as compared to 2.6 % in those with less than two comorbidities. Congestive heart failure (odds ratio, 1.67 [95 % confidence interval, 1.48-1.95]), liver disease (2.64 [1.83-3.80]), renal failure (1.99 [1.70-2.33]), and weight loss (2.66 [2.27-3.12]) were associated with a significant increase in mortality rate. Comorbidities increased hospital stay and costs. CONCLUSIONS: Comorbidities were associated with increased the risk of mortality and health care utilization in patients with LGIB. Identification of comorbidities and development of risk-adjustment tools may improve the outcome of patients with LGIB.

A MELD-based model to determine risk of mortality among patients with acute variceal bleeding.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Patients with cirrhosis with acute variceal bleeding (AVB) have high mortality rates (15%-20%). Previously described models are seldom used to determine prognoses of these patients, partially because they have not been validated externally and because they include subjective variables, such as bleeding during endoscopy and Child-Pugh score, which are evaluated inconsistently. We aimed to improve determination of risk for patients with AVB. METHODS: We analyzed data collected from 178 patients with cirrhosis (Child-Pugh scores of A, B, and C: 15%, 57%, and 28%, respectively) and esophageal AVB who received standard therapy from 2007 through 2010. We tested the performance (discrimination and calibration) of previously described models, including the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), and developed a new MELD calibration to predict the mortality of patients within 6 weeks of presentation with AVB. MELD-based predictions were validated in cohorts of patients from Canada (n = 240) and Spain (n = 221). RESULTS: Among study subjects, the 6-week mortality rate was 16%. MELD was the best model in terms of discrimination; it was recalibrated to predict the 6-week mortality rate with logistic regression (logit, -5.312 + 0.207 • MELD; bootstrapped R(2), 0.3295). MELD values of 19 or greater predicted 20% or greater mortality, whereas MELD scores less than 11 predicted less than 5% mortality. The model performed well for patients from Canada at all risk levels. In the Spanish validation set, in which all patients were treated with banding ligation, MELD predictions were accurate up to the 20% risk threshold. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a MELD-based model that accurately predicts mortality among patients with AVB, based on objective variables available at admission. This model could be useful to evaluate the efficacy of new therapies and stratify patients in randomized trials.

Prevalence, management, and outcomes of patients with coagulopathy after acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the United Kingdom.

BACKGROUND: Coagulopathy after major hemorrhage has been found to be an independent risk factor for mortality after traumatic bleeding. It is unclear whether similar associations are present in other causes of major hemorrhage. We describe the prevalence, use of plasma, and outcomes of patients with coagulopathy after acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This study was a multicenter UK national audit. Data were collected prospectively on consecutive admissions with upper gastrointestinal bleeding over a 2-month period to 212 UK hospitals. Coagulopathy was defined as an international normalized ratio (INR) of at least 1.5. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between coagulopathy and patient-related outcome measures of mortality, rebleeding, and need for surgery and/or radiologic intervention. RESULTS: A total of 4478 patients were included in the study. Coagulopathy was present in 16.4% (444/2709) of patients in whom an INR was recorded. Patients with coagulopathy were more likely to present with hemodynamic shock (45% vs. 36%), have a higher clinical Rockall score (4 vs. 2), receive red blood cell transfusion (79% vs. 48%) and have high-risk stigmata of hemorrhage at endoscopy (34% vs. 25%). After adjustment for confounders the presence of a coagulopathy was associated with a fivefold increased in the odds of mortality (odds ratio, 5.63; 95% confidence interval, 3.09-10.27; p < 0.001). Only 35% of patients with coagulopathy received fresh-frozen plasma transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Coagulopathy was prevalent in 16% of patients after NVUGIB and independently associated with more than a fivefold increase in the odds of in-hospital mortality. Wide variation in plasma use exists indicates clinical uncertainty regarding optimal practice.

[Early evaluation of anaemia in patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding: venous blood gas analysis compared to conventional laboratory]. / Valoración precoz de la anemia en el paciente con hemorragia digestiva aguda: concordancia entre gasometría venosa y laboratorio convencional.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding (AGB) requires early clinical evaluation and analysis. The aim of this study is to evaluate early concordance of hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (HTC) levels determined by conventional venous blood gas analysis (VBG) and by conventional Laboratory in Emergencies (LAB). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Observational and prospective study of patients admitted in the Gastrointestinal Haemorrhage Unit with both high and low AGB. Demographic and clinical variables and simultaneous venous blood samples were obtained to determine Hb and HTC by VBG and LAB. Concordance in both methods was analysed by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-two patients were included: 87 (65.9%) males, average age 66.8 years. VBG overestimated Hb in 0.49 g/dl (95% confidence interval: 0.21-0.76) with respect to LAB. Concordance was very high in Hb (ICC 0.931) and high in HTC (0.899), with the Bland-Altman graphs showing both concordance and overestimation of Hb levels determined by VBG. In 19 patients (14.39%), Hb by VBG exceeded in more than 1g/dL the final determination obtained by LAB. CONCLUSIONS: Early determination of Hb and HTC in patients with AGB by VBG provides reliable results in the initial evaluation of anaemia. VBG systematically overestimates Hb values by less than 0.5 g/dl, and therefore clinical and hemodynamic evaluation of the bleeding patient should prevail over analytical results.

Complications following gastrointestinal bleeding and their impact on outcome and death.

BACKGROUND: Bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract is one of the most common life-threatening morbidities encountered by gastroenterologists. A mathematical model has been developed to gain insights into how, after an initial event of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, complications can accumulate in individual patients and expose them to an increased risk of death. METHODS: The occurrence of complications and possible death after gastrointestinal bleeding are simulated using a Markov chain model. RESULTS: The accumulation of complications in an individual patient is influenced by the length of time a patient remains vulnerable to the probability of developing new complications. The model illustrates how the initial bleeding episode sets the stage for the occurrence of subsequent complications and how each subsequent complication increases in an exponential manner the risk for additional complications. Because of such a pattern, complications tend to cluster in a group of patients who run into an ever-increasing risk of multiple complications. Although the majority of patients go through their initial bleeding episode without ever experiencing any secondary complication, in a subset of patients the initial complication sets in motion a vicious cycle with frequently more than one consecutive complication after the initial gastrointestinal bleed. CONCLUSION: The key to the successful management of a patient with gastrointestinal bleeding is to stop such a vicious cycle as early as possible, as each progression within the cycle renders the probability of additional complications more likely and its reversal more difficult.

When a patient refuses life-saving care: issues raised when treating a Jehovah's Witness.

Patients who are Jehovah's Witnesses frequently cross the path of nephrologists when they are acutely ill in the intensive care unit and stable in the long-term setting. It is important that we as a group have a rudimentary understanding of their philosophy about blood transfusion so that we can be proactive in their management. We use a case as a launching point to discuss the origins of the faith and the decision to refuse blood, as well as potential therapeutic strategies that can be used to improve the care of these patients. Improvement in our understanding as physicians will facilitate a more productive conversation with our patients about a complex and emotional issue.

Cost estimation of small bowel capsule endoscopy based on "real world" data: inpatient or outpatient procedure?

BACKGROUND: Although capsule endoscopy is the cornerstone for the evaluation of the small bowel in patients with obscure GI bleeding data about costs are lacking. AIM: To evaluate, from a third party payer point of view, whether performing capsule endoscopy as an outpatient instead of an inpatient procedure can reduce costs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data source is a multicentre survey collecting data for 2921 patients; 1486 of them underwent capsule endoscopy for obscure GI bleeding or chronic unexplained iron-deficiency anaemia as inpatients (814 with positive, 211 with inconclusive and 461 with negative result). We estimated costs of inpatient procedures based on the diagnosis related groups (DRG) system, while those of outpatient procedures on reimbursement provided in five Italian regions. RESULTS: We estimated that the cost for each inpatient undergoing capsule endoscopy is about € 1775.90. Assuming that all these patients had undergone the same procedure as outpatients, € 175.00-741.00 per patient (depending on the reimbursement and/or on diagnosis related group codes applied) would have been saved. CONCLUSIONS: Our estimate suggests that, from the third party payer's perspective and using the diagnosis related group reimbursement system, shifting capsule endoscopy from inpatient to outpatient procedure, would be potentially cost saving at least for patients referred for obscure GI bleeding or chronic unexplained anaemia.

Upper endoscopy in patients with acute myocardial infarction and upper gastrointestinal bleeding: results of a decision analysis.

BACKGROUND: The management of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) can present a challenge. The utility of upper endoscopy (esophagogastroduodenoscopy, EGD) and endoscopic therapy must be weighed against safety considerations. AIM: To assess the utility and safety of EGD in patients with UGIB and AMI. METHODS: Using decision analysis, patients with UGIB and AMI were assigned to one of two strategies: (1) EGD prior to cardiac catheterization (EGD strategy) and (2) cardiac catheterization without EGD (CATH strategy). RESULTS: In patients with overt UGIB, the EGD strategy resulted in 97 deaths per 10,000 patients, compared with 600 deaths in the CATH strategy. The EGD strategy resulted in fewer non-fatal complications (1,271 vs. 6,000 per 10,000 patients). In patients with occult blood loss, the EGD strategy resulted in more deaths (59 vs. 16 per 10,000) and more non-fatal complications (888 vs. 160 per 10,000) than the CATH strategy. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis supports EGD prior to cardiac catheterization in patients with AMI and overt UGIB. This strategy results in fewer deaths and complications compared with a strategy of proceeding directly to catheterization. Our analysis does not support routine EGD prior to cardiac catheterization in patients with fecal occult blood.

Watermelon stomach in systemic sclerosis: its incidence and management.

BACKGROUND: To date, there are no large endoscopic studies in systemic sclerosis (SSc), and both prevalence and characteristics of watermelon stomach in SSc have not been determined. AIMS: To determine the prevalence, clinical presentation, endoscopic appearance, therapy success and long-term outcome in SSc patients with watermelon stomach and make predictions about which SSc patients are at risk for watermelon stomach. Patients and methods From 1990 to 2008, 264 patients were seen for evaluation of SSc. Data were collected as regards patients' characteristics, time of watermelon stomach onset, features, therapy and outcome of watermelon stomach. RESULTS: Fifteen SSc patients (5.7%) exhibited watermelon stomach. SSc onset preceded watermelon stomach manifestations in 13 patients (86.7%). Most patients (86.7%) presented with iron-deficiency anaemia, two other patients experienced gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Gastroscopy disclosed typical 'watermelon stomach' characterized by prominent, erythematous stripes, radiating in a spoke-like fashion from the antrum to the pylorus. All patients received conservative therapy; because of deterioration of watermelon stomach, eight patients (53.3%) underwent endoscopic procedures. During follow-up, five patients (33.3%) exhibited recurrences of watermelon stomach. CONCLUSIONS: Our series indicates that watermelon stomach should be considered when unexplained iron-deficiency anaemia occurs in SSc patients. Moreover, because watermelon stomach may be the first manifestation of SSc, patients with unexplained watermelon stomach should systematically undergo physical examination and autoantibody testing to detect the underlying SSc.

Comorbid diseases in patients on dialysis: the impact on anemia.

Patients on dialysis frequently present with a multitude of comorbid diseases. Many of these conditions can either directly aggravate preexisting anemia, or lead to acute or chronic inflammatory or infectious conditions that can lower hemoglobin levels. Awareness of these conditions and their compounding effect on anemia can help nurses when interpreting the results of longitudinal trends in hemoglobin and enable them to intervene proactively to minimize the effect of these conditions on hematological parameters.

Risk factors, sequential organ failure assessment and model for end-stage liver disease scores for predicting short term mortality in cirrhotic patients admitted to intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Prognostic scores in an intensive care unit (ICU) evaluate outcomes, but derive from cohorts containing few cirrhotic patients. AIMS: To evaluate 6-week mortality in cirrhotic patients admitted to an ICU, and to compare general and liver-specific prognostic scores. METHODS: A total of 312 consecutive cirrhotic patients (65% alcoholic; mean age 49.6 years). Multivariable logistic regression to evaluate admission factors associated with survival. Child-Pugh, Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores were compared by receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: Major indication for admission was respiratory failure (35.6%). Median (range) Child-Pugh, APACHE II, MELD and SOFA scores were 11 (5-15), 18 (0-44), 24 (6-40) and 11 (0-21), respectively; 65% (n = 203) died. Survival improved over time (P = 0.005). Multivariate model factors: more organs failing (FOS) (<3 = 49.5%, > or =3 = 90%), higher FiO(2), lactate, urea and bilirubin; resulting in good discrimination [area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.83], similar to SOFA and MELD (AUC = 0.83 and 0.81, respectively) and superior to APACHE II and Child-Pugh (AUC = 0.78 and 0.72, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Cirrhotics admitted to ICU with > or =3 failing organ systems have 90% mortality. The Royal Free model discriminated well and contained key variables of organ function. SOFA and MELD were better predictors than APACHE II or Child-Pugh scores.

The impact of blood loss, obstruction and perforation on survival in patients undergoing curative resection for colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have drawn attention to the high postoperative mortality and poor survival of patients who present as an emergency with colon cancer. However, these patients are a heterogeneous group. The aim of the present study was to establish, having adjusted for case mix, the size of the differences in postoperative mortality and 5-year survival between patients presenting as an emergency with evidence of blood loss, obstruction and perforation. METHODS: The study included 2068 patients who presented with colon cancer between 1991 and 1994 in Scotland. Five-year survival rates and the adjusted hazard ratios were calculated. RESULTS: Thirty-day postoperative mortality following potentially curative resection was consistently higher in patients who presented with evidence of blood loss, obstruction or perforation (all P < 0.005) than in elective patients. Following potentially curative surgery, cancer-specific survival at 5 years was 74.6 per cent compared with 60.9, 51.6 and 46.5 per cent in those who presented with blood loss, obstruction and perforation respectively (all P < 0.001). The corresponding adjusted hazard ratios (95 per cent confidence interval) for cancer-specific survival, relative to elective patients, were 1.62 (1.22 to 2.15), 2.22 (1.78 to 2.75) and 2.93 (1.82 to 4.70) for patients presenting with evidence of blood loss, obstruction or perforation (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Compared with patients who undergo elective surgery for colon cancer, those who present as an emergency with evidence of blood loss, obstruction or perforation have higher postoperative mortality rates and poorer cancer-specific survival.

An opportunity for medication risk reduction, healthcare provider collaboration, and improved patient care: a retrospective analysis of osteoporosis management.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to examine the degree to which long-term care providers are compliant with product labeling regarding administration of alendronate in patients with renal insufficiency and presence of, or predisposition to, upper gastrointestinal disorders; and to observe differences, if any, in prescribing patterns between alendronate and calcitonin-salmon nasal spray in skilled nursing facilities. STUDY DESIGN: We studied retrospectively analyzed patient charts, including medication histories and laboratory data. SETTING: Our study comprised 134 skilled nursing facilities from 21 states. PARTICIPANTS: We studied postmenopausal women, age > or =65 years, receiving either alendronate or calcitonin-salmon nasal spray for a minimum of 2 weeks. MEASUREMENTS: Consultant pharmacists reviewed resident charts submitted the following data for each resident: 2-week history of alendronate or calcitonin use, 2-week history of H2 receptor antagonist or proton pump inhibitor use, most recently documented serum creatinine, actual body weight, and date of birth. RESULTS: Of 905 subjects in the analysis, 38.5% (n = 348) did not have documentation of serum creatinine. Of the 267 alendronate patients for whom creatinine clearance could be calculated, more than half had renal insufficiencies of creatinine clearance <35 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (51.3%, n = 137). In addition, despite widespread information regarding caution in using alendronate in patients with upper gastrointestinal disorders, we found that 33.9% (n = 151) of all alendronate patients were concurrently receiving either H2 receptor antagonists or proton pump inhibitors. Although similar results were observed in the residents taking calcitonin, that agent has no precautions regarding its use in the renally impaired or in patients with gastrointestinal disorders. CONCLUSION: Data from this study indicate that long-term care clinicians might not be adequately differentiating patient profiles and safety criteria when initiating residents on osteoporosis pharmacotherapy, as evidenced by similar prescribing trends in both the alendronate and calcitonin groups. Given its package insert's statements regarding use of alendronate in the renally compromised, results from the alendronate group were particularly problematic as a result of the large number of residents with either insufficient renal function or undocumented serum creatinine. These data demonstrate that osteoporosis could be a disease state that should be more closely analyzed through drug utilization reviews and represent yet another opportunity for improved collaboration between medical directors and consultant pharmacists.