Efficiency of the Japanese Hospitalist System for Patients with Urinary Tract Infection: A Propensity-matched Analysis.

Objective The hospitalist system in the United States has been considered successful in terms of the quality of care and cost effectiveness. In Japan, however, its efficacy has not yet been extensively examined. This study examined the impact of the hospitalist system on the quality of care and healthcare economics in a Japanese population using treatment of urinary tract infection as an example. Methods We analyzed 271 patients whose most resource-consuming diagnosis at admission was urinary tract infection between April 2017 and March 2019. Propensity-matched analyses were performed to compare health care economics and the quality of care between the hospitalist system and the conventional system. Results In matched pairs, care by the hospitalist system was associated with a significantly shorter length of stay than that by the conventional system. The quality of care (oral antibiotics switch rate, rate of appropriate antibiotics change based on urine or blood culture results, detection rate of urinary tract infection etiology and the number of laboratory tests) was also considered to be favorably impacted by the hospitalist system. Although not statistically significant, hospital costs tended to be lower with the hospitalist system than with the conventional system. The mortality rate and 30-day readmission were also not significantly different between the groups. Conclusion The hospitalist system had a favorable impact on the quality of care and length of stay without increasing readmission in patients with urinary tract infection. This study is further evidence of the strong potential for the positive impact of an implemented hospitalist system in Japan.

Lumbar puncture in infants with urinary tract infection: Assessment of infant management in the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal bacterial infections must be bacteriologically confirmed from laboratory samples to best adjust antibiotic therapy. Lumbar puncture (LP) has been recommended for infants younger than 1 month with suspected serious bacterial infection (SBI) to manage possible meningitis. However, the incidence of bacterial meningitis associated with other infections and particularly with urinary tract infections (UTIs) is low. Recourse to systematic LP may be less essential if infants have a UTI. We aimed (a) to determine the management and frequency of bacterial meningitis coexisting with a documented diagnosis of UTI in infants aged < 1 month who had an LP, and (b) to evaluate the management of infants in emergency admissions with suspected SBI while assessing antibiotic treatment. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective single-center study from January 2010 to April 2019 including all cases of neonatal bacterial infections, and collected data on the clinical, laboratory, and radiological features. RESULTS: In all, 409 infants were included in the study. Of these, 162 (39.6%) presented with a UTI and eight (2%) had bacterial meningitis. Of the infants diagnosed with UTI, 74.7% had an LP, of whom 34.7% experienced LP complications. No coexistence of UTI and bacterial meningitis was found among infants who had an LP and a documented UTI. CONCLUSION: Although not all infants had an LP and a urine culture at the same time, these results show that bacterial meningitis coexisting with a confirmed UTI diagnosis in infants is rare. Furthermore, LP can be traumatic in some cases and therefore its utility should be assessed according to the clinical context.

Assessment of the urogynaecology patient in primary care and when to refer.

Urogynaecological symptoms are commonly encountered problems in women of post-reproductive age, which have a major impact on quality of life in affected women. This review summarises a standardised approach to common urogynaecological problems in primary care, which focuses on making the correct diagnosis, assessing impact, evaluating for other relevant lifestyle and medical factors and indications for referral into secondary care.

Rates of hospitalization for urinary tract infections among medicaid-insured individuals by spina bifida status, Tennessee 2005-2013.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with spina bifida are at increased risk for urinary tract infection (UTI), however there are few population-based investigations of the burden of UTI hospitalizations. OBJECTIVE: We assessed rates and risk factors for UTI hospitalization in individuals with and without spina bifida. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to estimate rates of UTI hospitalization by spina bifida status. We included individuals enrolled in Tennessee Medicaid who lived in one of the Emerging Infections Program's Active Bacterial Surveillance counties between 2005 and 2013. Spina bifida was primarily defined and UTI hospitalizations were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnoses. We also studied a subset without specific health conditions potentially associated with UTI. We used Poisson regression to calculate rate ratios (RR) of UTIs for individuals with versus without spina bifida, adjusting for race, sex and age group. RESULTS: Over the 9-years, 1,239,362 individuals were included and 2,493 met criteria for spina bifida. Individuals with spina bifida had over a four-fold increased rate of UTI hospitalization than those without spina bifida-in the overall study population and in the subset without specific, high-risk conditions (adjusted rate ratios: 4.41, 95% confidence intervals: 3.03, 6.43) and (4.87, 95% CI: 2.99, 7.92), respectively. We detected differences in rates of UTI hospitalization by race and sex in individuals without spina bifida that were not seen among individuals with spina bifida. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with spina bifida had increased rates of UTI hospitalizations, and associated demographic patterns differed from those without spina bifida.

Emergency Department Visits and Disease Burden Attributable to Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions in Elderly Adults.

Many countries worldwide are aging rapidly, and the complex care needs of older adults generate an unprecedented demand for health services. Common reasons for elderly emergency department (ED) visits frequently involve conditions triggered by preventable infections also known as ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs). This study aims to describe the trend and the associated disease burden attributable to ACSC-related ED visits made by elderly patients and to characterize their ED use by nursing home residence. We designed a population-based ecological study using administrative data on Taiwan EDs between 2002 and 2013. A total of 563,647 ED visits from individuals aged 65 or over were examined. All elderly ED visits due to ACSCs (tuberculosis, upper respiratory infection, pneumonia, sepsis, cellulitis and urinary tract infection (UTI)) were further identified. Subsequent hospital admissions, related deaths after discharge, total health care costs and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were compared among different ACSCs. Prevalence of ACSCs was then assessed between nursing home (NH) residents and non-NH residents. Within the 12-year observation period, we find that there was a steady increase in both the rate of ACSC ED visits and the proportion of elderly with a visit. Overall, pneumonia is the most prevalent among six ACSCs for elderly ED visits (2.10%; 2.06 to 2.14), subsequent hospital admissions (5.77%; 5.59 to 5.94) and associated mortality following admission (17.37%; 16.74 to 18.01). UTI is the second prevalent ACSC consistently across ED visits (2.02%; 1.98 to 2.05), subsequent hospital admissions (2.36%, 2.25 to 2.48) and mortality following admission (10.80%; 10.28 to 11.32). Sepsis ranks third highest in the proportion of hospitalization following ED visit (2.29%; 2.18 to 2.41) and related deaths after hospital discharge (7.39%; 6.95 to 7.83), but it accounts for the highest average total health care expenditure (NT$94,595 ± 120,239; ≈US$3185.02) per case. When examining the likelihood of ACSC-attributable ED use, significantly higher odds were observed in NH residents as compared with non-NH residents for: pneumonia (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 5.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.50-5.58); UTI (aOR: 4.44, 95% CI 3.97-4.98); sepsis (aOR: 3.54, 95% CI 3.06-4.10); and tuberculosis (aOR: 2.44, 95% CI 1.63-3.65). Here we examined the ACSC-related ED care and found that, among the six ACSCs studied, pneumonia, UTI and sepsis were the leading causes of ED visits, subsequent hospital admissions, related mortality, health care costs and DALYs in Taiwanese NH elderly adults. Our findings suggest that efficient monitoring and reinforcing of quality of care in the residential and community setting might substantially reduce the number of preventable elderly ED visits and alleviate strain on the health care system.

[Barriers to guideline adherence : Identification of barriers to guideline adherence using a survey on the AWMF S3 guideline epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and management of uncomplicated bacterial, community-acquired urinary tract infections in adult patients]. / Barrieren der Leitlinienadhärenz : Identifizierung von Barrieren der Leitlinienadhärenz am Beispiel einer Umfrage zur AWMF-S3-Leitlinie Epidemiologie, Diagnostik, Therapie und Management unkomplizierter bakterieller ambulant erworbener Harnwegsinfektionen bei erwachsenen Patienten.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown that nonadherence to guidelines is pretty common in the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTI). However, no urological study has raised the question, what are barriers or reasons for this nonadherence, yet. OBJECTIVES: Consequently, we performed a survey among German urologists with the primary endpoint identification of barriers for nonadherence to German guidelines on UTI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 19-item questionnaire was developed and transferred to the online portal "Survey Monkey®" (Private Equity, San Mateo, CA, USA) and tested for usability by our study group. The link for the survey was sent twice to the members of the German Society of Urology (DGU). RESULTS: Overall, 307 questionnaires were completed. The mean age of the study population was 46.7 years (standard deviation 11.5). The majority (34.9%) followed guidelines in 80% of the cases. Main reasons for nonadherence on the physicians' side were 23.4% personal experience and lacking practicality of UTI guidelines on the individual complex patient. On the open questions urologists mostly stated (11.7%) that the main reason on the physician side for nonadherence is ignorance. Therefore they, in open questions, suggest to promote guidelines more in meetings and more designed practically with shortcuts and simple layout. Patient-associated factors mentioned were mostly in 26.7%. Furthermore, German urologists stated that guidelines should also have a patient section, where the main recommendations are explained in plain language. CONCLUSION: We performed the first survey on identifying barriers for nonadherence to guidelines in urology. Despite some limitations, our results are very important for the further design of guidelines. This has the potential to improve guideline adherence.

Admit Versus Discharge-A Cost Analysis of Infants 29 to 60 Days Old With Febrile Urinary Tract Infection at Low Risk for Bacteremia.

BACKGROUND: Ninety percent of infants 29 to 60 days old presenting to the emergency department with fever and urinary tract infection are admitted due to fear of concomitant bacteremia. Many of these infants are at low risk for bacteremia and can be safely discharged with no heightened risk of adverse events. This study sought to estimate the potential savings from outpatient management of low-risk infants. METHODS: A comparative cost analysis was performed using bacteremia probability estimates from a previously published prediction model. We estimated costs using a national pediatric database coupled with retrospective chart review of infants who presented to our emergency department between 2011 and 2015. RESULTS: The relative cost savings for the discharge strategy were $80,333 ($19,127 vs $99,460; 80% savings) for each patient with bacteremia and $257,073 per 100 patients overall. Similar savings were found for charges-$304,949 ($71,421 vs $376,371; 80%) for each patient with bacteremia and $975,838 per 100 patients. Our institutional reimbursements provided an estimated savings of $148,924 ($73,280 vs. $222,204; 67%) and $476,533 per 100 patients overall. CONCLUSIONS: The relative cost savings from discharging rather than admitting low-risk infants with febrile urinary tract infection were significant, even accounting for expenditures associated with the return emergency room visit of initially discharged bacteremic patients. These savings are achievable without an increase in adverse events. Similar outcomes were demonstrated for hospital charges and reimbursements, further strengthening these results. This study emphasizes how risk stratification in clinical decision-making can lead to substantial cost savings without compromising patient outcomes.

The 2017 Update of the German Clinical Guideline on Epidemiology, Diagnostics, Therapy, Prevention, and Management of Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections in Adult Patients. Part II: Therapy and Prevention.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to update the 2010 evidence- and consensus-based national clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in adult patients. Results are published in 2 parts. Part 1 covers methods, the definition of patient groups, and diagnostics. This second publication focuses on treatment of acute episodes of cystitis and pyelonephritis as well as on prophylaxis of recurrent UTIs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An interdisciplinary group consisting of 17 representatives of 12 medical societies and a patient representative was formed. Systematic literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library to identify literature published in 2010-2015. RESULTS: For the treatment of acute uncomplicated cystitis (AUC), fosfomycin-trometamol, nitrofurantoin, nitroxoline, pivmecillinam, and trimethoprim (depending on the local rate of resistance) are all equally recommended. Cotrimoxazole, fluoroquinolones, and cephalosporins are not recommended as antibiotics of first choice, for concern of an unfavorable impact on the microbiome. Mild to moderate uncomplicated pyelonephritis should be treated with oral cefpodoxime, ceftibuten, ciprofloxacin, or levofloxacin. For AUC with mild to moderate symptoms, instead of antibiotics symptomatic treatment alone may be considered depending on patient preference after discussing adverse events and outcomes. Primarily non-antibiotic options are recommended for prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infection. CONCLUSION: In accordance with the global antibiotic stewardship initiative and considering new insights in scientific research, we updated our German clinical UTI guideline to promote a responsible antibiotic use and to give clear hands-on recommendations for the diagnosis and management of UTIs in adults in Germany for healthcare providers and patients.

A systematic review of parents' experiences and information needs related to their child's urinary tract infection.

OBJECTIVE: As a first step toward the development of an animated video and infographic to increase parents' knowledge of pediatric urinary tract infections (UTIs), we conducted a systematic review of their experiences and information needs. METHODS: We searched Ovid Medline, Ovid PsycINFO, CINAHL, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global for studies published in 2000 or thereafter. We appraised quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. We summarised the quantitative data narratively and the qualitative data thematically. RESULTS: We identified 1493 records and included four. Sample size ranged from 20 to 2726 parents. The children ranged from <1 to 12 years old and had experienced one to >10 UTIs. Parents were not always aware of UTI symptoms and generally received little information. Parents sought information online, and desired it via other means. Some parents were not confident in healthcare providers' (HCPs') knowledge of UTIs. Inadequate information about diagnostic tests sometimes resulted in fear and non-compliance. CONCLUSIONS: From the limited literature, it appears that parents would like information about prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis, but do not always consider HCPs good information sources. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Care providers should communicate information in ways that suit parents' self-identified needs.

The 2017 Update of the German Clinical Guideline on Epidemiology, Diagnostics, Therapy, Prevention, and Management of Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections in Adult Patients: Part 1.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to update the 2010 evidence- and consensus-based national clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in adult patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An interdisciplinary group consisting of 17 representatives of 12 medical societies and a patient representative was formed. Systematic literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE, -EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library to identify literature published in 2010-2015. RESULTS: We provide 75 recommendations and 68 statements in the updated evidence- and consensus-based national clinical guideline. The diagnostics part covers practical recommendations on cystitis and pyelonephritis for each defined patient group. Clinical examinations, as well as laboratory testing and microbiological pathogen assessment, are addressed. CONCLUSION: In accordance with the global antibiotic stewardship initiative and considering new insights in scientific research, we updated our German clinical UTI guideline to promote a responsible antibiotic use and to give clear hands-on recommendations for the diagnosis and management of UTIs in adults in Germany for healthcare providers and patients.

Hospitalizations due to primary care-sensitive conditions among children under five years of age: cross-sectional study.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE:: Hospitalizations due to primary care-sensitive conditions constitute an important indicator for monitoring the quality of primary healthcare. This study aimed to describe hospitalizations due to primary care-sensitive conditions found among children under five years of age (according to their age and sex), in two cities in Paraíba, Brazil. DESIGN AND SETTING:: Cross-sectional study carried out in the municipalities of Cabedelo and Bayeux, in Paraíba, Brazil. METHODS:: Data were collected from four public pediatric hospitals in Paraíba that receive children from these municipalities. Hospital admission authorizations were consulted to gather information on the children's profile and the characteristics of their hospitalizations. Differences in the causes of admissions and the respective lengths of hospital stay length were analyzed according to age group and sex. RESULTS:: The proportion of hospital admissions due to primary care-sensitive conditions was 82.4%. The most frequent causes were: bacterial pneumonia (59.38%), infectious gastroenteritis and its complications (23.59%) and kidney and urinary tract infection (9.67%). Boys had higher frequency of hospitalizations due to primary care-sensitive conditions than girls. The median hospitalization due to primary care-sensitive conditions was found to be four days. The duration of hospital stays due to primary care-sensitive conditions was significantly longer than those due to conditions that were not sensitive to primary care. CONCLUSIONS:: High rates of hospital admissions due to primary care-sensitive conditions were highlighted, especially among children of male sex, with long periods of hospitalization.

The impact of obesity on pediatric inpatients with urinary tract infections in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are common infectious disorders, and obesity is an increasing public health problem worldwide. Several studies have suggested that childhood obesity may be associated with the development of UTI. However, the potential effects of obesity on the clinical outcomes of UTI in children remain unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hospital discharge records for patients aged 18 years or younger with a diagnosis of UTI were extracted from the 2012 Kids' Inpatient Database. We used the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes, and classified each patient as obese or not. We compared the total hospitalization costs, total length of hospital stay in days, and risks of hypertension, acute kidney injury, and septicemia between obese and non-obese patients, using propensity score matching and stabilized inverse probability weighting methods. RESULTS: Of 51,918 patients with UTI, 1488 were obese and 50,430 were non-obese. A multivariable logistic regression model calculated propensity scores using baseline characteristics as dependent variables. One-to-one propensity matching created 1488 pairs. In the propensity-matched analyses, a significant difference was observed between the obese and the non-obese for risks of hypertension (8.1% vs. 1.8%; risk ratio 4.44; 95% CI 2.95-6.71). The total mean hospitalization cost in the obese group was 1.29 times higher than that in the non-obese group (95% CI 1.13-1.47). The total mean length of hospital stay in the obese group was 1.29 times longer than that in the non-obese group (95% CI 1.16-1.44). Stabilized inverse probability weighting analyses showed similar results to the propensity matched analyses (Table), except for a significant result for the risk ratio for acute kidney injury (risk ratio 1.64; 95% CI 1.18-2.26. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that obesity may be an important risk factor for hypertension and acute kidney injury among hospitalized children with UTI. Obesity may also be an economically complicating factor for their hospitalizations, which indicates the importance of the prevention for obesity.

Hospitalizations due to primary care-sensitive conditions among children under five years of age: cross-sectional study / Internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária em crianças menores de cinco anos: estudo transversal

ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Hospitalizations due to primary care-sensitive conditions constitute an important indicator for monitoring the quality of primary healthcare. This study aimed to describe hospitalizations due to primary care-sensitive conditions found among children under five years of age (according to their age and sex), in two cities in Paraíba, Brazil. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study carried out in the municipalities of Cabedelo and Bayeux, in Paraíba, Brazil. METHODS: Data were collected from four public pediatric hospitals in Paraíba that receive children from these municipalities. Hospital admission authorizations were consulted to gather information on the children's profile and the characteristics of their hospitalizations. Differences in the causes of admissions and the respective lengths of hospital stay length were analyzed according to age group and sex. RESULTS: The proportion of hospital admissions due to primary care-sensitive conditions was 82.4%. The most frequent causes were: bacterial pneumonia (59.38%), infectious gastroenteritis and its complications (23.59%) and kidney and urinary tract infection (9.67%). Boys had higher frequency of hospitalizations due to primary care-sensitive conditions than girls. The median hospitalization due to primary care-sensitive conditions was found to be four days. The duration of hospital stays due to primary care-sensitive conditions was significantly longer than those due to conditions that were not sensitive to primary care. CONCLUSIONS: High rates of hospital admissions due to primary care-sensitive conditions were highlighted, especially among children of male sex, with long periods of hospitalization.

RESUMO CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: As internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária constituem importante indicador para o monitoramento da qualidade da atenção primária à saúde. O presente estudo objetivou descrever as internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária em crianças menores de cinco anos (por idade e sexo) em duas cidades da Paraíba. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Estudo transversal realizado nos municípios de Cabedelo e Bayeux, ­Paraíba, Brasil. MÉTODOS: Coletaram-se os dados nos quatro hospitais públicos pediátricos da Paraíba que internam crianças residentes nos municípios estudados. A partir das autorizações de internação hospitalar, colheram-se informações relativas ao perfil da criança e características das internações. Analisaram-se as diferenças nas causas de internações e respectivos tempos de hospitalização segundo faixa etária e sexo. RESULTADOS: A proporção de internação por condição sensível à atenção primária foi de 82,4%. As causas mais frequentes foram: pneumonias bacterianas (59,38%), gastroenterites infecciosas e suas complicações (23,59%) e infecção do rim e trato urinário (9,67%). Meninos apresentaram maior frequência de internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária do que meninas. Verificou-se mediana de quatro dias de hospitalização para as condições sensíveis à atenção primária. O tempo de hospitalização por condição sensível à atenção primária foi significantemente maior do que o tempo da condição não sensível à atenção primária. CONCLUSÕES: Ressaltam-se altas taxas de internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária, principalmente em crianças do sexo masculino, com longos períodos de hospitalização.

Urocultivos en infección clínica de vías urinarias / RESULTS OF URINE CULTURE IN PATIENTS WITH CLINICAL URINARY TRACT INFECTION

Introducción: Las infecciones de vías urinarias (IVU) constituyen un problema de salud mundial. El aumento de la resistencia bacteriana a los antimicrobianos limita la administración de antibióticos económicos y de espectro limitado, lo que afecta el costo y el acceso a la atención. El objetivo de este trabajo es determinar la sensibilidad, resistencia y germen causal en urocultivos realizados en pacientes con infección clínica de vías urinarias. Métodos: Estudio transversal. Se analizaron urocultivos de pacientes con infección clínica de vías urinarias, cada urocultivo correspondió a un paciente. Las variables fueron edad, género, microorganismo causal, resistencia y sensibilidad a los antimicrobianos. Se realizó en la Unidad de Medicina Familiar No. 222 del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social en Toluca Estado de México. Se evaluaron urocultivos con más de 100000 Unidades formadoras de colonias. Se realizó mediciones descriptivas, frecuencias y porcentajes en el programa SPSS v. 17 para Windows. Resultados: se incluyeron urocultivos de pacientes con infección clínica de vías urinarias. La edad promedio de los pacientes fue de 50.09 ± 19.43 años, con predominio del género femenino (211 pacientes). Los agentes causales más frecuentes fueron: Escherichia Coli (51.91%), Proteus mirabilis (14.70%) y Staphylococcus (11.11 %). Los antibióticos con mayor sensibilidad fueron: imipenem, cefotetan y meropenem (34%). Los antimicrobianos con mayor resistencia fueron: ampicilina (24%), ciprofloxacino (22%) y ampicilina con sulbactam (20%). Conclusiones: los microorganismos más frecuentemente fueron: Escherichia coli y Proteus; y los antimicrobianos a los que mostraron más resistencia bacteriana fueron: ampicilina y quinolonas.

Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a global health problem. Increased bacterial resistance to antimicrobials limits the administration of low-spectrum antibiotics, which affect cost and access to care. The objective of this work is to determine the sensitivity, resistance and causal germ in urine cultures in patients with clinical urinary tract infection Methods: Transversal study. Urine cultures of patients with clinical urinary tract infection were analyzed, each urine culture corresponded to one patient. The variables were age, gender, causal microorganism, resistance and sensitivity to antimicrobials. It was performed at the Family Medicine Unit No. 222 of the Mexican Institute of Social Security in Toluca State of Mexico. Urocultures were evaluated with more than 100,000 colony forming units. Measurements were made frequencies and percentages in the SPSS program version 17 for Windows. Results: there were included 558 urine cultures; the average age was 50.09 ± 19.43 years, female predominance (211 patients). The most common causative microorganisms were Escherichia coli (51.91%), Proteus mirabilis (14.70%) and Staphylococcus (11.11%). Most sensitive antibiotics were: imipenem, meropenem and cefotetan (34%). Most resistance antimicrobial were: ampicillin (24%), ciprofloxacin (22%) and ampicillin with sulbactam (20%). Conclusions: Escherichia coli and Proteus were the most commonly isolated microorganisms; Ampicillin and quinolones showed more bacterial resistence.

Analysis of "never events" following adult cardiac surgical procedures in the United States.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to determine the risk factors, nature, and outcomes of "never events" following open adult cardiac surgical procedures. Understanding of these events can reduce their occurrence, and thereby improve patient care, quality metrics, and cost reduction. METHODS: "Never events" for patients included in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample who underwent coronary artery bypass graft, heart valve repair/replacement, or thoracic aneurysm repair between 2003-2011 were documented. These events included air embolism, catheter-based urinary tract infection (UTI), pressure ulcer, falls/trauma, blood incompatibility, vascular catheter infection, poor glucose control, foreign object retention, wrong site surgery and mediastinitis. Analysis included characterization of preoperative demographics, comorbidities and outcomes for patients sustaining never events, and multivariate analysis of predictive risk factors and outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 588,417 patients meeting inclusion criteria were identified. Of these, never events occurred in 4377 cases. The majority of events were in-hospital falls, vascular catheter infections, and complications of poor glucose control. Rates of falls, catheter based UTIs, and glucose control complications increased between 2009-2011 as compared to 2003-2008. Analysis revealed increased hospital length of stay, hospital charges, and mortality in patients who suffered a never event as compared to those that did not. CONCLUSIONS: This study establishes a baseline never event rate after cardiac surgery. Adverse patient outcomes and increased resource utilization resulting from never events emphasizes the need for quality improvement surrounding them. A better understanding of individual patient characteristics for those at risk can help in developing protocols to decrease occurrence rates.

Factors Associated With Potentially Preventable Pediatric Admissions Vary by Diagnosis: Findings From a Large State.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine characteristics associated with potentially preventable pediatric admissions as defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. METHODS: The Texas Inpatient Public Use Data File, an administrative database of hospital admissions, identified 747 040 pediatric admissions ages 0 to 17 years to acute care facilities between 2005 and 2008. Potentially preventable admissions included 5 diagnoses: asthma, perforated appendicitis, diabetes, gastroenteritis, and urinary tract infection. A hierarchical multivariable logistic regression model clustered by admitting hospital and adjusted for admission date estimated the patient and hospital factors associated with potentially preventable admission. RESULTS: An average of 71 444 hospital days per year and 14.1% (N = 105 055) of all admissions were potentially preventable, generating $304 million in hospital charges per year in 1 state. Younger age (odds ratio [OR]: 2.88 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.80-2.96]), black race (OR: 1.48 [95% CI: 1.45-1.52]) or Hispanic ethnicity (OR: 1.06 [95% CI: 1.04-1.08]), lower income (OR: 1.11 [95% CI: 1.02-1.20]), comorbid substance abuse disorder (OR: 2.03 [95% CI: 1.75-2.34]), and admission on a weekend (OR: 1.05 [95% CI: 1.03-1.06]) or to a critical access hospital (OR: 1.61 [95% CI: 1.20-2.14]) were high-risk factors for potentially preventable admission, whereas Native American race (OR: 0.91 [95% CI: 0.85-0.98]), government insurance (OR: 0.83 [95% CI: 0.89-0.96]) or no insurance (OR: 0.93 [95% CI: 0.89-0.96]), and living in a rural county (OR: 0.70 [95% CI: 0.68-0.73]) were associated factors. However, most factors varied from high to low odds depending on which of the 5 potentially preventable diagnoses was examined. CONCLUSIONS: Potentially preventable admissions represent a high burden of time and costs for the pediatric population, but strategies to reduce them should be tailored to each diagnosis because the associated factors are not uniform across all potentially preventable admissions.

A cost-effectiveness analysis of long-term intermittent catheterisation with hydrophilic and uncoated catheters.

STUDY DESIGN: Cost-effectiveness analysisObjective:To establish a model to investigate the cost effectiveness for people with spinal cord injury (SCI), from a lifetime perspective, for the usage of two different single-use catheter designs: hydrophilic-coated (HC) and uncoated (UC). The model includes the long-term sequelae of impaired renal function and urinary tract infection (UTI). SETTING: Analysis based on a UK perspective. METHODS: A probabilistic Markov decision model was constructed, to compare lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life years, taking renal and UTI health states into consideration, as well as other catheter-related events. UTI event rates for the primary data set were based on data from hospital settings to ensure controlled and accurate reporting. A sensitivity analysis was applied to evaluate best- and worst-case scenarios. RESULTS: The model predicts that a 36-year-old SCI patient with chronic urinary retention will live an additional 1.4 years if using HC catheters compared with UC catheters, at an incremental cost of £2100. Moreover, the lifetime number of UTI events will be reduced by 16%. All best- and worst-case estimates were within the UK threshold of being cost effective. CONCLUSION: The use of HC catheters for intermittent catheterisation in SCI patients is highly cost effective. The outcome is consistent irrespective of whether UTI data are collected in hospital or community settings.

Regular source of primary care and emergency department use of children in Victoria.

AIM: The aim of this paper was to study the prevalence of a regular source of primary care for Victorian children attending one of four emergency departments (EDs) and to determine associated characteristics, including ED use. METHODS: Responses were collected via an electronic survey from parents attending EDs with their child (≤9 years of age) for a lower-urgency condition. Single, multiple choice, and Likert scale responses were analysed using bivariate and logistic regression tests. RESULTS: Of the 1146 parents who provided responses, 80% stated their child has a regular source of primary care. Of these, care is mostly received by a general practitioner (GP) (95%) in GP group practices (71%). Approximately 20% have changed where their child receives primary care in the last year. No associations were observed between having a regular source of primary care and frequency of ED attendance in the past 12 months, although parents whose child did not have a regular source of primary care were more likely to view the ED as a more convenient place to receive care than the primary care provider (39% without regular source vs. 18% with regular source; P < 0.0001). Children were less likely to have a regular source of primary care if their parents were younger, had a lower household income, lower education, and were visiting a hospital in a lower socio-economic indexes for areas rank. CONCLUSIONS: Policy options to improve continuity of care for children may require investigation. Increasing the prevalence of regular source of primary care for children may in turn reduce ED visits.

[Assessment and treatment of genitourinary infections]. / Bilan et traitements des infections urogénitales.

Antibiotics are most commonly prescribed for urinary bacterial infections. The purpose of this article is to review the most common infections of the genitourinary tract and to guide the choice of the most appropriate treatment. This choice depends also on the patients general state, local associated conditions and can range from observation to an emergency hospitalisation. Primary care physicians remain in the first line to take care of these patients but the urologists or the infectious disease specialists can provide some help in complex situations.

Les infections urinaires bactériennes sont l'une des principales indications à la prescription d'antibiotiques. Le but de cet article est d'aider le praticien à reconnaître les diverses infections du tractus urogénital et à les traiter en utilisant les antibiotiques de façon appropriée. Le choix du traitement dépend aussi de l'état général du patient, de conditions locales associées et peut aller de l'abstention thérapeutique à l'hospitalisation en urgence. Le médecin de famille est en première ligne dans la prise en charge de ces pathologies fréquentes et l'urologue ou l'infectiologue peuvent apporter leur contribution dans les situations complexes.