A longitudinal evaluation of personalized intrinsic network topography and cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease.

Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI) offers insight into how synchrony within and between brain networks is altered in disease states. Individual and disease-related variability in intrinsic connectivity networks may influence our interpretation of R-fMRI data. We used a personalized approach designed to account for individual variation in the spatial location of correlation maxima to evaluate R-fMRI differences between Parkinson's disease (PD) patients who showed cognitive decline, those who remained cognitively stable and cognitively stable controls. We compared fMRI data from these participant groups, studied at baseline and 18 months later, using both network-based statistics (NBS) and calculations of mean inter- and intra-network connectivity within pre-defined functional networks. The NBS analysis showed that PD participants who remained cognitively stable showed exclusively (at baseline) or predominantly (at follow-up) increased intra-network connectivity, whereas decliners showed exclusively reduced intra-network and inter- (ventral attention and default mode) connectivity, in comparison with the control group. Evaluation of mean connectivity between all regions of interest (ROIs) within a priori networks showed that decliners had consistently reduced inter-network connectivity for ventral attention, somatomotor, visual and striatal networks and reduced intra-network connectivity for ventral attention network to striatum and cerebellum. These findings suggest that specific functional connectivity covariance patterns differentiate PD cognitive subtypes and may predict cognitive decline. Further, increased intra and inter-network synchrony may support cognitive function in the face of PD-related network disruptions.

Trends in Plasma Exchange Use in Optic Neuritis Hospitalizations in the United States.

PURPOSE: To report use trends of plasma exchange (PLEX) as well as sociodemographic and medical comorbidities associated with PLEX in the United States. DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients (≥ 18 years) admitted for inpatient hospitalization with a primary diagnosis of optic neuritis (ON). METHODS: Data from the National Inpatient Sample database was compiled to assess PLEX use rates between 2000 and 2020. The cohorts of patients receiving PLEX versus not receiving PLEX were analyzed between quarter 4 of 2015 through 2020 (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision [ICD-10], only) for patient sociodemographic variables, medical diagnoses, insurance types, hospital characteristics, cause of disease, time to therapy, length of stay (LOS), and total charges incurred. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of ON, incidence of PLEX, demographics, diagnoses associated with PLEX therapy, total charges, and LOS. RESULTS: From 2000 through 2020, 11 209 patients hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of ON were identified, with a significant majority managed at urban teaching hospitals. Use of PLEX increased steadily over 2 decades from 0.63% to 5.46%. Use was greatest in the western United States and least in the eastern United States. In the subset of ICD-10 cases, 3215 patients were identified. The median time to therapy of PLEX was 1 day after admission, and PLEX use was highest in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) (21.21%) and lowest in multiple sclerosis-associated ON (3.80%). Use of PLEX was associated with significantly longer LOS and higher total charges incurred. Medical comorbidities associated with PLEX included adverse reaction to glucocorticoids (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 31.50), hemiplegia (aOR, 28.48), neuralgia (aOR, 4.81), optic atrophy (aOR, 3.74), paralytic strabismus (aOR, 2.36), and psoriasis (aOR, 1.76). CONCLUSIONS: Over the last 2 decades in the United States, PLEX therapy for ON has increased, with the highest use in the western United States and for patients with the diagnosis NMOSD ON. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

Development of a comorbidity index for patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and open surgical repair (OSR) are two modalities to treat patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Alternative to individual comorbidity adjustment, a summary comorbidity index is a weighted composite score of all comorbidities that can be used as standard metric to control for comorbidity burden in clinical studies. This study aimed to develop summary comorbidity indices for patients who underwent AAA repair. METHODS: Patients who went under EVAR or OSR were identified in National Inpatient Sample (NIS) between the last quarter of 2015 to 2020. In each group, patients were randomly sampled into experimental (2/3) and validation (1/3) groups. The weights of Elixhauser comorbidities were determined from a multivariable logistic regression and single comorbidity indices were developed for EVAR and OAR groups, respectively. RESULTS: There were 34,668 patients underwent EVAR (2.19% mortality) and 4792 underwent OSR (10.98% mortality). Both comorbidity indices had moderate discriminative power (EVAR c-statistic, 0.641; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.616-0.665; OSR c-statistic, 0.600; 95% CI, 0.563-0.630) and good calibration (EVAR Brier score, 0.021; OSR Brier score, 0.096). The indices had significantly better discriminative power (DeLong P <.001) than the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI) (EVAR c-statistic, 0.572; 95% CI, 0.546-0.597; OSR c-statistic, 0.502; 95% CI, 0.472-0.533). For internal validation, both indices had similar performance compared with individual comorbidity adjustment (EVAR DeLong P = .650; OSR DeLong P = .431). These indices demonstrated good external validation, exhibiting comparable performance to their respective validation groups (EVAR DeLong P = .891; OSR DeLong P = .757). CONCLUSIONS: ECI, the comorbidity index formulated for the general population, exhibited suboptimal performance in patients who underwent AAA repair. In response, we developed summary comorbidity indices for both EVAR and OSR for AAA repair, which were internally and externally validated. The EVAR and OSR comorbidity indices outperformed the ECI in discriminating in-hospital mortality rates. They can standardize comorbidity measurement for clinical studies in AAA repair, especially for studies with small samples such as single-institute data sources to facilitate replication and comparison of results across studies.

Comparative assessment of racial disparity in 30-day outcomes for Asian Americans undergoing carotid endarterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is an effective treatment for carotid stenosis. All previous studies on racial disparity of CEA outcomes omitted Asian Americans. This study aimed to address this gap by investigating racial disparities in 30-day outcomes following CEA among Asian Americans. METHODS: Asian American and Caucasian patients who underwent CEA were identified in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program targeted database from 2011 to 2021. Patients with age less than 18 years old were excluded. Patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid stenosis were examined separately. A 1:5 propensity-score matching was used to address preoperative differences. Thirty perioperative outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: There were 380 Asian Americans (2.27%) and 13,250 Caucasians (79.18%) with symptomatic carotid stenosis who underwent CEA. Also, 289 Asian Americans (1.40%) and 18,257 Caucasians (88.14%) with asymptomatic carotid stenosis had CEA. Asian Americans undergoing CEA presented with higher comorbid burdens and more severe symptomology. Also, asymptomatic Asian Americans were more likely to undergo surgeries for mild stenosis (<50%), which is not in line with practice guidelines. After 1:5 propensity-matching, all symptomatic Asian Americans were matched to 1550 Caucasian patients, and all asymptomatic Asian Americans were matched to 1445 Caucasians; preoperative differences were addressed. Asian Americans exhibited low overall 30-day mortality (symptomatic, 1.61%; asymptomatic, 0.35%) and stroke (symptomatic, 2.26%; asymptomatic, 0.69%). All perioperative outcomes were comparable to Caucasians, with the exception that Asian Americans experienced longer operation times. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence suggested that Asian Americans with asymptomatic stenosis were underrepresented in CEA. After propensity-score matching, Asian Americans demonstrated comparable 30-day outcomes to Caucasians. These suggest that, when afforded equal access to quality health care, CEA serves as an effective treatment for carotid stenosis among Asian Americans. Therefore, efforts may be aimed at addressing health care access, potentially in the screening for asymptomatic carotid stenosis in Asian Americans. This would ensure they have equitable benefits from CEA. Nevertheless, the exact preoperative differences and long-term CEA outcomes in Asian Americans should warrant further examination in future studies.

Low Socioeconomic Status is Associated With Higher In-Hospital Mortality in Stanford Type a Aortic Dissection Repair: A Population Study of National Inpatient Sample From 2015 to 2020.

INTRODUCTION: Stanford Type A Aortic Dissection (TAAD) is characterized by a high in-hospital mortality rate and necessitates urgent surgical intervention. While socioeconomic status is known to influence health-care outcomes, its specific association with TAAD remains underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the population-based association between socioeconomic status with TAAD repair outcomes using a national registry. METHODS: Patients who had TAAD repair were identified in National Inpatient Sample from Q4 2015-2020. National Inpatient Sample stratified estimated median household income of residents within a patient's ZIP code. Patients residing in neighborhoods of incomes in the lowest and highest quartiles were selected as the study cohorts. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to compare in-hospital outcomes, adjusted for demographics, comorbid conditions, hospital characteristics, primary payer status, and transfer status. RESULTS: Compared to patients from high-income neighborhoods, patients in low-income communities had higher risks of mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.45, P = 0.01), acute kidney injury (aOR 1.225, P = 0.03), and infection (aOR 1.474, P = 0.02), as well as longer wait from admission to operation (24.96 ± 2.64 versus 18.00 ± 1.92 h, P = 0.03) and longer length of stay (15.06 ± 0.38 versus 13.80 ± 0.36 d, P = 0.01). In contrast, patients from low-income communities had less risk of hemorrhage/hematoma (aOR 0.691, P < 0.01) and lower total hospital charge (428,746 ± 10,658 versus 487,017 ± 16,770 US dollars, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Evidence suggests patients from lower-income communities may have limited access to health care and treatment delays, leading to higher mortality and complications. The underlying reasons for these disparities in economically disadvantaged communities warrant further investigation, which could focus on health-care accessibility, timely detection of TAAD, and prompt transfers to specialized centers.

The 5-Factor Modified Frailty Index is a Concise and Effective Predictor of 30-Day Adverse Outcomes in Carotid Endarterectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Frailty is a clinically identifiable condition characterized by heightened vulnerability. The 5-item Modified Frailty Index provides a concise calculation of frailty that has proven effective in predicting adverse perioperative outcomes across a variety of surgical disciplines. However, there is a paucity of research examining the validity of 11-item Modified Frailty Index (mFI-5) in carotid endarterectomy (CEA). This study aimed to investigate the association between mFI-5 and 30-day outcomes of CEA. METHODS: Patients underwent CEA were identified from American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program targeted database from 2012 to 2021. Patients with age<18 were excluded. Patients were stratified into four cohorts based on their mFI-5 scores: 0, 1, 2, or 3+. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare 30-day perioperative outcomes adjusting for preoperative variables with P value<0.1. RESULTS: Compared to controls (mFI-5 = 0), patients mFI-5 = 1 had higher risk of stroke (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.333, P = 0.02), unplanned operation (aOR = 1.38, P < 0.01), and length of stay (LOS) > 7 days (aOR = 0.814, P < 0.01). Patients with mFI-5 = 2 had higher stroke (aOR = 1.719, P < 0.01), major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (aOR = 1.315, P = 0.01), sepsis (aOR = 2.243, P = 0.01), discharge not to home (aOR = 1.200, P < 0.01), 30-day readmission (aOR = 1.405, P < 0.01). Compared with controls, patients with mFI-5≥3 had higher mortality (aOR = 1.997 P = 0.02), MACE (aOR = 1.445, P = 0.03), cardiac complications (aOR = 1.901, P < 0.01), pulmonary events (aOR = 2.196, P < 0.01), sepsis (aOR = 3.65, P < 0.01), restenosis (aOR = 2.606, P = 0.02), unplanned operation (aOR = 1.69, P < 0.01), LOS>7 days (aOR = 1.425, P < 0.01), discharge not to home (aOR = 2.127, P < 0.01), and 30-day readmission (aOR = 2.427, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The mFI-5 is associated with 30-day mortality and complications including stroke, MACE, cardiac complications, pulmonary complications, sepsis, and restenosis. Additionally, elevated mFI-5 scores correlate with an increased likelihood of unplanned operations, extended LOS, discharge to facilities other than home, and 30-day readmissions, all of which could negatively impact long-term prognosis. Therefore, mFI-5 can serve as a concise yet effective metric of frailty in patients undergoing CEA.

Disparity Among African Americans in Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Procedure: A National Inpatient Sample Analysis from 2015 to 2020.

BACKGROUND: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is a procedure used to alleviate patients with chronic liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Racial disparities were present in TIPS where numerous studies suggested African American patients experience higher in-hospital mortality rates. However, the incidence of post-TIPS surgical complications, such as HE, has yet to be examined among African Americans. Therefore, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive examination of the disparities in TIPS procedures among African American patients. METHODS: The study compared African American and Caucasian patients who underwent TIPS procedures in the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from the last quarter of 2015-2020 after ICD-10 change. Preoperative variables, including demographics, comorbidities, primary payer status, and hospital characteristics, were examined and multivariable analysis was used to assess outcomes correcting preoperative variables with p < 0.1. RESULTS: Compared to Caucasians, African Americans had higher in-hospital mortality (16.18 vs 8.22%, aOR 1.781, p < 0.01), hepatic encephalopathy (33.09 vs 27.44%, aOR 1.300, p = 0.05), and acute kidney injury (45.59 vs 29.60%, aOR 2.019, p < 0.01). Using the generalized linear model, African Americans have longer length of stay (11.04 ± 0.77 days vs 8.54 ± 0.16 days, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Despite a higher prevalence of cirrhosis, African Americans continue to have marked underrepresentation in TIPS procedures in recent years. Their underrepresentation, in conjunction with higher mortality, morbidity, and increased comorbidity conditions, could imply disparity in accessing care. This finding underscores the necessity for improved access to diagnostic and therapeutic services for African Americans with liver cirrhosis.

In hospital outcomes of autologous and implant-based breast reconstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common comorbid condition that can be associated with postoperative mortality and morbidity. However, the outcome profile of patients with COPD after breast reconstruction has yet to be established. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the postoperative outcomes in patients with COPD who underwent autologous (ABR) and implant-based breast reconstruction (IBR). METHODS: National Inpatient Sample was used to identify patients who underwent ABR or IBR from Q4 2015 to 2020. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to compare inhospital outcomes between COPD and non-COPD patients while adjusting for demographics, primary payer status, hospital characteristics, and comorbidities. RESULTS: There were 1288 (9.92%) COPD and 11,696 non-COPD patients who underwent ABR. Meanwhile, 1742 (9.70%) COPD and 16,221 non-COPD patients underwent IBR. In both ABR and IBR, patients with COPD had higher rates of seroma (ABR, aOR = 1.863, 95% CI = 1.022-3.397, and p = 0.04; IBR, aOR = 1.524, 95% CI = 1.014-2.291, and p = 0.04), infection (ABR, aOR = 1.863, 95% CI = 1.022-3.397, and p = 0.04; IBR, aOR = 1.956, 95% CI = 1.205-3.176, and p = 0.01), and prolonged LOS (p < 0.01). Specifically, patients with COPD in ABR had higher risks of respiratory complications (aOR = 1.991, 95% CI = 1.291-3.071, and p < 0.01) and incurred higher total hospital charges (p < 0.01). Meanwhile, patients with COPD undergoing IBR had elevated risks of renal complications (aOR = 3.421, 95% CI = 2.108-5.55, and p < 0.01), deep wound complications (aOR = 3.191, 95% CI = 1.423-7.153, and p < 0.01), and a higher rate of transfers out (aOR = 1.815, 95% CI = 1.081-3.05, and p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: COPD is an independent risk factor associated with distinct adverse outcomes in ABR and IBR. These findings can be valuable for preoperative risk stratification, determining surgical candidacy, and planning postoperative management in patients with COPD.

In hospital outcomes of autologous and implant-based breast reconstruction in patients with diabetes mellitus: A population-based study of 2015-2020 national inpatient sample.

BACKGROUND: Breast reconstruction encompasses autologous (ABR) and implant-based breast reconstruction (IBR) each with its own sets of potential complications. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with breast reconstruction complications, although most of the studies did not differentiate between the reconstruction procedures. This study conducted a population-based study examining impact of DM on inhospital outcomes in ABR and IBR. METHODS: Patients underwent ABR or IBR were identified in National Inpatient Sample from Q4 2015 to 2020. A 1:2 propensity score matching was used to address differences in demographics, hospital characteristics, primary payer status, comorbidities, and reconstruction staging between DM and non-DM patients. In hospital outcomes were assessed separately in ABR and IBR. RESULTS: There were 997 (7.68%) DM and 11,987 (92.32%) non-DM patients in ABR. Meanwhile, 1325 (7.38%) DM and 16,638 (92.62%) non-DM patients underwent IBR. DM cohorts in ABR and IBR were matched to 1930 and 2558 non-DM patients, respectively. After matching, DM patients in both ABR and IBR had higher risks of renal complications (ABR, 3.73% vs. 1.76%, p < 0.01; IBR, 1.83% vs. 0.78%, p = 0.01) and longer length of stay (ABR, p = 0.01; IBR, p = 0.04). In ABR, DM patients had higher respiratory complications (2.82% vs. 1.19%, p < 0.01), excessive scarring (2.72% vs. 1.55%, p = 0.03), and infection (2.42% vs. 1.14%, p = 0.01), while in IBR, DM patients had higher hemorrhage/hematoma (5.40% vs. 3.40%, p < 0.01) and transfer out (1.52% vs. 0.78%, p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: DM was associated with distinct sets of inhospital complications in ABR and IBR, which can be valuable for preoperative risk stratification and informing clinical decision-making for DM patients.

Female patients have higher in-hospital mortality after type A aortic dissection repair: A population study from the national inpatient sample.

BACKGROUND: Stanford Type A Aortic Dissection (TAAD) is an emergent condition with high in-hospital mortality. Gender disparity in TAAD has been a topic of ongoing debate. This study aimed to conduct a population-based examination of gender disparities in short-term TAAD outcomes using the National/Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, the largest all-payer database in the US. METHODS: Patients undergoing TAAD repair were identified in NIS from the last quarter of 2015-2020. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to compare in-hospital outcomes between male and female patients, adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, hospital characteristics, primary payer status, and transfer status. RESULTS: There were 1454 female and 2828 male patients identified who underwent TAAD repair. Female patients presented with TAAD were at a more advanced mean age (64.03 ± 13.81 vs. 58.28 ± 13.43 years, p < 0.01) and had greater comorbid burden. Compared to male patients, female patients had higher risks of in-hospital mortality (17.88% vs. 13.68%, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.266, p = 0.01). In addition, female patients had higher pericardial complications (20.29% vs. 17.22%, aOR = 1.227, p = 0.02), but lower acute kidney injury (AKI; 39.96% vs. 53.47%, aOR = 0.476, p < 0.01) and venous thromboembolism (VTE; 1.38% vs. 2.65%, aOR = 0.517, p = 0.01). Female patients had comparable time from admission to operation and transfer-in status, longer hospital stays, but fewer total hospital expenses. CONCLUSION: Female patients were 1.27 times as likely to die in-hospital after TAAD repair but had less AKI and VTE. While there is no evidence suggesting delay in TAAD repair for female patients, the disparities might stem from other differences such as in care provided or intrinsic physiological variations.

The 5-Factor Modified Frailty Index is a Succinct yet Effective Predictor of Adverse Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Open Surgery for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is an age-related, clinically recognizable state marked by increased susceptibility. The 5-item Modified Frailty Index (mFI-5) offers a concise assessment of frailty and has demonstrated its efficacy in various surgical fields. While the mFI-5 has been validated for endovascular aneurysm repair for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), its applicability in open surgical repair (OSR) for AAA remains largely unexplored. This study sought to evaluate the utility of mFI-5 in predicting 30-day outcomes following OSR for AAA. METHODS: Patients underwent OSR for AAA were identified in American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-targeted database from 2012 to 2021. Patients were stratified into 3 cohorts: mFI-5 score of 0 (control), 1, and 2+. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare 30-day perioperative outcomes between frail patients and controls adjusting preoperative variables with P value <0.1. RESULTS: Of the 5,249 patients who underwent OSR for AAA, 1,043 were controls, 2,938 had an mFI-5 score of 1 and 1,268 had an mFI-5 score of 2+. When compared to the control group, patients with an mFI-5 = 1 were more likely to have pulmonary events (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.452, P < 0.01), bleeding events (aOR = 1.33, P < 0.01), wound complications (aOR = 2.214, P < 0.01), ischemic colitis (aOR = 1.616, P = 0.01), and unplanned reoperation (aOR = 1.292, P = 0.04). Those with an mFI-5 = 2+ demonstrated higher risks of mortality (aOR = 1.709, P < 0.01), major adverse cardiovascular events (aOR = 1.347, P = 0.04), pulmonary events (aOR = 2.045, P < 0.01), renal dysfunction (aOR = 1.568, P < 0.01), sepsis (aOR = 1.587, P = 0.01), bleeding events (aOR = 1.429, P < 0.01), wound complications (aOR = 2.338, P < 0.01), ischemic colitis (aOR = 1.775, P = 0.01), unplanned reoperation (aOR = 1.445, P = 0.01), operation over 4 hours (aOR = 1.34, P < 0.01), length of stay over 7 days (aOR = 1.324, <0.01), discharge not to home (aOR = 1.547, P < 0.01), 30-day readmission (aOR = 1.657, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The mFI-5 emerges as a succinct yet effective indicator of frailty for patients undergoing OSR for AAA. Especially, an mFI-5 score of 2+ is linked with increased 30-day mortality and complications. As such, mFI-5 can be used as a valuable screening tool for frailty in patients undergoing OSR for AAA.

Locoregional Anesthesia Has Lower Risks of Cardiac Complications Than General Anesthesia After Prolonged Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms.

OBJECTIVES: Although general anesthesia is the primary anesthesia in endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), some studies suggest locoregional anesthesia could be a feasible alternative for eligible patients. However, most evidence was from retrospective studies and was subjected to an inherent selection bias that general anesthesia is often chosen for more complex and prolonged cases. To mitigate this selection bias, this study aimed to compare 30-day outcomes of prolonged, nonemergent, intact, infrarenal EVAR in patients undergoing locoregional or general anesthesia. In addition, risk factors associated with prolonged operative time in EVAR were identified. DESIGN: Retrospective large-scale national registry study. SETTING: American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program targeted database from 2012 to 2022. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 4,075 out of 16,438 patients (24.79%) had prolonged EVAR. Among patients with prolonged EVAR, 324 patients (7.95%) were under locoregional anesthesia. There were 3,751 patients (92.05%) under general anesthesia, and 955 of them were matched to the locoregional anesthesia cohort. INTERVENTIONS: Patients undergoing infrarenal EVAR were included. Exclusion criteria included age <18 years, emergency cases, ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, and acute intraoperative conversion to open. Only cases with prolonged operative times (>157 minutes) were selected. A 1:3 propensity-score matching was used to address demographics, baseline characteristics, aneurysm diameter, distant aneurysm extent, and concomitant procedures between patients under locoregional and general anesthesia. Thirty-day postoperative outcomes were assessed. Moreover, factors associated with prolonged EVAR were identified by multivariate logistic regression. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Except for general anesthesia contraindications, patients undergoing locoregional or general anesthesia exhibited largely similar preoperative characteristics. After propensity-score matching, patients under locoregional and general anesthesia had a lower risk of myocardial infarction (0.93% v 2.83%, p = 0.04), but comparable 30-day mortality (3.72% v 2.72%, p = 0.35) and other complications. Specific concomitant procedures, aneurysm anatomy, and comorbidities associated with prolonged EVAR were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Locoregional anesthesia can be a safe and effective alternative to general anesthesia, particularly in EVAR cases with anticipated complexity and prolonged operative times, as it offers the potential benefit of reduced cardiac complications. Risk factors associated with prolonged EVAR can aid in preoperative risk stratification and inform the decision-making process regarding anesthesia choice.

Prior abdominal surgery is not associated with 30-day mortality or morbidities after endovascular repair of complex abdominal aortic aneurysm.

BACKGROUND: Prior abdominal surgery (PAS) has the potential to affect outcomes of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. Recently, endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has been expanded among patients with complex AAA, which involves visceral branches in the upper abdominal aortic. However, outcomes of EVAR for complex AAA in patients with PAS have not been examined. This study aimed to investigate the impact of PAS on 30-day outcomes in EVAR for complex AAA. METHODS: Patients who underwent EVAR for complex AAA were identified in ACS-NSQIP targeted database from 2012 to 2022. Complex AAA was defined as juxtarenal, suprarenal, or pararenal proximal extent, Type IV thoracoabdominal aneurysm, or aneurysms treated with Zenith Fenestrated endograft. Patients with age less than 18 years, ruptured AAA with or without hypotension, acute intraoperative conversion to open, and emergency presentation were excluded. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare 30-day postoperative outcomes of patients with and without PAS. Demographics, baseline characteristics, aneurysm diameter, indication for surgery, proximal and distant aneurysm extent, anesthesia, and concomitant procedures were adjusted. RESULTS: There were 515 (28.34%) and 1302 (71.66%) patients with and without PAS, respectively, who underwent EVAR for complex AAA. Patients with and without PAS had comparable 30-day mortality (3.11% vs 3.00%, aOR = 0.766, 95 CI = 0.407-1.442, p = .41). Organ system complications including cardiac complications, stroke, pulmonary complications, and renal complications were comparable between patients with and without PAS. All other 30-day outcomes were similar between groups. However, patients with PAS had higher 30-day readmission rate (11.65% vs 7.14%, aOR = 1.634, 95 CI = 1.145-2.331, p = .01). CONCLUSION: While PAS has high prevalence among patients undergoing EVAR for complex AAA, it does not impact 30-day mortality and morbidities. Thus, EVAR for complex AAA can be considered safe for patients with PAS in terms of short-term outcomes, despite the long-term prognosis in these patients being needed in further studies.

Preoperative hypocoagulative state is an independent risk factor for wound complications and infection in gender-affirming bottom surgeries.

BACKGROUND: Bottom gender affirmation surgery (GAS) involves the risks of bleeding and associated complications. Effective preoperative blood management is paramount across surgical disciplines with international normalized ratio (INR)≤1.5 advised prior to certain surgeries. This study aimed to examine the proportion of patients who were hypocoagulative before they underwent bottom GAS and assess the influence of hypocoagulability on their 30-day post-operative outcomes. METHOD: A retrospective study on female-to-male (FtM) and male-to-female (MtF) bottom GAS was performed based on American college of surgeons national surgical quality improvement program (ACS-NSQIP) database from 2005 to 2021. Patients with hypocoagulation were identified when PTT> 60 s, PT > 30 s, and/or INR> 2. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare the 30-day perioperative outcomes between patients with hypocoagulation and controls. RESULTS: In this study, 380 patients (182 FtM, 198 MtF) with hypocoagulation and 1176 controls (886 FtM, 310 MtF) were included. Mortality and organ system complications were infrequent in both groups. Patients with hypocoagulation had higher wound complication rates (13.68% vs. 2.64%, aOR 2.858, p < 0.01), especially wound dehiscence (10.00% vs. 0.60%, aOR 4.424, p < 0.01) and organ space infection rates (2.11% vs. 0.26%, aOR 12.77, p < 0.01). Additionally, patients with hypocoagulation had higher sepsis (0.79% vs. 0.09%, aOR 15.508, p = 0.04) and readmission rates (4.74% vs. 2.47%, aOR 1.919, p = 0.03), but lower rates of discharge not to home (7.92% vs. 25.38%, aOR 0.324, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Preoperative hypocoagulative state is observed in approximately a quarter of the patients undergoing bottom GAS and is an independent risk factor for increased risks of 30-day wound complications and infections. Therefore, meticulous monitoring of preoperative hemostasis and implementing hemostasis control before surgery may be necessary. Thus, it may be advisable to discontinue oral anticoagulants before the surgery.

Development and validation of a 30-day point-scoring risk calculator for small bowel obstruction surgery.

Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is one of the most frequent causes of general emergency surgery. The 30-day mortality rate post-surgery ranges widely from 2 to 30%, contingent upon the patient population, which renders risk assessment tools helpful. this study aimed to develop a 30-day point-scoring risk calculator designed for patients undergoing SBO surgery. Patients who underwent SBO surgery were identified in the ACS-NSQIP database from 2005 to 2021. Patients were randomly sampled into an experimental (2/3) and a validation (1/3) group. A weighted point scoring system was developed for the risk of 30-day mortality, utilizing multivariable regression on preoperative risk variables based on Sullivan's method. The risk scores underwent both internal and external validation. Furthermore, the efficacy of the risk score was evaluated in 30-day major surgical complications. A total of 93,517 patients were identified, with 63,521 and 29,996 assigned to the experimental and validation groups, respectively. The risk calculator is structured to assign points based on age (> 85 years, 4 points; 75-85 years, 3 points; 65-75 years, 2 points; 55-65 years, 1 point), disseminated cancer (2 points), American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score of 4 or 5 (1 point), preoperative sepsis (1 point), hypoalbuminemia (1 point), and fully dependent functional status (1 point). The risk calculator showed strong discrimination (c-statistic = 0.825, 95% CI 0.818-0.831) and good calibration (Brier score = 0.043) in the experimental group. The point scoring system was successfully translated from individual preoperative variables (c-statistic = 0.840, 95% CI 0.834-0.847) and was externally validated in ACS-NSQIP (c-statistic = 0.827, 95% = CI 0.834-0.847, Brier score = 0.043). The SBO risk score can effectively discriminate major surgical complications including major adverse cardiovascular events (c-statistic = 0.734), cardiac complications (c-statistic = 0.732), stroke (c-statistic = 0.725), pulmonary complications (c-statistic = 0.727), renal complications (c-statistic = 0.692), bleeding (c-statistic 0.674), sepsis (c-statistic = 0.670), with high predictive accuracy (all Brier scores < 0.1). This study developed and validated a concise yet robust 10-point risk scoring system for patients undergoing SBO surgery. It can be informative to determine treatment plans and to prepare for potential perioperative complications in patients undergoing SBO surgery.

Dependent functional status is an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality and morbidities following colectomy for volvulus: An ACS-NSQIP study from the United States.

OBJECTIVES: Colonic volvulus is a common cause of bowel obstructions and surgery is the definitive treatment. Functional status is often associated with adverse postoperative outcomes but its effect on colectomy for volvulus remained under-explored. This study sought to analyze the effect of functional status on the 30-day outcomes of colectomy for volvulus. MATERIALS AND METHOD: National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) targeted colectomy database from 2012 to 2022 was utilized. Only patients with volvulus as the primary indication for colectomy were included. Thirty-day postoperative outcomes were compared between patients with dependent functional status (DFS) and independent functional status (IFS), adjusted for demographics, baseline characteristics, preoperative preparation, indication for surgery, and operative approaches by multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: There were 1,476 patients with DFS (945 partially DFS and 531 fully DFS) and 8,824 (85.67 %) IFS patients who underwent colectomy for volvulus. After multivariable analysis, DFS patients had higher risks of mortality (aOR=1.671, 95 CI=1.37-2.038, p < 0.01), pulmonary complications (aOR=2.166, 95 CI=1.85-2.536, p < 0.01), sepsis (aOR=1.31, 95 CI=1.107-1.551, p < 0.01), prolonged postoperative nothing by mouth (NPO) or nasogastric tube (NGT) use (aOR=1.436, 95 CI=1.269-1.626, p < 0.01), discharge not to home (aOR=3.774, 95 CI=3.23-4.411, p < 0.01), and 30-day readmission (aOR=1.196, 95 CI=1.007-1.42, p = 0.04). Moreover, DFS patients had a longer length of stay (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: DFS was identified as an independent risk factor for increased mortality and complications after colectomy for volvulus. Given the substantial overlap between DFS patients and those who have colonic volvulus, these insights can contribute to preoperative risk assessments and postoperative care in these patients.

Effect of hypothyroidism on short-term outcomes after autologous and implant-based breast reconstruction.

Hypothyroidism has high prevalence in elderly women, which overlaps with the patient population who opt for post-mastectomy breast reconstruction. While hypothyroidism was shown to impact outcomes in other surgeries, its effect on breast reconstruction has not been established. This study aimed to compare the short-term outcomes of patients with and without hypothyroidism who underwent autologous (ABR) and implant-based breast reconstruction (IBR), respectively. Patients having ABR or IBR were identified in the National Inpatient Sample from Q4 2015-2020. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to compare in-hospital outcomes between patients with and without hypothyroidism, adjusted for demographics, socioeconomic status, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics. There were 12,765 patients underwent ABR, where 1591 (12.46%) of them had hypothyroidism, while 17,670 patients had IBR with 1,984 (11.23%) having hypothyroidism. Hypothyroid patients had a higher risk of hemorrhage/hematoma (aOR = 1.254, 95 CI 1.079-1.457, p < 0.01) after ABR. However, there were no differences in terms of mortality and organ system complications, nor wound dehiscence, superficial/deep wound complications, seroma, flap revision, excessive scarring, venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, vascular complications, infection, sepsis, transfer out, length of stay (LOS), nor hospital charge between patients with and without hypothyroidism after ABR. All postoperative outcomes were comparable between hypothyroid patients and controls after IBR. While breast reconstruction is generally safe for hypothyroid patients, preoperative screening for hypothyroidism may be beneficial for those undergoing ABR. In ABR, hypothyroidism correction and blood management may help prevent bleeding complications in hypothyroid patients. Future studies should explore the long-term prognosis of hypothyroid patients after breast reconstruction.

Preoperative depression is an independent risk factor for short-term morbidities in autologous and implant-based breast reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Depression is notably common among patients who have undergone mastectomy. Several post-mastectomy patients opt for elective breast reconstruction. However, evidence on the influence of preoperative depression on breast reconstruction outcomes remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of preoperative depression on the short-term outcomes of autologous breast reconstruction (ABR) and implant-based breast reconstruction (IBR) using a comprehensive national registry. METHODS: Patients who underwent ABR or IBR were identified from the national inpatient sample from Q4 2015-2020. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to compare in-hospital outcomes between the patients with and without depression, adjusted for demographics, primary payer status, hospital characteristics, and comorbidities. RESULTS: Among the 12,984 patients who underwent ABR, 1578 (12 %) had depression whereas 1980 (11 %) out of 17,963 patients who underwent IBR had depression. In ABR and IBR, preoperative depression was associated with higher superficial wound complications (ABR, aOR = 1.386, 95 % CI = 1.035-1.856, p = 0.03; IBR, aOR = 1.281, 95 % CI = 1.001-1.638, p = 0.04), hemorrhage/hematoma (ABR, aOR = 1.164, 95 % CI = 1.010-1.355, p = 0.04; IBR, aOR = 1.614, 95 % CI = 1.279-2.037, p < 0.01), and longer hospital length of stay (p < 0.01). In ABR, patients with depression had higher incidences of infection (aOR = 1.906, 95 % CI = 1.246-2.917, p < 0.01) and sepsis (aOR = 15.609, 95 % CI = 1.411-172.65, p = 0.03). In IBR, patients with depression had higher risks of capsular contracture (aOR = 1.477, 95 % CI = 1.105-1.976, p = 0.01) and seroma (aOR = 1.489, 95 % CI = 1.005-2.208, p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Preoperative depression is independently associated with major morbidities after ABR and IBR. Preoperative screening for depression can be beneficial. Findings from this study can facilitate preoperative risk stratification and post-operative care for patients with depression.

African Americans have worse in-hospital outcomes in autologous and implant-based breast reconstruction: a population-based study from the National Inpatient Sample from 2015 to 2020.

African Americans have a long history of disparities in healthcare. However, whether their racial disparity exists in breast reconstruction outcomes is less clear. This study compared short-term outcomes of African Americans and Caucasians who underwent autologous (ABR) and implant-based breast reconstruction (IBR). Patients having ABR or IBR were identified in the National Inpatient Sample from Q4 2015-2020. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to compare in-hospital outcomes between African Americans and Caucasians, adjusted for demographics, socioeconomic status, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics. In ABR, there were 8296 (63.89%) Caucasians and 1809 (13.93%) African Americans. In IBR, there were 12,258 (68.24%) Caucasians and 1847 (10.28%) African Americans. During the same period, 32,406 (64.87%) Caucasians and 7702 (15.42%) African Americans underwent mastectomy, indicating a lower reconstruction rate in African Americans, particularly in IBR. African Americans presented with significant preoperative differences, including younger age, higher comorbid burden, and pronounced socioeconomic disadvantages. After accounting for preoperative differences, in ABR, African Americans had higher renal complications (aOR = 1.575, 95 CI = 1.024-2.423, p = 0.04) hemorrhage/hematoma (aOR = 1.355, 95 CI = 1.169-1.571, p < 0.01), and transfer rate (aOR = 2.176, 95 CI = 1.257-3.768, p = 0.01). In IBR, African Americans had higher superficial wound complications (aOR = 1.303, 95 CI = 1.01-1.681, p = 0.04), flap revision (aOR = 4.19, 95 CI = 1.229-14.283, p = 0.02), and hemorrhage/hematoma (aOR = 1.791, 95 CI = 1.401-2.291, p < 0.01). In both ABR and IBR, African Americans had longer hospital length of stay (p < 0.01). These results highlight evident racial disparities in breast reconstruction for African Americans. Targeted interventions are needed to guarantee equitable access to breast reconstruction services and to address postoperative complications in African Americans.