Comparison of Characteristics and Outcomes in Patients With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Admitted Under General Medicine and Cardiology Units.

BACKGROUND: Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease hospitalisations associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In hospitals, HF patients are typically managed by cardiology or physician teams, with differences in patient demographics and clinical outcomes. This study utilises contemporary HF registry data to compare patient characteristics and outcomes in those with ADHF admitted into General Medicine and Cardiology units. METHODS: The Victorian Cardiac Outcomes Registry was utilised to identify patients hospitalised with ADHF 30-day period in each of four consecutive years. We compared patient characteristics, pharmacological management and outpatient follow-up of patients admitted to General Medicine and Cardiology units. Primary outcome measures included in-hospital mortality, 30-day readmission, and 30-day mortality. RESULTS: Between 2014 and 2017, a total of 1,253 patients with ADHF admissions were registered, with 53% admitted in General Medicine units and 47% in Cardiology units. General Medicine patients were more likely to be older (82 vs 71 years; p<0.001), female (51% vs 34%; p<0.001), and have higher prevalence of comorbidities and preserved left ventricular function (p<0.001). There were no differences in primary outcome measures between General Medicine and Cardiology in terms of: in-hospital mortality (5.0% vs 3.9%; p=0.35), 30-day readmission (23.4% vs 23.6%; p=0.93), and 30-day mortality (10.0% vs 8.0%; p=0.21). CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalised patients with HF continue to have high mortality and rehospitalisation rates. The choice of treatment by General Medicine or Cardiology units, based on the particular medical profile and individual needs of the patients, provides equivalent outcomes.

Cardiac teleconsulting in the time of COVID-19 global pandemic: The "Antonio Cardarelli" Hospital project.

Dear Editor, Teleconsulting - defined as real-time consultation between doctors by exploiting video conferencing technology over the Internet network - is exponentially being implemented through the western world lastly triggered by COVID-19 pandemic...

Decreases in cardiac catheter laboratory workload during the COVID-19 level 4 lockdown in New Zealand.

An increase in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections prompted Level 4 lockdown throughout New Zealand from 25 March 2020. We have investigated trends in coronary and electrophysiology (EP) procedures before and during this lockdown. The number of acute procedures for ST elevation myocardial infarction remained stable. In contrast, the number of in-patient angiograms and percutaneous intervention procedures fell by 53% compared with the previous 4 weeks in 2020 and by 56% compared with the corresponding period in 2019. Further study is required to determine the reasons for these trends.

Evaluating the benefits of a rapid access chest pain clinic in Australia.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the outcomes and safety of a rapid access chest pain clinic (RACPC) in Australia with those of a general cardiology clinic. DESIGN: Prospective comparison of the outcomes for patients attending an RACPC and those of historical controls. SETTING: Royal Hobart Hospital cardiology outpatient department. PARTICIPANTS: 1914 patients referred for outpatient evaluation of new onset chest pain (1479 patients seen in the RACPC, 435 patients previously seen in the general cardiology clinic). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Service outcomes (review times, number of clinic reviews); adverse events (unplanned emergency department re-attendances at 30 days and 12 months; major adverse cardiovascular events at 12 months, including unplanned revascularisation, acute coronary syndrome, stroke, cardiac death). RESULTS: Median time to review was shorter for RACPC than for usual care patients (12 days [IQR, 8-15 days] v 45 days [IQR, 27-89 days]). All patients seen in the RACPC received a diagnosis at the first clinic visit, but only 139 patients in the usual care group (32.0%). There were fewer unplanned emergency department re-attendances for patients in the RACPC group at 30 days (1.6% v 4.4%) and 12 months (5.7% v 12.9%) than in the control group. Major adverse cardiovascular events were less frequent among patients evaluated in the RACPC (0.2% v 1.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients were evaluated more efficiently in the RACPC than in a traditional cardiology clinic, and their subsequent rates of emergency department re-attendances and adverse cardiovascular events were lower.

Nationwide but still inhomogeneous distribution of certified chest pain units across Germany : Need to strengthen rural regions.

AIM: The purpose of this work was to analyze structure, distribution, and bed capacities of certified German chest pain units (CPUs) to unveil potential gaps despite nationwide certification of 230 units till the end of 2015. METHODS: Analysis of number and structure of CPUs per state, resident count, and population density by standardized telephone interview, online research, and data collection from the registry of the Federal Statistical Office for all certified German CPUs. RESULTS: Nationwide, German health facilities provided a mean of 1 CPU bed within a certified unit per 65,000 inhabitants. Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, and Rhineland-Palatinate provided more than 1 bed per 50,000 inhabitants. Most CPUs (49%) were located in the emergency room. All university hospitals in Germany provided a certified CPU. Most units were found in academic teaching hospitals (146 CPUs). Only 42 CPUs were found in nonacademic providers of primary health care. CONCLUSION: The absolute necessary number of CPUs to reach full nationwide coverage is still unknown. The current analysis shows a high number of CPUs and bed capacities within the cities and industrial areas without relevant gaps, but also demonstrates a certain undersupply in more rural areas as well as in some of the former eastern federal states of Germany.

Measuring Care Coordination in the Pediatric Cardiology Ambulatory Setting.

The role of ambulatory nursing is diverse, and the impact on patient outcomes is difficult to measure. The concept of care coordination is an important focus for the ambulatory nurse. We describe the efforts to implement the Cardiac Care Coordination Measurement Tool to document and quantify care coordination activities in a pediatric cardiac ambulatory setting.

QT interval prolongation in hospitalized patients on cardiology wards: a prospective observational study.

PURPOSE: Prolonged QT interval may lead to a lethal form of arrhythmia, torsades de pointes (TdP), which is associated with cardiovascular mortality. Therefore, we aimed to identify prevalence of QT interval prolongation, compare clinical characteristics of patients with normal and prolonged QT interval, and identify predictors of QT interval prolongation. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted in cardiology wards of two teaching hospitals in Pakistan. Bazett's correction formula was used for the calculation of QTc interval. Prevalence of QT prolongation and pro-QTc scores were calculated. Comparative analysis was performed with respect to various clinical characteristics by applying t test and chi-square test. Odds ratios were calculated using regression analysis. RESULTS: Among 417 patients, 44.6% were found having prolonged QT interval, of which, 17.3% presented with an abnormally high QTc interval (> 500 ms). Significant difference was recorded between the groups (normal vs. prolonged) with respect to age, all prescribed medications, QT drugs, number of risk factors, QT-DDIs (QT-prolonging drug-drug interactions), gender, and diuretics use. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed significant results for various predictors such as male gender (p = 0.03), various age categories 41-50 years (p = 0.04), 51-60 years (p = 0.01), and > 60 years (p < 0.001), and diuretics (p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: A substantial number of patients in cardiology wards presented with QT prolongation. Proper considerations are needed in order to minimize the associated risk particularly in patients with abnormally high QT prolongation, old age, polypharmacy, one or more QT-prolonging drugs, and high pro-QTc scores.

Acute coronary syndrome patients admitted to a cardiology vs non-cardiology service: variations in treatment & outcome.

BACKGROUND: Specialized cardiology services have contributed to reduced mortality in acute coronary syndromes (ACS).  We sought to evaluate the outcomes of ACS patients admitted to non-cardiology services in Southern Alberta. METHODS: Retrospective chart review performed on all troponin-positive patients in the Calgary Health Region identified those diagnosed with ACS by their attending team. Patients admitted to non-cardiology and cardiology services were compared, using linked data from the Alberta Provincial Project for Outcomes Assessment in Coronary Heart Disease (APPROACH) registry and the Strategic Clinical Network for Cardiovascular Health and Stroke. RESULTS: From January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2008, 2105 ACS patients were identified, with 1636 (77.7%) admitted to cardiology and 469 (22.3%) to non-cardiology services. Patients admitted to non-cardiology services were older, had more comorbidities, and rarely received cardiology consultation (5.1%). Cardiac catheterization was underutilized (5.1% vs 86.4% in cardiology patients (p < 0.0001)), as was evidence-based pharmacotherapy (p < 0.0001). Following adjustment for baseline comorbidities, 30-day through 4-year mortality was significantly higher on non-cardiology vs. cardiology services (49.1% vs. 11.0% respectively at 4-years, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: In a large ACS population in the Calgary Health Region, 25% were admitted to non-cardiology services. These patients had worse outcomes, despite adjustment for baseline risk factor differences. Although many patients were appropriately admitted to non-cardiology services, the low use of investigations and secondary prevention medications may contribute to poorer patient outcome. Further research is required to identify process of care strategies to improve outcomes and lessen the burden of illness for patients and the health care system.

Influence of atmospheric states in semi-arid areas on hospital admission in cardio-surgical department.

The influence of the changes in atmospheric state, typical for areas close to big deserts, on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was analyzed. Under test was the group of 3256 patients (77 % males, 23 % females), hospitalized in the Cardio-Surgical Department of Soroka Medical Center at Ben-Gurion University (BGU, Israel) during 2000-2008. To explore the relationship between atmospheric parameters and AMI, multivariate regression analysis has been performed. AMI was most frequent in winter to spring and least in summer. The highest number of cases was recorded in December and the lowest in September. Hospital admissions showed a higher prevalence in men than in women; the ratio is 3.3/1.0. About 60 % of males were aged between 45 and 65 years old with maximum ∼55 (21 %), whereas 60 % of women hospital admissions were aged between 65 and 80 years old with maximum ∼72 (24 %). The result suggested that the monthly mean relative humidity at daytime and its overall daily differences, wind speed, and respirable fraction of particulate concentration are associated with the admission for AMI. The results of the study confirm the importance of atmospheric state variability for cardiovascular diseases.

Inpatient Unit Heart Failure Discharge Volume Predicts All-cause 30-Day Hospital Readmission.

BACKGROUND: All-cause 30-day hospital readmission is a heart failure (HF) quality of care metric. Readmission costs the healthcare system $30.7 million annually. Specific structure, process, or patient factors that predispose patients to readmission are unclear. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine whether the addition of unit-level structural factors (attending medical service, patient-to-nurse ratio, and unit HF volume) predicts readmission beyond patient factors. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 425 patients who resided in Maryland and were discharged home in 2011 with the primary diagnosis of HF from a large, urban academic center was conducted. RESULTS: The patients were predominately (66.6%) black/African American, with mean (SD) age of 62.2 (14.8) years. Men represented 48.2% of the sample; 32% had nonischemic HF, 31.3% had preserved ejection fractions, 25.4% had implantable cardioverter defibrillators, and 15.3% had permanent pacemakers. Average length of stay was 6.0 days. All-cause 30-day hospital readmission rate was 20.2%. Inpatient unit HF discharge volume significantly predicted readmission after controlling for patient factors. CONCLUSIONS: The study found that discharge from inpatient units with higher HF discharge volume was associated with increased risk of readmission. The findings suggest that in caring for patients with severe HF, inpatient unit HF discharge volume may negatively impact care processes, increasing the odds of hospital readmission. It is unclear what specific care processes are responsible. The discharge period is a vulnerable point in care transition that warrants further investigation.

Prospective correlates of early (30 day) readmissions on a Cardiothoracic Surgery Service.

Known to vary widely among hospitals for unclear reasons, early readmissions are associated with higher mortality and are suspected to frequently be due to inadequate discharge preparation/planning. It has been previously documented that the strongest and most consistent predictor of early readmissions in CHF patients is chronic cognitive impairment, and compensatory assistance with adherence on discharge improves early readmission rates. Prospective observational study. The present investigation examined multiple putative perioperative predictors of early readmission in a hospitalized Cardiothoracic Surgery Service. A subtest of the Mini-Cog, Short Term Memory, was the strongestunivariate predictor of early readmissions (p < .001), but the overall Mini-Cog (p = .024), Age (p = .045), Number of Admissions over the Preceding Year (p = .036), an Anxiety Scale (p = .035), Years of Education (p = .055) and a Depression Scale (p = .056) also demonstrated covariation. In a Logistic Regression, only Short Term Memory survived as a predictor variable (p = .007), correctly classifying 76% of patients. Chronic cognitive impairment is a predictor of early readmissions in Cardiothoracic patients. A brief bedside exam interpreted in medical context may permit identification of patients requiring familial assistance for adherence on discharge.

Nonemergency PCI at hospitals with or without on-site cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Emergency surgery has become a rare event after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Whether having cardiac-surgery services available on-site is essential for ensuring the best possible outcomes during and after PCI remains uncertain. METHODS: We enrolled patients with indications for nonemergency PCI who presented at hospitals in Massachusetts without on-site cardiac surgery and randomly assigned these patients, in a 3:1 ratio, to undergo PCI at that hospital or at a partner hospital that had cardiac surgery services available. A total of 10 hospitals without on-site cardiac surgery and 7 with on-site cardiac surgery participated. The coprimary end points were the rates of major adverse cardiac events--a composite of death, myocardial infarction, repeat revascularization, or stroke--at 30 days (safety end point) and at 12 months (effectiveness end point). The primary end points were analyzed according to the intention-to-treat principle and were tested with the use of multiplicative noninferiority margins of 1.5 (for safety) and 1.3 (for effectiveness). RESULTS: A total of 3691 patients were randomly assigned to undergo PCI at a hospital without on-site cardiac surgery (2774 patients) or at a hospital with on-site cardiac surgery (917 patients). The rates of major adverse cardiac events were 9.5% in hospitals without on-site cardiac surgery and 9.4% in hospitals with on-site cardiac surgery at 30 days (relative risk, 1.00; 95% one-sided upper confidence limit, 1.22; P<0.001 for noninferiority) and 17.3% and 17.8%, respectively, at 12 months (relative risk, 0.98; 95% one-sided upper confidence limit, 1.13; P<0.001 for noninferiority). The rates of death, myocardial infarction, repeat revascularization, and stroke (the components of the primary end point) did not differ significantly between the groups at either time point. CONCLUSIONS: Nonemergency PCI procedures performed at hospitals in Massachusetts without on-site surgical services were noninferior to procedures performed at hospitals with on-site surgical services with respect to the 30-day and 1-year rates of clinical events. (Funded by the participating hospitals without on-site cardiac surgery; MASS COM ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01116882.).

Nationwide Survey of the Transfer of Adults With Congenital Heart Disease From Pediatric Cardiology Departments to Adult Congenital Heart Disease Centers in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Current Japanese transfer practices for adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients in pediatric departments are elucidated in this study. The focus was on 149 facilities (from the Japanese Society of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Subspecialty Board and the Japanese Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions). One hundred and thirteen facilities were surveyed and the response rate was 75.8%. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty-six facilities (23.0%) treated ≥200 outpatients annually; 48 facilities (42.9%) treated <50 outpatients. Only eight facilities admitted ≥50 inpatients; 61 facilities (54.0%) admitted <10 inpatients. Nine facilities fulfilled international regional ACHD center criteria. The estimated median number of patients receiving outpatient pediatric department follow up was 33,806. Sixty facilities (53.6%) treated patients in pediatric departments after they reached adulthood. Of 49 facilities that transferred patients, the transfer was most commonly to another department in the same facility (20 facilities; 40.8%), typically the adult cardiology department (29 facilities; 59.2%). In future, 55 facilities (48.7%) desired the transfer of patients to regional ACHD centers, while 34 facilities (30.1%) preferred to continue treating patients in the pediatric department. CONCLUSIONS: The number of regional ACHD centers offering sufficient outpatient and inpatient care is limited; transfer from pediatric departments is not standard in Japan. Role division clarification between regional ACHD centers and other facilities and cooperative network establishment including transitional care programs is necessary. (Circ J 2016; 80: 1242-1250).

Valvular Heart Disease Epidemics.

BACKGROUND AIM OF THE STUDY: The real burden of valvular heart disease (VHD) is scarcely known, as several factors may potentially lead to its increased prevalence. The study aim was to assess the prevalence of VHD and its treatment in the authors' environment to plan the healthcare requisites for optimal management of the condition. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of data acquired from patients who had been assessed at different consultation levels for cardiovascular disorders during a six-month period between January and June 2014 in public health referral area of 500,00 inhabitants. Patients included were those admitted to hospital cardiology, cardiac surgery and geriatric care units (n = 1,083), as well as ambulatory patients attending cardiology-specific outpatient clinics at the authors' hospital or at two ascribed primary care centers (n = 852). Data were registered regarding the epidemiology, etiology, echocardiography and treatment of patients in whom VHD was detected. RESULTS: Among a total of 1,935 adult patients, moderate or severe valve disease was identified in 453 cases (23.4%) who were evaluated for cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of VHD increased with age. Multivalvular moderate-severe dysfunction was present in two valves in 33% and in three valves in 5.7% of patients. Significant mitral valve disease was present in 39% and aortic valve disease in 48% of patients. The etiology of the valvular lesions was degenerative in 60%, functional in 15.5%, rheumatic in almost 10%, congenital in 6%, due to endocarditis in only 3%. Patients with VHD represented up to 24.2% of the in-hospital admissions. An interventional treatment was required in 55% of the patients (mostly surgical valve procedures). CONCLUSION: The present study results showed that VHD is a frequent occurrence and is increasingly prevalent with age, constituting up to one-fourth of all in-hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease. VHD is a growing public health problem that should be addressed with appropriate resources to improve research into its nature, diagnosis and treatment.

YaAn earthquake increases blood pressure among hospitalized patients.

BACKGROUND: YaAn, a city in Sichuan province, China, was struck by a major earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale on April 20, 2013. This study sought to investigate the impact of YaAn earthquake on the blood pressure (BP) among hospitalized patients in the department of cardiology. METHODS: We enrolled 52 hospitalized patients who were admitted to our hospital at least three days before the day of earthquake in 2013 (disaster group) as compared with 52 patients during April 20, 2014 (nondisaster group). BP was measured three times per day and the prescription of antihypertensive medicine was recorded. RESULTS: The earthquake induced a 3.3 mm Hg significant increase in the mean postdisaster systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the disaster group as compared with the nondisaster group. SBP at admission was positively associated with the elevated SBP in the logistic regression model (odds ratio (OR) = 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.016-1.168, p = 0.015), but not other potential influencing factors, including antihypertensive medicine, sex, age, and body weight, excluding ß-blockers. Patients with ß-blockers prescription at the time of earthquake showed a blunt response to earthquake-induced SBP elevation than those who were taking other antihypertensive drugs (OR = 0.128, 95% CI: 0.019-0.876, p = 0.036). CONCLUSION: The YaAn earthquake induced significant increase in SBP even at a distance from the epicenter among hospitalized patients. The findings demonstrate that pure psychological components seem to be a cause of the pressor response and ß-blockers might be better in controlling disaster-induced hypertension.

[Features of polymorbidity in cardiac and gastroenterologic patients from a therapeutic clinic].

AIM: To examine the incidence of polymorbidity (PM) and changes in its rates in 2003 to 2011 in cardiac and gastroenterologic patients living in the Novosibirsk Region and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in accordance with gender, occupation, and residence. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The dynamics of PM rates was analyzed in 13 496 patients who had been examined and treated at the Cardiology and Gastroenterology Departments, Therapeutic Clinic, Research Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine (Novosibirsk), 2003-2011. The study used an archival research method and a statistical analysis of all nosological entities, groups, and classes in ICD-10, regardless of whether the diagnosis was primary or concurrent. RESULTS: There was an increase in PM rates among the therapeutic clinic's patients of regardless of their gender and occupation. There were gender differences in the incidence of PM: its higher rates were noted in the women than those in the men among both the residents of the Novosibirsk Region and those of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). More significantly higher PM rates were registered in the male inhabitants of the Novosibirsk Region. There were also regional differences in the incidence of PM: its rates proved to be higher in the patients in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) than in those in the Novosibirsk Region in 2003-2007. At the same time, the growth rates for PM were more marked in the patients in the Novosibirsk region than in those in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia); these differences levelled off in subsequent years. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate a pronounced increase in the incidence of PM in cardiac and gastroentorologic patients and determine a need to keep in mind the influence of gender, social, and regional factors on its development in order to create and improve a primary and secondary prevention, diagnosis and treatment system.

Design and methods of the Echo WISELY (Will Inappropriate Scenarios for Echocardiography Lessen SignificantlY) study: An investigator-blinded randomized controlled trial of education and feedback intervention to reduce inappropriate echocardiograms.

BACKGROUND: Appropriate use criteria (AUC) for transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) were developed to address concerns regarding inappropriate use of TTE. A previous pilot study suggests that an educational and feedback intervention can reduce inappropriate TTEs ordered by physicians in training. It is unknown if this type of intervention will be effective when targeted at attending level physicians in a variety of clinical settings. AIMS: The aim of this international, multicenter study is to evaluate the hypothesis that an AUC-based educational and feedback intervention will reduce the proportion of inappropriate echocardiograms ordered by attending physicians in the ambulatory environment. METHODS: In an ongoing multicentered, investigator-blinded, randomized controlled trial across Canada and the United States, cardiologists and primary care physicians practicing in the ambulatory setting will be enrolled. The intervention arm will receive (1) a lecture outlining the AUC and most recent available evidence highlighting appropriate use of TTE, (2) access to the American Society of Echocardiography mobile phone app, and (3) individualized feedback reports e-mailed monthly summarizing TTE ordering behavior including information on inappropriate TTEs and brief explanations of the inappropriate designation. The control group will receive no education on TTE appropriate use and order TTEs as usual practice. CONCLUSIONS: The Echo WISELY (Will Inappropriate Scenarios for Echocardiography Lessen Significantly in an education RCT) study is the first multicenter randomized trial of an AUC-based educational intervention. The study will examine whether an education and feedback intervention will reduce the rate of outpatient inappropriate TTEs ordered by attending level cardiologists and primary care physicians (www.clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT02038101).

Emergence of concurrent infections with colistin-resistant ESBL-positive Klebsiella pneumoniae and OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii sensitive to colistin only in a Romanian cardiac intensive care unit.

We report the emergence and analysis of a cluster of concurrent infections/colonisations with colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and OXA-23 carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in patients who had undergone cardiac surgery. We describe the emergence of colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae harbouring blaCTX-M-15, blaSHV-11, blaOXA-1, blaTEM-1 beta-lactamases and aac(6')-Ib-cr fluoroquinolone resistance. Colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae infections (pneumonia, wound infection, urinary tract infections and bacteraemia) occurred in critically ill patients previously treated with colistin for post-surgery infections with carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and/or A. baumannii. Although the cause of death could not be directly attributed to a single pathogen, three patients co-infected/colonised with K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and/or A. baumannii died, whilst a fourth patient who had a mono-microbial infection with colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae only survived. The use of mobile intubation equipment in patients that shared the same ward, the clustering of cases over a short period of time, as well as the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) data all suggest cross-contamination between patients, either through equipment or by staff contact transmission. This report presents the 'worst-case scenario' where concurrent infection/colonisation with pathogens exhibiting resistance to different types of last-resort antimicrobials occurred in some of the most debilitated intensive care unit (ICU) patients.