The effects of cannabis use on major adverse cardiovascular outcomes, mortality, cost of hospitalization, and cardiac arrhythmias: A Retrospective analysis using the national inpatient sample.

As cannabis use is rising and federal restrictions are easing, it is important to recognize its potential adverse cardiovascular effects for better risk stratification and informed guidance. We conducted a retrospective study using the National Inpatient Sample database from 2016 to 2019, where 39,992 subjects were enrolled. The extracted population was classified into two groups based on the presence of cannabis-related disorders. The primary outcomes of the study were cardiovascular-related adverse events, in-hospital mortality, total cost of hospitalization, and cardiac dysrhythmias. The study concluded that cannabis use disorder was not significantly associated with the likelihood of having a cardiovascular adverse event, cardiac dysrhythmias, or with the cost of hospitalization when controlling for other variables (p = 0.257, p=0.481 & p = 0.481, respectively). However, it was significantly associated with the likelihood of mortality (p < 0.0001). Further randomized trials are needed to confirm these findings and elaborate on identified associations.

The association between adverse cardiovascular outcomes in celiac disease and the role of inflammation: Retrospective analysis using the national inpatient sample.

Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated disease with patients being prone to a proinflammatory state. With recent studies showing an association between adverse cardiovascular events in patients with CD, we aim to further elucidate this relationship. Furthermore, when risk-stratifying patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), chronic inflammatory conditions such as CD are not included in these calculations. We conducted a retrospective analysis using the National Inpatient Sample database from 2016 to 2019 to investigate the relationship between CD and adverse cardiovascular events. Our secondary endpoints include examining patient demographics, underlying comorbidities, in-hospital mortality, and cost of hospitalization. In addition, we performed a subgroup analysis in the CD cohort to assess if concomitant iron deficiency anemia increased CVD. Our study aims to examine the association between atherosclerosis and inflammation and aims to be a stepping stone for future long-term randomized controlled trials for the incorporation into atherosclerotic CVD risk score stratification.

Pseudohypoxic brain swelling following elective lumbar laminectomy: A rare case report and review of literature.

Pseudohypoxic brain swelling, also known as postoperative intracranial hypotension-associated venous congestion, is an intriguing complication following routine neurosurgical interventions. We report a case of a 73-year-old female patient who exhibited this rare complication following an elective L4-L5 laminectomy, without evidence of intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Initially presenting with clinical features suggestive of anoxic/hypoxic brain injury, the case deviated from typical pseudohypoxic ischemic venous hypertension (PIHV) patterns, leading to a challenging diagnostic process. The patient's remarkable recovery, contrary to the initial grim prognosis, emphasizes the critical need for considering PIHV in differential diagnoses when postoperative symptoms mimic anoxic/hypoxic brain injuries. This case contributes to the evolving understanding of PIHV, particularly in scenarios lacking conventional risk factors like cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) leakage, and underscores the importance of comprehensive postoperative surveillance and management. It also highlights the imperative for continued research into the pathophysiology and treatment strategies of PIHV to enhance patient outcomes in complex surgical contexts.

Diabetes mellitus impact on left ventricular assist device outcomes in heart failure patients: National Inpatient Sample study.

Aim: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a recognized risk factor for heart failure (HF), increasing the likelihood of requiring left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy. Objective: This retrospective cohort study aims to assess the impact of DM on LVAD patients, focusing on in-hospital mortality as the primary outcome. Methods: Utilizing the National Inpatient Sample administrative database, data from 11,506 adult HF patients who underwent LVAD implantation were analyzed. Results: Of the patients, 44.28% had diabetes. Adjusting for various factors, diabetic patients exhibited shorter hospital stays, lower admission costs and similar in-hospital mortality rates compared with non-diabetic patients. Conclusion: These findings enhance our understanding of the risks and benefits of LVAD therapy in patients with refractory HF and DM.

A Rare Case of Bartonella henselae Infective Endocarditis Causing an Embolic Cerebrovascular Accident.

Bartonella is a facultative intracellular Gram-negative aerobic rod that is an important cause of culture-negative endocarditis that only accounts for 3% of all infective endocarditis (IE) cases. Throughout the literature, there have been very few documented cases of an embolic stroke caused by Bartonella henselae (B. henselae) IE. Following a comprehensive review of the literature, it appears that only a small number of articles have reported on the correlation between cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) and Bartonella IE. Here, we present a case of a 42-year-old male with a cerebral embolic event as a complication of B. henselae IE.

In-hospital outcomes of PCI in patients who have ESRD vs non-ESRD patients, a retrospective study involving a National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). ESRD is known to affect a large portion of the American population. Previous data for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the setting of ESRD for Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) and non-ACS etiologies have shown to have an increase in in-hospital mortality, and prolonged hospitalization among other complications. METHODS: The national inpatient sample (NIS) was used to identify patients who underwent PCI between the years 2016-2019. Patients were then grouped into those with ESRD on renal replacement therapy (RRT). Logistic regression models were employed to assess the primary outcome of in-hospital mortality, while linear regression models were utilized to evaluate secondary outcomes, including hospitalization cost and length of stay. RESULTS: A total of 21,366 unweighted observations were initially included, consisting of 50 % ESRD patients and 50 % randomly selected patients without ESRD who underwent PCI. These observations were weighted to represent a national estimate of 106,830 patients. The mean age of the study population was 65 years, and 63 % of the patients were male. The ESRD group had a greater representation of minority groups compared to the control group. The in-hospital mortality rate was significantly higher in the ESRD group compared to the control group, with an odds ratio of 1.803 (95 % CI: 1.502 to 2.164; p-value of 0.0002). Additionally, the ESRD group had significantly higher healthcare costs and longer length of stay, with a mean difference of $47,618 (95 % CI: $42,701 to $52,534, p-value <0.0001) and 2.933 days (95 % CI, 2.729 to 3.138 days, p-value <0.0001), respectively. CONCLUSION: In-hospital mortality, cost, and length of stay for patients undergoing PCI were found to be significantly greater in the ESRD group.

A Review on Clostridioides Difficile Testing and How to Approach Patients With Multiple Negative Tests: A Case Report.

Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is an important nosocomial infection that is commonly associated with antibiotic use with pseudomembranous colitis being present in only 13% of cases. Disease severity ranges from asymptomatic carriers to severe complicated disease, based on clinical and laboratory findings. There is no single rapid FDA-approved test to diagnose C. difficile infections (CDI) and diagnosis usually requires a multi-step diagnostic approach. C. difficile testing usually begins with the C. difficile toxin and glutamate dehydrogenase antigen screen (GDH). If testing is negative for either, then nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) is done to confirm the diagnosis. Endoscopic evaluation may be required in rare instances when there is a high clinical suspicion of disease with negative testing. Here, we present an interesting case of a patient with multiple negative C. difficile toxin and GDH tests. Given the high index of clinical suspicion of CDI, the patient underwent a colonoscopy which revealed diffuse pseudomembranous colitis. The patient was then appropriately treated with oral vancomycin. We aim to shed light on the different testing modalities available to clinicians and the indications for doing a colonoscopy to delineate between false positive testing and active CDI.

Traumatic Rupture of a Skull Base Dermoid Cyst Mimicking Chronic Meningitis.

Cranial dermoid cysts are rare, embryologic tumors containing fat, hair, and other ectodermal elements. They occur most frequently in the posterior fossa and are typically diagnosed as incidental findings on brain imaging done for an unrelated reason. Traumatic rupture of a previously unidentified intracranial dermoid cyst can mimic symptoms of post-concussion syndrome and should be ruled out with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Surgical intervention after traumatic rupture may not result in complete symptom control due to the persistence of dermoid cyst debris in the subarachnoid space. Here, we present the clinical scenario and radiological features of a ruptured dermoid cyst due to trauma, highlighting a rare complication of a classically benign lesion.

Case series of two patients with Fibrocartilaginous Embolism mimicking Transverse Myelitis of the Spinal Cord.

Fibrocartilaginous Embolism (FCE) refers to the extrusion of some of the fibro-cartilaginous nucleus pulposus material from within the inter-vertebral disc to eventually embolize into one of the spinal cord vessels with resultant spinal cord infarction. According to a 2016 review, AbdelRazek et al. (2106) [1] there are 41 pathologically confirmed and 26 clinically suspected cases in the literature till the end of 2015. We add two more clinically diagnosed cases.

Prior Asymptomatic Parenchymal Hemorrhage Does Not Increase the Risk for Intracranial Hemorrhage after Intravenous Thrombolysis.

BACKGROUND: The NINDS trial demonstrated the efficacy of intravenous (IV) recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) in improving the neurologic outcome in patients presenting with acute ischemic strokes. Patients who had a prior history of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) were excluded from this trial, possibly due to a hypothetical increase in the subsequent bleeding risk. Thus, there is little data available, whether against or in favor of, the use of IV rtPA in patients with prior ICH. We aim to aid in determining the safety of IV rtPA in such patients through a retrospective hospital-based single center study. METHODS: We reviewed the brain imaging of all patients who received IV rtPA at our comprehensive stroke center from January 2006 to April 2014 for evidence of prior ICH at the time of IV rtPA administration. Their outcomes were determined in terms of subsequent development of symptomatic ICH as defined by the NINDS trial. RESULTS: Brain imaging for 640 patients was reviewed. A total of 27 patients showed evidence of prior ICH at the time of IV thrombolysis, all intra-parenchymal. Only 1 patient (3.7%) developed subsequent symptomatic ICH after the administration of IV rtPA. Of the remaining 613 patients who received IV rtPA, 25 patients (4.1%) developed symptomatic ICH. CONCLUSION: This retrospective study provides Level C evidence that patients with imaging evidence of prior asymptomatic intra-parenchymal hemorrhage presenting with an acute ischemic stroke do not show an increased risk of developing symptomatic ICH after IV thrombolysis.