A Rare Case of Regorafenib-Induced ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Regorafenib is an oral multi-kinase inhibitor that is used in the treatment of chemotherapy-resistant metastatic colorectal carcinoma. However, multi-kinase inhibitors have been known to cause cardiac side effects, most notably hypertension. Myocardial ischemia is a very extraordinary adverse effect of regorafenib. Our patient was a 74-year-old gentleman with stage IVa colon cancer who underwent a right colectomy with end ileostomy and was on cycle two of regorafenib during the presentation. He came in with acute onset chest pain that was intermittent, non-exertional, and radiating to the back. His left heart catheterization did not reveal any atherosclerotic lesions, and his ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) was deemed an extremely rare adverse event from regorafenib. We are herewith reporting a case of regorafenib-induced STEMI.

Association of Hypoalbuminemia With Clinical Outcomes in Patients Admitted With Acute Heart Failure.

Albumin is a protein produced by the liver essential for maintaining blood volume and regulating fluid balance. Hypoalbuminemia is characterized by low levels of albumin in the blood. It is also a marker of malnutrition-inflammatory syndrome. Several studies have demonstrated its prognostic role in patients with chronic heart failure; however, data regarding hypoalbuminemia in acute heart failure admissions are scarce. This study aims to analyze the relationship between hypoalbuminemia and heart failure. We used a retrospective cohort study surveying data from the 2016-2018 combined National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. Adult hospitalizations for heart failure patients were identified using the ICD-10 codes, stratified into cohorts with and without hypoalbuminemia. Primary outcomes were (1) in-patient mortality, (2) length of stay, and total hospital charge. We also reclassified the HF admissions with hypoalbuminemia to those with systolic or diastolic heart failure to compare any differences in mortality and other in-patient complications. Multivariate linear and logistic regression were used to adjust for confounders and to analyze the outcomes. There were 1,365,529 adult hospitalizations for Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), and among them 1,205,990 (88 %) had secondary diagnoses of hypoalbuminemia. Patients with comorbid hypoalbuminemia were, on average, 8 years older (P < 0.001), predominantly white race, and males (P-value <0.001). HF hospitalizations with hypoalbuminemia had double in-hospital mortality than those without (4.8% vs 2.7%, P < 0.001). However, there was no difference in mortality between patients with Systolic heart failure and Diastolic heart failure with concomitant low albumin levels (from 4.9 % vs 4.7%, P 0.13). We found that patients admitted with HF and concomitant Hypoalbuminemia (HA) had nearly twice the odds of in-patient mortality than those with normal albumin levels. The Length of Stay (LOS) was higher between comparison groups. THC remained statistically indifferent in patients regardless of albumin levels but was greater in hypoalbuminemic patients with Systolic heart failure than Diastolic heart failure ones.

Timing of Nonurgent Transesophageal Echocardiography and The Risk of Embolic Events Among Patients Admitted With Infective Endocarditis. A Review of the National Inpatient Sample.

In patients hospitalized for infective endocarditis (IE), timing of nonurgent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to reduce embolic events (EE) is unclear. In a retrospective cohort from the 2016 to 2018 combined National Inpatient Sample (NIS), Low-risk adults with IE who underwent nonurgent (>48 hours) TEE were stratified into 3 cohorts based on the timing of the first TEE: early-TEE (3-5 days), intermediate-TEE (5-7 days) and late-TEE (>7). The primary outcome was a composite of an embolic event. Each day before TEE led to 3% increased odds of composite-embolic-events (P < 0.001), 1.21-day extra LOS (P < 0.001) and 14,186 USD increased total charge (P < 0.001). Early compared to late TEE led to reduced LOS by 10 days (P < 0.001) and total cost by 102,273 USD (P < 0.001), odds reduction of 27% in embolic strokes, 21% in septic arterial embolization and 50% reduction in preoperative time (P < 0.001). Among patients hospitalized for suspected IE, the time to TEE was correlated with increased odds of all EE, prolonged preoperative time for valve surgery, LOS, and total charge. Early TEE compared to late TEE led to the largest reduction in length of stay and total cost.

Association of hyponatremia with clinical outcomes in patients admitted with acute pulmonary embolism.

BACKGROUND: Hyponatremia is associated with negative prognosis in several conditions like Congestive heart failure and acute MI (Myocardial Infarction), but its impact on the outcomes in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) is not well studied. We aimed to study the association of hyponatremia in patients hospitalized with PE. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was designed using data obtained from the 2016 to 2019 combined National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. Adult patients admitted with PE were identified and stratified based on the presence of hyponatremia. Primary outcomes assessed were, mortality, length of stay (LOS), and Total Hospitalization Charges (THC). Secondary outcomes included a diagnosis of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), Acute Respiratory Failure (ARF), sepsis, Acute Cerebrovascular accident (CVA), arrhythmias and acute MI. Multivariate linear and logistic regressions were used to adjust for confounders. RESULTS: There was a total of 750,655 adult hospitalizations for PE and among them 41,595 (5.5%) had a secondary diagnosis of hyponatremia. Hyponatremia was associated with an increased odds of mortality, 6.31% vs 2.91% (AOR:1.77, p = 0.000, 95% CI: 1.61-1.92), increased LOS, 6.79 days vs 4.20 days (adjusted difference of 2.20 days, p = 0.000, 95% CI: 2.04-2.37), as well as an increase in THC, 75,458.95 USD vs 46,708.27 USD (adjusted difference of 24,341.37 USD, p < 0.001, 95% CI: 21,484.58-27,198.16). Similarly, the presence of hyponatremia was associated with increased odds of several secondary outcomes measured. CONCLUSION: Hyponatremia is associated with an increased odds of death and attendant increase in LOS and THC. The odds of several secondary adverse clinical outcomes were also increased.