Trends in avascular necrosis and related arthroplasties in hospitalized patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Avascular necrosis (AVN) is a devastating complication often necessitating arthroplasty, particularly common in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Limited research exists on arthroplasty trends since new steroid-sparing agents. We analyzed trends and characteristics associated with AVN and AVN-related arthroplasties among SLE and RA hospitalizations using two decades of data from the U.S. National Inpatient Sample (NIS). METHODS: This cross-sectional study used NIS (2000-2019) to identify hospitalized adults with SLE and RA, with or without AVN, using ICD codes. AVN was further grouped by arthroplasty status. Primary outcomes were AVN and AVN-related arthroplasty rates and time trends in SLE and RA. Baseline sociodemographics and comorbidities were compared. Analyses used STATA and Joinpoint regression to calculate annual percent change (APC). RESULTS: Overall, 42,728 (1.3 %) SLE and 43,600 (0.5 %) RA hospitalizations had concomitant AVN (SLE-AVN and RA-AVN). Of these, 16,724 (39 %) and 25,210 (58 %) underwent arthroplasties, respectively. RA-AVN increased (APC: 0.98*), with a decrease in arthroplasties (APC: -0.82*). In contrast, SLE-AVN initially increased with a breakpoint in 2011 (APC 2000-2011: 1.94* APC 2011-2019 -2.03), with declining arthroplasties (APC -2.03*). AVN hospitalizations consisted of individuals who were younger and of Black race; while arthroplasties were less likely in individuals of Black race or Medicaid coverage. CONCLUSION: We report a breakpoint in rising SLE-AVN after 2011, which may relate to newer steroid-sparing therapies (i.e., belimumab). AVN-associated arthroplasties decreased in SLE and RA. Fewer AVN-associated arthroplasties were noted for Black patients and those with Medicaid, indicating potential disparities. Further research should examine treatment differences impacting AVN and arthroplasty rates.

Multimorbidity phenotypes in ankylosing spondylitis and their association with disease activity and functional impairment: Data from the prospective study of outcomes in ankylosing spondylitis cohort.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association of multimorbidity phenotypes at baseline with disease activity and functional status over time in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: Patient-reported AS morbidities (comorbidities, N = 28 and extra-musculoskeletal manifestations, EMMs, N = 3) within 3 years of enrollment with a prevalence ≥1 %, were included from the Prospective Study of Outcomes in Ankylosing Spondylitis (PSOAS) cohort. We defined multimorbidity as ≥2 morbidities (MM2+) and substantial multimorbidity as ≥5 morbidities (MM5+). Multimorbidity clusters or phenotypes were identified using K-median clustering. Disease activity (ASDAS-CRP) and functional status (BASFI) measures were collected every 6 months. Generalized estimating equation method was used to examine the associations of multimorbidity counts and multimorbidity clusters with measures of disease activity and functional status over time. RESULTS: Among 1,270 AS patients (9,885 visits) with a median follow-up of 2.9 years (IQ range: 1.0-6.8 years), the prevalence of MM2+ and MM5+ was 49 % and 9 % respectively. We identified five multimorbidity clusters: depression (n = 321, 25 %), hypertension (n = 284, 22 %), uveitis (n = 274, 22 %), no morbidities (n = 238, 19 %), and miscellaneous (n = 153, 12 %). Patients in the depression cluster were more likely to be female and had significantly more morbidities and worse disease activity and functional status compared to those with no morbidities. CONCLUSION: Approximately 49 % of AS patients in the PSOAS cohort had multimorbidity and five distinct multimorbidity phenotypes were identified. In addition to the number of morbidities, the type of morbidity appears to be important to longitudinal outcomes in AS. The depression cluster was associated with worse disease activity and function.

Correction: Low serum albumin and the risk of hospitalization in COVID-19 infection: A retrospective case-control study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250906.].

Epidemiology and outcomes of emergency department visits in systemic lupus erythematosus: Insights from the nationwide emergency department sample (NEDS).

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients are prone to frequent emergency department (ED) visits. This study explores the epidemiology and outcomes of ED visits by patients with SLE utilizing the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS). METHODS: Using NEDS (2019), SLE ED visits identified using ICD-10 codes (M32. xx) were compared with non-SLE ED visits in terms of demographic and clinical features and primary diagnoses associated with the ED visits. Factors associated with inpatient admission were analyzed using logistic regression. Variations in ED visits by age and race were assessed. RESULTS: We identified 414,139 (0.35%) ED visits for adults ≥ 18 years with SLE. ED visits with SLE comprised more women, Black patients, ages 31-50 years, Medicare as the primary payer, and had higher comorbidity burden. A greater proportion of Black and Hispanic SLE patients who visited the ED were in the youngest age category of 18-30 years (around 20%) compared to White patients (less than 10%). Non-White patients had higher Medicaid utilization (27%-32% vs 19% in White patients). Comorbidity patterns varied based on race, with more White patients having higher rates of hyperlipidemia and ischemic heart disease (IHD) and more Black patients having chronic kidney disease (CKD), hypertension, and heart failure. Categorizing by race, SLE/connective tissue disease (CTD) and infection were the most prevalent primary ED diagnosis in non-White and White patients, respectively. Age ≥ 65 years, male sex, and comorbidities were linked to a higher risk of admission. Black race (OR 0.86, p = .01) and lowest income quartile (OR 0.78, p = .003) had lower odds of inpatient admission. CONCLUSION: Infection and SLE/CTD were among the top diagnoses associated with ED visits and inpatient admission. Despite comprising a significant proportion of SLE ED visits, Black patients had lower odds of admission. While the higher prevalence of older age groups, hyperlipidemia, and IHD among White patients may partly explain the disparate results, and further study is needed to understand the role of other factors including reliance on the ED for routine care compared among Black patients, differences in insurance coverage, and potential socioeconomic biases among healthcare providers.

Osteitis Condensans Illi - An overlooked cause of low back pain mimicking sacroiliitis.

Osteitis Condensans Illi (OCI) is an underrecognized cause of low back pain involving iliac bones with relative sparing of sacroiliac joint. We present a case of 48-year-old female who was diagnosed as a case of OCI after having back symptoms for 4 years.

Infection-related hospitalisation in young adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: data from the National Inpatient Sample.

INTRODUCTION: Care of young adults with SLE (YA-SLE, 18-24 years) is challenging due to major life transitions co-occurring with chronic healthcare needs. Studies have demonstrated poorer outcomes in the post-transition period. Epidemiological studies focused on serious infection-related hospitalisation (SIH) in YA-SLE are lacking. METHODS: We used National Inpatient Sample from 2010 to 2019 to study the epidemiology and outcomes of SIH for five common infections in SLE, namely sepsis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, skin and soft tissue infections, and opportunistic infections. For time trends, we extended the dataset to cover 2000-2019. The primary outcome was the rate of SIH in YA-SLE compared with adults (25-44 years) with SLE and with young adults without SLE (YA-no SLE). RESULTS: From 2010 to 2019, we identified 1 720 883 hospital admissions with SLE in patients aged ≥18 years. Rates of SIH were similar in young adults and adults with SLE (15.0% vs 14.5%, p=0.12), but considerably higher than in the YA-no SLE group (4.2%, p<0.001). Among SLE with SIH, sepsis followed by pneumonia was the most common diagnosis. Significantly higher proportions of SIH among young adults than adults with SLE were comprised of non-white patients, belonged to the lowest income quartile and had Medicaid. However, only race/ethnicity was associated with SIH among YA-SLE. There was a higher prevalence of comorbid lupus nephritis and pleuritis among young adults compared with adults with SLE and SIH, and both comorbidities were associated with SIH in YA-SLE. Increasing rates of SIH, driven by sepsis, were seen over time. DISCUSSION: YA- SLE had similar rates of SIH to adults with SLE. While hospitalised YA-SLE differed sociodemographically from SLE adults and YA-no SLE, only race/ethnicity was associated with SIH in the YA-SLE group. Lupus nephritis and pleuritis were associated with higher SIH in YA-SLE. Among SLE with SIH, increasing trends of sepsis deserve further study.

Trends and Outcomes of ST-Segment-Elevation MI in Hospitalized Patients Without Standard Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors.

Mixed results were seen in hospital outcomes comparing the first episode of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) without standard modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (SMuRFs) than with risk factors. To understand whether the first episode of STEMI SMuRFs has worse in-hospital outcomes than patients with risk factors and to identify confounders that contribute towards worse results. We queried the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of STEMI but no prior coronary disease from 2016 to 2019. Our study population was divided into 2 comparative cohorts, SMuRFs and SMuRFless STEMI, based on cardiovascular risks. We assessed demographics, in-hospital mortality, complications of the 2 groups. SMuRFless patients were statistically more likely than those with SMuRFs to be younger, white, male, and underweight (BMI < 20) and were significantly less likely to receive percutaneous coronary intervention (85.8 vs 90.7%, P < 0.001) or cardiac bypass (3.8 vs 5.9%, P < 0.001). SMURFless patients were more likely to have in-hospital mortality (15.7 vs 7.1%, unadjusted odds ratio: 2.41, 95% confidence interval: 2.27-2.56, P < 0.001), a finding that persisted when adjusted for all factors found significant in univariate analysis (adjusted odds ratio: 2.48; 95% confidence interval: 2.30-2.67, P < 0.001). Incidence of cardiac complications, including cardiogenic shock, ventricular arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, were significantly higher in the SMuRFless patients, even after statistical adjustment and sensitivity analysis. SMuRFless patients represent a sizable minority of patients presenting with STEMI and have higher mortality, complications and receive fewer invasive procedures. Patient-level studies may be necessary to understand better how to treat this subset of myocardial infarction patients. SMuRFless STEMI were statistically more likely than those with SMuRFs to be younger, white, male, and underweight (BMI < 20) and were significantly less likely to receive percutaneous coronary intervention. SMURFless patients were more likely to have in-hospital mortality, a finding that persisted when adjusted for all factors found significant in univariate analysis. Incidence of cardiac complications, including cardiogenic shock, ventricular arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, were significantly higher in the SMuRFless patients, even after statistical adjustment and sensitivity analysis. SMuRFless patients represent a sizable minority of patients presenting with STEMI and have higher mortality, complications and receive fewer invasive procedures.

Obesity and Response to Advanced Therapies in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: We performed a study of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) compared to non-TNFi biologic therapies in rheumatoid arthritis to test whether body mass index (BMI) modified the effect of each therapy. METHODS: We utilized data from CorEvitas. We studied 3 clinical outcomes based on the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) at 6 months from therapy initiation: 1) achievement of low disease activity (LDA); 2) a change as large as the minimum clinically important difference (MCID); and 3) the absolute change. We categorized BMI and utilized restricted cubic splines to consider nonlinear associations. We used linear and logistic regression to evaluate associations with response, adjusting for confounders. To determine if comparative effectiveness of therapy varied by BMI, we tested for interactions between BMI and class of therapy. RESULTS: The sample included 2,891 TNFi and 3,010 non-TNFi initiators. Among all initiators, those with severe obesity experienced lower odds of achieving LDA or MCID and less improvement in CDAI score, although associations were attenuated with adjustment. Low BMI was associated with reduced response rates in adjusted models including lower odds of LDA (odds ratio 0.32 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.15, 0.71], P = 0.005). Analyses stratified by TNFi and non-TNFi therapies demonstrated no differences in clinical response rates for TNFi versus non-TNFi across BMI categories (all P for interaction >0.05). Estimates for non-TNFi biologics fit within the 95% CI for TNFi. CONCLUSION: This study observed lower response rates among obese and underweight patients and no evidence of a superior effect of non-TNFi therapy over TNFi therapy in particular BMI categories.

Trends in hospitalizations for vertebral compression fracture in ankylosing spondylitis: data from the National Inpatient Sample 2000-2014.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients are at increased risk of vertebral compression fractures (VCF). Our objective was to examine the yearly trend of VCF hospitalizations in AS patients as compared to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the general population. National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (2000-2014) was used to identify adult (≥ 18 years) hospitalizations, based on validated ICD-9 diagnosis codes. The rate of VCF hospitalizations, as a primary diagnosis, was assessed in three mutually exclusive groups: AS, RA, and the general population. The prevalence of VCF hospitalization was highest in AS (2.70%), compared to 0.77% in RA and 0.35% in the general population. Over the 15-year period, VCF hospitalization in AS was noted to have an increasing trend (Annual Percent Change (APC) = 4.73, p < 0.05) in contrast to the stable trend in the general population (APC = 0.34, p = NS) and a declining trend in RA (APC -3.61, p < 0.05). VCF related to AS was also associated with a longer hospital stay as compared to the general population (8.1 days vs. 5.1 days, p < 0.05) and higher inpatient mortality (3.4% vs. 1.0%, p < 0.05). A higher rate of VCF hospitalization along with an increasing trend was noted in AS as compared to RA and compared to the general population. Better screening approaches and treatment strategies for AS patients with VCF risk are urgently needed to reduce hospitalizations and related complications. Key Points • An increasing trend of VCF hospitalization was noted in AS, in contrast to a declining trend in RA and a stable trend in the general population. • VCF in AS was associated with longer hospital stay and higher inpatient mortality than in RA and the general population.

Low Serum Albumin Predicts Severe Outcomes in COVID-19 Infection: A Single-Center Retrospective Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause serious complications such as multiorgan failure and death which are difficult to predict. We conducted this retrospective case-control observational study with the hypothesis that low serum albumin at presentation can predict serious outcomes in COVID-19 infection. METHODS: We included severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmed, hospitalized patients from March to July 2020 in a tertiary care hospital in the USA. Patients were followed for 21 days for the development of the primary endpoint defined as the composite outcome which included acute encephalopathy, acute kidney injury, the requirement of new renal replacement therapy, acute hypercoagulability, acute circulatory failure, new-onset heart failure, acute cardiac injury, acute arrhythmia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), high flow oxygen support, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, mechanical ventilation or death; and the secondary endpoint of death only. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to study the effect of albumin level and outcomes. RESULTS: The mean age was 56.76 years vs. 55.67 years (P = 0.68) in the normal albumin vs. the low albumin group. We noticed an inverse relationship between serum albumin at presentation and serious outcomes. The low albumin group had a higher composite outcome (93.88% vs. 6.12%, P < 0.05) and higher mortality (13.87% vs. 2.38%, P < 0.05) in comparison to the normal albumin group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed higher odds of having composite outcomes with lower albumin group (odds ratio (OR) 10.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.74 - 24.97, P < 0.05). In the subgroup analysis, the multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed higher odds of having composite outcomes with the very low albumin group (OR 7.94, 95% CI 1.70 - 37.14, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Low serum albumin on presentation in COVID-19 infection is associated with serious outcomes not limited to mortality. The therapeutic option of albumin infusion should be investigated.

Low serum albumin and the risk of hospitalization in COVID-19 infection: A retrospective case-control study.

BACKGROUND: The data on the COVID-19 patients who were discharged to self-quarantine is lacking. AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate the percentage of COVID-19 positive patients that were hospitalized within a three-week period after discharge from ED to self-quarantine. METHODS: The patients who had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 on RT-PCR of the nasopharyngeal swab and were discharged from ED of a tertiary care hospital in the USA to self-quarantine from March 01- July 31, 2020, were included. Patients were divided into two groups based on serum albumin levels and were followed up for three weeks to see if low level of albumin increased the risk of hospitalization. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to study the effect of albumin level and outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 112 patients were included in the study out of which 65 had low serum albumin (<3.5 g/dL) and 47 had normal serum albumin (≥3.5 g/dL). More than 10% of patients discharged to self-quarantine needed hospitalization within three weeks. The Low albumin group had more co-morbidities at baseline. The low serum albumin group had 10 (15.38%) vs 2 (4.26%), p = 0.06 hospitalizations as compared to the normal serum albumin group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis did not reveal lower odds of hospitalization in the group with normal albumin, (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.03-1.92, p = 0.19) after controlling for age, sex, and various co-morbidities. CONCLUSION: The low serum albumin was not associated with the risk of hospitalization in COVID-19 patients who were initially discharged to self-quarantine.

The Impact of Obesity on Disease Activity and Treatment Response in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW: A growing number of studies have suggested that disease outcomes and response to therapy may be different in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are obese. The goal of this review is to examine the most recent literature, with a focus on the impact of obesity on the assessment of disease activity and treatment outcomes in RA. RECENT FINDINGS: Obesity is common in patients with RA and can have a substantial impact on patient symptoms and outcomes. Obesity is associated with higher rates of chronic pain and opiate use, elevated inflammatory markers, and less reliable physical exam findings, making assessment of disease activity and treatment response more challenging. Despite seemingly worse clinical disease activity, evidence has accumulated demonstrating that obese patients with RA have less inflammation by imaging and lower rates of radiographic progression over time. Whether obesity influences the effectiveness of specific therapies remains controversial. Obesity is very common and is associated with more severe symptoms and higher rates of disability among RA patients. While clinical disease activity is frequently observed to be higher in obese patients with RA, it remains unclear whether poorer treatment response rates in this setting are related to reduced efficacy of therapies or are an artifact of biases in the accurate assessment of the disease.

All-cause hospitalizations and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus in the US: results from a national inpatient database.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem disorder. While several studies have outlined risk factors for hospitalization and mortality in SLE; the frequency of hospitalizations from various causes has varied among studies and over the years. We aimed to assess the causes of SLE hospitalizations and inpatient mortality compared to those without SLE in the United States in a recent year (2016) using a large national inpatient database. We used National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to identify hospitalizations with SLE using the ICD-10 code M32. Among hospitalizations with SLE as secondary diagnosis, we used ICD-10 codes to assess the primary diagnoses associated with hospitalizations and mortality. Our study included 174,105 SLE hospitalizations matched to controls (similar age, sex, and NIS stratum) in the year 2016. Mean age of hospitalization with SLE was 51.82 years, and 89% of hospitalized SLE patients were females. Mean length of stay, cost and mortality for SLE were 5.6 ± 7.2 days, US $ 14,450 and 1.96%, respectively. SLE was the primary diagnosis in 10,185 (5.85%) of all SLE related hospitalizations. Among SLE hospitalizations, infection was the most common primary diagnosis (15.80%) followed by cardiac and renal manifestations (7.03% and 4.91% respectively). Infection was the leading cause of mortality (38.18%) followed by cardiac manifestations (12.04%). Infections and cardiac involvement were the leading causes of hospitalizations and in-hospital mortality in SLE. Whether this is related to the disease itself, its associated comorbidities or immunosuppressive agents would require further studies.

Yearly trend of acute venous thromboembolism in patients admitted with heart failure in the United States.

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) patients are at risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) during the hospital stay. We aim to study the recent trend of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), and VTE in heart failure patients from years 2000-2013. Methods: We utilized the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample database and selected non-pregnant patients over the age of 18 years for this purpose. We selected HF, DVT, PE, and VTE based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM). We used STATA for analysis. Results: We noted an increase in prevalence of DVT, PE and composite VTE among HF hospitalizations from 0.55%, 0.17% and 0.76% in 2000 to 0.96%, 0.4% and 1.46%, respectively, in 2013 and a decrease in trend of mortality among HF hospitalizations associated with DVT, PE and VTE from 8.95%, 16.36% and 10.80% in 2000 to 6.78%, 7.92% and 7.20%, respectively, in 2013. Conclusion: Increasing prevalence of VTE is concerning and suggests that we still need to work on delivering prophylaxis to all HF inpatients.

The trend of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fragility fractures in inpatients: results from a national database.

Osteoporosis is associated with an increased risk of pathologic fractures; however, most patients do not receive diagnosis and adequate treatment. The aim of our study was to compare the yearly trends of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fragility fractures in the USA (US) inpatients. We used National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample database to identify adults ≥18 years with diagnoses of osteoporosis and pathologic fractures and excluded pathologic fractures due to other etiologies. We then studied the annual trends, in terms of annual percentage change (APC), of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures. Among overall hospitalizations, osteoporosis was noted to have an increasing trend from 2000 to 2009 (APC = 5.81, p < 0.05) with a decline thereafter (APC = - 3.88, p < 0.05). In contrast, osteoporotic fracture showed an initial downward trend from 2000 to 2010 (APC = -7.31, p < 0.05), followed by a slowly rising trend (APC = 2.0, p = NS). The initially increasing trend of osteoporosis was followed by a decreasing trend thereafter. In contrast, there was a halt in a previously declining trend of osteoporotic fracture. Potential explanations include inadequate screening and treatment per guidelines along with decreasing patient compliance. In conclusion, primary and secondary prevention measures for osteoporosis have been underutilized by both physicians and patients alike.

Analysis of YouTube as a Source of Information for Diabetic Foot Care.

BACKGROUND: Increasing amounts of diabetes-focused content is being posted to YouTube with little regulation as to the quality of the content. Diabetic education has been shown to reduce the risk of ulceration and amputation. YouTube is a frequently visited site for instructional and demonstrational videos posted by individuals, advertisers, companies, and health-care organizations. We sought to evaluate the usefulness of diabetic foot care video information on YouTube. METHODS: YouTube was queried using the keyword phrase diabetic foot care. Original videos in English, with audio, less than 10 min long within the first 100 video results were evaluated. Two reviewers classified each video as useful or nonuseful/misleading. A 14-point usefulness criteria checklist was used to further categorize videos as most useful, somewhat useful, or nonuseful/misleading. Video sources were categorized by user type, and additional video metrics were collected. RESULTS: Of 87 included videos, 56 (64.4%), were classified as useful and 31 (35.6%) as nonuseful/misleading. A significant difference in the mean length of useful videos vs nonuseful/misleading videos was observed (3.33 versus 1.73 min; P < .0001). There was no significant difference in terms of popularity metrics (likes, views, subscriptions, etc) between useful and nonuseful/misleading videos. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that although most diabetic foot care videos on YouTube are useful, many are still nonuseful/misleading. More concerning is the lack of difference in popularity between useful and nonuseful videos. Podiatric physicians should alert patients to possibly misleading information and offer a curated list of videos.

Influence of abnormal potassium levels on mortality among hospitalized heart failure patients in the US: data from National Inpatient Sample.

Background: Abnormalities in serum potassium levels have been associated with variable mortality risk among hospitalized patients with heart failure (HF). We aim to use a large database study to further characterize risk of mortality, demographic factors, and associated comorbidities among heart failure inpatients. Methods: Our sample population was from the US National Inpatient Sample database from the year 2009-2011. The inclusion criteria used to identify patients was those with a diagnosis of heart failure as per ICD-9 classification. Other demographic factors considered in data collection included income, and cardiac risk factors. Taking these factors into consideration, a univariate association of potassium level and mortality was performed, as well as multivariable logistic regression controlling for demographic factors and associated conditions. Results: Of the 2,660,609 patients who were discharged with a diagnosis of heart failure during this time period, patients with hypokalemia during hospitalization had increased mortality risk (OR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.91-2.01) when compared with those with hyperkalemia who had decreased inpatient mortality risk OR: 0.94,95% CI: 0.91-0.96) versus those not coded for potassium abnormalities. This finding was significant even regardless of the etiology of the hypokalemia while the hyperkalemic patients were noted to have no difference or a decreased risk in all subtypes and groups. Conclusion: Unlike heart failure patients with hyperkalemia, those with hypokalemia are at an increased inpatient mortality risk. Whether our mortality findings translate to longer-term outpatient settings where significantly less monitoring is possible is a matter for further study.

Trends in hospitalizations related to anaphylaxis, angioedema, and urticaria in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Data on the prevalence of allergic disorders over time are limited. Recent studies have noted marked increase in the prevalence of allergic conditions in different parts of the world. OBJECTIVE: To examine time trends in the prevalence of anaphylaxis, angioedema, and urticaria in the United States. METHODS: Using the largest inpatient National Inpatient Sample data in the United States from 2001 to 2014, adults admitted with a primary diagnosis of anaphylaxis, angioedema, or urticaria were identified based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Yearly distribution of hospital admissions was stratified per different age groups, and yearly trends of hospitalizations related to anaphylaxis, angioedema, and urticaria were calculated. RESULTS: Although an increasing trend in the rate of hospitalizations was seen for angioedema (annual percentage change [APC], 4.48), a decreasing trend (APC, -2.19) was observed for urticaria-related hospitalizations. Overall anaphylaxis-related hospitalizations were noted to be stable, but a significant increasing trend was observed among those aged 5 to 14 years (APC, 4.19), mostly because of the subgroup of food-related hospitalizations (APC, 5.86). Angioedema-related hospitalizations were highest among the 35- to 64-year age group (APC, 5.38). CONCLUSION: An increasing trend of hospitalizations has been observed for allergic conditions, with varying age distribution according to the nature of eliciting agent and susceptibility of different age groups. Although angioedema has been observed as an increasing problem in older populations, food-induced anaphylaxis is an increasing concern in the younger population.

Acute Proximal Myopathy in a Young Male-A Case of Infectious Myositis.

Background and objectives: Acute proximal muscle weakness has a broad differential. Infectious myositis is difficult to differentiate clinically from inflammatory myopathy, often causing a delayed diagnosis. Infectious myositis should be thought of as a differential for proximal muscle pain and weakness in the right context. Case Presentation: A 40-year-old male with diabetes presented with exquisite pain and weakness of proximal extremities. He denied trauma, recent travel, new medications, or substance use. He denied prior rheumatologic, thyroid, or musculoskeletal disorders. The urine culture revealed staphylococcal infection with negative blood cultures. Rheumatologic and endocrine workups were negative. Random muscle biopsy was negative for inflammatory infiltrate. MRI of thighs and arms showed innumerable foci of nodular and ring enhancement in the proximal muscle groups. The patient noted improvement after about 10 days of antibiotics with complete resolution at 2 months. Discussion and Conclusion: Bacterial myositis is most often due to Staphylococcus aureus (70%) and affects a single muscle. Multifocal abscesses are rare and strongly suggest transient bacteremia. Our patient most likely had transient initiating staphylococcal bacteremia leading to diffuse myositis and hematogenous urinary tract infection (UTI). A delay in treatment can be life-threatening.