Association between prediabetes and breast cancer: a comprehensive meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer accounts for up to 30% of cancer cases in women in the US. Diabetes mellitus has been recognized as a risk factor for breast cancer. Some studies have suggested that prediabetes may also be associated with breast cancer whereas other studies have shown no or an inverse association; thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to assess the risk of breast cancer in prediabetes. METHODS: We searched PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Scopus to identify studies that reported breast cancer risks in patients having prediabetes compared to normoglycemic patients. Binary random-effects model was used to calculate a pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. I2 statistics were used to assess heterogeneity. Leave-one-out sensitivity analysis and subgroup analyses were performed. RESULTS: We analyzed 7 studies with 24,586 prediabetic and 224,314 normoglycemic individuals (783 and 5739 breast cancer cases, respectively). Unadjusted odds ratio (OR) for breast cancer was 1.45 (95% CI = 1.14, 1.83); adjusted OR was 1.19 (95% CI = 1.07, 1.34) in prediabetes. Subgroup analysis revealed a higher breast cancer risk in individuals aged less than 60 years (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.39, 2.49) than in those aged 60 years or more (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.97, 1.18). Subgroup analysis by median follow-up length indicated a higher risk of breast cancer for follow-ups of less than or equal to 2 years (OR = 2.34, 95% CI = 1.85, 2.95) than in those of over 10 years (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.99, 1.23) and 6 to 10 years (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.88, 1.21). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, individuals with prediabetes have higher risk of developing breast cancer than those with normoglycemia, especially younger prediabetes patients. These individuals may benefit from early identification, monitoring, and interventions to reverse prediabetes.

Intersection of sepsis, atrial fibrillation, and severe obesity: a population-based analysis in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an indicator of poor prognosis in patients with sepsis and can increase the risk of stroke and mortality. Data on the impact of severe obesity on the outcomes of sepsis complicated by AF remains poorly understood. METHODS: National Inpatient Sample (2018) and ICD-10 CM codes were used to identify the principal sepsis admissions with AF. We assessed comorbidities and outcomes of sepsis in people without obesity (BMI < 30) vs. non-severe obesity (BMI 30-35) and severe obesity (BMI > 35) cohorts. We also did a subgroup analysis to further stratify obesity based on metabolic health and analyzed the findings. The primary outcomes were the prevalence and adjusted odds of AF, AF-associated stroke, and all-cause mortality in sepsis by obesity status. Multivariable regression analyses were adjusted for patient- and hospital-level characteristics and comorbidities. RESULTS: Our main analysis showed that of the 1,345,595 sepsis admissions, the severe obesity cohort was the youngest (median age 59 vs. non-severe 64 and people without obesity 68 years). Patients with obesity, who were often female, were more likely to have hypertension, diabetes, congestive heart failure, chronic pulmonary disease, and chronic kidney disease. The crude prevalence of AF was highest in non-severe obesity (19.9%). The adjusted odds of AF in non-severe obesity (OR 1.21; 95% CI:1.16-1.27) and severe obesity patients with sepsis (OR 1.49; 95% CI:1.43-1.55) were significantly higher than in people without obesity (p < 0.001). Paradoxically, the rates of AF-associated stroke (1%, 1.5%, and 1.7%) and in-hospital mortality (3.3%, 4.9%, and 7.1%) were lowest in the severe obesity cohort vs. the non-severe and people without obesity cohorts, respectively. On multivariable regression analyses, the all-cause mortality revealed lower odds in sepsis-AF patients with severe obesity (OR 0.78; 95% CI:0.67-0.91) or non-severe obesity (OR 0.63; 95% CI:0.54-0.74) vs. people without obesity. There was no significant difference in stroke risk. CONCLUSIONS: A higher prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities can be linked to a higher risk of AF in people with obesity and sepsis. Paradoxically, lower rates of stroke and all-cause mortality secondary to AF in people with obesity and sepsis warrant further investigation.

Impact of obstructive sleep apnoea on cardiovascular outcomes and mortality in young adults with congenital heart anomalies: insights from the national inpatient sample (2019).

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnoea is a common sleep disorder, and adult congenital heart disease (CHD) is also a significant burden on the population. Early diagnosis and treatment are important for improving quality of life and reducing the risk of health complications. The limited research on obstructive sleep apnoea and adult CHD highlights the need for further investigation into the relationship between these two conditions and the mechanisms underlying this relationship. METHOD: We used NIS 2019 database to identify adult CHD admissions aged 18-44 years and assess the impact of obstructive sleep apnoea on all-cause mortality, dysrhythmia, and stroke. A propensity-matched cohort of individuals with and without obstructive sleep apnoea was obtained, and the outcomes were assessed using multivariable analysis and compared in terms of resource utilisation. RESULTS: Of the 41,950 young adult CHD admissions, 6.3% (n = 2630) had obstructive sleep apnoea. The obstructive sleep apnoea+ (n = 2590) and obstructive sleep apnoea- (n = 2590) cohorts were comparable in terms of median age (35 years) and were predominantly male (63.1% versus 62.5%). The obstructive sleep apnoea+ cohort had a higher frequency of risk factors like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypothyroidism, and prior venous thromboembolism than the obstructive sleep apnoea cohort. We found significant association of obstructive sleep apnoea with dysrhythmia (adjusted odds ratio 2.99, 95% confidence interval 2.13-4.19, p < 0.001), but no significant impact on the risk of all-cause mortality or stroke. The obstructive sleep apnoea+ cohort also had higher transfers to short-term facilities, prolonged stays, and higher charges (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study provides important insights into relationship between obstructive sleep apnoea and adult CHD and highlights the need for further investigation into the impact of obstructive sleep apnoea on individuals with adult CHD.

Acute Ischemic Stroke in Young Adults: Comparative Analysis of Outcomes and Mortality in Metabolically Healthy Obese or Overweight Vs. Non-Obese or Overweight Hospitalizations, 2016-2019 Cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Rising obesity rates and the increasing prevalence of stroke in the metabolically healthy obese and overweight (MHOO) necessitate examining its association in younger (18-44 year) populations and analyzing acute ischemic stroke (AIS) trends and outcomes in MHOO vs. metabolically healthy non-obese or overweight (MHnOO). METHODS: Data from the United States National Inpatient Sample (2016-2019) was analyzed to identify young MHOO and MHnOO AIS patients using ICD-10-CM codes. Metabolically healthy status was defined by excluding hospitalization records with diagnostic codes for hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Demographics, trends, and outcomes were compared using appropriate statistical approaches. RESULTS: Of 26,949,310 young metabolically healthy hospitalizations between 2016 and 2019, 47,795 had AIS, of which 4,985 were MHOO and 42,810 were MHnOO. The median age of AIS hospitalization was 35 years, and primarily female and white. From 2016 to 2019, AIS incidence rose slightly, which was significant only for the MHnOO cohort. The in-hospital mortality rate was significantly lower in the MHOO cohort (6.0% vs. 8.6%, p < 0.001). Hospitalization length and cost did not differ substantially between groups. Adjusted multivariable analysis revealed no significant difference in AIS hospitalization risk between MHOO and MHnOO (aOR: 1.02, p=0.701), with subgroup analysis in males (aOR: 0.88, p=0.161) or females (aOR: 1.06, p=0.363). However, all-cause in-hospital mortality (ACIHM) in AIS had lower odds in the MHOO vs. MHnOO cohorts (aOR: 0.60, p=0.021). CONCLUSION: Our study finds a rising trend of AIS hospitalizations in young metabolically healthy adults, with obesity or overweight status not being associated with AIS hospitalization. We identify an "obesity paradox" of lower odds for ACIHM for AIS hospitalizations in the MHOO cohort.

Thirty-day unplanned readmission in hospitalised asthma patients in the USA.

INTRODUCTION: Hospital quality improvement and hospital performance are commonly evaluated using parameters such as average length of stay (LOS), patient safety measures and rates of hospital readmission. Thirty-day readmission (30-DR) rates are widely used as a quality indicator and a quantifiable metric for hospitals since patients are often readmitted for the exacerbation of conditions from index admission. The quality of patient education and postdischarge care can influence readmission rates. We report the 30-DR rates of patients with asthma using a national dataset for the year 2013. OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study was to assess the 30- day readmission (30-DR) rate as well as, the causes and predictors of readmissions. STUDY DESIGNS/METHODS: Using the Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD) (2013), we identified primary discharge diagnoses of asthma by using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code '493'. Categorical and continuous variables were assessed by a χ2 test and a Student's t-test, respectively. The independent predictors of unplanned 30-DR were detected by multivariate analysis. We used sampling weights, which are provided in the NRD, to generate the national estimates. RESULTS: There were 130 490 (weighted N=311 173) inpatient asthma admissions during 2013. The overall 30-DR for asthma was 11.9%. The associated factors for 30-DR were age 45-84 years (40.32% vs 29.05%; p<0.001), enrolment in Medicare (49.33% vs 30.61% p<0.001), extended LOS (mean, 4.40±0.06 vs 3.25±0.04 days; p<0.001), higher mean cost (US$8593.91 vs US$6741.31; p<0.001) and higher disposition against medical advice (DAMA) (4.14% vs 1.51%; p<0.001). The factors that increased the chance of 30-DR were advanced age (≥45-64 vs ≤17 years; OR 4.61, 95% CI 4.04 to 5.27, p<0.0001), male sex (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.26, p<0.0001), a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.18, p<0.0001), DAMA (OR 2.32, 95% CI 2.08 to 2.59, p<0.0001), non-compliance with medication (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.24 to 1.46, p<0.0001), post-traumatic stress disorder (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.79, p<0.0001), alcohol use (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.65, p<0.0001), gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.27, p<0.0001), obstructive sleep apnoea (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.18, p<0.0042) and hypertension (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.17, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: We found that the overall 30-DR rate for asthma was 11.9% all-cause readmission. Major causes of 30-DR were asthma exacerbation (36.74%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (11.47%), respiratory failure (6.46%), non-specific pneumonia (6.19%), septicaemia (3.61%) and congestive heart failure (3.32%). One-fourth of the revisits occurred in the first week, while half of the revisits took place in the first 2 weeks. Education regarding illness and the importance of medicine compliance could play a significant role in preventing asthma-related readmission.

COVID-19 in Patients With Rheumatic Diseases: Is There a Need to Worry?

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), first described in December 2019, has infected more than 33 million people and claimed more than 1 million deaths worldwide. Rheumatic diseases are chronic inflammatory diseases, the prevalence and impact of which in COVID-19 patients are poorly known. We performed a pooled analysis of published data intending to summarize clinical presentation and patient outcomes in those with established rheumatic disease diagnosis and concurrent COVID-19. METHODS: PubMed and Google Scholar were searched to identify studies reporting data about rheumatic disease patients who were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection and published until July 22, 2020. Random-effects models were used to estimate the pooled incidence and rates of hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, and mortality among these patients, and interstudy heterogeneity was identified using I2 statistics with greater than 75% value indicating substantial interstudy variation. RESULTS: Twenty studies were included, giving a total sample size of 49,099 patients positive for SARS-CoV-2. Of 49,099 COVID-19 patients, a total of 1382 were also diagnosed with a rheumatic disease in the past. The random-effects pooled prevalence of COVID-19 among rheumatic disease patients was found to be 0.9%. The rates of hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, and mortality were 70.7%, 11.6%, and 10.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection is not dramatically high in rheumatic disease patients, concurrent COVID-19 does seem to play a role in determining disease severity and outcomes to some extent. Further studies are needed to give conclusive evidence about whether this subset of the population is at a higher risk of COVID-19 and related outcomes compared with the population at large.

Hypertensive Crisis-Related Hospitalizations and Subsequent Major Adverse Cardiac Events in Young Adults with Cannabis Use Disorder: A Nationwide Analysis.

Background and Objectives: With the growing recreational cannabis use and recent reports linking it to hypertension, we sought to determine the risk of hypertensive crisis (HC) hospitalizations and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) in young adults with cannabis use disorder (CUD+). Material and Methods: Young adult hospitalizations (18−44 years) with HC and CUD+ were identified from National Inpatient Sample (October 2015−December 2017). Primary outcomes included prevalence and odds of HC with CUD. Co-primary (in-hospital MACCE) and secondary outcomes (resource utilization) were compared between propensity-matched CUD+ and CUD- cohorts in HC admissions. Results: Young CUD+ had higher prevalence of HC (0.7%, n = 4675) than CUD- (0.5%, n = 92,755), with higher odds when adjusted for patient/hospital-characteristics, comorbidities, alcohol and tobacco use disorder, cocaine and stimulant use (aOR 1.15, 95%CI:1.06−1.24, p = 0.001). CUD+ had significantly increased adjusted odds of HC (for sociodemographic, hospital-level characteristics, comorbidities, tobacco use disorder, and alcohol abuse) (aOR 1.17, 95%CI:1.01−1.36, p = 0.034) among young with benign hypertension, but failed to reach significance when additionally adjusted for cocaine/stimulant use (aOR 1.12, p = 0.154). Propensity-matched CUD+ cohort (n = 4440, median age 36 years, 64.2% male, 64.4% blacks) showed higher rates of substance abuse, depression, psychosis, previous myocardial infarction, valvular heart disease, chronic pulmonary disease, pulmonary circulation disease, and liver disease. CUD+ had higher odds of all-cause mortality (aOR 5.74, 95%CI:2.55−12.91, p < 0.001), arrhythmia (aOR 1.73, 95%CI:1.38−2.17, p < 0.001) and stroke (aOR 1.46, 95%CI:1.02−2.10, p = 0.040). CUD+ cohort had fewer routine discharges with comparable in-hospital stay and cost. Conclusions: Young CUD+ cohort had higher rate and odds of HC admissions than CUD-, with prevalent disparities and higher subsequent risk of all-cause mortality, arrhythmia and stroke.

Aortic valve myxoma-A systematic review of published cases.

BACKGROUND: Aortic valve myxoma is the rarest location of the most common primary tumour of cardiac origin. Because of the paucity of data, there is little known about their clinical presentation, diagnosis and complications. METHODS: PUBMED, EMBASE, SCOPUS and WEB OF SCIENCE were systematically searched to identify all published cases of aortic valve myxoma through October 2020. Descriptive statistics were used to report the data. RESULTS: Aortic valve myxomas were more prevalent in young (mean age 41 years) male (75%) patients. It most commonly involved the right coronary cusp (50%). Cerebrovascular events (25%), dyspnoea (18.8%), and distal embolisation (18.8%) were found to be the most frequent complications. Echocardiography remains the diagnostic modality of choice in all cases, histopathology is used for confirmation. Most cases were treated with surgical excision (94%); concomitant aortic valve repair and mechanical aortic valve replacement were performed in 25% and 37.5% cases respectively. Sudden cardiac death was noted in one patient. CONCLUSION: Aortic valve myxomas are more often than not discovered in the context of embolic phenomenon or dyspnoea. The most feared complication is stroke, although mortality remains low in surgically managed cases.

Impact of alcohol use disorder on stroke risk in geriatric patients with prediabetes: A nationwide analysis.

BACKGROUND: With rising trends of prediabetes in the geriatric population, we aim to assess the impact of alcohol use disorder (AUD) on the outcomes of patients with prediabetes. METHODS: Hospitalisations amongst the patients (≥65 years) with prediabetes were identified with a diagnosis of AUD and in-hospital stroke using the National Inpatient Sample database (2007-2014). We compared demographics, comorbidities, all-cause mortality, stroke rate and resource utilisation in the elderly prediabetes patients with vs without AUD. Primary outcomes of interest were all-cause mortality and stroke rate, whereas secondary outcomes were the length of stay (days), disposition and resource utilisation in the AUD cohort as compared to the non-AUD cohort. RESULTS: We had a total of 1.7 million hospitalisations amongst elderly patients with prediabetes, 2.8% (n = 47 962) had AUD. The AUD cohort was more often younger (71 vs 77 years), male (74.1% vs 43.5%) and nonelectively (84.5% vs 78.3%) admitted than non-AUD cohort. The AUD cohort more often consisted of African Americans (9.0% vs 6.6%) and Hispanics (5.3% vs 5.1%) than non-AUD cohort. The AUD cohort showed higher rates of smoking, drug abuse, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coagulopathy, peripheral vascular disease and fluid-electrolyte disorders whereas a lower rate of cardiovascular risk factors than non-AUD cohort. All-cause mortality (4.4% vs 3.9%) and stroke (5.5% vs 4.8%, aOR 1.33, 95% CI 1.28-1.39) were significantly higher in the AUD cohort with prolonged stay, higher charges and frequent transfers than non-AUD cohort. CONCLUSION: AUD in the elderly prediabetes patients increases the stroke risk by up to 33% which can adversely influence the survival rate and healthcare infrastructure.

Marijuana Use Among Young Adults (18-44 Years of Age) and Risk of Stroke: A Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey Analysis.

Background and Purpose- Amidst legalization of therapeutic and recreational use of marijuana/cannabis in the United States, cerebrovascular effects of marijuana use remain largely unknown, especially among young adults. We aimed to examine the association between marijuana use (18-44 years) among young adults and stroke events. Methods- The study analyzed pooled data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2016-2017)-a nationally representative cross-sectional survey collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Weighted logistic regression models were used to examine an association of recent marijuana use (within the last 30 days) and stroke in young adults (18-44 years) adjusting for patient demographics, risk behavior, and relevant comorbidities. Results- Overall, 13.6% of participants (n=43 860; weighted 35.5 million; 49.9% men) reported using marijuana recently (in the last month), with 63.3% of them being men. Compared with nonusers, marijuana users were often younger (18-34 years; 73.8% versus 61%), non-Hispanic white or black, and with some college education. Marijuana users were often physically active (81.8% versus 77.5%), heavy drinkers (16.8% versus 4.9%), current combustible cigarette users (37.9% versus 15%) and had lower prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia as compared with nonusers (P<0.01). Young adults with recent marijuana use showed 1.82× higher odds (adjusted odds ratio, 1.82 [95% CI, 1.08-3.10]) of stroke compared with nonusers, which further increased to 2.45× higher (adjusted odds ratio, 2.45 [95% CI, 1.31-4.60]) among frequent marijuana users (>10 days/month). Compared with nonusers, stroke odds were even higher among frequent marijuana users with concomitant combustible cigarette use (adjusted odds ratio, 3.12 [95% CI, 1.40-6.97]) and e-cigarette use (adjusted odds ratio, 2.63 [95% CI, 1.07-6.46]), respectively. Conclusions- There may be a significantly higher odds of stroke in young marijuana users (18-44 years) as compared with nonusers with even greater odds among frequent users (>10 days/month).

Differences in risk factors and resource utilization for women undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention and lower extremity peripheral vascular intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differences in risk factors and in-hospital outcomes for women undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and peripheral vascular intervention (PVI). BACKGROUND: The clinical impact of coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD) is well characterized and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. There is lack of data comparing risk factors and in-hospital outcomes for PCI and PVI, particularly in women. METHODS: Only female hospitalizations (age ≥ 18 years) who underwent PCI or PVI from 2005 to 2014 were identified using appropriate International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes from the National Inpatient Sample database. Charlson's Comorbidity Index (CCI) was selected as the primary endpoint of the study. Coprimary endpoint was the cost of hospitalizations associated with PCI or PVI. RESULTS: Of the 2,461,328 female hospitalizations that were included, 85.6% (N = 2,105,236) underwent PCI and 14.4% (N = 356,092) received PVI. Compared to PCI, PVI hospitalizations were 3.2 years older (p < .001) and consisted of significantly more hospitalizations above 80 years of age (26.5% vs. 18.6%; p < .001). Hospitalizations with CCI ≥3 were significantly higher in the PVI cohort (29.1% vs. 24%; p < .001). CCI in women increased during the study period for both groups. PVI hospitalizations had a significantly longer length of stay (3 days vs. 2 days; p < .001) and cost of hospitalization ($23,610 vs. $20,571; p < .001), compared to PCI. Finally, the mean cost of hospitalizations increased during the study period for PCI and PVI. CONCLUSION: Women hospitalized for PVI had a greater risk-profile and resource utilization as demonstrated by the longer length of stay and higher cost compared to PCI.

Real world validation of the nonhyperemic index of coronary artery stenosis severity-Resting full-cycle ratio-RE-VALIDATE.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective was to demonstrate diagnostic equivalence between RFR and iFR in clinical practice. BACKGROUND: The instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR), a nonhyperemic pressure ratio (NHPR), has been shown to be noninferior to fractional flow reserve (FFR) in determining coronary artery stenosis severity in intermediate lesions. However, iFR has a number of inherent limitations, including sensitive landmarking of the pressure waveform and the assumption that maximal flow and minimal microcirculatory resistance occur during a fixed period within diastole. The resting full-cycle ratio (RFR) is a novel NHPR which evaluates the entire cardiac cycle independent of the ECG, landmark identification, and timing within the cardiac cycle. METHODS: RE-VALIDATE RFR was designed to determine the diagnostic utility of RFR for the physiological assessment of coronary artery disease in clinical practice compared to iFR. RFR was also tested for equivalence (1% margin), diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), areas under the receiver operated characteristic curve (AUC), and correlations compared to calculated iFR (iFRcalc ). RESULTS: From two centers, 501 blinded rest- and hyperemic pressure recordings from 431 patients were suitable for analysis according to a core laboratory. The mean FFR, RFR, and iFRcalc were 0.80 ± 0.09, 0.90 ± 0.08, and 0.90 ± 0.08, respectively. Based on a binary cut-off approach (RFR/iFR ≤0.89), RFR demonstrated equivalence with iFRcalc (95% confidence interval: 0.025-0.019) with overall diagnostic accuracy 97.8%, sensitivity 97.8%, specificity 97.8%, PPV 96.2%, NPV 98.7%, and AUC 0.96 (0.94-0.97, p < .001). RFR had a mean bias 0.003 (95% limits of agreement: 0.019, -0.025). CONCLUSIONS: RFR was equivalent to iFR in clinical practice. RFR is an alternative NHPR, avoiding the need for hyperemic agents, thus potentially reducing side effects, procedural time and cost compared to FFR.

Nationwide Analysis of Resource Utilization and In-Hospital Outcomes in the Obese Patients With Lower Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage.

GOALS: The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of obesity on the outcomes of patients with lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage (LGIH). BACKGROUND: Obesity is considered as an independent risk factor for LGIH. We sought to analyze in-hospital outcomes and characteristics of nonobese and obese patients who presented with LGIH, and further, identify resource utilization during their hospital stay. MATERIALS AND METHODS: With the use of National Inpatient Sample from January 2005 through December 2014, LGIH-related hospitalizations (age≥18 y) were identified using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnostic codes. Patients were stratified into the nonobese and obese groups depending on their body mass index (>30 kg/m). The statistical analyses were performed using SAS 9.4. RESULTS: Of the total 482,711 patients with LGIH-related hospitalizations, 38,592 patients were found to be obese. In a propensity-matched analysis, the in-hospital mortality was higher in the nonobese patients (4.2% vs. 3.8%, P=0.004), however, the mean length of hospital stay and mean cost was higher in the obese group which could be due to a higher number of comorbidities in the obese group. Secondary outcomes such as the need for mechanical ventilation vasopressor use and colonoscopy was significantly higher in the obese group. CONCLUSIONS: The study results demonstrate that 'obesity paradox' do exist for LGIH-related hospitalizations for mortality. LGIH hospitalizations in the obese patients are associated with higher resource utilization as evidenced by the longer length of stay and higher cost of hospitalizations as compared with the nonobese patients.

Nationwide Trends in Prevalent Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Diseases in Young Adults: Differences by Sex and Race and In-Hospital Outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: Prevalence and trends in all cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among young adults (18-39 years) have not been evaluated on a large scale stratified by sex and race. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence and temporal trend of CVD risk factors in US inpatients younger than 40 years of age from 2007 through 2014 with racial and sex-based distinctions. In addition, the impact of these risk factors on inpatient outcomes and healthcare resource utilization was explored. METHODS: A cross-sectional nationwide analysis of all hospitalizations, comorbidities, and complications among young adults from 2007 to 2014 was performed. The primary outcomes were frequency, trends, and race- and sex-based differences in coexisting CVD risk factors. Coprimary outcomes were trends in all-cause mortality, acute myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, stroke, and venous thromboembolism in young adults with CVD risk factors. Secondary outcomes were demographics and resource utilization in young adults with versus without CVD risk factors. RESULTS: Of 63 million hospitalizations (mean 30.5 [standard deviation 5.9] years), 27% had at least one coexisting CVD risk factor. From 2007 to 2014, admission frequency with CVD risk factors increased from 42.8% to 55.1% in males and from 16.2% to 24.6% in females. Admissions with CVD risk were higher in male (41.4% vs 15.9%) and white (58.4% vs 53.8%) or African American (22.6% vs 15.9%) patients compared with those without CVD risk. Young adults in the Midwest (23.9% vs 21.1%) and South (40.8% vs 37.9%) documented comparatively higher hospitalizations rates with CVD risk. Young adults with CVD risk had higher all-cause in-hospital mortality (0.4% vs. 0.3%) with a higher average length of stay (4.3 vs 3.2 days) and charges per admission ($30,074 vs $20,124). CONCLUSIONS: Despite modern advances in screening, management, and interventional measures for CVD, rising trends in CVD risk factors across all sex and race/ethnic groups call for attention by preventive cardiologists.

Trends and Outcomes in Sepsis Hospitalizations With and Without Atrial Fibrillation: A Nationwide Inpatient Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Atrial fibrillation is frequently seen in sepsis-related hospitalizations. However, large-scale contemporary data from the United States comparing outcomes among sepsis-related hospitalizations with versus without atrial fibrillation are limited. The aim of our study was to assess the frequency of atrial fibrillation and its impact on outcomes of sepsis-related hospitalizations. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: The National Inpatient Sample databases (2010-2014). PATIENTS: Primary discharge diagnosis of sepsis with and without atrial fibrillation were identified using prior validated International Classification of Diseases, 9th Edition, Clinical Modification codes. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Overall, 5,808,166 hospitalizations with the primary diagnosis of sepsis, of which 19.4% (1,126,433) were associated with atrial fibrillation. The sepsis-atrial fibrillation cohort consisted of older (median [interquartile range] age of 79 yr [70-86 yr] vs 67 yr [53-79 yr]; p < 0.001) white (80.9% vs 68.8%; p < 0.001) male (51.1% vs 47.5%; p < 0.001) patients with an extended length of stay (median [interquartile range] 6 d [4-11 d] vs 5 d [3-9 d]; p < 0.001) and higher hospitalization charges (median [interquartile range] $44,765 [$23,234-$88,657] vs $35,737 [$18,767-$72,220]; p < 0.001) as compared with the nonatrial fibrillation cohort. The all-cause mortality rate in the sepsis-atrial fibrillation cohort was significantly higher (18.4% and 11.9%; p = 0.001) as compared with those without atrial fibrillation. Although all-cause mortality (20.4% vs 16.6%) and length of stay (median [interquartile range] 7 d [4-11 d] vs 6 d [4-10 d]) decreased between 2010 and 2014, hospitalization charges increased (median [interquartile range] $41,783 [$21,430-$84,465] vs $46,251 [$24,157-$89,995]) in the sepsis-atrial fibrillation cohort. The greatest predictors of mortality in the atrial fibrillation-sepsis cohort were African American race, female gender, advanced age, and the presence of medical comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of atrial fibrillation among sepsis-related hospitalizations is a marker of poor prognosis and increased mortality. Although we observed rising trends in sepsis and sepsis-atrial fibrillation-related hospitalizations during the study period, the rate and odds of mortality progressively decreased.

The burden of psychiatric illnesses in adult patients with beta-thalassemia: a 5-year nationwide inpatient evaluation in the United States.

Beta-thalassemia (ß-thalassemia) is a frequently inherited monogenic disorder worldwide with severe physical and mental health comorbidities. The aim of this study is to evaluate the burden of psychiatric disorders in adult patients hospitalized with ß-thalassemia in the United States (US). We utilized the discharge data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2010 through 2014 to identify hospitalized ß-thalassemia patients who are 18 years and older. We assessed categorical and continuous variables using chi-square test and Student's t test respectively. The burden of psychiatric disorders was assessed using descriptive statistics and represented in terms of frequency (n) and percentage (%). A p value threshold of < 0.05 was considered clinically significant. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Of the 10,046 ß-thalassemia patients studied, 24.4% (n = 2448) reported psychiatric disorders. Mood disorders (15.2%; inclusive of 10.3% depression), followed by anxiety (9.4%), and substance abuse disorder (6.5%; 4.3% drug abuse, 2.2% alcohol abuse) were most prevalent. Comorbid mental illnesses increased the length of stay by 44.6% and total costs by 23.4%. All-cause mortality rate was reported at 1.9% in overall ß-thalassemia patients. This study highlights higher rates of psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety and correlated increases in length of stay and cost in hospitalized ß-thalassemia patients. To improve medical outcomes and curtail unnecessary health-care costs, implementation of an integrated care model can be considered.

Thirty-Day Readmissions After Upper and Lower Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage: A National Perspective in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (UGIH) and lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage (LGIH) are 2 of the most common reasons for hospital admissions across the United States. The 30-day readmission after index admission poses a major burden on the health care infrastructure, and thus, it is important to assess the causes of 30-day readmission for patients with UGIH and LGIH. METHODS: The study cohort was derived from the 2013 National Readmission Database. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) Volume 3 diagnosis codes were utilized to identify UGIH and LGIH patients from this data set. Patients who were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days within the same calendar year were further analyzed. Categorical variables and continuous variables were assessed by the χ test and the student t test, respectively. The independent predictors of unplanned 30-day readmissions were recognized by multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for stratified cluster design of National Readmission Database. SAS 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The number of index admissions identified from the National Readmission Data 2013 were 82,290 for UGIH and 133,114 for LGIH. All-cause 30-day readmission rate for UGIH versus LGIH was 14.6% (readmitted N=12,046; 56.64% age 65 y and above) versus 14.4% (readmitted N=19,128; 70.21% age 65 y and above and 49.61% men). Gastrointestinal causes were most common (33.9% vs. 39.6%), followed by cardiac (13.3% vs. 15.3%), infectious (10.4% vs. 9.1%), and respiratory causes (7.8% vs. 7.1%) for 30-day readmission for UGIH and LGIH. Significant predictors of increased 30-day readmission (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval, P-value) included metastatic disease (2.15, 1.75-2.64, P<0.001), discharge against medical advice (1.85, 1.55-2.22, P<0.001), and length of stay >3 days (1.50, 1.38-1.63, P<0.001). Predictors for 30-day readmission for LGIH included metastatic disease (1.75, 1.48-2.06, P<0.001), liver disease (1.59, 1.49-1.71, P<0.001), and drug abuse (1.38, 1.21-1.58, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Most common reason for UGIH and LGIH readmission was related to gastrointestinal disease, followed by cardiac, infectious, and respiratory etiologies. By addressing these etiologies for readmission, it may be possible to reduce adverse outcomes.

Young-onset colorectal cancer: hospitalization trends and gender disparities in the United States 2010-2014.

OBJECTIVES: Study national hospitalization trends for colorectal cancer in patients younger than 50 years of age. METHODS: Patients under age 50 years hospitalized for colorectal cancer were studied using the national inpatient sample databases (2010-2014), using validated ICD-CM-9 codes and hospitalizations represented per 100,000 total inpatient population. RESULTS: Colorectal cancer hospitalizations demonstrated a significant uptrend in the 41-50 years age group, with Caucasians and females most affected, stratifying for age and excluding those with a family history of colorectal cancer (p trend < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Younger colorectal cancer patients aged 41-50 years (especially younger Caucasian females) are burdened with increasing hospitalization rates.

Modern-Day Nationwide Utilization of Intravascular Ultrasound and Its Impact on the Outcomes of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Coronary Atherectomy in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: Intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS) and coronary atherectomy (CA) are useful modalities in managing calcified coronary lesions. Considering an inadequacy of data, we aimed to compare the outcomes with versus without IVUS assistance in percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) with CA. METHODS: From the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample data set for the years 2012 to 2014, we identified adult patients undergoing PCI and CA with or without IVUS assistance using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. We assessed the impact of IVUS on procedural outcomes, length of stay, total hospital charges, and predictors of IVUS utilization by multivariable analyses. Discharge weights were used to calculate national estimates. RESULTS: A total of 46,095 PCIs with CA procedures were performed from 2012 to 2014, of these, 4800 (10.4%) procedures were IVUS-assisted. IVUS-assisted procedures showed lower odds of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 0.57; P = .024) but higher odds of any cardiac complication (odds ratio, 1.25; P = .025). Total hospital charges were higher in IVUS-assisted procedures without any substantial difference in the length of stay between the groups. Cardiac complication rates declined (from 16.2% to 14.8%) from 2012 to 2014, whereas inpatient mortality increased (1.1%-4.4%) in IVUS-assisted procedures during the same period. The odds of IVUS utilization were higher in Asian/Pacific Islander and urban teaching and western region hospitals. Comorbidities, including hypertension, obesity, and chronic pulmonary disease, raised odds of IVUS utilization. CONCLUSIONS: IVUS-assisted procedures showed lower in-hospital mortality and higher iatrogenic and overall cardiac complications. The mortality rate in patients undergoing IVUS-assisted PCI with CA was on the rise, with declining cardiac complication rates from 2012 to 2014.

Rising Trends in Hospitalizations for Cardiovascular Events among Young Cannabis Users (18-39 Years) without Other Substance Abuse.

Background and objectives: Modern-day epidemiologic data on the risk and shifting landscape of occurrence of cardiovascular events in cannabis users remain inadequate and rather conflicting, especially amongst the young adult population. Furthermore, the problem of polysubstance use among youth is challenging for healthcare professionals and policy-makers. Previous studies report higher risk of concomitant use of tobacco, alcohol, cocaine, and amphetamine in young cannabis users. However, most of these studies did not eliminate the confounding effects of concomitant other substance abuse while assessing the incidence and outcome of cardiovascular events in cannabis users. Materials and methods: Using weighted discharge records from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2007-2014, we assessed the national trends in hospitalizations for major cardiovascular events including acute myocardial infarction (AMI), arrhythmia, stroke, and venous thromboembolic events (VTE) among young cannabis users (18-39 years), excluding cases with concomitant substance abuse with alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, and amphetamine. Results: Of 52.3 million hospitalizations without other substance abuse, 0.7 million (1.3%) young adults were current/former cannabis users. Among young adults without concomitant substance abuse, the frequency of admissions for AMI (0.23% vs. 0.14%), arrhythmia (4.02% vs. 2.84%), and stroke (0.33% vs. 0.26%) was higher in cannabis users as compared to non-users (p < 0.001). However, the frequency of admissions for VTE (0.53% vs. 0.84%) was lower among cannabis users as compared non-users. Between 2007 and 2014, we observed 50%, 79%, 300%, and 75% relative increases in hospitalizations for AMI, arrhythmias, stroke, and VTE, respectively, among young cannabis users as compared to non-users, showing relatively inferior or no ascent in the rates (ptrend < 0.001). Conclusions: The rising trends in hospitalizations for acute cardiovascular events among young cannabis users without concomitant other substance abuse call for future prospective well-designed studies to assess cannabis-related short-and long-term cardiovascular implications while simultaneously developing focused interventions towards raising awareness among the young population regarding the potential deleterious effects of cannabis use.