Cost-Effectiveness of HIV Screening in Emergency Departments: Results From the Pragmatic Randomized HIV Testing Using Enhanced Screening Techniques in Emergency Departments Trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Identification of HIV remains a critical health priority for which emergency departments (EDs) are a central focus. The comparative cost-effectiveness of various HIV screening strategies in EDs remains largely unknown. The goal of this study was to compare programmatic costs and cost-effectiveness of nontargeted and 2 forms of targeted opt-out HIV screening in EDs using results from a multicenter, pragmatic randomized clinical trial. METHODS: This economic evaluation was nested in the HIV Testing Using Enhanced Screening Techniques in Emergency Departments (TESTED) trial, a multicenter pragmatic clinical trial of different ED-based HIV screening strategies conducted from April 2014 through January 2016. Patients aged 16 years or older, with normal mental status and not critically ill, or not known to be living with HIV were randomized to 1 of 3 HIV opt-out screening approaches, including nontargeted, enhanced targeted, or traditional targeted, across 4 urban EDs in the United States. Each screening method was fully integrated into routine emergency care. Direct programmatic costs were determined using actual trial results, and time-motion assessment was used to estimate personnel activity costs. The primary outcome was newly diagnosed HIV. Total annualized ED programmatic costs by screening approach were calculated using dollars adjusted to 2023 as were costs per patient newly diagnosed with HIV. One-way and multiway sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: The trial randomized 76,561 patient visits, resulting in 14,405 completed HIV tests, and 24 (0.2%) new diagnoses. Total annualized new diagnoses were 12.9, and total annualized costs for nontargeted, enhanced targeted, and traditional targeted screening were $111,861, $88,629, and $70,599, respectively. Within screening methods, costs per new HIV diagnoses were $20,809, $23,554, and $18,762, respectively. Enhanced targeted screening incurred higher costs but with similar annualized new cases detected compared with traditional targeted screening. Nontargeted screening yielded an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $25,586 when compared with traditional targeted screening. Results were most sensitive to HIV prevalence and costs of HIV tests. CONCLUSION: Nontargeted HIV screening was more costly than targeted screening largely due to an increased number of HIV tests performed. Each HIV screening strategy had similar within-strategy costs per new HIV diagnosis with traditional targeted screening yielding the lowest cost per new diagnosis. For settings with budget constraints or very low HIV prevalences, the traditional targeted approach may be preferred; however, given only a slightly higher cost per new HIV diagnosis, ED settings looking to detect the most new cases may prefer nontargeted screening.

A comparison of the metabolic complications and hospital course of severe anorexia nervosa by binge-purge and restricting subtypes.

This study examines adult patients with severe, life-threatening anorexia nervosa who were admitted to an inpatient, medical stabilization unit between October 1, 2008 and December 31, 2014. Specifically, the study compares anorexia nervosa, binge purge subtype (AN-BP) and anorexia nervosa, restricting subtype (AN-R) on admission measures, hospital course, and outcomes. Of the 232 patients, 46% (N = 108) had AN-BP. Patients with AN-R manifested a higher frequency of underweight-mediated medical complications, including bone marrow dysfunction, hepatic dysfunction, and hypoglycemia. Understanding the pathophysiologic differences between severe AN-R and AN-BP is essential to understanding the abnormalities seen on clinical presentation, guiding appropriate clinical treatment, and predicting medical complications during refeeding.

Prevalence and management of oropharyngeal dysphagia in patients with severe anorexia nervosa: A large retrospective review.

OBJECTIVE: Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OPD) refers to difficulty swallowing food or a liquid bolus from the oral and pharyngeal cavities into the esophagus and increases the risk of possibly life-threatening pneumonia. Little has been reported on OPD in adults with anorexia nervosa (AN). This study includes a description of OPD in severe AN and discusses potentially effective clinical management. METHOD: Two hundred and six adults with severe AN, admitted over a five-year period to a national referral center specializing in the multidisciplinary medical stabilization of this population, were retrospectively evaluated by electronic database query and manual chart review. All patients whose initial medical assessment triggered a speech-language pathology (SLP) consultation, due to concerns for OPD, were reviewed in detail. RESULTS: Of the 206 total patients, 42 presented with symptoms of OPD and received SLP consultation. In the OPD cohort, 37 (88%) were women, with median age 32 years old, and mean admission weights of 57% ideal body weight (IBW) and body mass index (BMI) of 12 kg/m(2). Compared with those who did not have OPD, OPD patients had significantly lower BMI on admission (12 kg/m(2) vs. 13.1 kg/m(2), p < 0.001), longer stay (21 days vs. 14 days, p < 0.001), and were more medically compromised, including a greater incidence of refeeding hypophosphatemia (60.9% vs. 29.7%, p < 0.004). DISCUSSION: Clinical awareness of OPD may reduce the incidence of aspiration pneumonia and promote life-saving oral nutrition in patients with severe AN. Proper, timely evaluation and intervention may improve clinical outcomes.

Medical outcomes for adults hospitalized with severe anorexia nervosa: An analysis by age group.

OBJECTIVE: Relatively little has been written about the outcomes of medical stabilization, analyzed specifically across the age spectrum, in adults with severe anorexia nervosa (AN). METHOD: We retrospectively evaluated clinical parameters relevant to acuity of illness and outcomes of early refeeding in 142 adults with severe AN, admitted for definitive inpatient medical stabilization from October 1, 2008 to December 31, 2012. Patients were categorized into three age groups: 17 to 29, 30 to 40, and 41+ years. RESULTS: The study included 142 patients with median age of 28 years old (range 17-65 years). Fifty-four percent (n = 78) were under 30 years old, 23% (n = 32) between 30 and 40 years old, and 23% (n = 32) were over 40 years old. Average admission BMI did not differ among age groups, ranging from 12.7 to 13.2 kg/m(2). Of the admission parameters, only low serum albumin levels (more prevalent in older patients), high international normalized ratio (INR) levels (more prevalent in younger patients), and neutropenia (more prevalent in the <30 age group) varied with age. During hospitalization, rates of bradycardia, hypoglycemia, liver dysfunction, very low %IBW, refeeding hypophosphatemia, refeeding edema, length of stay, and discharge BMI did not differ with age. Age group was associated with rate of weekly weight gain only in patients with AN-binge purge subtype. DISCUSSION: Results demonstrate medical abnormalities and response to medical stabilization in severely ill AN patients during hospitalization were mostly similar across the age span. This information should allay fears that the effect of age will make medical stabilization more difficult.

Liver dysfunction in patients with severe anorexia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of liver dysfunction in patients with severe anorexia nervosa (AN) has typically been limited to small case series. We report an investigation into the admission characteristics and clinical outcomes associated with liver dysfunction in a large cohort of adults hospitalized for medical stabilization of severe AN. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated electronic medical records to quantify the cumulative incidence of elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). We compared mean (±SD), frequencies (%), and median (IQR) values of clinical covariates of interest by incidence of liver enzyme elevation. The study included 181 adults, admitted for medical stabilization of AN, from October 1, 2008 to December 31, 2013. RESULTS: AST and ALT were mildly elevated in 27.6% of patients and severely elevated (more than three times the upper limit of normal) in 35.4% of patients. On admission, patients with severely elevated liver enzymes had a lower body mass index (BMI) (11.9 ± 1.8 kg/m(2) vs.13.3 ± 1.7 kg/m(2)), lower percentage ideal body weight (56.5% ± 7.7% vs. 63.5% ± 8.3%), and lower prealbumin (64% vs. 37%) compared with the rest of the cohort (p < 0.001). While hospitalized, patients with severely elevated liver enzymes more often developed hypoglycemia, hypophosphatemia, and experienced longer lengths of stay (p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: Elevated liver enzymes are common in our patient population with severe AN. Liver enzymes reached near normal values by the time of discharge. Severely elevated liver enzymes were associated with a lower BMI and the development of hypoglycemia.

Predictors of hypophosphatemia during refeeding of patients with severe anorexia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: Hypophosphatemia of refeeding is one of the most dangerous complications seen during the treatment of patients with anorexia nervosa. Although easily detectable and treatable, hypophosphatemia is under-recognized as a complication of refeeding. Specific risk factors for the development of hypophosphatemia are likely to exist among patients with severe anorexia nervosa. The purpose of this study was to identify clinically useful markers that may predict the development of or protection from hypophosphatemia during refeeding. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective case-control study of 123 patients with severe anorexia nervosa admitted for medical stabilization at the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders between October 1, 2008 and December 31, 2013. Risk factors for refeeding hypophosphatemia were determined by multivariate logistic regression from clinical parameters and laboratory values measured at the time of admission. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypophosphatemia was 33.3% (41 of 123 patients). Higher hemoglobin was the only risk factor associated with a higher odds of developing hypophosphatemia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.56 [95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-2.18]). Statistically significant protective factors against the development of hypophosphatemia were observed with higher body mass index (aOR, 0.54 [95% CI, 0.39-0.75]), higher serum potassium (aOR, 0.29 [95% CI, 0.14-0.62]), and higher serum prealbumin (aOR, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.84-0.99]). DISCUSSION: Four independent factors associated with refeeding hypophosphatemia were identified. Identification of findings which correlate with hypophosphatemia, or the lack thereof, has the potential to facilitate appropriate triage of patients with anorexia nervosa for closer monitoring during refeeding.

Use and diversion of medical marijuana among adults admitted to inpatient psychiatry.

BACKGROUND: Marijuana use is associated with anxiety, depressive, psychotic, neurocognitive, and substance use disorders. Many US states are legalizing marijuana for medical uses. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of medical marijuana use and diversion among psychiatric inpatients in Colorado. METHODS: Some 623 participants (54.6% male) responded to an anonymous 15-item discharge survey that assessed age, gender, marijuana use, possession of a medical marijuana card, diversion of medical marijuana, perceived substance use problems, and effects of marijuana use. Univariate statistics were used to characterize participants and their responses. Chi-square tests assessed factors associated with medical marijuana registration. RESULTS: Of the total number of respondents, 282 (47.6%) reported using marijuana in the last 12 months and 60 (15.1%) reported having a marijuana card. In comparison to survey respondents who denied having a medical marijuana card, those respondents with a medical marijuana card were more likely to have initiated use before the age of 25, to be male, to have used marijuana in the last 12 months, and to have used at least 20 days in the past month. 133 (24.1%) respondents reported that someone with a medical marijuana card had shared or sold medical marijuana to them; 24 (41.4%) of respondents with a medical marijuana card reported ever having shared or sold their medical marijuana. CONCLUSION: Medical marijuana use is much more prevalent among adults hospitalized with a psychiatric emergency than in the general population; diversion is common. Further studies which correlate amount, dose, duration, and strain of use with particular psychiatric disorders are needed.

Low prealbumin is a significant predictor of medical complications in severe anorexia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: Prealbumin levels have been proven to correlate with hospital length of stay, wound healing, infection rates, and mortality in adults hospitalized for medical or surgical purposes, or those who have chronic illnesses. Little is known about the utility of prealbumin evaluation in adults with severe anorexia nervosa (AN). METHOD: We retrospectively evaluated prealbumin levels, along with numerous other clinical parameters relevant to illness acuity and early refeeding outcomes, in 132 adults with AN admitted for definitive inpatient medical stabilization from October 1, 2008 to December 31, 2012. Per clinical protocol, prealbumin was checked on admission and approximately weekly thereafter until discharge. RESULTS: Patients had a median age of 28 years old, a mean admission body mass index (BMI) of 12.9 kg/m(2) (S.D. 6.1), and 89% of patients were women. A total of 47% of patients had a low prealbumin at the time of admission. By discharge, 77% of patients had normalized their prealbumin levels. Patients with low admission prealbumin levels had a threefold increased risk of refeeding hypophosphatemia and a twofold increase in hypoglycemia compared with patients who had a normal admission prealbumin, independent of admission BMI. DISCUSSION: A low serum prealbumin level appeared concurrent with other markers of serious medical compromise, and was associated with two potentially life threatening complications of early refeeding: hypophosphatemia and hypoglycemia. The cause of low prealbumin remains elusive. Prealbumin should be checked in patients with severe AN prior to initiating weight restoration, as low levels may be an important harbinger of early refeeding complications.

Severe anorexia nervosa in males: clinical presentations and medical treatment.

The clinical presentation and medical complications of severe anorexia nervosa among males were examined to further the understanding of this increasingly prevalent condition. Fourteen males were admitted to a medical stabilization unit over the study period. Males with severe anorexia nervosa were found to have a multitude of significant medical and laboratory abnormalities, which are in need of treatment via judicious, nutritional rehabilitation and weight restoration to prevent additional morbidity and to facilitate transfer and admission to traditional eating disorder programs.

Hematological abnormalities in severe anorexia nervosa.

Little is known about the prevalence of hematologic abnormalities in adults with severe anorexia nervosa. We report the first major analysis of hematologic dysfunction in such patients. We retrospectively analyzed the charts of 53 men and women with severe anorexia nervosa, admitted between October 2008 and December 2010 for medical stabilization to our center, which has a national referral base. Patients were predominantly female (89 %), with a median age of 28 years (range 17-65), and were hospitalized for a median duration of 15 days (I.Q.R. 9-29). Nadir body mass index during hospitalization was markedly low at 12.4 kg/m(2) (range 8.4-15.7), and the mean discharge BMI was 13.8 kg/m(2) (range 10.2-16.8). 83 % of patients were anemic (hematocrit <37 %), with only 3 (6 %) having iron deficiency. 79 % were leukopenic (WBC < 4.5 k/µL), 29 % were neutropenic (ANC < 1.0 k/µL), 25 % were thrombocytopenic (platelets < 150 k/µL), and 17 % of patients developed thrombocytosis (platelets > 400 k/µL) during their hospitalization. Eighty-nine percent of patients had resolved their neutropenia by discharge. Marked hematologic deficiencies are often present in patients with severe anorexia nervosa, generally attributed to starvation-mediated gelatinous marrow transformation which resolves with proper nutritional rehabilitation. Improved provider awareness of this association may reduce unnecessary testing and costly treatment interventions.

The Determining Effective Testing in Emergency Departments and Care Coordination on Treatment Outcomes (DETECT) for Hepatitis C (Hep C) Linkage-to-Care Trial: rationale and design of an emergency department-based randomized clinical trial of linkage-to-care strategies for hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C (HCV) poses a major public health problem in the USA. While early identification is a critical priority, subsequent linkage to a treatment specialist is a crucial step that bridges diagnosed patients to treatment, cure, and prevention of ongoing transmission. Emergency departments (EDs) serve as an important clinical setting for HCV screening, although optimal methods of linkage-to-care for HCV-diagnosed individuals remain unknown. In this article, we describe the rationale and design of The Determining Effective Testing in Emergency Departments and Care Coordination on Treatment Outcomes (DETECT) for Hepatitis C (Hep C) Linkage-to-Care Trial. METHODS: The DETECT Hep C Linkage-to-Care Trial will be a single-center prospective comparative effectiveness randomized two-arm parallel-group superiority trial to test the effectiveness of linkage navigation and clinician referral among ED patients identified with untreated HCV with a primary hypothesis that linkage navigation plus clinician referral is superior to clinician referral alone when using treatment initiation as the primary outcome. Participants will be enrolled in the ED at Denver Health Medical Center (Denver, CO), an urban, safety-net hospital with approximately 75,000 annual adult ED visits. This trial was designed to enroll a maximum of 280 HCV RNA-positive participants with one planned interim analysis based on methods by O'Brien and Fleming. This trial will further inform the evaluation of cost effectiveness, disparities, and social determinants of health in linkage-to-care, treatment, and disease progression. DISCUSSION: When complete, the DETECT Hep C Linkage-to-Care Trial will significantly inform how best to perform linkage-to-care among ED patients identified with HCV. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04026867 Original date: July 1, 2019 URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04026867.

The Determining Effective Testing in Emergency Departments and Care Coordination on Treatment Outcomes (DETECT) for Hepatitis C (Hep C) Screening Trial: rationale and design of a multi-center pragmatic randomized clinical trial of hepatitis C screening in emergency departments.

BACKGROUND: Early identification of HCV is a critical health priority, especially now that treatment options are available to limit further transmission and provide cure before long-term sequelae develop. Emergency departments (EDs) are important clinical settings for HCV screening given that EDs serve many at-risk patients who do not access other forms of healthcare. In this article, we describe the rationale and design of The Determining Effective Testing in Emergency Departments and Care Coordination on Treatment Outcomes (DETECT) for Hepatitis C (Hep C) Screening Trial. METHODS: The DETECT Hep C Screening Trial is a multi-center prospective pragmatic randomized two-arm parallel-group superiority trial to test the comparative effectiveness of nontargeted and targeted HCV screening in the ED with a primary hypothesis that nontargeted screening is superior to targeted screening when identifying newly diagnosed HCV. This trial will be performed in the EDs at Denver Health Medical Center (Denver, CO), Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore, MD), and the University of Mississippi Medical Center (Jackson, MS), sites representing approximately 225,000 annual adult visits, and designed using the PRECIS-2 framework for pragmatic trials. When complete, we will have enrolled a minimum of 125,000 randomized patient visits and have performed 13,965 HCV tests. In Denver, the Screening Trial will serve as a conduit for a distinct randomized comparative effectiveness trial to evaluate linkage-to-HCV care strategies. All sites will further contribute to embedded observational studies to assess cost effectiveness, disparities, and social determinants of health in screening, linkage-to-care, and treatment for HCV. DISCUSSION: When complete, The DETECT Hep C Screening Trial will represent the largest ED-based pragmatic clinical trial to date and all studies, in aggregate, will significantly inform how to best perform ED-based HCV screening. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04003454 . Registered on 1 July 2019.

Complement C3 serum levels in anorexia nervosa: a potential biomarker for the severity of disease?

BACKGROUND: Anorexia nervosa carries the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder. Even the most critically ill anorexic patients may present with normal 'standard' laboratory values, underscoring the need for a new sensitive biomarker. The complement cascade, a major component of innate immunity, represents a driving force in the pathophysiology of multiple inflammatory disorders. The role of complement in anorexia nervosa remains poorly understood. The present study was designed to evaluate the role of complement C3 levels, the extent of complement activation and of complement hemolytic activity in serum, as potential new biomarkers for the severity of anorexia nervosa. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study on 14 patients with severe anorexia nervosa, as defined by a body mass index (BMI) <14 kg/m2. Serum samples were obtained in a biweekly manner until hospital discharge. A total of 17 healthy subjects with normal BMI values served as controls. The serum levels of complement C3, C3a, C5a, sC5b-9, and of the 50% hemolytic complement activity (CH50) were quantified and correlated with the BMIs of patients and control subjects. RESULTS: Serum C3 levels were significantly lower in patients with anorexia nervosa than in controls (median 3.7 (interquartile range (IQR) 2.5-4.9) vs 11.4 (IQR 8.9-13.7, P <0.001). In contrast, complement activation fragments and CH50 levels were not significantly different between the two groups. There was a strong correlation between index C3 levels and BMI (Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.71, P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Complement C3 serum levels may represent a sensitive new biomarker for monitoring the severity of disease in anorexia nervosa. The finding from this preliminary pilot study will require further investigation in future prospective large-scale multicenter trials.

Comparison of HIV Screening Strategies in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The National HIV Strategic Plan for the US recommends HIV screening in emergency departments (EDs). The most effective approach to ED-based HIV screening remains unknown. Objective: To compare strategies for HIV screening when integrated into usual ED practice. Design, Setting, and Participants: This randomized clinical trial included patients visiting EDs at 4 US urban hospitals between April 2014 and January 2016. Patients included were ages 16 years or older, not critically ill or mentally altered, not known to have an HIV positive status, and with an anticipated length of stay 30 minutes or longer. Data were analyzed through March 2021. Interventions: Consecutive patients underwent concealed randomization to either nontargeted screening, enhanced targeted screening using a quantitative HIV risk prediction tool, or traditional targeted screening as adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Screening was integrated into clinical practice using opt-out consent and fourth-generation antigen-antibody assays. Main Outcomes and Measures: New HIV diagnoses using intention-to-treat analysis, absolute differences, and risk ratios (RRs). Results: A total of 76 561 patient visits were randomized; median (interquartile range) age was 40 (28-54) years, 34 807 patients (51.2%) were women, and 26 776 (39.4%) were Black, 22 131 (32.6%) non-Hispanic White, and 14 542 (21.4%) Hispanic. A total of 25 469 were randomized to nontargeted screening; 25 453, enhanced targeted screening; and 25 639, traditional targeted screening. Of the nontargeted group, 6744 participants (26.5%) completed testing and 10 (0.15%) were newly diagnosed; of the enhanced targeted group, 13 883 participants (54.5%) met risk criteria, 4488 (32.3%) completed testing, and 7 (0.16%) were newly diagnosed; and of the traditional targeted group, 7099 participants (27.7%) met risk criteria, 3173 (44.7%) completed testing, and 7 (0.22%) were newly diagnosed. When compared with nontargeted screening, targeted strategies were not associated with a higher rate of new diagnoses (enhanced targeted and traditional targeted combined: difference, -0.01%; 95% CI, -0.04% to 0.02%; RR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.30 to 1.56; P = .38; and enhanced targeted only: difference, -0.01%; 95% CI, -0.04% to 0.02%; RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.27 to 1.84; P = .47). Conclusions and Relevance: Targeted HIV screening was not superior to nontargeted HIV screening in the ED. Nontargeted screening resulted in significantly more tests performed, although all strategies identified relatively low numbers of new HIV diagnoses. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01781949.

Skin and soft-tissue infections requiring hospitalization at an academic medical center: opportunities for antimicrobial stewardship.

BACKGROUND: Although complicated skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) are among the most common infections requiring hospitalization, their clinical spectrum, management, and outcomes have not been well described. METHODS: We report a cohort of consecutive adult patients hospitalized for SSTI from 1 January through 31 December 2007 at an academic medical center. Cases meeting inclusion criteria were reviewed and classified as cellulitis, cutaneous abscess, or SSTI with additional complicating factors. RESULTS: In total, 322 patients were included; 66 (20%) had cellulitis, 103 (32%) had cutaneous abscess, and 153 (48%) had SSTI with additional complicating factors. Injection drug use, diabetes mellitus, and alcohol abuse were common comorbidities. Serum inflammatory markers were routinely measured and blood cultures and imaging studies were routinely performed in each group. Of 150 patients with a positive culture result for an abscess, deep tissue, or blood, Staphylococcus aureus or streptococci were identified in 145 (97%). Use of antibiotics with broad aerobic gram-negative activity (61%-80% of patients) or anaerobic activity (73%-83% of patients) was frequent in each group. The median duration of therapy for cellulitis, cutaneous abscess, and SSTI with additional complicating factors was 13 (interquartile range [IQR], 10-14), 13 (IQR, 10-16), and 14 (IQR, 11-17) days, respectively. Treatment failure, recurrence, or rehospitalization due to SSTI within 30 days occurred in 12.1%, 4.9%, and 9.2% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalizations for SSTI were common; more than half were due to cellulitis or cutaneous abscess. Frequent use of potentially unnecessary diagnostic studies, broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, and prolonged treatment courses in these patients suggest targets for antimicrobial stewardship programs.

Impact of routine infectious diseases service consultation on the evaluation, management, and outcomes of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia causes considerable morbidity and mortality, and strategies to improve management and outcomes of this disease are needed. METHODS: Routine consultation with an infectious diseases specialist for cases of S. aureus bacteremia was mandated at our institution in May 2005. We compared the evaluation, management, and outcomes of cases before and after this policy change. All comparisons are by period (i.e., before or after initiation of the policy of routine consultation). RESULTS: In the year before and the year after after the implementation of routine consultation, 134 and 100 cases of S. aureus bacteremia, respectively, were evaluated. Consultation rates increased from 53% of cases before to 90% of cases after the policy change (p < .001). Echocardiography (57% vs. 73%; p = .01) and radiographic studies (81% vs. 91%; p = .04) were used more frequently during the period of routine consultation, and infective endocarditis or metastatic infections were diagnosed more frequently (33% vs. 46%; p = .04). All 4 standards of care (removal of intravascular foci of infection, obtaining follow-up blood culture samples, use of parenteral beta-lactam therapy when possible, and administration of >/=28 days of therapy for complicated infections) were adhered to more frequently with routine consultation (40% vs. 74%; P <.001). Treatment failure (microbiological failure, recurrent bacteremia, late metastatic infection, or death) occurred less often during the intervention year (17% vs. 12%), but this difference was not statistically significant (p = .27). CONCLUSIONS: A policy of routine consultation with an infectious diseases specialist for patients with S. aureus bacteremia resulted in more-detailed evaluation, more-frequent detection of endocarditis and metastatic infection, and improved adherence to standards of care.

Validation of the Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis (MEDS) score in patients with the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS).

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively and externally validate the Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis (MEDS) score as a predictor of 28-day mortality in patients who present to the emergency department with a systemic inflammatory response syndrome. DESIGN: Multicentered prospective cohort study. SETTING: Emergency departments at the University of Colorado Hospital and Denver Health Medical Center in Denver, CO, and Albert Einstein Medical Center and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. SUBJECTS: Adult patients who presented to the emergency department, who met criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and who were admitted to the hospital. MEASUREMENTS: The MEDS score was calculated by recording the presence of terminal illness, tachypnea or hypoxemia, septic shock, platelet count <150,000 cells/mm3, band count as a percentage of total white blood cell count >5%, age >65 yrs, lower respiratory infection, nursing home residence, and altered mental status. OUTCOME: Mortality within 28 days or discharged alive from the hospital. RESULTS: In all, 385 patients were enrolled between 18 and 100 yrs of age. The overall mortality was 9%. As in the original article, the MEDS score was categorized into five groups: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high for 28-day mortality. Mortality rates for each group were 0.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0%-3%), 5% (95% CI, 1%-13%), 19% (95% CI, 11%-29%), 32% (95% CI, 15%-54%), and 40% (95% CI, 12%-74%), respectively. The MEDS score had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.88 (95% CI, 0.83-0.92). CONCLUSIONS: The MEDS score accurately predicts 28-day mortality in patients who present to the emergency department with systemic inflammatory response syndrome and who are admitted to the hospital.

High risk of osteoporosis in male patients with eating disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Osteoporosis has traditionally been considered a female problem. This study's purpose is to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) in males with eating disorders. METHOD: Charts of 70 consecutive males admitted to an eating disorder program were reviewed. Females admitted during the same time period were used for comparison. BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Thirty-six percent (19/53) had osteopenia and 26% (14/53) had osteoporosis at the lumbar spine. A disproportionate number of males with anorexia restricting or binge/purge subtype (ANR/ANB) had osteoporosis, as well as those of older age, lower weights, and longer illness duration. BMD for ANR and ANB males was significantly lower than females (p = .02 and p = .03, respectively). In multivariate stepwise linear and logistic regression, lowest BMI and illness duration predicted lumbar Z-scores. CONCLUSION: Males with ANR/ANB often have severe bone disease, which is worse than females, and is best predicted by a patient's lowest BMI and illness duration.

Epidemiologic, clinical, and economic evaluation of an outbreak of clonal multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infection in a surgical intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVES: To determine risk factors for acquisition of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii infection during an outbreak, to describe the clinical manifestations of infection, and to ascertain the cost of infection. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Surgical intensive care unit in a 400-bed urban teaching hospital and level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS: Case patients received a diagnosis of infection due to A. baumannii isolates with a unique pattern of drug resistance (ie, susceptible to imipenem, variably susceptible to aminoglycosides, and resistant to all other antibiotics) between December 1, 2004, and August 31, 2005. Case patients were matched 1 : 1 with concurrently hospitalized control patients. Isolates' genetic relatedness was established by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients met the inclusion criteria. Case and control patients were similar with respect to age, duration of hospitalization, and Charlson comorbidity score. MDR A. baumannii infections included ventilator-associated pneumonia (in 56.7% of patients), bacteremia (in 25.4%), postoperative wound infections (in 25.4%), central venous catheter-associated infections (in 20.9%), and urinary tract infections (in 10.4%). Conditional multiple logistic regression was used to determine statistically significant risk factors on the basis of results from the bivariate analyses. The duration of hospitalization and healthcare charges were modeled by multiple linear regression. Significant risk factors included higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (odds ratio [OR], 1.1 per point increase; P=.06), duration of intubation (OR, 1.4 per day intubated; P<.01), exposure to bronchoscopy (OR, 22.7; P=.03), presence of chronic pulmonary disease (OR, 77.7; P=.02), receipt of fluconazole (OR, 73.3; P<.01), and receipt of levofloxacin (OR, 11.5; P=.02). Case patients had a mean of $60,913 in attributable excess patient charges and a mean of 13 excess hospital days. INTERVENTIONS: Infection control measures included the following: limitations on the performance of pulsatile lavage wound debridement, the removal of items with upholstered surfaces, and the implementation of contact isolation for patients with suspected MDR A. baumannii infection. CONCLUSIONS: This large outbreak of infection due to clonal MDR A. baumannii caused significant morbidity and expense. Aerosolization of MDR A. baumannii during pulsatile lavage debridement of infected wounds and during the management of respiratory secretions from colonized and infected patients may promote widespread environmental contamination. Multifaceted infection control interventions were associated with a decrease in the number of MDR A. baumannii isolates recovered from patients.

Nonmydriatic fundus camera for diabetic retinopathy screening in a safety net hospital: effectiveness, prevalence, and risk factors.

PURPOSE: To evaluate diabetic retinopathy (DR) prevalence and risk factors, and the effectiveness of nonmydriatic fundus camera as a screening tool for the detection of DR, in a safety net hospital. METHODS: This was a retrospective, population-based, cross-sectional study. Diabetic patients, referred by their primary care physicians to a DR community screening program, were included. A Topcon TRC NW-6S camera was used to obtain 45-degree digital color fundus images. Images were interpreted by retina specialists using a quality rating system. Patients with retinal findings or unreadable photographs were referred for a complete examination. Outcome measures were attendance rates, photograph quality, DR prevalence, and associated risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 948 diabetic patients were sent for camera screening, with an attendance rate of 65.6%, which increased during the study period. The mean age was 55.8 ± 11.6 years, the majority (56.9%) were Hispanic, and 43.5% were uninsured. Overall photograph quality rating was relatively high, with 81.7% graded as good or fair. Thirty photographs (2.9%) were unreadable. The prevalence of newly diagnosed DR was 11.1%. Independent DR-associated risk factors included Hispanic race (odds ratio [OR] = 2.29), lack of health insurance (OR = 2.49), longer duration of diabetes (OR = 1.07), higher HbA1c levels (OR = 1.19), presence of diabetic complications (OR = 2.93), and lack of previous eye examination (OR = 13.22). CONCLUSIONS: Nonmydriatic fundus camera is an effective and feasible screening tool for the early detection of DR in a safety net institution. It should be considered in areas with limited access to health care to improve quality of care and potentially reduce vision loss rates.