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The harmless acute pancreatitis score: a clinical algorithm for rapid initial stratification of nonsevere disease.

Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2009 Jun;7(6):702-5; quiz 607

Authors: Lankisch PG, Weber-Dany B, Hebel K, Maisonneuve P, Lowenfels AB

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Only severe acute pancreatitis requires treatment, according to the principles of intensive care medicine in an intensive care or intermediate care unit. The aim of the study was to define and evaluate a simple clinical algorithm for rapid initial identification of patients with a first attack of acute pancreatitis who do not require intensive care. METHODS: This prospective study included 394 patients who were admitted to the Municipal Clinic of Lüneburg, Germany, between 1987 and 2003. From a number of parameters of disease severity on admission, 3 parameters that showed the strongest prediction of a nonsevere course (no rebound tenderness and/or guarding, normal hematocrit level, and normal serum creatinine level) were combined to form the harmless acute pancreatitis score (HAPS). The score then was validated in a German multicenter study including 452 patients between 2004 and 2006. RESULTS: In both the initial and the validation set, the HAPS correlated with a nonsevere course of the disease (P < .0001). The score correctly identified a harmless course in 200 (98%) of 204 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The HAPS enables identification, within approximately 30 minutes after admission, of patients with acute pancreatitis whose disease will run a mild course. The high level of accuracy of this test (98%) will allow physicians to identify patients quickly who do not require intensive care, and potentially those who will not require inpatient treatment at all. Thus, the HAPS may save substantial hospital costs.

PMID: 19245846 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Inpatient to outpatient transfer of diabetes care: planing for an effective hospital discharge.

Endocr Pract. 2009 May-Jun;15(3):263-9

Authors: Cook CB, Seifert KM, Hull BP, Hovan MJ, Charles JC, Miller-Cage V, Boyle ME, Harris JK, Magallanez JM, Littman SD

OBJECTIVE: To review data on diabetes discharge planning, provide a definition of an effective diabetes discharge, and summarize one institution’s diabetes discharge planning processes in a teaching hospital. METHODS: We performed a MEDLINE search of the English-language literature published between January 1998 and December 2007 for articles related to the inpatient to outpatient transition of diabetes care. Regulatory guidelines about discharge planning were reviewed. We also analyzed our institution’s procedures regarding hospital discharge. RESULTS: We define an effective diabetes discharge as one where the patient has received the necessary skills training and been provided with a clear and understandable postdischarge plan for diabetes care that has been clearly documented and is accessible by the patient’s outpatient health care team. Diabetes is one of the most common conditions managed in the hospital, yet how to transition a patient with diabetes to the outpatient setting is understudied, and the outcome of patients with diabetes after discharge is unknown. Strategies that can be used to ensure an effective diabetes discharge are early identification of patients in need of education, implementation of a clinical pathway, and clear instructions about medications and follow-up appointments at the time of discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Effective transfer of care from the inpatient to the outpatient setting remains a priority in the United States. Studies are needed to better define how best to ensure that patients with diabetes are successfully transitioned to ambulatory care.

PMID: 19364697 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Ultrasound assessment of antibiotic-induced pulmonary reaeration in ventilator-associated pneumonia*

Crit Care Med. 2009 Jul 23;

Authors: Bouhemad B, Liu ZH, Arbelot C, Zhang M, Ferarri F, Le-Guen M, Girard M, Lu Q, Rouby JJ

OBJECTIVES:: To compare lung reaeration measured by bedside chest radiography, lung computed tomography, and lung ultrasound in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia treated by antibiotics. DESIGN:: Computed tomography, chest radiography, and lung ultrasound were performed before (day 0) and 7 days following initiation of antibiotics. SETTING:: A 26-bed multidisciplinary intensive care unit in La Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital (University Paris-6). PATIENTS:: Thirty critically ill patients studied over the first 10 days of developing ventilator-associated pneumonia. INTERVENTIONS:: Antibiotic administration. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:: Computed tomography reaeration was measured as the additional volume of gas present within both lungs following 7 days of antimicrobial therapy. Lung ultrasound of the entire chest wall was performed and four entities were defined: consolidation; multiple irregularly spaced B-lines and multiple abutting ultrasound lung "comets" issued from the pleural line or a small subpleural consolidation; normal aeration. For each of the 12 regions examined, ultrasound changes were measured between day 0 and 7 and a reaeration score was calculated. An ultrasound score >5 was associated with a computed tomography reaeration >400 mL and a successful antimicrobial therapy. An ultrasound score <-10 was associated with a loss of computed tomography aeration >400 mL and a failure of antibiotics. A highly significant correlation was found between computed tomography and ultrasound lung reaeration (Rho = 0.85, p < .0001). Chest radiography was inaccurate in predicting lung reaeration. CONCLUSIONS:: Lung reaeration can be accurately estimated with bedside lung ultrasound in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia treated by antibiotics. Lung ultrasound can also detect the failure of antibiotics to reaerate the lung.

PMID: 19633538 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Small bowel endoscopic enteral access.

Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2009 Mar;25(2):155-9

Authors: Freeman C, Delegge MH

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Small bowel endoscopic enteral access is perceived as difficult. However, small bowel access is necessary for patients who are unable to tolerate gastric feedings. This review discusses the successes and challenges involved with endoscopic small bowel tube placement in various populations using a variety of placement techniques. RECENT FINDINGS: In general, direct percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (DPEJ) is becoming a more common procedure performed to obtain small bowel enteral access. BMI may be a useful predictor of DPEJ tube placement success and complication rates. A retrospective review determined that DPEJ tube placement significantly decreased the incidence of aspiration pneumonia in patients with previous recurrent aspiration pneumonia episodes. DPEJ is an effective method of providing enteral nutrition for patients when percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is not indicated because of anatomical or gastric function abnormalities. However, there are known complications of DPEJ, including small bowel volvulus. Nasojejunal tubes also can provide enteral access to the small intestine. Endoscopic insertion of nasojejunal tubes promotes decreased length of hospital stay and early initiation of enteral feedings as compared with bedside self-migrating jejunal tubes in patients with severe acute pancreatitis. Endoscopically placed small bowel feeding tubes can safely deliver enteral nutrition to patients when gastric feedings are not indicated. SUMMARY: Continued evaluation of endoscopic jejunal tube placement methods and associated clinical outcomes in assorted populations is necessary to determine the safest and most effective technique.

PMID: 19528883 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Updated evidence-based treatment algorithm in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

J Am Coll Cardiol. 2009 Jun 30;54(1 Suppl):S78-84

Authors: Barst RJ, Gibbs JS, Ghofrani HA, Hoeper MM, McLaughlin VV, Rubin LJ, Sitbon O, Tapson VF, Galiè N

Uncontrolled and controlled clinical trials with different compounds and procedures are reviewed to define the risk-benefit profiles for therapeutic options in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). A grading system for the level of evidence of treatments based on the controlled clinical trials performed with each compound is used to propose an evidence-based treatment algorithm. The algorithm includes drugs approved by regulatory agencies for the treatment of PAH and/or drugs available for other indications. The different treatments have been evaluated mainly in idiopathic PAH, heritable PAH, and in PAH associated with the scleroderma spectrum of diseases or with anorexigen use. Extrapolation of these recommendations to other PAH subgroups should be done with caution. Oral anticoagulation is proposed for most patients; diuretic treatment and supplemental oxygen are indicated in cases of fluid retention and hypoxemia, respectively. High doses of calcium-channel blockers are indicated only in the minority of patients who respond to acute vasoreactivity testing. Nonresponders to acute vasoreactivity testing or responders who remain in World Health Organization (WHO) functional class III, should be considered candidates for treatment with either an oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor or an oral endothelin-receptor antagonist. Continuous intravenous administration of epoprostenol remains the treatment of choice in WHO functional class IV patients. Combination therapy is recommended for patients treated with PAH monotherapy who remain in WHO functional class III. Atrial septostomy and lung transplantation are indicated for refractory patients or where medical treatment is unavailable.

PMID: 19555861 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Management and treatment of patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension: recommendations from the Department of Veterans Affairs Hepatitis C Resource Center Program and the National Hepatitis C Program.

Am J Gastroenterol. 2009 Jul;104(7):1802-29

Authors: Garcia-Tsao G, Lim JK, Lim J,

Cirrhosis represents the end stage of any chronic liver disease. Hepatitis C and alcohol are currently the main causes of cirrhosis in the United States. Although initially cirrhosis is compensated, it eventually becomes decompensated, as defined by the presence of ascites, variceal hemorrhage, encephalopathy, and/or jaundice. These management recommendations are divided according to the status, compensated or decompensated, of the cirrhotic patient, with a separate section for the screening, diagnosis, and management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as this applies to patients with both compensated and decompensated cirrhosis. In the compensated patient, the main objective is to prevent variceal hemorrhage and any practice that could lead to decompensation. In the decompensated patient, acute variceal hemorrhage and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis are severe complications that require hospitalization. Hepatorenal syndrome is also a severe complication of cirrhosis but one that usually occurs in patients who are already in the hospital and, as it represents an extreme of the hemodynamic alterations that lead to ascites formation, it is placed under treatment of ascites. Recent advances in the pathophysiology of the complications of cirrhosis have allowed for a more rational management of cirrhosis and also for the stratification of patients into different risk groups that require different management. These recommendations are based on evidence in the literature, mainly from randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses of these trials. When few or no data exist from well-designed prospective trials, emphasis is given to results from large series and consensus conferences with involvement of recognized experts. A rational management of cirrhosis will result in improvements in quality of life, treatment adherence, and, ultimately, in outcomes.

PMID: 19455106 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Cardiac positron emission tomography.

J Am Coll Cardiol. 2009 Jun 30;54(1):1-15

Authors: Bengel FM, Higuchi T, Javadi MS, Lautamäki R

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a powerful, quantitative imaging modality that has been used for decades to noninvasively investigate cardiovascular biology and physiology. Due to limited availability, methodologic complexity, and high costs, it has long been seen as a research tool and as a reference method for validation of other diagnostic approaches. This perception, fortunately, has changed significantly within recent years. Increasing diversity of therapeutic options for coronary artery disease, and increasing specificity of novel therapies for certain biologic pathways, has resulted in a clinical need for more accurate and specific diagnostic techniques. At the same time, the number of PET centers continues to grow, stimulated by PET’s success in oncology. Methodologic advances as well as improved radiotracer availability have further contributed to more widespread use. Evidence for diagnostic and prognostic usefulness of myocardial perfusion and viability assessment by PET is increasing. Some studies suggest overall cost-effectiveness of the technique despite higher costs of a single study, because unnecessary follow-up procedures can be avoided. The advent of hybrid PET-computed tomography (CT), which enables integration of PET-derived biologic information with multislice CT-derived morphologic information, and the key role of PET in the development and translation of novel molecular-targeted imaging compounds, have further contributed to more widespread acceptance. Today, PET promises to play a leading diagnostic role on the pathway toward a future of high-powered, comprehensive, personalized, cardiovascular medicine. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art in current imaging methodology and clinical application, and outlines novel developments and future directions.

PMID: 19555834 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Therapy for acute heart failure syndromes.

Curr Cardiol Rep. 2009 May;11(3):192-201

Authors: Donlan SM, Quattromani E, Pang PS, Gheorghiade M

The pharmacologic management of acute heart failure syndromes (AHFS) has changed little over the past 15 years. Traditional therapies, such as nitrates and loop diuretics, remain the mainstay of therapy, with inotropes reserved for patients who present in shock or an advanced low-output state. We review the use of these therapies in AHFS with added insights from recent clinical trials and registry data.

PMID: 19379639 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Management of stable angina.

BMJ. 2009;339:b2789

Authors: Yusuf S, Natarajan M, Karthikeyan G, Taggart D

PMID: 19617264 [PubMed - in process]

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Strain relatedness of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates recovered from patients with repeated bacteraemia.

Clin Microbiol Infect. 2009 Jul 15;

Authors: Liao CH, Lai CC, Chen SY, Huang YT, Hsueh PR

Information on the relatedness of isolates causing repeated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteraemia is limited. An observational study of 177 patients with MRSA bacteraemia, admitted to the emergency department of National Taiwan University Hospital, was conducted from January 2001 to June 2006. Among these patients, 28 had a previous episode of MRSA bacteraemia and 59 died during the index episode of bacteraemia. Until December 2007, among the 118 patients who survived the index episode (101 without previous bacteraemia and 17 with previous bacteraemia), 24 (20.3%) had repeated MRSA bacteraemia. The duration from discontinuation of antimicrobial therapy to repeat episodes was in the range 35-854 days (median 86 days). Eight patients (33.3%) died as a result of the second bacteraemic episode. Clinical characteristics associated with repeated bacteraemia included the diagnosis of infective endocarditis and active malignancy. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing analysis were performed for 32 pairs of available isolates recovered from patients with repeated bacteraemia and revealed that 29 of them (90.6%) were genetically closely-related strains. The majority of patients with repeated MRSA bacteraemia had recurrent infections and a high mortality rate.

PMID: 19614716 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Usefulness of intra-aortic balloon pump counterpulsation in patients with cardiogenic shock from acute myocardial infarction.

Am J Cardiol. 2009 Aug 1;104(3):327-32

Authors: Cheng JM, Valk SD, den Uil CA, van der Ent M, Lagrand WK, van de Sande M, van Domburg RT, Simoons ML

Although intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) counterpulsation is increasingly being used for the treatment of patients with cardiogenic shock from acute myocardial infarction, data on the long-term outcomes are lacking. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the 30-day and long-term mortality and to identify predictors for 30-day and long-term all-cause mortality of patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock who were treated with IABP. From January 1990 to June 2004, 300 consecutive patients treated with IABP were included. The mean age of the study population was 61 +/- 11 years, and 79% of the patients were men. The survival rate until IABP removal after successful hemodynamic stabilization was 70% (n = 211). The overall cumulative 30-day survival rate was 58%. The 30-day mortality rate decreased over time from 52% in 1990 to 1994 to 36% in 2000 to 2004 (p for trend <0.05). Follow-up ranged from 0 to 15 years. In patients who survived until IABP removal, the cumulative 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival rate was 69%, 58%, and 36%, respectively. The adjusted predictors of long-term mortality were arrhythmias during the intensive cardiac care unit stay (hazard ratio [HR] 1.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2 to 2.9) and renal failure during the intensive cardiac care unit stay (HR 2.5, 95% CI 1.3 to 5.1). After adjustment, treatment with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (HR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3 to 0.9) and coronary artery bypass grafting (HR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.8) were associated with lower long-term mortality. In conclusion, in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock treated with IABP, the 30-day survival improved with time and an encouraging number of patients survived in the long term.

PMID: 19616662 [PubMed - in process]

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Pulmonary artery catheterization in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Am Heart J. 2009 Aug;158(2):170-6

Authors: Ruisi CP, Goldberg RJ, Kennelly BM, Goodman SG, Lopez-Sendon J, Granger CB, Avezum A, Eagle KA, FitzGerald G, Gore JM,

BACKGROUND: There are limited recent data evaluating the use of the pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) in patients hospitalized with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Using data from the multinational Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events, we examined trends in PAC use among patients hospitalized for an ACS and the association between PAC and hospital outcomes. METHODS: Trends in PAC utilization between 2000 and 2007 were examined through the review of data contained in hospital medical records. We identified factors associated with PAC utilization and compared differences in the length of hospitalization and in-hospital death rates between patients undergoing PAC during the index hospitalization (PAC+, n = 2,879) and those managed without PAC (PAC-, n = 56,091). RESULTS: The utilization of PAC during hospitalization for an ACS declined over time such that 3.0% of patients underwent PAC in 2007 compared with 5.4% in 2000. Admission Killip classification was the strongest factor associated with PAC insertion. The duration of hospitalization was significantly longer among PAC+ (median = 10.0 days) as compared with PAC- patients (median = 5.0 days). In-hospital death rates were significantly higher among PAC+ patients after adjustment for differences in baseline characteristics (odds ratio 4.00, 95% CI 3.41-4.70). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of PAC utilization in “real-world” patients hospitalized with ACS has declined during recent years. Our finding of increased in-hospital mortality among patients undergoing PAC is consistent with prior studies and may further challenge the efficacy of PAC in the setting of ACS.

PMID: 19619691 [PubMed - in process]

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Trends in the use of echocardiography and left ventriculography to assess left ventricular ejection fraction in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction.

Am Heart J. 2009 Aug;158(2):185-92

Authors: Joffe SW, Chalian A, Tighe DA, Aurigemma GP, Yarzebski J, Gore JM, Lessard D, Goldberg RJ

BACKGROUND: Although current guidelines strongly recommend the measurement of ejection fraction (EF) in all patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), there are limited data available describing trends in the use of diagnostic modalities to assess EF in these patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate trends in the use of ventriculography and echocardiography to measure EF in a community sample of patients hospitalized with AMI. METHODS: The medical records of 5,380 residents of the Worcester (MA) metropolitan area hospitalized with AMI at 11 greater Worcester medical centers between 1997 and 2005 were reviewed. RESULTS: Between 1997 and 2005, the proportion of patients hospitalized with AMI undergoing measurement of EF by both ventriculography and echocardiography increased from 11% to 18%, whereas the percentage of patients who did not receive an evaluation of EF by either modality decreased from 37% to 27%. The percentage of patients undergoing measurement of EF by ventriculography alone increased from 14% to 20%, whereas the percentage of patients undergoing measurement of EF by echocardiography alone remained stable at 37%. In 1997, echocardiography was performed before ventriculography in approximately two thirds of hospitalized patients, whereas in 2005, ventriculography was performed before echocardiography in approximately two thirds of patients with AMI. CONCLUSIONS: The use of left ventriculography and the concurrent use of both ventriculography and echocardiography to assess EF in patients with AMI are increasing. Although the proportion of patients who do not have their EF assessed has declined during recent years, many still do not receive a determination of their EF.

PMID: 19619693 [PubMed - in process]

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Relation of porphyria to atrial fibrillation.

Am J Cardiol. 2009 Aug 1;104(3):373-6

Authors: Dhoble A, Patel MB, Abdelmoneim SS, Puttarajappa C, Abela GS, Bhatt DL, Thakur RK

Porphyrias are a group of inherited disorders affecting enzymes in the heme biosynthesis pathway, leading to overproduction and/or accumulation of porphyrin or its precursors. Porphyrias have been associated with autonomic dysfunction, which in turn can develop atrial fibrillation (AF). The purpose of this study was to characterize the prevalence of AF and atrial flutter (AFl) in patients with porphyrias. A single-center retrospective cohort study was designed using data from chart reviews of patients who were admitted to the hospital from January 2000 to June 2008. Fifty-six distinct cases were found with a discharge diagnosis of porphyria including all its subtypes. From the same database, age- and gender-matched controls were identified using computer-generated random numbers. We selected 1 age- and gender-matched control for each case. Electrocardiograms and echocardiograms were reviewed by 2 independent reviewers. Only patients with available 12-lead electrocardiograms that showed AF/AFl were labeled with that diagnosis. All patients with a diagnosis of porphyria were included in the study irrespective of their age. Seven of 56 patients with porphyria met inclusion criteria, yielding a prevalence of AF/AFl of 12.5%. This association was significant (p = 0.028, relative risk 7.45, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 66.14) compared with the age- and gender-matched control group (2%). In conclusion, our observations suggest that porphyria may be significantly associated with AF/AFl.

PMID: 19616670 [PubMed - in process]

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Effect of work-hours regulations on intensive care unit mortality in United States teaching hospitals*

Crit Care Med. 2009 Jul 20;

Authors: Prasad M, Iwashyna TJ, Christie JD, Kramer AA, Silber JH, Volpp KG, Kahn JM

OBJECTIVES:: To examine the association of the resident work-hours reform with mortality for patients in medical and surgical intensive care units. The United States instituted restrictions on resident work-hours in July 2003. The clinical impact of this reform on critically ill patients is unknown. DESIGN:: A retrospective cohort study, comparing mortality trends before and after July 1, 2003, in teaching and nonteaching hospitals. SETTING AND PATIENTS:: The study included 230,151 adult patients admitted to 104 different intensive care units at 40 hospitals participating in the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation IV clinical information system from July 1, 2001, to June 30, 2005. INTERVENTIONS:: —. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:: The primary exposure was the date of admission, relative to the implementation of the work-hours regulations. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality; a secondary outcome was intensive care unit mortality. The analysis included 79,377 patients in 12 academic hospitals; 73,580 patients in 12 community hospitals with residents; and 77,194 patients in 16 nonteaching hospitals. Risk-adjusted mortality improved in hospitals of all teaching levels during the study period. There were no significant differences in the mortality trends between hospitals of different teaching intensities, as demonstrated by nonsignificant interaction between time and teaching status (global test of interaction, p = .56). CONCLUSIONS:: There was a decrease in in-hospital mortality in intensive care unit patients during the years of observation. This decrease was not associated with hospital teaching status, suggesting no net positive or negative association of the resident work-hours regulations with a major patient-centered outcome.

PMID: 19623042 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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