scholarly journals Variability of renal colic management and outcomes in two Canadian cities

CJEM ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 702-712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant Innes ◽  
Andrew McRae ◽  
Eric Grafstein ◽  
Michael Law ◽  
Joel M. H. Teichman ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBackgroundSome centres favour early intervention for ureteral colic while others prefer trial of spontaneous passage, and relative outcomes are poorly described. Calgary and Vancouver have similar populations and physician expertise, but differing approaches to ureteral colic. We studied 60-day hospitalization and intervention rates for patients having a first emergency department (ED) visit for ureteral colic in these diverse systems.MethodsWe used administrative data and structured chart review to study all Vancouver and Calgary patients with an index visit for ureteral colic during 2014. Patient demographics, arrival characteristics and triage category were captured from ED information systems, while ED visits and admissions were captured from linked regional hospital databases. Laboratory results were obtained from electronic health records and stone characteristics were abstracted from diagnostic imaging reports. Our primary outcome was hospitalization or urological intervention from 0 to 60 days. Secondary outcomes included ED revisits, readmissions and rescue interventions. Time to event analysis was conducted and Cox Proportional Hazards modelling was performed to adjust for covariate imbalance.ResultsWe studied 3283 patients with CT-defined stones. Patient and stone characteristics were similar for the cities. Hospitalization or intervention occurred in 60.9% of Calgary patients and 31.3% of Vancouver patients (p<0.001). Calgary patients had higher index intervention rates (52.1% v. 7.5%), and experienced more ED revisits and hospital readmissions during follow-up. The data suggest that outcome events were associated with overtreatment of small stones in one city and undertreatment of large stones in the other.ConclusionsAn early interventional approach was associated with higher ED revisit, hospitalization and intervention rates. If these events are markers of patient disability, then a less interventional approach to small stones and earlier definitive management of large stones may reduce system utilization and improve outcomes for patients with acute ureteral colic.

CJEM ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (S1) ◽  
pp. S45
Author(s):  
G. Innes ◽  
A. McRae ◽  
E. Grafstein ◽  
J. Andruchow ◽  
M. Law ◽  
...  

Introduction: The optimal initial management approach for ureteral colic is unclear. Guidelines recommend spontaneous passage for most patients, but early stone intervention may rapidly terminate acute episodes. We compared 60-day treatment failure rates in matched patients undergoing early intervention versus spontaneous passage. Methods: We used administrative data and structured chart review to study all emergency department (ED) patients at nine Canadian hospitals who had an index ureteral colic visit and a computed tomography (CT) confirmed 2.0-9.9 mm stone during 2014. Using Cox Proportional Hazards models, we assessed 60-day treatment failure, defined as hospitalization or rescue intervention, in patients undergoing early intervention compared to propensity-score matched controls undergoing trial of spontaneous passage. Results: From 3,081 eligible patients, mean age 51 years and 70% male, we matched 577 patients in each group (total 1154). Control and intervention cohorts were balanced on all parameters and propensity scores, which reflect the conditional probability a patient would undergo early intervention, were similarly distributed. In the time to event analysis, 21.8% in both groups experienced the composite primary outcome of treatment failure (difference = 0%; 95% CI, -4.8 to 4.8%). Early intervention patients required more ED revisits (36.1% v. 25.5%; difference 10.6%; 95% CI 5.3 to 15.9%) and more 60-day hospitalizations (20.1% v. 12.8%). The strongest predictors of adverse outcome were stone size, proximal or middle stone location, and ED length of stay. Conclusion: If applied broadly to patients with 2.0-9.9mm ureteral stones, an early interventional approach was associated with similar rates of treatment failure, but more hospitalizations and emergency revisits. Research clarifying subgroups most likely to benefit will facilitate better targeting of early intervention, potentially reducing patient morbidity and improving system utilization.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. M. J. Krishna ◽  
T. Traison ◽  
Sejil Mariya Sebastian ◽  
Preethi Sara George ◽  
Aleyamma Mathew

Abstract Objectives: In time to event analysis, the risk for an event is usually estimated using Cox proportional hazards (CPH) model. But CPH model has the limitation of biased estimate due to unobserved hidden heterogeneity among the covariates, which can be tackled using frailty models. The best models were usually being identified using Akaike information criteria (AIC). Apart from AIC, the present study aimed to assess predictability of risk models using survival concordance measure. Methods: CPH model and frailty models were used to estimate the risk for breast cancer patient survival, and the frailty variable was assumed to follow gamma distribution. Schoenfeld global test was used to check the proportionality assumption. Survival concordance, AIC and simulation studies were used to identify the significance of frailty. Results: From the univariate analysis it was observed that for the covariate age, the frailty has a significant role (θ = 2.758, p-value: 0.0004) and the corresponding hazard rate was 1.93 compared to that of 1.38 for CPH model (age > 50 vs. ≤ 40). Also the covariates radiotherapy and chemotherapy were found to be significant (θ = 5.944, p-value: <0.001 and θ = 16, p-value: <0.001 respectively). Even though there were only minor differences in hazard rates, the concordance was higher for frailty than CPH model for all the covariates. Further the simulation study showed that the bias and root mean square error (RMSE) obtained for both the methods was almost the same and the concordance measures were higher for frailty model by 12–15%. Conclusions: We conclude that the frailty model is better compared to CPH model as it can account for unobserved random heterogeneity, and if the frailty coefficient doesn’t have an effect it gives exactly the same risk as that of CPH model and this has been established using survival concordance.


Gut ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M Stark ◽  
Apryl Susi ◽  
Jill Emerick ◽  
Cade M Nylund

ObjectiveGut microbiota alterations are associated with obesity. Early exposure to medications, including acid suppressants and antibiotics, can alter gut biota and may increase the likelihood of developing obesity. We investigated the association of antibiotic, histamine-2 receptor antagonist (H2RA) and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) prescriptions during early childhood with a diagnosis of obesity.DesignWe performed a cohort study of US Department of Defense TRICARE beneficiaries born from October 2006 to September 2013. Exposures were defined as having any dispensed prescription for antibiotic, H2RA or PPI medications in the first 2 years of life. A single event analysis of obesity was performed using Cox proportional hazards regression.Results333 353 children met inclusion criteria, with 241 502 (72.4%) children prescribed an antibiotic, 39 488 (11.8%) an H2RA and 11 089 (3.3%) a PPI. Antibiotic prescriptions were associated with obesity (HR 1.26; 95% CI 1.23 to 1.28). This association persisted regardless of antibiotic class and strengthened with each additional class of antibiotic prescribed. H2RA and PPI prescriptions were also associated with obesity, with a stronger association for each 30-day supply prescribed. The HR increased commensurately with exposure to each additional medication group prescribed.ConclusionsAntibiotics, acid suppressants and the combination of multiple medications in the first 2 years of life are associated with a diagnosis of childhood obesity. Microbiota-altering medications administered in early childhood may influence weight gain.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Augusto Di Castelnuovo ◽  
Simona Costanzo ◽  
Andrea Antinori ◽  
Nausicaa Berselli ◽  
Lorenzo Blandi ◽  
...  

Background: Protease inhibitors have been considered as possible therapeutic agents for COVID-19 patients.Objectives: To describe the association between lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) or darunavir/cobicistat (DRV/c) use and in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients.Study Design: Multicenter observational study of COVID-19 patients admitted in 33 Italian hospitals. Medications, preexisting conditions, clinical measures, and outcomes were extracted from medical records. Patients were retrospectively divided in three groups, according to use of LPV/r, DRV/c or none of them. Primary outcome in a time-to event analysis was death. We used Cox proportional-hazards models with inverse probability of treatment weighting by multinomial propensity scores.Results: Out of 3,451 patients, 33.3% LPV/r and 13.9% received DRV/c. Patients receiving LPV/r or DRV/c were more likely younger, men, had higher C-reactive protein levels while less likely had hypertension, cardiovascular, pulmonary or kidney disease. After adjustment for propensity scores, LPV/r use was not associated with mortality (HR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.13), whereas treatment with DRV/c was associated with a higher death risk (HR = 1.89, 1.53 to 2.34, E-value = 2.43). This increased risk was more marked in women, in elderly, in patients with higher severity of COVID-19 and in patients receiving other COVID-19 drugs.Conclusions: In a large cohort of Italian patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in a real-life setting, the use of LPV/r treatment did not change death rate, while DRV/c was associated with increased mortality. Within the limits of an observational study, these data do not support the use of LPV/r or DRV/c in COVID-19 patients.


Author(s):  
Amyn A Malik ◽  
Mercedes C Becerra ◽  
Timothy L Lash ◽  
Lisa M Cranmer ◽  
Saad B Omer ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Completion of tuberculosis (TB) preventive treatment is important to optimize efficacy; treatment-related adverse events (AEs) sometimes result in discontinuation. This study describes the occurrence of AEs and their risk factors during a 6-month, 2-drug, fluoroquinolone-based preventive treatment for household contacts of patients with drug-resistant TB in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods The primary outcome was development of any clinical AE during preventive treatment. Adverse events were categorized using the AE grading tables of the National Institutes of Health. Time-to-event analysis with Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models accounting for recurrence were used to analyze associated risk factors. Results Of the 172 household contacts on preventive treatment, 36 (21%) developed 64 AEs during 813 months of treatment. The incidence of AEs over 6 months of treatment was 7.9 per 100 person-months; 16 per 100 person-months with a fluoroquinolone and ethionamide, and 4.4 per 100 person-months with a fluoroquinolone and ethambutol. There were 53 (83%) grade 1 and 11 grade 2 AEs, with no grade 3 or 4 AEs. In multivariable analysis, the risk of AEs was higher in contacts prescribed ethionamide as compared to ethambutol adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.1 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.2–3.6]). Overall, there was no notable difference in treatment completion among the contacts who experienced an AE and those who did not (crude odds ratio, 1.1 [95% CI, .52–2.5]). Conclusions A fluoroquinolone-based preventive treatment regimen for drug-resistant TB exposure is well tolerated. Regimens with ethionamide are more likely to result in AEs.


Author(s):  
Francesca Ghilotti ◽  
Rino Bellocco ◽  
Weimin Ye ◽  
Hans-Olov Adami ◽  
Ylva Trolle Lagerros

Abstract Background Previous studies have shown an association between body mass index (BMI) and infections, but the literature on type-specific community acquired infections is still limited. Methods We included 39 163 Swedish adults who completed a questionnaire in September 1997 and were followed through record-linkages until December 2016. Information on BMI was self-reported and infections were identified from the Swedish National Patient Register using International Classification of Diseases (ICD), Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes. We fitted multivariable Cox proportional hazards models for time-to-first-event analysis, and we used extensions of the standard Cox model when repeated events were included. Results During a 19-year follow-up 32% of the subjects had at least one infection requiring health care contact, leading to a total of 27 675 events. We found an increased incidence of any infection in obese women [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.22; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.12; 1.33] and obese men (HR = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.09; 1.43) compared with normal weight subjects. For specific infections, higher incidences were observed for skin infections in both genders (HR = 1.76; 95% CI = 1.47; 2.12 for obese females and HR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.33; 2.28 for obese males) and gastrointestinal tract infections (HR = 1.44; 95% CI = 1.19; 1.75), urinary tract infections (HR = 1.30; 95% CI = 1.08; 1.55) and sepsis (HR = 2.09; 95% CI = 1.46; 2.99) in obese females. When accounting for repeated events, estimates similar to the aforementioned ones were found. Conclusions Obesity was associated with an increased risk of infections in both genders. Results from multiple-failure survival analysis were consistent with those from classic Cox models.


2016 ◽  
Vol 124 (2) ◽  
pp. 396-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karim S. Ladha ◽  
Elisabetta Patorno ◽  
Jun Liu ◽  
Brian T. Bateman

Abstract Background Opioids play a crucial role in providing analgesia throughout the perioperative period; however, patients may become persistent users of these medications months after surgery. Epidurals have been posited to prevent the development of persistent pain, but there are little data on the effect of epidurals on persistent opioid use. Methods This study was conducted using a claims database of a large, nationwide commercial health insurer. Opioid-naive patients who underwent open abdominal surgery from January 2004 to December 2013 were included in the study. Propensity scores for epidural placement were calculated accounting for demographic characteristics, resource utilization, and comorbid conditions (including medical, psychiatric, and pain conditions). Time-to-event analysis was used with the primary outcome defined as 30 days without filling an opioid prescription after discharge. In addition, total morphine equivalents dispensed within 90 days of discharge were also calculated for each patient. Results A total of 6,432 patients were included in the final propensity score–matched cohort. The Cox proportional hazards ratio was 0.96 (95% CI, 0.91 to 1.01; P = 0.0910) for the relation between epidural placement and time till a 30-day gap without filling an opioid prescription. There was no difference in the total morphine equivalents dispensed within 90 days of discharge between the groups (P = 0.7670). Conclusions Epidural placement was not protective against persistent opioid use in a large cohort of opioid-naive patients undergoing abdominal surgery. This finding does not detract from the other potential benefits of epidural placement. More research is needed to understand the mechanism of persistent opioid use after surgery and its prevention.


2015 ◽  
Vol 95 (12) ◽  
pp. 1660-1667 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Williams Andrews ◽  
Dongmei Li ◽  
Janet K. Freburger

Background Little is known about the use of rehabilitation in the acute care setting and its impact on hospital readmissions. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the association between the intensity of rehabilitation services received during the acute care stay for stroke and the risk of 30-day and 90-day hospital readmission. Design A retrospective cohort analysis of all acute care hospitals in Arkansas and Florida was conducted. Methods Patients (N=64,065) who were admitted for an incident stroke in 2009 or 2010 were included. Rehabilitation intensity was categorized as none, low, medium-low, medium-high, or high based on the sum and distribution of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy charges within each hospital. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios, controlling for demographic characteristics, illness severity, comorbidities, hospital variables, and state. Results Relative to participants who received the lowest intensity therapy, those who received higher-intensity therapy had a decreased risk of 30-day readmission. The risk was lowest for the highest-intensity group (hazard ratio=0.86; 95% confidence interval=0.79, 0.93). Individuals who received no therapy were at an increased risk of hospital readmission relative to those who received low-intensity therapy (hazard ratio=1.30; 95% confidence interval=1.22, 1.40). The findings were similar, but with smaller effects, for 90-day readmission. Furthermore, patients who received higher-intensity therapy had more comorbidities and greater illness severity relative to those who received lower-intensity therapy. Limitations The results of the study are limited in scope and generalizability. Also, the study may not have adequately accounted for all potentially important covariates. Conclusions Receipt of and intensity of rehabilitation therapy in the acute care of stroke is associated with a decreased risk of hospital readmission.


Stroke ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (12) ◽  
pp. 2896-2903 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nada El Husseini ◽  
Gregg C. Fonarow ◽  
Eric E. Smith ◽  
Christine Ju ◽  
Shubin Sheng ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose— Kidney dysfunction is common among patients hospitalized for ischemic stroke. Understanding the association of kidney disease with poststroke outcomes is important to properly adjust for case mix in outcome studies, payment models and risk-standardized hospital readmission rates. Methods— In this cohort study of fee-for-service Medicare patients admitted with ischemic stroke to 1579 Get With The Guidelines-Stroke participating hospitals between 2009 and 2014, adjusted multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the independent associations of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and dialysis status with 30-day and 1-year postdischarge mortality and rehospitalizations. Results— Of 204 652 patients discharged alive (median age [25th–75th percentile] 80 years [73.0–86.0], 57.6% women, 79.8% white), 48.8% had an eGFR ≥60, 26.5% an eGFR 45 to 59, 16.3% an eGFR 30 to 44, 5.1% an eGFR 15 to 29, 0.6% an eGFR <15 without dialysis, and 2.8% were receiving dialysis. Compared with eGFR ≥60, and after adjusting for relevant variables, eGFR <45 was associated with increased 30-day mortality with the risk highest among those with eGFR <15 without dialysis (hazard ratio [HR], 2.09; 95% CI, 1.66–2.63). An eGFR <60 was associated with increased 1-year poststroke mortality that was highest among patients on dialysis (HR, 2.65; 95% CI, 2.49–2.81). Dialysis was also associated with the highest 30-day and 1-year rehospitalization rates (HR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.95–2.26 and HR, 2.55; 95% CI, 2.44–2.66, respectively) and 30-day and 1-year composite of mortality and rehospitalization (HR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.90–2.18 and HR, 2.46; 95% CI, 2.36–2.56, respectively). Conclusions— Within the first year after index hospitalization for ischemic stroke, eGFR and dialysis status on admission are associated with poststroke mortality and hospital readmissions. Kidney function should be included in risk-stratification models for poststroke outcomes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 286-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lihi Eder ◽  
Vinod Chandran ◽  
Richard Cook ◽  
Dafna D. Gladman

Objective.To estimate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in comparison with the general population and to assess whether the level of disease activity over time predicts the development of DM in these patients.Methods.A cohort analysis was conducted in patients followed in a large PsA clinic from 1978 to 2014. The prevalence of DM in the patients was compared with the general population of Ontario, Canada, and the age-standardized prevalence ratio (SPR) was calculated. For the assessment of risk factors for DM, time-weighted arithmetic mean (AM) levels of PsA-related disease activity measures were assessed as predictors for the development of DM. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to compute HR for incident DM after controlling for potential confounders.Results.A total of 1305 patients were included in the analysis. The SPR of DM in PsA compared with the general population in Ontario was 1.43 (p = 0.002). Of the 1065 patients who were included in the time-to-event analysis, 73 patients were observed to develop DM. Based on multivariable analyses, AM tender joint count (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.08–2.18, p = 0.02) and AM erythrocyte sedimentation rate (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.03–1.41, p = 0.02) predicted the development of DM.Conclusion.The prevalence of DM is higher in patients with PsA compared with the general population. Patients with elevated levels of disease activity are at higher risk of developing DM.


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