Cigarette smoking as a risk factor for delirium in hospitalized and intensive care unit patients. A systematic review.

Background: Active smokers are prevalent in hospitalized and critically ill patients. Cigarette smoking and nicotine withdrawal may increase delirium in these populations. This systematic review aims to determine whether active cigarette smoking increases the risk for delirium in hospitalized and intensive care unit (ICU) patients.

Aspirin and clopidogrel use in the early postoperative period following on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objective: Preoperative use of clopidogrel increases the risk of bleeding, but its postoperative use has not been studied. We studied early postoperative clopidogrel use in on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Methods: Data were obtained from the University HealthSystem Consortium database.

Racial disparity in the relationship between hospital volume and mortality among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objective: To examine whether the volume-mortality relationship in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) differs by race and operative risk.

Summary Background Data: In-hospital mortality after CABG is inversely associated with hospital volume. Racial disparities exist in the outcomes of CABG, possibly due to blacks' high operative risk.