Impact of obesity on outcomes for patients hospitalised with pneumonia.

Obesity is an increasing problem in the USA, and research into the association between obesity and pneumonia has yielded conflicting results. Using Department of Veterans Affairs administrative data from fiscal years 2002-2006, we examined a cohort of patients hospitalised with a discharge diagnosis of pneumonia. Body mass index was categorised as underweight (<18.

Population-based study of statins, angiotensin II receptor blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors on pneumonia-related outcomes.

Background: Studies suggest that statins and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors might be beneficial for the treatment of infections. Our purpose was to examine the association of statin, ACE inhibitor, and angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) use with pneumonia-related outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using Department of Veterans Affairs data of patients aged ≥ 65 years hospitalized with pneumonia.

Observational study of inhaled corticosteroids on outcomes for COPD patients with pneumonia.

Rationale: Treatment with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) for those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been shown to be associated with an increased incidence of pneumonia. However, it is unclear if this is associated with increased mortality.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of prior use of ICS on clinical outcomes for patients with COPD hospitalized with pneumonia.

Incidence of cardiovascular events after hospital admission for pneumonia.

Objective: Several studies have suggested an increased risk of cardiovascular events, primarily acute myocardial infarction, around the time of hospital admission for pneumonia. Therefore, we examined cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, unstable angina, stroke, and serious cardiac arrhythmias, within 90 days after hospitalization for pneumonia.

Methods: By using data from the administrative databases of the Department of Veterans Affairs, we examined a cohort of subjects hospitalized with pneumonia between October 2001 and September 2007.

Pneumonia in the elderly hospitalized in the Department of Veteran Affairs Health Care System.

Pneumonia is a major cause of hospital admissions and deaths worldwide. Our aim was to examine the trends in admissions for pneumonia in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We examined data for the fiscal years 2002 through 2007 on patients aged 65 years and older hospitalized with pneumonia by using VA administrative databases.

Disparities of care for African-Americans and Caucasians with community-acquired pneumonia: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: African-Americans admitted to U.S. hospitals with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are more likely than Caucasians to experience prolonged hospital length of stay (LOS), possibly due to either differential treatment decisions or patient characteristics.

Clinical predictors and risk factors for relapsing Clostridium difficile infection.

Background: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a common cause of morbidity among hospitalized patients. Multiple factors have been associated with primary CDI, but risk factors for CDI relapses are less well described.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with CDI over a 15-month period.

Association of hypoglycemia with mortality for subjects hospitalized with pneumonia.

Background: Previous research has shown that hypoglycemia is associated with worse outcomes for the elderly, in sepsis, and in children with pneumonia. The purpose of this study was to examine whether hypoglycemia (<70 mg/dL) is associated with increased 30-day mortality, after adjusting for potential confounders, for adults hospitalized with pneumonia.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study conducted at 2 tertiary teaching hospitals.

Diagnosis of pulmonary malignancy after hospitalization for pneumonia.

Background: Many physicians recommend that patients receive follow-up chest imaging after the diagnosis of pneumonia to ensure that a pulmonary malignancy is not missed. However, there is little research evidence to support this practice. Our aims were to assess the frequency of the diagnosis of pulmonary malignancy, and to identify risk factors for pulmonary malignancy following hospitalization for pneumonia.

Impact of statins and ACE inhibitors on mortality after COPD exacerbations.

Background: The purpose of our study was to examine the association of prior outpatient use of statins and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors on mortality for subjects >or= 65 years of age hospitalized with acute COPD exacerbations.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective national cohort study using Veterans Affairs administrative data including subjects >or=65 years of age hospitalized with a COPD exacerbation. Our primary analysis was a multilevel model with the dependent variable of 90-day mortality and hospital as a random effect, controlling for preexisting comorbid conditions, demographics, and other medications prescribed.

The smell of danger: a behavioral and neural analysis of predator odor-induced fear.

The odors of predators used in animal models provide, in addition to electric footshock, an important means to investigate the neurobiology of fear. Studies indicate that cat odor and trimethylthiazoline (TMT), a synthetic compound isolated from fox feces, are often presented to rodents to induce fear-related responses including freezing, avoidance, stress hormone and, in some tests, risk assessment behavior. Furthermore, we report that different amounts of cat odor impregnated on small-, medium-, or large-sized cloths impact the display of fear-related behavior when presented to rats.