Associations of air pollution with acute coronary syndromes based on A/B/AB versus O blood types: case-crossover study.

Short-term exposure to air pollutants may contribute to an increased risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study assessed the role of short-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) as well as fine and coarse PM (PM) air pollution in ACS events and the effect of blood groups on this phenomenon. A retrospectively collected database of 9026 patients was evaluated.

Incessant Atrial Tachycardia From the Left Atrial Appendage Treated With Appendage Ligation.

A previously healthy man presented in shock due to incessant tachycardia. He ultimately required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for support and clipping of his appendage for arrhythmia control. This case highlights the importance of early recognition of cardiogenic shock, aggressive hemodynamic support, and a multidisciplinary approach to managing these challenging arrhythmias.

Follow-Up of Secundum ASD, Muscular VSD, or PDA Diagnosed During Neonatal Hospitalization.

The ideal follow-up of neonates who have a secundum atrial septal defect (ASD), muscular ventricular septal defect (VSD), or patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) remains uncertain. Newborns with findings limited to a secundum ASD, muscular VSD, and/or PDA on their neonatal hospitalization discharge echocardiogram and at least one outpatient follow-up echocardiogram performed between 9-1-17 and 9-1-21 were evaluated and patient follow-up assessed through 9-1-23. 95 infants met inclusion criteria.

Migraine headache in patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection: A report of the iSCAD Registry.

Introduction: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a nonatherosclerotic cause of myocardial infarction. Migraine headache has been reported to be common among patients with SCAD, but the degree of migraine-related disability has not been quantified.

Methods: Clinical data and headache variables were obtained from the baseline assessment of the prospective, multicenter iSCAD Registry.

Effectiveness of Updated 2023-2024 (Monovalent XBB.1.5) COVID-19 Vaccination Against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron XBB and BA.2.86/JN.1 Lineage Hospitalization and a Comparison of Clinical Severity - IVY Network, 26 Hospitals, October 18, 2023-March 9, 2024.

Background: Assessing COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) and severity of SARS-CoV-2 variants can inform public health risk assessments and decisions about vaccine composition. BA.2.

A Meta-Analysis of Cumulative Incidence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma After the Fontan Operation.

Background: Hepatic complications are increasingly recognized after the Fontan operation. The development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with high mortality when diagnosed, but its incidence and risk factors are poorly understood. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the cumulative incidence of HCC after Fontan and associated risk factors.

Ketamine reduces seizure and interictal continuum activity in refractory status epilepticus: a multicenter in-person and teleneurocritical care study.

Background: There is not a preferred medication for treating refractory status epilepticus (RSE) and intravenous ketamine is increasingly used. Ketamine efficacy, safety, dosage, and influence of other variables on seizure cessation while on ketamine infusions are not well studied. We aimed to characterize ketamine effect on RSE, including interictal activity on electroencephalogram (EEG) and when done by Teleneurocritical care (TNCC).

Pre-diagnostic plasma inflammatory proteins and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in three population-based cohort studies from the United States and the United Kingdom.

Previous studies suggest a role for inflammation in hepatocarcinogenesis. However, no study has comprehensively evaluated associations between circulating inflammatory proteins and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among the general population. We conducted a nested case-control study in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) with 56 pairs of incident HCC cases and controls.

Validity of International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes for atrial fibrillation/flutter in critically ill patients with sepsis.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) are frequently seen in critically ill sepsis patients and are associated with poor outcomes. There is a need for further research, however, studies are limited due to challenges in identifying patient cohorts. Administrative data using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) are routinely used for identifying disease cohorts in large datasets.

Liver Transplant Costs and Activity After United Network for Organ Sharing Allocation Policy Changes.

Importance: A new liver allocation policy was implemented by United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) in February 2020 with the stated intent of improving access to liver transplant (LT). There are growing concerns nationally regarding the implications this new system may have on LT costs, as well as access to a chance for LT, which have not been captured at a multicenter level.

Objective: To characterize LT volume and cost changes across the US and within specific center groups and demographics after the policy implementation.

Cost-avoidance associated with implementation of an overnight emergency medicine pharmacist at a Level I Trauma, Comprehensive Stroke Center.

Aim: To investigate the cost-avoidance associated with implementation of an overnight emergency medicine pharmacist (EMP) through documented clinical interventions.

Design: Retrospective evaluation of prospectively tracked interventions in a single Level I Trauma, Comprehensive Stroke Center, from November 25, 2020 through March 12, 2021 during expanded emergency medicine service hours (2300-0700).

Interventions: One of 45 clinical patient-care recommendations associated with cost-avoidance were available to be selected and documented by the EMP; more than one intervention was allowed per patient, though one clinical intervention could not be counted as multiple items.

Framework of the strengths and challenges of clinically integrated trials: An expert panel report.

The limitations of the explanatory clinical trial framework include the high expense of implementing explanatory trials, restrictive entry criteria for participants, and redundant logistical processes. These limitations can result in slow evidence generation that is not responsive to population health needs, yielding evidence that is not generalizable. Clinically integrated trials, which integrate clinical research into routine care, represent a potential solution to this challenge and an opportunity to support learning health systems.

Contemporary Predictors of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Nationally Representative US Sample.

: Patient outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have improved over the last 30 years due to better techniques, therapies, and care processes. This study evaluated contemporary predictors of post-PCI major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and summarized risk in a parsimonious risk prediction model. : The Cardiovascular Patient-Level Analytical Platform (CLiPPeR) is an observational dataset of baseline variables and longitudinal outcomes from the American College of Cardiology's CathPCI Registry and national claims data.

Neonatal and Obstetrical Outcomes of Pregnancies Complicated by Alloimmunization.

Background And Objectives: Despite advances in the prevention of rhesus (Rh)(D) alloimmunization, alloantibodies to Rh(D) and non-Rh(D) red blood cell antigens continue to be detected in ∼4% of US pregnancies and can result in hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). Recent reports on HDFN lack granularity and are unable to provide antibody-specific outcomes. The objective of this study was to calculate the frequency of alloimmunization in our large hospital system and summarize the outcomes based on antibody specificity, titer, and other clinical factors.

Congenital short QT syndrome: A review focused on electrocardiographic features.

Congenital short QT syndrome is a very low prevalence inherited primary arrhythmia syndrome first reported in 2000 by Gussak et al., who described two families with a short QT interval, syncope, and sudden cardiac death. In 2004, Ramon Brugada et al.

Low-Titer Type O Whole Blood for Transfusing Perinatal Patients after Acute Hemorrhage: A Case Series.

 Acute and massive blood loss is fortunately a rare occurrence in perinatal/neonatal practice. When it occurs, typical transfusion paradigms utilize sequential administration of blood components. However, an alternative approach, transfusing type O whole blood with low anti-A and anti-B titers, (LTOWB) has recently been approved and utilized in trauma surgery.

Prescription of potentially inappropriate medications after an intensive care unit stay for acute respiratory failure.

Background: Among survivors of critical illness, prescription of potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) at hospital discharge is thought to be an important, modifiable patient safety concern. To date, there are little empirical data evaluating this issue.

Research Question: The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of PIM prescribed to survivors of acute respiratory failure (ARF) at hospital discharge and explore their association with readmissions or death within 90 days of hospital discharge.