Harris, Alyssa Hartsell

Abstract Objective We sought to evaluate the association between the institutional volume of catheter‐directed thrombolysis (CDT) for pulmonary embolism and in‐hospital mortality. Background CDT is an increasingly utilized therapy in patients with intermediate/high‐risk PE. However, data on the relationship between hospital volume and clinical outcomes remain limited. Methods Patients who underwent CDT between October 1, 2015, and March 31, 2021, were identified in the Vizient Clinical Database. The primary outcome was in‐hospital mortality. Secondary outcome were major complications, length of stay, and cost. Hospitals were dichotomized into <8 and 8 cases/year following restricted cubic spline analysis. Results A total of 6741 CDT procedures at 171 hospitals were included with a median annual hospital volume of 4.1 cases (IQR = 1.9–8.3). A total of 44 hospitals (25.7%) were classified as high‐volume (8 cases/year) and performed 60.9% of all CDT cases. CDT at high‐volume centers was associated with lower in‐hospital mortality (6.0% vs. 11.3%; p < 0.0001). Stroke and bleeding rates were similar, but pulmonary complications were more frequent at low‐volume centers. CDT at high volume centers was associated with a significantly shorter length of stay and lower cost. The association between high CDT volume and in‐hospital mortality persisted after adjustment for demographics (odds ratio [OR] = 0.49, [0.41–0.58]), demographics and risk factors (OR = 0.52 [0.44–0.62]), and demographics, risk factors, and troponin elevation (OR = 0.51 [0.40–0.66]). Conclusion In a large contemporary cohort of patients undergoing CDT in the United States, low annual institutional volume of CDT was associated with higher in‐hospital mortality.

AbstractBackgroundSex‐based differences in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) outcomes have been previously documented. However, whether these differences persist with contemporary third generation transcatheter heart valves (THVs) is unknown.MethodsWe utilized Vizient's clinical database/resource manager (CDB/RM™) to identify patients who underwent TAVR between January 1, 2018 and March 31, 2020 to compare in‐hospital outcomes between males and females. The primary endpoint was in‐hospital mortality. Secondary endpoints included key in‐hospital complications, length of stay, discharge disposition, and cost. Unadjusted, propensity‐score matched and risk‐adjusted analyses of outcomes were performed.ResultsDuring the study period, 44,280 patients (24,842 males, 19,438 females) underwent TAVR. The primary endpoint of in‐hospital mortality was higher in females than in males (1.6 vs. 1.1% p < .001) in unadjusted analysis and persisted following propensity matching (1.6 vs. 0.9%, p < .001) and multivariable logistic regression with various risk‐adjustment models. In the most comprehensive model adjusting for age, race, and clinical comorbidities, female sex was associated with 34% greater odds of in‐hospital death (95% CI 20–50%, p < .001). Unadjusted and risk‐adjusted rates of post‐TAVR stroke, vascular complication, and blood transfusion were higher in females. Moreover, females demonstrated longer hospitalizations, higher costs and reduced rates of independent discharge home.ConclusionSex‐based differences in TAVR in‐hospital outcomes persist in contemporary practice with third generation transcatheter heart valves. Further research is needed to assess the reasons for these observed disparities and to identify effective mitigation strategies.

AbstractBackgroundWe sought to evaluate the nationwide trends in the characteristics and outcomes of for endovascular stroke therapy in contemporary practice.MethodsWe selected patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent endovascular stroke therapy between 01 October 2015 and 30 September 2019 in a large academic consortium database. The end points of this study were (a) in‐hospital mortality and functional outcomes and, (b) predictors of poor functional outcome, defined as death or discharge to hospice, or to a long‐term nursing facility.ResultsAmong the 22,193 included patients; 50.3% were females, and 66.5% were white. Mean age was 68±15 years. Poor functional outcomes occurred in 8,274 patients (37.4%), of whom 2,741 (12.4%) died in the hospital, 1,345 (6.1%) were discharged to hospice, and 4,188 (18.9%) were discharged to other long‐term facilities. Most common in‐hospital complications were mechanical ventilation (32.3%), intracranial hemorrhage (18.9%), and acute kidney injury (15.6%). Median total and intensive‐care length‐of‐stay were 7 days (IQR = 4–9), and 2 days (IQR = 1–4), respectively. Median cost was $36,609 (IQR = $26,034–$54,313). In a multi‐logistic regression analysis; age, hypertension, diabetes, anemia, heart failure, vascular disease, chronic pulmonary disease, renal insufficiency, Medicare/medicaid insurance, transfer from nonendovascular capable hospital, and low procedural volume independently predicted poor functional outcomes. Tissue plasminogen activator use was associated with better functional outcomes.ConclusionThere is a substantial growth in the performance of endovascular stroke interventions in the United States in recent years, and those were associated with favorable short‐term outcomes.