Citations

Introduction: Over the past decade, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) has emerged as a therapeutic option for treating severe aortic stenosis in high-risk patients. Patients with liver cirrhosis are at high risk for operative morbidity and mortality when they undergo cardiac surgery. In the present study, in-hospital outcomes are compared in cirrhotic patients undergoing TAVR vs. Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement (SAVR). Methods: The study population was derived from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) for the years 2011 and 2012 using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) procedure codes 35.21 and 35.22 for SAVR, and 35.05 and 35.06 for TAVR. Patients<50 years of age and those with concomitantly other valvular procedures were excluded. ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes were used to identify patients with liver cirrhosis including those with other manifestations of cirrhosis such as portal hypertension and esophageal varices. Using propensity score matching, two matched cohorts were derived in which the outcomes were compared using chi-square test, fisher’s exact test, and student’s t-test. Results: There were 30 cirrhotic patients in the SAVR and TAVR group each after propensity score matching. Compared to the TAVR group, the patients in the SAVR group had higher mean cost of hospitalization ($79,263 vs. $63,913, p=0.12), mean post-procedural length of stay (14.3 days vs. 6.2 days, p<0.01), any complications rate (80.0% vs. 60.0%, p=0.09), rate of transfusion of blood or blood products (56.7% vs. 30.0%, p=0.037) and liver complications rate (20.0% vs. 10.0%, p=0.4). The in-hospital mortality rate was same in both the groups (6.7%). Conclusions: In high-risk cirrhotic patients, TAVR is a viable option for aortic valve replacement compared to SAVR.

Introduction: Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics_2014 Update suggests more than 424,000 people suffer out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in the United States. Hypothesis: We assessed seasonal variation in OHCA from a large national hospitalisation database in the past decade. Methods: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was used to estimate the annual number of hospitalisations with from 2000-2011. Identification of out of hospital cardiac arrest related hospitalisations was based on the designation of the International Classification of Diseases (9th Edition) Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnosis code 427.5 (OHCA) as the principal discharge diagnosis. The frequency of hospitalisation for each month cumulative over 11 years was calculated and divided by number of days in that month to obtain the mean hospitalisations per day for each month. All calculations were carried out using the weighted estimates approximating nationwide population estimates. Results: An estimated 93,209 hospitalisations with primary diagnosis of OHCA occurred in the United States from the beginning of the calendar year 2000 to the end of the calendar year 2011. The number of hospitalisations per day in each month is shown in Figure 1.The number of hospitalisation was maximum in the winter months and minimum in summer months. Specifically, the mean number of hospitalisation each day (averaged over 11 years) was least in August (242). There was a rising trend from August to January. The average number of hospitalisation was highest in January (310); thereafter, the hospitalisation rate dropped to a nadir in August. There was however no seasonal pattern in inhospital mortality. Conclusions: We identified for the first time in United States an impressive pattern of seasonal variation in hospitalisations for OHCA. Further efforts must be made to identify triggers and methods to prevent OHCA and reduce its burden on health care system.

Objective: To identify racial and/or health insurance disparities in the population undergoing ablation for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia(PSVT). Method: We identified adult patients (pts) admitted with principle diagnosis of PSVT by ICD 9 code 427.0 who had catheter ablation (ICD 9 code - 37.34), using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2000-2011). We stratified patients by race (White, Black, Hispanic, and other minority racial groups)and insurance status, and a hierarchical mixed effect multivariate model was created to identify independent predictors of PSVT ablation. Results: 64,564(20.2%) patients underwent ablation out of 319,579 patients admitted for PSVT during the period of 2000-2011. In absolute numbers, the majority of ablations were performed in Whites (58.7%) and patients with Medicare (56.3%) or private insurance (30.1%). After adjusting for confounding factors, the odds of having ablation were lower in Black pts (compare to White), and Medicare, Medicaid, and Uninsured pts (compare to private insurance) (see table). Other predictors of lower rate of ablations were: older age and female patients while odds of receiving ablation were higher for elective admissions and in teaching hospitals (p<0.001 for all comparisons). Conclusion: In a population of pts admitted for PSVT, those without private insurance and Black pts were less like to be treated with catheter ablation; and, this disparity persisted from 2000-2011. Since catheter ablation for PSVT is generally considered a curative procedure, future studies are needed to identify the factors that lead to these disparities of care.

ObjectivesTo compare the in‐hospital outcomes in cirrhosis patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) versus those undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR).BackgroundOver the last 10 years, TAVR has emerged as a therapeutic option for treating severe aortic stenosis in high‐risk patients. Cirrhosis patients have a high risk of operative morbidity and mortality while undergoing cardiac surgery. This study's hypothesis was that TAVR is a safer alternative compared to SAVR in cirrhosis patients.MethodsThe study population was derived from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) for the years 2011–2012 using ICD‐9‐CM procedure codes 35.21 and 35.22 for SAVR, and 35.05 and 35.06 for TAVR. Patients <50 years of age and those who concomitantly underwent other valvular procedures were excluded. ICD‐9‐CM diagnosis codes were used to identify patients with liver cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and esophageal varices. Using propensity score matching, two matched cohorts were derived in which the outcomes were compared using appropriate statistical tests.ResultsThere were 30 patients in the SAVR and TAVR group each. Compared to the TAVR group, the patients in SAVR group had significantly higher rate of transfusion of whole blood or blood products (p = 0.037), longer mean postprocedural length of stay (p = 0.006), and nonsignificantly higher mean cost of hospitalization (p = 0.2), any complications rate (p = 0.09), and liver complications rate (p = 0.4). In‐hospital mortality rate was same in the both the groups. No patients in the TAVR group required open‐heart surgery or cardiopulmonary bypass.ConclusionTAVR could be a viable option for aortic valve replacement in cirrhosis patients. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Background: Multivessel coronary artery disease carries significant mortality risk. Comprehensive data on inhospital outcomes following multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention (MVPCI) are sparse. Methods: We queried the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s nationwide inpatient sample (NIS) between 2006 and 2011 using different International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification procedure codes. The primary outcome was inhospital all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcome was a composite of inhospital mortality and periprocedural complications. Results: The overall mortality was low at 0.73% following MVPCI. Multivariate analysis revealed that (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval, P value) age (1.63, 1.48-1.79; <.001), female sex (1.19, 1.00-1.42; P = .05), acute myocardial infarction (AMI; 2.97, 2.35-3.74; <.001), shock (17.24, 13.61-21.85; <.001), a higher burden of comorbidities (2.09, 1.32-3.29; .002), and emergent/urgent procedure status (1.67, 1.30-2.16; <.001) are important predictors of primary and secondary outcomes. MVPCI was associated with higher mortality, length of stay (LOS), and cost of care as compared to single vessel single stent PCI. Conclusion: MVPCI is associated with higher inhospital mortality, LOS, and hospitalization costs compared to single vessel, single stent PCI. Higher volume hospitals had lower overall postprocedural mortality rate along with shorter LOS and lower hospitalization costs following MVPCI.

ObjectivesWe studied the trends and predictors of drug eluting stent (DES) utilization from 2006 to 2011 to further expound the inter‐hospital variability in their utilization.BackgroundWe queried the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) between 2006 and 2011 using ICD‐9‐CM procedure code, 36.06 (bare metal stent) or 36.07 (drug eluting stents) for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI). Annual hospital volume was calculated using unique identification numbers and divided into quartiles for analysis.Methods and ResultsWe built a hierarchical two level model adjusted for multiple confounding factors, with hospital ID incorporated as random effects in the model. About 665,804 procedures (weighted n = 3,277,884) were analyzed. Safety concerns arising in 2006 reduced utilization DES from 90% of all PCIs performed in 2006 to a nadir of 69% in 2008 followed by increase (76% of all stents in 2009) and plateau (75% in 2011). Significant between‐hospital variation was noted in DES utilization irrespective of patient or hospital characteristics. Independent patient level predictors of DES were (OR, 95% CI, P‐value) age (0.99, 0.98–0.99, <0.001), female(1.12, 1.09–1.15, <0.001), acute myocardial infarction(0.75, 0.71–0.79, <0.001), shock (0.53, 0.49–0.58, <0.001), Charlson Co‐morbidity index (0.81,0.77–0.86, <0.001), private insurance/HMO (1.27, 1.20–1.34, <0.001), and elective admission (1.16, 1.05–1.29, <0.001). Highest quartile hospital (1.64, 1.25–2.16, <0.001) volume was associated with higher DES placement.ConclusionThere is significant between‐hospital variation in DES utilization and a higher annual hospital volume is associated with higher utilization rate of DES. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.