Objective To describe the characteristics of hospitalizations for patients who use clinical programs that provide care coordination for children with multiple, chronic medical conditions. Study ...design Retrospective analysis of 1083 patients hospitalized between June 2006 and July 2008 who used a structured, pediatric complex-care clinical program within 4 children’s hospitals. Chronic diagnosis prevalence (ie, technology assistance, neurologic impairment, and other complex chronic conditions), inpatient resource utilization (ie, length of stay, 30-day readmission), and reasons for hospitalization were assessed across the programs. Results Over the 2-year study period, complex-care program patients experienced a mean of 3.1 ± 2.8 admissions, a mean length of hospital stay per admission of 12.2 ± 25.5 days, and a 30-day hospital readmission rate of 25.4%. Neurologic impairment (57%) and presence of a gastrostomy tube (56%) were the most common clinical characteristics of program patients. Notable reasons for admission included major surgery (47.1%), medical technology malfunction (9.0%), seizure (6.4%), aspiration pneumonia (3.9%), vomiting/feeding difficulties (3.4%), and asthma (1.8%). Conclusions Hospitalized patients who used a structured clinical program for children with medical complexity experienced lengthy hospitalizations with high early readmission rates. Reducing hospital readmission may be one potential strategy for decreasing inpatient expenditures in this group of children with high resource utilization.
A key goal in health care is to improve outcomes that matter most to patients. This is a poignant aim for a small but very important group: children with medical complexity and their caregivers. ...Children with medical complexity are defined by serious chronic conditions, functional limitations, increased health care needs and high resource use. Although their numbers are relatively small (< 1% of Canadian children), children with medical complexity have an impact on the health care system that is large and growing. Care for these children accounts for about a third of all child health spending in Canada. Caregivers of children with medical complexity take on enormous responsibilities for their child's care, and high levels of emotional and financial stress. Here, Fayed et al examine Ontario's care coordination for children with medical complexity
Background Previous reports demonstrated an association between psoriasis and other diseases including heart failure and diabetes mellitus. Objectives Our aim was to describe the association between ...psoriasis, diabetes mellitus, and atherosclerosis in Israel. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed utilizing the database of Maccabi Healthcare Services (MHS), a large health provider organization in Israel. Case patients were defined as subjects who were diagnosed with psoriasis. Patients with diabetes and atherosclerosis were identified by using the MHS diabetes and cardiovascular registries, respectively. The control group included MHS enrollees without psoriasis. The proportion of diabetes and atherosclerosis among case and control groups was compared. Chi-square tests were used to compare categorical parameters. Logistic regression models were used for multivariate analyses. Results The study included 46,095 patients with psoriasis (case patients) and 1,579,037 subjects without psoriasis (control patients). The age-adjusted proportion of diabetes was significantly higher in psoriasis patients as compared with the control group (odds ratio OR 1.27, 95% confidence interval CI 1.1-1.48). The age-adjusted proportion of atherosclerosis was significantly higher in psoriasis patients as compared with the control group (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.04-1.59). In patients with psoriasis, a multivariate logistic regression model demonstrated an association between diabetes and the multiple use of very potent topical steroids ( P < .05) or use of systemic medication for psoriasis (methotrexate, cyclosporine or acitretin) ( P < .001). A similar model demonstrated an association between atherosclerosis and the use of phototherapy ( P < .001). Limitations Our study was based on a computerized database. The diagnosis of psoriasis was based on digitally transmitted data. Therefore overestimation (false-positive cases) and underestimation (false-negative cases) of psoriasis patients may exist, thereby being a source for information bias. A second limitation is selection bias that may occur due to the possibility that reporting of both psoriasis and associated illnesses is higher in individuals who are seeking medical care. A third limitation concerns the causal effect between occurrence of psoriasis and atherosclerosis or diabetes. The dataset of MHS records diagnoses only from 1997 and does not record the date of disease onset. Conclusions Our study supports previous reports for an association between psoriasis and atherosclerosis and psoriasis and diabetes. Further study is needed to support this observation.
Objective To assess the impact of chronic conditions on children's emergency department (ED) use. Study design Retrospective analysis of 1 850 027 ED visits in 2010 by 3 250 383 children ages 1-21 ...years continuously enrolled in Medicaid from 10 states included in the Truven Marketscan Medicaid Database. The main outcome was the annual ED visit rate not resulting in hospitalization per 1000 enrollees. We compared rates by enrollees' characteristics, including type and number of chronic conditions, and medical technology (eg, gastrostomy, tracheostomy), using Poisson regression. To assess chronic conditions, we used the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Chronic Condition Indicator system, assigning chronic conditions with ED visit rates ≥75th percentile as having the “highest” visit rates. Results The overall annual ED visit rate was 569 per 1000 enrollees. As the number of the children's chronic conditions increased from 0 to ≥3, visit rates increased by 180% (from 376 to 1053 per 1000 enrollees, P < .001). Rates were 174% higher in children assisted with vs without medical technology (1546 vs 565, P < .001). Sickle cell anemia, epilepsy, and asthma were among the chronic conditions associated with the highest ED visit rates (all ≥1003 per 1000 enrollees). Conclusions The highest ED visit rates resulting in discharge to home occurred in children with multiple chronic conditions, technology assistance, and specific conditions such as sickle cell anemia. Future studies should assess the preventability of ED visits in these populations and identify opportunities for reducing their ED use.
Objective The use of abdominal radiographs contributes to increased healthcare costs, radiation exposure, and potentially to misdiagnoses. We evaluated the association between abdominal radiograph ...performance and emergency department (ED) revisits with important alternate diagnosis among children with constipation. Study design Retrospective cohort study of children aged <18 years diagnosed with constipation at one of 23 EDs from 2004 to 2015. The primary exposure was abdominal radiograph performance. The primary outcome was a 3-day ED revisit with a clinically important alternate diagnosis. RAND/University of California, Los Angeles methodology was used to define whether the revisit was related to the index visit and due to a clinically important condition other than constipation. Regression analysis was performed to identify exposures independently related to the primary outcome. Results A total of 65.7% (185 439/282 225) of children with constipation had an index ED visit abdominal radiograph performed. Three-day revisits occurred in 3.7% (10 566/282 225) of children, and 0.28% (784/282 225) returned with a clinically important alternate related diagnosis. Appendicitis was the most common such revisit, accounting for 34.1% of all 3-day clinically important related revisits. Children who had an abdominal radiograph performed were more likely to have a 3-day revisit with a clinically important alternate related diagnosis (0.33% vs 0.17%; difference 0.17%; 95% CI 0.13-0.20). Following adjustment for covariates, abdominal radiograph performance was associated with a 3-day revisit with a clinically important alternate diagnosis (aOR: 1.39; 95% CI 1.15-1.67). Additional characteristics associated with the primary outcome included narcotic (aOR: 2.63) and antiemetic (aOR: 2.35) administration and underlying comorbidities (aOR: 2.52). Conclusions Among children diagnosed with constipation, abdominal radiograph performance is associated with an increased risk of a revisit with a clinically important alternate related diagnosis.
Objective Our objective was to assess the effect of the timing of cardiac angiography, contrast media dose, and preoperative renal function on the prevalence of acute renal failure after cardiac ...surgery. Methods Data on 395 consecutive patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting were prospectively collected. Creatinine clearance was estimated by the Cockcroft–Gault equation. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the time between cardiac angiography and surgery (group A, ≤ 1 day; group B, > 1 day and ≤ 5 days; group C, > 5 days). Patients who underwent a salvage operation or were receiving dialysis before surgery were excluded. Acute renal failure was defined as 25% decrease from baseline of estimated creatinine clearance and estimated creatinine clearance of 60 mL/min or less on postoperative day 3. Owing to differences in preoperative characteristics between groups, propensity score analysis was used to adjust those differences. Results Acute renal failure developed in 13.6% of patients. Hospital mortality was 3.3% and was higher in patients in whom acute renal failure developed (22%) versus those in whom it did not (0.3%; P < .001). Multivariable analysis identified preoperative estimated creatinine clearance of 60 mL/min or less (odds ratio OR, 7.1), operation within 24 hours of catheterization (OR = 3.7), use of more than 1.4 mL/kg of contrast media (OR = 3.4), lower hemoglobin level (OR = 1.3), older age (OR = 1.1), and lower weight (OR = 0.95) as independent predictors of postoperative acute renal failure. Analysis of interaction between contrast dose and time of surgery revealed that high contrast dose (>1.4 mL/kg) predicted acute renal failure if surgery was performed up to 5 days after angiography. Conclusions Whenever possible, coronary bypass grafting should be delayed for at least 5 days in patients who received a high contrast dose, especially if they also have preoperative reduced renal function.
Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a liver-induced lung disorder defined as a triad of liver disease, pulmonary vascular dilatation, and a defect in oxygenation. It can complicate chronic liver ...disease of any etiology, but is most commonly associated with portal hypertension. Severe liver disease with portal hypertension is present in 2% to 8% of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), but to date, to our knowledge, only one patient with CF has been reported to suffer from HPS. Here, we describe two patients with CF diagnosed with HPS, one subsequent to unresolved hypoxemia and the other following screening for HPS performed in our center. We speculate that HPS is underdiagnosed in patients with CF because of their coexisting respiratory morbidity, and we advocate routine screening for every patient with CF who has liver disease and portal hypertension.
To investigate whether hysteroscopic proximal tubal occlusion with Essure microinserts (Conceptus Inc.; Bayer, AG, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany) can improve pregnancy rates in patients with ...hydrosalpinges who had failed in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.
A prospective cohort study.
University-affiliated tertiary centers.
Twenty-four consecutive women with hydrosalpinges who had failed IVF treatment were included.
Hysteroscopic placement of Essure microinserts for hydrosalpinx blockage followed by IVF treatment.
Ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates were recorded. Of the 24 patients undergoing a total of 42 IVF cycles after Essure insertion, 18 (75% of patients and 42.8% of IVF cycle attempts) conceived and 16 delivered live births (66.6% of patients and 38.1% of IVF cycle attempts).
Hysteroscopic proximal occlusion of hydrosalpinges with Essure microinserts is a valuable alternative to laparoscopic salpingectomy, resulting in reasonable pregnancy rates.
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