Incidence and risk factors for mortality in patients treated with combined ceftaroline for Gram-positive infective endocarditis

BACKGROUND

Ceftaroline is a fifth-generation cephalosporin and represents an alternative in the treatment of infective endocarditis (IE). The main objective of this study was to describe the incidence of in-hospital and 42-day mortality in patients with IE treated with ceftaroline.

METHODS

An observational retrospective study included adult patients with IE admitted during a 3.5-year period (January 2018-June 2021) and treated with ceftaroline in a single center. All cases were definite or possible IE according to the modified Duke criteria.

RESULTS

Seventy cases were analyzed. The mean age was 67.35 ± 16.62 (16-89) and 39 (55.7%) were males. The mean number of days of treatment with ceftaroline was 21.26 ± 16.17 (1-75). Overall mortality at 42 days was 30%, 20.7% in the first line, and 36.6% in rescue therapy. Predictors of 42 days-mortality were increased Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) (OR of 1.7 per 1 point increment, 95% CI 1.2-2.4, P 0.001), presence of methicillin-resistance (OR 6.8, 95% CI 1.3-36.8, P 0.026) and evidence of septic shock (OR 8.6 95% CI 1.7-44.2, P 0.01). Predictors of 42 days of therapeutic failure were the increase in the CCI (OR of 1.6 per 1 point increment, 95% CI 1.3-2.1, P 0.000) and septic shock (OR 4.5 95% CI 1.1-18 P 0.036). Adverse effects were described in 6/70 (8.6%) of the patients, precipitating in 4/70 (5.7%) the definitive withdrawal of the antibiotic.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of in-hospital and 42 day-mortality of IE patients treated with ceftaroline remains similar to literature data. Increased CCI, septic shock, and methicillin resistance are associated with poor prognosis.

Charlson comorbidity index predicts the 10-year survivorship of the operatively treated hip fracture patients

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to determine how Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) predicts the 10-year survival of operatively treated hip fracture patients aged ≥ 65 years.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included all consecutive patients who had a hip fracture and were operatively treated upon in the study period from 01 January 2007 to 31 December 2007 at the university hospital. The clinical patient data were obtained from the medical records, and CCI score was calculated. The CCI predicts the 10-year mortality for a patient who may have a range of 22 comorbid conditions. Cumulative survival and complications were evaluated in terms of gender.

RESULTS

A total of 241 hip fractures were studied; of these, 183/241 (76%) were females. A total of 32/241 (15%) complications were found, of which 26/241 (11%) were considered major. Overall, 213/241 (88%) patients died during the 10 years of follow-up. Cumulative survival estimates for females were 13% at 10 years (SE = 0.3, 95% CI 3.8-4.8), and for males, it was 12% at 10 years (SE = 0.5, 95% CI 2.8-4.6) (p = 0.33). CCI was significantly associated with mortality after the hip fracture as patients with CCI scores ≥ 4 were at a 3.1-8.5 times higher risk of death compared to patients with low CCI scores of 2-3 (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Complications are common after operatively treated hip fracture. Advanced age, living in a care facility, ASA class 4 and high CCI score ≥ 4 were risk factors of mortality after the operatively treated hip fracture.

Prognostic nomogram for risk of mortality after hip fracture surgery in geriatrics

PURPOSE

Hip fracture is a significant public health problem, with associated high morbidity and mortality. Orthopedic surgeons are concerned to improve prognosis and stratify mortality risk after hip fracture surgery. This study established a nomogram that combines the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) with specific laboratory parameters to predict mortality risk after hip fracture surgery in geriatrics.

METHODS

The records of consecutive patients who underwent hip fracture surgery from January 2015 through May 2020 at one medical center were reviewed for perioperative factors and mortality. Patients with age ≥ 70 years who were diagnosed with intertrochanteric or femoral neck fractures were included. Patients who were diagnosed with pathological fracture, received only conservative treatment or lost to follow-up were excluded. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify risk factors. A nomogram was established with R software and evaluated using concordance (C)-index, area under receiver operating characteristic (AUC), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA).

RESULTS

In total, 454 patients were included with a mean age of 81.6 years. The mean follow-up and one-year mortality rate were 37.2 months and 10.4%, respectively. Five identified risk variables for mortality after hip fracture surgery in geriatrics comprised age (HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.08; P = 0.003), CCI (HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.24-1.54; P = 0.000), albumin (HR 1.78, 95% CI 1.31-2.43; P = 0.000), sodium (HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.18-2.15; P = 0.002) and hemoglobin (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.07-2.00; P = 0.02). A nomogram was proposed and evaluated, showing a C-index of 0.76 ± 0.02. The AUCs for 6-month, 1-year, and 3-year mortality predictions were 0.83, 0.79, and 0.77, respectively. The calibration curve and DCA showed good discrimination and clinical usefulness.

CONCLUSION

This novel nomogram for stratifying the mortality risk after hip fracture surgery in geriatrics incorporated age, CCI, serum albumin, sodium, and hemoglobin. Internal validation indicated that the model has good accuracy and usefulness. This nomogram had improved convenience and precision compared with other models. External validation is warranted to confirm its performance.

The Impact of the Age, Dyspnoea, and Airflow Obstruction (ADO) Index on the Medical Burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

There are currently no good indicators that can be used to predict the medical expenses of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This was a retrospective study that focused on the correlation between the age, dyspnoea, and airflow obstruction (ADO) index and the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) on the medical burden in COPD patients, specifically, those of patients with complete ADO index and CCI data in our hospital from January 2015 to December 2016. Of the 396 patients with COPD who met the inclusion criteria, 382 (96.5%) were male, with an average age of 71.3 ± 8.4 years. Healthcare resource utilisation was positively correlated with the ADO index. A significant association was found between the ADO index and CCI of COPD patients (p < 0.001). In-hospitalization expenses were positively correlated with the CCI (p < 0.001). Under the same CCI, the higher the ADO score, the higher the hospitalisation expenses. The ADO quartiles were positively correlated with the number of hospitalisations (p < 0.001), hospitalisation days (p < 0.001), hospitalisation expenses (p = 0.03), and total medical expenses (p = 0.037). Findings from this study show that the ADO index can predict the medical burden of COPD.

Multimorbidity Profile of COVID-19 Deaths in Portugal during 2020

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection and has reached pandemic proportions. Since then, several clinical characteristics have been associated with poor outcomes. This study aimed to describe the morbidity profile of COVID-19 deaths in Portugal.

METHODS

A study was performed including deaths certificated in Portugal with "COVID-19" (ICD-10: U07.1 or U07.2) coded as the underlying cause of death from the National e-Death Certificates Information System between 16 March and 31 December 2020. Comorbidities were derived from ICD-10 codes using the Charlson and Elixhauser indexes. The resident Portuguese population estimates for 2020 were used.

RESULTS

The study included 6701 deaths (death rate: 65.1 deaths/100,000 inhabitants), predominantly males (72.1). The male-to-female mortality ratio was 1.1. The male-to-female mortality rate ratio was 1.2; however, within age groups, it varied 5.0-11.4-fold. COVID-19 deaths in Portugal during 2020 occurred mainly in individuals aged 80 years or older, predominantly in public healthcare institutions. Uncomplicated hypertension, uncomplicated diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, renal failure, cardiac arrhythmias, dementia, and cerebrovascular disease were observed among COVID-19 deceased patients, with prevalences higher than 10%. A high prevalence of zero morbidities was registered using both the Elixhauser and Charlson comorbidities lists (above 40.2%). Nevertheless, high multimorbidity was also identified at the time of COVID-19 death (about 36.5%). Higher multimorbidity levels were observed in men, increasing with age up to 80 years old. Zero-morbidity prevalence and high multimorbidity prevalences varied throughout the year 2020, seemingly more elevated in the mortality waves' peaks, suggesting variation according to the degree of disease incidence at a given period.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides detailed sociodemographic and clinical information on all certificated deaths from COVID-19 in Portugal during 2020, showing complex and extreme levels of morbidity (zero-morbidity vs. high multimorbidity) dynamics during the first year of the pandemic in Portugal.

Comorbidities rather than older age define outcome in adult patients with tumors of the Ewing sarcoma family

Background

Ewing family of tumors (EFT) is rarely diagnosed in patients (pts) over the age of 18 years (years), and data on the clinical course and the outcome of adult EFT pts is sparse.

Methods

In this retrospective analysis, we summarize our experience with adult EFT pts. From 2002 to 2020, we identified 71 pts of whom 58 were evaluable for the final analysis.

Results

Median age was 31 years (18–90 years). Pts presented with skeletal (n = 26), and extra‐skeletal primary disease (n =32). Tumor size was ≥8 cm in 20 pts and 19 pts were metastasized at first diagnosis. Between the age groups (≤25 vs. 26–40 vs. ≥41 years) we observed differences of Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), tumor origin, as well as type and number of therapy cycles. Overall, median overall survival (OS) was 79 months (95% confidence interval, CI; 28.5–131.4 months), and median progression‐free survival (PFS) 34 months (95% CI; 21.4–45.8 months). We observed a poorer outcome (OS, PFS) in older pts. This could be in part due to differences in treatment intensity and the CCI (<3 vs. ≥3; hazard ratio, HR 0.334, 95% CI 0.15–0.72, p = 0.006). In addition, tumor stage had a significant impact on PFS (localized vs. metastasized stage: HR 0.403, 95% CI 0.18–0.87, p = 0.021).

Conclusions

Our data confirms the feasibility of intensive treatment regimens in adult EFT pts. While in our cohort outcome was influenced by age, due to differences in treatment intensity, CCI, and tumor stage, larger studies are warranted to further explore optimized treatment protocols in adult EFT pts.

Cisplatin Versus Carboplatin and Paclitaxel in Radiochemotherapy for Patients With Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND/AIM

The implementation of a platinum-containing regimen is recommended for definitive and adjuvant therapy of patients with locally advanced head and neck tumour. We compared the conditions for the use of cisplatin or carboplatin/paclitaxel or for changing between these two regimens on a clinic-specific basis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We evaluated 150 patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who received simultaneous radiochemotherapy at our institution between 2012 and 2017. Chemotherapy with weekly doses of cisplatin (40 mg/m², group 1) or, in cases of impaired renal and/or cardiac function, with weekly doses of carboplatin AUC2 and paclitaxel (45 mg/m², group 2), was performed as a first-choice therapy. If toxicities occurred in group 1, treatment was switched to the carboplatin/paclitaxel regimen (group 3). Patient- and therapy-related parameters, toxicity and survival data were compared across groups.

RESULTS

We examined 99, 30, and 21 patients in each group who received at least 1 course of chemotherapy. Group 3 patients switched from cisplatin to carboplatin/paclitaxel after a median of 3 courses due to nephrotoxicity (95.2%). The target of at least 5 chemotherapy courses was most frequently achieved by patients in group 1 (69.7%), followed by group 3 (61.9%) and then group 2 (40.0%). Multivariate analysis revealed that patients who switched groups were more likely to be over 60 years old (p=0.021), undergo definitive radiochemotherapy (p=0.049) and develop higher nephrotoxicity (p=0.036) than group 1 patients. Outcomes did not differ between groups.

CONCLUSION

When cisplatin application is contraindicated due to renal- or cardiotoxicity, carboplatin/paclitaxel is an appropriate option.

Feasibility of gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection in elderly patients aged ≥ 80 years

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic resection, especially endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), is increasingly performed in elderly patients with early gastric cancer, and lesions beyond the expanded indications are also resected endoscopically in some patients. It is essential to assess whether gastric ESD is safe and suitable for elderly patients and investigate what type of lesions carry an increased risk of ESD-related complications.

AIM

To assess the efficacy and feasibility of gastric ESD for elderly patients, and define high-risk lesions and prognostic indicators.

METHODS

Among a total of 1169 sessions of gastric ESD performed in Kanagawa Cancer Center Hospital from 2006 to 2014, 179 sessions (15.3%) were performed in patients aged ≥ 80 years, and 172 of these sessions were done in patients with a final diagnosis of gastric cancer. These patients were studied retrospectively to evaluate short-term outcomes and survival. The short-term outcomes included the rates of en bloc resection and curative resection, complications, and procedure-related mortality. Curability was assessed according to the Japanese Gastric Cancer Treatment Guidelines 2010. Fisher’s exact test was used to statistically analyze risk factors. Clinical characteristics of each group were compared using Fisher’s exact test and Mann-Whitney U test. Survival rates at each time point were based on Kaplan-Meier estimation. Overall survival rates were compared between patients with gastric cancer in each group with use of the log-rank test. To identify prognostic factors that jointly predict the hazard of death while controlling for model overfitting, we used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression model including factors curative/ noncurative, age, gender, body mass index, prognostic nutritional index, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), Glasgow prognostic score, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and antithrombotic agent use. We selected the LASSO Cox regression model that resulted in minimal prediction error in 10-fold cross-validation. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

The en bloc dissection rate was 97.1%, indicating that a high quality of treatment was achieved even in elderly patients. As for complications, the rates of bleeding, perforation and aspiration pneumonitis were 3.4%, 1.1% and 0.6%, respectively. These complication rates indicated that ESD was not associated with a particularly higher risk in elderly patients than in nonelderly patients. A dissection incision > 40 mm, lesions associated with depressions, and lesions with ulcers were risk factors for post-ESD bleeding, and location of the lesion in the upper third of the stomach was a risk factor for perforation in elderly patients (P < 0.05). Location of the lesion in the lower third of the stomach tended to be associated with a higher risk of bleeding. The overall survival (OS) did not differ significantly between curative and noncurative ESD (P = 0.69). In patients without additional surgery, OS rate was significantly lower in patients with a high CCI (≥ 2) than in those with a low CCI (≤ 1) (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Gastric ESD is feasible even in patients aged ≥ 80 years. Observation without additional surgery after noncurative ESD is reasonable, especially in elderly patients with CCI ≥ 2.

Simple Excel and ICD-10 based dataset calculator for the Charlson and Elixhauser comorbidity indices

Background

The Charlson and Elixhauser Comorbidity Indices are the most widely used comorbidity assessment methods in medical research. Both methods are adapted for use with the International Classification of Diseases, which 10th revision (ICD-10) is used by over a hundred countries in the world. Available Charlson and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index calculating methods are limited to a few applications with command-line user interfaces, all requiring specific programming language skills. This study aims to use Microsoft Excel to develop a non-programming and ICD-10 based dataset calculator for Charlson and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index and to validate its results with R- and SAS-based methods.

Methods

The Excel-based dataset calculator was developed using the program’s formulae, ICD-10 coding algorithms, and different weights of the Charlson and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index. Real, population-wide, nine-year spanning, index hip fracture data from the Estonian Health Insurance Fund was used for validating the calculator. The Excel-based calculator’s output values and processing speed were compared to R- and SAS-based methods.

Results

A total of 11,491 hip fracture patients’ comorbidities were used for validating the Excel-based calculator. The Excel-based calculator’s results were consistent, revealing no discrepancies, with R- and SAS-based methods while comparing 192,690 and 353,265 output values of Charlson and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, respectively. The Excel-based calculator’s processing speed was slower but differing only from a few seconds up to four minutes with datasets including 6250–200,000 patients.

Conclusions

This study proposes a novel, validated, and non-programming-based method for calculating Charlson and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index scores. As the comorbidity calculations can be conducted in Microsoft Excel’s simple graphical point-and-click interface, the new method lowers the threshold for calculating these two widely used indices.

Trial registration

retrospectively registered.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12874-021-01492-7.

Comorbidities and COVID-19 hospitalization, ICU admission and hospital mortality in Austria : A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The protection of vulnerable populations is a central task in managing the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to avoid severe courses of COVID-19 and the risk of healthcare system capacity being exceeded. To identify factors of vulnerability in Austria, we assessed the impact of comorbidities on COVID-19 hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and hospital mortality.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed including all patients with COVID-19 in the period February 2020 to December 2021 who had a previous inpatient stay in the period 2015-2019 in Austria. All patients with COVID-19 were matched to population controls on age, sex, and healthcare region. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (OR) of included factors with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

Hemiplegia or paraplegia constitutes the highest risk factor for hospitalization (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.44-1.79), followed by COPD (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.43-1.53) and diabetes without complications (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.37-1.46). The highest risk factors for ICU admission are renal diseases (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.61-1.92), diabetes without complications (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.46-1.69) and COPD (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.41-1.66). Hemiplegia or paraplegia, renal disease and COPD constitute the highest risk factors for hospital mortality, with ORs of 1.5. Diabetes without complications constitutes a significantly higher risk factor for women with respect to all three endpoints.

CONCLUSION

We contribute to the literature by identifying sex-specific risk factors. In general, our results are consistent with the literature, particularly regarding diabetes as a risk factor for severe courses of COVID-19. Due to the observational nature of our data, caution is warranted regarding causal interpretation. Our results contribute to the protection of vulnerable populations and may be used for targeting further pharmaceutical interventions.

Bipolar hemiarthroplasty in unstable intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients. The predictive value of the Charlson Comorbidity Index in 1-year mortality

BACKGROUND

Hip fractures have a significant impact on morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Aims: We retrospectively evaluated the predictive role of the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) for 1-year mortality in elderly patients with unstable intertrochanteric hip fractures (ITHF) treated with bipolar hemiarthroplasty. The secondary objective was to identify other relationships, if any, between the variables recorded and mortality.

METHODS

We included ≥75-year-old patients with unstable ITHF treated with bipolar hemiarthroplasty. We recorded patient gender, age, Body Mass Index, pre-fracture walking ability (Parker Mobility score, modified Harris Hip Score), America Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), time to surgery, time to mobilization, hospital stay, and postoperative complications. Uni- and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated using a ROC curve.

RESULTS

A total of 135 patients with a mean age of 87.34 ± 5.5 years were included. The overall 1-year mortality rate was 18.5%. The CCI (OR 1.64 CI 95% 1.21-2.23; p 0.00821) and postoperative complications (OR 3.5 CI 95% 1.19-10.23 p 0.0202) were identified as independent predictors of 1-year mortality in the univariate regression and confirmed in the multivariate regression. CCI sensitivity to predict 1-year mortality was 80%.

CONCLUSION

CCI has shown acceptable sensitivity in the prediction of 1-year mortality in elderly patients with unstable ITHF treated with bipolar hemiarthroplasty. It is of utmost importance to prevent postoperative complications due to their significant impact on 1-year mortality.

G-8 Geriatric Screening Tool Independently Predicts Progression-Free Survival in Older Ovarian Cancer Patients Irrespective of Maximal Surgical Effort: Results of a Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

We evaluated the prognostic impact of various global health assessment tools in patients older than 60 years with ovarian cancer (OC).

METHODS

G-8 geriatric screening tool (G-8 score), Lee Schonberg prognostic index, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) were determined retrospectively in a consecutive cohort of elderly patients with OC. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses and Kaplan-Meier method were performed to analyze the impact of the preoperative global health status on survival.

RESULTS

116 patients entered the study. In multivariate analysis adjusted for clinical-pathological factors, only the G-8 score retained significance as a prognostic parameter of progression-free survival (PFS) (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.970; 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.056-3.677]; p = 0.033). Fifty-six patients were classified as G-8-nonfrail with an increased PFS compared to 50 G-8-frail patients (53.4% vs. 16.7%; p = 0.010). A higher CCI was associated with decreased PFS (45.1% vs. 22.2%; p = 0.012), but it did not influence the risk of recurrences or death (p = 0.360; p = 0.111). The Lee Schonberg prognostic index, the ECOG, and age were not associated with survival.

CONCLUSIONS

The G-8 score independently predicted PFS in elderly OC patients regardless of maximal surgical effort. Thus, it could be useful to assess surgical treatment based on frailty rather than age alone.

Risk of Rebleeding in Patients with Small Bowel Vascular Lesions

Objective With recent advances in endoscopic modalities, small bowel vascular lesions (SBVLs) are often now detected in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding. Given the high invasiveness of endoscopic treatment, it is important to select patients at high risk for bleeding. To assess the risk of rebleeding in patients with SBVLs as a systemic disease rather than a gastrointestinal disease in relation to their general health. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 55 patients with SBVLs among patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. The possible association between the clinical findings and the updated Charlson comorbidity index with rebleeding was evaluated. Results Gastrointestinal rebleeding occurred in 20 patients (36.4%) during the follow-up period. The presence of multiple comorbidities as indicated by an updated Charlson comorbidity index of ≥4 was a risk factor for rebleeding (hazard ratio, 3.64; p=0.004). Other risk factors were arteriosclerosis of the superior mesenteric artery and multiple SBVLs. Endoscopic hemostasis and the discontinuation of antithrombotic medications were not significantly associated with rebleeding. Patients with a high updated Charlson comorbidity index had a high risk of death of causes other than gastrointestinal rebleeding. Conclusion Gastrointestinal rebleeding is not a rare condition among patients with SBVLs. Patients with poor general health may therefore have a higher risk of rebleeding.

Cardiac Transitional Care Effectiveness: Does Overall Comorbidity Burden Matter?

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of mortality and hospitalization in the United States. Transitional care initiatives can improve outcomes for cardiac patients, but it is unclear whether patients with different baseline comorbidity burden benefit equally. We evaluated the effectiveness of the Bridging the Discharge Gap Effectively (BRIDGE) program, a nurse-practitioner-led transitional care clinic, in mitigating adverse clinical outcomes in cardiac patients with varying Charlson comorbidity index (CCI).

METHODS

We studied patients referred to BRIDGE between 2008 and 2017 postdischarge for a cardiac condition. Using proportional hazards regression models, we evaluated associations between attendance at BRIDGE and hospital readmission, emergency department (ED) visit, and a composite outcome consisting of readmission, ED visit, or mortality, and assessed interaction between BRIDGE attendance and CCI.

RESULTS

Of 4559 patients, 3256 (71.4%) attended BRIDGE. In patients with low CCI, attendance at BRIDGE was inversely associated with hospital readmission (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.69, 0.97, P = .02) and the composite endpoint (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.72, 0.98, P = .02). Associations of BRIDGE attendance with both readmission and ED visit were significantly weaker in patients with high CCI (adjusted P, interaction = .007 and .03, respectively). Overall, BRIDGE attendance was associated with an 11% lower hazard of developing the composite endpoint (95% CI: 2%, 19%, P = .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Attendance at a transitional care clinic is inversely associated with risk of readmission and a composite endpoint in cardiac patients with low CCI. Future research should investigate modified transitional care programs in patients with varying comorbidity burden.

Humoral response to BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in peritoneal and hemodialysis patients: A comparative study

Introduction

Maintenance dialysis patients (MDP) are at higher risk of exposure with increased mortality from COVID‐19 with generalized immunization becoming the cornerstone in prevention. This study aims to compare humoral response between hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Materials and Methods

Observational prospective study following HD and PD programs from a Portuguese Center receiving BNT162b2 vaccine. Specific anti‐Spike IgG quantification to compare both for absolute value and non‐responders (NR) between modalities and against risk factors.

Results

Of 67 MDP, 42 were HD and 25 PD patients. PD developed higher antibody titers after both first (median 5.44 vs. 0.99 AU/ml, p < 0.01) and second dose (median 170.43 vs. 65.81 AU/ml; p < 0.01). HD associated with NR after the first dose (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

This study demonstrated improved humoral immunogenicity with BNT162b2 in PD compared to HD patients. These differences are attributed to comorbidity burden and age differences, rather than dialysis modality.

Acute surgical admissions at the end of life-an analysis of non-operative hospital deaths

BACKGROUND

Patients with advanced illnesses are often admitted with acute surgical emergencies. There is currently no evidence characterising such admissions. We aimed to evaluate emergency patients, managed non-operatively, who died during the same admission.

METHODS

This single-centre retrospective, observational study collected data points for a 12 month period including age, prior documented do not resuscitate order (DNAR), existing cancer, Charlson Comorbidity Index, frailty, surgical diagnosis, interval from admission to death and care given. Patients who underwent surgical intervention were excluded. Non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 72 patients were included in this study, of which 68.1% died within 6 days of admission (median 4.0 days). Patients with visceral perforation, obstruction, bowel ischaemia or known malignancy were more likely to die within 6 days than those with pancreatitis, sepsis or new malignancy (median 2 vs 7 days, p < 0.001). Patients with frailty (2 vs 4 days, p = 0.017) and existing DNAR (3 vs 4 days, p = 0.048) died more rapidly than those without. Age and comorbidity index did not impact time to death.

CONCLUSION

Frailty, surgical diagnosis and existing DNAR were predictors of shorter admission to death interval, while age and comorbidity index were not. This has implications on inpatient palliative care service planning.

Analysis of predictors of mortality after surgical and non-surgical management in proximal humerus fractures

BACKGROUND

Proximal humerus fractures are one of the main osteoporotic fractures. Choosing between conservative or surgical treatment is a controversial topic in the literature, as is the functional impact. The main aim of our study was to analyse whether patient comorbidities should influence the final therapeutic decision for these fractures.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We collected data from 638 patients with proximal humerus fractures. The main variable collected was exitus. We also collected the following data: age, gender, type of fracture, laterality, type of treatment, production mechanism, comorbidities and the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) for each patient. The therapeutic indication used the criteria established by the Upper Limb Unit in our centre. We performed chi-square tests, Fischer's exact tests and Student's t-tests to compare the variables. We used the Kaplan-Meier method to analyse both the overall and disease-specific survival rates. We employed the Cox regression model to analyse factors associated with mortality.

RESULTS

Patients with a CCI greater than 5 showed greater mortality (HR  = 3.83; p  < 0.001) than those with a CCI lower than 5. Within the patients who underwent surgery, those with a CCI higher than 5 had an increased mortality rate (HR  = 22.6; p < 0.001) compared with those with a CCI lower than 5. Within the patients who received conservative treatment, those with a CCI over 5 showed greater mortality (HR  = 3.64; p  < 0.001) than those with a CCI under 5.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with proximal humerus fractures and associated comorbidities (CCI > 5) presented higher mortality than healthier patients. This mortality risk was greater in patients with comorbidities if surgical treatment was indicated rather than conservative treatment. Patient's comorbidities should be a fundamental parameter when planning the therapeutic strategy.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 3.

Patients affected by squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: A population particularly prone to developing severe forms of COVID-19

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the recent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has spread all over the world over the past year. Comorbidities appear to affect the prognosis of patients with such diseases, but the impact of cancer on the course of SARS-CoV2 has remained largely elusive. The aim of the present study is to analyze the outcome of patients affected by squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) and a number of their comorbidities, if infected with SARS-CoV2. The clinical data of 100 patients affected by SCCHN, who were undergoing treatment or who had finished their oncologic treatment in the past 6 months, were retrospectively collected and analysed. For each patient, the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was calculated to provide a score assessing the real weight of comorbidities on the patient's outcome at the time of diagnosis. It was discovered that these patients, besides the SCCHN, frequently presented at diagnosis with several other comorbidities, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiac arrhytmia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and various forms of vasculopathy (and thus a poor CCI). This feature suggest that, given the high frequency of various comorbidities in patients with SCCHN, additional SARS-CoV2 infection could have particularly devastating consequences.

Red Cell Distribution Width: Commonly Performed Test Predicts Mortality in Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty

INTRODUCTION

Mortality after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) has been thoroughly explored. Short and long-term mortality appear to be correlated with patient comorbidities. Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) is a commonly performed test that reflects the variation in red blood cell size. This study investigated the utility of RDW, when combined with comorbidity indices, in predicting mortality after TJA.

METHODS

Using a single institutional database, 30,437 primary TJA were identified. Patient demographics (age, gender, body mass index (BMI), pre-operative hemoglobin, RDW, and Charlson Comorbidity Index(CCI)) were queried. The primary outcome was 1-year mortality after TJA. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin <12g/dL for women and <13 g/dL for men. The normal range for RDW is 11.5-14.5%. A preliminary analysis assessed the bivariate association between demographics, preoperative anemia, RDW, CCI, and all-cause mortality within 1-year after TJA. A multivariate regression model was conducted to determine independent predictors of 1-year mortality. Finally, ROC curves were used to compare AUC of RDW, CCI and the combination of both in predicting 1-year mortality.

RESULTS

The mean RDW was 13.6% ± 1.2. Eighteen percent of patients had pre-operative anemia. The mean CCI was 0.4 ± 0.9. RDW, anemia, CCI, and age were significantly associated with a higher incidence of 1-year mortality. RDW, CCI, age, and male sex were found to be independent risk factors for 1-year mortality. RDW (AUC = 0.68) was a better predictor of mortality compared to CCI (AUC = 0.66). The combination of RDW and CCI (AUC = 0.76) predicted 1-year mortality more accurately than CCI or RDW alone.

CONCLUSION

RDW appears to be a useful parameter that, when combined with CCI, can predict the risk for 1-year mortality after TJA.

Mortality, Risk Factors and Risk Assessment after Periprosthetic Femoral Fractures-A Retrospective Cohort Study

Periprosthetic femoral fracture (PFF) is a devastating complication. Here, the authors aimed to determine the influence of the timing of surgery as a risk factor for mortality and poor postoperative outcome in patients suffering from PFF. A retrospective descriptive analysis of patients treated for PFF between January 2010 and March 2018 was performed. In addition to patient and treatment characteristics, we assessed mortality rates and postoperative functional outcome by using the Harris Hip and WOMAC score. One-year mortality after PFF was 10.7%. Delayed surgery after 48 h did not negatively influence mortality after PFF. The postoperative hospital stay did not influence the mortality rate, nor did it correlate with medical scores of comorbidities, general health or functionalities. Cementation of stem correlated negatively with the WOMAC score. Deceased patients had a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score, while American society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) scores did not show a significant difference. There were no differences between ORIF and revision arthroplasty. In conclusion, delayed surgery after 48 h does not negatively influence mortality after PFF. The CCI seems to be a suitable tool to assess patients’ risk for increased mortality after PFF, while the usually used ASA score is not able to achieve a relevant risk assessment.

Socioeconomic status in Danish transgender persons: a nationwide register-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Gender dysphoria could be associated with low socioeconomic status (SES). SES could be modified by age, ethnic background, and medical morbidity.

AIM

To determine SES in a national study population including transgender persons in Denmark.

METHODS

National register-based cohort study in Danish transgender persons and age-matched controls. The transgender study cohort included persons with ICD-10 diagnosis code of 'gender identity disorder' and/or persons with legal sex change and persons who fulfiled the inclusion criteria during 2000-2018. The main outcome measure was SES including personal income, occupational status, and education.

RESULTS

The cohort included 2770 transgender persons and 27,700 controls. In the transgender study cohort, 1437 were assigned male at birth (AMAB), median age (interquartile range, IQR) 26.0 (17.3) years, and 1333 were assigned female at birth (AFAB), median age 22.5 (10.3) years. Adjusting for age and sex, the relative risk ratio (RRR) of low vs high personal income was 5.6 (95% CI: 4.9; 6.3) in transgender persons compared to controls. The RRR of low vs high income was 6.9 (5.8; 8.3) in persons AMAB compared to control males and 4.7 (3.9; 5.6) in persons AFAB compared to control females. The RRR of low vs high income was 3.7 (3.2; 4.3) in transgender persons of Danish origin compared to controls. The Charlson comorbidity index was comparable in transgender persons vs controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Being transgender was negatively associated with SES. In transgender persons, the risk of low vs high income could be more pronounced in transgender persons of foreign origin.

Analysis of the Impact of Comorbidities on Endometrial Lesions Using the Charlson Comorbidity Index in Western Romania

Background and Objectives: This retrospective study aimed to identify the main comorbidities found in gynecological patients hospitalized for endometrial lesions and to analyze the relationships between these comorbidities and each type of endometrial lesion. The Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) was calculated, thus assessing the patient’s probability of survival in relation to the underlying disease and the existing comorbidities. Materials and Methods: During 2015–2019, 594 cases hospitalized for vaginal bleeding outside of pregnancy were included in the research. For all cases, the frequency of comorbidities was calculated, applying the Cox proportional hazard model, considering the hospitalizations (from the following year after the first outpatient or hospital assessment) as a dependent variable; age and comorbidities were considered as independent variables. Results: Analysis of variance (ANOVA) for mean age of patients enrolled after diagnosis and multiple comparisons (via the Tukey post-hoc test) indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) between the average age for endometrial cancer (EC) and that for the typical endometrial hyperplasia or other diagnoses. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (62.28%), obesity (35.01%), and diabetes (22.89%), followed by cardiovascular disease. An intensely negative correlation (r = −0.715281634) was obtained between the percentage values of comorbidities present in EC and other endometrial lesions. The lowest chances of survival were calculated for 88 (14.81% of the total) patients over 50 years (the probability of survival in the next 10 years being between 0 and 21%). The chances of survival at 10 years are moderately negatively correlated with age (sample size = 594, r = −0.6706, p < 0.0001, 95% confidence interval (CI) for r having values from −0.7126 to −0.6238) and strongly negatively correlated with the CCI (r = −0.9359, p < 0.0001, 95% CI for r being in the range −0.9452 to −0.9251). Conclusions: Using CCI in endometrial lesions is necessary to compare the estimated risk of EC mortality with other medical conditions.

Factors Influencing Physician Decision Making to Attempt Advanced Resuscitation in Asystolic Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

The objective of this study was to identify the key elements used by prehospital emergency physicians (EP) to decide whether or not to attempt advanced life support (ALS) in asystolic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). From 1 January 2009 to 1 January 2017, all adult victims of asystolic OHCA in Geneva, Switzerland, were retrospectively included. Patients with signs of “obvious death” or with a Do-Not-Attempt-Resuscitation order were excluded. Patients were categorized as having received ALS if this was mentioned in the medical record, or, failing that, if at least one dose of adrenaline had been administered during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Prognostic factors known at the time of EP’s decision were included in a multivariable logistic regression model. Included were 784 patients. Factors favourably influencing the decision to provide ALS were witnessed OHCA (OR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.43–3.20) and bystander CPR (OR = 4.10, 95% CI: 2.28–7.39). Traumatic aetiology (OR = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.02–0.08), age > 80 years (OR = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.09–0.24) and a Charlson comorbidity index greater than 5 (OR = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.06–0.27) were the factors most strongly associated with the decision not to attempt ALS. Factors influencing the EP’s decision to attempt ALS in asystolic OHCA are the relatively young age of the patients, few comorbidities, presumed medical aetiology, witnessed OHCA and bystander CPR.

Observational study of risk factors associated with clinical outcome among elderly kidney transplant recipients in Sweden - a decade of follow-up

BACKGROUND

Kidney transplantation (Ktx) in elderly has become increasingly accepted worldwide despite their higher burden of comorbidities. We investigated important risk factors affecting long-term patient and graft survival.

METHODS

We included all (n=747) Ktx patients >60 years from 2000 to 2012 in Sweden. Patients were age-stratified; 60-64, 65-69 and >70 years. Follow-up time was up to 10 years (median 7.9 years, 75% percentile >10 years). Primary outcome was 10-year patient survival in age-stratified groups. Secondary outcomes were 5- year patient and graft-survival in age-stratified groups and the impact of risk factors including Charlson comorbidity index on patient and graft-survival.

RESULTS

Mortality was higher in patients >70 years, after 10 years (HR 1.94; 95% CI 1.24-3.04; p=0.004). Males had a higher 10-year risk of death (HR 1.39; CI 95% 1.04-1.86; p=0.024). Five-year patient survival did not differ between age-groups. In multivariate Cox analysis (n=500) hazard ratio for 10-year mortality was 4.6 in patients with Charlson comorbidity index ≥7 vs <4 (95% CI 2.42-8.62; p=0.0001) CONCLUSION: Higher Charlson comorbidity index identified ESKD patients with 4.6 times higher risk of death after Ktx. We suggest that this index should be used as a part of the pre-operative evaluation in elderly.