Clinical impact of hospital-acquired anemia in association with acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Association of pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis with clinically relevant bleeding and hospital-acquired anemia in medical inpatients: the risk stratification for hospital-acquired venous thromboembolism in medical patients study

BACKGROUND

Pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis (pTPX) might exacerbate the risk of clinically relevant bleeding (CRB) and hospital-acquired anemia (HAA) in older multimorbid inpatients.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to evaluate the association of pTPX use with CRB and HAA.

METHODS

We used data from a prospective cohort study conducted in 3 Swiss university hospitals. Adult patients admitted to internal medicine wards with no therapeutic anticoagulation were included. pTPX use was ascertained during hospitalization. Outcomes were in-hospital CRB and HAA. We calculated incidence rates by status of pTPX. We assessed the association of pTPX with CRB using survival analysis and with HAA using logistic regression, adjusted for infection, length of stay, and the International Medical Prevention Registry on Venous Thromboembolism bleeding risk score.

RESULTS

Among 1305 patients (mean age, 63.7 years; 44% women, 90% at low risk of bleeding), 809 (62%) received pTPX. The incidence of CRB was 2.4 per 1000 patient-days and was not significantly higher in patients with pTPX than in those without. We found no significant association between pTPX and CRB. HAA was frequent (20.2%) and higher in patients with pTPX than in those without (23.2% vs 15.3%). The incidence of HAA was 21.2 per 1000 patient-days and did not significantly differ between patients with pTPX and those without. We found an association between pTPX and HAA (adjusted odds ratio, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-2.1).

CONCLUSION

Our study confirmed the safety of pTPX in medical inpatients at low risk of bleeding but identified an association between pTPX and HAA. Adherence to guidelines that recommend administering pTPX to medical inpatients at increased venous thromboembolism risk and low bleeding risk is necessary.

Risk Factors Analysis for Hemoglobin Decline Caused by Diagnostic Blood Collection in Respiratory Department in North China: A Case-Control Study

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between hemoglobin decline and diagnostic blood collection in the respiratory department and analyze the decline's risk factors.

Patients and Methods

A case-control study in the respiratory department of a national tertiary hospital in north China, multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to find the risk factors. Patients excluding other factors affecting hemoglobin other than blood collection in the year 2021 were enrolled and divided into two groups according to the D-value of hemoglobin. The degree of hemoglobin decline caused by diagnostic blood collection between discharge and admission and its risk factors were analyzed.

Results

Among the 530 patients screened in the study, ΔHb (the D-value of hemoglobin between discharge and admission) showed a skewed distribution with an average value of -4.38±0.514 g/L. We defined the D-value less than mean-2SD (ΔHb<-5.408) as a significant hemoglobin decline, by which the patients were categorized into two groups. Some variables had apparent differences between the two groups. By multivariable logistic regression analysis on these variables, the independent risk factors for significant hemoglobin decline (ΔHb<-5.408g/L) were revealed: age (OR=1.020, 95% CI 1.008-1.032, p=0.001), Male gender (OR=1.544, 95% CI 1.011-2.358, p=0.044), hemoglobin value at admission (OR=1.052, 95% CI 1.039-1.065, p<0.001), total blood collection volume (OR=1.021, 95% CI 1.010-1.032, p<0.001).

Conclusion

In the respiratory department, older male and more diagnostic blood collection mean higher risks of significant hemoglobin decline. Surprisingly, the lower the hemoglobin value at admission, the lower the risk.

Acute kidney injury in Jamaicans with sickle cell disease hospitalized with COVID-19 infection

Despite a high occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) with COVID-19 infection, there are no data on its incidence in sickle cell disease (SCD). We performed a single-center retrospective chart review of persons aged >1 year with SCD, COVID-19 infection and no prior dialysis requirement hospitalized from June 1, 2020 to May 31, 2022. Demographics, clinical, laboratory characteristics and outcomes were abstracted. AKI was defined using Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Of 38 patients meeting study criteria (60.6% female, mean age ± SD 38.6 ± 15.9 years), 3 (7.9%) were COVID vaccinated. Fifty-five percent (55%) developed AKI with 7.9% (n = 3) requiring dialysis. Participants with AKI were older (44.9 versus 30.8 years, p = 0.005), with a higher proportion having baseline chronic kidney disease (52% versus 0%, p = 0.001). Severe COVID infection [age-adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 8.93, 95%CI: 1.73-45.99, p = 0.033], red cell transfusion (aOR 7.92, 1.47-42.69) and decrease in hemoglobin per unit from baseline (aOR 2.85, 1.24-2.28) were associated with AKI. Five persons died in hospital, with AKI resulting in higher median length of stay (12 versus 5 days, p = 0.007). Targeted COVID-19 preventative measures and multinational longitudinal studies to ascertain the impact of AKI and COVID-19 infection in SCD are needed.

Prevalence and risk factors for hospital-acquired anemia in internal medicine patients: learning from the "less is more" perspective

Hospital-acquired anemia is defined as a new-onset anemia in hospitalized patients who have a normal hemoglobin level at admission. Its prevalence is unknown and most studies published on this topic have been conducted in intensive care unit patients with limited applicability to less acute settings, such as internal medicine wards. We conducted a retrospective study and enrolled 129 patients who were admitted to an Internal Medicine Unit between October 2021 and February 2022. The median value of phlebotomy during hospitalization was 46 ml (IQR 30-72 ml), whereas the median length of hospital stay was 9 days (IQR 5-13 days). The median value of hemoglobin reduction was -0.63 g/dl (p < 0.001) and the maximum value of drop in hemoglobin value was -2.6 g/dl. All patients who experienced a phlebotomy > 85 ml had a hemoglobin reduction > 0.6 g/dl. 20.9% of patients developed anemia during the hospital stay (7% moderate and 13.9% mild). No cases of severe anemia were observed. The volume of blood drawn during the hospital stay and the Hb value on admission were the only two variables statistically associated with the development of anemia, whereas gender, age, and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, history of cancer, or heart failure, were not. Strategies, such as elimination of unnecessary laboratory tests and the use of smaller tubes for blood collection, are needed to reduce the volume of iatrogenic blood loss and avoid blood wastage occurring during hospitalization in internal medicine patients.

Reticulocyte and Erythrocyte Hemoglobin Parameters for Iron Deficiency and Anemia Diagnostics in Patient Blood Management. A Narrative Review

Anemia, iron deficiency and other hematinic deficiencies are a major cause of perioperative transfusion needs and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Anemia can be caused either by decreased production of hemoglobin or red blood cells or by increased consumption and blood loss. Decreased production can involve anything from erythropoietin or vitamin B12 insufficiency to absolute or functional lack of iron. Thus, to achieve the goal of patient blood management, anemia must be addressed by addressing its causes. The traditional parameters to diagnose anemia, despite offering elaborate options, are not ideally suited to giving a simple overview of the causes of anemia, e.g., iron status for erythropoiesis, especially during the acute phase of inflammation, acute blood loss or iron deficiency. Reticulocyte hemoglobin can thus help to uncover the cause of the anemia and to identify the main factors inhibiting erythropoiesis. Regardless of the cause of anemia, reticulocyte hemoglobin can also quickly track the success of therapy and, together with the regular full blood count it is measured alongside, help in clearing the patient for surgery.

The Relationship Between AKI in Patients With STEMI and Short-Term Mortality: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with poor long-term outcome. However, the short-term prognosis of AKI in patients with ST-elevation AMI (STEMI) needs to be explored further. We assessed this relationship between these patients and short-term mortality in relation to AKI and chronic kidney disease (CKD). All data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III database. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality. Kaplan-Meier curves, logistic regression models, and propensity score matching analysis were used to evaluate the associations between AKI in patients with STEMI and outcomes. A total of 1031 patients with STEMI met the inclusion criteria. For 28-day mortality, in the multivariable logistic regression models, the odds ratio (95% CI) of group 2 (AKI but no CKD) and group 3 (AKI in the presence of CKD) were 3.24 (1.46-7.18) and 4.57 (1.83-11.37), respectively, compared with group 1 (no AKI and no CKD). Comorbid AKI increased the risk of short-term mortality among patients with STEMI, especially for those with AKI in the presence of CKD.

Sarcopenia in chronic kidney disease: what have we learned so far?

The term sarcopenia was first introduced in 1988 by Irwin Rosenberg to define a condition of muscle loss that occurs in the elderly. Since then, a broader definition comprising not only loss of muscle mass, but also loss of muscle strength and low physical performance due to ageing or other conditions, was developed and published in consensus papers from geriatric societies. Sarcopenia was proposed to be diagnosed based on operational criteria using two components of muscle abnormalities, low muscle mass and low muscle function. This brought awareness of an important nutritional derangement with adverse outcomes for the overall health. In parallel, many studies in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have shown that sarcopenia is a prevalent condition, mainly among patients with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) on hemodialysis (HD). In CKD, sarcopenia is not necessarily age-related as it occurs as a result of the accelerated protein catabolism from the disease and from the dialysis procedure per se combined with low energy and protein intakes. Observational studies showed that sarcopenia and especially low muscle strength is associated with worse clinical outcomes, including worse quality of life (QoL) and higher hospitalization and mortality rates. This review aims to discuss the differences in conceptual definition of sarcopenia in the elderly and in CKD, as well as to describe etiology of sarcopenia, prevalence, outcome, and interventions that attempted to reverse the loss of muscle mass, strength and mobility in CKD and ESKD patients.

Anemia Among Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair: From the National Inpatient Sample in the United States

Background The prevalence and impact of anemia on the outcomes of transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) have not been well-studied. Anemia is a commonly encountered comorbidity among patients with cardiovascular disorders and is frequently under-recognized. The study aimed to analyze the prevalence of anemia and its impact on post-TMVr in-hospital outcomes. Methods The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was queried to identify all patients who underwent TMVr from 2011-2015 in the United States by utilizing suitable International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes. The baseline characteristics and in-hospital outcomes were compared among patients with and without anemia. Results A total of 4,382 patients were identified. Out of these, 978 (22.3%) patients had baseline anemia. Anemic patients were noted to have a higher burden of co-morbidities, including chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. The in-hospital mortality was higher but not statistically significant between anemic and non-anemic patients (3.6% vs 2.6%; odds ratio (OR): 1.44; confidence interval (CI): 0.85-2.46, p=0.179). The other adverse outcomes, including the length of stay, the requirement for blood transfusions, the incidence of post-implant acute kidney injury, hemodialysis, and the cost of hospitalization, were higher in anemic patients. Conclusion Anemia was present in one out of five patients undergoing TMVr in this nationally representative cohort. Baseline anemia showed numerically higher but not statistically significant in-hospital mortality and was associated with other in-hospital adverse outcomes. Further larger studies are needed to highlight the importance of anemia in the TMVr procedure.

Association of comorbidities with clinical outcomes in patients after acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Multimorbidity becomes more prevalent in patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We investigated the association of an increasing number of comorbidities with the excess risk of in-hospital mortality and other clinically outcomes in hospitalized AMI patients.

METHODS

In this population-based cohort study, we analyzed 104'906 admissions for AMI between 2012 and 2018 in Switzerland. We stratified patients based on four different age categories and investigated the association of the number of five common comorbidities (diabetes, chronic kidney-, chronic obstructive pulmonary-, cerebrovascular-, and peripheral artery disease) and risk of in-hospital mortality and other outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 5'029 admitted AMI patients (4.8%) died during the hospital stay. We found a stepwise increase in mortality risk with each additional comorbidity. Compared to AMI patients with no comorbidity, comorbid patients had a 26% increased risk for mortality (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20 to 1.33) with a pronounced association in younger patients. The overall risk for ICU admission, prolonged length of hospital stay (LOS), and 30-day readmission was higher in comorbid patients as compared to those without a comorbidity of interest (ICU: OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.22; LOS: OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.79 to 1.89; Readmission: OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.28), respectively. Again, the association of the numbers of prevalent comorbidities with adverse outcomes was strongest in the youngest patient population.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with AMI, the burden of comorbidities has a strong association with in-hospital mortality and other adverse outcomes - especially in younger patients.

A Narrative Review on Hospital-Acquired Anemia: Keeping Blood where It Belongs

Hospital-acquired anemia (HAA) is a prevalent condition that is independently associated with worse clinical outcomes including prolongation of hospital stay and increased morbidity and mortality. While multifactorial in general, iatrogenic blood loss has been long recognized as one of the key contributing factors to development and worsening of HAA during hospital stay. Patients can be losing over 50 mL of blood per day to diagnostic blood draws. Strategies such as elimination of unnecessary laboratory tests that are not likely to alter the course of management, use of pediatric-size or small-volume tubes for blood collection to reduce phlebotomy volumes and avoid blood wastage, use of closed blood sampling devices, and substituting invasive tests with point-of-care testing alone or bundled together have generally been shown to be effective in reducing the volume of iatrogenic blood loss, hemoglobin decline, and blood transfusions, with no negative impact on the availability of test results for the clinical team. These strategies are important components of Patient Blood Management programs and their adoption can lead to improved clinical outcomes for patients.

Acute Kidney Injury and Subsequent Frailty Status in Survivors of Critical Illness: A Secondary Analysis

OBJECTIVES

Acute kidney injury frequently complicates critical illness and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Frailty is common in critical illness survivors, but little is known about the impact of acute kidney injury. We examined the association of acute kidney injury and frailty within a year of hospital discharge in survivors of critical illness.

DESIGN

Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Medical/surgical ICU of a U.S. tertiary care medical center.

PATIENTS

Three hundred seventeen participants with respiratory failure and/or shock.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Acute kidney injury was determined using Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes stages. Clinical frailty status was determined using the Clinical Frailty Scale at 3 and 12 months following discharge. Covariates included mean ICU Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score as well as baseline comorbidity (i.e., Charlson Comorbidity Index), kidney function, and Clinical Frailty Scale score. Of 317 patients, 243 (77%) had acute kidney injury and one in four patients with acute kidney injury was frail at baseline. In adjusted models, acute kidney injury stages 1, 2, and 3 were associated with higher frailty scores at 3 months (odds ratio, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.14-3.24; odds ratio, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.31-4.42; and odds ratio, 4.41; 95% CI, 2.20-8.82, respectively). At 12 months, a similar association of acute kidney injury stages 1, 2, and 3 and higher Clinical Frailty Scale score was noted (odds ratio, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.11-3.14; odds ratio, 1.81; 95% CI, 0.94-3.48; and odds ratio, 2.76; 95% CI, 1.34-5.66, respectively). In supplemental and sensitivity analyses, analogous patterns of association were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Acute kidney injury in survivors of critical illness predicted worse frailty status 3 and 12 months postdischarge. These findings have important implications on clinical decision making among acute kidney injury survivors and underscore the need to understand the drivers of frailty to improve patient-centered outcomes.

Frailty as a Predictor of Acute Kidney Injury in Hospitalized Elderly Patients: A Single Center, Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Elderly patients have an increased risk for acute kidney injury (AKI). However, few studies have reported on predictors for AKI in geriatric patients. Therefore, we aimed at determining the effect of frailty as a predictor of AKI.

METHODS

We retrospectively enrolled 533 hospitalized elderly patients (aged ≥ 65 years) who had their creatinine levels measured (≥ 1 measurement) during admission for a period of 1 year (2013) and conducted a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) within 1 year before the index hospitalization. We examined five variables (activity of daily living [ADL] and instrumental ADL dependence, dementia, nutrition, and polypharmacy) from CGA. We categorized the patients into 3 groups according to the tertile of aggregate frailty scores: Group 1, score 1-2; Group 2, score 3-4; Group 3, score 5-8).

RESULTS

Fifty-four patients (10.1%) developed AKI (median duration, 4 days). The frailest group (Group 3) showed an increased risk of AKI as compared to Group 1, (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.536, P = 0.002). We found that discriminatory accuracy for AKI improved with the addition of the tertile of aggregate frailty score to covariates (area under the receiver operator characteristics curves [AUROC] 0.641, AUROC 0.739, P = 0.004). Forty-six patients (8.6%) were transferred to nursing facilities and 477 patients (89.5%) were discharged home. The overall 90-day and 1-year mortality for elderly inpatients were 7.9% and 26.3%. The frailest group also demonstrated an increased risk of discharge to nursing facilities, and 90-day and 1-year mortality as compared to Group 1, independent of AKI severity (nursing facilities: odd ratio = 4.843, P = 0.002; 90-day mortality: HR = 6.555, P = 0.002; 1-year mortality: HR = 3.249, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

We found that frailty may independently predict the development of AKI and adverse outcomes in geriatric inpatients.

National trends in hospital length of stay for acute myocardial infarction in China

BACKGROUND

China is experiencing increasing burden of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the face of limited medical resources. Hospital length of stay (LOS) is an important indicator of resource utilization.

METHODS

We used data from the Retrospective AMI Study within the China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events, a nationally representative sample of patients hospitalized for AMI during 2001, 2006, and 2011. Hospital-level variation in risk-standardized LOS (RS-LOS) for AMI, accounting for differences in case mix and year, was examined with two-level generalized linear mixed models. A generalized estimating equation model was used to evaluate hospital characteristics associated with LOS. Absolute differences in RS-LOS and 95% confidence intervals were reported.

RESULTS

The weighted median and mean LOS were 13 and 14.6 days, respectively, in 2001 (n = 1,901), 11 and 12.6 days in 2006 (n = 3,553), and 11 and 11.9 days in 2011 (n = 7,252). There was substantial hospital level variation in RS-LOS across the 160 hospitals, ranging from 9.2 to 18.1 days. Hospitals in the Central regions had on average 1.6 days (p = 0.02) shorter RS-LOS than those in the Eastern regions. All other hospital characteristics relating to capacity for AMI treatment were not associated with LOS.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a marked decline over the past decade, the mean LOS for AMI in China in 2011 remained long compared with international standards. Inter-hospital variation is substantial even after adjusting for case mix. Further improvement of AMI care in Chinese hospitals is critical to further shorten LOS and reduce unnecessary hospital variation.

A retrospective study investigating the incidence and predisposing factors of hospital-acquired anemia

Hospitalized patients frequently have considerable volumes of blood removed for diagnostic testing which could lead to the development of hospital-acquired anemia. Low hemoglobin levels during hospitalization may result in significant morbidity for patients with underlying cardiorespiratory and other illnesses. We performed a retrospective study and data was collected using a chart review facilitated through an electronic medical record. A total of 479 patients who were not anemic during admission were included in analysis. In our study, we investigated the incidence of HAA and found that, between admission and discharge, 65% of patients dropped their hemoglobin by 1.0 g/dL or more, and 49% of patients developed anemia. We also found that the decrease in hemoglobin between admission and discharge did not differ significantly with smaller phlebotomy tubes. In multivariate analysis, we found that patients with longer hospitalization and those with lower BMI are at higher risk of developing HAA. In conclusion, our study confirms that hospital-acquired anemia is common. More aggressive strategies such as reducing the frequency of blood draws and expanding the use of smaller volume tubes for other laboratory panels may be helpful in reducing the incidence of HAA during hospitalization.