Temporal trends in the management of severe hyperglycemia among patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction [abstract]

Poster sesssionBackground: Elevated blood glucose (BG) is associated with an adverse prognosis in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. While guidelines recommend insulin therapy to lower markedly elevated BG in AMI patients, it is unknown whether these recommendations have impacted BG management over time. Methods: We studied 39,775 AMI patients hospitalized from 2000 to 2008 in 55 US medical centers contributing to Health Facts, a national database with extensive data on in-hospital BG and insulin use. Using all available BG measures during the hospital stay, we restricted our analysis to patients with a mean BG ≥200mg/dl and examined temporal trends in insulin use with hierarchical logistic regression models. Results: Overall, 4330 patients (11% of the entire cohort) had mean hospitalization BG ≥ 200 mg/dL and this proportion decreased from 2000 to 2008 (12% to 8%, p for trend<0.001); 75% of these patients had diabetes. In total, 61% of AMI patients with mean BG ≥ 200 received any insulin and only 16% received intravenous (IV) insulin during hospitalization. Hierarchical multivariable models showed an increased likelihood of insulin use over time (Figure). However, about one in three patients continued to receive no treatment for markedly elevated BG. Conclusions: Despite some improvement over time, insulin treatment rates among hospitalized AMI patients with severe, sustained hyperglycemia remain low. These findings likely reflect continuing uncertainty regarding optimal BG management during AMI

Patient Profiles and Health Status Outcomes for Peripheral Artery Disease in High-Income Countries:A Comparison Between the United States and the Netherlands

OBJECTIVES: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a global disease. Understanding variability in patient profiles and PAD-specific health status outcomes across health system countries can provide insights into improving PAD care. We compared these features between 2 high-income countries, the United States (US) and the Netherlands. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were identified from the Patient-centered Outcomes Related to Treatment Practices in Peripheral Arterial Disease: Investigating Trajectories (PORTRAIT) study - a prospective, international registry of patients presenting to vascular specialty clinics for new onset, or exacerbation of PAD symptoms. PAD-specific health status was measured with the Peripheral Artery Questionnaire (PAQ). General linear mixed models for repeated measures were used to study baseline, 3-, 6-, and 12-month PAD-specific health status outcomes (PAQ summary score) between US and the Netherlands. RESULTS: Out of a total of 1,114 patients, 748 patients (67.1%) were from the US and 366 (32.9%) from the Netherlands. US patients with PAD were older, with more financial barriers, higher cardiovascular risk factor burden, and lower referral rates for exercise treatment (p < 0.001). They had significantly worse PAD-specific adjusted health status scores at presentation, 3-, 6- and 12 months of follow-up (all p < 0.0001). Magnitude of change in 1-year health status scores was smaller in the US cohort as compared with the Netherlands. CONCLUSION: Compared with the Dutch cohort, US patients had worse adjusted PAD-specific health status scores at all time point, improving less over time, despite treatment. Leveraging inter-country differences in care and outcomes could provide important insights into optimizing PAD outcomes

Nuisance Bleeding With Prolonged Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Acute Myocardial Infarction and its Impact on Health Status

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to examine the incidence of nuisance bleeding after AMI and its impact on QOL.BackgroundProlonged dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is recommended after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) to reduce ischemic events, but it is associated with increased rates of major and minor bleeding. The incidence of even lesser degrees of post-discharge “nuisance” bleeding with DAPT and its impact on quality of life (QOL) are unknown.MethodsData from the 24-center TRIUMPH (Translational Research Investigating Underlying Disparities in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients' Health Status) study of 3,560 patients, who were interviewed at 1, 6, and 12 months after AMI, were used to investigate the incidence of nuisance bleeding (defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 1). Baseline characteristics associated with “nuisance” bleeding and its association with QOL, as measured by the EuroQol 5 Dimension visual analog scale, and subsequent re-hospitalization were examined.ResultsNuisance (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 1) bleeding occurred in 1,335 patients (37.5%) over the 12 months after AMI. After adjusting for baseline bleeding and mortality risk, ongoing DAPT was the strongest predictor of nuisance bleeding (rate ratio [RR]: 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17 to 1.76 at 1 month; RR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.35 to 2.65 at 6 months; and RR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.79 at 12 months; p < 0.01 for all comparisons). Nuisance bleeding at 1 month was independently associated with a decrement in QOL at 1 month (−2.81 points on EuroQol 5 Dimension visual analog scale; 95% CI: 1.09 to 5.64) and nonsignificantly toward higher re-hospitalization (hazard ratio: 1.20; 95% CI: 0.95 to 1.52).ConclusionsNuisance bleeding is common in the year after AMI, associated with ongoing use of DAPT, and independently associated with worse QOL. Improved selection of patients for prolonged DAPT may help minimize the incidence and adverse consequences of nuisance bleeding

Nuisance Bleeding With Prolonged Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Acute Myocardial Infarction and its Impact on Health Status

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to examine the incidence of nuisance bleeding after AMI and its impact on QOL.BackgroundProlonged dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is recommended after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) to reduce ischemic events, but it is associated with increased rates of major and minor bleeding. The incidence of even lesser degrees of post-discharge “nuisance” bleeding with DAPT and its impact on quality of life (QOL) are unknown.MethodsData from the 24-center TRIUMPH (Translational Research Investigating Underlying Disparities in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients' Health Status) study of 3,560 patients, who were interviewed at 1, 6, and 12 months after AMI, were used to investigate the incidence of nuisance bleeding (defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 1). Baseline characteristics associated with “nuisance” bleeding and its association with QOL, as measured by the EuroQol 5 Dimension visual analog scale, and subsequent re-hospitalization were examined.ResultsNuisance (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 1) bleeding occurred in 1,335 patients (37.5%) over the 12 months after AMI. After adjusting for baseline bleeding and mortality risk, ongoing DAPT was the strongest predictor of nuisance bleeding (rate ratio [RR]: 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17 to 1.76 at 1 month; RR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.35 to 2.65 at 6 months; and RR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.79 at 12 months; p < 0.01 for all comparisons). Nuisance bleeding at 1 month was independently associated with a decrement in QOL at 1 month (−2.81 points on EuroQol 5 Dimension visual analog scale; 95% CI: 1.09 to 5.64) and nonsignificantly toward higher re-hospitalization (hazard ratio: 1.20; 95% CI: 0.95 to 1.52).ConclusionsNuisance bleeding is common in the year after AMI, associated with ongoing use of DAPT, and independently associated with worse QOL. Improved selection of patients for prolonged DAPT may help minimize the incidence and adverse consequences of nuisance bleeding

Visuo-spatial cognition in Williams syndrome: Reviewing and accounting for the strengths and weaknesses in performance

Individuals with Williams syndrome typically show relatively poor visuo-spatial abilities in comparison to stronger verbal skills. However, individuals' level of performance is not consistent across all visuo-spatial tasks. The studies assessing visuo-spatial functioning in Williams syndrome are critically reviewed, in order to provide a clear pattern of the relative difficulty of these tasks. This prompts a possible explanation of the variability in performance seen which focuses on the processing demands of some of these tasks. Individuals with Williams syndrome show an atypical processing style on tests of construction, which does not affect tests of perception

COVID-19 pandemic and mortality in nursing homes across USA and Europe up to October 2021

Purpose We compared the prevalence of COVID-19 and related mortality in nursing homes (NHs) in 14 countries until October 2021. We explored the relationship between COVID-19 mortality in NHs with the average size of NHs and with the COVID-19 deaths at a population level. Methods The total number of COVID-19 cases and COVID-19-related deaths in all NHs as well as the total number of NHs and NH beds were provided by representatives of 14 countries. The population level respective figures in each country were provided up to October 2021. Results There was a wide variation in prevalence of COVID-19 cases and deaths between countries. We observed a significant correlation between COVID-19 deaths in NHs and that of the total population and between the mean size of NHs and COVID-19 deaths. Conclusion Side-by-side comparisons between countries allow international sharing of good practice to better enable future pandemic preparedness.Peer reviewe

COVID-19 pandemic and mortality in nursing homes across USA and Europe up to October 2021

Purpose We compared the prevalence of COVID-19 and related mortality in nursing homes (NHs) in 14 countries until October 2021. We explored the relationship between COVID-19 mortality in NHs with the average size of NHs and with the COVID-19 deaths at a population level. Methods The total number of COVID-19 cases and COVID-19-related deaths in all NHs as well as the total number of NHs and NH beds were provided by representatives of 14 countries. The population level respective figures in each country were provided up to October 2021. Results There was a wide variation in prevalence of COVID-19 cases and deaths between countries. We observed a significant correlation between COVID-19 deaths in NHs and that of the total population and between the mean size of NHs and COVID-19 deaths. Conclusion Side-by-side comparisons between countries allow international sharing of good practice to better enable future pandemic preparedness.Peer reviewe

On the unimpairable resistance of the guinea pig to dietary amino azo dye hepatocarcinogenesis

Die Resistenz des Meerschweinchens gegenüber der hepatocarcinogenen Wirkung von 3′-Methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, das mit 0,12% insgesamt 8 Monate gefüttert wurde, wird auch durch den starken co-carcinogenen Einfluß einer Partialhepatektomie nicht gebrochen. The resistance of the guinea pig to carcinogenesis by 3′-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene fed at the level of 0.12% for a total of 8 months is not overcome by the potent cocarcinogenic influence of partial hepatectomy performed at 4 weeks.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47536/1/432_2004_Article_BF00524400.pd