Patterns of Care Quality and Prognosis Among Hospitalized Ischemic Stroke Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

Background: Relatively little is known about the quality of care and outcomes for hospitalized ischemic stroke patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We examined quality of care and in‐hospital prognoses among patients with CKD in the Get With The Guidelines–Stroke (GWTG‐Stroke) program Methods and Results: We analyzed 679 827 patients hospitalized with ischemic stroke from 1564 US centers participating in the GWTG‐Stroke program between January 2009 and December 2012. Use of 7 predefined ischemic stroke performance measures, composite “defect‐free” care compliance, and in‐hospital mortality were examined based on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) categorized as a dichotomous (+CKD as <60) or rank‐ordered variable: normal (≥90), mild (≥60 to <90), moderate (≥30 to <60), severe (≥15 to <30), and kidney failure (<15 or dialysis). There were 236 662 (35%) ischemic stroke patients with CKD. Patients with severe renal dysfunction or failure were significantly less likely to receive guideline‐based therapies. Compared with patients with normal kidney function (≥90), those with CKD (adjusted OR 0.91 [95% CI: 0.89 to 0.92]), moderate dysfunction (adjusted OR 0.94 [95% CI: 0.92 to 0.97]), severe dysfunction (adjusted OR 0.80 [95% CI: 0.77 to 0.84]), or failure (adjusted OR 0.72 [95% CI: 0.68 to 0.0.76]), were less likely to receive 100% defect‐free care measure compliance. Inpatient mortality was higher for patients with CKD (adjusted odds ratio 1.44 [95% CI: 1.40 to 1.47]), and progressively rose with more severe renal dysfunction. Conclusions: Despite higher in‐hospital mortality rates, ischemic stroke patients with CKD, especially those with greater severity of renal dysfunction, were less likely to receive important guideline‐recommended therapies

Risks and Benefits Associated With Prestroke Antiplatelet Therapy Among Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke Treated With Intravenous Tissue Plasminogen Activator

IMPORTANCE: Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is known to improve outcomes in ischemic stroke; however, many patients may have been receiving antiplatelet therapy before acute ischemic stroke and could face an increased risk for bleeding when treated with tPA. OBJECTIVE: To assess the risks and benefits associated with prestroke antiplatelet therapy among patients with ischemic stroke who receive intravenous tPA. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This observational study used data from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association Get With the Guidelines-Stroke registry, which included 85 072 adult patients with ischemic stroke who received intravenous tPA in 1545 registry hospitals from January 1, 2009, through March 31, 2015. Data were analyzed during the same period. EXPOSURES: Prestroke antiplatelet therapy before tPA administration for acute ischemic stroke. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), in-hospital mortality, discharge ambulatory status, and modified Rankin Scale score (range, 0 [no symptoms] to 6 [death]). RESULTS: Of the 85 072 registry patients, 38 844 (45.7%) were receiving antiplatelet therapy before admission; 46 228 patients (54.3%) were not. Patients receiving antiplatelet therapy were older (median [25th-75th percentile] age, 76 [65-84] vs 68 [56-80] years) and had a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. The unadjusted rate of sICH was higher in patients receiving antiplatelet therapy (5.0% vs 3.7%). After risk adjustment, prior use of antiplatelet agents remained associated with higher odds of sICH compared with no use (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.18 [95% CI, 1.10-1.28]; absolute difference, +0.68% [95% CI, 0.36%-1.01%]; number needed to harm [NNH], 147). Among patients enrolled on October 1, 2012, or later, the highest odds (95% CIs) of sICH were found in 15 116 patients receiving aspirin alone (AOR, 1.19 [1.06- 1.34]; absolute difference [95% CI], +0.68% [0.21%-1.20%]; NNH, 147) and 2397 patients receiving dual antiplatelet treatment of aspirin and clopidogrel (AOR, 1.47 [1.16-1.86]; absolute difference, +1.67% [0.58%-3.00%]; NNH, 60). The risk for in-hospital mortality was similar between those who were and were not receiving antiplatelet therapy after adjustment (8.0% vs 6.6%; AOR, 1.00 [0.94-1.06]; nonsignificant absolute difference, -0.01% [-0.37% to 0.36%]). However, patients receiving antiplatelet therapy had a greater risk-adjusted likelihood of independent ambulation (42.1% vs 46.6%; AOR, 1.13 [1.08-1.17]; absolute difference, +2.23% [1.55%-2.92%]; number needed to treat, 43) and better functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score, 0-1) at discharge (24.1% vs 27.8%; AOR, 1.14; 1.07-1.22; absolute difference, +1.99% [0.78%-3.22%]; number needed to treat, 50). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Among patients with an acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous tPA, those receiving antiplatelet therapy before the stroke had a higher risk for sICH but better functional outcomes than those who were not receiving antiplatelet therapy

Patterns of care quality and prognosis among hospitalized ischemic stroke patients with chronic kidney disease.

BackgroundRelatively little is known about the quality of care and outcomes for hospitalized ischemic stroke patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We examined quality of care and in-hospital prognoses among patients with CKD in the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke (GWTG-Stroke) programMethods and resultsWe analyzed 679 827 patients hospitalized with ischemic stroke from 1564 US centers participating in the GWTG-Stroke program between January 2009 and December 2012. Use of 7 predefined ischemic stroke performance measures, composite "defect-free" care compliance, and in-hospital mortality were examined based on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) categorized as a dichotomous (+CKD as &lt;60) or rank-ordered variable: normal (≥ 90), mild (≥ 60 to &lt;90), moderate (≥ 30 to &lt;60), severe (≥ 15 to &lt;30), and kidney failure (&lt;15 or dialysis). There were 236 662 (35%) ischemic stroke patients with CKD. Patients with severe renal dysfunction or failure were significantly less likely to receive guideline-based therapies. Compared with patients with normal kidney function (≥ 90), those with CKD (adjusted OR 0.91 [95% CI: 0.89 to 0.92]), moderate dysfunction (adjusted OR 0.94 [95% CI: 0.92 to 0.97]), severe dysfunction (adjusted OR 0.80 [95% CI: 0.77 to 0.84]), or failure (adjusted OR 0.72 [95% CI: 0.68 to 0.0.76]), were less likely to receive 100% defect-free care measure compliance. Inpatient mortality was higher for patients with CKD (adjusted odds ratio 1.44 [95% CI: 1.40 to 1.47]), and progressively rose with more severe renal dysfunction.ConclusionsDespite higher in-hospital mortality rates, ischemic stroke patients with CKD, especially those with greater severity of renal dysfunction, were less likely to receive important guideline-recommended therapies

Why are acute ischemic stroke patients not receiving IV tPA? Results from a national registry.

ObjectiveTo determine patient and hospital characteristics associated with not providing IV tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) to eligible patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in clinical practice.MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with AIS arriving within 2 hours of onset to hospitals participating in Get With The Guidelines-Stroke without documented contraindications to IV tPA from April 2003 through December 2011, comparing those who received tPA to those who did not. Multivariable generalized estimating equation logistic regression modeling identified factors associated with not receiving tPA.ResultsOf 61,698 eligible patients with AIS presenting within 2 hours of onset (median age 73 years, 51% female, 74% non-Hispanic white, median NIH Stroke Scale score 11, interquartile range 6-18), 15,282 (25%) were not treated with tPA within 3 hours. Failure to give tPA decreased over time from 55% in 2003 to 2005 to 18% in 2010 to 2011 (p &lt; 0.0001). After adjustment for all covariates, including stroke severity, factors associated with failure to treat included older age, female sex, nonwhite race, diabetes mellitus, prior stroke, atrial fibrillation, prosthetic heart valve, NIH Stroke Scale score &lt;5, arrival off-hours and not via emergency medical services, longer onset-to-arrival and door-to-CT times, earlier calendar year, and arrival at rural, nonteaching, non-stroke center hospitals located in the South or Midwest.ConclusionsOverall, about one-quarter of eligible patients with AIS presenting within 2 hours of stroke onset failed to receive tPA treatment. Thrombolysis has improved dramatically over time and is strongly associated with stroke center certification. Additionally, some groups, including older patients, milder strokes, women, and minorities, may be undertreated

Hospital Variation in Intravenous Inotrope Use for Patients Hospitalized With Heart Failure

BackgroundPrior claims analyses suggest that the use of intravenous inotropic therapy for patients hospitalized with heart failure varies substantially by hospital. Whether differences in the clinical characteristics of the patients explain observed differences in the use of inotropic therapy is not known.Methods and resultsWe sought to characterize institutional variation in inotrope use among patients hospitalized with heart failure before and after accounting for clinical factors of patients. Hierarchical generalized linear regression models estimated risk-standardized hospital-level rates of inotrope use within 209 hospitals participating in Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure (GWTG-HF) registry between 2005 and 2011. The association between risk-standardized rates of inotrope use and clinical outcomes was determined. Overall, an inotropic agent was administered in 7691 of 126 564 (6.1%) heart failure hospitalizations: dobutamine 43%, dopamine 24%, milrinone 17%, or a combination 16%. Patterns of inotrope use were stable during the 7-year study period. Use of inotropes varied significantly between hospitals even after accounting for patient and hospital characteristics (median risk-standardized hospital rate, 5.9%; interquartile range, 3.7%-8.6%; range, 1.3%-32.9%). After adjusting for case-mix and hospital structural differences, model intraclass correlation indicated that 21% of the observed variation in inotrope use was potentially attributable to random hospital effects (ie, institutional preferences). Hospitals with higher risk-standardized inotrope use had modestly longer risk-standardized length of stay (P=0.005) but had no difference in risk-standardized inpatient mortality (P=0.12).ConclusionsUse of intravenous inotropic agents during hospitalization for heart failure varies significantly among US hospitals even after accounting for patient and hospital factors