Predictors of persistent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in patients treated with vancomycin.

J Antimicrob Chemother. 2010 Mar 3;

Authors: Yoon YK, Kim JY, Park DW, Sohn JW, Kim MJ

Objectives The high prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) coupled with an increase in vancomycin use have induced vancomycin tolerance in MRSA, adversely affecting the outcome of MRSA bacteraemia. This study aimed to identify predictors of persistent MRSA bacteraemia (PMRSAB) in patients treated with vancomycin. Methods A retrospective, case-control study was performed at a university hospital in Korea from January 2006 to February 2009. Subjects included 96 patients who had MRSA bacteraemia and received vancomycin under therapeutic drug monitoring. We compared the clinical characteristics, management and outcomes of cases with PMRSAB (>/=7 days, n = 31) with controls with non-PMRSAB (</=3 days, n = 32). Vancomycin MICs were determined by the Vitek 2 system. Results Of 96 patients with MRSA bacteraemia, MRSA isolates from 21 patients (21.9%) showed a vancomycin MIC of 2 mg/L. Independent predictors of PMRSAB were: retention of implicated medical devices [odds ratio (OR), 10.35; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-104.55]; MRSA infection of at least two sites (OR, 10.24; 95% CI, 1.72-61.01); and vancomycin MIC of 2 mg/L (OR, 6.34; 95% CI, 1.21-33.09). The frequency of side effects and mean trough serum vancomycin concentrations were not significantly different between the two groups. Sixteen patients with PMRSAB subsequently received teicoplanin +/- arbekacin, linezolid or quinupristin/dalfopristin, due to vancomycin failure or intolerance. Conclusions To minimize the risk of PMRSAB, early removal of implicated devices and evaluation for metastatic infections should be encouraged. Alternative antibiotic therapy is warranted for infections due to isolates with elevated vancomycin MICs, as well as for the high rates of side effects.

PMID: 20200036 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Management of varices and variceal hemorrhage in cirrhosis.

N Engl J Med. 2010 Mar 4;362(9):823-32

Authors: Garcia-Tsao G, Bosch J

PMID: 20200386 [PubMed - in process]

Comparison of Dopamine and Norepinephrine in the Treatment of Shock.

N Engl J Med. 2010 Mar 4;362(9):779-789

Authors: De Backer D, Biston P, Devriendt J, Madl C, Chochrad D, Aldecoa C, Brasseur A, Defrance P, Gottignies P, Vincent JL,

BACKGROUND: Both dopamine and norepinephrine are recommended as first-line vasopressor agents in the treatment of shock. There is a continuing controversy about whether one agent is superior to the other. METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized trial, we assigned patients with shock to receive either dopamine or norepinephrine as first-line vasopressor therapy to restore and maintain blood pressure. When blood pressure could not be maintained with a dose of 20 mug per kilogram of body weight per minute for dopamine or a dose of 0.19 mug per kilogram per minute for norepinephrine, open-label norepinephrine, epinephrine, or vasopressin could be added. The primary outcome was the rate of death at 28 days after randomization; secondary end points included the number of days without need for organ support and the occurrence of adverse events. RESULTS: The trial included 1679 patients, of whom 858 were assigned to dopamine and 821 to norepinephrine. The baseline characteristics of the groups were similar. There was no significant between-group difference in the rate of death at 28 days (52.5% in the dopamine group and 48.5% in the norepinephrine group; odds ratio with dopamine, 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 0.97 to 1.42; P=0.10). However, there were more arrhythmic events among the patients treated with dopamine than among those treated with norepinephrine (207 events [24.1%] vs. 102 events [12.4%], P<0.001). A subgroup analysis showed that dopamine, as compared with norepinephrine, was associated with an increased rate of death at 28 days among the 280 patients with cardiogenic shock but not among the 1044 patients with septic shock or the 263 with hypovolemic shock (P=0.03 for cardiogenic shock, P=0.19 for septic shock, and P=0.84 for hypovolemic shock, in Kaplan-Meier analyses). CONCLUSIONS: Although there was no significant difference in the rate of death between patients with shock who were treated with dopamine as the first-line vasopressor agent and those who were treated with norepinephrine, the use of dopamine was associated with a greater number of adverse events. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00314704.) Copyright 2010 Massachusetts Medical Society.

PMID: 20200382 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

When and how to evaluate mildly elevated liver enzymes in apparently healthy patients.

Cleve Clin J Med. 2010 Mar;77(3):195-204

Authors: Aragon G, Younossi ZM

Because 1% to 9% of people without symptoms have elevated liver enzymes, extensive evaluation of all abnormal test results would expose many patients to undue risks and expenses. On the other hand, failure to evaluate minor liver enzyme elevations could mean missing the early diagnosis of potentially treatable disorders. This review discusses likely causes of elevated aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels and provides algorithms for evaluating high liver enzyme values in apparently healthy patients in the primary care setting.

PMID: 20200170 [PubMed - in process]

Treating silent reflux disease does not improve poorly controlled asthma.

Cleve Clin J Med. 2010 Mar;77(3):155-60

Authors: Riscili BP, Parsons JP, Mastronarde JG

Many patients with asthma also have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and GERD can cause symptoms that mimic those of poorly controlled asthma. Patients with poorly controlled asthma are often treated empirically for GERD, whether or not they have symptomatic reflux. However, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial funded by the American Lung Association and the National Institutes of Health found that treating silent GERD does not improve asthma control. These results warrant a reevaluation of current guidelines and clinical practice.

PMID: 20200165 [PubMed - in process]

In their own words: patients and families define high-quality palliative care in the intensive care unit.

Crit Care Med. 2010 Mar;38(3):808-18

Authors: Nelson JE, Puntillo KA, Pronovost PJ, Walker AS, McAdam JL, Ilaoa D, Penrod J

OBJECTIVE: Although the majority of hospital deaths occur in the intensive care unit and virtually all critically ill patients and their families have palliative needs, we know little about how patients and families, the most important "stakeholders," define high-quality intensive care unit palliative care. We conducted this study to obtain their views on important domains of this care. DESIGN: Qualitative study using focus groups facilitated by a single physician. SETTING: A 20-bed general intensive care unit in a 382-bed community hospital in Oklahoma; 24-bed medical-surgical intensive care unit in a 377-bed tertiary, university hospital in urban California; and eight-bed medical intensive care unit in a 311-bed Veterans' Affairs hospital in a northeastern city. PATIENTS: Randomly-selected patients with intensive care unit length of stay >=5 days in 2007 to 2008 who survived the intensive care unit, families of survivors, and families of patients who died in the intensive care unit. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Focus group facilitator used open-ended questions and scripted probes from a written guide. Three investigators independently coded meeting transcripts, achieving consensus on themes. From 48 subjects (15 patients, 33 family members) in nine focus groups across three sites, a shared definition of high-quality intensive care unit palliative care emerged: timely, clear, and compassionate communication by clinicians; clinical decision-making focused on patients' preferences, goals, and values; patient care maintaining comfort, dignity, and personhood; and family care with open access and proximity to patients, interdisciplinary support in the intensive care unit, and bereavement care for families of patients who died. Participants also endorsed specific processes to operationalize the care they considered important. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to improve intensive care unit palliative care quality should focus on domains and processes that are most valued by critically ill patients and their families, among whom we found broad agreement in a diverse sample. Measures of quality and effective interventions exist to improve care in domains that are important to intensive care unit patients and families.

PMID: 20198726 [PubMed - in process]

Higher vs lower positive end-expiratory pressure in patients with acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis.

JAMA. 2010 Mar 3;303(9):865-73

Authors: Briel M, Meade M, Mercat A, Brower RG, Talmor D, Walter SD, Slutsky AS, Pullenayegum E, Zhou Q, Cook D, Brochard L, Richard JC, Lamontagne F, Bhatnagar N, Stewart TE, Guyatt G

CONTEXT: Trials comparing higher vs lower levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) in adults with acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have been underpowered to detect small but potentially important effects on mortality or to explore subgroup differences. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of higher vs lower PEEP with patient-important outcomes in adults with acute lung injury or ARDS who are receiving ventilation with low tidal volumes and to investigate whether these associations differ across prespecified subgroups. DATA SOURCES: Search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (1996-January 2010) plus a hand search of conference proceedings (2004-January 2010). STUDY SELECTION: Two reviewers independently screened articles to identify studies randomly assigning adults with acute lung injury or ARDS to treatment with higher vs lower PEEP (with low tidal volume ventilation) and also reporting mortality. DATA EXTRACTION: Data from 2299 individual patients in 3 trials were analyzed using uniform outcome definitions. Prespecified effect modifiers were tested using multivariable hierarchical regression, adjusting for important prognostic factors and clustering effects. RESULTS: There were 374 hospital deaths in 1136 patients (32.9%) assigned to treatment with higher PEEP and 409 hospital deaths in 1163 patients (35.2%) assigned to lower PEEP (adjusted relative risk [RR], 0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86-1.04; P = .25). Treatment effects varied with the presence or absence of ARDS, defined by a value of 200 mm Hg or less for the ratio of partial pressure of oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen concentration (P = .02 for interaction). In patients with ARDS (n = 1892), there were 324 hospital deaths (34.1%) in the higher PEEP group and 368 (39.1%) in the lower PEEP group (adjusted RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.81-1.00; P = .049); in patients without ARDS (n = 404), there were 50 hospital deaths (27.2%) in the higher PEEP group and 44 (19.4%) in the lower PEEP group (adjusted RR, 1.37; 95% CI, 0.98-1.92; P = .07). Rates of pneumothorax and vasopressor use were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with higher vs lower levels of PEEP was not associated with improved hospital survival. However, higher levels were associated with improved survival among the subgroup of patients with ARDS.

PMID: 20197533 [PubMed - in process]

Procedures Performed by Hospitalist and Non-hospitalist General Internists.

J Gen Intern Med. 2010 Mar 2;

Authors: Thakkar R, Wright SM, Alguire P, Wigton RS, Boonyasai RT

BACKGROUND: In caring exclusively for inpatients, hospitalists are expected to perform hospital procedures. The type and frequency of procedures they perform are not well characterized. OBJECTIVES: To determine which procedures hospitalists perform; to compare procedures performed by hospitalists and non-hospitalists; and to describe factors associated with hospitalists performing inpatient procedures. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. PARTICIPANTS: National sample of general internist members of the American College of Physicians. METHODS: We characterized respondents to a national survey of general internists as hospitalists and non-hospitalists based on time-activity criteria. We compared hospitalists and non-hospitalists in relation to how many SHM core procedures they performed. Analyses explored whether hospitalists' demographic characteristics, practice setting, and income structure influenced the performance of procedures. RESULTS: Of 1,059 respondents, 175 were classified as "hospitalists". Eleven percent of hospitalists performed all 9 core procedures compared with 3% of non-hospitalists. Hospitalists also reported higher procedural volumes in the previous year for 7 of the 9 procedures, including lumbar puncture (median of 5 by hospitalists vs. 2 for non-hospitalists), abdominal paracentesis (5 vs. 2), thoracenteses (5 vs. 2) and central line placement (5.5 vs. 3). Performing a greater variety of core procedures was associated with total time in patient care, but not time in hospital care, year of medical school graduation, practice location, or income structure. Multivariate analysis found no independent association between demographic factors and performing all 9 core procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalists perform inpatient procedures more often and at higher volumes than non-hospitalists. Yet many do not perform procedures that are designated as hospitalist "core competencies."

PMID: 20195784 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Severe H1N1-Associated Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Case Series.

Am J Med. 2010 Mar;123(3):282-285.e2

Authors: Lai AR, Keet K, Yong CM, Diaz JV

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory distress syndrome resulting from novel influenza A virus (H1N1) infection remains uncommon. METHODS: We describe the clinical profiles of adult patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome due to microbiologically confirmed H1N1 admitted to a medical intensive care unit in San Francisco, California over a 2-month period. RESULTS: Between June 1 and July 31, 2009, 7 patients (age range: 25-66 years; 4 patients under the age of 40 years; 6 male; 1 pregnant) were diagnosed with H1N1, with 5 of 6 (83%) having initial false-negative rapid testing. All developed respiratory failure complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome, with 4 additionally developing multiorgan dysfunction. All were managed with a lung protective ventilator strategy (average number of days on the ventilator: 16), and 4 patients also required additional rescue therapies for refractory hypoxemia, including very high positive end-expiratory pressure, inhaled epoprostenol, recruitment maneuvers, and prone positioning. Despite these measures, 3 patients (43%) ultimately died. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should be vigilant for the potential of H1N1 infection to progress to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome in a variety of patient demographics, including younger patients without baseline cardiopulmonary disease. A high degree of suspicion is critical, especially with the relative insensitivity of rapid testing, and should prompt empiric antiviral therapy.

PMID: 20193840 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Acute myocardial infarction hospitalization in the United States, 1979 to 2005.

Am J Med. 2010 Mar;123(3):259-66

Authors: Fang J, Alderman MH, Keenan NL, Ayala C

BACKGROUND: We reported earlier that there was no decline of acute myocardial infarction hospitalization from 1988 to 1997. We now extend these observations to document trends in acute myocardial infarction hospitalization rates and in-hospital case-fatality rates for 27 years from 1979 to 2005. METHODS: We determined hospitalization rates for acute myocardial infarction by age and gender using data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey and US civilian population from 1979 to 2005, aggregated by 3-year groupings. We also assessed comorbid, complications, cardiac procedure use, and in-hospital case-fatality rates. RESULTS: Age-adjusted hospitalization rate for acute myocardial infarction identified by primary International Classification of Diseases code was 215 per 100,000 people in 1979-1981 and increased to 342 in 1985-1987. Thereafter, the rate stabilized for the next decade and then declined slowly after 1996 to 242 in 2003-2005. Trends were similar for men and women, although rates for men were almost twice that of women. Hospitalization rates increased substantially with age and were the highest among those aged 85 years or more. Although median hospital stay decreased from 12 to 4 days, intensity of hospital care increased, including use of coronary angioplasty, coronary bypass, and thrombolytics therapy. During the period, reported comorbidity from diabetes and hypertension increased. Acute myocardial infarction complicated by heart failure increased, and cardiogenic shock decreased. Altogether, the in-hospital case-fatality rate declined. CONCLUSION: During the past quarter century, hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction increased until the mid-1990s, but has declined since then. At the same time, in-hospital case-fatality rates declined steadily. This decline has been associated with more aggressive therapeutic intervention.

PMID: 20193835 [PubMed - in process]

Long-term Effect of Chronic Oral Anticoagulation with Warfarin after Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Am J Med. 2010 Mar;123(3):250-258

Authors: Haq SA, Heitner JF, Sacchi TJ, Brener SJ

BACKGROUND: Antiplatelet therapy is the principal component of the antithrombotic regimen after acute myocardial infarction. It remains unclear whether additional chronic oral anticoagulation (OAC) improves outcomes. We set out to evaluate the risk and benefit of long-term OAC after myocardial infarction. METHODS: We pooled 10 randomized clinical trials comparing warfarin-containing regimens (OAC) with or without aspirin with non-OAC regimens with or without aspirin (No OAC) for patients with recent infarction. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Other endpoints included recurrent infarction, stroke, and major bleeding. We calculated the odds ratio (OR) (fixed effect, OR <1 indicates benefit for OAC) for death and other ischemic and hemorrhagic complications at the longest interval of follow-up available. RESULTS: Among 24,542 patients, 14,062 were assigned to OAC and 10,480 to no OAC. The patients were followed for 3-63 months, for 89,562 patient-years. Death occurred in 2424 patients (9.9%), 1279 OAC patients, and 1145 in the no OAC group, OR 0.97 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88-1.05), P=.43. Similarly, there was no effect on recurrent infarction. Stroke occurred in 578 patients (2.4%), 271 in the OAC group and 307 in the no OAC group, OR 0.75 (95% CI, 0.63-0.89), P=.001. There was substantially more major bleeding (OR 1.83 [95% CI, 1.50-2.23], P <.001) in the OAC group. Separate analyses, performed for patients (n=11,920) randomized to aspirin versus aspirin and OAC yielded very similar results. CONCLUSION: As compared with placebo or aspirin, OAC with or without aspirin does not reduce mortality or reinfarction, reduces stroke, but is associated with significantly more major bleeding.

PMID: 20193834 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Orthostatic Syndromes Differ in Syncope Frequency.

Am J Med. 2010 Mar;123(3):245-249

Authors: Ojha A, McNeeley K, Heller E, Alshekhlee A, Chelimsky G, Chelimsky TC

BACKGROUND: There are conflicting opinions on whether postural tachycardia syndrome predisposes to syncope. We investigated this relationship by comparing the frequency of syncope in postural tachycardia syndrome and orthostatic hypotension. METHODS: We queried our autonomic laboratory database of 3700 patients. Orthostatic hypotension and postural tachycardia syndrome were defined in standard fashion, except that postural tachycardia syndrome required the presence of orthostatic symptoms and a further increase in heart rate beyond 10 minutes. Syncope was defined as an abrupt decrease in blood pressure and often, heart rate, requiring termination of the tilt study. Statistical analysis utilized Fisher's exact test and Student's t test, as appropriate. RESULTS: Of 810 patients referred for postural tachycardia syndrome, 185 met criteria while another 328 patients had orthostatic hypotension. Of the postural tachycardia syndrome patients, 38% had syncope on head-up tilt, compared with only 22% of those with orthostatic hypotension (P<.0001). In the postural tachycardia group, syncope on head-up tilt was associated with a clinical history of syncope in 90%, whereas absence of syncope on head-up tilt was associated with a clinical history of syncope in 30% (P<.0001). In contrast, syncope on head-up tilt did not bear any relationship to clinical history of syncope in the orthostatic hypotension group (41% vs 36%; P=.49). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that syncope (both tilt table and clinical) occurs far more commonly in patients who have postural tachycardia syndrome than in patients with orthostatic hypotension. These findings suggest that one should be clinically aware of the high risk of syncope in patients with postural tachycardia syndrome, and the low-pressure baroreceptor system that is implicated in postural tachycardia syndrome might confer more sensitivity to syncope than the high pressure system implicated in orthostatic hypotension.

PMID: 20193833 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Atrial fibrillation in heart failure: a comprehensive review.

Am J Med. 2010 Mar;123(3):198-204

Authors: Deedwania PC, Lardizabal JA

Chronic heart failure and atrial fibrillation are 2 major disorders that are closely linked. Their coexistence is associated with adverse prognosis. Both share several common predisposing conditions, but their interaction involves complex ultrastructural, electrophysiologic, and neurohormonal processes that go beyond mere sharing of mutual risk factors. Rate control approach remains the standard therapy for atrial fibrillation in heart failure because current strategies at rhythm control have so far failed to positively impact mortality and morbidity. This is largely because of the shortcomings of current pharmacologic anti-arrhythmic agents. Surgical and catheter-based therapies are promising, but long-term data are lacking. The role of non-anti-arrhythmic therapeutic agents also is being explored. Further progress toward improved understanding the complex relationship between atrial fibrillation and heart failure should improve management strategies.

PMID: 20193823 [PubMed - in process]

Emergency department and office-based evaluation of patients with chest pain.

Mayo Clin Proc. 2010 Mar;85(3):284-99

Authors: Kontos MC, Diercks DB, Kirk JD

The management of patients with chest pain is a common and challenging clinical problem. Although most of these patients do not have a life-threatening condition, the clinician must distinguish between those who require urgent management of a serious problem such as acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and those with more benign entities who do not require admission. Although clinical judgment continues to be paramount in meeting this challenge, new diagnostic modalities have been developed to assist in risk stratification. These include markers of cardiac injury, risk scores, early stress testing, and noninvasive imaging of the heart. The basic clinical tools of history, physical examination, and electrocardiography are currently widely acknowledged to allow early identification of low-risk patients who have less than 5% probability of ACS. These patients are usually initially managed in the emergency department and transitioned to further outpatient evaluation or chest pain units. Multiple imaging strategies have been investigated to accelerate diagnosis and to provide further risk stratification of patients with no initial evidence of ACS. These include rest myocardial perfusion imaging, rest echocardiography, computed tomographic coronary angiography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. All have very high negative predictive values for excluding ACS and have been successful in reducing unnecessary admissions for patients at low to intermediate risk of ACS. As patients with acute chest pain transition from the evaluation in the emergency department to other outpatient settings, it is important that all clinicians involved in the care of these patients understand the tools used for assessment and risk stratification.

PMID: 20194155 [PubMed - in process]

Patients Dismissed From the Hospital With a Diagnosis of Noncardiac Chest Pain:Cardiac Outcomes and Health Care Utilization.

Mayo Clin Proc. 2010 Mar 1;

Authors: Leise MD, Locke GR, Dierkhising RA, Zinsmeister AR, Reeder GS, Talley NJ

OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of patients with noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) who see a gastroenterologist, the type and frequency of gastrointestinal (GI) and cardiac tests performed, and the frequency of cardiac death. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cohort of Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents presenting to the emergency department (ED) with chest pain between January 1, 1985, and December 31, 1992, was identified through the Rochester Epidemiology Project. We assessed the frequency of ED, cardiology, and gastroenterology visits and corresponding tests after a diagnosis of NCCP (n=320). We also assessed the frequency of cardiac events. RESULTS: During follow-up, 49% of patients sought care in the ED, 42% had repeated cardiology evaluations, and 15% were seen by a gastroenterologist. Thirty-eight percent underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy, but very few underwent manometry or a pH probe. Patients with NCCP of unknown origin had 3 times the rate of GI consultations as their counterparts with a GI disorder. Survival free of cardiac death in the subset with NCCP with a GI disorder was 90.2% at 10 years and 84.8% at 20 years, compared with 93.7% at 10 years and 88.1% at 20 years for the subset with NCCP of unknown origin. CONCLUSION: The frequency of health care utilization in NCCP patients is high, but relatively few GI consultations and even fewer GI tests are performed. Patients dismissed from the hospital with NCCP continue to experience cardiac events, which may highlight a need for more aggressive cardiovascular risk factor management in this population.

PMID: 20194143 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]