A Review of Hypertension Management in Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the commonest arrhythmias in clinical practice and has major healthcare and economic implications. It is a growing epidemic with prevalence all set to double to 12 million by 2050. After adjusting for other associated conditions, hypertension confers a 1.5- and 1.4-fold risk of developing AF, for men and women respectively. Furthermore, in patients with AF, the presence of hypertension has a cumulative effect on the risk of stroke. Growing evidence suggests reversal or attenuation of various structural and functional changes predisposing to AF with the use of antihypertensive medications. Randomized trials have shown major reduction in the risk of stroke and heart failure with blood pressure reduction. However, such trials are lacking in AF patients specifically. The Joint National Committee-8 guidelines have not addressed the threshold or goal BP for patients with known AF. Furthermore, "J-shaped" or "U-shaped" curves have been noted during hypertension management in patients with AF with published data demonstrating worse outcomes in patients with strict BP control to <110/60 mmhg similar to coronary artery disease. In this review, we outline the available literature on management of hypertension in patients with AF as well as the role of individual anti-hypertensive medications in reducing the incidence of AF Fig. 1.

Impact of Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors Use on Outcomes After Lower Extremity Endovascular Interventions From Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2006-2011)

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our study was to study the impact of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI) on in-hospital outcomes.

BACKGROUND

There is paucity of data regarding the impact of GPI on the outcomes following peripheral endovascular interventions.

METHODS

The study cohort was derived from Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database between the years 2006 and 2011. Peripheral endovascular interventions and GPI utilization were identified using appropriate ICD-9 Diagnostic and procedural codes. Two-level hierarchical multivariate mixed models were created. The study outcomes were: primary (in-hospital mortality and amputation studied separately) and secondary (composite of in-hospital mortality and postprocedural complications). Hospitalization costs were also assessed.

RESULTS

GPI utilization (OR, 95% CI, P-value) was independently predictive of lower amputation rates (0.36, 0.27-0.49, <0.001). There was no significant difference in terms of in-hospital mortality (0.59, 0.31-1.14, P 0.117), although GPI use predicted worse secondary outcomes (1.23, 1.03-1.47, 0.023). Following propensity matching, the amputation rate was lower (3.2% vs. 8%, P < 0.001), while hospitalization costs were higher in the cohort that received GPI ($21,091 ± 404 vs. 19,407 ± 133, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Multivariate analysis revealed GPI use in peripheral endovascular interventions to be suggestive of an increase in composite end-point of in-hospital mortality and postprocedural complications, no impact on in-hospital mortality alone, significantly lower rate of amputation, and increase in hospitalization costs. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tricuspid valve-in-valve implantation for failing bioprosthetic valves: an evolving standard of care

Redo surgery for bioprosthetic tricuspid valve failure is associated with high morbidity and mortality. In recent years, transcatheter tricuspid valve-in-valve (VIV) therapy utilizing ballon-expandable transcatheter valves has become available. The tricuspid Valve-in-Valve International Data (VIVID) registry initial results represent the largest experience with tricuspid VIV therapy, demonstrating high procedural success rates with low 30 days mortality and excellent survival free of repeat tricuspid intervention in 1 year. Although longer clinic and hemodynamic follow-up will be needed to fully understand the role of this therapy, these data support the safety, feasibility and beneficial effects of tricuspid VIV therapy. For patients with bioprosthetic tricuspid valve failure, tricuspid VIV is likely to become a first-line treatment option.

Influence of hospital volume and outcomes of adult structural heart procedures

Hospital volume is regarded amongst many in the medical community as an important quality metric. This is especially true in more complicated and less commonly performed procedures such as structural heart disease interventions. Seminal work on hospital volume relationships was done by Luft et al more than 4 decades ago, when they demonstrated that hospitals performing > 200 surgical procedures a year had 25%-41% lower mortality than those performing fewer procedures. Numerous volume-outcome studies have since been done for varied surgical procedures. An old adage “practice makes perfect” indicating superior operator and institutional experience at higher volume hospitals is believed to primarily contribute to the volume outcome relationship. Compelling evidence from a slew of recent publications has also highlighted the role of hospital volume in predicting superior post-procedural outcomes following structural heart disease interventions. These included transcatheter aortic valve repair, transcatheter mitral valve repair, septal ablation and septal myectomy for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, left atrial appendage closure and atrial septal defect/patent foramen ovale closure. This is especially important since these structural heart interventions are relatively complex with evolving technology and a steep learning curve. The benefit was demonstrated both in lower mortality and complications as well as better economics in terms of lower length of stay and hospitalization costs seen at high volume centers. We present an overview of the available literature that underscores the importance of hospital volume in complex structural heart disease interventions.

Effect of Hospital Volume on Outcomes of Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair: An Early US Experience

BACKGROUND

Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) is a complex procedure for patients with mitral regurgitation who cannot get surgery. However, there is a lack of data on how hospital volumes affect these outcomes.

METHODS

We performed a cross sectional study based on Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Inpatient Sample database of 2012 and identified subjects using the ICD-9-CM procedure code of 35.97, which was introduced in October 2010 for percutaneous mitral valve repair if present in the primary or secondary procedure field. Hospital volumes were divided into tertiles. The primary outcome was a composite of in-hospital mortality and peri-procedural complications. Length of stay and hospitalization cost were also assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 95 (weighted n = 475) TMVR procedures were identified. The mean age of the overall cohort was 70 years; 43.2% were female and 63.2% had a significant baseline burden of co-morbidities. The composite of in-hospital mortality and peri-procedural complications decreased with increasing TMVR hospital volume: 48.7% in the first tertile, 17.4% in the second tertile, and 9.1% in the third tertile. Additionally, we saw a decrease in the length of stay and a trend in decrease in the hospitalization cost.

CONCLUSION

In hospitals performing TMVR, higher hospital volumes are associated with a reduction in a composite of in-hospital mortality and post-procedural complications, in addition to the shorter length of stay.

In-Hospital Outcomes of Atherectomy During Endovascular Lower Extremity Revascularization

Contemporary data on clinical outcomes after utilization of atherectomy in lower extremity endovascular revascularization are sparse. The study cohort was derived from Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project nationwide inpatient sample database from the year 2012. Peripheral endovascular interventions including atherectomy were identified using appropriate International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnostic and procedural codes. The subjects were divided and compared in 2 groups: atherectomy versus no atherectomy. Two-level hierarchical multivariate mixed models were created. The coprimary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and amputation; secondary outcome was a composite of in-hospital mortality and periprocedural complications. Hospitalization costs were also assessed. Atherectomy utilization (odds ratio, 95% CI, p value) was independently predictive of lower in-hospital mortality (0.46, 0.28 to 0.75, 0.002) and lower amputation rates (0.83, 0.71 to 0.97, 0.020). Atherectomy use was also predictive of significantly lower secondary composite outcome of in-hospital mortality and complications (0.79, 0.69 to 0.90, 0.001). In the propensity-matched cohort, atherectomy utilization was again associated with a lower rate of amputation (11.18% vs 12.92%, p = 0.029), in-hospital mortality (0.71% vs 1.53%, p 0.001), and any complication (13.24% vs 16.09%, p 0.001). However, atherectomy use was also associated with higher costs ($24,790 ± 397 vs $22635 ± 251, p <0.001). Atherectomy use in conjunction with angioplasty (with or without stenting) was associated with improved in-hospital outcomes in terms of lower amputation rates, mortality, and postprocedural complications.

Volume-outcome relationship for peripheral endovascular interventions: a review of existing literature

The incidence and prevalence of peripheral vascular disease has been increasing. When coexistent with coronary artery disease (CAD), it has shown to predict higher mortality along with poorer quality-of-life consequently leading to a marked increase in healthcare costs. Broadly, there has been an increase in utilization of endovascular techniques in the management of peripheral vascular diseases. An inverse relation between volume and outcomes has been noted in these procedures. Additionally, improved resource utilization has also been noted with higher hospital and operator volumes. This has led to proposals to regionalize these procedures to high volume hospitals. There have also been calls to introduce the idea of having a set threshold of procedures for providers. This review presents an overview of published literature on the volume-outcome relationship affecting the outcomes of peripheral endovascular procedures.

Intravascular Ultrasound in Lower Extremity Peripheral Vascular Interventions

Purpose: To examine the impact of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) utilization during lower limb endovascular interventions as regards postprocedural complications and amputation. Methods: The study cohort was derived from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample database between the years 2006 and 2011. Peripheral endovascular interventions were identified using appropriate ICD-9 procedure codes. Two-level hierarchical multivariate mixed models were created. The co-primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and amputation; the secondary outcome was postprocedural complications. Model results are given as the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Hospitalization costs were also assessed. Results: Overall, among the 92,714 patients extracted from the database during the observation period, IVUS was used in 1299 (1.4%) patients. IVUS utilization during lower extremity peripheral vascular procedures was independently predictive of a lower rate of postprocedural complications (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.99, p=0.037) as well as lower amputation rates (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.77, p<0.001) without any significant impact on in-hospital mortality. Multivariate analysis also revealed IVUS utilization to be predictive of a nonsignificant increase in hospitalization costs ($1333, 95% CI −$167 to +$2833, p=0.082). Conclusion: IVUS use during lower limb endovascular interventions is predictive of lower postprocedural complication and amputation rates with a nonsignificant increase in hospitalization costs.

Asthma: Hospitalization Trends and Predictors of In-Hospital Mortality and Hospitalization Costs in the USA (2001-2010)

BACKGROUND

In the last decade, the proportion of people with asthma in the USA grew by nearly 15%, with 479,300 hospitalizations and 1.9 million emergency department visits in 2009 alone. The primary objective of our study was to evaluate in-hospital outcomes in patients admitted with asthma exacerbation in terms of mortality, length of stay (LOS) and hospitalization costs.

METHODS

We queried the HCUP's Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) between 2001 and 2010 using the ICD9-CM diagnosis code 493 for asthma (n = 760,418 patients). The NIS represents 20% of all hospitals in the USA. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate predictors of in-hospital mortality. LOS and hospitalization costs were also analyzed.

RESULTS

The overall LOS was 3.9 days and as high as 8.3 days in patients requiring mechanical ventilation. LOS has decreased in recent years, though it continues to be higher than in 2001. The hospitalization cost increased steadily over the study period. The overall in-hospital mortality was 1% and as high as 9.8% in patients requiring mechanical ventilation. Multivariate predictors of longer LOS, higher hospitalization costs and in-hospital mortality included increasing age and hospitalizations during the winter months. Private insurance was predictive of lower hospitalization costs and LOS as well as lower in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

Asthma continues to account for significant in-hospital mortality and resource utilization, especially in mechanically ventilated patients. Age, admissions during winter months and the type of insurance are independent predictors of in-hospital outcomes.

Mechanical circulatory support devices and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (from the National Inpatient Sample)

High-risk surgical patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) represent an emerging population, which may benefit from short-term use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices. The aim of this study was to determine the practice and inhospital outcomes of MCS utilization in patients undergoing TAVI. We analyzed data from Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2011 and 2012) using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification procedure codes. A total of 1,794 TAVI procedures (375 hospitals in the United States) were identified of which 190 (10.6%) used an MCS device (MCS group) and 1,604 (89.4%) did not (non-MCS group). The use of MCS devices with TAVI was associated with significant increase in the inhospital mortality (14.9% vs 3.5%, p <0.01). The mean length (11.8 ± 0.8 vs 8.1 ± 0.2 days, p <0.01) and cost ($68,997 ± 3,656 vs $55,878 ± 653, p = 0.03) of hospitalization were also significantly greater in the MCS group. Ventricular fibrillation arrest, transapical access for TAVI, and cardiogenic shock were the most significant predictors of MCS use during TAVI. In the multivariate model, use of any MCS device was found to be an independent predictor of increased mortality (odds ratio 3.5, 95% confidence interval 2.6 to 4.6, p <0.0001) and complications (odds ratio 3.3, 95% confidence interval 2.8 to 3.9, p <0.0001). The propensity score-matched analysis also showed a similar result. In conclusion, the unacceptably high rates of mortality and complications coupled with a significant increase in the length and cost of hospitalization should raise concerns about utility of MCS devices during TAVI in this prohibitive surgical risk population.

Impact of Hospital Volume on Outcomes of Endovascular Stenting for Adult Aortic Coarctation

Use of transcatheter endovascular stenting has been increasing in the treatment of coarctation of aorta (CoA). The present study was undertaken on adults with CoA who underwent stent placement from 2000 to 2011 to analyze the relation of hospital volumes to the outcomes of stenting in adults with CoA. It was a retrospective study based on Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2000 to 2011 and identified subjects using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification procedure code of 747.10 (CoA). Annual hospital volume was calculated using unique hospital identifiers. Weights provided by the Nationwide Inpatient Sample were used to generate national estimates. A total of 105 (weighted 521) subjects were identified with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, code of 39.90 (Endovascular stent). Hospital volumes were divided into tertiles. We compared the highest tertile (≥3 procedures annually) with other tertiles (<3 procedure annually). The composite outcomes of the analysis were procedure-related complications, length of stay (LOS), and cost in relation to the hospital volume. No inhospital death was reported in either group. Hospitals with ≥3 procedures annually had significantly lower incidence of complications (9.5% vs 23.0%) compared to the hospitals with <3 procedures annually (p-value 0.002). Similar results were obtained after multivariate regression analysis in relation to hospital volume. Shorter LOS and lower cost were observed with annual hospital volume of ≥3 procedures. In conclusion, stenting adults for CoA is remarkably safe, and the outcomes of the procedure have improved in centers with annual hospital volume of ≥3 procedures. There is also decreasing trend of procedure-related complications, shorter LOS, and lower costs compared to centers with annual volume <3 procedures.

Comparison of Inhospital Outcomes of Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Hospitals With and Without Availability of a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Program (from a Nationally Representative Database)

We hypothesized that the availability of a transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) program in hospitals impacts the overall management of patients with aortic valve disease and hence may also improve postprocedural outcomes of conventional surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). The aim of the present study was to compare the inhospital outcomes of SAVR in centers with versus without availability of a TAVI program in an unrestricted large nationwide patient population >50 years of age. SAVRs performed on patients aged >50 years were identified from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) for the years 2011 and 2012 using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification procedure codes. SAVR cases were divided into 2 categories: those performed at hospitals with a TAVI program (SAVR-TAVI) and those without (SAVR-non-TAVI). A total of 9,674 SAVR procedures were identified: 4,526 (46.79%) in the SAVR-TAVI group and 5,148 (53.21%) in SAVR-non-TAVI group. The mean age of the study population was 70.2 ± 0.1 years with majority (53%) of the patients aged >70 years. The mean Charlson's co-morbidity score for patients in SAVR-TAVI group was greater (greater percentage of patients were aged >80 years, had hypertension, congestive heart failure, renal failure, and peripheral arterial disease) than that of patients in SAVR-non-TAVI group (1.6 vs 1.4, p <0.001). The propensity score matching analysis showed a statistically significant lower inhospital mortality (1.25% vs 1.72%, p = 0.001) and complications rate (35.6% vs 37.3%, p = 0.004) in SAVR-TAVI group compared to SAVR-non-TAVI group. The mean length of hospital stay was similar in the 2 groups the cost of hospitalization was higher in the SAVR-TAVI group ($43,894 ± 483 vs $41,032 ± 473, p <0.0001). Having a TAVI program was a significant predictor of reduced mortality and complications rate after SAVR in multivariate analysis. In conclusion, this largest direct comparative analysis demonstrates that SAVRs performed in centers with a TAVI program are associated with significantly lower mortality and complications rates compared to those performed in centers without a TAVI program.

Impact of Hospital Volume on Outcomes of Lower Extremity Endovascular Interventions (Insights from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample [2006 to 2011])

Our primary objective was to study postprocedural outcomes and hospitalization costs after peripheral endovascular interventions and the multivariate predictors affecting the outcomes with emphasis on hospital volume. The study cohort was derived from Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample database (2006 to 2011). Peripheral endovascular interventions were identified using appropriate International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnostic and procedural codes. Annual institutional volumes were calculated using unique identification numbers and then divided into quartiles. Two-level hierarchical multivariate mixed models were created. The primary outcome was inhospital mortality; secondary outcome was a composite of inhospital mortality and postprocedural complications. Amputation rates and hospitalization costs were also assessed. Multivariate analysis (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval, p value) revealed age (1.46, 1.37 to 1.55, p <0.001), female gender (1.28, 1.12 to 1.46, p <0.001), baseline co-morbidity status as depicted by a greater Charlson co-morbidity index score (≥2: 4.32, 3.45 to 5.40, p <0.001), emergent or urgent admissions(2.48, 2.14 to 2.88, p <0.001), and weekend admissions (1.53, 1.26 to 1.86, p <0.001) to be significant predictors of primary outcome. An increasing hospital volume quartile was independently predictive of improved primary (0.65, 0.52 to 0.82, p <0.001 for the fourth quartile) and secondary (0.85, 0.73 to 0.97, 0.02 for the fourth quartile) outcomes and lower amputation rates (0.52, 0.45 to 0.61, p <0.001). A significant reduction hospitalization costs ($-3,889, -5,318 to -2,459, p <0.001) was also seen in high volume centers. In conclusion, a greater hospital procedural volume is associated with superior outcomes after peripheral endovascular interventions in terms of inhospital mortality, complications, and hospitalization costs.

Effect of Hospital Volume on Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is associated with a significant learning curve. There is paucity of data regarding the effect of hospital volume on outcomes after TAVI. This is a cross-sectional study based on Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Inpatient Sample database of 2012. Subjects were identified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification procedure codes, 35.05 (Trans-femoral/Trans-aortic Replacement of Aortic Valve) and 35.06 (Trans-apical Replacement of Aortic Valve). Annual hospital TAVI volumes were calculated using unique identification numbers and then divided into quartiles. Multivariate logistic regression models were created. The primary outcome was inhospital mortality; secondary outcome was a composite of inhospital mortality and periprocedural complications. Length of stay (LOS) and cost of hospitalization were assessed. The study included 1,481 TAVIs (weighted n = 7,405). Overall inhospital mortality rate was 5.1%, postprocedural complication rate was 43.4%, median LOS was 6 days, and median cost of hospitalization was $51,975. Inhospital mortality rates decreased with increasing hospital TAVI volume with a rate of 6.4% for lowest volume hospitals (first quartile), 5.9% (second quartile), 5.2% (third quartile), and 2.8% for the highest volume TAVI hospitals (fourth quartile). Complication rates were significantly higher in hospitals with the lowest volume quartile (48.5%) compared to hospitals in the second (44.2%), third (39.7%), and fourth (41.5%) quartiles (p <0.001). Increasing hospital volume was independently predictive of shorter LOS and lower hospitalization costs. In conclusion, higher annual hospital volumes are significantly predictive of reduced postprocedural mortality, complications, shorter LOS, and lower hospitalization costs after TAVI.

Multivessel Percutaneous Coronary Interventions in the United States

Background:

Multivessel coronary artery disease carries significant mortality risk. Comprehensive data on inhospital outcomes following multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention (MVPCI) are sparse.

Methods:

We queried the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s nationwide inpatient sample (NIS) between 2006 and 2011 using different International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification procedure codes. The primary outcome was inhospital all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcome was a composite of inhospital mortality and periprocedural complications.

Results:

The overall mortality was low at 0.73% following MVPCI. Multivariate analysis revealed that (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval, P value) age (1.63, 1.48-1.79; <.001), female sex (1.19, 1.00-1.42; P = .05), acute myocardial infarction (AMI; 2.97, 2.35-3.74; <.001), shock (17.24, 13.61-21.85; <.001), a higher burden of comorbidities (2.09, 1.32-3.29; .002), and emergent/urgent procedure status (1.67, 1.30-2.16; <.001) are important predictors of primary and secondary outcomes. MVPCI was associated with higher mortality, length of stay (LOS), and cost of care as compared to single vessel single stent PCI.

Conclusion:

MVPCI is associated with higher inhospital mortality, LOS, and hospitalization costs compared to single vessel, single stent PCI. Higher volume hospitals had lower overall postprocedural mortality rate along with shorter LOS and lower hospitalization costs following MVPCI.

Trends of Hospitalizations in the United States from 2000 to 2012 of Patients >60 Years With Aortic Valve Disease

In recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on the diagnosis and treatment of valvular heart disease and, in particular, aortic stenosis. This has been driven in part by the development of innovative therapeutic options and by an aging patient population. We hypothesized an increase in the number of hospitalizations and the economic burden associated with aortic valve disease (AVD). Using Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2000 to 2012, AVD-related hospitalizations were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, code 424.1, as the principal discharge diagnosis. Overall AVD hospitalizations increased by 59% from 2000 to 2012. This increase was most significant in patients >80 years and those with higher burden of co-morbidities. The most frequent coexisting conditions were hypertension, heart failure, renal failure, anemia, and diabetes. Overall inhospital mortality of patients hospitalized for AVD was 3.8%, which significantly decreased from 4.5% in 2000 to 3.5% in 2012 (p <0.001). The largest decrease in mortality was seen in the subgroup of patients who had heart failure (62% reduction), higher burden of co-morbidities (58% reduction), and who were >80 years (53% reduction). There was a substantial increase in the cost of hospitalization in the last decade from $31,909 to $38,172 (p <0.001). The total annual cost for AVD hospitalization in the United States increased from $1.3 billion in 2001 to $2.1 billion in 2011 and is expected to increase to nearly 3 billion by 2020. The last decade has witnessed a significant increase in hospitalizations for AVD in the United States. The associated decrease in inhospital mortality and increase in the cost of hospitalization have considerably increased the economic burden on the public health system.