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Intensive care unit admission for patients with pulmonary hypertension presenting to U.S. Emergency Departments. Am J Emerg Med 2021; 50:237-241. [PMID: 34403975 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2021.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an important contributor to morbidity and mortality in patients seeking emergency care, resulting in high acuity presentations and resource utilization. The objective was to characterize the rate of intensive care unit (ICU) admission for PH among adult patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) along with other important clinical outcomes. METHODS We analyzed data from the State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) and State Inpatient Databases (SID) from two geographically separated U.S. states (New York and Nebraska). The primary outcome measure was admission to an ICU. Other measures of interest included the hospital admission rate, hospital length of stay (LOS), inpatient mortality, and rate of critical care procedures performed. RESULTS From 2010 to 2014, in a sample of 34 million ED visits, patients with a diagnosis of PH accounted for 0.71% of all ED visits. Of the PH visits, 20.2% were admitted to the ICU, compared to 2.6% of all other visits (P < 0.001), with an aOR of 1.74 (95% CI 1. 72-1.76). The vast majority (94.6%) of PH patients were admitted to the hospital, compared to 20.5% for all other ED visits (P < 0.001). Hospital LOS and hospital-based mortality were higher in the PH group than for other ED patients. With the exception of invasive mechanical ventilation, a significantly higher percentage of patients with PH admitted to the ICU than other patients underwent all critical care procedures evaluated. CONCLUSIONS In this study, patients with PH who sought emergency care in U.S. EDs from 2010 to 2014 were significantly more likely to require ICU admission than all other patients. They were also significantly more likely to be admitted to the hospital than all other patients, had longer hospital LOS, increased risk of inpatient mortality, and underwent more critical care procedures. These findings indicate the high acuity of PH patients seeking emergency care and demonstrate the need for additional research into this population.
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Wilcox SR, Faridi MK, Camargo CA. Demographics and Outcomes of Pulmonary Hypertension Patients in United States Emergency Departments. West J Emerg Med 2020; 21:714-721. [PMID: 32421524 PMCID: PMC7234722 DOI: 10.5811/westjem.2020.2.45187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common, yet under-diagnosed, contributor to morbidity and mortality. Our objective was to characterize the prevalence of PH among adult patients presenting to United States (US) emergency departments (ED) and to identify demographic patterns and outcomes of PH patients in the ED. METHODS We analyzed the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) database, with a focus on ED patients aged 18 years and older, with any International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD)-9-CM or ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for PH from 2011 to 2015. The primary outcome was inpatient, all-cause mortality. The secondary outcomes were hospital admission rates and hospital length of stay (LOS). RESULTS From 2011 to 2015, in a sample of 121,503,743 ED visits, representing a weighted estimate of 545,500,486 US ED visits, patients with a diagnosis of PH accounted for 0.78% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75-0.80%) of all US ED visits. Of the PH visits, 86.9% were admitted to the hospital, compared to 16.3% for all other ED visits (P <0.001). Likewise, hospital LOS and hospital-based mortality were higher in the PH group than for other ED patients (e.g., inpatient mortality 4.5% vs 2.6%, P < 0.001) with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 1.34 (95% CI, 1.31-1.37). Age had the strongest association with mortality, with an aOR of 10.6 for PH patients over 80 years (95% CI, 10.06-11.22), compared to a reference of ages 18 to 30 years. CONCLUSION In this nationally representative sample, presentations by patients with PH were relatively common, accounting for nearly 0.8% of US ED visits. Patients with PH were significantly more likely to be admitted to the hospital than all other patients, had longer hospital LOS, and increased risk of inpatient mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan R Wilcox
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - M Kamal Faridi
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Carlos A Camargo
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
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Huang SJ, Nalos M, Smith L, Rajamani A, McLean AS. The use of echocardiographic indices in defining and assessing right ventricular systolic function in critical care research. Intensive Care Med 2018; 44:868-883. [PMID: 29789861 DOI: 10.1007/s00134-018-5211-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Many echocardiographic indices (or methods) for assessing right ventricular (RV) function are available, but each has its strengths and limitations. In some cases, there might be discordance between the indices. We conducted a systematic review to audit the echocardiographic RV assessments in critical care research to see if a consistent pattern existed. We specifically looked into the kind and number of RV indices used, and how RV dysfunction was defined in each study. METHODS Studies conducted in critical care settings and reported echocardiographic RV function indices from 1997 to 2017 were searched systematically from three databases. Non-adult studies, case reports, reviews and secondary studies were excluded. These studies' characteristics and RV indices reported were summarized. RESULTS Out of 495 non-duplicated publications found, 81 studies were included in our systematic review. There has been an increasing trend of studying RV function by echocardiography since 2001, and most were conducted in ICU. Thirty-one studies use a single index, mostly TAPSE, to define RV dysfunction; 33 used composite indices and the combinations varied between studies. Seventeen studies did not define RV dysfunction. For those using composite indices, many did not explain their choices. CONCLUSIONS TAPSE seemed to be the most popular index in the last 2-3 years. Many studies used combinations of indices but, apart from cor pulmonale, we could not find a consistent pattern of RV assessment and definition of RV dysfunction amongst these studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Huang
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Nepean Hospital, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Marek Nalos
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Nepean Hospital, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Louise Smith
- Cardiovascular Ultrasound Laboratory, Intensive Care Unit, Nepean Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Arvind Rajamani
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Nepean Hospital, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Anthony S McLean
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Nepean Hospital, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Talwar A, Garcia JGN, Tsai H, Moreno M, Lahm T, Zamanian RT, Machado R, Kawut SM, Selej M, Mathai S, D'Anna LH, Sahni S, Rodriquez EJ, Channick R, Fagan K, Gray M, Armstrong J, Rodriguez Lopez J, de Jesus Perez V. Health Disparities in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Blueprint for Action. An Official American Thoracic Society Statement. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2017; 196:e32-e47. [PMID: 29028375 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201709-1821st] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health disparities have a major impact in the quality of life and clinical care received by minorities in the United States. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare cardiopulmonary disorder that affects children and adults and that, if untreated, results in premature death. The impact of health disparities in the diagnosis, treatment, and clinical outcome of patients with PAH has not been systematically investigated. OBJECTIVES The specific goals of this research statement were to conduct a critical review of the literature concerning health disparities in PAH, identify major research gaps and prioritize direction for future research. METHODS Literature searches from multiple reference databases were performed using medical subject headings and text words for pulmonary hypertension and health disparities. Members of the committee discussed the evidence and provided recommendations for future research. RESULTS Few studies were found discussing the impact of health disparities in PAH. Using recent research statements focused on health disparities, the group identified six major study topics that would help address the contribution of health disparities to PAH. Representative studies in each topic were discussed and specific recommendations were made by the group concerning the most urgent questions to address in future research studies. CONCLUSIONS At present, there are few studies that address health disparities in PAH. Given the potential adverse impact of health disparities, we recommend that research efforts be undertaken to address the topics discussed in the document. Awareness of health disparities will likely improve advocacy efforts, public health policy and the quality of care of vulnerable populations with PAH.
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Russell FM, Kline JA, Lahm T. High rate of isolated right ventricular dysfunction in patients with non-significant CT pulmonary angiography. Am J Emerg Med 2017; 36:281-284. [PMID: 29050845 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2017.10.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/08/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension (PH) are commonly unrecognized in the emergency department (ED), but are associated with poor outcomes. Prior research has found a 30% prevalence of isolated RV dysfunction in ED patients after non-significant computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA). We aimed to prospectively define the prevalence of RV dysfunction and/or PH in short of breath ED patients, and assess outcomes. METHODS Prospective observational study of patients with a non-significant CTPA. Isolated RV dysfunction and/or PH was defined as normal left ventricular function plus RV dilation, moderate to severe tricuspid regurgitation or RV systolic pressure>40mmHg on comprehensive echocardiography. RESULTS Of 83 patients, 20 (24%, 95% [confidence interval] CI: 16-34%) had isolated RV dysfunction and/or PH. These patients had 40% ED recidivism and 30% hospital readmission at 30-days. When compared to patients with normal echocardiographic function, they had significantly longer intensive care unit and hospital length of stays. CONCLUSIONS In a prospective cohort of ED patients, we found a high prevalence of isolated RV dysfunction and/or PH after a non-significant CTPA. These patients had high rates of recidivism and hospital readmission. This data supports a continued need for ED based screening and specialty referral.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frances M Russell
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, United States.
| | - Jeffrey A Kline
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, United States.
| | - Timothy Lahm
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonology, Allergy, Critical Care, and Occupational Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, United States.
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Rutz MA, Clary JM, Kline JA, Russell FM. Emergency Physicians Are Able to Detect Right Ventricular Dilation With Good Agreement Compared to Cardiology. Acad Emerg Med 2017; 24:867-874. [PMID: 28453186 DOI: 10.1111/acem.13210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Revised: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Focused cardiac ultrasound (FOCUS) is a useful tool in evaluating patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with acute dyspnea. Prior work has shown that right ventricular (RV) dilation is associated with repeat hospitalizations and shorter life expectancy. Traditionally, RV assessment has been evaluated by cardiologist-interpreted comprehensive echocardiography. The primary goal of this study was to determine the inter-rater reliability between emergency physicians (EPs) and a cardiologist for determining RV dilation on FOCUS performed on ED patients with acute dyspnea. METHODS This was a prospective, observational study at two urban academic EDs; patients were enrolled if they had acute dyspnea and a computed tomographic pulmonary angiogram without acute disease. All patients had an EP-performed FOCUS to assess for RV dilation. RV dilation was defined as an RV to left ventricular ratio greater than 1. FOCUS interpretations were compared to a blinded cardiologist FOCUS interpretation using agreement and kappa statistics. RESULTS Of 84 FOCUS examinations performed on 83 patients, 17% had RV dilation. Agreement and kappa, for EP-performed FOCUS for RV dilation were 89% (95% confidence interval [CI] 80-95%) and 0.68 (95% CI 0.48-0.88), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Emergency physician sonographers are able to detect RV dilation with good agreement when compared to cardiology. These results support the wider use of EP-performed FOCUS to evaluate for RV dilation in ED patients with dyspnea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt A. Rutz
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Indiana University School of Medicine; Indianapolis IN
| | - Julie M. Clary
- Department of Medicine; Division of Cardiology; Indiana University School of Medicine; Indianapolis IN
| | - Jeffrey A. Kline
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Indiana University School of Medicine; Indianapolis IN
| | - Frances M. Russell
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Indiana University School of Medicine; Indianapolis IN
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Pulmonary Hypertension and Right Ventricular Failure in Emergency Medicine. Ann Emerg Med 2015; 66:619-28. [PMID: 26342901 DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2015.07.525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2015] [Revised: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Pulmonary hypertension is a hemodynamic condition, defined as a mean pulmonary artery pressure by right-sided heart catheterization of at least 25 mm Hg at rest. It is classified into 5 general groups based on the underlying cause, with left ventricular failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease being 2 of the most common causes in the United States. Although the specifics of the pathophysiology will vary with the cause, appreciating the risks of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure is critical to appropriately evaluating and resuscitating pulmonary hypertension patients in the emergency department (ED). Patients may present to the ED with complaints related to pulmonary hypertension or unrelated ones, but this condition will affect all aspects of care. Exertional dyspnea is the most common symptom attributable to pulmonary hypertension, but the latter should be considered in any ED patient with unexplained dyspnea on exertion, syncope, or signs of right ventricular dysfunction. Patients with right ventricular failure are often volume overloaded, and careful volume management is imperative, especially in the setting of hypotension. Vasopressors and inotropes, rather than fluid boluses, are often required in shock to augment cardiac output and reduce the risk of exacerbating right ventricular ischemia. Intubation should be avoided if possible, although hypoxemia and hypercapnia may also worsen right-sided heart function. Emergency physicians should appreciate the role of pulmonary vasodilators in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension and recognize that patients receiving these medications may rapidly develop right ventricular failure and even death without these therapies. Patients may require interventions not readily available in the ED, such as a pulmonary artery catheter, inhaled pulmonary vasodilators, and mechanical support with a right ventricular assist device or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Therefore, early consultation with a pulmonary hypertension specialist and transfer to a tertiary care center with invasive monitoring and mechanical support capabilities is advised.
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Kline JA, Russell FM, Lahm T, Mastouri RA. Derivation of a screening tool to identify patients with right ventricular dysfunction or tricuspid regurgitation after negative computerized tomographic pulmonary angiography of the chest. Pulm Circ 2015; 5:171-83. [PMID: 25992280 DOI: 10.1086/679723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2014] [Accepted: 09/12/2014] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Many dyspneic patients who undergo computerized tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) for presumed acute pulmonary embolism (PE) have no identified cause for their dyspnea yet have persistent symptoms, leading to more CTPA scanning. Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction or overload can signal treatable causes of dyspnea. We report the rate of isolated RV dysfunction or overload after negative CTPA and derive a clinical decision rule (CDR). We performed secondary analysis of a multicenter study of diagnostic accuracy for PE. Inclusion required persistent dyspnea and no PE. Echocardiography was ordered at clinician discretion. A characterization of isolated RV dysfunction or overload required normal left ventricular function and RV hypokinesis, or estimated RV systolic pressure of at least 40 mmHg. The CDR was derived from bivariate analysis of 97 candidate variables, followed by multivariate logistic regression. Of 647 patients, 431 had no PE and persistent dyspnea, and 184 (43%) of these 431 had echocardiography ordered. Of these, 64 patients (35% [95% confidence interval (CI): 28%-42%]) had isolated RV dysfunction or overload, and these patients were significantly more likely to have a repeat CTPA within 90 days (P = .02, [Formula: see text] test). From univariate analysis, 4 variables predicted isolated RV dysfunction: complete right bundle branch block, normal CTPA scan, active malignancy, and CTPA with infiltrate, the last negatively. Logistic regression found only normal CTPA scanning significant. The final rule (persistent dyspnea + normal CTPA scan) had a positive predictive value of 53% (95% CI: 37%-69%). We conclude that a simple CDR consisting of persistent dyspnea plus a normal CTPA scan predicts a high probability of isolated RV dysfunction or overload on echocardiography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A Kline
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA ; Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Frances M Russell
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Tim Lahm
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, Occupational and Sleep Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; and Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Ronald A Mastouri
- Division of Cardiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; and Eskenazi Health Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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