Triggers of acute pulmonary thromboembolism developed in hospital, with focusing on toilet activities as triggering acts

Evaluation of severe adverse events during rehabilitation for acute-phase patients: A retrospective cohort study

Early mobilization decreases the likelihood of negative outcomes for acute-phase inpatients. Adverse events occurring during intensive care unit rehabilitation have previously been reported; however, no study has reported the incidence rates for adverse events during the acute rehabilitation phase. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of severe adverse events during acute-phase rehabilitation and evaluate them in detail.Reports of adverse events occurring during acute-phase rehabilitation in a university hospital from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2018 were retrospectively assessed.Nine severe adverse events occurred during this period (incidence rate, 0.032%), comprising 2 cardiopulmonary arrests, 2 pulseless electrical activity events, 2 deterioration in consciousness events, 1 deterioration in consciousness event due to cerebral infarction, 1 fracture due to a fall, and 1 event involving removal of a ventricular drain. Pulmonary thromboembolism was implicated in 1 adverse event involving pulseless electrical activity and 1 deterioration in consciousness event. The causes for the 6 other adverse events could not be identified. The mean days from admission and the onset of rehabilitation to adverse event occurrence were 22.0 ± 18.2 and 17.9 ± 13.5 days (mean ± standard deviation), respectively. Four of 9 patients died, and 5 patients were discharged home or transferred to other stepdown facilities. When assessed retrospectively, there were no conflicts between patient conditions and the cancellation criteria of rehabilitation by the Japanese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine.The occurrences of severe adverse event may not be related to early mobilization (or onset time of rehabilitation) and compliance status of cancellation criteria.

Severity of constipation related to palonosetron during first-line chemotherapy: a retrospective observational study

PURPOSE

Palonosetron, a long-acting 5-HT₃ receptor antagonist, is an effective antiemetic agent for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting; however, it sometimes causes severe constipation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the severity of palonosetron-related constipation.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the incidence and severity of constipation after intravenous administration of 0.75-mg palonosetron in 150 chemotherapy-naïve patients who received first-line chemotherapy at Saga University Hospital. Constipation was classified into grades 1-5 according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with palonosetron-related worsening of constipation to grade 2 or higher.

RESULTS

Palonosetron significantly increased the incidence and severity of constipation (incidence: before vs. after palonosetron, 35.4% vs. 74.0%, p < 0.0001, and severity: before vs. after palonosetron, 26.7% and 8.7% in grades 1 and 2, respectively, vs. 46.7%, 23.3%, and 4.0% in grades 1, 2, and 3, respectively, p < 0.0001). Despite the use of laxatives, 4.0% of patients had grade 3 constipation requiring manual evacuation. Combination treatment with aprepitant (odds ratio (OR), 10.9; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.3-90.0; p = 0.026) and older age (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.01-1.57; p = 0.039) were factors associated with the severity of constipation.

CONCLUSION

Constipation was more severe in patients receiving combination treatment with aprepitant than in those treated with palonosetron alone. Older age was also associated with increased risk of severe palonosetron-related constipation. Identification of risk factors can help target risk-based laxative therapy.

Clinical course of asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis after total knee arthroplasty in Japanese patients

PURPOSE

The purpose of the present study was to follow up Japanese patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and also to examine factors associated with residual thrombus within the sixth postoperative month.

METHODS

DVT evaluation was performed by noninvasive venous ultrasonography. We retrospectively reviewed 88 Japanese patients (88 knees) receiving primary unilateral TKA, who had no preoperative DVT. We examined the influence of the following four factors on postoperative DVT: (1) patient factors (age, sex, body height, body weight, and body mass index), (2) surgical factors (operation time, bleeding amount, avascularization time, and anesthesia method), (3) postoperative factors (bleeding amount, period to ambulation, period of venous foot pump use, and ratio of graduated compression stocking use), and (4) DVT conditional factors (location, length, number of vein branches, and the presence of >5 mm vasodilatation).

RESULTS

The total prevalence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) was 62.5% (55 of the 88 patients). Among the 55 VTE patients, the rates of distal and proximal DVT were 96.4% and 3.6%, respectively. Bilateral DVT was found in 34.5%, while unilateral DVT on the surgical and nonsurgical sides were 52.7% and 12.7%, respectively. Asymptomatic pulmonary embolism was 1.8%. DVT was exacerbated in five patients (11.9%), of whom three showed additional thrombus formation. The remaining two patients had thrombus elongation or propagation from distal to proximal veins. In comparisons between thrombus-unresolved and -resolved groups within the sixth postoperative month, statistical significances were found in the incidence of bilateral DVT (50.0% vs. 15.4%, p = 0.02) and unilateral DVT (43.8% vs. 76.9%, p = 0.02). On the other hand, operation time (107.0 ± 17.3 min vs. 94.5 ± 11.9 min, p = 0.01) and avascularization time (99.8 ± 17.6 min vs. 88.0 ± 11.5 min, p = 0.01) in bilateral DVT patients were significantly longer than in unilateral ones.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that an extended operation and avascularization time may be a risk factor for bilateral DVT and residual thrombus over 6 months.

Clinical characteristics of stroke occurring in the toilet: Are older adults more vulnerable?

AIM

While autonomic imbalance during defecation/micturition can cause hemodynamic instability, stroke occurring in the toilet has rarely been investigated. The objective of the present study was to clarify the frequency and clinical characteristics of toilet-related stroke.

METHODS

Clinical data prospectively acquired between January 2011 and December 2015 on 1939 patients with acute stroke (1224 cerebral infarctions [CI], 505 intracerebral hemorrhages [ICH] and 210 subarachnoid hemorrhages [SAH]) were reviewed to identify patients with a toilet-related stroke. For each stroke type, the ratios of stroke occurring during defecation/micturition to those occurring during other activities were calculated. Subsequently, how patients with toilet-related stroke were brought to medical attention was investigated. Whether older patients (aged >65 years) had an elevated ratio of toilet-related stroke was investigated in each stroke type.

RESULTS

A total of 108 patients (41 CI, 37 ICH and 30 subarachnoid hemorrhages) sustained a stroke in the toilet. The ratio of toilet-related stroke was highest in subarachnoid hemorrhages (14.3%), followed by ICH (7.3%). Circadian differences existed among the three stroke types: toilet-related CI were more likely to occur in the night-time than ICH. Patients with toilet-related CI were significantly more likely to sustain cardioembolic stroke. In all three stroke types, <40% of patients could call for help by themselves. Older patients showed a significantly higher proportion of toilet-related stroke in CI, but not in hemorrhagic strokes.

CONCLUSIONS

The toilet is a closed space where stroke occurs disproportionately frequently. Effort to reduce the incidence of toilet-related strokes is warranted, as early patient detection is not always feasible. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 250-255.

Cardiac arrest in the toilet: clinical characteristics and resuscitation profiles

OBJECTIVES

The great majority of non-traumatic cardiac arrests (CA) occur at home. The toilet is a closed and private room where CA occurs frequently. However, due to the feelings of privacy that are associated with this room, the circumstances and causes of CA in the toilet have rarely been investigated.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted to clarify clinical characteristics and resuscitation profiles of patients sustaining CA in the toilet.

RESULTS

Among 907 CA patients treated during a 4-year period, 101 (11 %) sustained CA in the toilet. While the collapse was witnessed in only 10 % of these patients, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was achieved in 41 %. However, the long-term survival rate was 1 %. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that a history of cardiac diseases was predictive of CA in the toilet (odds ratio 3.045; 95 % confidence interval 1.756-5.282) but that there was no correlation with advanced age. The frequency of CA in the toilet may be influenced moderately by seasonal/circadian variations. The 101 patients were classified into four subgroups according to mode of discovery of CA. The frequency of ROSC was highest in those who collapsed in the presence of caregivers and lowest in those whose collapse were discovered later by family members being worried that the patient stayed in the toilet "too long." Imaging studies revealed life-threatening extra-cardiac lesions responsible for CA, such as subarachnoid hemorrhage and aortic dissection, in 23 % of the patient cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

The rarity of long-term survival among individuals sustaining CA in the toilet is mainly due to the delay in discovering the individual who collapsed. Although a history of cardiac diseases is a risk factor, predicting who may sustain CA in the toilet remains difficult due to etiological heterogeneity.

Predictive indicators of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary arterial thromboembolism in 54 subjects after total knee arthroplasty using multislice computed tomography in logistic regression models

PURPOSE

To determine predictors of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the lower extremities and pulmonary arterial thromboembolism (PE) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), we evaluated the incidence of these events using multislice computed tomography (CT).

METHODS

54 subjects (10 males, 53-81 years old, the first consecutive 25 receiving anticoagulant therapy) underwent enhanced multislice CT (MSCT) before and one week after TKA.

RESULTS

DVT, PE, and both were detected in twelve, twelve, and three subjects, respectively, one week after TKA. Hemoglobin and alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient (AaDO2) on the day after TKA, and total amount of operative bleeding (TAOB) were significantly higher in subjects with DVT or PE (P<0.05). In a logistic model for predicting DVT or PE, hemoglobin and AaDO2 levels on the day after TKA and TAOB were associated with an increased incidence of DVT or PE (relative risks 3.51, 1.19 and 1.01 (P<0.05), respectively). From box and whisker plots, we speculated the significant border to predict DVT or PE as 10.5 g/dl for hemoglobin, 34 Torr for AaDO2, and 1280 ml for TAOB. These factors also predicted DVT or PE (relative risks 5.08 (hemoglobin more than 10.5), 6.25 (AaDO2 more than 34 Torr), and 4.95 (TAOB more than 1280 ml) (P<0.05)).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of DVT or PE one week after TKA was 39% by MSCT. High levels of TAOB, hemoglobin and AaDO2 on the day after TKA may be predictive indicators of DVT or PE one week after TKA.