Problematic Cannabis Use and Risk of Complications in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C

Coagulopathy and Hospital Outcomes in Patients With Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis: A Call for Action to Improve Care of Inpatients

Objectives

To assess the risk of in-hospital mortality in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) with coagulopathy, and to understand the impact of comorbid coagulopathy on length of stay (LOS) and total charges for SBP inpatients.

Methods

We included adult patients (age, 18-50 years) with a principal diagnosis of SBP using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS, 2012 to 2014). These patients were further subgrouped by comorbid coagulopathy. The independent sample t-test was used to measure the mean difference in LOS and total charges between subgroups. The logistic regression model was used to measure the odds ratio (OR) of association of coagulopathy and in-hospital mortality after adjusting for demographic confounders and other comorbid risk factors.

Results

SBP with comorbid coagulopathy was prevalent in males (68.7%) and white (58.1%). When compared with the non-coagulopathy cohort, males had 1.6 times (95% CI 1.46-1.84), and hispanics had 1.4 times (95% CI 1.19-1.58) high odds for coagulopathy. In-hospital mortality was statistically significant in SBP inpatients with coagulopathy (6.5% vs. 2.8% in non-coagulopathy), and with two times higher odds of association (95% CI 1.47-2.51) compared with non-coagulopathy cohort. SBP inpatients with comorbid coagulopathy had a statistically significantly higher LOS by 1.1 days and higher total charges by $14,123 per hospitalization compared with the non-coagulopathy cohort.

Conclusions

Coagulopathy is a significant risk factor that increases the risk of in-hospital mortality in SBP inpatients by 92%. Comorbid coagulopathy is also associated with extended LOS and higher hospitalization costs, thereby increasing the healthcare burden. Clinicians need to effectively manage coagulopathy in SBP patients to improve patient outcomes and reduce the healthcare burden with better health-related quality of life.

Chronic Alcoholic Liver Disease and Mortality Risk in Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis: Analysis of 6,530 Hospitalizations

Objective

Our study aimed to assess the risk of in-hospital mortality due to chronic alcoholic liver disease (CALD) and other comorbidities in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) inpatients.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS, 2012 to 2014) from the United States and included 6,530 patients (age 18-50 years) with a primary diagnosis of SBP. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the odds ratio (OR) for in-hospital mortality in SBP by comorbidities.

Results

The prevalence of CALD in SBP patients is 43.6%, and a higher proportion were males (68.8%) and whites (67%). Middle-aged adults (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.74-4.45) had higher odds of in-hospital mortality in SBP patients. Race and sex were non-significant predictors for mortality risk. Patients with comorbid coagulopathy (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.45-2.48) and heart failure (OR 3.9, 95% CI 2.46-6.36) have increased mortality in SBP inpatients. After controlling confounders, CALD was significantly associated with increased in-hospital mortality (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.12-1.94) in SBP inpatients.

Conclusion

CALD is an independent factor in increasing the risk of in-hospital mortality in SBP patients by 48%. Alcohol use screening, and alcohol abstinence and supportive therapy need to be implemented at an earlier stage to improve health-related quality of life and reduce in-hospital mortality in SBP patients.