MetroHealth

About: MetroHealth is a healthcare organization based out in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 2203 authors who have published 2696 publications receiving 125131 citations. The organization is also known as: Cleveland Metro General Hospital.

Stenting versus Endarterectomy for Treatment of Carotid-Artery Stenosis

Abstract: For 2502 patients over a median follow-up period of 2.5 years, there was no significant difference in the estimated 4-year rates of the primary end point between the stenting group and the endarterectomy group (7.2% and 6.8%, respectively; hazard ratio with stenting, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 0.81 to 1.51; P = 0.51). There was no differential treatment effect with regard to the primary end point according to symptomatic status (P = 0.84) or sex (P = 0.34). The 4-year rate of stroke or death was 6.4% with stenting and 4.7% with endarterectomy (hazard ratio, 1.50; P = 0.03); the rates among symptomatic patients were 8.0% and 6.4% (hazard ratio, 1.37; P = 0.14), and the rates among asymptomatic patients were 4.5% and 2.7% (hazard ratio, 1.86; P = 0.07), respectively. Periprocedural rates of individual components of the end points differed between the stenting group and the endarterectomy group: for death (0.7% vs. 0.3%, P = 0.18), for stroke (4.1% vs. 2.3%, P = 0.01), and for myocardial infarction (1.1% vs. 2.3%, P = 0.03). After this period, the incidences of ipsilateral stroke with stenting and with endarterectomy were similarly low (2.0% and 2.4%, respectively; P = 0.85). CONCLUSIONS Among patients with symptomatic or asymptomatic carotid stenosis, the risk of the composite primary outcome of stroke, myocardial infarction, or death did not differ significantly in the group undergoing carotid-artery stenting and the group undergoing carotid endarterectomy. During the periprocedural period, there was a higher risk of stroke with stenting and a higher risk of myocardial infarction with endarterectomy. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00004732.)

The effectiveness of right heart catheterization in the initial care of critically ill patients

Abstract: Objective —To examine the association between the use of right heart catheterization (RHC) during the first 24 hours of care in the intensive care unit (ICU) and subsequent survival, length of stay, intensity of care, and cost of care Design —Prospective cohort study Setting —Five US teaching hospitals between 1989 and 1994 Subjects —A total of 5735 critically ill adult patients receiving care in an ICU for 1 of 9 prespecified disease categories Main Outcome Measures —Survival time, cost of care, intensity of care, and length of stay in the ICU and hospital, determined from the clinical record and from the National Death Index A propensity score for RHC was constructed using multivariable logistic regression Case-matching and multivariable regression modeling techniques were used to estimate the association of RHC with specific outcomes after adjusting for treatment selection using the propensity score Sensitivity analysis was used to estimate the potential effect of an unidentified or missing covariate on the results Results —By case-matching analysis, patients with RHC had an increased 30-day mortality (odds ratio, 124; 95% confidence interval, 103-149) The mean cost (25th, 50th, 75th percentiles) per hospital stay was $49300 ($17000, $30500, $56600) with RHC and $35700 ($11 300, $20600, $39200) without RHC Mean length of stay in the ICU was 148 (5,9, 17) days with RHC and 130 (4,7, 14) days without RHC These findings were all confirmed by multivariable modeling techniques Subgroup analysis did not reveal any patient group or site for which RHC was associated with improved outcomes Patients with higher baseline probability of surviving 2 months had the highest relative risk of death following RHC Sensitivity analysis suggested that a missing covariate would have to increase the risk of death 6-fold and the risk of RHC 6-fold for a true beneficial effect of RHC to be misrepresented as harmful Conclusion —In this observational study of critically ill patients, after adjustment for treatment selection bias, RHC was associated with increased mortality and increased utilization of resources The cause of this apparent lack of benefit is unclear The results of this analysis should be confirmed in other observational studies These findings justify reconsideration of a randomized controlled trial of RHC and may guide patient selection for such a study

2012 Infectious Diseases Society of America Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Diabetic Foot Infections

Abstract: Foot infections are a common and serious problem in persons with diabetes Diabetic foot infections (DFIs) typically begin in a wound, most often a neuropathic ulceration While all wounds are colonized with microorganisms, the presence of infection is defined by ≥2 classic findings of inflammation or purulence Infections are then classified into mild (superficial and limited in size and depth), moderate (deeper or more extensive), or severe (accompanied by systemic signs or metabolic perturbations) This classification system, along with a vascular assessment, helps determine which patients should be hospitalized, which may require special imaging procedures or surgical interventions, and which will require amputation Most DFIs are polymicrobial, with aerobic gram-positive cocci (GPC), and especially staphylococci, the most common causative organisms Aerobic gram-negative bacilli are frequently copathogens in infections that are chronic or follow antibiotic treatment, and obligate anaerobes may be copathogens in ischemic or necrotic wounds Wounds without evidence of soft tissue or bone infection do not require antibiotic therapy For infected wounds, obtain a post-debridement specimen (preferably of tissue) for aerobic and anaerobic culture Empiric antibiotic therapy can be narrowly targeted at GPC in many acutely infected patients, but those at risk for infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms or with chronic, previously treated, or severe infections usually require broader spectrum regimens Imaging is helpful in most DFIs; plain radiographs may be sufficient, but magnetic resonance imaging is far more sensitive and specific Osteomyelitis occurs in many diabetic patients with a foot wound and can be difficult to diagnose (optimally defined by bone culture and histology) and treat (often requiring surgical debridement or resection, and/or prolonged antibiotic therapy) Most DFIs require some surgical intervention, ranging from minor (debridement) to major (resection, amputation) Wounds must also be properly dressed and off-loaded of pressure, and patients need regular follow-up An ischemic foot may require revascularization, and some nonresponding patients may benefit from selected adjunctive measures Employing multidisciplinary foot teams improves outcomes Clinicians and healthcare organizations should attempt to monitor, and thereby improve, their outcomes and processes in caring for DFIs