Background: Patients with cirrhosis complicated by ascites are often admitted to the hospital and require abdominal paracentesis for diagnostic evaluation and symptom relief. When large volumes are removed there is a risk for acute kidney injury (AKI) which can contribute to morbidity and mortality. There are no clear guidelines for what constitutes a safe volume [...]

Background: Statin use has been shown to be beneficial in secondary stroke prevention. However, the optimal LDL level that should be achieved is still uncertain. Since there is a dearth of information, it is unclear if statins are useful in patients with stroke with baseline LDL ≤70 mg/dl in terms of morbidity and mortality outcomes. [...]

Background: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) remains one of the commonest causes of medical and intensive care unit hospitalisations. DKA is a preventable hospital admission which is associated with multiple modifiable risk factors. However, little is known about factors that can predict healthcare resource utilisation in DKA. Previous studies have explored clinical and biochemical factors affecting the [...]

Background: The underlying burden of medical co-morbidity is often the main driver of ICU transfer of patients initially admitted to the medical wards (1). The role of non-patient related factors is unclear, as are the mortality and economic data associated with ICU transfer from the medical ward. The purpose of this analysis was to identify [...]

Background: An estimated 580,000 individuals were experiencing homelessness during the most recent national point-in-time count. Dialysis requires substantial patient engagement, and not having secure housing impedes medical care and could increase acute care utilization. The prevalence of homelessness and its impact on hospitalizations among patients with ESKD are unknown. This retrospective cohort study examined differences [...]

Background: In 2015, the United States had 25 million people with limited English proficiency (LEP). Most prior studies on disparities in outcomes in hospitalized patients with LEP compared to those with English proficiency were conducted outside the US and focused on outcomes such as hospital length of stay and mortality. There are also Emergency Department [...]

Background: Vitamin B9, also known as folate, is a water soluble vitamin found in vegetables, fruits and animal products that plays a key role in purine and pyrimidine synthesis, nucleoprotein synthesis and erythropoiesis. Deficiency can result from malabsorption, anti-epileptic and methotrexate use, pregnancy, hemolytic anemic, and alcoholism and is implicated in neural tube defects. Signs [...]

Background: Even after successful treatment, many patients with tuberculosis (TB) suffer from post-TB sequelae. These may be structural complications (such as bronchiectasis, broncholithiasis, residual cavitation, COPD), infectious complications (such as COPD exacerbations, Aspergillus fumigatus infections, non-tubercular mycobacterial infections, pneumonia), or psychosocial morbidities (such as anxiety, depression, financial burden).[1] The impact of post-TB sequelae is not [...]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the biggest threats to human health, affecting health and health care delivery systems at both the individual and institutional level. There have been varied reports about how sociodemographic factors affect outcomes of patient with COVID-19 [1] [2] [3]. In this US claims based study, we analysed discharge data [...]

Background: Patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) face multiple barriers to care and are at risk for worse health outcomes compared to similar patients with English Proficiency (EP). In sepsis, a common diagnosis and major cause of mortality in the US, the association of LEP with health outcomes has not been widely explored. We aimed [...]