Background: Thoughtful laboratory testing is a key component of high-value and cost-effective patient care. Studies estimate that nearly half of laboratory tests may be unnecessary in certain patient populations. The drivers of observed variation in laboratory testing are not clearly established; our study aims to examine whether testing varies by hospitalist years of experience. Methods: [...]

Background: Pneumonia is a major health concern despite advances in preventive measures including vaccinations. In the United States, Pneumonia is one of the most common cause of hospital admissions other than child birth. One million adults seek care in a hospital due to pneumonia every year with nearly 5% succumb to Pneumonia(1). We sought to [...]

Background: For patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), antithrombotic therapy including oral anticoagulants (OAC) and antiplatelets are indicated. The optimal combination is not known. We investigated the efficacy and safety of different antithrombotic strategies in patients with AF undergoing PCI. Methods: PUBMED and EMBASE were searched through September 2019 for [...]

Background: Cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) is a common complication in patients with malignancy. Management of venous thromboembolism (VTE), in these patients, is challenging due to the high risk of recurrence and inherent risk of bleeding in this population. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have emerged as a treatment options for CAT. As yet there have not been [...]

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become the main treatment for symptomatic severe aortic stenosis but patients on dialysis have been excluded from major randomized controlled trials. Our aim was to compare outcomes after TAVI of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on dialysis versus those without. Methods: EMBASE and MEDLINE were searched through [...]

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of renal cell carcinoma or its treatment. It is unclear whether AKI, compared to inpatients with similar clinical and hospital-level characteristics without AKI, is associated with worse clinical outcomes and higher costs. To address this void, our study aimed to evaluate how an AKI diagnosis affects [...]

Background: Legionella pneumophilia is typically transmitted via inhalation aerosols derived from water or soil during outbreaks or be acquired sporadically, commonly causing community-acquired or nosocomial pneumonia1,2. Death occurs through progressive respiratory failure, shock and multiorgan failure3,4. Epidemiological data for in-patient Legionella in the United States (U.S.) is lacking. The objective of the study is to [...]

Background: Rhabdomyolysis is a condition of rapid muscle breakdown resulting in myalgia, enzyme elevations, electrolyte imbalance. Released heme pigment may lead to tubular obstruction, vasoconstriction, and tubular epithelial cell injury, causing acute kidney injury (AKI) as a severe complication. Especially with predisposing conditions such as volume depletion. Early and aggressive fluid resuscitation is an essential [...]

Background: In the United States, the relative incidence of diverticulitis has continued to rise and represents a significant portion of gastrointestinal related hospitalizations [1]. Management and treatment can include both medical and surgical options. Of recent, considerable attention has been given to try to decrease healthcare utilization [2]. We sought out to determine the annual [...]

Background: There is a significant impact of influenza on the individuals, families, and societies, both economically and clinically, in terms of hospital admissions, medication expenses and side effects, secondary bacterial infections and more days off from work or other forms of reduced productivity for the patients or their caretakers. Our objective is to present the [...]