Background: Community acquired severity scores are well known and used routinely in predicting mortality and risk of inpatient and ICU admission in suspected bacterial pneumonia patients. However such scores have not been studied in patients with influenza infection and influenza pneumonia. We attempted to validate one such score, CURB65 and and identify other scores that [...]

Background: Community acquired severity scores are well known and used routinely in predicting mortality and risk of inpatient and ICU admission in suspected bacterial pneumonia patients. However such scores have not been studied in patients with influenza infection and influenza pneumonia. We attempted to validate one such score, CURB65 and and identify other scores that [...]

Background: Higher rates of 30-day readmissions are associated with lower quality hospital care, and readmissions may put patients at risk for worse health outcomes including death. Historically, 20% of hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries were readmitted within 30 days, and many readmissions appeared avoidable. Accordingly, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented the Hospital Readmissions [...]

Background: Initial management of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) aims towards aggressive fluid resuscitation to maintain hemodynamic stability. Existing evidence regarding benefit of early endoscopy is unclear with some studies suggesting mortality benefits and some suggesting otherwise. The purpose of this study is to evaluate if there is any mortality benefit of doing early endoscopy [...]

Background: Sepsis research is limited by heterogeneity and inaccuracy of patient identification. An ideal identification algorithm would broadly define a population with suspected infection to optimize discrimination and provide real-time identification of high-risk populations for potential interventions. We combined clinical and administrative to identify a population of adults hospitalized with suspected infection and examined characteristics [...]

Background: There is limited data on the predictors of outcomes in patients who have in-hospital cardiac arrest. This study aims to understand the factors that might affect the survival from the cardiac arrest and survival-to-discharge after in-hospital cardiac arrest. Methods: Institutional review board of the Cleveland Clinic approved the retrospective cross-sectional study for patients who [...]

Background: Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) has been associated with incident cardiovascular events and mortality in observational studies, but the results have not been consistent. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we investigate the association of baseline RVO with subsequent development of cardiovascular events and mortality. Methods: Eligible English-language peer-viewed cohort studies in PUBMED and EMBASE [...]

Background: Hyperlipidemia is a recognized risk factor for incident acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), and no such documented association with pneumonia. However, the influence of hyperlipidemia on long-term mortality after AMI, HF, or pneumonia has not yet been fully understood. The objectives are to estimate the effect of hyperlipidemia and [...]

Background: Severe aortic stenosis (SAS) had been identified as being at elevated risk for non-cardiac surgery. However, two reports demonstrated that SAS did not increase mortality of intermediate to high risk non-cardiac surgery. The European Society of Cardiology guideline states non-cardiac surgery of low to intermediate risk can be safely performed among patients with SAS. [...]

Background: Mortality is the first quality metric reported by CMS, and historically a key measure for evidence based medicine since the 1800’s. THINK:  John Snow removing the handle from the Broad street well pump to reduce cholera deaths  Ignaz Semmelweis demonstrating washing hands reduced puerperal fever and death. Mortality rates are risk adjusted [...]