Background: There is evidence that significantly disruptive health events, such as hospitalizations, may increase patients’ receptiveness to interventions that lead to healthier lifestyle choices and medication adherence. For example, research has shown that hospitalizations are particularly effective settings for delivering some interventions aimed at preventing chronic disease morbidity, such as intervening on tobacco use. Additional [...]

Background: Patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) are at significantly increased risk for both thrombosis and bleeding relative to those with normal renal function, which makes anticoagulation particularly challenging. Evidence suggests that rivaroxaban and dabigatran are associated with a higher risk of bleeding in ESRD patients. To date, no large national cohort studies have [...]

Background: Systemic muscle relaxant prescriptions have risen in United States. Baclofen is a commonly prescribed muscle relaxant that is gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonist and renally cleared. We aimed to determine the risk of encephalopathy and mortality associated with baclofen compared to an alternate muscle relaxant cyclobenzaprine in a real-world setting. Methods: We conducted a retrospective [...]

Background: Epidemiology of Non-Variceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding (NVUGIB) such as peptic ulcer bleeding, Mallory-Weiss tear, erosive gastritis/duodenitis, oesophagitis/oesophageal ulcer is well known among general population. However, data is lacking about its trend among Cirrhotic population in literature. No large database study is available to compare prevalence, predictors, and outcomes of NVUGIB among Cirrhotic patients. We [...]

Background: A primary characteristic of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) infections is its ability to remain latent in sensory neurons and reactivate later in life. Symptoms of HSV typically present at or near the point of entry. Each of the HSV subtypes is distinguishable from one another via their mode of transmission in addition to symptoms. [...]

Background: Imaging exams performed on hospitalized patients commonly reveal findings representing possible cancer and requiring follow-up. Our objective was to quantify how often indeterminate or suspicious masses are detected on inpatient abdominal and pelvic imaging exams by exam type and organ. Methods: Our health system uses a standardized coding scheme, similar to the Breast Imaging [...]

Background: While NT-proBNP has been known to predict mortality in heart failure patients and in hospitalized patients, its association with mortality in healthy adults without a history of cardiovascular disease is unknown. Further, it is unclear if a one-time measurement of NT-proBNP can predict distant mortality. Therefore, we examined the association between NT-proBNP with all-cause [...]

Background: Cellulitis is a common cause of hospitalization. In the United States there are approximately 650,000 hospitalizations for cellulitis yearly, accounting for 1% of all admissions and approximately $10 billion. Most patients when hospitalized are treated with combinations of antibiotics with broad-spectrum Gram-positive, Gram-negative and anaerobic coverage. The Infectious Disease Society of America recommends hospitalization [...]

Case Presentation: A 29-year-old African American female, who has a history of preeclampsia and recent stroke, presented with confusion, unusual behavior pattern, headache, involuntary movements and forgetfulness for 3 days. She reported difficulty performing easy tasks such as putting a bottle together, changing her baby and progressive cognitive decline. She denied having weakness, numbness, seizures, [...]

Background: In the United States (US), obesity is associated with a high burden of morbidity and mortality, and its prevalence is increasing. A higher prevalence of obesity disproportionately impacts rural (vs. urban) areas and the Midwest and South (vs. West and Northeast) regions (1-2). In addition, obesity is linked with greater healthcare costs compared to [...]