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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 19 of 19 Research Studies DisplayedWu W, Bhatraju PK, Cobb N
Radiographic findings and association with clinical severity and outcomes in critically ill patients with COVID-19.
Investigators sought to describe evolution and severity of radiographic findings and to assess association with disease severity and outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients. They found that evolution of radiographic features indicates rapid disease progression and correlates with requirement for invasive MV or vasopressors but not mortality, which suggests potential non-pulmonary pathways to death in COVID-19.
AHRQ-funded; HS026369.
Citation: Wu W, Bhatraju PK, Cobb N .
Radiographic findings and association with clinical severity and outcomes in critically ill patients with COVID-19.
Curr Probl Diagn Radiol 2022 Nov-Dec;51(6):884-91. doi: 10.1067/j.cpradiol.2022.04.002..
Keywords: COVID-19, Critical Care, Outcomes
Ofoma UR, Drewry AM, Maddox TM
Outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest among hospitals with and without telemedicine critical care.
This study compared survival rates for inpatients who suffered in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) who had access to Telemedicine Critical Care (TCC) during nights and weekends (off-hours) compared to those who did not. The authors identified 44,585 adults at 280 U.S. hospitals in the Get With The Guidelines® - Resuscitation registry who suffered IHCA in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or hospital ward between July 2017 and December 2019. The majority (60.6%) of IHCAs occurred in an ICU, and 32.2% participants suffered IHCA at hospitals with TCC. No difference was found in acute resuscitation survival rates or survival to discharge rates for either IHCA between TCC and non-TCC hospitals. Timing of cardiac arrest did not modify the association between TCC availability and acute resuscitation survival or survival to discharge.
AHRQ-funded; HS019455.
Citation: Ofoma UR, Drewry AM, Maddox TM .
Outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest among hospitals with and without telemedicine critical care.
Resuscitation 2022 Aug;177:7-15. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2022.06.008..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Outcomes, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Capone CA, Emerson B, Sweberg T
Intubation practice and outcomes among pediatric emergency departments: a report from National Emergency Airway Registry for Children (NEAR4KIDS).
The purpose of this study was to describe Tracheal Intubation (TI) practice and outcomes in pediatric Emergency Departments as compared to those in intensive care units (ICUs) and use the resulting data to identify targets for quality improvement. The researchers analyzed consecutive TI encounters from pediatric EDs and ICUs in the National Emergency Airway Registry for Children (NEAR4KIDS) database from 2015 to 2018. The study found a total of 12,512 TIs in 51 pediatric/cardiac ICUs, and 756 TIs in 13 pediatric EDs and were reported. Proportion of TIs for shock (26% ED vs. 14% ICU), respiratory decompensation (52% vs. 64%), and neurologic deterioration (30% vs. 11%) also differed by location. Limited neck mobility was reported more often in the ED (16% vs. 6%). TIs in the ED were performed more often via video laryngoscopy (64% vs. 29%). Oxygen desaturation was less commonly reported in ED TIs (13.6%) than ICU TIs (17%). Among ED TIs, shock as an indication and limited mouth opening were independently associated with adverse TI-associated events (TIAEs). The study concluded that TI characteristics vary between pediatric EDs and ICUs, yet outcomes are similar.
AHRQ-funded; HS022464.
Citation: Capone CA, Emerson B, Sweberg T .
Intubation practice and outcomes among pediatric emergency departments: a report from National Emergency Airway Registry for Children (NEAR4KIDS).
Acad Emerg Med 2022 Apr;29(4):406-14. doi: 10.1111/acem.14431..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Registries, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Evidence-Based Practice, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Savarimuthu SM, Cairns C, Allorto NL SM, Cairns C, Allorto NL
qSOFA as a predictor of ICU outcomes in a resource-limited setting in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.
This study’s goal was to determine whether the quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) score based on bedside assessment alone was a promising tool for risk prediction in low-resource settings. This retrospective cohort study included adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at Edendale Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa (SA), recruited into the study between 2014 and 2018. Using multivariable logistic regression, the association of qSOFA with in-ICU mortality was measured, and discrimination was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and the additive contribution to a baseline model using likelihood ratio testing. The qSOFA scores of 0, 1 and 2 were not associated with increased odds of in-ICU mortality in patients with infection, while the qSOFA of 3 was associated with in-ICU mortality in infected patients. Discrimination for mortality was fair to poor and adding qSOFA to a baseline model yielded a statistical improvement in both cases.
AHRQ-funded; HS026372.
Citation: Savarimuthu SM, Cairns C, Allorto NL SM, Cairns C, Allorto NL .
qSOFA as a predictor of ICU outcomes in a resource-limited setting in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.
South Afr J Crit Care 2020; 36(2). doi: 10.7196/SAJCC.2020.v36i2.433..
Keywords: Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Sepsis, Critical Care, Outcomes
Anesi GL, Jablonski J, Harhay MO
Characteristics, outcomes, and trends of patients with COVID-19-related critical illness at a learning health system in the United States.
This study’s objective is to describe the epidemiology of COVID-19-related critical illness, including trends in outcomes and care delivery, using five hospitals within the University of Pennsylvania Health System as a setting. Findings showed that, among patients with COVID-19-related critical illness admitted to ICUs of a learning health system in the United States, mortality seemed to decrease over time despite stable patient characteristics. Recommendations included further studies to confirm this result and to investigate causal mechanisms.
AHRQ-funded; HS026372.
Citation: Anesi GL, Jablonski J, Harhay MO .
Characteristics, outcomes, and trends of patients with COVID-19-related critical illness at a learning health system in the United States.
Ann Intern Med 2021 May;174(5):613-21. doi: 10.7326/m20-5327..
Keywords: COVID-19, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Mortality, Hospitals, Outcomes, Infectious Diseases
Su CM, Warren A, Kraus C
Lack of racial and ethnic-based differences in acute care delivery in intracerebral hemorrhage.
Int J Emerg Med 2021 Jan 19;14(1):6. doi: 10.1186/s12245-021-00329-w.
Early diagnosis and treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is thought to be critical for improving outcomes. In this study the investigators examined whether racial or ethnic disparities existed in acute care processes in the first hours after ICH. The investigators found no evidence of racial/ethnic disparities in acute care processes or outcomes in ICH. English as first language, however, was associated with slower care processes.
Early diagnosis and treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is thought to be critical for improving outcomes. In this study the investigators examined whether racial or ethnic disparities existed in acute care processes in the first hours after ICH. The investigators found no evidence of racial/ethnic disparities in acute care processes or outcomes in ICH. English as first language, however, was associated with slower care processes.
AHRQ-funded; HS024561.
Citation: Su CM, Warren A, Kraus C .
Lack of racial and ethnic-based differences in acute care delivery in intracerebral hemorrhage.
Int J Emerg Med 2021 Jan 19;14(1):6. doi: 10.1186/s12245-021-00329-w..
Keywords: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Critical Care, Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions, Outcomes
Anesi GL, Chelluri J, Qasim ZA
Association of an emergency department-embedded critical care unit with hospital outcomes and intensive care unit use.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential impact of an emergency department-embedded critical care unit (CCU) at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania among patients with sepsis and acute respiratory failure (ARF) admitted from the emergency department to a medical ward or ICU from January 2016 to December 2017. Findings showed that the emergency department-embedded CCU was not associated with clinical outcomes among patients admitted with sepsis or ARF. Among less sick patients with sepsis, the emergency department-embedded CCU was initially associated with reduced rates of direct ICU admission from the emergency department. Further research was recommended to further evaluate the impact and utility of the emergency department-embedded CCU model.
AHRQ-funded; HS026372.
Citation: Anesi GL, Chelluri J, Qasim ZA .
Association of an emergency department-embedded critical care unit with hospital outcomes and intensive care unit use.
Ann Am Thorac Soc 2020 Dec;17(12):1599-609. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201912-912OC..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Hospitals, Sepsis, Respiratory Conditions, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Healthcare Delivery
Leeds IL, Jones C, DiBrito SR
Delay in emergency hernia surgery is associated with worse outcomes.
The purpose of this study was to determine if the variation in timing of urgent surgery impacts surgical outcomes. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was searched for emergent surgeries in 2011-2016 for abdominal hernia resulting in obstruction or gangrene by primary post-op diagnosis. Findings showed that delayed surgery was associated with increased rates of major complications, longer operative times, longer postoperative lengths of stay, increased re-operations, increased readmissions, and increased 30-day mortality. Next-day surgery and surgery delayed more than one day were associated with increased odds of a major complication.
AHRQ-funded; HS024547.
Citation: Leeds IL, Jones C, DiBrito SR .
Delay in emergency hernia surgery is associated with worse outcomes.
Surg Endosc 2020 Oct;34(10):4562-73. doi: 10.1007/s00464-019-07245-4..
Keywords: Surgery, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Critical Care, Access to Care, Digestive Disease and Health, Outcomes
Balmaks R, Whitfill TM, Ziemele B
Pediatric readiness in the emergency department and its association with patient outcomes in critical care: a prospective cohort study.
The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of pediatric acute care and pediatric readiness and to determine their association with patient outcomes using a patient registry. Studying all Latvian Emergency Departments and the national PICU, researchers’ findings showed that a higher weighted pediatric readiness score was associated significantly with lower length of stay in both the PICU and hospital and lower 6-month mortality. Pediatric readiness in the emergency department was associated with patient outcomes in this population of pediatric patients transferred to the national PICU.
AHRQ-funded; HS020286.
Citation: Balmaks R, Whitfill TM, Ziemele B .
Pediatric readiness in the emergency department and its association with patient outcomes in critical care: a prospective cohort study.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2020 May;21(5):e213-e20. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002255..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Outcomes
Kelly Costa D, Liu H, Boltey EM
The structure of critical care nursing teams and patient outcomes: a network analysis.
This examined the connectiveness of critical nursing teams and patient outcomes. The study measured “coreness” (the degree to which a network is represented by a densely integrated core) and “betweenness” (whether a nurse lies on the path of others not directly connected). The researchers used ICU data from a medical center during 2011 and looked at nurses who worked in surgical ICU (SICU) or neurosurgical ICU (NICU) during that same time period. The sample included 598 adult patients and 281 nurses. The researchers found that the greater the coreness of the team, and the more betweenness there was with ICU nurses the less likely patients were to die.
AHRQ-funded; HS024552.
Citation: Kelly Costa D, Liu H, Boltey EM .
The structure of critical care nursing teams and patient outcomes: a network analysis.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2020 Feb 15;201(4):483-85. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201903-0543LE..
Keywords: Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Nursing, Teams, Outcomes, Healthcare Delivery, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Patient-Centered Healthcare
Tignanelli CJ, Sheetz KH, Petersen A
Utilization of intensive care unit nutrition consultation is associated with reduced mortality.
The aim of this project was to investigate the prevalence of nutrition consultation (NC) in U.S. intensive care units (ICUs) and to examine its association with patient outcomes. Data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's state inpatient databases was utilized from 2010 - 2014. A multilevel logistic regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between NC and clinical outcomes. The investigators concluded that rates of NC were low in critically ill patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS026379.
Citation: Tignanelli CJ, Sheetz KH, Petersen A .
Utilization of intensive care unit nutrition consultation is associated with reduced mortality.
JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr 2020 Feb;44(2):213-19. doi: 10.1002/jpen.1534..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Nutrition, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Critical Care, Mortality
Williams CN, Eriksson CO, Kirby A
Hospital mortality and functional outcomes in pediatric neurocritical care.
Pediatric neurocritical care (PNCC) outcomes research is scarce. In this study, the investigators aimed to expand knowledge about outcomes in PNCC by evaluating death and changes in Functional Status Scale (FSS) from baseline among PNCC diagnoses. The investigators concluded that PNCC patients had high rates of death and new disability at discharge, varying significantly between PNCC diagnoses. Multiple domains of disability were affected, underscoring the ongoing multidisciplinary health care needs of survivors.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Williams CN, Eriksson CO, Kirby A .
Hospital mortality and functional outcomes in pediatric neurocritical care.
Hosp Pediatr 2019 Dec;9(12):958-66. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2019-0173..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Newborns/Infants, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Neurological Disorders, Mortality, Hospitals, Inpatient Care, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Hussain FS, Sosa T, Ambroggio L
Emergency transfers: an important predictor of adverse outcomes in hospitalized children.
This case-control study aimed to determine the predictive validity of an emergency transfer (ET) for outcomes in a free-standing children's hospital. Controls were matched in terms of age, hospital unit, and time of year. Patients who experienced an ET had a significantly higher likelihood of in-hospital mortality (22% vs 9%), longer ICU length of stay (4.9 vs 2.2 days), and longer posttransfer length of stay (26.4 vs 14.7 days) compared with controls (P < .03 for each).
AHRQ-funded; HS023827.
Citation: Hussain FS, Sosa T, Ambroggio L .
Emergency transfers: an important predictor of adverse outcomes in hospitalized children.
J Hosp Med 2019 Aug;14(8):482-85. doi: 10.12788/jhm.3219..
Keywords: Transitions of Care, Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Adverse Events, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Inpatient Care, Hospitalization, Hospitals, Healthcare Delivery
Hinson JS, Martinez DA, Cabral S
Triage performance in emergency medicine: a systematic review.
The authors synthesized existing emergency department (ED) triage literature by using a framework that enables performance comparisons and benchmarking across triage systems, with respect to clinical outcomes and reliability. They found that a substantial proportion of ED patients who die post-encounter or who are critically ill are not designated as high acuity at triage. They suggested that the opportunity exists to improve interrater reliability and triage performance in identifying patients at risk of adverse outcome.
AHRQ-funded; HS023641.
Citation: Hinson JS, Martinez DA, Cabral S .
Triage performance in emergency medicine: a systematic review.
Ann Emerg Med 2019 Jul;74(1):140-52. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2018.09.022..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Decision Making, Critical Care, Outcomes, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Law AC, Stevens JP, Walkey AJ
Gastrostomy tube use in the critically ill, 1994-2014.
This study used AHRQ’s Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s (HCUP’s) National Inpatient Sample to evaluate trends in gastrostomy tube use among critically ill adults from 1994 to 2014. Patients with dementia were excluded from the study. It was found that tube use more than doubled during that time period. Most patients were discharged to long-term care facilities after tube placement. Population-based rates went from 11.9 to 28.8 gastrostomies per 100,000 adults which is an increase of 142%.
AHRQ-funded; HS024288.
Citation: Law AC, Stevens JP, Walkey AJ .
Gastrostomy tube use in the critically ill, 1994-2014.
Ann Am Thorac Soc 2019 Jun;16(6):724-30. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201809-638OC..
Keywords: Critical Care, Digestive Disease and Health, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Surgery
Pepper DJ, Sun J, Rhee C
Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic discontinuation and mortality in critically ill adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis on survival outcomes of using procalcitonin (PCT)-guided antibiotic discontinuation on critically ill adults. The study quality was assessing with the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and GRADEpro was used to grade evidence. PCT-guided discontinuation was associated with decreased mortality, but there was a high risk of bias in many of the studies reviewed with a low certainty of evidence. The authors suggest properly designed studies with mortality as the primary outcome is needed to further answer this question.
AHRQ-funded; HS025008.
Citation: Pepper DJ, Sun J, Rhee C .
Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic discontinuation and mortality in critically ill adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Chest 2019 Jun;155(6):1109-18. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2018.12.029..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Critical Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Medication, Mortality, Outcomes, Sepsis
Sanders R, Edwards L, Nishisaki A
Tracheal intubations for critically Ill children outside specialized centers in the United Kingdom-patient, provider, practice factors, and adverse events.
This editorial discusses a research study on outcomes of performing pediatric trachael intubations (TIs) and how the results can be applied to performing intubations on critically ill children in the United Kingdom outside of specialized centers. One of the authors is from a U.S. site that submits its airway management data to the National Emergency Airway Registry for Children (NEAR4KIDS). The results from the registry were compared to the results from the study. A total of 1,051 patients out of 1,237 eligible patients were analyzed. The results came from 47 nonspecialized local hospitals in the North Thames and East Anglia region of the UK. Adverse TI-associated events (TIAEs) occurred in 22.7% of the patients, which is higher than those in PICUs and cardiac ICUs. The majority of intubations were performed by the anesthesiologist in the team. The results were similar to those in the NEAR4KIDS registry. There were more complications with children with a higher grade of airway difficulties and comorbidities. The authors believe that pediatric airway management for acutely ill children would benefit from new strategies. They recommend a system change using Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycles.
AHRQ-funded; HS021583; HS022464; HS024511.
Citation: Sanders R, Edwards L, Nishisaki A .
Tracheal intubations for critically Ill children outside specialized centers in the United Kingdom-patient, provider, practice factors, and adverse events.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2019 Jun;20(6):572-73. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000001946..
Keywords: Adverse Events, Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Outcomes, Patient Safety, Registries, Respiratory Conditions
Mahmoud L, Zullo AR, Thompson BB
Outcomes of protocolised analgesia and sedation in a neurocritical care unit.
Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1197 mechanically ventilated patients admitted to a 12-bed neurocritical care unit (NCCU) over four years in order to evaluate the effect of an analgesia-based sedation protocol on medication use and costs in the NCCU. The protocol resulted in increased in fentanyl use and decreased in propofol use, but their findings indicate no effect on healthcare utilization, healthcare costs, or in-hospital mortality. Based on these results, the researchers suggest that similar NCCUs should consider using population-specific protocols to manage analgesia and sedation.
AHRQ-funded; HS022998.
Citation: Mahmoud L, Zullo AR, Thompson BB .
Outcomes of protocolised analgesia and sedation in a neurocritical care unit.
Brain Inj 2018;32(7):941-47. doi: 10.1080/02699052.2018.1469167..
Keywords: Care Management, Brain Injury, Critical Care, Healthcare Costs, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Medication, Neurological Disorders, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Ballesca MA, LaGuardia JC, Le PC
An electronic order set for acute myocardial infarction is associated with improved patient outcomes through better adherence to clinical practice guidelines.
The researchers investigated the association between the use of an evidence-based, electronic order set (OS) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and better adherence to clinical practice guidelines among 5,789 patients hospitalized with AMI. They found that use of the electronic OS is associated with increased adherence to evidence-based therapies and lower 30-day mortality.
AHRQ-funded; HS018480
Citation: Ballesca MA, LaGuardia JC, Le PC .
An electronic order set for acute myocardial infarction is associated with improved patient outcomes through better adherence to clinical practice guidelines.
J Hosp Med 2014 Mar;9(3):155-61. doi: 10.1002/jhm.2149..
Keywords: Health Information Technology (HIT), Heart Disease and Health, Outcomes, Guidelines, Critical Care