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Background Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy, hyperammonemia, and hepatorenal syndrome predispose to cardiac arrhythmias in End-stage liver disease (ESLD). Objectives Among ESLD hospitalizations, we evaluate the distribution and predictors of arrhythmias and their impact on hospitalization outcomes. Methods We selected ESLD records from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2007–2014), identified concomitant arrhythmias (tachyarrhythmias and bradyarrhythmias), and their demographic and comorbid characteristics, and estimated the effect of arrhythmia on outcomes (SAS 9.4). Results Of 57,119 ESLD hospitalizations, 6,615 had arrhythmias with higher odds with increasing age, males, jaundice, hepatorenal syndrome, alcohol use, and cardiopulmonary disorders. The most common arrhythmias were atrial fibrillation, cardiac arrest/asystole, and ventricular tachycardia. After propensity-matching (arrhythmia: no-arrhythmia, 6,609:6,609), arrhythmias were associated with 200% higher mortality, 1.7-days longer stay, $32,880 higher cost, and higher rates of shock, respiratory and kidney failures. Conclusions Due to worse outcomes with arrhythmias, there is a need for better screening and follow-up of ESLD patients for dysrhythmias.

Objectives Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is associated with high rates of recurrent hospitalizations, which predisposes to Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). We investigate the burden of CDI in CP. Methods We identified records of patients with CP from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) 2012-2014 and estimated the impact of CDI on their outcomes. We calculated the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of CP on having CDI (NIS 2014). From NIS 2007-2014, we plotted the trends of CDI and its interaction with CP. Results From 2012 to 2014, 886 (2.72%) of the 32,614 CP patients had concomitant CDI, which was associated with poorer outcomes: acute kidney injury (AOR, 2.57 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.11-3.13]), length of stay (13.3 vs 7.4 days), and charges (US $127,496 vs US $72,767), but not mortality (AOR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.28-3.05]). In 2014, CP was associated with an increased risk of CDI (crude odds ratio, 2.10 [95% CI, 1.95-2.26]), which persisted after multivariate adjustment (AOR, 2.03 [95% CI, 1.87-2.19]). From 2007 to 2014, the annual prevalence of CDI was 106.4 cases per 10,000 hospitalizations, increasing from 2007 (95.5/10,000) to 2014 (118.4/10,000), with a 3.7 times higher annual rate of increase among CP versus no-CP patients (13.4/10,000 vs 3.7/10,000 population/year). Conclusions Chronic pancreatitis patients have high burden of CDI and may benefit from CDI prophylaxis.

Background: As the frequency of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) continues to rise in the United States (US) community, more patients are hospitalized with NAFLD. However, data on the prevalence and outcomes of hospitalizations with NAFLD are lacking. We investigated the prevalence, trends and outcomes of NAFLD hospitalizations in the US. Methods: Hospitalizations with NAFLD were identified in the National Inpatient Sample (2007-2014) by their ICD-9-CM codes, and the prevalence and trends over an 8-year period were calculated among different demographic groups. After excluding other causes of liver disease among the NAFLD cohorts (n=210,660), the impact of sex, race and region on outcomes (mortality, discharge disposition, length of stay [LOS], and cost) were computed using generalized estimating equations (SAS 9.4). Results: Admissions with NAFLD tripled from 2007-2014 at an average rate of 79/100,000 hospitalizations/year (P

Background We describe a multifaceted home environmental intervention project involving low-income older adults with asthma who have a greater risk of asthma-related respiratory impacts because they spend up to 90% of their time in the home where many allergens and respiratory irritants are found. Although sufficient evidence suggests that home interventions are effective in improving health of children with asthma, the Task Force on Community Preventive Services has stated that evidence is insufficient for the effectiveness of home interventions on adults with asthma. Objective To evaluate the hypothesis that multifaceted home environmental interventions improve the respiratory health and reduce asthma triggers for older adults with asthma. Methods We conducted community health worker–led interventions in the homes of 86 low-income older adults (age 62 or older) diagnosed with asthma, residing in public and private subsidized housing in Lowell, Massachusetts, from 2014 to 2017. Health and environmental assessment at baseline and follow-up 1 year later included collecting data on respiratory health, quality of life, medication use, doctor/emergency room/hospital visits, using the St. George Respiratory Questionnaire and Asthma Control Test and evaluation of asthma trigger activities and exposures through questionnaires and home surveys. Interventions included education on asthma and environmental triggers and environmental remediation. Results Statistically significant reductions in self-reported environmental asthma triggers and health improvements were found in the following areas: doctor visits, use of antibiotics for chest problems, respiratory symptoms and quality of life indicators, and asthma control (ACT score). Conclusion Our results provide evidence that multifaceted home interventions are effective in improving the environmental quality and respiratory health of an older adult population with asthma.

Chronically elevated cytokines from un-abating low-grade inflammation in heart failure (HF) results in Protein-Energy Malnutrition (PEM). However, the impact of PEM on clinical outcomes of admissions for HF exacerbations has not been evaluated in a national data. From the 2012 to 2014 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) patient's discharge records for primary HF admissions, we identified patients with concomitant PEM, and their demographic and comorbid factors. We propensity-matched PEM cohorts (32,771) to no-PEM controls (1:1) using a greedy algorithm-based methodology and estimated the effect of different clinical outcomes (SAS 9.4). There were 32,771 (∼163,885) cases of PEM among the 541,679 (∼2,708,395) primary admissions for HF between 2012 and 2014 in the US. PEM cases were older (PEM:76 vs no-PEM:72 years), Whites (70.75% vs 67.30%), and had higher comorbid burden, with Deyo-comorbidity index >3 (31.61% vs 26.30%). However, PEM cases had lower rates of obesity, hyperlipidemia and diabetes. After propensity-matching, PEM was associated with higher mortality (AOR:2.48 [2.31 to 2.66]), cardiogenic shock (3.11[2.79 to 3.46]), cardiac arrest (2.30[1.96 to 2.70]), acute kidney failure (1.49[1.44 to 1.54]), acute respiratory failure (1.57[1.51 to 1.64]), mechanical ventilation (2.72[2.50 to 2.97]). PEM also resulted in higher non-routine discharges (2.24[2.17 to 2.31]), hospital cost ($80,534[78,496 to 82,625] vs $43,226[42,376 to 44,093]) and longer duration of admission (8.6[8.5 to 8.7] vs 5.3[5.2 to 5.3] days). In conclusion, PEM is a prevailing comorbidity among hospitalized HF subjects, and results in devastating health outcomes. Early identification and prevention of PEM in HF subjects during clinic visits and prompt treatment of PEM both in the clinic and during hospitalization are essential to decrease the excess burden of PEM.

Background Research has documented that housing conditions can negatively impact the health of residents. Asthma has many known indoor environmental triggers including dust, pests, smoke and mold, as evidenced by the 25 million people in the U.S. population who have asthma. The paper describes a follow-up study involving elder adults with asthma who participated in a multifaceted home educational and environmental intervention shown to produce significant health benefits. On average the time between the end of the prior intervention study and the follow-up was 2.3 years. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether improvements in environmental conditions and health outcomes resulting from the original Older Adult Study (OAS, multifaceted educational and environmental interventions) would be maintained or decline over time for these low income seniors with asthma. Methods Health assessment included data on respiratory health outcomes included the Saint George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and Asthma Control Test from the original Older Adult Study (OAS) and this follow-up Older Adult Study (OAFS) along with health care utilization data. Environmental assessments included evaluation of asthma trigger activities (ATAs) and exposures before and after the original healthy homes intervention (questionnaire, home survey) and at this follow-up. Assessments were conducted in English, Khmer and Spanish. Results At assessment in the Older Adult Follow-up Study (OAFS), the older adults maintained some of the health improvements gained during the OAS when compared to the OAS pre-intervention baseline. However, health outcomes declined from the OAS final assessment to the OAFS (only the SGRQ Impact scores were significantly different). Conclusion These findings suggest that further study with a larger population is needed to determine if the significant health outcome improvements from multifaceted home educational and environmental interventions (OAS) could be more strongly maintained by providing additional follow-up “booster” interventions to this older adult population with asthma.

Objectives This study sought to evaluate whether government-assisted vs market-rate housing type influences the frequency of asthma symptoms or the quality of life scores among low-income urban children. In addition, the study sought to evaluate whether housing type influenced the success of in-home environmental and educational interventions in improving children's asthma symptoms or quality of life scores. Study design This was a before-and-after intervention design. Comprehensive health and environmental assessments and subsequent interventions were completed in 176 low-income households with 257 asthmatic children living in government-assisted housing and market-rate housing in Lowell, Massachusetts. Methods We collected environmental and health data with questionnaires at a baseline and a 12-month follow-up visit using the Children's Health Survey for Asthma and a walk-through environmental checklist. Education, tools to remove asthma triggers from the home, and home repairs and remediation were included in the interventions. Results As in other studies of multifaceted home interventions, there were significant improvements in all asthma symptoms, reductions in healthcare utilization related to asthma, and improvements in quality of life domains for children in both housing types. Environmental indices also improved from the baseline to the final assessment for both housing types. However, the housing type was an important factor in predicting a child's asthma status at the start of the study, with children living in government-assisted housing having significantly better physical health scores (76.8 of 100) and family emotional health scores (74.8 of 100) and fewer overnight hospital stays (mean of 0.02 in the previous 4 weeks) than children living in market-rate housing (67.6, 71.6, and 0.06, respectively). Examination of the change in the health status over the 1-year study period found that children living in market-rate housing had significantly larger reductions in the number of asthma attacks (0.43 in the previous 4 weeks versus 0.24 in assisted housing) and overnight hospital stays (0.06 in the previous 4 weeks versus 0.01 in assisted housing) and larger improvements in physical health quality of life scores (54% improved versus 25.5% in assisted housing). Conclusions Public assistance for low-income urban housing is associated with better health among children with asthma, and may influence the impact the in-home interventions have on health outcomes because children in market-rate housing have more prospects for improvement in their asthma-related health.

Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) diminishes amino acid and energy availability, impairing the body's healing capability after injury, such as in myocardial damage following acute myocardial infarction (AMI).We sought to investigate the influence of PEM on clinical outcomes of AMI.We identified records with a primary discharge diagnosis of AMI from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2012-2014), stratified by concomitant PEM. We matched PEM to no-PEM (1:1) using a greedy algorithm-based propensity methodology and estimated the impact of PEM on health outcomes (SAS 9.4).Of the 332,644 hospitalizations for AMI, 11,675 had concomitant PEM accounting for roughly $US 1.5 billion and over 119,792 hospital days. PEM was associated with older age (74.43- vs. 66.90-years; P 0.0001), female sex (49.19% vs. 38.44%; P 0.0001), black race (12.78% vs. 10.46%; P 0.0001), and higher comorbidity burden (Deyo3: 32.77% vs. 16.69%; P 0.0001). After propensity matching, PEM was associated with higher mortality (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.59 [1.46-1.73]), cardiogenic shock (AOR: 2.26 [2.08-2.44]), discharge to secondary facilities (AOR: 2.21 [2.10-2.33]), charges ($135,500 [$131,956-139,139] vs. $81,084 [$79,241-82,970]), cardiac artery bypass surgery (AOR:1.81 [1.66-1.97]), intra-aortic balloon pump placement (AOR: 1.83 [1.65-2.04]) and longer length of stay (10.15- vs. 5.52-days).PEM is a predisposing factor for devastating clinical outcomes among AMI hospitalizations. Higher prevention, identification and management of PEM among high-risk individuals (older age, female sex, and black race) residing in the community are needed.

International audience; BACKGROUND:Abusive alcohol use has well-established health risks including causing liver disease (ALD) characterized by alcoholic steatosis (AS), steatohepatitis (AH), fibrosis, cirrhosis (AC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Strikingly, a significant number of individuals who abuse alcohol also use Cannabis, which has seen increased legalization globally. While cannabis has demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties, its combined use with alcohol and the development of liver disease remain unclear.AIM:The aim of this study was to determine the effects of cannabis use on the incidence of liver disease in individuals who abuse alcohol.METHODS:We analysed the 2014 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) discharge records of patients 18 years and older, who had a past or current history of abusive alcohol use (n = 319 514). Using the International Classification of Disease, Ninth Edition codes, we studied the four distinct phases of progressive ALD with respect to three cannabis exposure groups: non-cannabis users (90.39%), non-dependent cannabis users (8.26%) and dependent cannabis users (1.36%). We accounted for the complex survey sampling methodology and estimated the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for developing AS, AH, AC and HCC with respect to cannabis use (SAS 9.4).RESULTS:Our study revealed that among alcohol users, individuals who additionally use cannabis (dependent and non-dependent cannabis use) showed significantly lower odds of developing AS, AH, AC and HCC (AOR: 0.55 [0.48-0.64], 0.57 [0.53-0.61], 0.45 [0.43-0.48] and 0.62 [0.51-0.76]). Furthermore, dependent users had significantly lower odds than non-dependent users for developing liver disease.CONCLUSIONS:Our findings suggest that cannabis use is associated with a reduced incidence of liver disease in alcoholics.

Alcoholic gastritis, a superficial erosive disease of the stomach, is a common manifestation of risky alcohol use. In contrast, cannabis which is frequently co-used with alcohol suppresses gastric acidity and might counteract the deleterious effect of alcohol on the gastric mucosa. However, no clinical study has examined the impact of cannabis use on the development of alcoholic gastritis among risky alcohol users.We analyzed hospital discharge records of adults (age ≥ 18 years), from 2014 of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, with a diagnosis of risky alcohol use (n = 316,916). We used a propensity-based matching algorithm to match cannabis users to nonusers on 1:1 ratio (30,713: 30,713). We then measured the adjusted relative risk (aRR) for having alcoholic gastritis using conditional Poisson regression models with generalized estimating equations.Our study revealed that among risky alcohol users, cannabis co-users have a lower prevalence of alcoholic gastritis compared to noncannabis users (1,289 [1,169 to 1,421] vs. 1,723 [1,583 to 1,875] per 100,000 hospitalizations for risky alcohol use), resulting in a 25% decreased probability of alcoholic gastritis (aRR: 0.75 [0.66 to 0.85]; p-value0.0001). Furthermore, dependent cannabis usage resulted in a lower prevalence of alcoholic gastritis when compared to both nondependent cannabis users (0.72 [0.52 to 0.99]) and to noncannabis users (0.56 [0.41 to 0.76]).We reveal that risky alcohol drinking combined with cannabis use is associated with reduced prevalence of alcohol-associated gastritis in patients. Given increased cannabis legislation globally, understanding whether and how the specific ingredients in cannabis plant extract can be used in the treatment of alcoholic gastritis is paramount. In this regard, further molecular mechanistic studies are needed to delineate the mechanisms of our novel findings not only for alcoholic gastritis but also for gastritis from other causes.

Background Pancreatitis is an increasingly common clinical condition that causes significant morbidity and mortality. Cannabis use causes conflicting effects on pancreatitis development. We conducted a larger and more detailed assessment of the impact of cannabis use on pancreatitis. Methods We analyzed data from 2012 to 2014 of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample discharge records of patients 18 years and older. We used the International Classification of Disease, Ninth Edition codes, to identify 3 populations: those with gallstones (379,125); abusive alcohol drinkers (762,356); and non-alcohol-non-gallstones users (15,255,464). Each study population was matched for cannabis use record by age, race, and gender, to records without cannabis use. The estimation of the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of having acute and chronic pancreatitis (AP and CP) made use of conditional logistic models. Results Concomitant cannabis and abusive alcohol use were associated with reduced incidence of AP and CP (aOR: 0.50 [0.48 to 0.53] and 0.77 [0.71 to 0.84]). Strikingly, for individuals with gallstones, additional cannabis use did not impact the incidence of AP or CP. Among non-alcohol-non-gallstones users, cannabis use was associated with increased incidence of CP, but not AP (1.28 [1.14 to 1.44] and 0.93 [0.86 to 1.01]). Conclusions Our findings suggest a reduced incidence of only alcohol-associated pancreatitis with cannabis use.

Background and Aim. The effect of cannabis use on chronic liver disease (CLD) from Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection, the most common cause of CLD, has been controversial. Here, we investigated the impact of cannabis use on the prevalence of CLD among HCV infected individuals. Methods. We analyzed hospital discharge records of adults (age ≥ 18 years) with a positive HCV diagnosis. We evaluated records from 2007 to 2014 of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). We excluded records with other causes of chronic liver diseases (alcohol, hemochromatosis, NAFLD, PBC, HBV, etc.). Of the 188,333 records, we matched cannabis users to nonusers on 1:1 ratio (4,728:4,728), using a propensity-based matching system, with a stringent algorithm. We then used conditional regression models with generalized estimating equations to measure the adjusted prevalence rate ratio (aPRR) for having liver cirrhosis (and its complications), carcinoma, mortality, discharge disposition, and the adjusted mean ratio (aMR) of total hospital cost and length of stay (LOS) [SAS 9.4]. Results. Our study revealed that cannabis users (CUs) had decreased prevalence of liver cirrhosis (aPRR: 0.81[0.72-0.91]), unfavorable discharge disposition (0.87[0.78-0.96]), and lower total health care cost ($39,642[36,220-43,387] versus $45,566[$42,244-$49,150]), compared to noncannabis users (NCUs). However, there was no difference among CUs and NCUs on the incidence of liver carcinoma (0.79[0.55-1.13]), in-hospital mortality (0.84[0.60-1.17]), and LOS (5.58[5.10-6.09] versus 5.66[5.25-6.01]). Among CUs, dependent cannabis use was associated with lower prevalence of liver cirrhosis, compared to nondependent use (0.62[0.41-0.93]). Conclusions. Our findings suggest that cannabis use is associated with decreased incidence of liver cirrhosis, but no change in mortality nor LOS among HCV patients. These novel observations warrant further molecular mechanistic studies.

Background: Despite being illegal in most countries, cannabis is highly utilised by a growing number of individuals for recreational purposes worldwide. With its increasing legalisation in many states across the United States, the effects of cannabis on different body systems are expected to rise. Its association with peripheral vascular disease (PVD) remains ambiguous. Objective: To examine if there is a difference in prevalence of PVD amongst patients who use cannabis when compared to non-users. Methods: Using the 2014 National Inpatient Sample database (N=7,071,762), we identified patients with and without a diagnosis of PVD. We also identified patients using cannabis (nondependent and dependent users) and non-users. We performed the univariate and bivariate analysis. After we had composed the crude models, we adjusted for every known risk factor for PVD. These factors included age, gender, tobacco, hypercholesterolemia, coronary artery disease (CAD), cerebrovascular vessel disease (CVD), hypertension, diabetes, renal failure, alcohol, obesity, race, insurance type, average income at the location of residence, and family history of PVD/CVD/CAD. Results: In our total 7,071,762 sample, 98.27% (6,949,339) are non-users, 1.54% (108,910) are nondependent users and 0.19% (13,513) are dependent users. About 3.75% (264,920) of the patients had a diagnosis of PVD versus 96.25% (6,806,842) without a diagnosis of PVD. The odds of PVD is 20% less among nondependent users when compared to nonusers (AOR 0.80[0.76-0.85]). Furthermore, dependent users have a 55% reduced odds of developing PVD when compared to nonusers (AOR 0.45[0.35-0.57]) showing a dose-response relationship. The in-group comparison showed that dependent users were 44% less likely to have PVD when compared to non-dependent users (AOR: 0.56[0.44-0.72]). Overall, the odds of PVD remain significantly high among patients who uses tobacco (AOR 1.97 [1.95-1.99]), diabetes (AOR 1.54 [1.53-1.55]), hypercholesterolemia (AOR 1.46 [1.45-1.47]), family history of PVD/CVD/CAD (AOR 1.03 [1.01-1.05]), personal history of CAD (AOR 2.55 [2.53-2.57]). Conclusions: Cannabis is an independent protective factor against PVD. Molecular biology evidence shows that cannabis contains various bioactive agents. Beta-caryophyllene (out of many) preferentially binds to CB-2 receptors on immune cells causing an anti-inflammatory response. We believe that more molecular studies targeting such receptors or isolating such anti-inflammatory compounds in cannabis might be useful in the treatment of vascular disease.

International audience; Cannabis use is associated with reduced prevalence of obesity and diabetes mellitus (DM) in humans and mouse disease models. Obesity and DM are a well-established independent risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most prevalent liver disease globally. The effects of cannabis use on NAFLD prevalence in humans remains ill-defined. Our objective is to determine the relationship between cannabis use and the prevalence of NAFLD in humans. We conducted a population-based case-control study of 5,950,391 patients using the 2014 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Nationwide Inpatient Survey (NIS) discharge records of patients 18 years and older. After identifying patients with NAFLD (1% of all patients), we next identified three exposure groups: non-cannabis users (98.04%), non-dependent cannabis users (1.74%), and dependent cannabis users (0.22%). We adjusted for potential demographics and patient related confounders and used multivariate logistic regression (SAS 9.4) to determine the odds of developing NAFLD with respects to cannabis use. Our findings revealed that cannabis users (dependent and non-dependent) showed significantly lower NAFLD prevalence compared to non-users (AOR: 0.82[0.76-0.88]; p

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: To assess the effect of cannabis on impaired judgment and health outcomes among heart failure patients in the emergency room. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Patients with heart failure presenting to the emergency room. Cannabis with confounders such as income level, insurance type, tobacco use, and age. Discharged against medical advice to assess impaired judgment. Hospitalization rates, length of stay, and death rate to assess health outcomes. Multivariate logistic regression to access the odds of each of these outcomes from cannabis RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Cannabis is associated with impaired outcome (increase in discharge against medical advice). Cannabis have poorer health outcome in terms of more hospitalizations from the emergency department. Cannabis also have better health outcome in terms of shorter length of stay and death rate among cannabis users Versus nonusers. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: This is crucial to inform health care providers to ensure better counseling of cannabis users. This result should also be considered to interpret other publications that shows better outcomes in patients taking cannabis. Cannabis users might only seem to have a better outcome because they tend to discharge against medical advice and thereby die outside the hospital, etc.