In the Literature
Literature at a Glance
A guide to this month’s studies.
- Adverse events are common after stopping clopidogrel following acute coronary syndrome.
- Treatment intensification with insulin improves inpatient glucose control.
- Pressure for early antibiotic administration leads to inaccuracy of pneumonia diagnosis.
- Multifaceted ventilation strategy no better than low-tidal-volume protocol.
- Higher PEEP ventilation strategy reduces duration of ventilation but not mortality.
- N-acetylcysteine reduces contrast-induced nephropathy.
- Vasopressin is no better than norepinephrine in patients with septic shock.
- Hospital patients desire greater participation in decision-making.
- Outcomes of patients with upper- or lower-extremity DVT are similar.
- Oral and IV steroids may be equally effective in COPD exacerbation.
What is Frequency, Timing of Adverse Events After Stopping Clopidogrel in ACS Patients?
Background: Clopidogrel is recommended in treatment of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with or without stent placement. A rebound hypercoagulable state may occur following clopidogrel cessation, but this has not been investigated previously.
Study design: Retrospective cohort.
Setting: 127 VA medical centers.
Synopsis: Data were collected as part of the Veterans Health Administration Cardiac Care Follow-up Clinical Study from October 2003 through March 2005 on all patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) or unstable angina who were discharged with clopidogrel treatment (3,137 patients). The analysis assessed the incidence and timing of adverse events after stopping clopidogrel among medically treated patients and among those treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
In adjusted analyses among medically treated patients, the risk of death or acute MI in the first 90 days after clopidogrel cessation was 1.98 times higher, compared with the interval from 91-180 days. Among patients who received PCI (usually with a bare-metal stent), the risk was 1.82 times higher in the first 90 days. The clustering of events shortly after clopidogrel cessation support the possibility of a rebound hypercoagulable state.
Bottom line: In patients with ACS who received medical management or PCI, there was a higher rate of adverse events in the first 90 days after clopidogrel cessation.
Citation: Ho PM, Peterson ED, Wang L, et al. Incidence of death and acute myocardial infarction associated with stopping clopidorel after acute coronary syndrome. JAMA 2008;299(5):532-539.
What is the Relationship Between Treatment Intensification, Blood Pressure Changes in Diabetes Patients?
Background: Hyperglycemia is common in hospitalized patients with diabetes and associated with poor outcomes. Prior research on treatment intensification has focused on the intensive care unit or outpatient setting. The effect of treatment intensification in the inpatient (non-ICU) setting is not known.
Study design: Retrospective cohort.
Setting: 734-bed teaching hospital in Boston.
Synopsis: Between January 2003 and August 2004, data on blood glucose and daily pharmacologic management were gathered from electronic sources on 3,613 inpatients with diabetes. Inpatient hyperglycemia (glucose more than 180 mg/dL) occurred at least once in 2,980 (82.5%) hospitalizations.
Intensification of antihyperglycemic therapy occurred after only 22% of hospital days with hyperglycemia. Intensification included scheduled insulin, sliding scale insulin, and oral antihyperglycemic medications. Intensification of sliding scale insulin, as well as scheduled insulin, but not oral medications, was associated with a significant (12.2 mg/dL and 11.1 mg/dL respectively) average daily reduction in bedside glucose. Hypoglycemia was documented in 2.2% of days after intensification of antihyperglycemic treatment.
Bottom line: Inpatient hyperglycemia is common, and treatment intensification should be considered more often among hospitalized patients with diabetes.
Citation: Matheny ME, Shubina M, Kimmel ZM, Pendergrass ML, Turchin A. Treatment intensification and blood glucose control among hospitalized diabetic patients. J Gen Intern Med. 2008;23(2):184-189.
