IntroductionThe impact of time to treatment on clinical outcome is an established precept in infectious disease but is not established in peritoneal dialysis–related peritonitis (PDRP).MethodsIn a prospective multicenter study of PDRP, symptom-to-contact time (SC), contact-to-treatment time (CT), defined as the time from health care presentation to initial antibiotic, and symptom-to-treatment time (ST) were determined.ResultsOne hundred sixteen patients had 159 episodes of PDRP. Median SC for all episodes was 5.0 hours (first to third quartile [Q1–Q3]: 1.3–13.9); CT, 2.3 hours (Q1–Q3: 1.2–4.0); and ST, 9.0 hours (Q1–Q3: 4.7–25.3). Thirty-eight (23.9%) patient episodes (28 catheter removals and 10 deaths) met the primary composite outcome of PD failure at 30 days (PD-fail). The risk of PD-fail increased by 5.5% for each hour of delay of administration of antibiotics (odds ratio [OR] for CT: 1.055; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.005–1.109; P = 0.032). Neither SC (OR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.99–1.01; P = 0.74) nor ST (OR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.99–1.01; P = 0.48) was associated with PD-fail. In a multivariable analysis, only CT for presentation to a hospital-based facility compared with a community facility (OR: 1.068; 95% CI: 1.013–1.126; P = 0.015) and female sex (OR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.1–5.4; P = 0.027) were independently associated with PD-fail. Each hour of delay in administering antibacterial therapy from the time of presentation to a hospital facility increased the risk of PD failure or death by 6.8%.DiscussionStrategies targeted to expedited antibiotic treatment should be implemented to improve outcomes from PDRP.

BACKGROUND This study investigated the association between nadir anemia and mortality and length of stay (LOS) in a general population of hospitalized patients. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS A retrospective cohort study of tertiary hospital admissions in Western Australia between July 2010 and June 2015. Outcome measures were in‐hospital mortality and LOS. RESULTS Of 80,765 inpatients, 45,675 (56.55%) had anemia during admission. Mild and moderate/severe anemia were independently associated with increased in‐hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.36‐1.86, p = 0.001; OR 2.77, 95% CI 2.32‐3.30, p < 0.001, respectively). Anemia was also associated with increased LOS, demonstrating a larger effect in emergency (mild anemia—incident rate ratio [IRR] 1.52, 95% CI 1.48‐1.56, p < 0.001; moderate/severe anemia—IRR 2.18, 95% CI 2.11‐2.26, p < 0.001) compared to elective admissions (mild anemia—IRR 1.30, 95% CI 1.21‐1.41, p < 0.001; moderate/severe anemia—IRR 1.69, 95% CI 1.55‐1.83, p < 0.001). LOS was longer in patients who developed anemia during admission compared to those who had anemia on admission (IRR 1.13, 95% CI 1.10‐1.17, p < 0.001). Red cell transfusion was independently associated with 2.23 times higher odds of in‐hospital mortality (95% CI 1.89‐2.64, p < 0.001) and 1.31 times longer LOS (95% CI 1.25‐1.37, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION More than one‐third of patients not anemic on admission developed anemia during admission. Even mild anemia is independently associated with increased mortality and LOS; however, transfusion to treat anemia is an independent and additive risk factor.

BackgroundChronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing in prevalence world-wide with the largest growth being in the elderly. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of CKD in a geriatric outpatient clinic within a tertiary hospital and its association with anaemia and mortality with a focus on the referral patterns towards nephrologists.MethodsRetrospective study utilising administrative databases. The cohort was defined as all patients that attended the geriatric outpatient clinics of a single tertiary hospital within the first 3 months of 2006. Patients were followed for 18 months for mortality and referral to a nephrologist.ResultsThe mean Glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of the 439 patients was 67.4 ± 29.1 mL/min/1.73 m2 (44% <60 mL/min/1.73 m2). 11.8% had a haemoglobin < 110 g/L, with anaemia being significantly associated with kidney function in those with a eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (p = 0.0092). Kidney function and anaemia were significantly associated with mortality on multivariate analysis (p = 0.019 and p = 0.0074). After 18 months, 8.8% of patients with CKD were referred to a nephrologist.ConclusionDespite a high prevalence of CKD in patients attending a geriatric outpatient clinic and its association with anaemia and mortality, few of these patients were referred to a nephrologist. An examination of the reasons behind this bias is required.

Background: In peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis (peritonitis), delayed antibiotic therapy is associated with adverse outcomes. Identifying barriers to timely treatment may improve outcomes. Aim: To determine the impact of radiological investigations on treatment delay and predictors of hospitalisation and length of stay (LOS). Methods: Retrospective review of patients with presumed peritonitis in Western Australia. Results: In 153 episodes of peritonitis, 79 (51.6%) resulted in admission with a median LOS of 3 days (Q1, Q3: 1, 6). In a multivariable model, significant predictors of admission were abnormal exit-site (odds ration (OR) 5.7; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4, 23.6; p = 0.02), failure to detect a cloudy bag (OR 11.9; 95%CI: 3.2, 44.7; p < 0.001), female sex (OR 3.3; 95% CI: 1.4, 9.7; p = 0.027), radiological imaging within 24 h (OR 8.8; 95% CI: 2.2, 34.8; p = 0.002) and contact with ambulant care facility (OR 0.32, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.98; p = 0.04). Imaging within 24 h of presentation occurred in 41 (27%) episodes of peritonitis, mostly plain X-rays (91%), of which 83% were clinically irrelevant. Imaging performed within 24 h of presentation increased the median time to antibiotic treatment (2.9 h (Q1, Q3: 1.6, 6.4) vs 2.0 h (Q1, Q3: 1, 3.8; p = 0.046)). Imaging performed prior to administering antibiotics significantly increased the median time to treatment (4.7 h (Q1, Q3: 2.9, 25) vs 1.5 h (Q1, Q3: 0.75, 2.5; p < 0.001)) in those where imaging followed antibiotic treatment. Conclusions: Half of all presentations with peritonitis result in hospital admission. Radiological imaging was associated with an increased risk of hospitalisation, potentially contributes to treatment delay, and was mostly clinically unnecessary. When required, imaging should follow antibiotic therapy.

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