Southern medical journal
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Southern medical journal · Nov 2015
Comparative StudyAssociation of Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome with Clinical Outcomes of Pediatric Patients with Pneumonia.
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) may complicate pneumonia. When present, it suggests that the patient's pneumonia is more severe. As such, recognition of SIRS among patients with pneumonia may be helpful in identifying those requiring more careful evaluation. Our objective was to examine the relation between the presence of SIRS and adverse clinical outcomes among children with pneumonia seen in the emergency department (ED). ⋯ SIRS in children with community-acquired pneumonia is associated with a significantly higher likelihood of experiencing a more adverse outcome. Based on these observations, a sepsis screening tool in the ED that identifies SIRS in children with pneumonia has the potential to identify those children needing more intense monitoring and treatment.
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Southern medical journal · Nov 2015
Risk Factors for 30-Day Readmissions of Individuals with Decompensated Cirrhosis.
Patients with cirrhosis have a high rate of 30-day hospital readmission that affects their quality of life and contributes to increased healthcare-related costs. The aim of our study was to identify frequency, predictors, and preventable causes of hospital readmissions among patients with decompensated cirrhosis. ⋯ The independent variable that predicted 30-day readmission in patients with decompensated cirrhosis was higher BMI. Approximately one-third of 30-day readmissions were possibly preventable. These findings support the need to develop specific interventions for disease management to improve patient care and save on extraneous healthcare costs.