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Chikungunya Fever Cases Identified in the Veterans Health Administration System, 2014.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:During December 2013, the first locally transmitted chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infections in the Americas were reported in the Caribbean. Although CHIKV infection is rarely fatal, risk for severe disease increases with age and medical comorbidities. Herein we describe characteristics of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patients with CHIKV infection and, among those with infections diagnosed in Puerto Rico, investigated risk factors for hospitalization. METHODOLOGY:We queried VHA's national electronic medical records to identify patients with CHIKV testing during 2014. Demographics, clinical history, laboratory results, and outcomes were abstracted. We investigated risk factors for hospitalization among patients with laboratory-confirmed CHIKV infection in Puerto Rico. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:We identified 180 laboratory-confirmed CHIKV infections; 148 (82.2%) were diagnosed in Puerto Rico, and 32 (17.8%) were diagnosed among returning travelers elsewhere in the United States. In Puerto Rico, where more patients were hospitalized (55.4% versus 20.0%) and died (4.1% versus 0%), risk for hospitalization increased with age (relative risk [RR]/each 10-year increase, 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-1.32) and, adjusted for age, increased among patients with congestive heart failure (RR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.25-1.99), chronic kidney disease (RR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.19-1.94), diabetes mellitus (RR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.06-1.84), or chronic lung disease (RR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.03-1.82). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:CHIKV infection is an emerging problem among Veterans residing in or visiting areas with CHIKV transmission. Although overall mortality rates are low, clinicians in affected areas should be aware that older patients and patients with comorbidities may be at increased risk for severe disease.

SUBMITTER: Perti T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4856344 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Chikungunya Fever Cases Identified in the Veterans Health Administration System, 2014.

Perti Tara T Lucero-Obusan Cynthia A CA Schirmer Patricia L PL Winters Mark A MA Holodniy Mark M

PLoS neglected tropical diseases 20160504 5

<h4>Background</h4>During December 2013, the first locally transmitted chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infections in the Americas were reported in the Caribbean. Although CHIKV infection is rarely fatal, risk for severe disease increases with age and medical comorbidities. Herein we describe characteristics of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patients with CHIKV infection and, among those with infections diagnosed in Puerto Rico, investigated risk factors for hospitalization.<h4>Methodology</h4>We ...[more]

PMID: 27144588

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Project description:Importance:Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia is common and frequently associated with poor outcomes. Evidence indicates that specific care processes are associated with improved outcomes for patients with S aureus bacteremia, including appropriate antibiotic prescribing, use of echocardiography to identify endocarditis, and consultation with infectious diseases (ID) specialists. Whether use of these care processes has increased in routine care for S aureus bacteremia or whether use of these processes has led to large-scale improvements in survival is unknown. Objective:To examine the association of evidence-based care processes in routine care for S aureus bacteremia with mortality. Design, Setting, and Participants:This retrospective observational cohort study examined all patients admitted to Veterans Health Administration (VHA) acute care hospitals who had a first episode of S aureus bacteremia from January 1, 2003, through December 31, 2014. Exposures:Use of appropriate antibiotic therapy, echocardiography, and ID consultation. Main Outcomes and Measures:Thirty-day all-cause mortality. Results:Analyses included 36?868 patients in 124 hospitals (mean [SD] age, 66.4 [12.5] years; 36 036 [97.7%] male), including 19?325 (52.4%) with infection due to methicillin-resistant S aureus and 17?543 (47.6%) with infection due to methicillin-susceptible S aureus. Risk-adjusted mortality decreased from 23.5% (95% CI, 23.3%-23.8%) in 2003 to 18.2% (95% CI, 17.9%-18.5%) in 2014. Rates of appropriate antibiotic prescribing increased from 2467 (66.4%) to 1991 (78.9%), echocardiography from 1256 (33.8%) to 1837 (72.8%), and ID consultation from 1390 (37.4%) to 1717 (68.0%). After adjustment for patient characteristics, cohort year, and other care processes, receipt of care processes was associated with lower mortality, with adjusted odds ratios of 0.74 (95% CI, 0.68-0.79) for appropriate antibiotics, 0.73 (95% CI, 0.68-0.78) for echocardiography, and 0.61 (95% CI, 0.56-0.65) for ID consultation. Mortality decreased progressively as the number of care processes that a patient received increased (adjusted odds ratio for all 3 processes compared with none, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.30-0.36). An estimated 57.3% (95% CI, 48.4%-69.9%) of the decrease in mortality between 2003 and 2014 could be attributed to increased use of these evidence-based care processes. Conclusions and Relevance:Mortality associated with S aureus bacteremia decreased significantly in VHA hospitals, and a substantial portion of the decreasing mortality may have been attributable to increased use of evidence-based care processes. The experience in VHA hospitals demonstrates that increasing application of these care processes may improve survival among patients with S aureus bacteremia in routine health care settings.

Dataset Information

Chikungunya Fever Cases Identified in the Veterans Health Administration System, 2014.

Publications

Chikungunya Fever Cases Identified in the Veterans Health Administration System, 2014.

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