INTRODUCTION: Analysis of risk factors can pave the way for reducing unscheduled hospital readmissions and improve resource utilisation. METHODS: This was a concurrent nested, mixed method study. Factors associated with patients readmitted within 30 days between 2011 and 2015 at the National University Hospital, Singapore (N=104,496) were examined. Fifty patients were sampled in 2016 to inform an embedded qualitative study. Narrative interviews explored the periods of readmissions and related experiences, contrasted against those of non-readmitted patients. RESULTS: Neoplastic disease (odds ratio [OR] 1.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.70-2.15), number of discharged medications (5 to 10 medications OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.14-1.29; ≥11 medications OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.66-1.95) and length of stay >7 days (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.36-1.58) were most significantly associated with readmissions. Other factors including number of surgical operations, subvention class, number of emergency department visits in the previous year, hospital bill size, gender, age, Charlson comorbidity index and ethnicity were also independently associated with hospital readmissions. Although readmitted and non-readmitted patients shared some common experiences, they reported different psychological reactions to their illnesses and viewed hospital care differently. Negative emotions, feeling of being left out by the healthcare team and perception of ineffective or inappropriate treatment were expressed by readmitted patients. CONCLUSION Patient, hospital and system-related factors were associated with readmissions, which may allow early identification of at-risk patients. Qualitative analysis suggested several areas of improvement in care including greater empowerment and involvement of patients in care and decision making.
Hospitals ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Patient Readmission ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

INTRODUCTION: Vaccination remains a key strategy to living endemically with COVID-19. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was first granted interim authorisation for use in Singapore in December 2020. With overseas studies published about the safety and side effect profiles of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines focusing mainly on non-Asian populations, we described the side effects of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination experienced by the healthcare workers (HCWs) in a tertiary hospital in Singapore. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Occupational Health Clinic (OHC) at the National University Hospital in Singapore, which monitored staff for any adverse effects within 30 minutes post vaccination on-site and any adverse effects after that. A cross-sectional study among the vaccinated HCWs was conducted using an online survey, which established basic demographics, histories of allergies or atopic disorders, and adverse events encountered after dose 1 and dose 2 of vaccination. RESULTS: No anaphylaxis was reported. Most common symptom was giddiness (32.7%) experienced by HCWs within 30 minutes. Adverse events attended post-vaccination by OHC were generally mild and self-limiting. From the survey, odds of experiencing an adverse event after dose 2 was significantly higher than after the first dose, especially for fever/chills (odds ratio [OR] 22.5). Fever/chills, injection site reactions, headache, aches and pains, and feeling unwell were significantly more common in HCWs below 60 years compared to those ≥60 years. An allergy to food (adjusted OR 2.7) and a history of eczema/sensitive skin (adjusted OR 2.6) were associated with a skin reaction not at injection site. CONCLUSION The side effects experienced after Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines are generally self-limiting and mild, with no anaphylaxis reported.
COVID-19 ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Singapore/epidemiology* ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Vaccination

Right ventricle to pulmonary artery (RV-PA) conduits have been used for the surgical repair of congenital heart defects. These conduits frequently become stenosed or develop insufficiency with time, necessitating reoperations. Percutanous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) can delay the need for repeated surgeries in patients with congenital heart defects and degenerated RV-PA conduits. We presented our first experience with PPVI and described in detail the procedural methods and the considerations that are needed for this intervention to be successful. Immediate and short-term clinical outcomes of our patients were reported. Good haemodynamic results were obtained, both angiographically and on echocardiography. PPVI provides an excellent alternative to repeat open-heart surgery for patients with congenital heart defects and degenerated RV-PA conduits. This represents a paradigm shift in the management of congenital heart disease, which is traditionally managed by open-heart surgery.

Adolescent ; Cardiac Catheterization ; economics ; methods ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; surgery ; Female ; Health Care Costs ; Humans ; Infant ; Intensive Care Units ; economics ; utilization ; Length of Stay ; economics ; statistics & numerical data ; Ligation ; economics ; methods ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; economics ; epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Septal Occluder Device ; economics ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Treatment Outcome

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anticoagulants ; therapeutic use ; Aortic Valve Stenosis ; congenital ; surgery ; Dengue ; complications ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; Humans ; Male ; Thrombocytopenia ; etiology ; Warfarin ; therapeutic use

Levocardia (left-sided cardiac apex) with abdominal situs inversus is extremely rare. This is also known as isolated levocardia and is almost always associated with severe forms of congenital heart defects with poor prognosis. We report isolated levocardia in a 13-year-old symptomatic male patient. The purpose of this paper is to outline the imaging features of isolated levocardia and to highlight the role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in the diagnosis and management of such cases. Other forms of cardiac malposition, including dextrocardia, mesocardia and criss-cross heart, with chest radiograph and CMR correlation, are also discussed.
Abnormalities, Multiple ; diagnosis ; Adolescent ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Humans ; Levocardia ; diagnosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine ; Male ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Situs Inversus ; diagnosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

INTRODUCTIONWith advances in interventional catheterisation, transcatheter device closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) is now a feasible option to open heart surgery, especially in patients with isolated ASD. We aim to compare the outcomes, benefits and costs between device closure versus standard open-heart surgery for ASD in Singapore.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThis is a comparative study between 2 cohorts with isolated secundum ASDs who underwent closure of ASD either by surgery or device, at the Department of Paediatrics, National University Hospital (NUH). The clinical outcomes, complications, length of stay and total costs incurred were compared.

RESULTSSurgical patients were at slightly greater risk of developing complications (RR=1.33; 95% CI, 0.30 to 5.95) than the device group. The median length of inpatient stay for the surgical group was significantly longer than that for the device group. Seventy percent of the patients in the device group did not need to be in ICU while 40% of patients in the surgery group stayed 2 or at least 3 days in ICU (P <0.001). The mean cost per successful procedure was $1511 (95% CI, -352 to 3375) higher for the device group patients despite a shorter length of stay in hospital.

CONCLUSIONSWe concluded that transcatheter device closure is an effective and safe alternative to surgery in the treatment of suitable ASDs. Despite the high cost of the device, direct and indirect benefits for the patients and their families, who undergo device occlusion include less morbidity, better cosmesis, shorter length of stay in hospital, faster recovery and shorter time taken to resume normal activities.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cohort Studies ; Confidence Intervals ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; Health Care Costs ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; economics ; surgery ; therapy ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; economics ; statistics & numerical data ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk ; Risk Factors ; Septal Occluder Device ; economics ; Singapore ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTIONThe device closure of atrial septal defects has evolved over the years. In the early days of transcatheter occlusion, balloon sizing was used to choose an appropriate sized device. We postulate that balloon sizing does not value-add to the procedure and is unnecessary.

MATERIALS AND METHODSPatients who had balloon sizing, with (Group 1, n = 38) or without (Group 2, n = 21) atrial septal defect closure, were compared to another group (Group 3, n = 64) who had atrial septal defect closure without balloon sizing. Although the atrial septal defect size (mm) in those without balloon sizing (Group 3) compared to patients who had balloon sizing (Group 1) (18.3 +/- 5.4 vs 14.8 +/- 5.8; P = 0.021) was larger, the Amplatzer septal occluder size chosen (mm) (21.6 +/- 6.3 vs 21.2 +/- 8.1; P = 0.693) was similar.

RESULTSWe analysed the degree of absolute sizing, defined as [(Balloon or Amplatzer occluder size) - (transoesophageal echocardiography size)], versus relative sizing, which is defined as [(Balloon or Amplatzer occluder size)--(transoesophageal echocardiography size) / (Balloon or Amplatzer occluder size)]. It was evident that there was greater absolute and relative over-sizing (6.3 +/- 4.4 mm vs 4.2 +/- 2.1 mm; P = 0.009 and 28.3 +/- 15.4% vs 20.0 +/- 7.0%; P = 0.001, respectively) in patients with balloon sizing (Group 1) compared to those who did not (Group 3). Even a greater degree of absolute (5.1 +/- 3.9 mm vs 9.5 +/- 4.7 mm; P <0.001) and relative over-sizing (24.8 +/- 15.6% vs 33.0 +/- 13.6%; P = 0.001) was observed in patients who had balloon sizing but there was no closure (Group 2) compared to those who had balloon sizing and closure of their defects (Group 1).

CONCLUSIONOur results showed that balloon sizing tended to over-size the atrial septal defect. This may have an important bearing in selecting a larger device than necessary, or even precluding transcatheter closure of the larger atrial septal defects. It is also associated with increased procedural, fluoroscopy time and cost. We suggest that balloon sizing may no longer be necessary in the protocol of device closure of an atrial septal defect.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cardiac Catheterization ; instrumentation ; methods ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Septal Occluder Device ; Young Adult

Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Aspirin ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Facial Nerve Diseases ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Facial Paralysis ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Prednisolone ; therapeutic use ; Ultrasonography ; Warfarin ; therapeutic use