Inpatient management of XXXX in a New Zealand hospital: a retrospective audit.

@entity1 @entity697 @entity229 @entity3812 @entity230 @entity210 @entity208 @entity414
AIM: To review inpatient management of @entity697 in a New Zealand hospital. METHODS: A retrospective file review of all acute episodes of @entity210 at Hutt Hospital, Wellington, New Zealand over a 1  year period. RESULTS: In the course of a year, there were 90 admissions for, or complicated by, @entity697 . In 31 cases, @entity210 was the primary diagnosis. Median length of stay was 5  days and readmissions were common. The majority of @entity1 (87%) were known to have @entity210 before admission, yet only 50% of these @entity1 were on @entity414 lowering treatment. Serum urate was measured in only 60% of @entity1 with a mean level of 0.471  mmol/L. Treatment for the acute attack was evenly split between monotherapy (49%) and polytherapy (49%). Treatment modalities used were: @entity229 (61%), non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (40%), @entity3812 (40%), adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) (15%) and intrarticular @entity230 (7%). @entity1 were generally treated in a timely manner with few @entity1 experiencing delays. @entity1 seen by the Rheumatology Department were more likely to receive polytherapy, be treated with intra-articular @entity230 or ACTH and to start @entity208 . The 'treat-to-target' approach to the management of elevated serum urate was mentioned in only 9% of cases. CONCLUSION: There was considerable variability in the investigation and management of @entity697 , with significant deviation from published protocols. The 'treat-to-target' approach to the management of elevated urate has not yet been widely adopted by the physicians in this New Zealand hospital.
