Health literacy and COVID-19 pandemic impacts among adults in rural northern Arizona.

INTRODUCTION: Limited health literacy - the ability to access, process, and use health information and services - contributes to persistent health inequities. Yet little is known about associations of limited health literacy with impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for US adults in rural areas. This study sought to determine associations of limited health literacy with impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic among a diverse sample of adults in rural Northern Arizona. METHODS: A cross-sectional, interviewer-administered survey was conducted with 119 adults from June 2020 to August 2021. Participants were recruited from two federally qualified health centers and by word of mouth. The Newest Vital Sign was used to measure health literacy, and the Epidemic-Pandemic Impacts Inventory was used to measure the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on various aspects of personal and family life (eg spent more time on screens and devices, had family celebrations canceled or restricted). Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable linear regression statistics were computed. RESULTS: Nineteen percent of participants had limited health literacy, and participants had an average of 22 individual impacts and 2 household impacts of the 92 COVID-19 impacts assessed. Multivariable regression model results showed that being male versus female or having public only versus any private insurance was significantly associated with fewer individual COVID-19 impacts on average. Being black, Indigenous, people of color versus White or being Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish versus not were each associated with significantly more individual COVID-19 impacts on average. Limited versus adequate health literacy was significantly associated with more household COVID-19 impacts on average. Sensitivity analysis results further showed that limited versus adequate health literacy was associated with significantly higher adjusted rates of household social, emotional, and infection COVID-19 impacts. CONCLUSION: This study's findings highlight the importance of assessing and accounting for health literacy in clinical practice and health services research addressing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and future emergency events.

Electronic Surgical Consent Delivery Via Patient Portal to Improve Perioperative Efficiency.

Importance: Many health systems use electronic consent (eConsent) for surgery, but few have used surgical consent functionality in the patient portal (PP). Incorporating the PP into the consent process could potentially improve efficiency by letting patients independently review and sign their eConsent before the day of surgery. Objective: To evaluate the association of eConsent delivery via the PP with operational efficiency and patient engagement. Design, Setting, and Participants: This mixed-methods study consisted of a retrospective quantitative analysis (February 8 to August 8, 2023) and a qualitative analysis of semistructured patient interviews (December 1, 2023, to January 31, 2024) of adult surgical patients in a health system that implemented surgical eConsent. Statistical analysis was performed between September 1, 2023, and June 6, 2024. Main Outcomes and Measures: Patient demographics, efficiency metrics (first-start case delays), and PP access logs were analyzed from electronic health records. Qualitative outcomes included thematic analysis from semistructured patient interviews. Results: In the PP-eligible cohort of 7672 unique patients, 8478 surgical eConsents were generated (median [IQR] age, 58 [43-70] years; 4611 [54.4%] women), of which 5318 (62.7%) were signed on hospital iPads and 3160 (37.3%) through the PP. For all adult patients who signed an eConsent using the PP, patients waited a median (IQR) of 105 (17-528) minutes to view their eConsent after it was electronically pushed to their PP. eConsents signed on the same day of surgery were associated with more first-start delays (odds ratio, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.37-1.83; P < .001). Themes that emerged from patient interviews included having a favorable experience with the PP, openness to eConsent, skimming the consent form, and the importance of the discussion with the surgeon. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that eConsent incorporating PP functionality may reduce surgical delays and staff burden by allowing patients to review and sign before the day of surgery. Most patients spent minimal time engaging with their consent form, emphasizing the importance of surgeon-patient trust and an informed consent discussion. Additional studies are needed to understand patient perceptions of eConsent, PP, and barriers to increased uptake.

Initial Experience With Single-Port Robotic Right Colectomies: Results of an Investigator-Initiated Investigational Device Exemption Study Using a Novel Single-Port Robotic Platform.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive surgical techniques have been widely adopted in colorectal surgery. New technological breakthroughs have led to even less invasive alternatives like single-port surgery, but this has been hindered by technical challenges such as the collision of robotic arms within a limited space. The Intuitive da Vinci Single-Port robotic platform is a novel system that overcomes some of these challenges. IMPACT OF INNOVATION: This study aimed to assess the safety and feasibility of the Intuitive da Vinci Single-Port robotic platform in right segmental colectomies among adult patients. These findings may set the stage for more widespread use of single-port robotic surgery. TECHNOLOGY, MATERIALS, AND METHODS: The Intuitive da Vinci Single-Port robot is a system designed specifically for single-port robotic surgery. This platform enables flexible port location and efficient internal and external range of motion using a single C-shaped arm. In the present study, right colectomies were performed in adult patients using this platform between May 2022 and November 2022, and they were compared to right colectomies in adult patients performed using the standard multiport platform between January 2019 and December 2022. The main outcome measure was safety and quality event rates. PRELIMINARY RESULTS: Of 30 patients, 16.7% of patients (n = 5) underwent single-port robotic right colectomy and 83.3% (n = 25) underwent multiport right colectomy. In the single-port group, 40% of patients (n = 2) developed a safety/quality event (postoperative portal vein thrombosis and excessive postoperative pain). In the multiport group, 32% of patients (n = 8) developed 1 safety/quality event and 8% (n = 2) had more than 1 event. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS: This preliminary study, one of the first Food and Drug Administration-approved, investigator-initiated uses of this platform in colorectal surgeries, shows that this platform is a safe and feasible option for right colectomies. On preliminary evaluation, it appears comparable in terms of relevant safety/quality events to the multiport platform. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT05321134.

Sleep disturbance and other co-occurring conditions in autistic children: A network approach to understanding their inter-relationships.

Autistic children frequently have one or more co-occurring psychological, behavioral, or medical conditions. We examined relationships between child behaviors, sleep, adaptive behavior, autistic traits, mental health conditions, and health in autistic children using network analysis. Network analysis is hypothesis generating and can inform our understanding of relationships between multiple conditions and behaviors, directing the development of transdiagnostic treatments for co-occurring conditions. Participants were two child cohorts from the Autism Treatment Network registry: ages 2-5 years (n = 2372) and 6-17 years (n = 1553). Least absolute-shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regularized partial correlation network analysis was performed in the 2-5 years cohort (35 items) and the 6-17 years cohort (36 items). The Spinglass algorithm determined communities within each network. Two-step expected influence (EI2) determined the importance of network variables. The most influential network items were sleep difficulties (2 items) and aggressive behaviors for young children and aggressive behaviors, social problems, and anxious/depressed behavior for older children. Five communities were found for younger children and seven for older children. Of the top three most important bridge variables, night-waking/parasomnias and anxious/depressed behavior were in both age-groups, and somatic complaints and sleep initiation/duration were in younger and older cohorts respectively. Despite cohort differences, sleep disturbances were prominent in all networks, indicating they are a transdiagnostic feature across many clinical conditions, and thus a target for intervention and monitoring. Aggressive behavior was influential in the partial correlation networks, indicating a potential red flag for clinical monitoring. Other items of strong network importance may also be intervention targets or screening flags.

Fatty Liver Education Promotes Physical Activity in Vulnerable Groups, Including Those With Unhealthy Alcohol Use.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fatty liver disease (FLD), alcohol-associated and metabolically associated, often coexists. Increase in physical activity is associated with metabolic health and decreased FLD. We aimed to identify factors associated with physical activity and its improvement following FLD education in a racially diverse, vulnerable population. METHODS: From February 19, 2020 to December 30, 2022, 314 adults with FLD at safety-net hepatology clinics in San Francisco were surveyed at baseline, immediately after FLD education, and at 6-month follow-up. After collecting clinical and sociodemographic data, logistic regression (adjusted for age, sex, and race/ethnicity) assessed factors associated with physical activity at baseline and its improvement following education. RESULTS: Participant characteristics in those without vs with any physical activity were median age 49 vs 55 years, 64% vs 56% female, 66% vs 53% Hispanic race/ethnicity, 75% vs 55% obese, and 30% vs 22% consumed heavy alcohol, respectively. On multivariable analysis, older age was the only significant factor associated with physical activity at baseline (relative risk ratio 1.37 per decade increase, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.75). Hispanic (vs non-Hispanic) participants had a significantly higher odds of improvement in physical activity (vs no change) 6 months after education (odds ratio 2.36, 95% CI 1.27-4.39). Among those with suboptimal or no physical activity at baseline, participants who consumed heavy alcohol (vs no drinking) had a significantly higher likelihood of achieving optimal physical activity following education (relative risk ratio 1.98, 95% CI 1.05-3.74). CONCLUSION: Despite social and structural barriers, FLD education increased uptake of physical activity in vulnerable populations, especially among Hispanic individuals and those consuming heavy alcohol. Implementation of patient-centered education is important for FLD management.

The Effect of Intersectionality on Attrition among US General Surgery Trainees.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between intersectionality of race, ethnicity, and sex on retention of U.S. general surgery residents. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: There are limited data on the role that intersectionality plays on the US general surgery resident experience. METHODS: Analysis was performed using Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) data for general surgery residents who started their training between 2005-2015 (followed through completion). Regression analyses were used to assess demographic associations with time to attrition or successful completion of residency training. Associations between faculty and resident demographics were assessed. RESULTS: 25,029 residents were included. Over the decade-long study period, the number of underrepresented in medicine (UIM) residents as a percentage of all residents remained similar from 17% to 19% (P=0.24). The percent of UIM males starting training in 2005 was 11% and 12% in 2015 (P-value=0.38). UIM females comprised 5.5% of trainees in 2005 and increased to 6.9% (P-value=0.003) in 2015; and female non-UIM residents increased from 23 to 28% (P-value<0.001). The overall rate of resident attrition was 15%. UIM females had the highest yearly attrition rate at 21% compared to non-UIM males at 13% (HR 1.7, P<0.001). UIM females were more likely to leave residency compared to UIM males (HR: 1.5; P<0.001). The percent of UIM faculty was positively correlated with percent of UIM residents (r=0.64, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing intersectionality is positively associated with attrition during surgery residency. The diversity of faculty appears to be associated with resident diversity.

Association between protein-energy malnutrition and healthcare use among adult patients after liver transplantation: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Protein-energy malnutrition is associated with poor surgical outcomes in liver transplant patients, but its impact on healthcare use has not been precisely characterized. We sought to quantify the burden of protein-energy malnutrition in hospitalized patients undergoing liver transplantation. METHODS: Current Procedural Terminology codes were used to identify United States hospitalizations between 2011 and 2018 for liver transplantation using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Patients <18 years old were excluded. Protein-energy malnutrition was identified by International Classification of Diseases Ninth and Tenth Revision codes. Multivariable regression was used to determine associations between protein-energy malnutrition and hospital outcomes, including hospital length of stay and hospital charges/costs. RESULTS: Of 9856 hospitalizations, 2835 (29%) had protein-energy malnutrition. Patients with protein-energy malnutrition had greater comorbidity burden and in-hospital acuity (eg, dialysis, sepsis, vasopressors, or mechanical ventilation). The adjusted median difference of protein-energy malnutrition vs no protein-energy malnutrition for length of stay was 6.4 days (95% CI, 5.6-7.1; P < 0.001), for hospital charges was $108,063 (95% CI, $93,172-$122,953; P < 0.001), and for hospital costs was $23,636 (95% CI, $20,390-$26,882; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Among patients undergoing liver transplantation, protein-energy malnutrition was associated with increased length of stay and hospital charges/costs. The additional cost of protein-energy malnutrition to liver transplantation programs was $23,636 per protein-energy malnutrition hospitalization. Our data justify the development of and investment in personnel and programs dedicated to reversing-or even preventing-protein-energy malnutrition in patients awaiting liver transplantation.

Clinically relevant cut-points for changes in the Liver Frailty Index are associated with waitlist mortality in patients with cirrhosis.

Physical frailty is a critical determinant of mortality in patients with cirrhosis and can be objectively measured using the Liver Frailty Index (LFI), which is potentially modifiable. We aimed to identify LFI cut-points associated with waitlist mortality. Ambulatory adults with cirrhosis without HCC awaiting liver transplantation from 9 centers from 2012 to 2021 for ≥3 months with ≥2 pre-liver transplantation LFI assessments were included. The primary explanatory variable was the change in LFI from first to second assessments per 3 months (∆LFI); we evaluated clinically relevant ∆LFI cut-points at 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.5. The primary outcome was waitlist mortality (death or delisting for being too sick), with transplant considered as a competing event. Among 1029 patients, the median (IQR) age was 58 (51-63) years; 42% were female; and the median lab Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium at first assessment was 18 (15-22). For each 0.1 improvement in ∆LFI, the risk of overall mortality decreased by 6% (cause-specific hazard ratio: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.92-0.97, p < 0.001). ∆LFI was associated with waitlist mortality at cut-points as low as 0.1 (cause-specific hazard ratio: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.46-0.87) and 0.2 (HR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.42-0.87). An improvement in LFI per 3 months as small as 0.1 in the pre-liver transplantation period is associated with a clinically meaningful reduction in waitlist mortality. These data provide estimates of the reduction in mortality risk associated with improvements in LFI that can be used to assess the effectiveness of interventions targeting physical frailty in patients with cirrhosis.

Outpatient mean arterial pressure: A potentially modifiable risk for acute kidney injury and death among patients with cirrhosis.

Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), which decreases as portal hypertension progresses, may be a modifiable risk factor among patients with cirrhosis. We included adults enrolled in the Functional Assessment in Liver Transplantation study. We completed latent class trajectory analyses to define MAP trajectories. We completed time-dependent Cox-regression analyses to test the association between outpatient MAP and 3 cirrhosis-related outcomes: (1) stage 2 acute kidney injury (AKI), defined as a ≥200% increase in serum creatinine from baseline; (2) a 5-point increase in the MELD-Na score, defined as the incidence of increase from initial MELD-Na; (3) waitlist mortality, defined as death on the waitlist. For each outcome, we defined MAP cut points by determining the maximally selected Log-rank statistic after univariable Cox-regression analyses. Among the 1786 patients included in this analysis, our latent class trajectory analyses identified 3 specific outpatient MAP trajectories: "stable-low," "stable-high," and "increasing-to-decreasing." However, >80% of patients were in a "stable-low" trajectory. We found in adjusted analyses that outpatient MAP was associated with each of our outcomes: Stage 2 AKI (adjusted hazard ratio 0.88 per 10 mm Hg increase in MAP [95% CI: 0.79-0.99]); 5-point increase in MELD-Na (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.91 [95% CI: 0.86-0.96]; waitlist mortality (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.89 [95% CI: 0.81-0.96]). For each outcome, we found that an outpatient MAP of 82 mm Hg was most associated with outcomes ( p <0.05 for all). Our study informs the association between outpatient MAP and cirrhosis-related outcomes. These findings, coupled with the identification of specific thresholds, lay the foundation for the trial of targeted outpatient MAP modulation in patients with cirrhosis.

Problematic alcohol use and its impact on liver disease quality of life in a multicenter study of patients with cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: Management of cirrhosis is challenging and has been complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic due to decreased access to care, increased psychological distress, and alcohol misuse. Recently, The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has broadened the definition of recovery from alcohol use disorder to include quality of life (QoL) as an indicator of recovery. This study examined the associations of alcohol-associated cirrhosis etiology and problematic drinking with liver disease QoL (LDQoL). METHODS: Patients with cirrhosis (N=329) were recruited from 3 sites (63% from 2 Veterans Affairs Health Care Systems and 37% from 1 safety net hospital) serving populations that are economically or socially marginalized. Cirrhosis etiology was ascertained by chart review of medical records. Problematic drinking was defined by ≥8 on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Multivariable general linear modeling adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, site, pandemic-related stress, and history of anxiety/depressive disorder were conducted. Sensitivity analyses further adjusted for indicators of liver disease severity. RESULTS: Participants were on average 64.6 years old, 17% female, 58% non-White, 44% with alcohol-associated cirrhosis, and 17% with problematic drinking. Problematic drinking was significantly associated with worse LDQoL scores in the overall scale and in the memory/concentration and health distress subscales. These associations remained significant after adjusting for indicators of liver disease severity, including Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium score and decompensated cirrhosis status. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with cirrhosis, problematic drinking was associated with worse LDQoL, especially in the domains of memory/concentration and health distress. Assessment and awareness of cognitive deficits and negative emotionality within the context of cirrhosis and problematic drinking may help clinicians provide better integrated care for this population.

Adaptation of a health literacy screener for computerized, self-administered use by U.S. adults.

Objective: Health literacy is a critical health determinant, for which few computerized, self-administered assessments exist. This study adapted and tested the reliability of the Newest Vital Sign© (NVS) as a computerized, self-administered health literacy screener. Methods: Phase one involved 33 participants to create response options for a computerized, self-administered NVS (C-NVS). Phase two was a randomized crossover trial to test the consistency of C-NVS and original, interviewer-administered NVS (I-NVS) scores in 89 participants. Results: Linear mixed-effects regression model results showed a significant carryover effect (p < .001). Crossover trial data from time 1 showed that participants who initially received the C-NVS had significantly higher average scores (M = 5.7, SD = 0.6) than participants who received the I-NVS (M = 4.5, SD = 1.5; t(87) = 5.25, p < .001). Exploratory analysis results showed that when the washout period was longer than 33 days (75th percentile) the carryover effect was not statistically significant (p = .077). Conclusion and innovation: Findings suggest learning can occur when health literacy screeners are administered more than once in less than a month's time and computerized, self-administered health literacy screeners may produce ceiling effects. A universal precautions approach to health literacy therefore remains germane.

Surgeon Intersectionality and Academic Promotion and Retention in the US.

Introduction: Efforts have been made to increase the number of women and physicians who are underrepresented in medicine (UIM). However, surgery has been slow to diversify, and there are limited data surrounding the impact of intersectionality. Objective: To assess the combined association of race and ethnicity and sex with rates of promotion and attrition among US academic medical department of surgery faculty. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a retrospective cohort study using faculty roster data from the Association of American Medical Colleges. All full-time academic department of surgery faculty with an appointment any time from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2020, were included. Study data were analyzed from September 2022 to February 2023. Exposures: Full-time academic faculty in a department of surgery with a documented self-reported race, ethnicity, and sex within the designated categories of the faculty roster of Association of American Medical Colleges. Main Outcomes and Measures: Trends in race and ethnicity and sex, rates of promotion, and rates attrition from 2010 to 2020 were assessed with Kaplan-Meier and Cox time-to-event analyses. Results: A total of 31 045 faculty members (23 092 male [74%]; 7953 female [26%]) from 138 institutions were included. The mean (SD) program percentage of UIM male faculty increased from 8.4% (5.5%) in 2010 to 8.5% (6.2%) in 2020 (P < .001), whereas UIM female faculty members increased from 2.3% (2.6%) to 3.3% (2.5%) over the 10-year period (P < .001). The mean program percentage of non-UIM females increased at every rank (percentage point increase per year from 2010 to 2020 in instructor: 1.1; 95% CI, 0.73-1.5; assistant professor: 1.1; 95% CI, 0.93-1.3; associate professor: 0.55; 95% CI, 0.49-0.61; professor: 0.50; 95% CI, 0.41-0.60; all P < .001). There was no change in the mean program percentage of UIM female instructors or full professors. The mean (SD) percentage of UIM female assistant and associate professors increased from 3.0% (4.1%) to 5.0% (4.0%) and 1.6% (3.2%) to 2.2% (3.4%), respectively (P =.002). There was no change in the mean program percentage of UIM male instructors, associate, or full professors. Compared with non-Hispanic White males, Hispanic females were 32% less likely to be promoted within 10 years (hazard ratio [HR], 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54-0.86; P <.001), non-Hispanic White females were 25% less likely (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.71-0.78; P <.001), Hispanic males were 15% less likely (HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.76-0.96; P =.007), and Asian females were 12% less likely (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.80-0.96; P =.03). Non-UIM males had the shortest median (IQR) time to promotion, whereas non-UIM females had the longest (6.9 [6.8-7.0] years vs 7.2 [7.0-7.6] years, respectively; P < .001). After 10 years, 79% of non-UIM males (13 202 of 16 299), 71% of non-UIM females (3784 of 5330), 68% of UIM males (1738 of 2538), and 63% of UIM females (625 of 999) remained on the faculty. UIM females had a higher risk of attrition compared with non-UIM females (HR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.5; P = .001) and UIM males (HR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.4; P = .05). The mean (SE) time to attrition was shortest for UIM females and longest for non-UIM males (8.2 [0.14] years vs 9.0 [0.02] years, respectively; P < .001). Conclusion and Relevance: Results of this cohort study suggest that intersectionality was associated with promotion and attrition, with UIM females least likely to be promoted and at highest risk for attrition. Further efforts to understand these vulnerabilities are essential.

Factors associated with trauma recidivism in young children.

BACKGROUND: Trauma recidivism is associated with future trauma-associated morbidity and mortality. Previous evidence suggests that socioeconomic factors predict trauma recidivism in older children (10-18 years); however, risk factors in US children 10 years and younger have not been studied. We sought to determine the factors associated with trauma recidivism in young children 10 years and younger. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of pediatric trauma patients 10 years and younger who presented to a single American College of Surgeons-verified Level I pediatric trauma center from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2021. All patients were evaluated for prior injury during trauma registry entry. Characteristics at the index injury were collected via chart review. Patients were geocoded to assess Social Vulnerability Index. Logistic regression examined factors associated with recidivism. Best subset selection was used to compare multivariable models and identify the most predictive and parsimonious model. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Of the 3,518 patients who presented in the study period, 169 (4.8%) experienced a prior injury. Seventy-six percent (n = 128) had one prior injury presentation, 18% (n = 31) had two prior presentations, and 5.9% (n = 10) had three or more. Falls were the most common mechanism in recidivists (63% vs. 52%, p = 0.009). Child physical abuse occurred in 6.5% of patients, and 0.9% experienced penetrating injury. The majority (n = 137 [83%]) were discharged home from the emergency department. There was no significant difference in the frequency of penetrating injury and child physical abuse between recidivists and nonrecidivists. Following logistic regression, the most parsimonious model demonstrated that recidivism was associated with comorbidities, age, falls, injury location, nontransfer, and racialization. No significant associations were found with Social Vulnerability Index and insurance status. CONCLUSION: Medical comorbidities, young age, injury location, and falls were primarily associated with trauma recidivism. Support for parents of young children and those with special health care needs through injury prevention programs could reduce trauma recidivism in this population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level III.

The impact of histologic subtype on primary site surgery in the management of metastatic lobular versus ductal breast cancer: a population based study from the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

PURPOSE: Primary site surgery for metastatic breast cancer improves local control but does not impact overall survival. Whether histologic subtype influences patient selection for surgery is unknown. Given differences in surgical management between early-stage lobular versus ductal disease, we evaluated the impact of histology on primary site surgery in patients with metastatic breast cancer. METHODS: The National Cancer Database (NCDB, 2010-2016) was queried for patients with stage IV HR-positive, HER2-negative invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). We compared clinicopathologic features, primary site surgery rates, and outcomes by histologic subtype. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models with and without propensity score matching were used for overall survival (OS) analyses. RESULTS: In 25,294 patients, primary site surgery was slightly but significantly less common in the 6,123 patients with ILC compared to the 19,171 patients with IDC (26.9% versus 28.8%, p = 0.004). Those with ILC were less likely to receive chemotherapy (41.3% versus 47.4%, p < 0.0001) or radiotherapy (29.1% versus 37.9%, p < 0.0001), and had shorter OS. While mastectomy rates were similar, those with ILC who underwent lumpectomy had significantly higher positive margin rates (ILC 15.7% versus IDC 11.2%, p = 0.025). In both groups, the odds of undergoing surgery decreased over time, and were higher in younger patients with T2/T3 tumors and higher nodal burden. CONCLUSION: Lobular histology is associated with less primary site surgery, higher positive margin rates, less radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and shorter OS compared to those with HR-positive HER2-negative IDC. These findings support the need for ILC-specific data and treatment approaches in the setting of metastatic disease.

Association of body mass index with post-liver transplant outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Patients with obesity have inferior outcomes after general surgery procedures, but studies evaluating post-liver transplant (LT) outcomes have been limited by small sample sizes or lack of granularity of outcomes. We evaluated the relationship between obesity and post-LT outcomes, including those observed in other populations to be obesity-related. METHODS: Included were 1357 LT recipients prospectively enrolled in the ambulatory pre-LT setting at 8 U.S. CENTERS: Recipient were categorized by body mass index (BMI, kg/m2 ): non-obese (BMI < 30), class 1 obesity (BMI 30-<35), and classes 2-3 obesity (BMI ≥ 35). Post-transplant complications were compared by BMI using Chi-square and rank-sum testing, logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier curves, and Cox regression. RESULTS: Classes 2-3 obesity was associated with higher adjusted odds than non-obesity of venous thrombosis [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.06, 95% CI 1.01-4.23, p = .047] and wound dehiscence (aOR 2.45, 95% CI 1.19-5.06, p = .02). Compared with non-obese recipients, post-LT hospital stay was significantly longer for recipients with classes 2-3 obesity [p = .01; median (Q1-Q3) 9 (6-14) vs. 8 (6-12) days) or class 1 obesity [p = .002; 9 (6-14) vs. 8 (6-11) days].  Likelihood of ICU readmission, infection, discharge to a non-home facility, rejection, 30-day readmission, and 1-year readmission were similar across BMI categories (all p > .05). CONCLUSION: Compared to non-obese recipients, obese recipients had similar post-LT survival but longer hospital stay and higher likelihood of wound dehiscence and venous thrombosis. These findings underscore that obesity alone should not preclude LT, but recipients with obesity should be monitored for obesity-related complications such as wound dehiscence and venous thrombosis.

The liver frailty index is a predictor of healthcare utilization after liver transplantation in older adults.

BACKGROUND: Older adults have higher healthcare utilization after liver transplantation (LT), yet objective risk stratification tools in this population are lacking. We evaluated the Liver Frailty Index (LFI) as one potential tool. METHODS: Ambulatory LT candidates ≥65 years without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent LT from 1/2012 to 6/2022 at 8 U.S. centers were included. Estimates of the difference in median using quantile regression were used to assess the adjusted association between LFI and hospitalized days within 90 days post-LT. RESULTS: Of 131 LT recipients, median (interquartile range [IQR]) (1st -3rd quartiles) age was 68 years (66-70); median pre-LT MELD-Na was 19 (15-24). Median LFI was 4.1 (3.6-4.7); 27% were frail (LFI≥4.5). Median hospitalized days within 90 days post-LT was 11 (7-20). Compared with non-frail patients, frail patients were hospitalized for a median of 5 days longer post-LT (95% CI .30-9.7, p = .04). Each .5 unit increase in pre-LT LFI was associated with an increase of 1.16 days (95%CI .42-2.69, p = .02) in hospitalized days post-LT. CONCLUSION: Among older adults undergoing LT, frailty was associated with more hospitalized days within 90 days after LT. The LFI can identify older adults who might benefit from pre-LT or early post-LT programs which may reduce post-LT healthcare utilization, such as early rehabilitation or post-hospital discharge programs.

Clinical Characteristics Associated With Posttransplant Survival Among Adults 70 Years Old or Older Undergoing Liver Transplantation.

GOALS: We sought to identify pre-liver transplantation (LT) characteristics among older adults associated with post-LT survival. BACKGROUND: The proportion of older patients undergoing deceased-donor liver transplantation (DDLT) has increased over time. STUDY: We analyzed adult DDLT recipients in the United Network for Organ Sharing registry from 2016 through 2020, excluding patients listed as status 1 or with a model of end-stage liver disease exceptions for hepatocellular carcinoma. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to estimate post-LT survival probabilities among older recipients (age ≥70 y). Associations between clinical covariates and post-LT mortality were assessed using Cox regressions. RESULTS: Of 22,862 DDLT recipients, 897 (4%) were 70 years old or older. Compared with younger recipients, older recipients had worse overall survival ( P < 0.01) (1 y: 88% vs 92%, 3 y: 77% vs 86%, and 5 y: 67% vs 78%). Among older adults, in univariate Cox regressions, dialysis [hazards ratio (HR): 1.96, 95% CI: 1.38-2.77] and poor functional status [defined as Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) <40] (HR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.31-2.53) were each associated with mortality, remaining significant on multivariable Cox regressions. The effect of dialysis and KPS <40 at LT on post-LT survival (HR: 2.67, 95% CI: 1.77-4.01) was worse than the effects of either KPS <40 (HR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.03-2.23) or dialysis alone (HR: 1.44, 95% CI: 0.62-3.36). Older recipients with KPS >40 without dialysis had comparable survival rates compared with younger recipients ( P = 0.30). CONCLUSIONS: While older DDLT recipients had worse overall post-LT survival compared with younger recipients, favorable survival rates were observed among older adults who did not require dialysis and had poor functional status. Poor functional status and dialysis at LT may be useful to stratify older adults at higher risk for poor post-LT outcomes.

Prevalence of cognitive impairment in liver transplant recipients.

Liver transplant (LT) recipients have a high burden of cognitive impairment risk factors identified in other populations, yet little work has explored cognition in the United States LT population. We characterized prevalence of cognitive impairment (CI) in LT recipients pre-LT and ≥3 months post-LT. Adult LT recipients with cirrhosis but without active pre-LT hepatic encephalopathy (HE) were screened for CI using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) for CI (MoCA <24) both pre-LT and ≥3 months post-LT. The association between cognitive performance and recipient characteristics was assessed using logistic regression. Of 107 LT recipients, 36% had pre-LT CI and 27% had post-LT CI [median (Q1-Q3) MoCA 26 (23-28)]. Each 1-point increase in pre-LT MoCA was associated with 26% lower odds of post-LT cognitive impairment (aOR .74, 95% CI .63-.87, p < .001), after adjusting for recipient age, history of HE, and time since LT. In this study of cirrhosis recipients without active pre-LT HE, cognitive impairment was prevalent before LT and remained prevalent ≥3 months after LT (27%), long after effects of portal hypertension on cognition would be expected to have resolved. Our data expose an urgent need for more comprehensive neurologic examination of LT recipients to better identify, characterize, and address predictors of post-LT cognitive impairment.

Variation in skeletal muscle mass among patients with cirrhosis of different self-identified race/ethnicity.

Skeletal muscle index (SMI) remains a strong predictor of mortality in cirrhosis patients. However, the extent to which SMI varies by race/ethnicity has not been fully evaluated. Among 317 patients, 55% identified themselves as non-Hispanic White (NHW), 26% Hispanic White (HW), 13% Asian, and 6% Black. There was significant variation in SMI by race/ethnicity; median SMI was lowest in Asian and highest in Black patients. There were significant differences of sarcopenia by race/ethnicity using established SMI cutpoints: 48% NHW, 33% HW, 67% Asian, and 37% Black (P = 0.003). Using these cutpoints, SMI was significantly associated with waitlist mortality only in NHW patients but not in other racial/ethnic groups.