Correlations Between Relative Prevalence of Celiac Disease and Sociodemographic Variables in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated the associations between celiac disease (CD) prevalence and regional sociodemographic variables in the United States. METHODS: The outcome was CD relative prevalence, defined as number of patients with CD among those in a Medicare registry per 3-digit ZIP code. Linear regression models assessed associations between relative prevalence of CD and sociodemographic variables. RESULTS: CD relative prevalence was positively correlated with median income, urban area, and proximity to a CD specialty center and negatively correlated with Black race, Latino/Hispanic ethnicity, and median social deprivation index score ( P < 0.01, all). DISCUSSION: CD relative prevalence is associated with indicators of economic advantage.

Natural Language Processing Can Automate Extraction of Barrett's Esophagus Endoscopy Quality Metrics.

Objectives: To develop an automated natural language processing (NLP) method for extracting high-fidelity Barrett's Esophagus (BE) endoscopic surveillance and treatment data from the electronic health record (EHR). Methods: Patients who underwent BE-related endoscopies between 2016 and 2020 at a single medical center were randomly assigned to a development or validation set. Those not aged 40 to 80 and those without confirmed BE were excluded. For each patient, free text pathology reports and structured procedure data were obtained. Gastroenterologists assigned ground truth labels. An NLP method leveraging MetaMap Lite generated endoscopy-level diagnosis and treatment data. Performance metrics were assessed for this data. The NLP methodology was then adapted to label key endoscopic eradication therapy (EET)-related endoscopy events and thereby facilitate calculation of patient-level pre-EET diagnosis, endotherapy time, and time to CE-IM. Results: 99 patients (377 endoscopies) and 115 patients (399 endoscopies) were included in the development and validation sets respectively. When assigning high-fidelity labels to the validation set, NLP achieved high performance (recall: 0.976, precision: 0.970, accuracy: 0.985, and F1-score: 0.972). 77 patients initiated EET and underwent 554 endoscopies. Key EET-related clinical event labels had high accuracy (EET start: 0.974, CE-D: 1.00, and CE-IM: 1.00), facilitating extraction of pre-treatment diagnosis, endotherapy time, and time to CE-IM. Conclusions: High-fidelity BE endoscopic surveillance and treatment data can be extracted from routine EHR data using our automated, transparent NLP method. This method produces high-level clinical datasets for clinical research and quality metric assessment.

Trends in use of proton pump inhibitors among adults in the United States from 1999 to 2018.

PURPOSE: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are among the most commonly used drugs in the United States (U.S.). We aimed to determine the trends in use of PPIs among adults in the U.S. from 1999 through 2018, hypothesizing the trend would follow an inverted U-shaped curve, with a decline in recent years due to safety concerns. METHODS: Temporal trends in use of prescription PPIs were assessed using the 1999-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of non-institutionalized U.S. civilians. Use of PPIs was defined as any use during the month preceding the survey. Descriptive statistics were produced and trends in PPI use were examined, stratified by sex, age, race, body mass index (BMI), and poverty level. RESULTS: Use of prescription PPIs increased from 4.1% of U.S. adults in 1999-2000 to 8.6% in 2017-2018 (p for trend <0.01). All of the increase was observed during the first half of the study period (4.6% increase from 1999 to 2008 vs. 0.5% decrease from 2009 to 2018) and almost all of it was among those aged 55 or more (8.6% increase among those aged ≥ 55 compared to 1.2% increase among those aged < 55, p for interaction based on age <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Use of prescription PPIs increased from 1999 to 2008 and then plateaued through 2018. This rise was driven by increased usage among older NHANES respondents.

No Increased Risk of Cardiac Birth Defects in Infants of Mothers With Celiac Disease: A Population and Sibling Comparison.

INTRODUCTION: Several earlier studies have indicated an increased risk of cardiac birth defects among infants born to mothers with celiac disease (CeD). Through linking nationwide Swedish health care registries, we aimed to investigate maternal CeD and risk of any or cardiac birth defects in their offspring. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of infants born between 2002 and 2016 to women with biopsy-proven CeD (villous atrophy, Marsh III) matched to infants born to nonceliac women from the general population. Conditional logistic regression with odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used to determine the association between maternal CeD and birth defects. To minimize the impact of intrafamilial confounding, we also compared infants born to mothers with CeD with infants born to their nonaffected sisters. RESULTS: A total of 6,990 infants were born to mothers with diagnosed CeD compared with 34,643 infants born to reference mothers. Any birth defect was seen in 234 (33 per 1,000 infants) and 1,244 (36/1,000) reference infants corresponding to an OR of 0.93 (95% CI 0.81-1.08). Cardiac birth defects were seen in 113 (16/1,000) vs 569 (16/1,000) infants (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.80-1.20). Similar OR for any and cardiac birth defects were also seen in sibling comparisons. DISCUSSION: We found no statistically significant risk of any or cardiac birth defects in infants born to mothers with diagnosed CeD compared with the general population and to their nonaffected sisters.

Association of Antibiotic Receipt With Survival Among Patients With Metastatic Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Receiving Chemotherapy.

Importance: The prognosis for patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is dismal, due in part to chemoresistance. Bacteria-mediated mechanisms of chemoresistance suggest a potential role for antibiotics in modulating response to chemotherapy. Objective: To evaluate whether use of peritreatment antibiotics is associated with survival among patients with metastatic PDAC treated with first-line gemcitabine or fluorouracil chemotherapy. Design, Setting, and Participants: Using the population-based Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked database, this retrospective cohort study analyzed data for patients diagnosed with PDAC between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2017. Data analysis was conducted between September 1, 2021, and January 15, 2023. The population-based sample included 3850 patients with primary metastatic PDAC treated with first-line gemcitabine or fluorouracil chemotherapy. Patients who received antibiotics were matched based on propensity scores to patients who did not receive antibiotics. Exposures: Receipt of 5 or more days of oral antibiotics or 1 injectable antibiotic in the month before or after beginning first-line chemotherapy. Main Outcomes and Measures: Overall survival and cancer-specific survival. The end of follow-up was December 31, 2019, for overall survival and December 31, 2018, for cancer-specific survival. Results: Of the 3850 patients treated with first-line gemcitabine (3150 [81.8%]) or fluorouracil (700 [18.2%]), 2178 (56.6%) received antibiotics. The mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 74.2 (5.8) years and patients were predominantly women (2102 [54.6%]), White (3396 [88.2%]), and from metropolitan areas (3393 [88.1%]) in the northeastern or western US (2952 [76.7%]). In total, 1672 propensity-matched pairs were analyzed. Antibiotic receipt was associated with an 11% improvement in overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.89; 95% CI, 0.83-0.96; P = .003) and a 16% improvement in cancer-specific survival (HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.77-0.92; P < .001) among patients treated with gemcitabine. In contrast, there was no association between antibiotic receipt and overall survival (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.90-1.29; P = .41) or cancer-specific survival (HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.90-1.36; P = .29) among patients treated with fluorouracil. In a subgroup of gemcitabine-treated patients who received antibiotics, nonpenicillin ß-lactams were associated with an 11% survival benefit (HR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.81-0.97; P = .01). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, receipt of perichemotherapy antibiotics was associated with improved survival among patients treated with gemcitabine, but not fluorouracil, suggesting that antibiotics may modulate bacteria-mediated gemcitabine resistance and have the potential to improve PDAC outcomes.

Epidemiology of Gastric Malignancies 2000-2018 According to Histology: A Population-Based Analysis of Incidence and Temporal Trends.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Gastric cancer (GC) remains a leading cause of cancer and cancer-related mortality. Recent reports suggest noncardia GC is increasing in certain U.S. POPULATIONS: However, whether these trends are driven by gastric adenocarcinoma (GA) or other histologies, including neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), lymphoma, or gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), is unclear. METHODS: We analyzed the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-18 cancer registry (2000-2018) to determine age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR) and annual percentage change (APC) trends for histologically-confirmed GCs, stratified by anatomic location (noncardia vs cardia), age group (20-49 vs 50+ years), sex, race, and ethnicity. Joinpoint regression modeling estimated the statistical significance of trend comparisons. RESULTS: Of 74,520 individuals with noncardia GC, most (66.2%) were GA, with the next largest categories being non-mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (non-MALT) lymphomas (6.9%), GIST (6.7%), NET (6.4%), and MALT lymphoma (5.6%). Noncardia GA ASIR was significantly higher than other histologies and demonstrated the greatest differences by race and ethnicity. APCs for GA and MALT, both Helicobacter pylori-associated cancers, declined significantly over time, which was driven primarily by trends among individuals ≥50 years-old. NET and GIST APCs significantly increased irrespective of age group, with the highest APCs observed among non-Hispanic white individuals. Cardia GC was rarer than noncardia GC and comprised primarily by GA (87.9%). Cardia GC incidence fell during the study period, which was primarily driven by decline in cardia GA. CONCLUSIONS: GA was the most common histology. On the basis of our findings, the rise in noncardia GC among certain U.S. populations appears predominantly driven by NET and GIST, not GA. Further studies are needed to clarify underlying etiologies for these findings.

Impact of Care in an Interdisciplinary Inflammatory Bowel Disease Specialty Clinic on Outcomes in Patients Insured with Medicaid.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients are known to benefit from care delivered in a specialized, interdisciplinary setting. We aimed to evaluate the impact of this model on health outcomes, quality metrics, and health care resource utilization (HRU) in IBD patients insured with Medicaid. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In July 2017, IBD patients at our tertiary hospital were transitioned from a fellows' general gastroenterology (GI) clinic to a fellows' interdisciplinary IBD clinic. IBD patients were included if they were insured with Medicaid, had at least 1 visit in the general GI clinic between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017, and at least 1 visit between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018 in the IBD clinic. Characteristics related to patients' IBD course, overall health care maintenance, and HRU were compared. RESULTS: A total of 170 patients (51% male, mean age 39 y) were included. After the transition to the IBD clinic, use of corticosteroids (37% vs. 25%; P =0.004) and combination therapy were significantly lower (55% vs. 38%; P =0.0004), although use of high-dose biologics numerically increased (58.5% vs. 67%; P =0.05). Posttransition, patients showed significantly lower levels of mean C-reactive protein ( P =0.04). After the transition, patients attended significantly fewer outpatient GI visits ( P =0.0008) but were more often seen by other health care specialists ( P =0.0003), and experienced a numeric decrease in HRU with fewer emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and surgeries. CONCLUSIONS: Care in an interdisciplinary, IBD specialty setting is associated with significantly decreased corticosteroid use, decreased C-reactive protein levels, and improved access to ancillary services in Medicaid patients.

Celiac Plexus Neurolysis Is Associated With Decreased Survival in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer: A Propensity Score Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate survival in patients who received celiac plexus neurolysis (CPN) compared with patients who received opioids. METHODS: The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare database was used to identify patients older than 65 years diagnosed with pancreatic cancer between 2007 and 2015. We used claims data to identify patients with a history of CPN and opioid use within 1 year of diagnosis, and other demographic, clinical, and treatment variables. Kaplan-Meier analyses and inverse propensity-weighted adjusted Cox proportional hazard ratios were used to evaluate survival. RESULTS: We identified 648 patients who underwent CPN (19.0%) compared with 2769 patients who received opioids (81.0%). The median survival and interquartile range for patients who received CPN was 4.0 months (2.0-8.0 months) compared with 7.0 months (3.0-12.0 months) for opioid users (P < 0.0001). After adjusting for confounders and propensity score, the patients who received CPN showed worsened survival (hazard ratio, 1.69; 95% confidence interval, 1.59-1.79). CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic cancer patients who underwent CPN had decreased survival compared with opioid users. This suggests that opioid sparing methods to reduce pancreatic cancer pain may actually be harmful. Future prospective studies should investigate whether other opioid sparing therapies impact pancreatic cancer survival.

Use of endoscopic ultrasound for pancreatic cancer from 2000 to 2016.

Background and study aims Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in the United States. Previous studies have suggested a survival benefit for endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), an important tool for diagnosis and staging of PC. This study aims to describe EUS use over time and identify factors associated with EUS use and its impact on survival. Patients and methods This was a retrospective review of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database linked with Medicare claims. EUS use, clinical and demographic characteristics were evaluated. Chi-squared analysis, Cochran-Armitage test for trend, and logistic regression were used to identify associations between sociodemographic and clinical factors and EUS. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard ratios were used for survival analysis. Results EUS use rose during the time period, from 7.4 % of patients in 2000 to 32.4 % in 2015. Patient diversity increased, with a rising share of older, non-White patients with higher Charlson comorbidity scores. Both clinical (receipt of other therapies, PC stage) and nonclinical factors (region of country, year of diagnosis) were associated with receipt of EUS. While EUS was associated with a survival improvement early in the study period, this effect did not persist for PC patients diagnosed in 2012 to 2015 (median survival 3 month ± standard deviation [SD] 9.8 months without vs. 4 months ± SD 8 months with EUS). Conclusions Our data support previous studies, which suggest a survival benefit for EUS when it was infrequently used, but finds that benefit was attenuated as EUS became more widely available.

Opioid Prescription Is Associated With Increased Survival in Older Adult Patients With Pancreatic Cancer in the United States: A Propensity Score Analysis.

PURPOSE: Few studies have assessed the interaction between pain treatment and mortality in pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between receipt of opioid prescriptions and survival in adults with pancreatic cancer. METHODS: The SEER-Medicare linked database was used to identify patients diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer between 2007 and 2015. Kaplan-Meier models were used to assess the association between opioid prescriptions in the year after cancer diagnosis and survival. Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine the association between opioid receipt and survival, adjusting for propensity score and other relevant confounders including cancer-directed therapies and palliative care referral. RESULTS: A total of 5,770 older adults with pancreatic cancer were identified; 1,678 (29.1%) were prescribed opioids for at least 60 days. Median survival was increased in those with opioid prescriptions (6.0 months) compared with those without (4.0 months, P < .0001). After adjustment for confounders, opioid prescriptions were still associated with improved survival (hazard ratio 0.80; 95% CI, 0.75 to 0.86). On multivariable analysis, opioid prescriptions were associated with older age, female sex, residing in nonmetro areas, and treatment with celiac plexus neurolysis, chemotherapy, and radiation. CONCLUSION: Receipt of opioid prescriptions is associated with longer survival in patients with pancreatic cancer. This may be due to the impact of cancer-related pain, although further studies are needed to better understand the interaction between pain management, cancer-directed therapies, and systemic factors, such as palliative care, availability of opioids, and clinical practice culture.

Microscopic Colitis and Risk of Colon Adenomas: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

Microscopic colitis (MC) is a common cause of chronic watery diarrhea, with the highest incidence in women over age 50.1 Cross-sectional studies have suggested that patients with MC have a lower incidence of adenomatous colon polyps compared with those without MC.2-4 The existing literature is limited by cross-sectional design, small sample sizes, lack of longitudinal follow-up, and the use of average-risk patients, rather than those with chronic diarrhea, as controls. We aimed to explore the association between MC and colon adenomas.

De Novo Ostomy Placement Is Associated with Increased Outpatient Opioid Use In Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Opioid use is associated with poor outcomes in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to identify novel factors associated with increased outpatient opioid (OPRx) use following IBD-related hospitalization. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of IBD patients ≥ 18 years old, hospitalized during 2018. The primary outcome was receiving ≥ 1(OPRx) in the year following index hospitalization (IH), excluding prescriptions written within 2 weeks of discharge. Secondary outcomes included having 1-2 vs ≥ 3 OPRx and rates of healthcare utilization. Univariate and multivariate analyses tested associations with OPRx. RESULTS: Of 526 patients analyzed, 209 (40%) received at least 1 OPRx; with a median of 2 [1-3] OPRx. Presence or placement of ostomy at IH, exposure to opioids during IH, ulcerative colitis (UC), mental health comorbidities, admission for surgery and managed on the surgical service, and IBD surgery within 1 year prior to IH were associated with ≥ 1 OPRx on univariate analysis. On multivariable analysis, UC, ostomy placement during IH, anxiety, and inpatient opioid exposure were independently associated with ≥ 1 OPRx. A majority (> 70%) of both inpatient and outpatient opioid prescriptions were written by surgeons. Patients requiring ≥ 3 OPRx had the highest rates of unplanned IBD surgery (56% p = 0.04), all-cause repeat hospitalization (81%, p = 0.003), and IBD-related repeat hospitalization (77%, p = 0.007) in the year following IH. CONCLUSIONS: A multimodal approach to pain management for IBD patients, as well as increased recognition that any patient with a de novo ostomy is at particular risk of opioid use, is needed.

Bisphosphonate Use Does Not Impact Survival in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Background/Aims: : Bisphosphonates are increasingly recognized for their anti-neoplastic properties, which are the result of their action on the mevalonate pathway. Our primary aim was to investigate the association between bisphosphonate use and survival in patients with pancreatic cancer. Since statins also act on the mevalonate pathway, we also investigated the effect of the combined use of bisphosphonates and statins on survival. Methods: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry (SEER)-Medicare linked database was used to identify patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) between 2007 and 2015. Kaplan-Meier models were used to examine the association between survival with bisphosphonate use alone and in combination with statins within 1 year prior to the diagnosis of PDAC. Propensity score matching analysis and Cox-proportional hazard models were used to determine the association between overall survival with bisphosphonate use alone and combined with statins, after adjusting for relevant confounders, such as the Charlson comorbidity index score, stage, treatment, sociodemographic characteristics, and propensity score. Results: In total, 13,639 patients with PDAC were identified, and 1,203 (8.82%) used bisphosphonates. There was no difference in the mean survival duration between bisphosphonate users (7.27 months) and nonusers (7.25 months, p=0.61). After adjustment for confounders, bisphosphonate use was still not associated with improved survival (hazard ratio, 1.00; 95% confidence interval, 0.93 to 1.08; p=0.96). Combined bisphosphonate and statin use was also not associated with improved survival (hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% confidence interval, 0.87 to 1.07; p=0.48) after adjustment for confounders. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the use of bisphosphonates, whether alone or in combination with statins, does not confer a survival advantage in patients with PDAC.

Survey Finds Gender Disparities Impact Both Women Mentors and Mentees in Gastroenterology.

INTRODUCTION: Gastroenterologists at all levels of practice benefit from formal mentoring. Much of the current literature on mentoring in gastroenterology is based on expert opinion rather than data. In this study, we aimed to identify gender-related barriers to successful mentoring relationships from the mentor and mentee perspectives. METHODS: A voluntary, web-based survey was distributed to physicians at 20 academic institutions across the United States. Overall, 796 gastroenterology fellows and faculty received the survey link, with 334 physicians responding to the survey (42% response rate), of whom 299 (90%; 129 women and 170 men) completed mentorship questions and were included in analysis. RESULTS: Responses of women and men were compared. Compared with men, more women preferred a mentor of the same gender (38.6% women vs 4.2% men, P < 0.0001) but less often had one (45.5% vs 70.2%, P < 0.0001). Women also reported having more difficulty finding a mentor (44.4% vs 16.0%, P < 0.0001) and more often cited inability to identify a mentor of the same gender as a contributing factor (12.8% vs 0.9%, P = 0.0004). More women mentors felt comfortable advising women mentees about work-life balance (88.3% vs 63.8%, P = 0.0005). Nonetheless, fewer women considered themselves effective mentors (33.3% vs 52.6%, P = 0.03). More women reported feeling pressured to mentor because of their gender (39.5% vs 0.9% of men, P < 0.0001). Despite no gender differences, one-third of respondents reported negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their ability to mentor and be mentored. DISCUSSION: Inequities exist in the experiences of women mentees and mentors in gastroenterology, which may affect career advancement and job satisfaction.

Medication use and microscopic colitis: a multicentre retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Medication use has been implicated in the development of microscopic colitis (MC). However, studies have demonstrated inconsistent findings and there exist variations in design. AIM: To measure the association between medication use and MC. METHODS: Patients who underwent a colonoscopy over a 10-year period at two academic medical centres (Columbia University Medical Centre and Mayo Clinic) were identified. Cases were patients with biopsy-proven MC and controls were patients who underwent colonoscopy for evaluation of diarrhoea with biopsies negative for MC. Cases were matched by age, gender and calendar period with up to two controls. Demographics, medication use, smoking history and coeliac disease status were collected. Conditional logistic regression was used with and without adjustment for smoking. RESULTS: A total of 344 patients with MC were matched to 668 controls. After adjusting for smoking, there was an inverse association between MC and use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.47-0.87), H2 blockers (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.24-0.88) and oral diabetes medications (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.27-0.81). There was a positive association with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use and MC (OR 1.63; 95% CI 1.12-2.38). CONCLUSIONS: NSAID use was associated with MC, while use of PPIs, H2 blockers and oral diabetes medications were inversely related to MC. Our use of a control group with diarrhoea, as opposed to healthy controls, may have contributed to these inverse associations. Future studies of drug-induced microscopic colitis should include control groups with diarrhoea, and not only healthy controls.

Beta-blockers have no impact on survival in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma prior to cancer diagnosis.

Previous studies have suggested that ß-adrenergic signaling may regulate the growth of various cancers. The aim of our study is to investigate the association between the incidental use of beta-blockers for various conditions on the overall survival of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Patients with histologically-confirmed PDAC between 2007 and 2011 were extracted from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry (SEER)-Medicare linked database. Kaplan Meier and multivariable Cox Proportional-Hazard models were used to examine the association between beta-blocker usage before diagnosis and overall survival adjusting for appropriate confounders. As an additional analysis we also examined continuous beta-blocker use before and after diagnosis. From 2007 to 2011, 13,731 patients were diagnosed with PDAC. Of these, 7130 patients had Medicare Part D coverage in the 6-month period before diagnosis, with 2564 (36%) of these patients using beta-blockers in this period. Patients receiving beta-blockers had a mean survival time of 5.1 months compared to 6 months for non-users (p < 0.01). In multivariable analysis, beta-blockers usage was not associated with improved survival (Hazard Ratio (HR) 1.04, 95%, Confidence Interval (CI) 0.98-1.1, p = 0.2). When patients were stratified by conditions with indications for beta-blocker usage, such as hypertension, coronary artery disease and cardiac arrhythmia, differences in survival were insignificant compared to non-users in all groups (p > 0.05). After stratification by receptor selectivity, this lack of association with survival persisted (p > 0.05 for all). As a subgroup analysis, looking at patients with continuous Medicare Part D coverage who used beta-blockers in the 6-month period before and after cancer diagnosis, we identified 7085 patients, of which 1750 (24.7%) had continuous beta blocker use. In multivariable analysis, continuous beta-blockers usage was associated with improved survival (Hazard Ratio (HR) 0.86, 95%, Confidence Interval (CI) 0.8-0.9, p < 0.01). Beta-blocker usage before diagnosis does not confer a survival advantage in patients with PDAC, though continuous use before and after diagnosis did confer a survival advantage. Prospective studies into the mechanism for this advantage are needed.