Data extraction for evidence synthesis using a large language model: A proof-of-concept study.

Data extraction is a crucial, yet labor-intensive and error-prone part of evidence synthesis. To date, efforts to harness machine learning for enhancing efficiency of the data extraction process have fallen short of achieving sufficient accuracy and usability. With the release of large language models (LLMs), new possibilities have emerged to increase efficiency and accuracy of data extraction for evidence synthesis. The objective of this proof-of-concept study was to assess the performance of an LLM (Claude 2) in extracting data elements from published studies, compared with human data extraction as employed in systematic reviews. Our analysis utilized a convenience sample of 10 English-language, open-access publications of randomized controlled trials included in a single systematic review. We selected 16 distinct types of data, posing varying degrees of difficulty (160 data elements across 10 studies). We used the browser version of Claude 2 to upload the portable document format of each publication and then prompted the model for each data element. Across 160 data elements, Claude 2 demonstrated an overall accuracy of 96.3% with a high test-retest reliability (replication 1: 96.9%; replication 2: 95.0% accuracy). Overall, Claude 2 made 6 errors on 160 data items. The most common errors (n = 4) were missed data items. Importantly, Claude 2's ease of use was high; it required no technical expertise or labeled training data for effective operation (i.e., zero-shot learning). Based on findings of our proof-of-concept study, leveraging LLMs has the potential to substantially enhance the efficiency and accuracy of data extraction for evidence syntheses.

MI-PACE Home-Based Cardiac Telerehabilitation Program for Heart Attack Survivors: Usability Study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac rehabilitation programs, consisting of exercise training and disease management interventions, reduce morbidity and mortality after acute myocardial infarction. OBJECTIVE: In this pilot study, we aimed to developed and assess the feasibility of delivering a health watch-informed 12-week cardiac telerehabilitation program to acute myocardial infarction survivors who declined to participate in center-based cardiac rehabilitation. METHODS: We enrolled patients hospitalized after acute myocardial infarction at an academic medical center who were eligible for but declined to participate in center-based cardiac rehabilitation. Each participant underwent a baseline exercise stress test. Participants received a health watch, which monitored heart rate and physical activity, and a tablet computer with an app that displayed progress toward accomplishing weekly walking and exercise goals. Results were transmitted to a cardiac rehabilitation nurse via a secure connection. For 12 weeks, participants exercised at home and also participated in weekly phone counseling sessions with the nurse, who provided personalized cardiac rehabilitation solutions and standard cardiac rehabilitation education. We assessed usability of the system, adherence to weekly exercise and walking goals, counseling session attendance, and disease-specific quality of life. RESULTS: Of 18 participants (age: mean 59 years, SD 7) who completed the 12-week telerehabilitation program, 6 (33%) were women, and 6 (33%) had ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Participants wore the health watch for a median of 12.7 hours (IQR 11.1, 13.8) per day and completed a median of 86% of exercise goals. Participants, on average, walked 121 minutes per week (SD 175) and spent 189 minutes per week (SD 210) in their target exercise heart rate zone. Overall, participants found the system to be highly usable (System Usability Scale score: median 83, IQR 65, 100). CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study established the feasibility of delivering cardiac telerehabilitation at home to acute myocardial infarction survivors via a health watch-based program and telephone counseling sessions. Usability and adherence to health watch use, exercise recommendations, and counseling sessions were high. Further studies are warranted to compare patient outcomes and health care resource utilization between center-based rehabilitation and telerehabilitation.

Treatment of Acute Cholecystitis: Do Medicaid and Non-Medicaid Enrolled Patients Receive the Same Care?

BACKGROUND: Nationally, Medicaid enrollees with emergency surgical conditions experience worse outcomes overall when compared with privately insured patients. The goal of this study is to investigate disparities in the treatment of cholecystitis based on insurance type and to identify contributing factors. METHODS: Adults with cholecystitis at a safety-net hospital in Central Massachusetts from 2017-2018 were included. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were compared based on Medicaid enrollment status (Medicare excluded). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to compare the frequency of surgery, time to surgery (TTS), length of stay (LOS), and readmission rates between groups. RESULTS: The sample (n = 203) included 69 Medicaid enrollees (34%), with a mean age of 44.4 years. Medicaid enrollees were younger (p = 0.0006), had lower levels of formal education (high school diploma attainment, p < 0.0001), were more likely to be unmarried (p < 0.0001), Non-White (p = 0.0012), and require an interpreter (p < 0.0001). Patients in both groups experienced similar rates of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, TTS, and LOS; however, Medicaid enrollees experienced more readmissions within 30 days of discharge (30.4% vs 17.9%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Despite anticipated population differences, the treatment of acute cholecystitis was similar between Medicaid and Non-Medicaid enrollees, with the exception of readmission. Further research is needed to identify patient, provider, and/or population factors driving this disparity.

Treatment of appendicitis: Do Medicaid and non-Medicaid-enrolled patients receive the same care?

BACKGROUND: Studies using national data sets have suggested that insurance type drives a disparity in the care of emergency surgery patients. Large databases lack the granularity that smaller, single-institution series may provide. The goal of this study is to identify factors that may account for differences in care between Medicaid and non-Medicaid enrollees with appendicitis in central Massachusetts. METHODS: All adult patients with acute appendicitis in an academic medical center between 2010 and 2018 were included. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were compared according to Medicaid enrollment status. Analyses were performed to assess differences in the frequency of operative treatment, time to surgery, length of stay, and rates of readmission. RESULTS: The sample included 1,257 patients, 10.7% of whom (n = 135) were enrolled in Medicaid. The proportions of patients presenting with perforated appendicitis (28.9% vs 31.2%, P = .857) and undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy (96.3% vs 90.7%, P = .081) were similar between the 2 groups, as were length of stay (20 hours 30 minutes versus 22 hours 38 minutes, P = .109) and readmission rates (17.8% vs 14.5%, P = .683). Medicaid enrollees did experience somewhat greater time to surgery (6 hours 47 minutes versus 4 hours 49 minutes, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Despite anticipated differences in population, the treatment of appendicitis was similar between Medicaid and non-Medicaid enrollees. Medicaid enrollees experienced greater time to surgery; however, further studies are needed to explain this disparity in care.

Increase in white blood cell count is associated with the development of atrial fibrillation after an acute coronary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Evidence linking an elevated white blood cell count (WBCC), a marker of inflammation, to the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is limited. We examined the association between WBCC at hospital admission, and changes in WBCC during hospitalization, with the development of new-onset AF during hospitalization for an ACS. METHODS: Development of AF was based on typical ECG changes in a systematic review of hospital medical records. Increase in WBCC was calculated as the difference between maximal WBCC during hospitalization and WBCC at hospital admission. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for several potentially confounding demographic and clinical variables in examining the association between WBCC, and changes over time therein, with the occurrence of AF. RESULTS: The median age of study patients (n = 1325) was 60 years, 31.8% were women, and 80.1% were non-Hispanic whites. AF developed in 7.3% of patients with an ACS. Patients who developed AF, as compared with those who did not, had a similar WBCC at admission, but a greater increase in WBCC during hospitalization (6.0 × 109 cell/L vs. 2.7 × 109 cell/L, p < 0.001). After adjusting for several potentially confounding factors, an increase in WBCC was associated with the development of AF. This association was observed in patients with different ACS subtypes, types of treatment received, and according to time of acute symptom onset. CONCLUSION: Increase in the WBCC during hospitalization for an ACS should be further studied as a potentially simple predictor for new-onset AF in these patients.

Impact of anxiety on the post-discharge outcomes of patients discharged from the hospital after an acute coronary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Symptoms of anxiety are highly prevalent among survivors of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), but do not necessarily indicate an anxiety disorder. The extent to which symptoms of anxiety or a diagnosis of this condition impacts hospital readmission and post-discharge mortality among patients with an ACS remains unclear. METHODS: We used data from 1909 patients discharged from six hospitals in Massachusetts and Georgia after an ACS. Moderate/severe symptoms of anxiety were defined based on responses to a Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire during the patient's index hospitalization. The diagnosis of an anxiety disorder was based on review of hospital medical records. Multivariable adjusted Poisson regression and Cox proportional-hazards models were used to estimate the risk of 30-day hospital readmissions and 2-year total mortality. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 61 years, two thirds were men, and 78% were non-Hispanic whites. In this population, 10.4% had a documented diagnosis of an anxiety disorder, 18.8% had moderate/severe symptoms of anxiety, and 70.8% had neither a diagnosis nor symptoms of anxiety. Neither a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder nor symptoms of anxiety were associated with 30-day all-cause or cardiovascular-related rehospitalizations. Patients with an anxiety disorder (multivariable adjusted HR = 1.95, 95%CI = 1.11-3.42) were at greatest risk for dying during the 2-year follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: We identified patients with an anxiety disorder as being at greater risk for dying after hospital discharge for an ACS. Interventions may be more appropriately targeted to those with a history of, rather than acute symptoms of, anxiety.

Are we "missing the big picture" in transitions of care? Perspectives of healthcare providers managing patients with unplanned hospitalization.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare providers play a critical role in the care transitions. Therefore, efforts to improve this process should be informed by their perspectives. AIM: The study objective was to explore the factors that negatively/positively influence care transitions following an unplanned hospitalization from the perspective of healthcare providers. METHODS: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews conducted between February and September of 2016 at a single academic medical center. We enrolled fifteen healthcare providers from multiple disciplines involved in the management of patients experiencing an unplanned hospitalization. Respondents shared their experiences with care transitions and identified factors within and outside of the discharging health facility that impede or facilitate this process. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using emerging themes from the interviews. RESULTS: We identified six themes and associated subthemes from the interviews on factors that influence care transitions. Three themes focused on factors within the discharging healthcare facility: untailored and overloaded patient discharge information, timing of the post-discharge care conversation, provider-to-patient and provider-to-provider miscommunication. The other three themes were related to external factors including caregiver involvement, having a safe and stable housing environment, and access to healthcare and community resources. Providers discussed how these factors positively/negatively influence the hospital-to-home transition. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identifies factors within and outside the discharging healthcare facility that influence care transitions, ultimately affect patient-centered outcomes and provider satisfaction with delivered care. Strategies aimed at improving the quality of care transitions should address these barriers and actively engage healthcare providers who are pivotal in care transitions.

Effect of Obesity on Complications in Short-Scar Breast Reduction: A Retrospective Study of 236 Consecutive Patients.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have examined the relationship between obesity and adverse outcomes after reduction mammaplasty, suggesting a correlation between increasing body mass index (BMI) and postoperative complications. However, there is little data published regarding such correlation with respect to short-scar technique. METHODS: A total of 236 patients underwent short-scar mammaplasty with a superomedial pedicle from 2008 to 2014. The procedure was performed by a single surgeon at an academic medical center. Adverse outcomes included delayed healing, major wounds, nipple necrosis, fat necrosis, seroma, hematoma, infection, revision, and dog ear deformities. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to calculate crude and adjusted odds ratios for the association of BMI category with the development of any adverse outcome. RESULTS: Patients were grouped by the following BMI categories: <25 kg/m2 (n = 27), 25 to <30 kg/m2 (n = 71), 30 to <35 kg/m2 (n = 73), 35 to <40 kg/m2 (n = 45), and >40 kg/m2 (n = 20). The mean follow-up period was 260 days. The total complication rate in each group was 22.2%, 23.9%, 27.4%, 33.3%, and 45.0%, respectively. Although the proportion of patients experiencing at least 1 adverse outcome increased across the ascending BMI categories (P trend = .145), there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: This study of 236 patients who underwent short-scar reduction mammaplasty found a positive trend in the incidence of adverse outcomes as BMI increased. However, this was not statistically significant.

HISTORIQUE: Des études antérieures ont porté sur le lien entre l'obésité et les événements indésirables après une mammoplastie de réduction, laissant supposer un lien entre l'augmentation de l'indice de masse corporelle (IMC) et les complications postopératoires. Cependant, peu de données sont publiées sur cette corrélation et la technique à petite cicatrice. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Entre 2008 et 2014, un total de 236 patientes a subi une mammoplastie avec petite cicatrice à l'aide d'un pédicule supériomédian. Un seul chirurgien a effectué l'intervention dans un centre hospitalier universitaire. Les événements indésirables incluaient le retard de la cicatrisation, les plaies majeures, la nécrose du mamelon, la nécrose des graisses, le sérome, l'hématome, l'infection, la révision et les déformations cornées. Les chercheurs ont utilisé l'analyse par régression logistique univariée et multivariée pour calculer le rapport de cotes (RC) brut et rajusté et établir l'association entre la catégorie d'IMC et l'apparition d'événements indésirables. RÉSULTATS: Les patientes étaient regroupées selon les catégories d'IMC suivantes : moins de 25 kg/m2 (n = 27), 25 à moins de 30 kg/m2 (n = 71), 30 à moins de 35 kg/m2 (n = 73), 35 à moins de 40 kg/m2 (n = 45) et plus de de 40 kg/m2 (n = 20). La période de suivi moyenne était de 260 jours. Dans chaque groupe, le taux total de complications s'élevait à 22.2 %, 23.9 %, 27.4 %, 33.3 % et 45.0 %, respectivement. Même si la proportion des patientes qui présentaient au moins un événement indésirable augmentait en fonction des catégories d'IMC ascendantes, (tendance P = 0,145), les différences n'étaient pas statistiquement significatives entre les groupes. CONCLUSIONS: La présente étude auprès de 236 patientes qui ont subi une mammoplastie avec petite cicatrice a déterminé que l'incidence d'événements indésirables augmentait proportionnellement à l'IMC. Cette observation n'était toutefois pas statistiquement significative.

Barriers to Healthcare Access and to Improvements in Health-Related Quality of Life After an Acute Coronary Syndrome (From TRACE-CORE).

Little is known about how barriers to healthcare access affect health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). In a large cohort of ACS survivors from 6 medical centers in Massachusetts and Georgia enrolled from 2011 to 2013, patients were classified as having any financial barriers, no usual source of care (USOC), or transportation barriers to healthcare based on their questionnaire survey responses. The principal study outcomes included clinically meaningful declines in generic physical and mental HRQOL and in disease-specific HRQOL from 1 to 6 months posthospital discharge. Adjusted relative risks (aRRs) for declines in HRQOL were calculated using Poisson regression models, controlling for several sociodemographic and clinical factors of prognostic importance. In 1,053 ACS survivors, 29.0% had a financial barrier, 14.2% had no USOC, and 8.7% had a transportation barrier. Patients with a financial barrier had greater risks of experiencing a decline in generic physical (aRR 1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17, 1.86) and mental (aRR 1.36, 95% CI 1.07, 1.75) HRQOL at 6 months. Patients with 2 or more access barriers had greater risks of decline in generic physical (aRR 1.53, 95% CI 1.20, 1.93) and mental (aRR 1.50, 95% CI 1.17, 1.93) HRQOL compared with those without any healthcare barriers. There was a modest association between lacking a USOC and experiencing a decline in disease-specific HRQOL (aRR 1.46, 95% CI 0.96, 2.22). Financial and other barriers to healthcare access may be associated with clinically meaningful declines in HRQOL after hospital discharge for an ACS.

Barriers to Healthcare Access and Long-Term Survival After an Acute Coronary Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Barriers to healthcare are common in the USA and may result in worse outcomes among hospital survivors of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between barriers to healthcare and 2-year mortality after hospital discharge for an ACS. DESIGN: Longitudinal study. SETTING: Survivors of an ACS hospitalization were recruited from 6 medical centers in central Massachusetts and Georgia in 2011-2013. PATIENTS: Study participants with a confirmed ACS reported whether they had a financial-related healthcare barrier, no usual source of care, or a transportation-related healthcare barrier around the time of hospital admission. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS: Cox regression analyses calculated adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for 2-year all-cause mortality for the three healthcare barriers while controlling for several demographic, clinical, and psychosocial characteristics. RESULTS: The mean age of study participants (n = 2008) was 62 years, 33% were women, and 77% were non-Hispanic white. One third of patients reported a financial barrier, 17% lacked a usual source of care, and 12% had a transportation barrier. Five percent (n = 100) died within 2 years after hospital discharge. Compared to patients without these barriers, those lacking a usual source of care and with barriers to transportation experienced significantly higher mortality (aHRs 1.40, 95% CI 1.30 to 1.51 and 1.46, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.89, respectively). Financial barriers were not associated with all-cause mortality (aHR 0.79, 95% CI 0.60 to 1.06). LIMITATIONS: Observational study with other unmeasured potentially confounding prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Absence of an established usual source of care and inconsistent transportation availability were associated with a higher risk for dying after an ACS. Patients with these barriers to follow-up care may benefit from more intensive follow-up and support.

Hospital evaluation of health literacy and associated outcomes in patients after acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Low health literacy is common in the United States and may affect outcomes after myocardial infarction (MI). How often hospitals screen for low health literacy is unknown. METHODS: We surveyed 122 hospitals in the TRANSLATE-ACS study and divided them into those that reported routinely (>75% of patients), selectively (1%-75%), or never (0%) screening MI patients for low health literacy prior to discharge. We performed logistic regression with random intercepts to compare 6-week and 6-month patient-reported medication adherence and multivariable Cox regression to compare 1-year major adverse cardiovascular events and all-cause readmission risks between hospital groups. RESULTS: Overall, 25 (20.5%), 47 (38.5%), and 50 (41.0%) hospitals reported routinely, selectively, or never screening patients for low health literacy, respectively. Patients discharged from hospitals that routinely screened were more likely to report 6-week medication adherence [routinely: adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.26, 95% CI 1.01-1.57; selectively: adjusted OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.00-1.43, both referenced to those discharged from hospitals that never screened]. Compared with hospitals that never screened health literacy, 1-year major adverse cardiovascular events were similar for hospitals that reported routinely screening (adjusted HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.75-1.14) or selectively screening (adjusted HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.84-1.21). Hospitals that reported selectively screening health literacy were associated with a lower adjusted risk of 1-year all-cause readmission (adjusted HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.79-1.00, P=.041). CONCLUSION: Only a minority of US hospitals routinely screen MI patients for low health literacy. Hospital screening was associated with higher medication adherence and lower readmission risk. Further investigation is needed to understand how inpatient screening can be implemented to improve longitudinal post-MI care.

Survivors of an Acute Coronary Syndrome With Lower Patient Activation Are More Likely to Experience Declines in Health-Related Quality of Life.

BACKGROUND: Patient activation comprises the knowledge, skills, and confidence for self-care and may lead to better health outcomes. OBJECTIVES: We examined the relationship between patient activation and changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after hospitalization for an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: We studied patients from 6 medical centers in central Massachusetts and Georgia who had been hospitalized for an ACS between 2011 and 2013. At 1 month after hospital discharge, the patients completed the 6-item Patient Activation Measure and were categorized into 4 levels of activation. Multinomial logistic regression analyses compared activation level with clinically meaningful changes (≥3.0 points, generic; ≥10.0 points, disease-specific) in generic physical (SF-36v2 Physical Component Summary [PCS]), generic mental (SF-36v2 Mental Component Summary [MCS]), and disease-specific (Seattle Angina Questionnaire [SAQ]) HRQOL from 1 to 3 and 1 to 6 months after hospitalization, adjusting for potential sociodemographic and clinical confounders. RESULTS: The patients (N = 1042) were, on average, 62 years old, 34% female, and 87% non-Hispanic white. A total of 10% were in the lowest level of activation. The patients with the lowest activation had 1.95 times (95% confidence interval, 1.05-3.62) and 2.18 times (95% confidence interval, 1.17-4.05) the odds of experiencing clinically significant declines in MCS and SAQ HRQOL, respectively, between 1 and 6 months than the most activated patients. The patient activation level was not associated with meaningful changes in PCS scores. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital survivors of an ACS with lower activation may be more likely to experience declines in mental and disease-specific HRQOL than more-activated patients, identifying a group at risk of poor outcomes.

Underuse of Effective Cardiac Medications Among Women, Middle-Aged Adults, and Racial/Ethnic Minorities With Coronary Artery Disease (from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005 to 2014).

Given the proven effectiveness of several cardiac medications for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), we examined the national use of 4 classes of effective medications, overall and by age, sex, and race/ethnicity in 2005 to 2014. We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, including a self-reported diagnosis of CAD and independently verified medication use. Weighting procedures extrapolated our data to the adult US population with CAD. Analyses included 1,789 US adults aged ≥45 years with a history of CAD. The average age of this population was 68 years; 40% were women and 79% were non-Hispanic whites. In 2005 to 2014, 53.2% (standard error [SE] = 1.5) reported use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blockers, 58.5% (SE = 1.5) ß blockers, and 67.2% (SE = 1.4) statins. Two of these medications were used by 64.1% (SE = 1.5) of the study population and all 3 by 29.1% (SE = 1.3). In 2011 to 2014, 68.5% (SE = 2.4) of American adults with a history of CAD reported use of aspirin. The use of statins increased from 63.1% in 2005/2006 to 76.8% in 2013/2014. Adults aged 45 to 64 years old, women, and racial/ethnic minorities had lower use of effective cardiac medications compared with older adults, men, and non-Hispanic whites. In conclusion, the use of statins, but not other medications, has increased over the past 10 years among American adults with previously diagnosed CAD. Continued targeted efforts are needed to increase the receipt of effective cardiac medications among all US adults with CAD, especially those aged 45 to 64 years, women, and racial/ethnic minorities.

A systematic review and meta-analysis on herpes zoster and the risk of cardiac and cerebrovascular events.

BACKGROUND: Patients who develop herpes zoster or herpes zoster ophthalmicus may be at risk for cerebrovascular and cardiac complications. We systematically reviewed the published literature to determine the association between herpes zoster and its subtypes with the occurrence of cerebrovascular and cardiac events. METHODS/RESULTS: Systematic searches of PubMed (MEDLINE), SCOPUS (Embase) and Google Scholar were performed in December 2016. Eligible studies were cohort, case-control, and self-controlled case-series examining the association between herpes zoster or subtypes of herpes zoster with the occurrence of cerebrovascular and cardiac events including stroke, transient ischemic attack, coronary heart disease, and myocardial infarction. Data on the occurrence of the examined events were abstracted. Odds ratios and their accompanying confidence intervals were estimated using random and fixed effects models with statistical heterogeneity estimated with the I2 statistic. Twelve studies examining 7.9 million patients up to 28 years after the onset of herpes zoster met our pre-defined eligibility criteria. Random and fixed effects meta-analyses showed that herpes zoster, type unspecified, and herpes zoster ophthalmicus were associated with a significantly increased risk of cerebrovascular events, without any evidence of statistical heterogeneity. Our meta-analysis also found a significantly increased risk of cardiac events associated with herpes zoster, type unspecified. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are consistent with the accumulating body of evidence that herpes zoster and herpes zoster ophthalmicus are significantly associated with cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events.

Decade-Long Trends (2001 to 2011) in the Use of Evidence-Based Medical Therapies at the Time of Hospital Discharge for Patients Surviving Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Optimization of medical therapy during discharge planning is vital for improving patient outcomes after hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, limited information is available about recent trends in the prescribing of evidence-based medical therapies in these patients, especially from a population-based perspective. We describe decade-long trends in the discharge prescribing of aspirin, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, ß blockers, and statins in hospital survivors of AMI. The study population consisted of 5,253 patients who were discharged from all 11 hospitals in central Massachusetts after AMI in 6 biennial periods from 2001 to 2011. Combination medical therapy (CMT) was defined as the prescription of all 4 cardiac medications at hospital discharge. The average age of this patient population was 69.2 years and 57.7% were men. Significant increases were observed in the use of CMT, from 25.6% in 2001 to 48.7% in 2011, with increases noted for each of the individual cardiac medications examined. Subgroup analysis also showed improvement in discharge prescriptions for P2Y12 inhibitors in patients who underwent a percutaneous coronary intervention. Presence of a do-not-resuscitate order, before co-morbidities, hospitalization for non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, admission to a nonteaching hospital, and failure to undergo cardiac catheterization or a percutaneous coronary intervention were associated with underuse of CMT. In conclusion, our study demonstrates encouraging trends in the prescribing of evidence-based medications at hospital discharge for AMI. However, certain patient subgroups continue to be at risk for underuse of CMT, suggesting the need for strategies to enhance compliance with current practice guidelines.

Decade Long Trends (2001-2011) in Duration of Pre-Hospital Delay Among Elderly Patients Hospitalized for an Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Early intervention with medical and/or coronary revascularization treatment approaches remains the cornerstone of the management of patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, several patient groups, especially the elderly, are known to delay seeking prompt medical care after onset of AMI-associated symptoms. Current trends, and factors associated with prolonged prehospital delay among elderly patients hospitalized with AMI, are incompletely understood. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data from a population-based study of patients hospitalized at all 11 medical centers in central Massachusetts with a confirmed AMI on a biennial basis between 2001 and 2011 were analyzed. Information about duration of prehospital delay after onset of acute coronary symptoms was abstracted from hospital medical records. In patients 65 years and older, the overall median duration of prehospital delay was 2.0 hours, with corresponding median delays of 2.0, 2.1, and 2.0 hours in those aged 65 to 74 years, 75 to 84 years, and in patients 85 years and older, respectively. There were no significant changes over time in median delay times in each of the age strata examined in both crude and multivariable adjusted analyses. A limited number of patient characteristics were associated with prolonged delay in this patient population. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this community-wide study demonstrate that delay in seeking prompt medical care continues to be a significant problem among elderly patients hospitalized with AMI. The lack of improvement in the timeliness of patients' care-seeking behavior during the years under study remains of considerable clinical and public health concern.

Identification and Characteristics of Low-Risk Survivors of an Acute Myocardial Infarction.

There are limited contemporary data available describing the characteristics of patients who neither died nor were readmitted to the hospital during the first year after hospital discharge for an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in comparison with those who died and/or were readmitted to the hospital during this high-risk period. Residents of the Worcester, Massachusetts, metropolitan area discharged after an AMI from 3 central Massachusetts hospitals on a biennial basis from 2001 to 2011 comprised the study population. The average age of this population (n = 4,268) was 69 years, 62% were men, and 92% were white. From 2001 to 2011, 43.5% of patients were classified as low-risk survivors of an AMI, 12.3% died, and 44.2% did not die but had at least 1 rehospitalization during the subsequent year. The proportion of low-risk survivors increased from 42.6% to 46.4%, whereas the proportion of those who died within a year after hospital discharge decreased from 14.3% to 10.5%, respectively, during the years under study. After adjusting for several patient characteristics, younger (≤65 years) persons, men, those who were married, those who did not present with multimorbidities, and patients who did not develop in-hospital clinical complications were more likely to be classified as a low-risk AMI survivor. Identifying low-risk survivors of an AMI may help health care providers to focus more intensive efforts and interventions on those at higher risk for dying and/or being readmitted to the hospital during the postdischarge transition period after an AMI.

Multiple Chronic Conditions and Psychosocial Limitations in Patients Hospitalized with an Acute Coronary Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: As adults live longer, multiple chronic conditions have become more prevalent over the past several decades. We describe the prevalence of, and patient characteristics associated with, cardiac- and non-cardiac-related multimorbidities in patients discharged from the hospital after an acute coronary syndrome. METHODS: We studied 2174 patients discharged from the hospital after an acute coronary syndrome at 6 medical centers in Massachusetts and Georgia between April 2011 and May 2013. Hospital medical records yielded clinical information including presence of eight cardiac-related and eight non-cardiac-related morbidities on admission. We assessed multiple psychosocial characteristics during the index hospitalization using standardized in-person instruments. RESULTS: The mean age of the study sample was 61 years, 67% were men, and 81% were non-Hispanic whites. The most common cardiac-related morbidities were hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes (76%, 69%, and 31%, respectively). Arthritis, chronic pulmonary disease, and depression (20%, 18%, and 13%, respectively) were the most common noncardiac morbidities. Patients with ≥4 morbidities (37% of the population) were slightly older and more frequently female than those with 0-1 morbidity; they were also heavier and more likely to be cognitively impaired (26% vs 12%), have symptoms of moderate/severe depression (31% vs 15%), high perceived stress (48% vs 32%), a limited social network (22% vs 15%), low health literacy (42% vs 31%), and low health numeracy (54% vs 42%). CONCLUSION: Multimorbidity, highly prevalent in patients hospitalized with an acute coronary syndrome, is strongly associated with indices of psychosocial deprivation. This emphasizes the challenge of caring for these patients, which extends well beyond acute coronary syndrome management.

Changing Trends in, and Characteristics Associated with, Not Undergoing Cardiac Catheterization in Elderly Adults Hospitalized with ST-Segment Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction.

OBJECTIVES: To describe decade- long trends (1999-2009) in the rates of not undergoing cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in individuals aged 65 and older presenting with an ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) and factors associated with not undergoing these procedures. DESIGN: Observational population-based study. SETTING: Worcester, Massachusetts, metropolitan area. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 65 and older hospitalized for an STEMI in six biennial periods between 1999 and 2009 at 11 central Massachusetts medical centers (N=960). MEASUREMENTS: Analyses were conducted to examine the characteristics of people who did not undergo cardiac catheterization overall and stratified into two age strata (65-74, ≥75). RESULTS: Between 1999 and 2009, dramatic declines (from 59.4% to 7.5%) were observed in the proportion of older adults who did not undergo cardiac catheterization at all greater Worcester hospitals. These declines were observed in individuals aged 65 to 74 (58.4-6.7%) and in those aged 75 and older (69.4-13.5%). The proportion of individuals not undergoing PCI after undergoing cardiac catheterization decreased from 36.6% in 1999 to 6.5% in 2009. Women, individuals with a prior MI, those with do-not-resuscitate orders, and those with various comorbidities were less likely to have undergone these procedures than comparison groups. CONCLUSION: Older adults who develop an STEMI are increasingly likely to undergo cardiac catheterization and PCI, but several high-risk groups remain less likely to undergo these procedures.

Thirty-day Hospital Readmissions in Patients with Non-ST-segment Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Limited data exist about relatively recent trends in the magnitude and characteristics of patients who are rehospitalized shortly after admission for a non-ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). This observational study describes decade-long trends (1999-2009) in the magnitude and characteristics of patients readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of hospitalization for an incident (initial) episode of NSTEMI. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 2249 residents of the Worcester (Mass) metropolitan area who were hospitalized for an initial NSTEMI in 6 biennial periods between 1999 and 2009 at 3 central Massachusetts medical centers. RESULTS: The average age of our study population was 72 years, 90% were white, and 46% were women. The proportion of patients who were readmitted to the hospital for any cause within 30 days after discharge for an NSTEMI remained unchanged between 1999 and 2009 (approximately 15%) in both crude and multivariable adjusted analyses. Slight declines were observed for cardiovascular disease-related 30-day readmissions over the 10-year study period. Women, elderly patients, those with multiple chronic comorbidities or a prolonged index hospitalization, and patients who developed heart failure during their index hospitalization were at higher risk for being readmitted within 30 days than respective comparison groups. CONCLUSION: Thirty-day hospital readmission rates after hospital discharge for a first NSTEMI remained stable between 1999 and 2009. We identified several groups at higher risk for hospital readmission; further surveillance efforts and/or tailored educational and treatment approaches remain needed for these groups.