Impact of Social Vulnerability on Cardiac Arrest Mortality in the United States, 2016 to 2020.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac arrest is 1 of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, with an estimated 340 000 out-of-hospital and 292 000 in-hospital cardiac arrest events per year in the United States. Survival rates are lower in certain racial and socioeconomic groups. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a county-level cross-sectional longitudinal study using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research multiple causes of death data set between 2016 and 2020 among individuals of all ages whose death was attributed to cardiac arrest. The Social Vulnerability Index is a composite measure that includes socioeconomic vulnerability, household composition, disability, individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups status and language, and housing and transportation domains. We examined the impact of social determinants on cardiac arrest mortality stratified by age, race, ethnicity, and sex in the United States. All age-adjusted mortality rate (cardiac arrest AAMRs) are reported as per 100 000. Overall cardiac arrest AAMR during the study period was 95.6. The cardiac arrest AAMR was higher for men compared with women (119.6 versus 89.9) and for the Black population compared with the White population (150.4 versus 92.3). The cardiac arrest AAMR increased from 64.8 in counties in quintile 1 of Social Vulnerability Index to 141 in quintile 5, with an average increase of 13% (95% CI, 9.8%-16.9%) in AAMR per quintile increase. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality from cardiac arrest varies widely, with a >2-fold difference between the counties with the highest and lowest social vulnerability, highlighting the differential burden of cardiac arrest deaths throughout the United States based on social determinants of health.

What cardiac arrest registries can tell us about health differences and disparities.

Cardiac arrest is common and associated with significant mortality and morbidity among survivors. To better understand the epidemiology and outcomes of cardiac arrest, many countries and regions have developed cardiac arrest registries. In the United States, with the diversity of its population, these registries have illuminated differences and disparities in the care and outcomes of cardiac arrest patients based on their race, ethnicity, and sex. These findings raise concerns as traditionally vulnerable patient groups have lower survival rates for cardiac arrest-a condition for which overall survival is already low. Although leveraging registries to raise awareness of disparities in cardiac arrest outcomes is an important first step, further research is needed to understand the sources of these differences, narrow observed disparities and improve overall outcomes.

Impact of social vulnerability on cardiac arrest mortality in the United States, 2016-2020.

Importance: Cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, with an estimated 340,000 out-of-hospital and 292,000 in-hospital cardiac arrest events per year in the U.S. Survival rates are lower in certain racial and socioeconomic groups. Objective: To examine the impact of social determinants on cardiac arrest mortality among adults stratified by age, race, and sex in the U.S. Design: A county-level cross-sectional longitudinal study using death data between 2016 and 2020 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) database. Setting: Using the multiple causes of death dataset from the CDC's WONDER database, cardiac arrests were identified using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), tenth revision, clinical modification codes. Participants: Individuals aged 15 years or more whose death was attributed to cardiac arrest. Exposures: Social vulnerability index (SVI), reported by the CDC, is a composite measure that includes socioeconomic vulnerability, household composition, disability, minority status and language, and housing and transportation domains. Main outcomes and measures: Cardiac arrest mortality per 100,000 adults. Results: Overall age-adjusted cardiac arrest mortality (AAMR) during the study period was 95.6 per 100,000 persons. The AAMR was higher for men as compared with women (119.6 vs. 89.9 per 100,000) and for Black, as compared with White, adults (150.4 vs. 92.3 per 100,000). The AAMR increased from 64.8 per 100,000 persons in counties in Quintile 1 (Q1) of SVI to 141 per 100,000 persons in Quintile 5, with an average increase of 13% (95% CI: 9.8-16.9) in AAMR per quintile increase. Conclusion and relevance: Mortality from cardiac arrest varies widely, with a more than 2-fold difference between the counties with the highest and lowest social vulnerability, highlighting the differential burden of cardiac arrest deaths throughout the U.S. based on social determinants of health.

Long-Term Outcomes for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Elderly Patients: An Analysis of Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival Data Linked to Medicare Files.

BACKGROUND: Most studies on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest have primarily focused on in-hospital or short-term survival. Little is known about long-term outcomes and resource use among survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. METHODS: In this observationsl study, we describe overall long-term outcomes for patients from the national Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival linked to Medicare files to create the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival: Mortality, Events, and Costs for Cardiac Arrest survivors dataset. Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival data between 2013 and 2019 were linked to Medicare data using probabilistic matching algorithms. Overall long-term mortality, readmissions, and index hospitalization costs are reported for the overall cohort. RESULTS: Among 56 425 patients who were 65 years of age or older in Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival who survived to hospital admission, 26 875 (47.6%) were successfully linked to Medicare files. Mean (+SD) cost of the index hospitalization was $23 262+$24 199 and the median cost was $14 636 (interquartile range, $9930-$30 033). Overall, 8676 (32.3%) survived to hospital discharge with 38.0% discharged home, 11.8% to hospice care, and the remaining 50.2% to other inpatient, skilled nursing care, or rehabilitation facilities. Mortality after discharge was initially high (27.0% at 3 months) and then increased gradually, with 1- and 3-year mortality of 37.1% and 50.1%, respectively. During the first year, 40.1% were readmitted at least once, with 19.7% readmitted on > 1 occasion. CONCLUSIONS: The Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival: Mortality, Events, and Costs for Cardiac Arrest survivors registry includes rich data on postdischarge outcomes and resource utilization. Use of this dataset will enable future investigations on the long-term effectiveness, costs, and cost-effectiveness of various interventions for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in elderly patients.

Association of Rapid Response Teams With Hospital Mortality in Medicare Patients.

BACKGROUND: Although rapid response teams have been widely promoted as a strategy to reduce unexpected hospital deaths, most studies of rapid response teams have not adjusted for secular trends in mortality before their implementation. We examined whether implementation of a rapid response team was associated with a reduction in hospital mortality after accounting for preimplementation mortality trends. METHODS: Among 56 hospitals in Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation linked to Medicare, we calculated the annual rates of case mix-adjusted mortality for each hospital during 2000 to 2014. We constructed a hierarchical log-binomial regression model of mortality over time (calendar-year), incorporating terms to capture the effect of rapid response teams, to determine whether implementation of rapid response teams was associated with reduction in hospital mortality that was larger than expected based on preimplementation trends, while adjusting for hospital case mix index. RESULTS: The median annual number of Medicare admissions was 5214 (range, 408-18 398). The median duration of preimplementation and postimplementation period was 7.6 years (≈2.5 million admissions) and 7.2 years (≈2.6 million admissions), respectively. Hospital mortality was decreasing by 2.7% annually during the preimplementation period. Implementation of rapid response teams was not associated with a change in mortality during the initial year (relative risk for model intercept, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.94-1.02]; P=0.30) or in the mortality trend (relative risk for model slope, 1.01 per year [95% CI, 0.99-1.02]; P=0.30). Among individual hospitals, implementation of a rapid response team was associated with a lower-than-expected mortality at only 4 (7.1%) and higher-than-expected mortality at 2 (3.7%) hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: Among a large and diverse sample of US hospitals, we did not find implementation of rapid response teams to be associated with reduction in hospital mortality. Studies are needed to understand best practices for rapid response team implementation, to ensure that hospital investment in these teams improves patient outcomes.

Association of country economy and socioeconomic factors on risk factor control for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes mellitus: Insights from the DISCOVER study.

BACKGROUND: We sought to describe global patterns in achievement of risk factor control for primary prevention in patients with T2D and explore the association of country's GNI/capita with risk factor control. METHODS: The DISCOVER study is a prospective, observational study of patients with T2D from 38 countries enrolled at initiation of second-line glucose-lowering therapy. We examined achievement of risk factor control (glycosylated hemoglobin <7%, blood pressure <140/90 mmHg, prescription of a statin) at 3 years among those without optimal control at baseline. Countries were stratified by gross national income (GNI)/capita, from 2017). We examined the impact of country GNI/capita with achievement of risk factor control. FINDINGS: Our cohort included 9613 patients with T2D and without baseline cardiovascular disease (mean age 57.2 ± 8.7 years, 47.9% women). At baseline, 6354/7646 patients (83.1%) had suboptimal glucose control, 3449/9200 patients (37.5%) had suboptimal BP control, and 2800/4221 patients (66.7%) were not on an appropriate statin (sample sizes differed due to missing covariate data). Optimal control at 3 years of follow-up was achieved in 41% (glucose), 56% (blood pressure), and 29% (statins) of patients. There was significant variability in achievement of risk factor control across countries but no association between country GNI/capita with achievement of risk factor control (p > 0.08 for all). INTERPRETATION: In a global, prospective study of patients with T2D, we found that cardiovascular risk factor control achievement was suboptimal despite 3 years of follow-up in specialized health care systems. Neither country-level nor patient-level socioeconomic factors fully explained this finding.

Variation Across Hospitals in In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Incidence Among Medicare Beneficiaries.

IMPORTANCE: Although survival for in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) has improved substantially over the last 2 decades, survival rates have plateaued in recent years. A better understanding of hospital differences in IHCA incidence may provide important insights regarding best practices for prevention of IHCA. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of IHCA among Medicare beneficiaries, and evaluate hospital variation in incidence of IHCA. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This observational cohort study analyzes 2014 to 2017 data from 170 hospitals participating in the Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation registry, linked to Medicare files. Participants were adults aged 65 years and older. Statistical analysis was performed from January to December 2021. EXPOSURES: Case-mix index, teaching status, and nurse-staffing. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Hospital incidence of IHCA among Medicare beneficiaries was estimated as the number of IHCA patients divided by the total number of hospital admissions. Multivariable hierarchical regression models were used to calculate hospital incidence rates adjusted for differences in patient case-mix and evaluate the association of hospital variables with IHCA incidence. RESULTS: Among a total of 4.5 million admissions at 170 hospitals, 38 630 patients experienced an IHCA during 2014 to 2017. Among the 38 630 patients with IHCAs, 7571 (19.6%) were non-Hispanic Black, 26 715 (69.2%) were non-Hispanic White, and 16 732 (43.3%) were female; the mean (SD) age at admission was 76.3 (7.8) years. The median risk-adjusted IHCA incidence was 8.5 per 1000 admissions (95% CI, 8.2-9.0 per 1000 admissions). After adjusting for differences in case-mix index, IHCA incidence varied markedly across hospitals ranging from 2.4 per 1000 admissions to 25.5 per 1000 admissions (IQR, 6.6-11.4; median odds ratio, 1.51 [95% CI, 1.44-1.58]). Among hospital variables, a higher case-mix index, higher nurse staffing, and teaching status were associated with a lower hospital incidence of IHCA. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This cohort study found that the incidence of IHCA varies markedly across hospitals, and hospitals with higher nurse staffing and teaching status had lower IHCA incidence rates. Future studies are needed to better understand processes of care at hospitals with exceptionally low IHCA incidence to identify best practices for cardiac arrest prevention.

Global Incidence and Mortality of Gastric Cancer, 1980-2018.

Importance: Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers, with a high mortality-to-incidence ratio. It is uncertain whether developed nations may encounter an increasing burden of gastric cancer in young adults, as occurs for other cancers. Objectives: To evaluate the incidence and mortality of gastric cancer and compare the global incidence trends between younger (<40 years) and older (≥40 years) populations. Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based cohort study analyzed data from global and national cancer registries, including data from 1980 to 2018, with at least 15 calendar years of incidence and mortality data. Data on age-standardized incidence and mortality rates of gastric cancer among 48 countries were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program, the National Cancer Institute, the Nordic Cancer Registries, and the World Health Organization Mortality Database. The 10-year incidence trend of gastric cancer was assessed by age and sex. The 2018 GLOBOCAN database was used for reporting the global incidence and mortality of gastric cancer, the most recent data available at the time of analysis. Analyses were performed between January 10, 2020, and March 20, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures: The average annual percent change (AAPC) of the incidence and mortality trends as evaluated by joinpoint regression analysis. Results: A total of 1 033 701 new cases of gastric cancer and 782 685 related deaths were reported in 2018. Overall, the incidence of gastric cancer decreased in 29 countries, and mortality decreased in 41 countries. The age-standardized incidence of gastric cancer decreased from a range of 2.6 to 59.1 in 1980 to a range of 2.5 to 56.8 in 2018 per 100 000 persons. The overall age-standardized mortality rate changed from a range of 1.3 to 25.8 in 1980 to a range of 1.5 to 18.5 in 2018 per 100 000 persons, but increasing mortality was observed in Thailand (female: AAPC, 5.30; 95% CI, 4.38-6.23; P < .001; male: AAPC, 3.92; 95% CI, 2.14-5.74; P < .001). The incidence of gastric cancer decreased in most regions among individuals 40 years or older and increased in populations younger than 40 years in several countries, including Sweden (male: AAPC, 13.92; 95% CI, 7.16-21.11; P = .001), Ecuador (female: AAPC, 6.05; 95% CI, 1.40-10.92; P = .02), and the UK (male: AAPC, 4.27; 95% CI, 0.15-8.55; P = .04; female: AAPC, 3.60; 95% CI, 3.59-3.61; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: In this population-based cohort study, an increasing incidence of gastric cancer was observed in younger individuals in some countries, highlighting the need for more preventive strategies in younger populations. Future research should explore the reasons for these epidemiologic trends.

Multivessel Versus Culprit-Vessel Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction and Cardiogenic Shock.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare in-hospital outcomes and long-term mortality of multivessel versus culprit vessel-only percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), multivessel disease (MVD) and cardiogenic shock. BACKGROUND: The clinical benefits of complete revascularization in patients with NSTEMI, MVD, and cardiogenic shock remain uncertain. METHODS: Among 25,324 patients included in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI Registry from July 2009 to March 2018, the rates of in-hospital procedural outcomes were compared between those undergoing multivessel PCI and those undergoing culprit vessel-only PCI after 1:1 propensity score matching. Among patients aged ≥65 years matched to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services database, long-term mortality was compared using proportional hazards analysis. RESULTS: Multivessel PCI was performed in 9,791 patients (38.7%), which increased from 32.2% in 2010 to 44.2% in 2017 (p for trend <0.001). After 1:1 propensity matching (n = 7,864 in each group), those undergoing multivessel PCI had a 3.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0% to 5.0%) lower absolute rate of in-hospital mortality (30.9% vs. 34.4%; p < 0.001; odds ratio [OR]: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.80 to 0.91), but a higher risk for bleeding (13.2% vs. 10.8%; p < 0.001; OR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.15 to 1.40) and new requirement for dialysis (5.7% vs. 4.6%; p = 0.001; OR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.46). Among those surviving to discharge, all-cause mortality was similar through 7 years (conditional hazard ratio: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.87 to 1.03; p = 0.20). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly 40% of patients with NSTEMI with MVD and cardiogenic shock underwent multivessel PCI, which was associated with lower in-hospital mortality but greater peri-procedural complications. Among those surviving to discharge, multivessel PCI did not confer additional long-term mortality benefit.

Assessment of Rapid Response Teams at Top-Performing Hospitals for In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

IMPORTANCE: Rapid response teams (RRTs) are foundational to hospital response to deteriorating conditions of patients. However, little is known about differences in RRT organization and function across top-performing and non-top-performing hospitals for in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) care. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate differences in design and implementation of RRTs at top-performing and non-top-performing sites for survival of IHCA, which is known to be associated with hospital performance on IHCA incidence. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A qualitative analysis was performed of data from semistructured interviews of 158 hospital staff members (nurses, physicians, administrators, and staff) during site visits to 9 hospitals participating in the Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation program and consistently ranked in the top, middle, and bottom quartiles for IHCA survival during 2012-2014. Site visits were conducted from April 19, 2016, to July 27, 2017. Data analysis was completed in January 2019. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Semistructured in-depth interviews were performed and thematic analysis was conducted on strategies for IHCA prevention, including RRT roles and responsibilities. RESULTS: Of the 158 participants, 72 were nurses (45.6%), 27 physicians (17.1%), 27 clinical staff (17.1%), and 32 administrators (20.3%). Between 12 and 30 people at each hospital participated in interviews. Differences in RRTs at top-performing and non-top-performing sites were found in the following 4 domains: team design and composition, RRT engagement in surveillance of at-risk patients, empowerment of bedside nurses to activate the RRT, and collaboration with bedside nurses during and after a rapid response. At top-performing hospitals, RRTs were typically staffed with dedicated team members without competing clinical responsibilities, who provided expertise to bedside nurses in managing patients who were at risk for deterioration, and collaborated with nurses during and after a rapid response. Bedside nurses were empowered to activate RRTs based on their judgment and experience without fear of reprisal from physicians or hospital staff. In contrast, RRT members at non-top-performing hospitals had competing clinical responsibilities and were generally less engaged with bedside nurses. Nurses at non-top-performing hospitals reported concerns about potential consequences from activating the RRT. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This qualitative study's findings suggest that top-performing hospitals feature RRTs with dedicated staff without competing clinical responsibilities, that work collaboratively with bedside nurses, and that can be activated without fear of reprisal. These findings provide unique insights into RRTs at hospitals with better IHCA outcomes.

Reexamination of the UN10 Rule to Discontinue Resuscitation During In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Importance: Several clinical decision rules (CDRs) have been developed to help practitioners know when to safely terminate resuscitative efforts after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). The UN10 rule, a CDR that uses 3 intra-arrest variables, has been shown to predict a poor chance of survival to discharge. However, its large-scale applicability in clinical settings remains unknown. Objective: To assess the performance of a parsimonious CDR in a national cohort of individuals with IHCA. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used a nationwide cohort from the American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines-Resuscitation IHCA registry to derive a sample of 96 509 patients from 716 US hospitals who experienced IHCA from January 1, 2000, to January 26, 2016. Data analysis began in January 2018 and concluded in June 2018. Exposures: The UN10 rule uses 3 variables: (1) unwitnessed arrest, (2) nonshockable rhythm, and (3) no return of spontaneous circulation within 10 minutes of resuscitative efforts. The CDR indicates futility if all 3 criteria are met. This CDR was analyzed according to the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) reporting guideline. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge following resuscitation. Favorable neurologic status at discharge was also assessed. Overall rates of survival and survival with favorable neurologic status (cerebral performance category score, 1 or 2) were compared with predicted values by the UN10 rule using 2 × 2 contingency tables. Results: Of 96 509 patients, 55 761 (57.8%) were men, and the mean (SD) age was 67.1 (15.3) years. In total, 18 713 patients (19.4%) survived to discharge, and 16 134 patients (16.7%) were discharged with a favorable neurologic status. Overall, 15 838 patients (16.4%) met all 3 criteria for futility in the UN10 rule. A total of 1005 patients (6.3%) who met the UN10 rule survived to discharge, and 754 (4.8%) survived with favorable neurologic status. The percentage of patients meeting the UN10 rule (ie, predicting futile resuscitation) who actually survived in our study cohort was substantially higher than the initial derivation cohort (0%) and single-center validation cohort (1.1%). The positive predictive value of the UN10 rule was 93.7% (95% CI, 93.3%-94.0%), which was lower than the initial derivation cohort (100%; 95% CI, 97.5%-100%) and validation cohort (98.9%; 95% CI, 96.5%-99.7%). Conclusions and Relevance: Patients who met the UN10 rule were associated with unfavorable neurologic status and low rates of survival after IHCA. Yet their survival rates are higher than reported in the initial validation study, raising the question of whether the UN10 rule may have limited utility as a definitive measure of futility during resuscitations in real-world clinical settings.

Defining Clinically Important Difference in the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-Life Score.

Background The Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-Life (AFEQT) questionnaire has recently been validated to measure the impact of atrial fibrillation on quality of life, but a clinically important difference in AFEQT score has not been well defined. Methods and Results To determine the clinically important difference in overall AFEQT (score range= 0 [worst] to 100 [best]) and selected subscales, we analyzed data in the Outcomes Registry for Better Informed Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (ORBIT-AF) registry, a United States-based outpatient atrial fibrillation registry. AFEQT was assessed at baseline and 1 year in a subset of 1347 ORBIT-AF patients from 80 US sites participating in ORBIT-AF from June 2010 to August 2011. The mean change method was used to relate changes in 1-year AFEQT scores to clinically important changes in the physician assessment of European Heart Rhythm Association functional status (1 class improvement and separately 1 class deterioration). Clinically important differences and 95% CI corresponding to either a 1 European Heart Rhythm Association class improvement or deterioration were 5.4 (3.6-7.2) and -4.2 (-6.9 to -1.5) AFEQT points, respectively. Similarly, clinically important difference values were seen for a 1 European Heart Rhythm Association class improvement for the AFEQT subscales Activities of Daily Living and Symptoms: 5.1 (2.5-7.6) and 7.1 (5.3-9.0) AFEQT points, respectively. Conclusions Based on the anchor of 1 European Heart Rhythm Association class change, changes in AFEQT score of + or -5 points are clinically important changes in patients' health. Clinical Trial Registration URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT01165710.

Underutilization of Evidence-Based Smoking Cessation Support Strategies Despite High Smoking Addiction Burden in Peripheral Artery Disease Specialty Care: Insights from the International PORTRAIT Registry.

Background Smoking is the most important risk factor for peripheral artery disease ( PAD ). Smoking cessation is key in PAD management. We aimed to examine smoking rates and smoking cessation interventions offered to patients with PAD consulting a vascular specialty clinic; and assess changes in smoking behavior over the year following initial visit. Methods and Results A total of 1272 patients with PAD and new or worsening claudication were enrolled at 16 vascular specialty clinics (2011-2015, PORTRAIT (Patient-Centered Outcomes Related to Treatment Practices in Peripheral Arterial Disease: Investigating Trajectories) registry). Interviews collected smoking status and cessation interventions at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months. Among smokers, transition state models analyzed smoking transitions at each time point and identified factors associated with quitting and relapse. On presentation, 474 (37.3%) patients were active, 660 (51.9%) former, and 138 (10.8%) never smokers. Among active smokers, only 16% were referred to cessation counseling and 11% were prescribed pharmacologic treatment. At 3 months, the probability of quitting smoking was 21%; among those continuing to smoke at 3 months, the probability of quitting during the next 9 months varied between 11% and 12% ( P<0.001). The probability of relapse among initial quitters was 36%. At 12 months, 72% of all smokers continued to smoke. Conclusions More than one third of patients with claudication consulting a PAD provider are active smokers and few received evidence-based cessation interventions. Patients appear to be most likely to quit early in their treatment course, but many quickly relapse and 72% of all patients smoking at baseline are still smoking at 12 months. Better strategies are needed to provide continuous cessation support. Clinical Trial Registration URL : https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT 01419080.

Racial Differences in Long-Term Outcomes Among Older Survivors of In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

BACKGROUND: Black patients have worse in-hospital survival than white patients after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA), but less is known about long-term outcomes. We sought to assess among IHCA survivors whether there are additional racial differences in survival after hospital discharge and to explore potential reasons for differences. METHODS: This was alongitudinal study of patients ≥65 years of age who had an IHCA and survived until hospital discharge between 2000 and 2011 from the national Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation registry whose data could be linked to Medicare claims data. Sequential hierarchical modified Poisson regression models evaluated the proportion of racial differences explained by patient, hospital, and unmeasured factors. Our exposure was black or white race. Our outcome was survival at 1, 3, and 5 years. RESULTS: Among 8764 patients who survived to discharge, 7652 (87.3%) were white and 1112 (12.7%) were black. Black patients with IHCA were younger, more frequently female, sicker with more comorbidities, less likely to have a shockable initial cardiac arrest rhythm, and less likely to be evaluated with coronary angiography after initial resuscitation. At discharge, black patients were also more likely to have at least moderate neurological disability and less likely to be discharged home. Compared with white patients and after adjustment only for hospital site, black patients had lower 1-year (43.6% versus 60.2%; relative risk [RR], 0.72), 3-year (31.6% versus 45.3%; RR, 0.71), and 5-year (23.5% versus 35.4%; RR, 0.67; all P<0.001) survival. Adjustment for patient factors explained 29% of racial differences in 1-year survival (RR, 0.80; 95% confidence interval, 0.75-0.86), and further adjustment for hospital treatment factors explained an additional 17% of racial differences (RR, 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.80-0.92). Approximately half of the racial difference in 1-year survival remained unexplained, and the degree to which patient and hospital factors explained racial differences in 3-year and 5-year survival was similar. CONCLUSIONS: Black survivors of IHCA have lower long-term survival compared with white patients, and about half of this difference is not explained by patient factors or treatments after IHCA. Further investigation is warranted to better understand to what degree unmeasured but modifiable factors such as postdischarge care account for unexplained disparities.

Association Between Prompt Defibrillation and Epinephrine Treatment With Long-Term Survival After In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have reported higher in-hospital survival with prompt defibrillation and epinephrine treatment in patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). Whether this survival benefit persists after discharge is unknown. METHODS: We linked data from a national IHCA registry with Medicare files and identified 36 961 patients ≥65 years of age with an IHCA at 517 hospitals between 2000 and 2011. Patients with IHCA caused by pulseless ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation were stratified by prompt (≤2 minutes) versus delayed (>2 minutes) defibrillation, whereas patients with IHCA caused by asystole or pulseless electric activity were stratified by prompt (≤5 minutes) versus delayed (>5 minutes) epinephrine treatment. The association between prompt treatment and long-term survival for each rhythm type was assessed with multivariable hierarchical modified Poisson regression models. RESULTS: Of 8119 patients with an IHCA caused by ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, the rate of 1-year survival was higher in those treated with prompt defibrillation than with delayed defibrillation (25.7% [1466 of 5714] versus 15.5% [373 of 2405]; adjusted relative risk [RR], 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32-1.69; P<0.0001). This survival advantage persisted at 3 years (19.1% versus 11.0%; adjusted RR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.23-1.69; P<0.0001) and at 5 years (14.7% versus 7.9%; adjusted RR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.22-1.83; P<0.0001). Of 28 842 patients with an IHCA caused by asystole/pulseless electric activity, the rate of 1-year survival with prompt epinephrine treatment was higher than with delayed treatment (5.4% [1341 of 24 885] versus 4.3% [168 of 3957]; adjusted RR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.02-1.41; P=0.02), but this survival benefit was no longer present at 3 years (3.5% versus 2.9%; adjusted RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.95-1.45; P=0.15) and at 5 years (2.3% versus 1.9%; adjusted RR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.88-1.58; P=0.27). CONCLUSIONS: Prompt defibrillation for IHCA caused by ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation was associated with higher rates of long-term survival throughout 5 years of follow-up, whereas prompt epinephrine treatment for asystole/pulseless electric activity was associated with greater survival at 1 year but not at 3 or 5 years. By quantifying the greater survival associated with timely defibrillation and epinephrine administration, these findings provide important insights into the durability of survival benefits for 2 process-of-care measures in current resuscitation guidelines.

Long-Term Survival Trends of Medicare Patients After In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: Insights from Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation®.

BACKGROUND: Although rates of survival to hospital discharge after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) have improved over the last decade, it is unknown if these survival gains are sustained after hospital discharge. OBJECTIVE: To examine 1-year survival trends overall and by rhythm after IHCA. METHODS: Using Medicare beneficiaries (age≥65years) with IHCA occurring between 2000 and 2011 at Get With The Guidelines®-Resuscitation Registry participating hospitals we used multivariable regression, to examine temporal trends in risk-adjusted rates of 1-year survival. RESULTS: Among 45,567 patients with IHCA, the unadjusted 1-year survival was 9.4%. Unadjusted 1-year survival was 21.8% among the 9,223 (20.2%) of patients with Ventricular Fibrillation or Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia (VF/VT) and 6.2% among the 36,344 (79.8%) of patients with Pulseless Electrical Activity or asystole (PEA/asystole). After adjustment for patient and arrest characteristics, 1-year survival increased over time for all IHCA from 8.9% in 2000-2001 to 15.2% in 2011 (adjusted rate ratio [RR] per year, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.03-1.06; P<0.001 for trend). Improvements in 1-year risk adjusted survival were also observed for VF/VT (19.4% in 2000-2001 to 25.6% in 2011 [RR per year, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04; P 0.004 for trend]) and PEA/asystole arrests (4.7% in 2000-2001 to 10.2% in 2011 [RR per year, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.05-1.08; P<0.001 for trend]). CONCLUSION: Among Medicare beneficiaries in the GWTG-Resuscitation registry, 1-year survival after IHCA has increased for over the past decade. Temporal improvements in survival were noted for both shockable and non-shockable presenting arrest rhythms.

Racial Disparities in Patient Characteristics and Survival After Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Importance: Black patients experience worse outcomes than white patients following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Objective: To examine the degree to which nonrace characteristics explain observed survival differences between white patients and black patients following AMI. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used the extensive socioeconomic and clinical characteristics from patients recovering from an AMI that were prospectively collected at 31 hospitals across the contiguous United States between 2003 and 2008 for the Prospective Registry Evaluating Myocardial Infarction: Events and Recovery registry and the Translational Research Investigating Underlying Disparities in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients' Health Status registry. Survival was assessed using data from the National Death Index. Data were analyzed from December 2016 to July 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures: Patient characteristics were categorized into 8 domains, and the degree to which each domain discriminated self-identified black patients from white patients was determined by calculating propensity scores associated with black race for each domain as well as cumulatively across all domains. The final propensity score was associated with 1- and 5-year mortality rates. Results: Among 6402 patients (mean [SD] age, 60 [13] years; 2127 [33.2%] female; 1648 [25.7%] black individuals), the 5-year mortality rate following AMI was 28.9% (476 of 1648) for black patients and 18.0% (856 of 4754) for white patients (hazard ratio, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.54-1.92; P < .001). Most categories of patient characteristics differed substantially between black patients and white patients. The cumulative propensity score discriminated race, with a C statistic of 0.89, and the propensity scores were associated with 1- and 5-year mortality rates (hazard ratio for the 75th percentile of the propensity score vs 25th percentile, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.43-2.08; P < .001). Patients in the lowest propensity score quintile associated with being a black individual (regardless of whether they were of white or black race) had a 5-year mortality rate of 15.5%, while those in the highest quintile had a 5-year mortality rate of 31.0% (P < .001). After adjusting for the propensity associated with being a black patient, there was no significant mortality rate difference by race (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.93-1.26; P = .37) and no statistical interaction between race and propensity score (P = .42). Conclusions and Relevance: Characteristics of black patients and white patients differed significantly at the time of admission for AMI. Those characteristics were associated with an approximately 3-fold difference in 5-year mortality rate following AMI and mediated most of the observed mortality rate difference between the races.