The Socioeconomic Distressed Communities Index Predicts 90-Day Mortality Among Intracranial Tumor Patients.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic status (SES) is a major determinant of quality of life and outcomes. However, SES remains difficult to measure comprehensively. Distress communities index (DCI), a composite of 7 socioeconomic factors, has been increasingly recognized for its correlation with poor outcomes. As a result, the objective of the present study is to determine the predictive value of the DCI on outcomes following intracranial tumor surgery. METHODS: A single institution, retrospective review was conducted to identify adult intracranial tumor patients undergoing resection (2016-2021). Patient ZIP codes were matched to DCI and stratified by DCI quartiles (low:0-24.9, low-intermediate:25-49.9, intermediate-high:50-74.9, high:75-100). Univariate followed by multivariate regressions assessed the effects of DCI on postoperative outcomes. Receiver operating curves were generated for significant outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 2389 patients were included: 1015 patients (42.5%) resided in low distress communities, 689 (28.8%) in low-intermediate distress communities, 445 (18.6%) in intermediate-high distress communities, and 240 (10.0%) in high distress communities. On multivariate analysis, risk of fracture (adjusted odds ratio = 1.60, 95% confidence interval 1.26-2.05, P < 0.001) and 90-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio = 1.58, 95% confidence interval 1.21-2.06, P < 0.001) increased with increasing DCI quartile. Good predictive accuracy was observed for both models, with receiver operating curves of 0.746 (95% CI 0.720-0.766) for fracture and 0.743 (95% CI 0.714-0.772) for 90-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Intracranial tumor patients from distressed communities are at increased risk for adverse events and death in the postoperative period. DCI may be a useful, holistic measure of SES that can help risk stratifying patients and should be considered when building healthcare pathways.

Social determinants of health and the prediction of 90-day mortality among brain tumor patients.

OBJECTIVE: Within the neurosurgical oncology literature, the effect of structural and socioeconomic factors on postoperative outcomes remains unclear. In this study, the authors quantified the effects of social determinant of health (SDOH) disparities on hospital complications, length of stay (LOS), nonroutine discharge, 90-day readmission, and 90-day mortality following brain tumor surgery. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of brain tumor patients who had undergone resection at a single institution in 2017-2019. The prevalence of SDOH disparities among patients was tracked using International Classification of Diseases Ninth and Tenth Revisions (ICD-9 and ICD-10) codes. Bivariate (Mann-Whitney U-test and Fisher's exact test) and multivariate (logistic and linear) regressions revealed whether there was an independent relationship between SDOH status and postoperative outcomes. RESULTS: The patient cohort included 2519 patients (mean age 55.27 ± 15.14 years), 187 (7.4%) of whom experienced at least one SDOH disparity. Patients who experienced an SDOH disparity were significantly more likely to be female (OR 1.36, p = 0.048), Black (OR 1.91, p < 0.001), and unmarried (OR 1.55, p = 0.0049). Patients who experienced SDOH disparities also had significantly higher 5-item modified frailty index (mFI-5) scores (p < 0.001) and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classes (p = 0.0012). Experiencing an SDOH disparity was associated with a significantly longer hospital LOS (p = 0.0036), greater odds of a nonroutine discharge (OR 1.64, p = 0.0092), and greater odds of 90-day mortality (OR 2.82, p = 0.0016) in the bivariate analysis. When controlling for patient demographics, tumor diagnosis, mFI-5 score, ASA class, surgery number, and SDOH status, SDOHs independently predicted hospital LOS (coefficient = 1.22, p = 0.016) and increased odds of 90-day mortality (OR 2.12, p = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: SDOH disparities independently predicted a prolonged hospital LOS and 90-day mortality in brain tumor patients. Working to address these disparities offers a new avenue through which to reduce patient morbidity and mortality following brain tumor surgery.

Novel Predictive Models for High-Value Care Outcomes Following Glioblastoma Resection.

BACKGROUND: Treating patients with glioblastoma (GBM) requires extensive medical infrastructure. Individualized risk assessment for extended length of stay (LOS), nonroutine discharge disposition, and increased total hospital charges is critical to optimize delivery of care. Our study sought to develop predictive models identifying independent risk factors for these outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients undergoing GBM resection at our institution between January 2017 and September 2020. Extended LOS and elevated hospital charges were defined as values in the upper quartile of the cohort. Nonroutine discharge was defined as any disposition other than to home. Multivariate models for each outcome included covariates demonstrating P ≤ 0.10 on bivariate analysis. RESULTS: We identified 265 patients undergoing GBM resection, with an average age of 58.2 years. 24.5% of patients experienced extended LOS, 22.6% underwent nonroutine discharge, and 24.9% incurred elevated total hospital charges. Decreasing Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) (P = 0.004), increasing modified 5-factor frailty (mFI-5) index (P = 0.012), lower surgeon experience (P = 0.005), emergent surgery (P < 0.0001), and larger tumor volume (P < 0.0001) predicted extended LOS. Independent predictors of nonroutine discharge included older age (P = 0.02), decreasing KPS (P < 0.0001), and emergent surgery (P = 0.048). Nonprivate insurance (P = 0.011), decreasing KPS (P = 0.029), emergent surgery (P < 0.0001), and larger tumor volume (P = 0.004) predicted elevated hospital charges. These models were incorporated into an open-access online calculator (https://neurooncsurgery3.shinyapps.io/gbm_calculator/). CONCLUSIONS: Several factors were independent predictors for at least 1 high-value care outcome, with lower KPS and emergent admission associated with each outcome. These models and our calculator may help clinicians provide individualized postoperative risk assessment to glioblastoma patients.

Impact of international research fellows in neurosurgery: results from a single academic center.

OBJECTIVE: International research fellows have been historically involved in academic neurosurgery in the United States (US). To date, the contribution of international research fellows has been underreported. Herein, the authors aimed to quantify the academic output of international research fellows in the Department of Neurosurgery at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. METHODS: Research fellows with Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), or MD/PhD degrees from a non-US institution who worked in the Hopkins Department of Neurosurgery for at least 6 months over the past decade (2010-2020) were included in this study. Publications produced during fellowship, number of citations, and journal impact factors (IFs) were analyzed using ANOVA. A survey was sent to collect information on personal background, demographics, and academic activities. RESULTS: Sixty-four international research fellows were included, with 42 (65.6%) having MD degrees, 17 (26.6%) having PhD degrees, and 5 (7.8%) having MD/PhD degrees. During an average 27.9 months of fellowship, 460 publications were produced in 136 unique journals, with 8628 citations and a cumulative journal IF of 1665.73. There was no significant difference in total number of publications, first-author publications, and total citations per person among the different degree holders. Persons holding MD/PhDs had a higher number of citations per publication per person (p = 0.027), whereas those with MDs had higher total IFs per person (p = 0.048). Among the 43 (67.2%) survey responders, 34 (79.1%) had nonimmigrant visas at the start of the fellowship, 16 (37.2%) were self-paid or funded by their country of origin, and 35 (81.4%) had mentored at least one US medical student, nonmedical graduate student, or undergraduate student. CONCLUSIONS: International research fellows at the authors' institution have contributed significantly to academic neurosurgery. Although they have faced major challenges like maintaining nonimmigrant visas, negotiating cultural/language differences, and managing self-sustainability, their scientific productivity has been substantial. Additionally, the majority of fellows have provided reciprocal mentorship to US students.

Geographic Variation in Costs of Transsphenoidal Pituitary Surgery in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Geographic variations in health care costs have been reported for many surgical specialties. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we sought to describe national and regional costs associated with transsphenoidal pituitary surgery (TPS). METHODS: Data from the Truven-MarketScan 2010-2014 were analyzed. We examined overall total, hospital/facility, physician, and out-of-pocket payments in patients undergoing TPS including technique-specific costs. Mean payments were obtained after risk adjustment for patient-level and system-level confounders and estimated differences across regions. RESULTS: The estimated overall annual burden was $43 million/year in our cohort. The average overall total payment associated with TPS was $35,602.30, hospital/facility payment was $26,980.45, physician payment was $4685.95, and out-of-pocket payment was $2330.78. Overall total and hospital/facility costs were highest in the West and lowest in the South (both P < 0.001), whereas physician reimbursements were highest in the North-east and lowest in the South (P < 0.001). There were no differences in out-of-pocket expenses across regions. On a national level, there were significantly higher overall total and hospital/facility payments associated with endoscopic compared with microscopic procedures (both P < 0.001); there were no significant differences in physician payments or out-of-pocket expenses between techniques. There were also significant within-region cost differences in overall total, hospital/facility, and physician payments in both techniques as well as in out-of-pocket expenses associated with microsurgery. There were no significant regional differences in out-of-pocket expenses associated with endoscopic surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show significant geographic cost disparities associated with TPS. Understanding factors behind disparate costs is important for developing cost containment strategies.

Impact of frailty on short-term outcomes in patients undergoing transsphenoidal pituitary surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Frailty, a state of decreased physiological reserve, has been shown to significantly impact outcomes of surgery. The authors sought to examine the impact of frailty on the short-term outcomes of patients undergoing transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. METHODS: Weighted data from the 2000-2014 National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample were studied. Patients diagnosed with pituitary tumors or disorders who had undergone transsphenoidal pituitary surgery were identified. Frailty was determined using the Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Groups (ACG) frailty-defining diagnoses indicator. Standard descriptive techniques and matched propensity score analyses were used to explore the odds ratios of postoperative complications, discharge dispositions, and costs. RESULTS: A total of 115,317 cases were included in the analysis. Frailty was present in 1.48% of cases. The mean age of frail versus non-frail patients was 57.14 ± 16.96 years (mean ± standard deviation) versus 51.91 ± 15.88 years, respectively (p < 0.001). A greater proportion of frail compared to non-frail patients had an age ≥ 65 years (37.08% vs 24.08%, respectively, p < 0.001). Frail patients were more likely to be black or Hispanic (p < 0.001), possess Medicare or Medicaid insurance (p < 0.001), belong to lower-median-income groups (p < 0.001), and have greater comorbidity (p < 0.001). Results of propensity score-matched multivariate analysis revealed that frail patients were more likely to develop fluid and electrolyte disorders (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.07-2.43, p = 0.02), intracranial vascular complications (OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.01-7.49, p = 0.04), mental status changes (OR 3.60, 95% CI 1.65-7.82, p < 0.001), and medical complications including pulmonary insufficiency (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.13-4.05, p = 0.02) and acute kidney failure (OR 4.70, 95% CI 1.88-11.74, p = 0.01). The mortality rate was higher among frail patients (1.46% vs 0.37%, p < 0.001). Frail patients also demonstrated a greater likelihood for nonroutine discharges (p < 0.001), higher mean total charges ($109,614.33 [95% CI $92,756.09-$126,472.50] vs $56,370.35 [95% CI $55,595.72-$57,144.98], p < 0.001), and longer hospitalizations (9.27 days [95% CI 7.79-10.75] vs 4.46 days [95% CI 4.39-4.53], p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Frailty in patients undergoing transsphenoidal pituitary surgery is associated with worse postoperative outcomes and higher costs, indicating that state's potential role in routine preoperative risk stratification.

Costs and Their Predictors in Transsphenoidal Pituitary Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Contemporary surgical approaches to pituitary pathologies include transsphenoidal microsurgical and, more recently, endoscopic techniques. Data reporting direct costs in transsphenoidal pituitary surgery are limited. OBJECTIVE: To examine direct costs (including overall total, hospital/facility, and physician payments) of microscopic and endoscopic pituitary surgery and evaluate predictors of differential costs in transsphenoidal pituitary surgery using a national database. METHODS: The Truven MarketScan® database 2010-2014 (IBM, Armonk, New York) was queried and patients undergoing microscopic and/or endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery identified. Mean costs and predictors of differential costs were analyzed using analysis of variance and generalized linear models. Beta-coefficients (ß) assessed relative contributions of independent predictors. RESULTS: Mean overall total ($34 943.13 [SD ± 19 074.54]) and hospital/facility ($26 505.93 [SD ± 16 819.52]) payments were higher in endoscopic compared to microscopic surgeries (both P < .001). Lengths of hospital stay (LOS) were similar between groups. Predictors of overall total and hospital/facility payments were similar including surgical technique, age, geographical region, comorbidity index, postoperative surgical and medical complications, and LOS with LOS being the most significant predictor (ß = 0.27 and ß = 0.29, respectively). Mean physician payments ($4549.24 [SD ± 3956.27]) were similar in microscopic and endoscopic cohorts (P = .26). Predictors of physician payments included age, health plan, geographical region, postoperative surgical complications, and LOS with health plan being the most significant predictor (ß = -0.21). CONCLUSION: Higher overall total and hospital/facility costs are associated with endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery compared to microsurgery. In contrast, physician reimbursements are similar between techniques. Whereas LOS was the strongest predictor of overall total and hospital/facility costs, health plan was the strongest predictor of differential physician reimbursements.

Comparison of Complications, Trends, and Costs in Endoscopic vs Microscopic Pituitary Surgery: Analysis From a US Health Claims Database.

BACKGROUND: Microsurgical and endoscopic techniques are commonly utilized surgical approaches to pituitary pathologies. There are limited data comparing these 2 procedures. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate postoperative complications, associated costs, and national and regional trends of microscopic and endoscopic techniques in the United States employing a nationwide database. METHODS: The Truven MarketScan database 2010 to 2014 was queried and Current Procedural Terminology codes identified patients that underwent microscopic and/or endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. International Classification of Diseases codes identified postoperative complications. Adjusted logistic regression and matched propensity analysis evaluated independent odds for complications. RESULTS: Among 5886 cases studied, 54.49% were microscopic and 45.51% endoscopic. The commonest surgical indications were benign pituitary tumors. Annual trends showed increasing utilization of endoscopic techniques vs microscopic procedures. Postoperative complications occurred in 40.04% of cases, including diabetes insipidus (DI; 16.90%), syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH; 2.02%), iatrogenic hypopituitarism (1.36%), fluid/electrolyte abnormalities (hypoosmolality/hyponatraemia [5.03%] and hyperosmolality/hypernatraemia [2.48%]), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks (CSF rhinorrhoea [4.42%] and other CSF leak [6.52%]). In our propensity-based model, patients that underwent endoscopic surgery were more likely to develop DI (odds ratio [OR] = 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.28-1.72), SIADH (OR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.04-2.24), hypoosmolality/hyponatraemia (OR = 1.17; 95% CI = 1.01-1.34), CSF rhinorrhoea (OR = 2.48; 95% CI = 1.88-3.28), other CSF leak (OR = 1.59; 95% CI = 1.28-1.98), altered mental status (OR = 1.46; 95% CI = 1.01-2.60), and postoperative fever (OR = 4.31; 95% CI = 1.14-16.23). There were no differences in hemorrhagic complications, ophthalmological complications, or bacterial meningitis. Postoperative complications resulted in longer hospitalization and increased healthcare costs. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic approaches are increasingly being utilized to manage sellar pathologies relative to microsurgery. Postoperative complications occur in both techniques with higher incidences observed following endoscopic procedures.

Assessment of frozen section margin analysis during olfactory neuroblastoma surgery.

OBJECTIVES: 1) assess the performance of the intraoperative frozen section procedure to correctly classify biopsies obtained during olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) surgery; 2) define the relationship between posttest probabilities and pretest probabilities from frozen section analysis; and 3) review incorrectly classified specimens. STUDY DESIGN: Study of diagnostic accuracy. METHODS: We searched our institution's pathology database for patients who had ONB surgery between January 1, 2000 and November 16, 2012. We only included patients who had a definitive diagnosis of ONB prior to surgery and frozen sections obtained during surgery. All frozen sections in this study had corresponding permanent sections available to serve as a gold standard. This database was analyzed to obtain classification statistics. The confidence intervals for classification performance were obtained using the bootstrap sampling method. Confidence intervals for posttest probability curves were derived using the Taylor series expansion. Finally, we obtained and reviewed the slides from ambiguous or incorrect reads. RESULTS: A total of 459 specimens from 33 patients were analyzed. We found the following performance characteristics: sensitivity: 0.89 (0.81, 0.94); specificity: 0.96 (0.94, 0.98); accuracy: 0.95 (0.92, 0.96); likelihood ratio positive: 24.4 (14.5, 44.1); prevalence: 0.20 (0.17, 0.25); positive predictive value: 0.86 (0.78, 0.92); and negative predictive value: 0.97 (0.95, 0.99). Histopathologic review revealed that crush artifacts and inadequate specimen size were major sources of incorrect reads. CONCLUSION: We found frozen section assessment of ONB specimens to be an excellent tool for the assessment of intraoperative margins. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA. Laryngoscope, 127:1735-1741, 2017.