Abdominal aortic aneurysm is associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Although intracranial aneurysms (IA) and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) share similar risk factors, little is known about the relationship between them. Previous studies have shown an increased incidence of IA in patients with AAA, though the rate of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in patients with AAA has not been described. OBJECTIVE: To use claims data with longitudinal follow-up, to evaluate the incidence of aneurysmal SAH in patients diagnosed with AAA. METHODS: We examined longitudinally linked medical claims data from a large private insurer to determine rates of aneurysmal SAH (aSAH) and secured aSAH (saSAH) in 2004-2014 among patients with previously diagnosed AAA. RESULTS: We identified 62 910 patients diagnosed with AAA and compared them 5:1 with age- and sex-matched controls. Both populations were predominantly male (70.9%), with an average age of 70.8 years. Rates of hypertension (69.7% vs 50.6%) and smoking (12.8% vs 4.1%) were higher in the AAA group (p<0.0001) than in controls. Fifty admissions for aSAH were identified in patients with AAA (26/100 000 patient-years, 95% CI 19 to 44) and 115 admissions for aSAH in controls (7/100 000 years, 95% CI 6 to 9), giving an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 3.6 (95% CI 2.6 to 5.0, p<0.0001) and a comorbidity-adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 2.8 (95% CI 1.9 to 3.9) for patients with AAA. The incidence of secured aneurysmal SAH was proportionally even higher in patients with AAA, 7 vs 2/100 000 years, IRR 4.5 (95% CI 3.2 to 6.3, p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: SAH rate was elevated in patients with AAA, even after adjustment for comorbidities. Among risk factors evaluated, AAA was the strongest predictor for SAH. The relative contributions of common genetic and environmental risk factors to both diseases should be investigated.

Propensity-adjusted cost analysis of radial versus femoral access for neuroendovascular procedures.

BACKGROUND: Transradial artery (TRA) access for neuroendovascular procedures is associated with fewer complications than transfemoral artery (TFA) access. This study compares hospital costs associated with TRA access to those associated with TFA access for neurointerventions. METHODS: Elective neuroendovascular procedures at a single center were retrospectively analyzed from October 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019. Hospital costs for each procedure were obtained from the hospital financial department. The primary outcome was the difference in the mean hospital costs after propensity adjustment between patients who underwent TRA compared with TFA access. RESULTS: Of the 338 elective procedures included, 63 (19%) were performed through TRA versus 275 (81%) through TFA access. Diagnostic procedures were more common in the TRA cohort (51 of 63, 81%) compared with the TFA cohort (197 of 275, 72%), but the difference was not significant (p=0.48). The TRA cohort had a shorter length of hospital stay (mean (SD) 0.3 (0.5) days) compared with the TFA cohort (mean 0.7 (1.3) days; p=0.02) and lower hospital costs (mean $12 968 ($6518) compared with the TFA cohort (mean $17 150 ($10 946); p=0.004). After propensity adjustment for age, sex, symptoms, angiographic findings, procedure type, sheath size, and catheter size, TRA access was associated with a mean hospital cost of $2514 less than that for TFA access (95% CI -$4931 to -$97; p=0.04). CONCLUSION: Neuroendovascular procedures performed through TRA access are associated with lower hospital costs than TFA procedures. The lower cost is likely due to a decreased length of hospital stay for TRA.

Screening and surgery for foramen magnum stenosis in children with achondroplasia: a large, national database analysis.

OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to determine the rates of screening and surgery for foramen magnum stenosis in children with achondroplasia in a large, privately insured healthcare network. METHODS Rates of screening and surgery for foramen magnum stenosis in children with achondroplasia were determined using de-identified insurance claims data from a large, privately insured healthcare network of over 58 million beneficiaries across the United States between 2001 and 2014. Cases of achondroplasia and screening and surgery claims were identified using a combination of International Classification of Diseases diagnosis codes and Current Procedural Terminology codes. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) practice guidelines were used to determine screening trends. RESULTS The search yielded 3577 children age 19 years or younger with achondroplasia. Of them, 236 met criteria for inclusion in the screening analysis. Among the screening cohort, 41.9% received some form of screening for foramen magnum stenosis, whereas 13.9% of patients were fully and appropriately screened according to the 2005 guidelines from the AAP. The screening rate significantly increased after the issuance of the AAP guidelines. Among all children in the cohort, 25 underwent cervicomedullary decompression for foramen magnum stenosis. The incidence rate of undergoing cervicomedullary decompression was highest in infancy (28 per 1000 patient-years) and decreased with age (5 per 1000 patient-years for all other ages combined). CONCLUSIONS Children with achondroplasia continue to be underscreened for foramen magnum stenosis, although screening rates have improved since the release of the 2005 AAP surveillance guidelines. The incidence of surgery was highest in infants and decreased with age.