Risk of Suicide-Related Outcomes After SARS-COV-2 Infection: Results from a Nationwide Observational Matched Cohort of US Veterans.

BACKGROUND: Negative mental health-related effects of SARS-COV-2 infection are increasingly evident. However, the impact on suicide-related outcomes is poorly understood, especially among populations at elevated risk. OBJECTIVE: To determine risk of suicide attempts and other self-directed violence (SDV) after SARS-COV-2 infection in a high-risk population. DESIGN: We employed an observational design supported by comprehensive electronic health records from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to examine the association of SARS-COV-2 infection with suicide attempts and other SDV within one year of infection. Veterans with SARS-COV-2 infections were matched 1:5 with non-infected comparators each month. Three periods after index were evaluated: days 1-30, days 31-365, and days 1-365. PARTICIPANTS: VHA patients infected with SARS-COV-2 between March 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021 and matched non-infected Veteran comparators. MAIN MEASURES: Suicide attempt and other SDV events for the COVID-19 and non-infected comparator groups were analyzed using incidence rates per 100,000 person years and hazard ratios from Cox regressions modeling time from matched index date to first event. Subgroups were also examined. KEY RESULTS: 198,938 veterans with SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19 group) and 992,036 comparators were included. Unadjusted one-year incidence per 100,000 for suicide attempt and other SDV was higher among the COVID-19 group: 355 vs 250 and 327 vs 235, respectively. The COVID-19 group had higher risk than comparators for suicide attempts: days 1-30 hazard ratio (HR) = 2.54 (CI:2.05, 3.15), days 31-365 HR = 1.30 (CI:1.19, 1.43) and days 1-365 HR = 1.41 (CI:1.30, 1.54), and for other SDV: days 1-30 HR = 1.94 (CI:1.51, 2.49), days 31-365 HR = 1.32 (CI:1.20, 1.45) and days 1-365 HR = 1.38 (CI:1.26, 1.51). CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 patients had higher risks of both suicide attempts and other forms of SDV compared to uninfected comparators, which persisted for at least one year after infection. Results support suicide risk screening of those infected with SARS-COV-2 to identify opportunities to prevent self-harm.

Comparative Effectiveness of Carotid Stenting to Medical Therapy Among Patients With Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis.

BACKGROUND: No completed trials have compared carotid artery stenting (CAS) to medical therapy (MT). We examined the effectiveness of CAS compared with MT in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 219 979 Veterans ≥65 years who received carotid imaging for asymptomatic carotid stenosis between 2005 and 2009 in the US Veterans Health Administration. We constructed a sample of patients who received MT (n=2509) and comparable patients who received CAS (n=551) and followed them for 5 years. Using target trial methodology, we computed weighted Kaplan-Meier curves and estimated the risk of fatal and nonfatal stroke in each group over 5 years of follow-up. We also estimated the cumulative incidence functions for fatal and nonfatal stroke accounting for nonstroke deaths as competing risks. RESULTS: Five hundred fifty-one patients received CAS, and 2509 patients received MT. The observed rate of stroke or death (perioperative complications) within 30 days in the CAS arm was 2.2%. Using the target trial methodology, the 5-year risk of fatal and nonfatal stroke was similar among patients assigned to CAS (6.9%) compared with patients assigned to MT (7.1%; risk difference, -0.1% [95% CI, -2.6% to 2.7%]). In an analysis that incorporated the competing risk of death, the risk difference between the two arms remained nonsignificant (risk difference, -1.5% [95% CI, -3.0% to 0.3%]). CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of older male adults, we found no difference between MT and CAS in the treatment of asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Future studies in other settings are needed to confirm these findings.

How Did Veterans' Reliance on Veterans Health Administration Outpatient Care Change After Expansion of the Veterans Community Care Program?

BACKGROUND: The Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) aims to address access constraints in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) by reimbursing care from non-VA community providers. Little existing research explores how veterans' choice of VA versus VCCP providers has evolved as a significant VCCP expansion in 2014 as part of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act. OBJECTIVES: We examined changes in reliance on VA for primary care (PC), mental health (MH), and specialty care (SC) among VCCP-eligible veterans. RESEARCH DESIGN: We linked VA administrative data with VCCP claims to retrospectively examine utilization during calendar years 2016-2018. SUBJECTS: 1.78 million veterans enrolled in VA before 2013 and VCCP-eligible in 2016 due to limited VA capacity or travel hardship. MEASURES: We measured reliance as the proportion of total annual outpatient (VA+VCCP) visits occurring in VA for PC, MH, and SC. RESULTS: Of the 26.1 million total outpatient visits identified, 45.6% were for MH, 29.9% for PC, and 24.4% for SC. Over the 3 years, 83.2% of veterans used any VA services, 23.8% used any VCCP services, and 20.0% were dual VA-VCCP users. Modest but statistically significant declines in reliance were observed from 2016-2018 for PC (94.5%-92.2%), and MH (97.8%-96.9%), and a more significant decline was observed for SC (88.5%-79.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Veterans who have the option of selecting between VA or VCCP providers continued using VA for most of their outpatient care in the initial years after the 2014 VCCP expansion.

Thematic Analysis of Hospice Mentions in the Health Records of Veterans with Advanced Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients with advanced kidney disease are less likely than many patients with other types of serious illness to enroll in hospice. Little is known about real-world clinical decision-making related to hospice for members of this population. METHODS: We used a text search tool to conduct a thematic analysis of documentation pertaining to hospice in the electronic medical record system of the Department of Veterans Affairs, for a national sample of 1000 patients with advanced kidney disease between 2004 and 2014 who were followed until October 8, 2019. RESULTS: Three dominant themes emerged from our qualitative analysis of the electronic medical records of 340 cohort members with notes containing hospice mentions: (1) hospice and usual care as antithetical care models: clinicians appeared to perceive a sharp demarcation between services that could be provided under hospice versus usual care and were often uncertain about hospice eligibility criteria. This could shape decision-making about hospice and dialysis and made it hard to individualize care; (2) hospice as a last resort: patients often were referred to hospice late in the course of illness and did not so much choose hospice as accept these services after all treatment options had been exhausted; and (3) care complexity: patients' complex care needs at the time of hospice referral could complicate transitions to hospice, stretch the limits of home hospice, and promote continued reliance on the acute care system. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings underscore the need to improve transitions to hospice for patients with advanced kidney disease as they approach the end of life.

Events Associated With Changes in Reliance on the Veterans Health Administration Among Medicare-eligible Veterans.

OBJECTIVES: We can learn something about how Veterans value the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) versus community providers by observing Veterans' choices between VHA and Medicare providers after they turn 65. For a cohort of Veterans who were newly age-eligible for Medicare, we estimated the change in VHA reliance (VHA outpatient visits divided by total VHA and Medicare visits) associated with specific events: receiving a life-threatening diagnosis, having a Medicare-paid hospitalization, or moving further from the VHA. RESEARCH DESIGN: A longitudinal cohort study of VHA and Medicare administrative data. SUBJECTS: A total of 5932 VHA users who completed a health survey in 1999 and became age-eligible for Medicare from 1998 to 2000 were followed through 2016. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: More Veterans chose to rely on the VHA than Medicare (64% vs. 36.%). For a VHA-reliant Veteran, a Medicare-paid hospital stay was associated with a decrease of 7.8 percentage points (pps) (P<0.001) in VHA reliance in the subsequent 12 months, but by 36 months reliance increased to near prehospitalization levels (-1.5 pps; P=0.138). Moving further from the VHA, or receiving a diagnosis of cancer, heart failure, or renal failure had no significant association with subsequent VHA reliance; however, a diagnosis of dementia was associated with a decrease in VHA reliance (-8.6 pps; P=0.026). CONCLUSIONS: A significant majority of newly Medicare-eligible VHA users voted with their feet in favor of sustaining the VHA as a provider of comprehensive medical care for Veterans. These VHA-reliant Veterans maintained their reliance even after receiving a life-threatening diagnosis, and after experiencing Medicare-provided hospital care.

Ethical Concerns in the Care of Patients with Advanced Kidney Disease: a National Retrospective Study, 2000-2011.

BACKGROUND: Understanding ethical concerns that arise in the care of patients with advanced kidney disease may help identify opportunities to support medical decision-making. OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical contexts and types of ethical concerns that arise in the care of patients with advanced kidney disease. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 28,568 Veterans with advanced kidney disease between 2000 and 2009 followed through death or 2011. EXPOSURE: Clinical scenarios that prompted clinicians to consider an ethics consultation as documented in the medical record. MAIN MEASURES: Dialysis initiation, dialysis discontinuation, receipt of an intensive procedure during the final month of life, and hospice enrollment. KEY RESULTS: Patients had a mean age of 67.1 years, and the majority were male (98.5%) and white (59.0%). Clinicians considered an ethics consultation for 794 patients (2.5%) over a median follow-up period of 2.7 years. Ethical concerns involved code status (37.8%), dialysis (54.5%), other invasive treatments (40.6%), and noninvasive treatments (61.1%) and were related to conflicts between patients, their surrogates, and/or clinicians about treatment preferences (79.3%), who had authority to make healthcare decisions (65.9%), and meeting the care needs of patients versus obligations to others (10.6%). Among the 20,583 patients who died during follow-up, those for whom clinicians had considered an ethics consultation were less likely to have been treated with dialysis (47.6% versus 62.0%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.63, 95% CI 0.53-0.74), more likely to have discontinued dialysis (32.5% versus 20.9%, aOR 2.07, CI 1.61-2.66), and less likely to have received an intensive procedure in the last month of life (8.9% versus 18.9%, aOR 0.41, CI 0.32-0.54) compared with patients without documentation of clinicians having considered consultation. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians considered an ethics consultation for patients with advanced kidney disease in situations of conflicting preferences regarding dialysis and other intensive treatments, especially when these treatments were not pursued.

Double Disadvantage in Delivery Hospital for Black and Hispanic Women and High-Risk Infants.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether delivery hospitals that perform poorly for women also perform poorly for high-risk infants and to what extent Black and Hispanic women receive care at hospitals that perform poorly for both women and infants. METHODS: We examined the correlation between hospital rankings for severe maternal morbidity and very preterm morbidity and mortality in New York City Hospitals using linked birth certificate and state discharge data for 2010-2014. We used mixed-effects logistic regression with a random hospital-specific intercept to generate risk standardized severe maternal morbidity rates and very preterm birth neonatal morbidity and mortality rates for each hospital. We ranked hospitals separately by these risk-standardized rates. We used k-means cluster analysis to categorize hospitals based on their performance on both metrics and risk-adjusted multinomial logistic regression to estimate adjusted probabilities of delivering in each hospital-quality cluster by race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Hospital rankings for severe maternal morbidity and very preterm neonatal morbidity-mortality were moderately correlated (r = .32; p = .05). A 5-cluster solution best fit the data and yielded the categories for hospital performance for women and infants: excellent, good, fair, fair to poor, poor. Black and Hispanic versus White women were less likely to deliver in an excellent quality cluster (adjusted percent of 11%, 18% vs 28%, respectively, p < .001) and more likely to deliver in a poor quality cluster (adjusted percent of 28%, 20%, vs. 4%, respectively, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTISE: Hospital performance for maternal and high-risk infant outcomes is only moderately correlated but Black and Hispanic women deliver at hospitals with worse outcomes for both women and very preterm infants.

Survival among Veterans Obtaining Dialysis in VA and Non-VA Settings.

BACKGROUND: Outcomes of veterans with ESRD may differ depending on where they receive dialysis and who finances this care, but little is known about variation in outcomes across different dialysis settings and financial arrangements. METHODS: We examined survival among 27,241 Veterans Affairs (VA)-enrolled veterans who initiated chronic dialysis in 2008-2011 at (1) VA-based units, (2) community-based clinics through the Veterans Affairs Purchased Care program (VA-PC), (3) community-based clinics under Medicare, or (4) more than one of these settings ("dual" care). Using a Cox proportional hazards model, we compared all-cause mortality across dialysis settings during the 2-year period after dialysis initiation, adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Overall, 4% of patients received dialysis in VA, 11% under VA-PC, 67% under Medicare, and 18% in dual settings (nearly half receiving dual VA and VA-PC dialysis). Crude 2-year mortality was 25% for veterans receiving dialysis in the VA, 30% under VA-PC, 42% under Medicare, and 23% in dual settings. After adjustment, dialysis patients in VA or in dual settings had significantly lower 2-year mortality than those under Medicare; mortality did not differ in VA-PC and Medicare dialysis settings. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality rates were highest for veterans receiving dialysis in Medicare or VA-PC settings and lowest for veterans receiving dialysis in the VA or dual settings. These findings inform institutional decisions about provision of dialysis for veterans. Further research identifying processes associated with improved survival for patients receiving VA-based dialysis may be useful in establishing best practices for outsourced veteran care.

Same-day discharge among patients undergoing elective PCI: Insights from the VA CART Program.

BACKGROUND: Available data suggest that same-day discharge (SDD) after elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is safe in select patients. Yet, little is known about contemporary adoption rates, safety, and costs in a universal health care system like the Veterans Affairs Health System. METHODS: Using data from the Veterans Affairs Clinical Assessment Reporting and Tracking Program linked with Health Economics Resource Center data, patients undergoing elective PCI for stable angina between October 1, 2007 and Sepetember 30, 2016, were stratified by SDD versus overnight stay. We examined trends of SDD, and using 2:1 propensity matching, we assessed 30-day rates of readmission, mortality, and total costs at 30 days. RESULTS: Of 21,261 PCIs from 67 sites, 728 were SDDs (3.9% of overall cohort). The rate of SDD increased from 1.6% in 2008 to 9.7% in 2016 (P < .001). SDD patients had lower rates of atrial fibrillation, peripheral arterial disease, and prior coronary artery bypass grafting and were treated at higher-volume centers. Thirty-day readmission and mortality did not differ significantly between the groups (readmission: 6.7% SDD vs 5.6% for overnight stay, P = .24; mortality: 0% vs. 0.07%, P = .99). The mean (SD) 30-day cost accrued by patients undergoing SDD was $23,656 ($15,480) versus $25,878 ($17,480) for an overnight stay. The accumulated median cost savings for SDD was $1503 (95% CI $738-$2,250). CONCLUSIONS: Veterans Affairs Health System has increasingly adopted SDD for elective PCI procedures, and this is associated with cost savings without an increase in readmission or mortality. Greater adoption has the potential to reduce costs without increasing adverse outcomes.

The Impact of Severe Maternal Morbidity on Very Preterm Infant Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of severe maternal morbidity among very preterm births and determine its association with very preterm infant mortality and morbidity. STUDY DESIGN: This study used New York City Vital Statistics birth and death records linked with maternal and newborn discharge abstract data for live births between 2010 and 2014. We included 6901 infants without congenital anomalies born between 240/7 and 326/7 weeks of gestation. Severe maternal morbidity was identified as life-threatening conditions or life-saving procedures. Outcomes were first-year infant mortality, severe neonatal morbidity (bronchopulmonary dysplasia, severe necrotizing enterocolitis, stage 3-5 retinopathy of prematurity, and intraventricular hemorrhage grades 3-4), and a combined outcome of death or morbidity. RESULTS: Twelve percent of very preterm live-born infants had a mother with severe maternal morbidity. Maternal and pregnancy characteristics associated with occurrence of severe maternal morbidity were multiparity, being non-Hispanic black, and preexisting health conditions, but gestational age and the percentage small for gestational age did not differ. Infants whose mothers experienced severe maternal morbidity had higher first-year mortality, 11.2% vs 7.7% without severe maternal morbidity, yielding a relative risk of 1.39 (95% CI: 1.14-1.70) after adjustment for maternal characteristics, preexisting comorbidities, pregnancy complications, and hospital factors. Severe neonatal morbidity was not associated with severe maternal morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Severe maternal morbidity is an independent risk factor for mortality in the first year of life among very preterm infants after consideration of other maternal and pregnancy risk factors.

Predicting Primary Care Use Among Patients in a Large Integrated Health System: The Role of Patient Experience Measures.

OBJECTIVE: Most Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System enrollees age 65+ also have the option of obtaining care through Medicare. Reliance upon VA varies widely and there is a need to optimize its prediction in an era of expanding choice for veterans to obtain care within or outside of VA. We examined whether survey-based patient-reported experiences improved prediction of VA reliance. METHODS: VA and Medicare claims in 2013 were linked to construct VA reliance (proportion of all face-to-face primary care visits), which was dichotomized (=1 if reliance >50%). We predicted reliance in 83,143 Medicare-eligible veterans as a function of 61 baseline characteristics in 2012 from claims and the 2012 Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Patients. We estimated predictive performance using the cross-validated area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve, and assessed variable importance using the Shapley value decomposition. RESULTS: In 2012, 68.9% were mostly VA reliant. The AUROC for the model including claims-based predictors was 0.882. Adding patient experience variables increased AUROC to 0.890. The pseudo R for the full model was 0.400. Baseline reliance and patient experiences accounted for 72.0% and 11.1% of the explained variation in reliance. Patient experiences related to the accessibility of outpatient services were among the most influential predictors of reliance. CONCLUSION: The addition of patient experience variables slightly increased predictive performance. Understanding the relative importance of patient experience factors is critical for informing what VA reform efforts should be prioritized following the passage of the 2018 MISSION Act.

Predictors of Failure to Reach Viral Suppression Within 1 Year After Human Immunodeficiency Virus Diagnosis: A Surveillance-Based Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Identifying factors associated with poor human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care continuum outcomes in the first year after HIV diagnosis could guide care engagement efforts at the time of diagnosis. METHODS: We analyzed data from newly diagnosed persons living with HIV (PLWH) who received a partner services (PS) interview in King County, WA from January 1, 2013, to June 30, 2016. The outcome measure was failure to reach viral suppression, defined as the lack of an HIV RNA result <200 copies/mL reported to surveillance within one year after diagnosis. We constructed Kaplan-Meier curves of time to viral suppression and examined associations between viral suppression and demographic characteristics, substance use, housing status, and plan for HIV care. RESULTS: Among 549 individuals, 69 (13%) did not achieve viral suppression within 1 year. Failure to reach suppression was associated with having no plan for HIV care at the time of PS interview (n = 72; 13% of the total population; RR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.04-1.36] and unstable housing (n = 81; 15% of the total population; [RR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.05-1.35). Among persons with one of these two risk factors, 76% achieved viral suppression, compared with 91% of those with stable housing and a plan for care. Overall, 80% of persons who ultimately reached suppression did so by 7.3 months. CONCLUSIONS: Providing early support services to PLWH who have unstable housing or no plan for care at the time of HIV partner services interview and to those who do not reach viral suppression shortly after diagnosis could improve the HIV care continuum.

Spillover Effects of Massachusetts Health Reform on Mental Health Use by VA and Medicare Dual Enrollees.

Older veterans can obtain care from the Veterans Affairs Health System (VA), Medicare or both. We examined whether their use of mental health care was impacted by capacity effects stemming from younger, uninsured veterans' enrolling in VA to satisfy the individual mandate within Massachusetts Health Reform (MHR). Using administrative data, we applied a difference-in-difference approach to compare pre-post changes in mental health use following MHR implementation. Findings indicated MHR was associated with increases in use through Medicare and the probability of dual VA-Medicare use. These results provide support for the possibility that limited capacity led to care seeking outside VA.

End-of-Life Care for Patients With Advanced Kidney Disease in the US Veterans Affairs Health Care System, 2000-2011.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about patterns of end-of-life care for patients with advanced kidney disease not treated with maintenance dialysis. STUDY DESIGN: Case series. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: A sample of 14,071 patients with sustained estimated glomerular filtration rates < 15mL/min/1.73m2 treated in the US Veterans Affairs health care system who died during 2000 to 2011. Before death, 12,756 of these patients had been treated with dialysis, 503 had been discussing and/or preparing for dialysis therapy, and for 812, there had been a decision not to pursue dialysis therapy. OUTCOMES: Hospitalization and receipt of an intensive procedure during the final month of life, in-hospital death, and palliative care consultation and hospice enrollment before death. RESULTS: Compared with decedents treated with dialysis, those for whom a decision not to pursue dialysis therapy had been made were less often hospitalized (57.3% vs 76.8%; OR, 0.40 [95% CI, 0.34-0.46]), less often the recipient of an intensive procedure (3.5% vs 24.6%; OR, 0.15 [95% CI, 0.10-0.22]), more often the recipient of a palliative care consultation (52.6% vs 21.6%; OR, 4.19 [95% CI, 3.58-4.90]), more often used hospice services (38.7% vs 18.2%; OR, 3.32 [95% CI, 2.83-3.89]), and died less frequently in a hospital (41.4% vs 57.3%; OR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.74-0.82]). Hospitalization (55.5%; OR, 0.39 [95% CI, 0.32-0.46]), receipt of an intensive procedure (13.7%; OR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.46-0.77]), and in-hospital death (39.0%; OR, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.39-0.56]) were also less common among decedents who had been discussing and/or preparing for dialysis therapy, but their use of palliative care and hospice services was similar. LIMITATIONS: Findings may not be generalizable to groups not well represented in the Veterans Affairs health care system. CONCLUSIONS: Among decedents, patients not treated with dialysis before death received less intensive patterns of end-of-life care than those treated with dialysis. Decedents for whom there had been a decision not to pursue dialysis therapy before death were more likely to receive palliative care and hospice.

Examining Trends in Obstetric Quality Measures for Monitoring Health Care Disparities.

BACKGROUND: Elective delivery (ED) before 39 weeks, low-risk cesarean delivery, and episiotomy are routinely reported obstetric quality measures and have been the focus of quality improvement initiatives over the past decade. OBJECTIVE: To estimate trends and differences in obstetric quality measures by race/ethnicity. RESEARCH DESIGN: We used 2008-2014 linked birth certificate-hospital discharge data from New York City to measure ED before 39 gestational weeks (ED <39), low-risk cesarean, and episiotomy by race/ethnicity. Measures were following the Joint Commission and National Quality Forum specifications. Average annual percent change (AAPC) was estimated using Poisson regression for each measure by race/ethnicity. Risk differences (RD) for non-Hispanic black women, Hispanic women, and Asian women compared with non-Hispanic white women were calculated. RESULTS: ED<39 decreased among whites [AAPC=-2.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), -3.7 to -1.7), while it increased among blacks (AAPC=1.3; 95% CI, 0.1-2.6) and Hispanics (AAPC=2.4; 95% CI, 1.4-3.4). Low-risk cesarean decreased among whites (AAPC=-2.8; 95% CI, -4.6 to -1.0), and episiotomy decreased among all groups. In 2008, white women had higher risk of most measures, but by 2014 incidence of ED<39 was increased among Hispanics (RD=2/100 deliveries; 95% CI, 2-4) and low-risk cesarean was increased among blacks (RD=3/100; 95% CI, 0.5-6), compared with whites. Incidence of episiotomy was lower among blacks and Hispanics than whites, and higher among Asian women throughout the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Existing measures do not adequately assess health care disparities due to modest risk differences; nonetheless, continued monitoring of trends is warranted to detect possible emergent disparities.

Comparative Effectiveness of Transarterial Embolization and Sorafenib for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Population-Based Study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical effectiveness of embolization with that of sorafenib in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma as practiced in real-world settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This population-based observational study was conducted with the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked database. Patients 65 years old and older with a diagnosis of primary liver cancer between 2007 and 2011 who underwent embolization or sorafenib treatment were identified. Patients were excluded if they had insufficient claims records, a diagnosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, or other primary cancer or had undergone liver transplant or combination therapy. The primary outcome of interest was overall survival. Inverse probability of treatment weighting models were used to control for selection bias. RESULTS: The inclusion and exclusion criteria were met by 1017 patients. Models showed good balance between treatment groups. Compared with those who underwent embolization, patients treated with sorafenib had significantly higher hazard of earlier death from time of treatment (hazard ratio, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.46-2.37; p < 0.0001) and from time of cancer diagnosis (hazard ratio, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.46-2.39; p < 0.0001). The survival advantage after embolization was seen in both intermediate- and advanced-stage disease. CONCLUSION: This comparative effectiveness study of Medicare patients with hepatocellular carcinoma showed significantly longer overall survival after treatment with embolization than with sorafenib. Because these findings conflict with expert opinion-based guidelines for treatment of advanced-stage disease, prospective randomized comparative trials in this subpopulation would be justified.

Do Self-Management Interventions Work in Patients With Heart Failure? An Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Self-management interventions are widely implemented in the care for patients with heart failure (HF). However, trials show inconsistent results, and whether specific patient groups respond differently is unknown. This individual patient data meta-analysis assessed the effectiveness of self-management interventions in patients with HF and whether subgroups of patients respond differently. METHODS AND RESULTS: A systematic literature search identified randomized trials of self-management interventions. Data from 20 studies, representing 5624 patients, were included and analyzed with the use of mixed-effects models and Cox proportional-hazard models, including interaction terms. Self-management interventions reduced the risk of time to the combined end point of HF-related hospitalization or all-cause death (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.71-0.89), time to HF-related hospitalization (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.69-0.92), and improved 12-month HF-related quality of life (standardized mean difference, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.00-0.30). Subgroup analysis revealed a protective effect of self-management on the number of HF-related hospital days in patients <65 years of age (mean, 0.70 versus 5.35 days; interaction P=0.03). Patients without depression did not show an effect of self-management on survival (hazard ratio for all-cause mortality, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.69-1.06), whereas in patients with moderate/severe depression, self-management reduced survival (hazard ratio, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.06-1.83, interaction P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that self-management interventions had a beneficial effect on time to HF-related hospitalization or all-cause death and HF-related hospitalization alone and elicited a small increase in HF-related quality of life. The findings do not endorse limiting self-management interventions to subgroups of patients with HF, but increased mortality in depressed patients warrants caution in applying self-management strategies in these patients.

Trends in Receipt of Intensive Procedures at the End of Life Among Patients Treated With Maintenance Dialysis.

BACKGROUND: Many dialysis patients receive intensive procedures intended to prolong life at the very end of life. However, little is known about trends over time in the use of these procedures. We describe temporal trends in receipt of inpatient intensive procedures during the last 6 months of life among patients treated with maintenance dialysis. STUDY DESIGN: Mortality follow-back study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 649,607 adult Medicare beneficiaries on maintenance dialysis therapy who died in 2000 to 2012. PREDICTORS: Period of death (2000-2003, 2004-2008, or 2009-2012), age at time of death (18-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, and ≥85 years), and race/ethnicity (Hispanic, non-Hispanic black, or non-Hispanic white). OUTCOME: Receipt of an inpatient intensive procedure (defined as invasive mechanical ventilation/intubation, tracheostomy, gastrostomy/jejunostomy tube insertion, enteral or parenteral nutrition, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation) during the last 6 months of life. RESULTS: Overall, 34% of cohort patients received an intensive procedure in the last 6 months of life, increasing from 29% in 2000 to 36% in 2012 (with 2000-2003 as the referent category; adjusted risk ratios [RRs] were 1.06 [95% CI, 1.05-1.07] and 1.10 [95% CI, 1.09-1.12] for 2004-2008 and 2009-2012, respectively). Use of intensive procedures increased more markedly over time in younger versus older patients (comparing 2009-2012 to 2000-2003, adjusted RR was 1.18 [95% CI, 1.15-1.20] for the youngest age group as opposed to 1.00 [95% CI, 0.96-1.04] for the oldest group). Comparing 2009 to 2012 to 2000 to 2003, the use of intensive procedures increased more dramatically for Hispanic patients than for non-Hispanic black or non-Hispanic white patients (adjusted RRs of 1.18 [95% CI, 1.14-1.22], 1.09 [95% CI, 1.07-1.11], and 1.10 [95% CI, 1.08-1.12], respectively). LIMITATIONS: Data sources do not provide insight into reasons for observed trends in the use of intensive procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients treated with maintenance dialysis, there is a trend toward more frequent use of intensive procedures at the end of life, especially in younger patients and those of Hispanic ethnicity.

Facility-Level Variation in Hospitalization, Mortality, and Costs in the 30 Days After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Insights on Short-Term Healthcare Value From the Veterans Affairs Clinical Assessment, Reporting, and Tracking System (VA CART) Program.

BACKGROUND: Policies to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are intended to improve healthcare value by reducing costs while maintaining patient outcomes. Whether facility-level hospitalization rates after PCI are associated with cost of care is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 32,080 patients who received PCI at any 1 of 62 Veterans Affairs hospitals from 2008 to 2011. We identified facility outliers for 30-day risk-standardized hospitalization, mortality, and cost. Compared with the risk-standardized average, 2 hospitals (3.2%) had a lower-than-expected hospitalization rate, and 2 hospitals (3.2%) had a higher-than-expected hospitalization rate. We observed no statistically significant variation in facility-level risk-standardized mortality. The facility-level unadjusted median per patient 30-day total cost was $23,820 (interquartile range, $19,604-$29,958). Compared with the risk-standardized average, 17 hospitals (27.4%) had lower-than-expected costs, and 14 hospitals (22.6%) had higher-than-expected costs. At the facility level, the index PCI accounted for 83.1% of the total cost (range, 60.3%-92.2%), whereas hospitalization after PCI accounted for only 5.8% (range, 2.0%-12.7%) of the 30-day total cost. Facilities with higher hospitalization rates were not more expensive (Spearman ρ=0.16; 95% confidence interval, -0.09 to 0.39; P=0.21). CONCLUSIONS: In this national study, hospitalizations in the 30 day after PCI accounted for only 5.8% of 30-day cost, and facility-level cost was not correlated with hospitalization rates. This challenges the focus on reducing hospitalizations after PCI as an effective means of improving healthcare value. Opportunities remain to improve PCI value by reducing the variation in total cost of PCI without compromising patient outcomes.

What Are Effective Program Characteristics of Self-Management Interventions in Patients With Heart Failure? An Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: To identify those characteristics of self-management interventions in patients with heart failure (HF) that are effective in influencing health-related quality of life, mortality, and hospitalizations. METHODS AND RESULTS: Randomized trials on self-management interventions conducted between January 1985 and June 2013 were identified and individual patient data were requested for meta-analysis. Generalized mixed effects models and Cox proportional hazard models including frailty terms were used to assess the relation between characteristics of interventions and health-related outcomes. Twenty randomized trials (5624 patients) were included. Longer intervention duration reduced mortality risk (hazard ratio 0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97-0.999 per month increase in duration), risk of HF-related hospitalization (hazard ratio 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-0.99), and HF-related hospitalization at 6 months (risk ratio 0.96, 95% CI 0.92-0.995). Although results were not consistent across outcomes, interventions comprising standardized training of interventionists, peer contact, log keeping, or goal-setting skills appeared less effective than interventions without these characteristics. CONCLUSION: No specific program characteristics were consistently associated with better effects of self-management interventions, but longer duration seemed to improve the effect of self-management interventions on several outcomes. Future research using factorial trial designs and process evaluations is needed to understand the working mechanism of specific program characteristics of self-management interventions in HF patients.