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BACKGROUND: Incidence of long COVID in the elderly is difficult to estimate and can be underreported. While long COVID is sometimes considered a novel disease, many viral or bacterial infections have been known to cause prolonged illnesses. We postulate that some influenza patients might develop residual symptoms that would satisfy the diagnostic criteria for long COVID, a condition we call "long Flu." In this study, we estimate the incidence of long COVID and long Flu among Medicare patients using the World Health Organization (WHO) consensus definition. We compare the incidence, symptomatology, and healthcare utilization between long COVID and long Flu patients. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This is a cohort study of Medicare (the US federal health insurance program) beneficiaries over 65. ICD-10-CM codes were used to capture COVID-19, influenza, and residual symptoms. Long COVID was identified by (a) the designated long COVID code B94.8 (code-based definition), or (b) any of 11 symptoms identified in the WHO definition (symptom-based definition), from 1 to 3 months post-infection. A symptom would be excluded if it occurred in the year prior to infection. Long Flu was identified in influenza patients from the combined 2018 and 2019 Flu seasons by the same symptom-based definition for long COVID. Long COVID and long Flu were compared in 4 outcome measures: (a) hospitalization (any cause); (b) hospitalization (for long COVID symptom); (c) emergency department (ED) visit (for long COVID symptom); and (d) number of outpatient encounters (for long COVID symptom), adjusted for age, sex, race, region, Medicare-Medicaid dual eligibility status, prior-year hospitalization, and chronic comorbidities. Among 2,071,532 COVID-19 patients diagnosed between April 2020 and June 2021, symptom-based definition identified long COVID in 16.6% (246,154/1,479,183) and 29.2% (61,631/210,765) of outpatients and inpatients, respectively. The designated code gave much lower estimates (outpatients 0.49% (7,213/1,479,183), inpatients 2.6% (5,521/210,765)). Among 933,877 influenza patients, 17.0% (138,951/817,336) of outpatients and 24.6% (18,824/76,390) of inpatients fit the long Flu definition. Long COVID patients had higher incidence of dyspnea, fatigue, palpitations, loss of taste/smell, and neurocognitive symptoms compared to long Flu. Long COVID outpatients were more likely to have any-cause hospitalization (31.9% (74,854/234,688) versus 26.8% (33,140/123,736), odds ratio 1.06 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.08, p < 0.001)), and more outpatient visits than long Flu outpatients (mean 2.9(SD 3.4) versus 2.5(SD 2.7) visits, incidence rate ratio 1.09 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.10, p < 0.001)). There were less ED visits in long COVID patients, probably because of reduction in ED usage during the pandemic. The main limitation of our study is that the diagnosis of long COVID in is not independently verified. CONCLUSIONS: Relying on specific long COVID diagnostic codes results in significant underreporting. We observed that about 30% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients developed long COVID. In a similar proportion of patients, long COVID-like symptoms (long Flu) can be observed after influenza, but there are notable differences in symptomatology between long COVID and long Flu. The impact of long COVID on healthcare utilization is higher than long Flu.
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COVID-19 , Gripe Humana , Humanos , Adulto , Anciano , Estados Unidos , Estudios de Cohortes , Medicare , Síndrome Post Agudo de COVID-19 , Gripe Humana/epidemiología , PrevalenciaRESUMEN
Background and Purpose: Practice guidelines recommend that most patients receive moderate- or high-potency statins after ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) of atherosclerotic origin. We tested the association of different patterns of potency for prescribed statin therapyassessed before admission and at hospital discharge for ischemic stroke or TIAon mortality in a large, nationwide sample of US Veterans. Methods: The study population included patients with an ischemic stroke or TIA occurring during 2011 at any of the 134 Veterans Health Administration facilities. We used electronic outpatient pharmacy files to identify statin dose at hospital admission and within 7 days after hospital discharge. We categorized statin dosing as low, moderate, or high potency; moderate or high potency was considered at goal. We created 6 mutually exclusive groups to reflect patterns of statin potency from hospital admission to discharge: goal to goal, low to goal, goal to low or goal to none (deintensification), none to none, none to low, and low to low. We used logistic regression to compare 30-day and 1-year mortality across statin potency groups. Results: The population included 9380 predominately White (71.1%) men (96.3%) who were hospitalized for stroke or TIA. In this sample, 34.1% of patients (n=3194) were discharged off a statin medication. Deintensification occurred in 14.0% of patients (n=1312) and none to none in 20.5% (n=1924). Deintensification and none to none were associated with a higher odds of mortality as compared with goal to goal (adjusted odds ratio 1-year mortality: deintensification versus goal to goal, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.021.57]; none to none versus goal to goal, 1.59 [95% CI, 1.301.93]). Adjustments for differences in baseline characteristics using propensity weighted scores demonstrated similar results. Conclusions: Underutilization of statins, including no treatment or underdosing after stroke (deintensification), was observed in approximately one-third of veterans with ischemic stroke or TIA and was associated with higher mortality when compared with patients who were at goal for statin prescription dosing.
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Inhibidores de Hidroximetilglutaril-CoA Reductasas/administración & dosificación , Ataque Isquémico Transitorio/tratamiento farmacológico , Ataque Isquémico Transitorio/mortalidad , Accidente Cerebrovascular Isquémico/tratamiento farmacológico , Accidente Cerebrovascular Isquémico/mortalidad , Servicios de Salud para Veteranos/tendencias , Anciano , Isquemia Encefálica/tratamiento farmacológico , Isquemia Encefálica/mortalidad , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Mortalidad/tendencias , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental disorders and accounts for substantial disability as well as increased health care costs. This study examines the minimally important difference (MID) and responsiveness of 6 commonly used anxiety scales. METHODS: The sample comprised 294 patients from 6 primary care clinics in a single VA medical center who were enrolled in a telecare trial for treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain and comorbid depression and/or anxiety. The measures assessed were the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) 4-item, 6-item, and 8-item anxiety scales; the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7); the Symptom Checklist anxiety subscale (SCL); the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL); the Short Form (SF)-36 Mental Health subscale; and the SF-12 Mental Component Summary (MCS). Validity was assessed with correlations of these measures with one another and with measures of quality of life and disability. MID was estimated by triangulating several methods. Responsiveness was evaluated by comparing: (a) the standardized response means for patients who reported their mood as being better, the same, or worse at 3 months; (b) the area under the curve for patients who had improved (better) versus those who had not (same/worse). RESULTS: Convergent and construct validity was supported by strong correlations of the anxiety measures with one another and moderate correlations with quality of life and disability measures, respectively. All measures differentiated patients who reported global improvement at 3 months from those who were unchanged, but were less able to distinguish worsening from no change. The area under the curves showed comparable responsiveness of the scales. The estimated MID was 4 for the PROMIS scales; 3 for the GAD-7; 6 for the PCL; 9 for the SF-36 mental health subscale; 5 for the MCS score, and 0.3 for the SCL anxiety scale. CONCLUSIONS: Six commonly used anxiety scales demonstrate similar responsiveness, and estimated MIDs can be used to gauge anxiety change in clinical research and practice.
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Ansiedad/diagnóstico , Diferencia Mínima Clínicamente Importante , Medición de Resultados Informados por el Paciente , Escalas de Valoración Psiquiátrica/estadística & datos numéricos , Ansiedad/complicaciones , Depresión/complicaciones , Depresión/diagnóstico , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Dolor Musculoesquelético/psicología , Reproducibilidad de los ResultadosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Chronic musculoskeletal pain is often accompanied by depression or anxiety wherein co-occurring pain and mood symptoms can be more difficult to treat than either alone. However, few clinical trials have examined interventions that simultaneously target both pain and mood conditions. OBJECTIVE: To determine the comparative effectiveness of automated self-management (ASM) vs. ASM-enhanced collaborative care. DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial conducted in six primary care clinics in a VA medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred ninety-four patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain of at least moderate intensity and clinically significant depressive and/or anxiety symptoms. INTERVENTION: ASM consisted of automated monitoring and 9 web-based self-management modules. Comprehensive symptom management (CSM) combined ASM with collaborative care management by a nurse-physician team. Both interventions were delivered for 12 months. MAIN MEASURES: Primary outcome was a composite pain-anxiety-depression (PAD) z-score consisting of the mean of the BPI, PHQ-9, and GAD-7 z-scores: 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 represent potentially small, moderate, and large clinical differences. Secondary outcomes included global improvement, health-related quality of life, treatment satisfaction, and health services use. KEY RESULTS: Both CSM and ASM groups had moderate PAD score improvement at 12 months (z = - 0.65 and - 0.52, respectively). Compared to the ASM group, the CSM group had a - 0.23 (95% CI, - 0.38 to - 0.08; overall P = .003) greater decline in composite PAD z-score over 12 months. CSM patients were also more likely to report global improvement and less likely to report worsening at 6 (P = .004) and 12 months (P = .013). CONCLUSIONS: Two intervention models relying heavily on telecare delivery but differing in resource intensity both produced moderate improvements in pain and mood symptoms. However, the model combining collaborative care led by a nurse-physician team with web-based self-management was superior to self-management alone. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT0175730.
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Ansiedad/terapia , Depresión/terapia , Dolor Musculoesquelético/terapia , Grupo de Atención al Paciente/organización & administración , Automanejo/métodos , Adulto , Anciano , Ansiedad/complicaciones , Depresión/complicaciones , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Dolor Musculoesquelético/complicaciones , Manejo del Dolor/métodos , Calidad de VidaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The Veterans Health Administration has engaged in quality improvement to improve vascular risk factor control. We sought to examine blood pressure (<140/90 mm Hg), lipid (LDL [low-density lipoprotein] cholesterol <100 mg/dL), and glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c <9%), in the year post-hospitalization for acute ischemic stroke or acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: We identified patients who were hospitalized (fiscal year 2011) with ischemic stroke, AMI, congestive heart failure, transient ischemic attack, or pneumonia/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The primary analysis compared risk factor control after incident ischemic stroke versus AMI. Facilities were included if they cared for ≥25 ischemic stroke and ≥25 AMI patients. A generalized linear mixed model including patient- and facility-level covariates compared risk factor control across diagnoses. RESULTS: Forty thousand two hundred thirty patients were hospitalized (n=75 facilities): 2127 with incident ischemic stroke and 4169 with incident AMI. Fewer stroke patients achieved blood pressure control than AMI patients (64%; 95% confidence interval, 0.62-0.67 versus 77%; 95% confidence interval, 0.75-0.78; P<0.0001). After adjusting for patient and facility covariates, the odds of blood pressure control were still higher for AMI than ischemic stroke patients (odds ratio, 1.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-1.51). There were no statistical differences for AMI versus stroke patients in hyperlipidemia (P=0.534). Among patients with diabetes mellitus, the odds of glycemic control were lower for AMI than ischemic stroke patients (odds ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.54-0.96). CONCLUSIONS: Given that hypertension control is a cornerstone of stroke prevention, interventions to improve poststroke hypertension management are needed.
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Isquemia Encefálica/etiología , Infarto del Miocardio/complicaciones , Accidente Cerebrovascular/etiología , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Isquemia Encefálica/complicaciones , Femenino , Humanos , Hiperlipidemias/complicaciones , Hipertensión/complicaciones , Ataque Isquémico Transitorio/complicaciones , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Factores de Riesgo , Accidente Cerebrovascular/complicacionesRESUMEN
Optimal timing of pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) for pulmonary regurgitation is a debated topic. It is logical that maximal aerobic capacity (VO2peak) would decline when a PVR is needed, but a diminished VO2peak is not always present before PVR, and previous studies show no improvement in VO2peak after PVR. This study aimed to evaluate changes in resting spirometry from pre- to post-PVR sternotomy, to determine the limiting factors of VO2peak before and after PVR, and to determine whether changes in resting lung function after PVR may explain the lack of improvement in VO2peak after surgery. For 26 patients (age, 19.7 ± 7.8 years) with a history of right ventricular outflow tract revision, the study prospectively evaluated echocardiograms, resting spirometry, and maximal exercise tests before PVR and then an average of 15 months after PVR. Flow volume loops were reviewed by a pulmonologist and categorized as obstructive, restrictive, both obstructive and restrictive, or normal. Exercise tests were interpreted using Eschenbacher's algorithm to determine the primary factors limiting exercise. No change in VO2peak or spirometry after PVR was observed. Before PVR, many patients had abnormal resting lung functions (85 % abnormal), which was unchanged after PVR (86 5 % abnormal). The majority of the patients had a ventilatory limitation to VO2peak before PVR (66.7 %), whereas 28.5 % had a cardiovascular limitation, and 4.8 % had no clear limitation. After PVR, 65.2 % of the patients had a ventilatory limitation, whereas 30.4 % had a cardiovascular limitation, and 4.4 % had no clear limitation to VO2peak. Pulmonary function did not change up to 15 months after surgical PVR. The frequency of pulmonary limitation to VO2peak after PVR did not increase. The effect of pulmonary function on exercise-related symptoms must be considered in this patient population. Improved cardiac hemodynamics are unlikely to improve VO2peak in a primarily pulmonary-limited patient.
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Tolerancia al Ejercicio , Ejercicio Físico/fisiología , Implantación de Prótesis de Válvulas Cardíacas , Ventilación Voluntaria Máxima/fisiología , Insuficiencia de la Válvula Pulmonar/cirugía , Válvula Pulmonar/cirugía , Adolescente , Adulto , Ecocardiografía , Prueba de Esfuerzo , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Periodo Posoperatorio , Periodo Preoperatorio , Estudios Prospectivos , Insuficiencia de la Válvula Pulmonar/diagnóstico por imagen , Insuficiencia de la Válvula Pulmonar/fisiopatología , Pruebas de Función Respiratoria , Resultado del Tratamiento , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: The study aims to assess the use of menopausal hormone therapy beyond age 65 years and its health implications by types of estrogen/progestogen, routes of administration, and dose strengths. METHODS: Using prescription drug and encounter records of 10 million senior Medicare women from 2007-2020 and Cox regression analyses adjusted for time-varying characteristics of the women, we examined the effects of different preparations of menopausal hormone therapy on all-cause mortality, five cancers, six cardiovascular diseases, and dementia. RESULTS: Compared with never use or discontinuation of menopausal hormone therapy after age 65 years, the use of estrogen monotherapy beyond age 65 years was associated with significant risk reductions in mortality (19% or adjusted hazards ratio, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.79-0.82), breast cancer (16%), lung cancer (13%), colorectal cancer (12%), congestive heart failure (CHF) (5%), venous thromboembolism (3%), atrial fibrillation (4%), acute myocardial infarction (11%), and dementia (2%). For the use of estrogen and progestogen combo-therapy, both E+ progestin and E+ progesterone were associated with increased risk of breast cancer by 10%-19%, but such risk can be mitigated using low dose of transdermal or vaginal E+ progestin. Moreover, E+ progestin exhibited significant risk reductions in endometrial cancer (45% or adjusted hazards ratio, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.50-0.60), ovarian cancer (21%), ischemic heart disease (5%), CHF (5%), and venous thromboembolism (5%), whereas E+ progesterone exhibited risk reduction only in CHF (4%). CONCLUSIONS: Among senior Medicare women, the implications of menopausal hormone therapy use beyond age 65 years vary by types, routes, and strengths. In general, risk reductions appear to be greater with low rather than medium or high doses, vaginal or transdermal rather than oral preparations, and with E2 rather than conjugated estrogen.
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Terapia de Reemplazo de Estrógeno , Salud de la Mujer , Humanos , Femenino , Anciano , Terapia de Reemplazo de Estrógeno/métodos , Terapia de Reemplazo de Estrógeno/efectos adversos , Estados Unidos/epidemiología , Progestinas/administración & dosificación , Progestinas/efectos adversos , Menopausia , Enfermedades Cardiovasculares/prevención & control , Enfermedades Cardiovasculares/epidemiología , Medicare/estadística & datos numéricos , Estrógenos/administración & dosificación , Estrógenos/efectos adversos , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Demencia/epidemiología , Modelos de Riesgos ProporcionalesRESUMEN
PURPOSE: To study the effects of benign prostatic hyperplasia treatments, namely: alpha-adrenergic receptor blockers, 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors and phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors on the risk of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All male Medicare enrollees aged 65 or above who were diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia and received one of the study drugs between 2007-2020 were followed-up for the three outcomes. We used Cox regression analysis to assess the relative risk of each of the outcomes for each study drug compared to the most prescribed drug, tamsulosin, while controlling for demographic, socioeconomic and comorbidity factors. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The study analyzed 1.1 million patients for a mean follow-up period of 3.1 years from being prescribed one of the study drugs. For all outcomes, patients on tamsulosin were used as the reference for comparison. For mortality, alfuzosin was associated with 27% risk reduction (HR 0.73, 95%CI 0.68-0.78), and doxazosin with 6% risk reduction (HR 0.94, 95%CI 0.91-0.97). For Parkinson's disease, terazosin was associated with 26% risk reduction (HR 0.74, 95%CI 0.66-0.83), and doxazosin with 21% risk reduction (HR 0.79, 95%CI 0.72-0.88). For Alzheimer's disease, terazosin was associated with 27% risk reduction (HR 0.73, 95%CI 0.65-0.82), and doxazosin with 16% risk reduction (HR 0.84, 95%CI 0.76-0.92). Tadalafil was associated with risk reduction (27-40%) in all 3 outcomes. More research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of these observations. Given the availability of safer alternatives for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, caution should be exercised when using tamsulosin in elderly patients, especially those with an increased risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases.
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Enfermedad de Alzheimer , Medicare , Enfermedad de Parkinson , Hiperplasia Prostática , Tamsulosina , Humanos , Masculino , Tamsulosina/uso terapéutico , Tamsulosina/efectos adversos , Anciano , Hiperplasia Prostática/tratamiento farmacológico , Hiperplasia Prostática/mortalidad , Hiperplasia Prostática/epidemiología , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/tratamiento farmacológico , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/mortalidad , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/epidemiología , Medicare/estadística & datos numéricos , Estados Unidos/epidemiología , Enfermedad de Parkinson/tratamiento farmacológico , Enfermedad de Parkinson/mortalidad , Enfermedad de Parkinson/epidemiología , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Estudios de Cohortes , Antagonistas de Receptores Adrenérgicos alfa 1/uso terapéutico , Antagonistas de Receptores Adrenérgicos alfa 1/efectos adversos , Inhibidores de 5-alfa-Reductasa/uso terapéutico , Inhibidores de 5-alfa-Reductasa/efectos adversos , Inhibidores de Fosfodiesterasa 5/uso terapéutico , Inhibidores de Fosfodiesterasa 5/efectos adversosRESUMEN
Despite the universal healthcare coverages, racial disparities in healthcare expenditures among senior Medicare beneficiaries exist. A few studies explored how racial disparities in healthcare expenditures changed over past decades and how it affected differently across 4 minoritized races, by type of Medicare and poverty levels. We conducted a longitudinal study of 21 healthcare expenditures from senior Medicare fee-for-service enrollees to determine overall and secular trends in racial disparities in healthcare expenditures between 2007 and 2020, during which the Affordable Care Act (ACA) came into full force and the COVID-19 pandemic had begun. We found important disparities in healthcare expenditures across 4 minoritized races compared to Whites, even after adjusting for possible confounders for such disparities. Disparities between Hispanics/Asians and Whites were much greater than disparities between Blacks and Whites, in all Parts A, B, and D expenditures. This reality has not been sufficiently emphasized in the literature. Importantly, Black-White disparities in total Part B expenditure gradually worsened between 2007 and 2020, and Hispanic-White and Asian-White disparities worsened greatly during that time window. Health planners need to focus on these large disparities and develop methods to shrink them.
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BACKGROUND: Maintenance drugs are used to treat chronic conditions. Several classes of maintenance drugs have attracted attention because of their potential to affect susceptibility to and severity of COVID-19. METHODS: Using claims data on 20% random sample of Part D Medicare enrollees from April to December 2020, we identified patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Using a nested case-control design, non-COVID-19 controls were identified by 1:5 matching on age, race, sex, dual-eligibility status, and geographical region. We identified usage of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARB), statins, warfarin, direct factor Xa inhibitors, P2Y12 inhibitors, famotidine and hydroxychloroquine based on Medicare prescription claims data. Using extended Cox regression models with time-varying propensity score adjustment we examined the independent effect of each study drug on contracting COVID-19. For severity of COVID-19, we performed extended Cox regressions on all COVID-19 patients, using COVID-19-related hospitalization and all-cause mortality as outcomes. Covariates included gender, age, race, geographic region, low-income indicator, and co-morbidities. To compensate for indication bias related to the use of hydroxychloroquine for the prophylaxis or treatment of COVID-19, we censored patients who only started on hydroxychloroquine in 2020. RESULTS: Up to December 2020, our sample contained 374,229 Medicare patients over 65 who were diagnosed with COVID-19. Among the COVID-19 patients, 278,912 (74.6%) were on at least one study drug. The three most common study drugs among COVID-19 patients were statins 187,374 (50.1%), ACEI 97,843 (26.2%) and ARB 83,290 (22.3%). For all three outcomes (diagnosis, hospitalization and death), current users of ACEI, ARB, statins, warfarin, direct factor Xa inhibitors and P2Y12 inhibitors were associated with reduced risks, compared to never users. Famotidine did not show consistent significant effects. Hydroxychloroquine did not show significant effects after censoring of recent starters. CONCLUSION: Maintenance use of ACEI, ARB, warfarin, statins, direct factor Xa inhibitors and P2Y12 inhibitors was associated with reduction in risk of acquiring COVID-19 and dying from it.
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Tratamiento Farmacológico de COVID-19 , Inhibidores de Hidroximetilglutaril-CoA Reductasas , Hipertensión , Anciano , Antagonistas de Receptores de Angiotensina/uso terapéutico , Inhibidores de la Enzima Convertidora de Angiotensina/uso terapéutico , Inhibidores del Factor Xa/uso terapéutico , Famotidina/uso terapéutico , Humanos , Hidroxicloroquina/uso terapéutico , Inhibidores de Hidroximetilglutaril-CoA Reductasas/uso terapéutico , Hipertensión/complicaciones , Medicare , Estudios Retrospectivos , Estados Unidos/epidemiología , Warfarina/uso terapéuticoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Pain, anxiety, and depression (PAD) are common, co-occurring symptoms that adversely affect one another and may respond to common treatments. PAD composite measures would be useful for tracking treatment response in patients with PAD symptoms. The goal of this study is to compare 3 different PAD composite scales in terms of construct validity, responsiveness, and utility in predicting global improvement. METHOD: The sample consisted of 294 primary care patients enrolled in a telecare trial for treating pain, anxiety, and depression. Assessments at baseline and 3 months included the Brief Pain Inventory, PHQ-9 depression scale, GAD-7 anxiety scale, PROMIS measures, Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form items, disability measures, and patient-reported global improvement. Construct validity of the PAD composite measures, their responsiveness, and their ability to predict global improvement was analyzed using Pearson correlations, standardized response means, and receiver operating characteristics analysis. RESULTS: PAD composite measures correlated strongly with one another, and moderately with measures of function, vitality, and disability. Each PAD composite measure demonstrated similar responsiveness in detecting improvement at 3 months as assessed by standardized response means (SRMs) and area under the curve (AUC analyses).The SRMs for partial and substantial global improvement corresponded to moderate (Cohen's d of 0.58 to 0.69) and large (0.81 to 0.93) effect sizes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Three different PAD composite measures demonstrate good construct validity as well as responsiveness in detecting global improvement of pain, anxiety and depression at 3 months.
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Trastornos de Ansiedad , Depresión , Ansiedad/diagnóstico , Ansiedad/terapia , Trastornos de Ansiedad/diagnóstico , Depresión/diagnóstico , Depresión/terapia , Humanos , Dolor , Reproducibilidad de los ResultadosRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Serious cardiac arrhythmias caused by QT-prolonging drugs are difficult to predict based on physiological measurement and pre-approval clinical trials. Post-marketing surveillance and monitoring are important to generate safety data. OBJECTIVES: To assess whether an observational study using Medicare claims data can detect the arrhythmogenic risk of QT-prolonging drugs. METHODS: We identified 17 QT-prolonging drugs with known risk of torsades des pointes (TdP) that were not used to treat cardiac arrhythmias. Amoxicillin and four serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) were used as controls. De-identified claims data of 1.2 million Medicare beneficiaries were accessed. Two separate Cox regressions were done for short-term and chronic-use drugs. The primary outcome was a composite of ventricular arrhythmias and/or sudden death, identified by ICD diagnostic codes. We explored the independent effect of each study drug on the outcomes. Other covariates included patient demographics, comorbidities, and known risk factors for drug-induced cardiac arrhythmia. RESULTS: We were able to detect increased risk in 14 of 17 study drugs (82.3%), and none of the control drugs. Among the fluoroquinolones, ciprofloxacin was the safest. Azithromycin and clarithromycin were relatively safe compared to erythromycin. Compared to SNRIs, both citalopram and escitalopram had increased risk, more so with escitalopram than citalopram. Comorbidities associated with increased risk included ischemic heart disease, electrolyte imbalance, bradycardia, acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, and chronic kidney and liver disease. CONCLUSION: Medicare data can be utilized for post-marketing surveillance and monitoring of the proarrhythmic risk of QT-prolonging drugs in older adults.
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INTRODUCTION: Pain, depression, and anxiety are prominent symptoms that frequently co-occur, causing significant debilitation and frequent primary care visits. This paper examines the acceptability of telecare and self-management modules in managing these conditions in a randomized trial. METHODS: The Comprehensive Management of Mood and Physical Symptoms (CAMMPS) trial compared an automated symptom management (ASM) plus self-management intervention with a comprehensive symptom management (CSM) intervention that added telecare facilitation of enhanced services. Data from the CAMMPS trial were analysed to compare the acceptability of these two interventions as indicated by utilization and patient satisfaction surveys. RESULTS: The mean number of automated reports completed was similar between the CSM and ASM groups (14.5 vs 14.0). Responses designated with clinically relevant "red alerts" (i.e. patient reports warranting an expedited nurse contact) were more frequent in the CSM group (10.2 vs 8.3). The CSM and ASM groups completed a similar number of the nine self-management modules (6.3 vs 5.8). The mean helpfulness score across all modules was higher in the CSM group than in the ASM group (1.8 vs 1.5; p = .003). The most common feedback suggestion from the ASM group was to have more personal interaction, while participants from both groups commonly suggested technical improvements or requests for more flexible timing of calls. DISCUSSION: Participants generally found both interventions satisfactory, with a trend in satisfaction data suggesting that patients tended to find the CSM intervention more helpful.
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Afecto , Ansiedad/terapia , Depresión/terapia , Dolor Musculoesquelético/terapia , Manejo del Dolor/métodos , Satisfacción del Paciente , Automanejo/métodos , Telemedicina/estadística & datos numéricos , Cumplimiento y Adherencia al Tratamiento/estadística & datos numéricos , Anciano , Ansiedad/epidemiología , Comorbilidad , Depresión/epidemiología , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Dolor Musculoesquelético/epidemiología , Dolor Musculoesquelético/psicología , Calidad de Vida , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Telemedicina/métodosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Composite measures that assess the overall burden of anxiety and depressive symptoms have been infrequently evaluated in the same study. The objective of this study was to compare the validity and responsiveness of the Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety-Depression Scale (PHQ-ADS) and other composite anxiety-depression measures. METHODS: The sample comprised 256 primary care patients enrolled in a telecare trial of chronic musculoskeletal pain and comorbid depression and/or anxiety. Measures included the PHQ-ADS; the 8-item and 4-item depression and anxiety scales from the PROMIS profiles; the PHQ-anxiety-depression scale (PHQ-4); the SF-36 Mental Health scale; and the SF-12 Mental Component Summary scale. Correlations among these measures and health-related quality of life measures were examined. Responsiveness was evaluated by standardized response means, area under the curve (AUC) analyses, and treatment effect sizes in the trial. RESULTS: Convergent and construct validity was supported by strong correlations of the composite depression-anxiety measures with one another and moderate correlations with health-related quality of life measures, respectively. All composite measures differentiated patients who were better at 3 months, whereas the PHQ-ADS and PHQ-4 also distinguished the subgroup that had worsened. AUCs for composite measures were generally similar, whereas treatment effect sizes were largest for the PHQ-ADS. LIMITATIONS: The study sample was predominantly male veterans enrolled from primary care who had chronic musculoskeletal pain and moderate levels of depression and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Composite depression and anxiety scales are valid and responsive measures that may be useful as outcomes in research and clinical practice.
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Trastornos de Ansiedad/diagnóstico , Trastorno Depresivo/diagnóstico , Cuestionario de Salud del Paciente/normas , Escalas de Valoración Psiquiátrica/normas , Psicometría/instrumentación , Veteranos , Área Bajo la Curva , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Salud Mental , Persona de Mediana Edad , Dolor Musculoesquelético/diagnóstico , Calidad de Vida , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Perfil de Impacto de EnfermedadRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The Remission Evaluation and Mood Inventory Tool (REMIT) was developed as a brief complementary measure to provide a more robust assessment of depression improvement than tracking DSM-V symptom improvement alone. This study provides further validation of the REMIT tool and examines its utility in predicting depression improvement. METHODS: The sample comprised 294 primary care patients enrolled in a telecare trial of pain plus depression and/or anxiety. Assessments collected included: REMIT, PHQ-9 and measures assessing anxiety, pain, sleep, fatigue, somatization, health-related quality of life and disability. Data was analyzed to assess the REMIT's validity, its minimally important difference (MID), and its utility in predicting 6-month depression improvement. RESULTS: Convergent and construct validity of REMIT was supported by moderate correlations with mental health measures and weaker correlation with physical health measures. MID of approximately 2 points for REMIT was estimated by two metrics: 0.5 standard deviation and 1 standard error of measurement. Both baseline and 3-month change in REMIT scores predicted depression improvement at 6â¯months. Indeed, REMIT was as good or better predictor than the PHQ-9. CONCLUSION: The REMIT measure is a brief 5-item tool that augments core DSM-V symptom-oriented metrics in assessing and predicting recovery from major depression.
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Afecto , Trastorno Depresivo Mayor/terapia , Evaluación de Resultado en la Atención de Salud/normas , Escalas de Valoración Psiquiátrica/normas , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Trastorno Depresivo Mayor/rehabilitación , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Ensayos Clínicos Controlados Aleatorios como Asunto , Inducción de RemisiónRESUMEN
Objective: Timely preventive care can substantially reduce risk of recurrent vascular events or death after a transient ischaemic attack (TIA). Our objective was to understand patient and facility factors influencing preventive care quality for patients with TIA in the US Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Methods: We analysed administrative data from a retrospective cohort of 3052 patients with TIA cared for in the emergency department (ED) or inpatient setting in 110 VHA facilities from October 2010 to September 2011. A composite quality indicator (QI score) pass rate was constructed from four process-related quality measures-carotid imaging, brain imaging, high or moderate potency statin and antithrombotic medication, associated with the ED visit or inpatient admission after the TIA. We tested a multilevel structural equation model where facility and patient characteristics, inpatient admission, and neurological consultation were predictors of the resident's composite QI score. Results: Presenting with a speech deficit and higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) were positively related to inpatient admission. Being admitted increased the likelihood of neurology consultation, whereas history of dementia, weekend arrival and a higher CCI score made neurological consultation less likely. Speech deficit, higher CCI, inpatient admission and neurological consultation had direct positive effects on the composite quality score. Patients in facilities with fewer full-time equivalent neurology staff were less likely to be admitted or to have a neurology consultation. Facilities having greater organisational complexity and with a VHA stroke centre designation were more likely to provide a neurology consultation. Conclusions: Better TIA preventive care could be achieved through increased inpatient admissions, or through enhanced neurology and other care resources in the ED and during follow-up care.
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Ataque Isquémico Transitorio , Neurología , Admisión del Paciente , Calidad de la Atención de Salud/normas , Derivación y Consulta , Reclamos Administrativos en el Cuidado de la Salud , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Servicio de Urgencia en Hospital , Femenino , Humanos , Ataque Isquémico Transitorio/diagnóstico por imagen , Ataque Isquémico Transitorio/tratamiento farmacológico , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Retrospectivos , Accidente Cerebrovascular/prevención & control , Factores de Tiempo , Estados Unidos , United States Department of Veterans Affairs , VeteranosRESUMEN
Importance: Early evaluation and management of patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) and nonsevere ischemic stroke improves outcomes. Objective: To identify processes of care associated with reduced risk of death or recurrent stroke among patients with TIA or nonsevere ischemic stroke. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study included all patients with TIA or nonsevere ischemic stroke at Department of Veterans Affairs emergency department or inpatient settings from October 2010 to September 2011. Multivariable logistic regression was used to model associations of processes of care and without-fail care, defined as receiving all guideline-concordant processes of care for which patients are eligible, with risk of death and recurrent stroke. Data were analyzed from March 2018 to April 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures: Risk of all-cause mortality and recurrent ischemic stroke at 90 days and 1 year was calculated. Overall, 28 processes of care were examined. Without-fail care was assessed for 6 processes: brain imaging, carotid artery imaging, hypertension medication intensification, high- or moderate-potency statin therapy, antithrombotics, and anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation. Results: Among 8076 patients, the mean (SD) age was 67.8 (11.6) years, 7752 patients (96.0%) were men, 5929 (73.4%) were white, 474 (6.1%) had a recurrent ischemic stroke within 90 days, 793 (10.7%) had a recurrent ischemic stroke within 1 year, 320 (4.0%) died within 90 days, and 814 (10.1%) died within 1 year. Overall, 9 processes were independently associated with lower odds of both 90-day and 1-year mortality after adjustment for multiple comparisons: carotid artery imaging (90-day adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.49; 95% CI, 0.38-0.63; 1-year aOR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.52-0.72), antihypertensive medication class (90-day aOR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.45-0.74; 1-year aOR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.60-0.83), lipid measurement (90-day aOR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.51-0.90; 1-year aOR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.53-0.78), lipid management (90-day aOR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.33-0.65; 1-year aOR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.53-0.85), discharged receiving statin medication (90-day aOR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.36-0.73; 1-year aOR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.55-0.88), cholesterol-lowering medication intensification (90-day aOR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.26-0.83; 1-year aOR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.41-0.77), antithrombotics by day 2 (90-day aOR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.40-0.79; 1-year aOR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.55-0.87) or at discharge (90-day aOR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.41-0.86; 1-year aOR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.54-0.88), and neurology consultation (90-day aOR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.52-0.87; 1-year aOR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.63-0.87). Anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation was associated with lower odds of 1-year mortality only (aOR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.40-0.85). No processes were associated with reduced risk of recurrent stroke after adjustment for multiple comparisons. The rate of without-fail care was 15.3%; 1216 patients received all guideline-concordant processes of care for which they were eligible. Without-fail care was associated with a 31.2% lower odds of 1-year mortality (aOR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.55-0.87) but was not independently associated with stroke risk. Conclusions and Relevance: Patients who received 6 readily available processes of care had lower adjusted mortality 1 year after TIA or nonsevere ischemic stroke. Clinicians caring for patients with TIA and nonsevere ischemic stroke should seek to ensure that patients receive all guideline-concordant processes of care for which they are eligible.
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Isquemia Encefálica/complicaciones , Ataque Isquémico Transitorio , Efectos Adversos a Largo Plazo , Manejo de Atención al Paciente , Medición de Riesgo/métodos , Accidente Cerebrovascular , Determinación de la Elegibilidad , Femenino , Humanos , Ataque Isquémico Transitorio/mortalidad , Ataque Isquémico Transitorio/terapia , Efectos Adversos a Largo Plazo/etiología , Efectos Adversos a Largo Plazo/mortalidad , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Mortalidad , Evaluación de Procesos y Resultados en Atención de Salud , Manejo de Atención al Paciente/métodos , Manejo de Atención al Paciente/normas , Pronóstico , Recurrencia , Factores de Riesgo , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad , Accidente Cerebrovascular/etiología , Accidente Cerebrovascular/mortalidad , Accidente Cerebrovascular/terapia , Estados Unidos/epidemiología , Servicios de Salud para Veteranos/estadística & datos numéricosRESUMEN
This observational cohort study assesses the occurrence of postCOVID-19 condition symptoms in Medicare enrollees prescribed nirmatrelvir and molnupiravir.
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COVID-19 , Humanos , Anciano , Hidroxilaminas , Citidina , Lactamas , Nitrilos , Antivirales/uso terapéuticoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To examine primary care provider (PCP) screening practice for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and predictive factors for screening habits. A secondary objective was to describe the polysomnography completion proportion and outcome. We hypothesized that both provider and child health factors would predict PCP suspicion of OSA. METHODS: A computer decision support system that automated screening for snoring was implemented in 5 urban primary care clinics in Indianapolis, Indiana. We studied 1086 snoring children aged 1 to 11 years seen by 26 PCPs. We used logistic regression to examine the association between PCP suspicion of OSA and child demographics, child health characteristics, provider characteristics, and clinic site. RESULTS: PCPs suspected OSA in 20% of snoring children. Factors predicting PCP concern for OSA included clinic site (P < .01; odds ratio [OR] = 0.13), Spanish language (P < .01; OR = 0.53), provider training (P = .01; OR = 10.19), number of training years (P = .01; OR = 4.26) and child age (P < .01), with the youngest children least likely to elicit PCP concern for OSA (OR = 0.20). No patient health factors (eg, obesity) were significantly predictive. Proportions of OSA suspicion were variable between clinic sites (range, 6-28%) and between specific providers (range, 0-63%). Of children referred for polysomnography (n = 100), 61% completed the study. Of these, 67% had OSA. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest unexplained small area practice variation in PCP concern for OSA among snoring children. It is likely that many children at risk for OSA remain unidentified. An important next step is to evaluate interventions to support PCPs in evidence-based OSA identification.