Outcomes Associated With Extraction Versus Capping and Abandoning Pacing and Defibrillator Leads.

BACKGROUND: Lead management is an increasingly important aspect of care in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices; however, relatively little is known about long-term outcomes after capping and abandoning leads. METHODS: Using the 5% Medicare sample, we identified patients with de novo cardiac implantable electronic device implantations between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2013, and with a subsequent lead addition or extraction ≥12 months after the de novo implantation. Patients who underwent extraction for infection were excluded. Using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, we compared cumulative incidence of all-cause mortality, device-related infection, device revision, and lead extraction at 1 and 5 years for the extraction versus the cap and abandon group. RESULTS: Among 6859 patients, 1113 (16.2%) underwent extraction, whereas 5746 (83.8%) underwent capping and abandonment. Extraction patients tended to be younger (median, 78 versus 79 years; P<0.0001), were less likely to be male (65% versus 68%; P=0.05), and had shorter lead dwell time (median, 3.0 versus 4.0 years; P<0.0001) and fewer comorbidities. Over a median follow-up of 2.4 years (25th, 75th percentiles, 1.0, 4.3 years), the overall 1-year and 5-year cumulative incidence of mortality was 13.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 12.7-14.4) and 54.3% (95% CI, 52.8-55.8), respectively. Extraction was associated with a lower risk of device infection at 5 years relative to capping (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.62-0.97; P=0.027). There was no association between extraction and mortality, lead revision, or lead extraction at 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Elective lead extraction for noninfectious indications had similar long-term survival to that for capping and abandoning leads in a Medicare population. However, extraction was associated with lower risk of device infections at 5 years.

Overtreatment and Deintensification of Diabetic Therapy among Medicare Beneficiaries.

BACKGROUND: Deintensification of diabetic therapy is often clinically appropriate for older adults, because the benefit of aggressive diabetes treatment declines with age, while the risks increase. OBJECTIVE: We examined rates of overtreatment and deintensification of therapy for older adults with diabetes, and whether these rates differed by medical, demographic, and socioeconomic characteristics. DESIGN, SUBJECTS, AND MAIN MEASURES: We analyzed Medicare claims data from 10 states, linked to outpatient laboratory values to identify patients potentially overtreated for diabetes (HbA1c < 6.5% with fills for any diabetes medications beyond metformin, 1/1/2011-6/30/2011). We examined characteristics associated with deintensification for potentially overtreated diabetic patients. We used multinomial logistic regression to examine whether patient characteristics associated with overtreatment of diabetes differed from those associated with undertreatment (i.e. HbA1c > 9.0%). KEY RESULTS: Of 78,792 Medicare recipients with diabetes, 8560 (10.9%) were potentially overtreated. Overtreatment of diabetes was more common among those who were over 75 years of age and enrolled in Medicaid (p < 0.001), and was less common among Hispanics (p = 0.009). Therapy was deintensified for 14% of overtreated diabetics. Appropriate deintensification of diabetic therapy was more common for patients with six or more chronic conditions, more outpatient visits, or living in urban areas; deintensification was less common for those over age 75. Only 6.9% of Medicare recipients with diabetes were potentially undertreated. Variables associated with overtreatment of diabetes differed from those associated with undertreatment. CONCLUSIONS: Medicare recipients are more frequently overtreated than undertreated for diabetes. Medicare recipients who are overtreated for diabetes rarely have their regimens deintensified.

Change the management of patients with heart failure: Rationale and design of the CHAMP-HF registry.

Heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is a common and costly condition that diminishes patients' health status and confers a poor prognosis. Despite the availability of multiple guideline-recommended pharmacologic and cardiac device therapies for patients with chronic HFrEF, outcomes remain suboptimal. Currently, there is limited insight into the rationale underlying clinical decisions by health care providers and patient factors that guide the use and intensity of outpatient HF treatments. A better understanding of current practice patterns has the potential to improve patients' outcomes. The CHAnge the Management of Patients with Heart Failure (CHAMP-HF) registry will evaluate the care and outcomes of patients with chronic HFrEF by assessing real-world treatment patterns, as well as the reasons for and barriers to medication treatment changes. CHAMP-HF will enroll approximately 5,000 patients with chronic HFrEF (left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40%) at approximately 150 US sites, and patients will be followed for a maximum duration of 24 months. Participating sites will collect data from both providers (HF history, examination findings, results of diagnostic studies, pharmacotherapy treatment patterns, decision-making factors, and clinical outcomes) and patients (medication adherence and patient-reported outcomes). The CHAMP-HF registry will provide a unique opportunity to study practice patterns and the adoption of new HF therapies across a diverse mix of health care providers and outpatient practices in the United States that care for HFrEF patients.

Significant variation in P2Y12 inhibitor use after peripheral vascular intervention in Medicare beneficiaries.

UNLABELLED: There is no consensus regarding whether to use antithrombotic medications in patients with peripheral artery disease after lower-extremity peripheral vascular intervention. OBJECTIVES: The main hypothesis is that significant variation exists regarding use of antithrombotic medications after lower-extremity peripheral vascular intervention. We sought to examine the patterns of postprocedural antithrombotic medication use and associated factors in Medicare patients. METHODS: We measured rates of P2Y12 inhibitor use after peripheral vascular intervention in a 100% national sample of Medicare beneficiaries with Part D prescription drug coverage. We used logistic regression modeling to examine associations between patient and clinical factors and P2Y12 inhibitor use. RESULTS: Between 2010 and 2012, a total of 85,830 patients underwent peripheral vascular intervention and had prescription drug claims. Overall, 18.3% of patients were treated with an oral anticoagulant, 19.1% received no P2Y12 inhibitor, 30.8% received a P2Y12 inhibitor before and after the procedure, 6.2% received a P2Y12 inhibitor for up to 30 days after the procedure, and 25.6% received a P2Y12 inhibitor for more than 30 days after the procedure. After adjustment, factors associated with P2Y12 inhibitor use included male sex; black race; history of renal disease, dementia, or heart failure; physician specialty; and clinical setting of the procedure. We observed a strong interaction effect between clinical setting and physician specialty (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: One-fifth of patients who underwent lower-extremity peripheral vascular intervention did not fill a prescription for a P2Y12 inhibitor. Patients whose operators were surgeons or radiologists had lower odds of P2Y12 inhibitor use. More research to determine the optimal use and duration of antithrombotic medications after the procedure is warranted.

Discharge heart rate and ß-blocker dose in patients hospitalized with heart failure: Findings from the OPTIMIZE-HF registry.

BACKGROUND: Elevated heart rate of ≥70 beats/min despite ß-blocker use may represent a new treatment target in patients in sinus rhythm with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. However, little is known about the proportion of patients with elevated heart rate despite ß-blocker therapy. METHODS: We analyzed data from a large clinical registry to describe discharge heart rate as a function of ß-blocker use and dose. We included patients with left ventricular ejection fraction <40% who were admitted with acute heart failure in 2003 and 2004; we excluded patients with a history of atrial arrhythmia or with a pacemaker or cardiac resynchronization therapy. We considered the ß-blockers carvedilol, metoprolol succinate, bisoprolol, atenolol, and metoprolol tartrate and described discharge dose as a percentage of target dose (ie, <25%, 25%-49%, 50%-99%, and ≥100%). RESULTS: Among 10,696 patients, median discharge heart rate was 76 beats/min (interquartile range [IQR] 66-86 beats/min). Of these, 7,826 (73%) were discharged on a ß-blocker. For patients not on a ß-blocker, median discharge heart rate was 80 beats/min (IQR 70-89 beats/min), compared with 78 beats/min (IQR 69-88 beats/min) on <25% of target dose, 75 beats/min (IQR 66-85 beats/min) on 25% to 49% of target dose, 74 beats/min (IQR 66-82 beats/min) on 50% to 99% of target dose, and 72 beats/min (IQR 65% to 80%) on 100% of target dose or greater (P < .001). Most patients, 7,647 (71%), had a discharge heart rate of ≥70 beats/min, including 1,460 (63%) of 2,301 patients discharged on 50% of target dose or greater. CONCLUSIONS: Despite treatment with ß-blockers, a substantial proportion of patients hospitalized with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction have elevated heart rate at discharge.

Use of the landmark method to address immortal person-time bias in comparative effectiveness research: a simulation study.

Observational comparative effectiveness and safety studies are often subject to immortal person-time, a period of follow-up during which outcomes cannot occur because of the treatment definition. Common approaches, like excluding immortal time from the analysis or naïvely including immortal time in the analysis, are known to result in biased estimates of treatment effect. Other approaches, such as the Mantel-Byar and landmark methods, have been proposed to handle immortal time. Little is known about the performance of the landmark method in different scenarios. We conducted extensive Monte Carlo simulations to assess the performance of the landmark method compared with other methods in settings that reflect realistic scenarios. We considered four landmark times for the landmark method. We found that the Mantel-Byar method provided unbiased estimates in all scenarios, whereas the exclusion and naïve methods resulted in substantial bias when the hazard of the event was constant or decreased over time. The landmark method performed well in correcting immortal person-time bias in all scenarios when the treatment effect was small, and provided unbiased estimates when there was no treatment effect. The bias associated with the landmark method tended to be small when the treatment rate was higher in the early follow-up period than it was later. These findings were confirmed in a case study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comparative effectiveness of cardiac resynchronization therapy with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator versus defibrillator therapy alone: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Trials comparing implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy with cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (CRT-D) are limited to selected patients treated at centers with extensive experience. OBJECTIVE: To compare outcomes after CRT-D versus ICD therapy in contemporary practice. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study using the National Cardiovascular Data Registry's ICD Registry linked with Medicare claims. SETTING: 780 U.S. hospitals implanting both CRT-D and ICD devices. PATIENTS: 7090 propensity-matched patients older than 65 years with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (<0.35) and prolonged QRS duration on electrocardiography (≥120 ms) having CRT-D or ICD implantation between 1 April 2006 and 31 December 2009. MEASUREMENTS: Risks for death, readmission, and device-related complications over 3 years. RESULTS: Compared with ICD therapy, CRT-D was associated with lower risks for mortality (cumulative incidence, 25.7% vs. 29.8%; adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.82 [99% CI, 0.73 to 0.93]), all-cause readmission (cumulative incidence, 68.6% vs. 72.8%; adjusted HR, 0.86 [CI, 0.81 to 0.93]), cardiovascular readmission (cumulative incidence, 45.0% vs. 52.4%; adjusted HR, 0.80 [CI, 0.73 to 0.88]), and heart failure readmission (cumulative incidence, 24.3% vs. 29.4%; adjusted HR, 0.78 [CI, 0.69 to 0.88]). It was also associated with greater risks for device-related infection (cumulative incidence, 1.9% vs. 1.0%; adjusted HR, 1.90 [CI, 1.07 to 3.37]). The lower risks for heart failure readmission associated with CRT-D compared with ICD therapy were most pronounced among patients with left bundle branch block or a QRS duration at least 150 ms and in women. LIMITATIONS: Patients were not randomly assigned to treatment groups, and few patients could be propensity-matched. The findings may not extend to younger patients or those outside of fee-for-service Medicare. CONCLUSION: In older patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and prolonged QRS duration, CRT-D was associated with lower risks for death and readmission than ICD therapy alone. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Methodological considerations in observational comparative effectiveness research for implantable medical devices: an epidemiologic perspective.

Medical devices play a vital role in diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases and are an integral part of the health-care system. Many devices, including implantable medical devices, enter the market through a regulatory pathway that was not designed to assure safety and effectiveness. Several recent studies and high-profile device recalls have demonstrated the need for well-designed, valid postmarketing studies of medical devices. Medical device epidemiology is a relatively new field compared with pharmacoepidemiology, which for decades has been developed to assess the safety and effectiveness of medications. Many methodological considerations in pharmacoepidemiology apply to medical device epidemiology. Fundamental differences in mechanisms of action and use and in how exposure data are captured mean that comparative effectiveness studies of medical devices often necessitate additional and different considerations. In this paper, we discuss some of the most salient issues encountered in conducting comparative effectiveness research on implantable devices. We discuss special methodological considerations regarding the use of data sources, exposure and outcome definitions, timing of exposure, and sources of bias.

Adherence and persistence in the use of warfarin after hospital discharge among patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Postdischarge adherence and long-term persistence in the use of warfarin among patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation without contraindications have not been fully described. METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation who were ≥ 65 years old, eligible for warfarin, and discharged home from hospitals in the Get With the Guidelines-Heart Failure registry from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2009. We used linked Medicare prescription drug event data to measure adherence and persistence. The main outcome measures were rates of prescription at discharge, outpatient dispensing, discontinuation, and adherence as measured by the medication possession ratio. We hypothesized that adherence to warfarin would differ according to whether patients received the prescription at discharge. Among 2,691 eligible patients, 1,856 (69.0%) were prescribed warfarin at discharge. Patients prescribed warfarin at discharge had significantly higher prescription fill rates within 90 days (84.5% vs 12.3%; P < .001) and 1 year (91.6% vs 16.8%; P < .001) and significantly higher medication possession ratios (0.78 vs 0.63; P < .001). Among both previous nonusers and existing users, fill rates at 90 days and 1 year and possession ratios were significantly higher among those prescribed warfarin at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: One-third of eligible patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation were not prescribed warfarin at discharge from a heart failure hospitalization, and few started therapy as outpatients. In contrast, most patients who were prescribed warfarin at discharge filled the prescription within 90 days and remained on therapy at 1 year.

Potential Impact of Slowing Disease Progression in Early Symptomatic Alzheimer's Disease on Patient Quality of Life, Caregiver Time, and Total Societal Costs: Estimates Based on Findings from GERAS-US Study.

Background: Impact of Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression on patient health-related quality of life (HRQoL), caregiver time, and societal costs is not well characterized in early AD. Objective: To assess the association of change in cognition with HRQoL, caregiver time, and societal costs over 36 months, and estimate the impact of slowing disease progression on these outcomes. Methods: This post-hoc analysis included patients with amyloid-positive mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild AD dementia (MILD AD) from the 36-month GERAS-US study. Disease progression was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination score. Change in outcomes associated with slowing AD progression was estimated using coefficients from generalized linear models. Results: At baseline, 300 patients had MCI and 317 had MILD AD. Observed natural progression over 36 months was associated with: 5.1 point decline in the Bath Assessment of Subjective Quality of Life in Dementia (BASQID) score (for HRQoL), increase in 1,050 hours of total caregiver time, and $8,504 total societal costs for MCI; 6.6 point decline in the BASQID score, increase in 1,929 hours of total caregiver time, and $12,795 total societal costs for MILD AD per person. Slowing AD progression by 30% could result in per person savings in HRQoL decline, total caregiver time, and total societal costs: for MCI: 1.5 points, 315 hours, and $2,638; for MILD AD: 2.0 points, 579 hours, and $3,974. Conclusions: Slowing AD progression over 36 months could slow decline in HRQoL and save caregiver time and societal cost in patients with MCI and MILD AD.

Optimization of nitrogen removal and microbial mechanism of a hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactor.

The hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactor (H2-MBfR) is an emerging biological nitrogen removal technology characterized by high efficiency, energy-saving capability, and environmental friendliness. The technology achieves denitrification and denitrogenation of microorganisms by passing hydrogen as an electron donor from inside to outside through the hollow fibre membrane module, and eventually the hydrogen reachs the biofilm attached to the surface of the fibre membrane. H2-MBfR has obtained favourable outcomes in the treatment of secondary biochemical effluent and low concentration nitrogen polluted water source. The experiment was optimized by s single-factor testing and response surface methodology-based optimization (RSM), and the optimal operational conditions were obtained as follows: an influent flow rate of 2 mL/min, hydrogen pressure of 0.04 MPa, and influent nitrate concentration of 24.29 mg/L. Under these conditions, a high nitrate removal rate of 98.25% was achieved. In addition, Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the dominant bacteria in all stages, and the genus Hydrogenophaga was sufficiently enriched, occurring at 13.0%-49.0% throughout the reactor operation. Furthermore, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway for nitrate reduction and inorganic carbon utilization by microorganisms in the H2-MBfR was explored through comparison with the KEGG database. The results provided a mechanistic explanation for the denitrification and carbon sequestration capacity of the H2-MBfR.

Early intravenous heart failure therapy and outcomes among older patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure: findings from the Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Registry Emergency Module (ADHERE-EM).

BACKGROUND: Timing of initial treatment for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) varies across hospitals and its impact on outcomes remains poorly defined. We examined the association between time to first intravenous (IV) heart failure (HF) therapy and patient outcomes. METHODS: Using the ADHERE-EM linked to Medicare claims data, we identified patients ≥65 years old who were hospitalized for ADHF and received IV HF therapy during index admission. Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess the association of time to treatment with a composite of 30-day all-cause mortality or re-admission. Generalized linear mixed models were used to examine the association of time to treatment with in-hospital all-cause mortality, index hospitalization length of stay, and total days alive and out-of-hospital at 30 days. RESULTS: Of 6,971 patients, the median time to first IV HF therapy was 2.3-hours (interquartile range 1.1, 4.4). The cumulative incidence of 30-day all-cause mortality or readmission was 27.4%. After adjusting for covariates, time to treatment was not associated with increased risk of composite 30-day all-cause mortality or re-admission (HR 1.00; 95% CI 1.00-1.00; P = .221). However, every hour delay in treatment was associated with a modest increased risk of in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR 1.01; 95% CI 1.00-1.02; P = .001) and an approximately 1.4-hour increase in index admission length of stay (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Among older patients presenting with ADHF, delay in initiating IV HF therapy was associated with modestly higher risk for in-hospital mortality and longer length of stay, but was not associated with 30-day outcomes.

Transitional adherence and persistence in the use of aldosterone antagonist therapy in patients with heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Aldosterone antagonist therapy is recommended for selected patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction. Adherence to therapy in the transition from hospital to home is not well understood. METHODS: We identified patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction who were ≥65 years old, eligible for aldosterone antagonist therapy, and discharged home from hospitals in the Get With the Guidelines-Heart Failure registry between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2008. We used Medicare prescription drug event data to measure adherence. Main outcome measures were prescription at discharge, outpatient prescription claim within 90 days, discontinuation, and adherence as measured with the medication possession ratio. We used the cumulative incidence function to estimate rates of initiation and discontinuation. RESULTS: Among 2,086 eligible patients, 561 (26.9%) were prescribed an aldosterone antagonist at discharge. Within 90 days, 78.6% of eligible patients with a discharge prescription filled a prescription for the therapy, compared with 13.0% of eligible patients without a discharge prescription (P < .001). The median medication possession ratio was 0.63 over 1 year of follow-up. Among 634 patients who filled a prescription within 90 days of discharge, 7.9% discontinued therapy within 1 year. CONCLUSION: Most eligible patients were not prescribed aldosterone antagonist therapy at discharge from a heart failure hospitalization. Eligible patients without a discharge prescription seldom initiated therapy as outpatients. Most patients who were prescribed an aldosterone antagonist at discharge filled the prescription within 90 days and remained on therapy.

Annual indirect costs savings in patients with episodic or chronic migraine: a post-hoc analysis of phase 3 galcanezumab clinical trials in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Galcanezumab (GMB) improved quality-of-life and reduced disability of patients with episodic (EM) and chronic migraine (CM) in Phase 3 trials. AIM: To estimate indirect cost savings associated with GMB treatment in patients with migraine in the United States (US). METHODS: We analyzed data of patients from the US from three randomized, Phase 3, double-blind, placebo (PBO)-controlled GMB studies: EVOLVE-1 and EVOLVE-2 (EM patients), REGAIN (CM patients). Annual indirect costs were calculated using items of the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire: lost time/productivity at work/school, household work, and leisure time. All costs were annualized and expressed in 2019 US dollars. While the main analysis considered lost time/productivity at work/school and household work as a full day, a sensitivity analysis was performed by discounting them by half. For EM, annual indirect costs savings were estimated using mixed model repeated measures analysis. For CM, ANCOVA models were used to estimate annual indirect costs savings as change from baseline. RESULTS: The analysis included 805 patients with EM (mean age = 41.4 years; PBO = 534; GMB = 271) and 423 patients with CM (mean age = 38.9 years; PBO = 279; GMB = 144). Compared to PBO, GMB significantly reduced annual indirect costs among patients with EM at 3 months (least square mean [95% confidence interval] work/school = $1,883.6 [603.64-3,163.65], p = .0040, household work = $628.9 [352.95-904.88], p <.0001, and leisure activity = $499.17 [42.36-955.98], p = .0323) and 6 months (work/school = $2,382.29 [1,065.48-3,699.10], p = .0004, household work = $559.45 [268.99-849.90], p = .0002, and leisure activity = $753.81 [334.35-1,173.27], p = .0004), whereas a significant difference was not observed among patients with CM. Sensitivity analysis results were similar to primary analysis results. CONCLUSIONS: GMB treatment versus PBO resulted in significantly greater indirect cost savings in patients with EM through improved productivity at work/school, household work, and leisure days. Patients with CM receiving GMB versus PBO attained greater cost savings, although not statistically significant, through reduced lost productivity at work/school.

Migraine causes missed time or reduced productivity at home and work, which further imposes an economic burden on patients, referred to as indirect costs. In this study, we evaluated the indirect cost savings in patients with episodic or chronic migraine taking either galcanezumab or placebo for treatment. We collected data using a questionnaire called the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) that was completed by patients enrolled in three clinical studies in the United States (US), namely EVOLVE-1, EVOVLE-2 (episodic migraine patients), and REGAIN (chronic migraine patients). The MIDAS questionnaire evaluated time lost/reduced productivity at work/school, household work, and leisure activity in patients with episodic or chronic migraine. Using scores of the MIDAS questionnaire and standard annual wages for the US population, we calculated indirect costs in patients. A total of 805 patients with episodic migraine and 423 patients with chronic migraine were included in this study. In galcanezumab-treated patients with episodic migraine, a significant indirect cost saving was observed through decrease in time lost/reduced productivity at work/school, household work, and leisure activity compared with patients who received placebo. In galcanezumab-treated patients with chronic migraine, indirect cost saving observed through decrease in time lost/reduced productivity at work/school were not statistically different from placebo-treated patients. The relatively lower cost savings observed in patients with chronic migraine may be due to greater disease burden compared to patients with episodic migraine. Results of this study suggest that patients with migraine receiving galcanezumab may obtain indirect cost savings.

G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 deficiency impairs adult hippocampal neurogenesis in mice with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to confirm that G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1) deficiency affects cognitive function by reducing hippocampal neurogenesis via the PKA/ERK/IGF-I signaling pathway in mice with schizophrenia (SZ). METHODS: Mice were divided into four groups, namely, KO Con, WT Con, KO Con, and WT SZ (n = 12 in each group). All mice were accustomed to the behavioral equipment overnight in the testing service room. The experimental conditions were consistent with those in the animal house. Forced swimming test and Y-maze test were conducted. Neuronal differentiation and maturation were detected using immunofluorescence and confocal imaging. The protein in the PKA/ERK/IGF-I signaling pathway was tested using Western blot analysis. RESULTS: GPER1 KO aggravated depression during forced swimming test and decreased cognitive ability during Y-maze test in the mouse model of dizocilpine maleate (MK-801)-induced SZ. Immunofluorescence and confocal imaging results demonstrated that GPER1 knockout reduced adult hippocampal dentate gyrus neurogenesis. Furthermore, GPER1-KO aggravated the hippocampal damage induced by MK-801 in mice through the PKA/ERK/IGF-I signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: GPER1 deficiency reduced adult hippocampal neurogenesis and neuron survival by regulating the PKA/ERK/IGF-I signaling pathway in the MK-801-induced mouse model of SZ.

Immp2l Mutation Induces Mitochondrial Membrane Depolarization and Complex III Activity Suppression after Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in Mice.

OBJECTIVE: We previously reported that mutations in inner mitochondrial membrane peptidase 2-like (Immp2l) increase infarct volume, enhance superoxide production, and suppress mitochondrial respiration after transient cerebral focal ischemia and reperfusion injury. The present study investigated the impact of heterozygous Immp2l mutation on mitochondria function after ischemia and reperfusion injury in mice. METHODS: Mice were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion for 1 h followed by 0, 1, 5, and 24 h of reperfusion. The effects of Immp2l+/- on mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial respiratory complex III activity, caspase-3, and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) translocation were examined. RESULTS: Immp2l+/- increased ischemic brain damage and the number of TUNEL-positive cells compared with wild-type mice. Immp2l+/- led to mitochondrial damage, mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization, mitochondrial respiratory complex III activity suppression, caspase-3 activation, and AIF nuclear translocation. CONCLUSION: The adverse impact of Immp2l+/- on the brain after ischemia and reperfusion might be related to mitochondrial damage that involves depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential, inhibition of the mitochondrial respiratory complex III, and activation of mitochondria-mediated cell death pathways. These results suggest that patients with stroke carrying Immp2l+/- might have worse and more severe infarcts, followed by a worse prognosis than those without Immp2l mutations.

Validation and meaningful within-patient change in work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire (WPAI) for episodic or chronic migraine.

BACKGROUND: No available studies demonstrate validity and meaningful change thresholds of Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire in patients with migraine. In this post-hoc analysis, we assessed reliability, validity, responsiveness, and meaningful within-patient change from baseline to Month 3 for Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) domain scores in patients with episodic migraine (EM) or chronic migraine (CM). METHOD: The Phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled CONQUER study (NCT03559257, N = 462) enrolled patients with EM or CM who failed two to four categories of prior preventive medication in past ten years. The analyses were performed for WPAI domain scores (absenteeism, presenteeism, overall work productivity, and non-work-related activity impairment). Migraine Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire version 2.1 (MSQv2.1) domain scores (Role Function-Restrictive [RFR] and Role Function-Preventive [RFP]), and monthly migraine headache days were used as anchors. Responder criteria were changes from baseline to Month 3 for each of these anchors and were defined as: increase in MSQ-RFR by ≥ 25.71 points and MSQ-RFP by ≥ 20.00 points and a 50% reduction in monthly migraine headache days. Assessments were performed for overall population, and patients with EM or CM. The meaningful change threshold was determined based on Youden index, Phi coefficient and sensitivity. RESULTS: Of 462 randomized patients, 444 who completed WPAI questionnaire were included in post-hoc analysis. Test-retest reliability over 3 months in a stable subgroup revealed moderate correlations for non-work-related Activity Impairment (ICC = 0.446) presenteeism (ICC = 0.438) and a fair correlation for overall work productivity loss (ICC = 0.360). At baseline, all correlations between WPAI domain scores and continuous anchor variables exceeded recommended threshold of ≥ 0.30, except for WPAI domain scores with number of monthly migraine headache days. Patients achieving pre-specified responsiveness thresholds for monthly migraine headache days, and MSQ-RFP, MSQ-RFR from baseline to Month 3 (responders) showed significant improvements in WPAI domain scores compared with non-responders (P < 0.001). The meaningful change thresholds of -20 (% unit) were identified for WPAI domain scores. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, WPAI has sufficient validity, reliability, responsiveness, and appropriate interpretation standards to assess the impact of EM or CM on presenteeism and overall work productivity loss and non-work-related activity impairment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT number of CONQUER study, NCT03559257.

Implications of M bias in epidemiologic studies: a simulation study.

Collider-stratification bias arises from conditioning on a variable (collider) which opens a path from exposure to outcome. M bias occurs when the collider-stratification bias is transmitted through ancestors of exposure and outcome. Previous theoretical work, but not empirical data, has demonstrated that M bias is smaller than confounding bias. The authors simulated data for large cohort studies with binary exposure, an outcome, a collider, and 2 predictors of the collider. They created 178 scenarios by changing the frequencies of variables and/or the magnitudes of associations among the variables. They calculated the effect estimate, percentage bias, and mean squared error. M bias in these realistic scenarios ranged from -2% to -5%. When the authors increased one or both relative risks for the relation between the collider and unmeasured factors to ≥8, the negative bias was more substantial (>15%). The result was substantially biased (e.g., >20%) if an unmeasured confounder that was also a collider was not adjusted to avoid M bias. In scenarios resembling those the authors examined, M bias had a small impact unless associations between the collider and unmeasured confounders were very large (relative risk > 8). When a collider is itself an important confounder, controlling for confounding would take precedence over avoiding M bias.

Design and rationale of a retrospective clinical effectiveness study of aldosterone antagonist therapy in patients with heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Despite demonstrated efficacy in randomized trials, aldosterone antagonist therapy is not used in many eligible patients with heart failure. Questions remain about its clinical effectiveness and safety for patients who are underrepresented in randomized trials and those at risk for hyperkalemia. METHODS: The proposed study will evaluate the effectiveness of aldosterone antagonist therapy in eligible Medicare beneficiaries ≥ 65 years old hospitalized for heart failure between 2005 and 2008. Data are from the GWTG-HF registry linked with Medicare inpatient and prescription drug event files. We will use inverse probability-weighted estimators to assess differences in mortality, cardiovascular readmission, and readmission for hyperkalemia between patients who receive or do not receive aldosterone antagonist therapy. RESULTS: The initial data set included 33,652 patients; 5,463 (16.2%) met all inclusion criteria. Compared with patients who did not meet the inclusion criteria, patients in the final cohort were more likely to be younger (77.3 vs 80.3 years) and male (63.8% vs 41.3%) and to have ischemic heart failure (74.2% vs 59.5%) (all P < .001). Mortality rates were 24.7% at 1 year and 50.7% at 3 years; cardiovascular readmission rates were 50.1% at 1 year and 65.2% at 3 years. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed study will evaluate the clinical effectiveness of aldosterone antagonist therapy in Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, an underrepresented population in clinical trials. By addressing this evidence gap, the study has the potential to inform clinical decision making and improve patient outcomes.

The worst symptom as defined by patients during heart failure hospitalization: implications for response to therapy.

BACKGROUND: Patients perceive different symptoms of heart failure decompensation. It is not known whether the nature of the worst symptom relates to hemodynamic profile, response to therapy, or improvement in clinical trials. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients in the Evaluation Study of Congestive Heart Failure and Pulmonary Artery Catheterization Effectiveness trial were hospitalized with advanced heart failure, ejection fraction ≤30%, and at least 1 sign and 1 symptom of elevated filling pressures. Visual analog scales (VAS) for symptoms were completed by 371 patients, who selected their worst symptom as difficulty breathing, fatigue, abdominal discomfort, or body swelling and also scored breathing and global condition at baseline and discharge. The dominant symptom identified was difficulty breathing by 193 (52%) patients, fatigue by 118 (32%), and abdominal discomfort and swelling each by 30 (8%) patients, combined as right-sided congestion for analysis. Clinical and hemodynamic assessments were not different between groups except that right-sided congestion was associated with more hepatomegaly, ascites, third heart sounds, and jugular venous distention. This group also had greater reduction in jugular venous distention and trend toward higher blood urea nitrogen after therapy. By discharge, average improvements in worst symptom and global score were 28 points and 24 points. For those with ≥10 points in improvement in worst symptom, 84% also improved global assessment ≥10 points. Initial fatigue was associated with less improvement (P = .002) during and after hospitalization, but improvements in symptom scores were sustained when re-measured during 6 months after discharge. CONCLUSION: In most patients hospitalized with clinical congestion, therapy will improve symptoms regardless of the worst symptom perceived, with more evidence of baseline fluid retention and reduction during therapy for worst symptoms of abdominal discomfort or edema. Improvement in trials should be similar when tracking worst symptom, dyspnea, or global assessment.