Work Status and Return to the Workforce after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and/or Heart Valve Surgery: A One-Year-Follow Up Study.

Background. Several characteristics appear to be important for estimating the likelihood of reentering the workforce after surgery. The aim of the present study was to describe work status in a two-year time period around the time of cardiac surgery and estimate the probability of returning to the workforce. Methods. We included 681 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and/or heart valve procedures from 2003 to 2007 in the North Denmark Region. We linked hospital data to data in the DREAM database which holds information of everyone receiving social benefits. Results. At the time of surgery 17.3% were allocated disability pension and 2.3% were allocated a permanent part-time benefit. Being unemployed one year before surgery reduced the likelihood of return to the workforce (RR = 0.74 (0.60-0.92)) whereas unemployment at the time of surgery had no impact on return to the workforce (RR = 0.96 (0.78-1.18)). Sickness absence before surgery reduced the likelihood of return to the workforce. Conclusion. This study found the work status before surgery to be associated with the likelihood of return to the workforce within one year after surgery. Before surgery one-fifth of the population either was allocated disability pension or received a permanent part-time benefit.

Unemployment under the flex job scheme increases the risk of permanent social security benefits.

INTRODUCTION: In Denmark, a flex job scheme was introduced in 1998 in the expectation that more people could remain in the workforce despite a reduced working capacity. The aim of this study was to characterise the group that did not obtain a flex job after having been included in the flex job scheme. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Persons included in the flex job scheme from 1 January 2001 to 30 March 2008 were identified via the Ministry of Employment's DREAM register. Data were linked to Statistics Denmark and The Danish National Patient Registry. Among the individuals who did not obtain employment in a flex job within the first three months, we identified those who did not obtain employment before they were transferred to disability pension or flex benefit. RESULTS: A total of 74,277 persons were included in the flex job scheme. Among these persons 33% received unemployment benefit for more than three months and the rest obtained a flex job within the first three months. Overall, 23% of the unemployment benefit recipients never entered the labour market, but were awarded early retirement pension or flex benefit. This percentage varied among different socio-demographic variables and regions. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that attention should be paid to the flex job scheme, especially for those who do not obtain employment within the first three months. FUNDING: not relevant. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.

Seasonality, incidence and prognosis in atrial fibrillation and stroke in Denmark and New Zealand.

OBJECTIVES: There are relatively few large studies of seasonal variation in the occurrence of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated the seasonal variation in incidence rates of hospitalisation with stroke in patients from Denmark and New Zealand. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Nationwide hospital discharge data from Denmark and New Zealand. PARTICIPANTS: 243 381 (median age 75) subjects having a first-time hospitalisation with AF in Denmark and 51 480 (median age 76) subjects in New Zealand constituted the study population. Subjects with previous hospitalisation with stroke were excluded. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EFFECT MEASURES: Peak-to-trough ratio of the seasonal variation in incidence rates of stroke in AF patients adjusted for an overall trend was primary effect measure and was assessed using a log-linear Poisson regression model. Secondary effect measures were incidence rate ratios of AF and 30-day case fatality for stroke patients. RESULTS: Incidence rates of AF per 1000 person-years in Denmark increased by 5.4% (95% CI 5.3% to 5.7%) for patients aged <65 and 5% (95% CI 4.9% to 5.1%) for patients aged ≥65, whereas the increase was 0.2% (95% CI -0.2% to 0.6%) for patients aged <65 and 2.6% (95% CI 2.4% to 2.8%) for patients aged ≥65 in New Zealand. In Denmark 36 088 subjects were hospitalised with stroke, and 7518 subjects in New Zealand, both showing peaks during winter with peak-to-trough ratios of 1.22 and 1.27, respectively and a decreasing trend. The 30-day case fatality risk for stroke patients having AF is now (2000-2008) about 20% in both countries. CONCLUSIONS: Although incidence rates of hospitalisation with stroke in patients with AF have decreased in recent years, stroke remains a common AF complication with a high case fatality risk. The marked winter peak in incidence rates of hospitalisation with stroke in AF patients suggests that there are opportunities to reduce this complication. Further studies are necessary to identify how to optimise treatment of AF and prevention of stroke.

Infant, obstetrical and maternal characteristics associated with thromboembolism in infancy: a nationwide population-based case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: To identify infant, obstetrical and maternal characteristics associated with arterial ischaemic stroke (AIS) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) in infancy (<1 year). DESIGN: Nationwide, population-based nested case-control study. All infants with a verified first-time diagnosis of AIS, VTE or both in Denmark through the years 1994-2006 were included, and 10 population controls were selected for each case. RESULTS: Case-infants presented with AIS (n=71) or VTE (n=38). AIS in infancy was associated with primiparity (adjusted OR 5.9 CI 95% 3.0 to 11.6)), delivery by an emergency caesarean section (adjusted OR 1.9 (CI 95% 1.0 to 3.3)), and post-term birth (adjusted OR 2.2 (CI 95% 1.1 to 4.8)). Male sex was associated with an increased risk of AIS among neonates (crude OR 1.8 (CI 95% 1.0 to 3.4)) but not among later born (crude OR 0.6 (CI 95% 0.2 to 1.4)). Risk factors for VTE in infancy included preterm birth (adjusted OR 5.5 (CI 95% 1.8 to 16.9)), low Apgar score (adjusted OR 9.2 (CI 95% 1.9 to 45.2)), and multiple births (adjusted OR 7.1 (CI 95% 1.1 to 48.1)). Previous maternal thromboembolism and pregnancy-related disorders were not associated with the risk of thromboembolism in the children. CONCLUSION: Several apparently independent infant, obstetrical and maternal characteristics were associated with thromboembolism in early life.

Predictive value of pediatric thrombosis diagnoses in the Danish National Patient Registry.

Data on the validity of pediatric thrombosis diagnoses are missing. We aimed to examine the predictive value of a diagnosis of venous and arterial thrombosis using the Danish National Patient Registry (DNPR). We identified all first-time diagnoses among children and adolescents (aged 0-18 years) between 1994 and 2006 in DNPR. In total, 1138 potential cases of thrombosis were identified; the medical records were retrieved for 1112 (97.7%) and the positive predictive value (PPV) computed. Overall, the diagnosis of thrombosis was verified in 598 of the 1112 cases, corresponding to a PPV of 53.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 50.8-56.7). Diagnoses from wards had the PPV of 62.5% (95% CI: 59.4-65.6). The predictive value of a thrombosis diagnosis from wards was age-dependent, with a higher PPV (77.4%, 95% CI: 68.7-84.7) in neonates (<28 days) and adolescents (15-18 years) (68.2%; 95% CI: 63.2-72.5)) than in children (28 days-14 years) (51.2%; (95% CI: 46.0-56.4)). The PPV of a thrombosis diagnosis was improved by restricting the analysis to diagnoses from wards, primary diagnoses, and admissions with a length of stay of three or more days. The results indicate that an interpretation of nonvalidated hospital discharge data for pediatric thrombosis in a registry like DNPR should be made with caution.