Quality of life following surgery for head and neck cancer: Evidence from ACRIN 6685.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the trajectory of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for patients with clinical stage N0 HNSCC enrolled in ACRIN 6685 who underwent elective neck dissection(s). METHODS: HRQoL of 230 patients in the ACRIN 6685 trial was measured prospectively up to 2 years following surgery using the University of Washington Quality of Life instrument. RESULTS: General Health Within the Last 7 Days did not differ significantly from baseline at any follow-up. General Health Relative to Before Cancer fell significantly by 5.8 points following surgery (p = 0.048), and then returned to 3.0 points above baseline at 1 year (p = 0.65). For Overall Quality of Life, HRQoL fell significantly by 4.3 points following surgery (p = 0.031) and then returned to levels not significantly different from baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with stage N0 HNSCC experience significant declines in HRQoL immediately following surgery, including neck dissection, which recovers to near or better than baseline within 1-2 years.

Cardiac Catheterization and Outcomes for Elderly Patients Hospitalized With Heart Failure.

Background: Heart failure affects over 6 million people in the United States (US) with limited evidence to support the use of cardiac catheterization. The benefit of its use remains mostly as expert opinion. This study intends to assess the benefits and risks of cardiac catheterization in elderly patients admitted for heart failure. Methods: This was a retrospective study using data from the National Inpatient Sample, including admissions 65 years and older hospitalized for heart failure, between 2008 and 2016. The outcomes analyzed were in-hospital mortality, total hospital costs, and length of stay. Results: After controlling for covariates, cardiac catheterization was found to have a protective association with mortality (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.833-0.912, P < .0001), an increased hospital length of stay by 2.88 days (95% CI: 2.84-2.92 days, P < .0001) and approximately $16 255 increase in cost. Conclusions: Cardiac catheterization was associated with decreased in-hospital mortality, longer length of stay and higher total costs in admissions with heart failure aged 65 years or older.

Costs and Resource Utilization of People with Stable Heart Failure and Insomnia: Evidence from a Randomized Trial of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia.

OBJECTIVES: Nearly half of patients with chronic heart failure (HF) report insomnia symptoms. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of CBT-I versus HF self-management on healthcare costs and resource utilization among patients with stable chronic HF who participated in a clinical trial of the effects of CBT-I compared to HF self-management education (attention control) over 1 year. METHODS: We measured resource utilization as self-reported (medical record review) physician office visits, emergency department visits, and inpatient admissions at 3-month intervals for 1 year after enrollment. Costs were estimated by applying price weights to visits and adding self-reported out-of-pocket and indirect costs. Univariate comparisons were made of resource utilization and costs between CBT-I and the HF self-management group. A generalized linear model (GLM) was used to model costs, controlling for covariates. RESULTS: The sample included 150 patients [79 CBT-I; 71 self-management (M age = 62 + 13 years)]. The CBT-I group had 4.2 inpatient hospitalizations vs 4.6 for the self-management group (p = .40). There were 13.1 outpatient visits, in the CBT-I compared with 15.4 outpatient visits (p-value range 0.39-0.81) for the self-management group. Total costs were not significantly different in univariate or ($7,813 CBT-I vs. $7,538 self-management), p = .96) or multivariable analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with both HF and insomnia, CBT-I and HF self-management were associated with similar resource utilization and total costs. Additional research is needed to estimate the value of CBT-I relative to usual care and other treatments for insomnia in patients with HF.

Cost-Effectiveness of [99mTc]Tilmanocept Relative to [99mTc]Sulfur Colloid for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Early Stage Oral Cavity Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated varying rates of efficacy, reliability, and sensitivity of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in identifying occult nodal disease for early stage oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) depending on the radionuclide agent utilized. No head-to-head comparison of cost or clinical outcomes of SLNB when utilizing [99mTc]tilmanocept versus [99mTc]sulfur colloid has been performed. The goal of this study was to develop a decision model to compare the cost-effectiveness of [99mTc]tilmanocept versus [99mTc]sulfur colloid in early stage OCSCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A decision model of disease and treatment as a function of SLNB was created. Patients with a negative SLNB entered a Markov model of the natural history of OCSCC parameterized with published data to simulate five states of health and iterated over a 30-year time horizon. Treatment costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for each health state were included. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was then estimated using $100,000 per additional QALY as the threshold for determining cost-effectiveness. RESULTS: The base case cost-effectiveness analysis suggested [99mTc]tilmanocept was more effective than [99mTc]sulfur colloid by 0.12 QALYs (7.06 versus 6.94 QALYs). [99mTc]Tilmanocept was more costly, with a lifetime cost of $84,961 in comparison with $84,264 for sulfur colloid, however, the overall base case ICER was $5859 per additional QALY, well under the threshold for cost-effectiveness. Multiple one-way sensitivity analyses were performed, and demonstrated the model was robust to alternative parameter values. CONCLUSION: Our analysis showed that while [99mTc]tilmanocept is more costly upfront, these costs are worth the additional QALYs gained by the use of [99mTc]tilmanocept.

Costs and Consequences of a Novel Emergency Department Sepsis Diagnostic Test: The IntelliSep Index.

Sepsis causes 270,000 deaths and costs $38 billion annually in the United States. Most cases of sepsis present in the emergency department (ED), where rapid diagnosis remains challenging. The IntelliSep Index (ISI) is a novel diagnostic test that analyzes characteristics of WBC structure and provides a reliable early signal for sepsis. This study performs a cost-consequence analysis of the ISI relative to procalcitonin for early sepsis diagnosis in the ED. PERSPECTIVE: U.S. healthcare system. SETTING: Community hospital ED. METHODS: A decision tree analysis was performed comparing ISI with procalcitonin. Model parameters included prevalence of sepsis, sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests (both ISI and procalcitonin), costs of hospitalization, and mortality rate stratified by diagnostic test result. Mortality and prevalence of sepsis were estimated from best available literature. Costs were estimated based on an analysis of a large, national discharge dataset, and adjusted to 2018 U.S. dollars. Outcomes included expected costs and survival. RESULTS: Assuming a confirmed sepsis prevalence of 16.9% (adjudicated to Sepsis-3), the ISI strategy had an expected cost per patient of $3,849 and expected survival rate of 95.08%, whereas the procalcitonin strategy had an expected cost of $4,656 per patient and an expected survival of 94.98%. ISI was both less costly and more effective than procalcitonin, primarily because of fewer false-negative results. These results were robust in sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: ISI was both less costly and more effective in preventing mortality than procalcitonin, primarily because of fewer false-negative results. The ISI may provide health systems with a higher-value diagnostic test in ED sepsis evaluation. Additional work is needed to validate these results in clinical practice.

Cost-Savings of Do Not Resuscitate Orders Among Elderly Patients With Heart Failure in the United States.

Do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders should preclude the use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and may be associated with patient outcomes for patients hospitalized with heart failure (HF). This study examined the association between DNR and costs, mortality, and length of stay. The study cohort was a national sample of 700 922 hospital admissions of patients aged >65 with a primary diagnosis of HF. Elderly HF patients who died with a DNR had cost-savings of $5640 ( P < 0.001). Patients with a DNR order were 8.9% points more likely to die before discharge than patients without ( P < 0.001), and patients who died with a DNR had a significantly shorter hospital stay by 1.51 days ( P < 0.001). DNR orders among elderly patients with HF are associated with cost-savings, as well as a higher mortality and shorter length of stay. In addition to primary benefits, advance care planning may aid in containing costs of care at end of life for HF.

Validity of ICD codes to identify do-not-resuscitate orders among older adults with heart failure: A single center study.

BACKGROUND: Observational research on the advance care planning (ACP) process is limited by a lack of easily accessible ACP variables in many large datasets. The objective of this study was to determine whether International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes for do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders are valid proxies for the presence of a DNR recorded in the electronic medical record (EMR). METHODS: We studied 5,016 patients over the age of 65 who were admitted to a large, mid-Atlantic medical center with a primary diagnosis of heart failure. DNR orders were identified in billing records from ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. DNR orders were also identified in the EMR by a manual search of physician notes. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were calculated as well as measures of agreement and disagreement. In addition, estimates of associations with mortality and costs were calculated using the DNR documented in EMR and the DNR proxy identified in ICD codes. RESULTS: Relative to the gold standard of the EMR, DNR orders identified in ICD codes had an estimated sensitivity of 84.6%, specificity of 96.6%, positive predictive value of 90.5%, and negative predictive value of 94.3%. The estimated kappa statistic was 0.83, although McNemar's test suggested there was some systematic disagreement between the DNR from ICD codes and the EMR. CONCLUSIONS: ICD codes appear to provide a reasonable proxy for DNR orders among hospitalized older adults with heart failure. Further research is necessary to determine if billing codes can identify DNR orders in other populations.

Potential Early Markers for Breast Cancer: A Proteomic Approach Comparing Saliva and Serum Samples in a Pilot Study.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death for women in the United States, and early detection could offer patients the opportunity to receive early intervention. The current methods of diagnosis rely on mammograms and have relatively high rates of false positivity, causing anxiety in patients. We sought to identify protein markers in saliva and serum for early detection of breast cancer. A rigorous analysis was performed for individual saliva and serum samples from women without breast disease, and women diagnosed with benign or malignant breast disease, using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) technique, and employing a random effects model. A total of 591 and 371 proteins were identified in saliva and serum samples from the same individuals, respectively. The differentially expressed proteins were mainly involved in exocytosis, secretion, immune response, neutrophil-mediated immunity and cytokine-mediated signaling pathway. Using a network biology approach, significantly expressed proteins in both biological fluids were evaluated for protein-protein interaction networks and further analyzed for these being potential biomarkers in breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Our systems approach illustrates a feasible platform for investigating the responsive proteomic profile in benign and malignant breast disease using saliva and serum from the same women.

The affordable care act and do-not-resuscitate orders: Differences by race and ethnicity.

BACKGROUND: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) created new payment rules that provided reimbursement for physicians to engage in advance care planning (ACP) conversations with patients. This reimbursement policy has the potential to increase ACP participation, including among racial and ethnic minority groups that have had lower ACP participation. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether the ACP payment rules were associated with an increase in use of do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, among patients diagnosed with heart failure (HF) in California. METHODS: The California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) Patient Discharge Data Set was used to identify a cohort of elderly patients with a principal diagnosis of HF. This study included 432,520 hospital admissions of patients over the age of 65 with a primary diagnosis of HF between 2012 and 2018. DNR status was identified using International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification Ninth and Tenth Revision, codes. RESULTS: There was a small increase in the utilization of DNR orders overall after the ACA reimbursement policy, but the change was not significantly different for all racial and ethnic groups when compared to white non-Hispanic patients. CONCLUSIONS: ACP payment rules provided in the ACA were associated with increased utilization of DNR, but the effect was not significantly different for racial and ethnic minorities hospitalized with HF in CA. Additional efforts are needed to increase ACP participation among racial and ethnic minorities.

Correlates of cognition among people with chronic heart failure and insomnia.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to describe cognitive characteristics and their associations with demographic and clinical factors among adults with chronic heart failure (HF) and insomnia. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the HeartSleep Study (NCT#02,660,385), a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia. Demographic characteristics and health history were obtained. We measured sleep characteristics with the Insomnia Severity Index, the PROMIS Sleep Disturbance Questionnaire, and wrist actigraphy. Sleepiness, stress, and quality of life were measured with validated questionnaires. Measures of cognition included frequency of lapses on the psychomotor vigilance test and the PROMIS cognitive abilities scale where ≥ 3 lapses and a score of ≤ 50, respectively, suggested impairment. These variables were combined into a composite score for multivariable analyses. RESULTS: Of a sample that included 187 participants (58% male; mean age 63.1 [SD = 12.7]), 77% had New York Heart Association class I or II HF and 66% had HF with preserved ejection fraction. Common comorbidities were diabetes (35%), hypertension (64%), and sleep apnea (54%). Impaired vigilant attention was associated with non-White race, higher body mass index, less education, and more medical comorbidities. Self-reported cognitive impairment was associated with younger age, higher body mass index, and pulmonary disease. On adjusted analysis, significant risk factors for cognitive impairment included hypertension (OR 1.94), daytime sleepiness (OR 1.09), stress (OR 1.08), and quality of life (OR 0.12). CONCLUSIONS: Impaired cognition is common among people with chronic HF and insomnia and associated with hypertension, daytime sleepiness, stress, and poor quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: Insomnia Self-management in Heart Failure; NCT#02,660,385.

Symptom Cluster Profiles Among Adults with Insomnia and Heart Failure.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Both heart failure (HF) and insomnia are associated with high symptom burden that may be manifested in clustered symptoms. To date, studies of insomnia have focused only on its association with single symptoms. The purposes of this study were to: (1) describe daytime symptom cluster profiles in adults with insomnia and chronic HF; and (2) determine the associations between demographic and clinical characteristics, insomnia and sleep characteristics and membership in symptom cluster profiles. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and ninety-five participants [M age 63.0 (SD12.8); 84 (43.1%) male; 148 (75.9%) New York Heart Association Class I/II] from the HeartSleep study (NCT0266038), a randomized controlled trial of the sustained effects of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). METHODS: We analyzed baseline data, including daytime symptoms (fatigue, pain, anxiety, depression, dyspnea, sleepiness) and insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index), and sleep characteristics (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, wrist actigraphy). We conducted latent class analysis to identify symptom cluster profiles, bivariate associations, and multinomial regression. RESULTS: We identified three daytime symptom cluster profiles, physical (N = 73 participants; 37.4%), emotional (N = 12; 5.6%), and all-high symptoms (N = 111; 56.4%). Body mass index, beta blockers, and insomnia severity were independently associated with membership in the all-high symptom profile, compared with the other symptom profile groups. CONCLUSIONS: Higher symptom burden is associated with more severe insomnia in people with stable HF. There is a need to understand whether treatment of insomnia improves symptom burden as reflected in transition from symptom cluster profiles reflecting higher to lower symptom burden.

Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders and Outcomes for Patients with Pancreatic Cancer.

Background: The impact of the do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order on patients with pancreatic cancer remains uncertain. In this study, we evaluated whether DNR status was associated with in-hospital mortality and costs for inpatient stay among patients hospitalized with pancreatic cancer. Methods: Data were obtained from the National Inpatient Sample, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, which represents ∼20% of all discharges from US community hospitals; 40,246 pancreatic cancer admissions between 2011 and 2016 were included. Mortality was modeled using a logistic regression model; costs for inpatient stay were modeled using a multivariable generalized linear regression model. Results: The sample included 6041 (15%) patients with a documented DNR order. After controlling for covariates, patients with a DNR order had approximately six times greater odds of mortality compared with patients without a DNR order (odds ratio 5.90, p < 0.0001). Compared with patients who survived without a DNR order during the hospital stay, patients who had a DNR order and died during the hospital stay had significantly lower costs (-US$983; p = 0.0270), and patients who died without a DNR order during the hospital stay had significantly higher costs (US$5638; p < 0.0001). Patients who survived with a DNR order had costs that were not significantly different from patients who survived without a DNR order. Conclusions: The presence of a DNR order among patients with pancreatic cancer was significantly associated with higher mortality risk as well as lower costs for patients who died during the hospital stay. However, DNR status was not significantly associated with costs for pancreatic cancer patients who were discharged alive.

Discharge destination and readmissions among patients with head and neck cancer.

Objective: Lowering hospital readmission rates is a national goal, and presents an opportunity to lower health care costs, improve quality, and increase patient satisfaction. We aim to assess whether discharge disposition is associated with readmission. Methods: A retrospective cohort study using logistic regression to quantify risk factors of hospital readmission in patients with confirmed head and neck cancer (HNC) who underwent surgery from 2010 to 2018 contained in the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council database, which includes patients treated in Pennsylvania hospitals. Results: The readmission rate in this study was 18.1%. Cancers of the hypopharynx had the highest rates of readmission (29.2%). Male sex (odds ratio [OR]: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.75-1.00), emergent admission (vs. elective admission: OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.02-1.74), discharge to home health (vs. home: OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.59-2.16), discharge to skilled nursing facility (SNF) (vs. home: OR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.80-2.72), and having 4+ comorbidities (vs. 0-1: OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.09-1.76) were significant risk factors for hospital readmission. Conclusion: It is necessary to consider the readmission risk associated with HNC patients. Reasons for readmission are multifactorial and can be related to demographics, hospital course, comorbidities, or discharge disposition-this requires further assessment. There is importance in increasing HNC awareness and staff education about the unique needs of this population. Level of Evidence: 4.

Disparities in colonoscopy utilization for lower gastrointestinal bleeding in rural vs urban settings in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Lower gastrointestinal bleeds (LGIB) is a very common inpatient condition in the United States. Gastrointestinal bleeds have a variety of presentations, from minor bleeding to severe hemorrhage and shock. Although previous studies investigated the efficacy of colonoscopy in hospitalized patients with LGIB, there is limited research that discusses disparities in colonoscopy utilization in patients with LGIB in urban and rural settings. AIM: To investigate the difference in utilization of colonoscopy in lower gastrointestinal bleeding between patients hospitalized in urban and rural hospitals. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of 157748 patients using National Inpatient Sample data and the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project provided by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. It includes patients 18 years and older hospitalized with LGIB admitted between 2010 and 2016. This study does not differentiate between acute and chronic LGIB and both are included in this study. The primary outcome measure of this study was the utilization of colonoscopy among patients in rural and urban hospitals admitted for lower gastrointestinal bleeds; the secondary outcome measures were in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and costs involved in those receiving colonoscopy for LGIB. Statistical analyses were all performed using STATA software. Logistic regression was used to analyze the utilization of colonoscopy and mortality, and a generalized linear model was used to analyze the length of stay and cost. RESULTS: Our study found that 37.9% of LGIB patients at rural hospitals compared to approximately 45.1% at urban hospitals received colonoscopy, (OR = 0.730, 95%CI: 0.705-0.7, P > 0.0001). After controlling for covariates, colonoscopies were found to have a protective association with lower in-hospital mortality (OR = 0.498, 95%CI: 0.446-0.557, P < 0.0001), but a longer length of stay by 0.72 d (95%CI: 0.677-0.759 d, P < 0.0001) and approximately $2199 in increased costs. CONCLUSION: Although there was a lower percentage of LGIB patients that received colonoscopies in rural hospitals compared to urban hospitals, patients in both urban and rural hospitals with LGIB undergoing colonoscopy had decreased in-hospital mortality. In both settings, benefit came at a cost of extended stay, and higher total costs.

The cost of treatments for retained traumatic hemothorax: A decision analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Early video-assisted thorascopic surgery (VATS) is the recommended intervention for retained hemothorax in trauma patients. Alternative options, such as lytic therapy, to avoid surgery remain controversial. The purpose of this decision analysis was to assess expected costs associated with treatment strategies. METHODS: A decision tree analysis estimated the expected costs of three initial treatment strategies: 1) VATS, 2) intrapleural tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) lytic therapy, and 3) intrapleural non-TPA lytic therapy. Probability parameters were estimated from published literature. Costs were based on National Inpatient Sample data and published estimates. Our model compared overall expected costs of admission for each strategy. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to explore the impact of parameter uncertainty on the optimal strategy. RESULTS: In the base case analysis, using TPA as the initial approach had the lowest total cost (U.S. $37,007) compared to VATS ($38,588). TPA remained the optimal initial approach regardless of the probability of complications after VATS. TPA was an optimal initial approach if TPA success rate was >83% regardless of the failure rate with VATS. VATS was the optimal initial strategy if its total cost of admission was <$33,900. CONCLUSION: Lower treatment costs with lytic therapy does not imply significantly lower total cost of trauma admission. However, an initial approach with TPA lytic therapy may be preferred for retained traumatic hemothorax to lower the total cost of admission given its high probability of avoiding the operating room with its resultant increased costs. Future studies should identify differences in quality of life after recovery from competing interventions.

A real-world study comparing pre-post billed annualized bleed rates and total cost of care among non-inhibitor patients with hemophilia A switching from FVIII prophylaxis to emicizumab.

OBJECTIVE: Factor VIII (FVIII) replacement and emicizumab have demonstrated efficacy for prevention of bleeds among patients with hemophilia A (PwHA) compared to on-demand (OD) use. Evidence investigating clinical outcomes and healthcare costs of non-inhibitor PwHA switching from prophylaxis with FVIII concentrates to emicizumab has not been well-established within large real-world datasets. This study aimed to investigate billed annualized bleed rates (ABRb) and total cost of care (TCC) among non-inhibitor PwHA switching from FVIII-prophylaxis to emicizumab-prophylaxis. METHODS: This retrospective, observational study was conducted using IQVIA PharMetrics Plus, a US administrative claims database. The date of first claim for emicizumab was defined as the index date. OD patients and inhibitor patients were excluded. Bleeds were identified using a list of 535 diagnosis codes. Bayesian models were developed to estimate the probability ABRb worsens and TCC increases after switching to emicizumab. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to test statistical significance of changes in ABRb and TCC after switch. RESULTS: Among the 121 identified patients, the difference in mean ABRb between FVIII-prophylaxis (0.68 [SD = 1.28]) and emicizumab (0.55 [SD = 1.48]) was insignificant (p = .142). The mean annual TCC significantly increased for patients switching from FVIII-prophylaxis ($518,151 [SD = $289,934]) to emicizumab ($652,679 [SD = $340,126]; p < .0001). The Bayesian models estimated a 21.0% probability of the ABRb worsening and a 99.9% probability of increasing TCC after switch. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that in male non-inhibitor PwHA, switching from FVIII prophylaxis to emicizumab incurs substantial cost increase with no significant benefit in ABRb. This evidence may help guide providers, payers, and patients in shared decision-making conversations around best treatment options.

Reawakening Neuritis of the Median Nerve after Carpal Tunnel Release: Defining and Predicting Patients at Risk.

BACKGROUND: Patients with long-standing carpal tunnel symptoms may develop transient and, paradoxically, worsened neuropathic pain immediately following release. The authors have termed this "reawakening phenomenon." The purpose of this study was to compare the characteristics of patients with this phenomenon to those with a standard postoperative course. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients who underwent carpal tunnel release at a single institution between January of 2012 to December of 2017. Patients demonstrating increased neuropathic pain in the median nerve distribution postoperatively without evidence of complex regional pain syndrome were included. A comparison cohort was composed of the remaining patients identified. Demographic data, medical history, carpal tunnel history, and electromyogram and nerve conduction study findings were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 640 patients were identified; 440 met criteria. Seventeen patients were found to have symptoms consistent with median nerve reawakening phenomenon. The reawakening cohort was older (71.1 versus 56.8 years), more likely to have evidence of thenar muscle atrophy (58.8 percent versus 13.48 percent), and more likely to have fibrillations and sharp waves on electrodiagnostic studies. Although not statistically significant, they also had a longer duration of symptoms (4.9 versus 2.9 years). Of those patients with reawakening phenomenon, 14 had resolution of their symptoms at an average period of 4.4 months. Three remaining patients who were subjectively symptomatic had normal or improved postoperative electromyogram and nerve conduction studies. CONCLUSIONS: Reawakening of the median nerve has not been previously described but occurs in 3.9 percent of hands following routine carpal tunnel release. Preoperative counseling of patients at high risk for reawakening phenomenon is recommended. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, III.

Sex differences in clinical outcomes for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the USA: a retrospective observational study of administrative claims data.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate sex differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, treatments and outcomes for patients with diagnosed obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM) in the USA. SETTING: Retrospective observational study of administrative claims data from MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database from IBM Watson Health. PARTICIPANTS: Of the 28 million covered employees and family members in MarketScan, 9306 patients with oHCM were included in this analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: oHCM-related outcomes included heart failure, atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia/ fibrillation, sudden cardiac death, septal myectomy, alcohol septal ablation (ASA) and heart transplant. RESULTS: Among 9306 patients with oHCM, the majority were male (60.5%, p<0.001) and women were of comparable age to men (50±15 vs 49±15 years, p<0.001). Women were less likely to be prescribed beta blockers (42.7% vs 45.2%, p=0.017) and undergo an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (1.7% vs 2.6%, p=0.005). Septal reduction therapy was performed slightly more frequently in women (ASA: 0.08% vs 0.05%, p=0.600; SM: 0.35% vs 0.18%, p=0.096), although not statistically significant. Women were less likely to have atrial fibrillation (6.7% vs 9.9%, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Women were less likely to be prescribed beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, anticoagulants, undergo implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and have ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation. Men were more likely to have atrial fibrillation. Future research using large, clinical real-world data are warranted to understand the root cause of these potential treatment disparities in women with oHCM.

Inpatient Choledocholithiasis Management: a Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Management Algorithms.

BACKGROUND: Choledocholithiasis is commonly encountered. It is frequently managed with laparoscopic common bile duct exploration or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (either preoperative, intraoperative, or postoperative relative to laparoscopic cholecystectomy). The purpose of this study is to determine the most cost-effective method to manage inpatient choledocholithiasis. METHODS: A decision tree model was created to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic common bile duct exploration and preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. The primary outcome was incremental cost-effectiveness ratio with a ceiling willingness to pay threshold assumed of $100,000 per quality-adjusted life year. Model parameters were determined through review of published literature and institutional data. Costs were from the perspective of the healthcare system with a time horizon of 1 year. Sensitivity analyses were performed on model parameters. RESULTS: In the base case analysis, laparoscopic common bile duct exploration was cost-effective, resulting in 0.9909 quality-adjusted life years at an expected cost of $18,357. Intraoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography yielded more quality-adjusted life years (0.9912) at a higher cost ($19,717) with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $4,789,025, exceeding the willingness to pay threshold. Both preoperative and postoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographies were eliminated for being both more costly and less effective. Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration remained cost-effective if the probability of successful biliary clearance was above 0.79, holding all other variables constant. If its base cost remained below $18,400 and intraoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography base cost rose above $18,200, then laparoscopic common bile duct exploration remained cost-effective. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration is the most cost-effective method to manage choledocholithiasis. Efforts to ensure availability of local expertise and resources for this procedure are warranted.