North-south differences in incidence and surveillance of cutaneous malignant melanoma in Italy.

BACKGROUND: In Italy, the incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma is two-fold higher in the north than in the south. This gradient might be associated with differences in incidence trends and disease surveillance. We compared the time trends in incidence rates, mortality rates, dermatologic office visit rates and skin biopsy rates between the Emilia-Romagna Region (northern Italy) and the Sicily Region (southern Italy). METHODS: The cancer registries of Parma, Modena, Ferrara and Romagna (current population, 2,606,465) and Catania-Messina-Enna, Siracusa and Ragusa (2,775,019) provided incidence and mortality records for the years 2008-2017. The records of outpatient services delivered in public health facilities were obtained from the two Regional Administrations. Trends in rates were assessed with the estimated average annual percent change. North-south differences were expressed as age-standardised rate ratios. RESULTS: In the context of a generalised increasing incidence trend, which was more moderate in the female population of the Sicily Region, the standardised rate ratios were: 5.31 (males) and 5.20 (females) for in situ cutaneous malignant melanoma; 2.10 and 2.07 for invasive cutaneous malignant melanoma, with an excess incidence concentrated in lesions ⩽1.00 mm thick (3.58 and 3.05); 3.00 and 2.44 for dermatologic office visits; and 5.25 and 5.02 for skin biopsies. Mortality was stable in both Regions. CONCLUSIONS: In the Emilia-Romagna Region, as compared with the Sicily Region, a higher incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma -especially of in situ and early invasive cutaneous malignant melanoma- coexisted with a higher level of clinical surveillance. The question of the direction of the cause-effect relationship between increased incidence and increased diagnostic scrutiny remains open.

Comparing clinical trial population representativeness to real-world users of 17 biologics approved for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases: An external validity analysis of 66,639 biologic users from the Italian VALORE project.

To date, no population-based studies have specifically explored the external validity of pivotal randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of biologics simultaneously for a broad spectrum of immuno-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). The aims of this study were, firstly, to compare the patients' characteristics and median treatment duration of biologics approved for IMIDs between RCTs' and real-world setting (RW); secondly, to assess the extent of biologic users treated for IMIDs in the real-world setting that would not have been eligible for inclusion into pivotal RCT for each indication of use. Using the Italian VALORE distributed database (66,639 incident biologic users), adult patients with IMIDs treated with biologics in the Italian real-world setting were substantially older (mean age ± SD: 50 ± 15 years) compared to those enrolled in pivotal RCTs (45 ± 15 years). In the real-world setting, certolizumab pegol was more commonly used by adult women with psoriasis/ankylosing spondylitis (F/M ratio: 1.8-1.9) compared to RCTs (F/M ratio: 0.5-0.6). The median treatment duration (weeks) of incident biologic users in RW was significantly higher than the duration of pivotal RCTs in almost all indications for use and most biologics (4-100 vs. 6-167). Furthermore, almost half (46.4%) of biologic users from RW settings would have been ineligible for inclusion in the respective indication-specific pivotal RCTs. The main reasons were: advanced age, recent history of cancer and presence of other concomitant IMIDs. These findings suggest that post-marketing surveillance of biologics should be prioritized for those patients.

Development of a Set of Indicators for Measuring and Improving Quality of Rehabilitation Care after Ischemic Stroke.

Stroke is the leading global cause of permanent disability and the second leading cause of dementia within the first year of the event. Systematic quality improvement interventions such as Audit & Feedback (A&F) can monitor and improve the performance of post-stroke care in conjunction with the use of quality indicators (QIs). The scientific literature shows limited studies on quality improvement and QIs design for poststroke rehabilitation. In Italy, the National Outcomes Evaluation Programme (PNE) annually provides several QIs concerning the acute wards. On the contrary, indicators for quality assessment of post-acute stroke rehabilitation are not available nationwide. In recent years, the Italian Ministry of Health has funded a national network project, the aim of which is to provide and evaluate the effectiveness of A&F strategies in healthcare improvement. Part of this project is the development of a set of IQs for ischemic stroke rehabilitation used to conduct an A&F. In this study, we describe the design and development process of these QIs from administrative databases and report the results of the pilot test conducted on a small sample of Sicilian rehabilitation facilities, comparing them from 2019 to 2021. Feedback from the participating centers was mainly positive, and the quality indicators were found to be comprehensible and appreciated. However, the study highlighted the need for better adherence to indicators measuring processes of rehabilitation care. The set of quality indicators presented in this study, relevant to inpatient settings, could be considered a starting point on which to base quality improvement initiatives both nationally and internationally.

[Application of an algorithm for the validation of congenital anomaly cases using hospital discharge records]. / Applicazione di un algoritmo per la validazione dei casi di malformazione congenita provenienti dal flusso delle schede di dimissione ospedaliera.

OBJECTIVES: to evaluate and validate the adoption of an algorithm for the identification of cases of congenital anomalies (CAs) to improve the performance of the Congenital Malformations Registry of Sicily Region (Southern Italy). DESIGN: an algorithm was used to identify congenital anomalies on a sample of hospital discharge records (SDO) with ICD-9-CM code between 740-759 on any of the diagnoses within the first year of life, together with a sample of healthy births equal to 5% of total births for the same period. The identified cases were evaluated through the clinical record analysis. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: the analysed sample was composed of 4,271 cases identified between June 2013 and December 2014 along with 3,993 SDO without any code of MC (5% of the total volume of births in the same period). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: positive predictive value (VPP) and negative predictive value (VPN) were computed by means of the comparison between the algorithm outcomes and the clinical record verification. RESULTS: 4,271 potentially malformed records involving 3,381 subjects born in the Sicilian territory have been identified. Among the hospital discharge records that it was possible to verify, the application of the algorithm led to the exclusion of 924 cases: of these, 62 proved to be false negatives (VPN: 93.3). The valid cases were 1,179, while the cases to be evaluated 617: the comparison between algorithm and clinical record analysis led to a VPP of 91.7 and 72.1, respectively, for valid and to be evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: the tested algorithm proved to be a useful tool for identifying SDO potentially related to congenital anomalies. In the overall sample, the algorithm provided an outcome consistent with the clinical record assessment in 87.4% (2,379) of cases.

How Have Intravitreal Anti-VEGF and Dexamethasone Implant Been Used in Italy? A Multiregional, Population-Based Study in the Years 2010-2016.

PURPOSE: To describe intravitreal anti-VEGF drug and dexamethasone use in four Italian regions. METHODS: Four regional claims databases were used to measure drug prevalence, compare dosing intervals to those recommended in the summary of product characteristics (SPC), and identify switchers. Bilateral treatment and diabetic macular edema (DME) coding algorithms were validated, linking claims with a sample of prospectively collected ophthalmological data. RESULTS: Overall, 41,836 patients received ≥1 study drug in 2010-2016 (4.8 per 10,000 persons). In 2016, anti-VEGF drug use ranged from 0.8 (Basilicata) to 5.7 (Lombardy) per 10,000 persons while intravitreal dexamethasone use ranged from 0.2 (Basilicata) to 1.4 (Lombardy) per 10,000 persons. Overall, 40,815 persons were incident users of study drugs. Among incident users with ≥1 year of follow-up (N = 30,745), 16.0% (N = 30,745), 16.0% (N = 30,745), 16.0% (. CONCLUSION: Study drug use increased over time in Lombardy, Basilicata, Calabria, and Sicily, despite a large heterogeneity in prevalence of use across regions. Drug treatment appeared to be partly in line with SPC, suggesting that improvement in clinical practice may be needed to maximize drug benefits.

[The epidemiological surveillance in the programme of public health intervention in the national priority contaminated sites of Sicily Region (Southern Italy): update of mortality, hospitalization, and cancer incidence]. / La sorveglianza epidemiologica nel programma regionale di interventi sanitari nei siti di interesse nazionale della Sicilia: aggiornamento della mortalità, dell'ospedalizzazione e dell'incidenza oncologica.

OBJECTIVES: to update the health profile of populations residing in the national priority contaminated sites (NPCSs) in Sicily Region (Southern Italy) through a description of mortality and hospitalization for causes and through cancer incidence. This new profile is part of the implementation of the epidemiological surveillance system within the new Programme of care intervention for health protection in these populations and in the new Regional Prevention Plan. DESIGN: geographic population survey providing, for each NPCS considered in this study, a comparison between the local population and the populations of the neighbouring areas. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: the study population included the residents in the municipalities residing in the NPCSs of Augusta-Priolo, Gela, Milazzo, and Biancavilla. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: the standardized mortality ratio (SMR), morbidity (SHR), and tumour incidence (SIR), with the respective 95% confidence intervals, were estimated using the Mortality Registry as source for the mortality index, the database of the hospital discharged as source for the morbidity index, and the data from the Regional Network of Tumour Registers as source for the incidence index. RESULTS: in the local comparison, excess of hospitalization in both sexes was reported in Augusta-Priolo for liver cirrhosis, mental disorders, and digestive tract disease, and an excess of incidence and mortality for leukaemia in women and prostate cancer in men. In the NPCS of Gela, there was an excess of hospitalization in both sexes for blood and hematopoietic diseases, circulatory and nervous system diseases, coupled with the same excess of mortality. Excess of incidence and mortality of stomach tumours in men and incidence of lung cancer in women were observed. The area of ​​Milazzo was characterized by an excess of incidence and mortality for melanoma in men. In the municipality of Biancavilla, there is evidence of excess of hospitalization for respiratory diseases and endocrine glands diseases in both sexes, while a mortality excess for circulatory system diseases was highlighted. The excess of incidence of mesothelioma in both men and women was confirmed. CONCLUSION: data from the new surveillance system help to define the health profile in the NPCSs of Sicily. Even using the local level of comparison, that was added to the traditional approach in geographic studies for the NPCSs available to date, the particular impact of some chronic diseases in these populations has been confirmed also in recent years.

The impact of polypharmacy and drug interactions among the elderly population in Western Sicily, Italy.

AIM: Primary endpoint was to report polypharmacy distribution in the general population vs ≥65 years old people and to examine the frequency of drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in the Health Local Unit of Palermo, Italy, in relationship with patients' age. METHODS: Drug prescription data for the year 2014 were extracted from the database of the Local Health Unit of Palermo Province, Italy. Patients were divided into five age groups (0-13, 14-64, 65-69, 70-74, and ≥75 year old). The detection of potential DDIs in polypharmacy profiles was performed with NavFarma software (Infologic srl, Padova, Italia), with DDI classification provided by tool Micromedex Drug Reax (Truven Health Analitics, Michigan, USA). RESULTS: We analyzed data of 1,324,641 patients, and 15,801,191 medical prescription were recorded; of these, 11,337,796 regarded chronic conditions. The drug prescriptions reached the highest values in the 65-69 and 70-74 age groups (p = 0.005 and p = 0.008 vs age 14-64 respectively). An overall amount of 6,094,373 DDIs were detected, of which 47,173 were contraindicated. Median number of DDIs was higher in 65-69 and 70-74 age groups (p = 0.008 and p = 0.012 vs age 14-64, respectively). Regarding contraindicated DDIs a significant difference was detected comparing 14-64 vs ≥65 age groups (p = 0.010 vs 65-69 group, p = 0.005 vs 70-74 group and ≥75 group). CONCLUSIONS: Polypharmacy is a phenomenon acquiring increasing dimensions also in our province. It interests particularly the older subjects, and assumes a dramatic accent when it is put in relationship with the frequency of DDIs. A proactive vigilance about potential life threatening drug interactions is mandatory.

Developing and validating a novel multisource comorbidity score from administrative data: a large population-based cohort study from Italy.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a novel comorbidity score (multisource comorbidity score (MCS)) predictive of mortality, hospital admissions and healthcare costs using multiple source information from the administrative Italian National Health System (NHS) databases. METHODS: An index of 34 variables (measured from inpatient diagnoses and outpatient drug prescriptions within 2 years before baseline) independently predicting 1-year mortality in a sample of 500 000 individuals aged 50 years or older randomly selected from the NHS beneficiaries of the Italian region of Lombardy (training set) was developed. The corresponding weights were assigned from the regression coefficients of a Weibull survival model. MCS performance was evaluated by using an internal (ie, another sample of 500 000 NHS beneficiaries from Lombardy) and three external (each consisting of 500 000 NHS beneficiaries from Emilia-Romagna, Lazio and Sicily) validation sets. Discriminant power and net reclassification improvement were used to compare MCS performance with that of other comorbidity scores. MCS ability to predict secondary health outcomes (ie, hospital admissions and costs) was also investigated. RESULTS: Primary and secondary outcomes progressively increased with increasing MCS value. MCS improved the net 1-year mortality reclassification from 27% (with respect to the Chronic Disease Score) to 69% (with respect to the Elixhauser Index). MCS discrimination performance was similar in the four regions of Italy we tested, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (95% CI) being 0.78 (0.77 to 0.79) in Lombardy, 0.78 (0.77 to 0.79) in Emilia-Romagna, 0.77 (0.76 to 0.78) in Lazio and 0.78 (0.77 to 0.79) in Sicily. CONCLUSION: MCS seems better than conventional scores for predicting health outcomes, at least in the general population from Italy. This may offer an improved tool for risk adjustment, policy planning and identifying patients in need of a focused treatment approach in the everyday medical practice.

How did the Introduction of Biosimilar Filgrastim Influence the Prescribing Pattern of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factors? Results from a Multicentre, Population-Based Study, from Five Italian Centres in the Years 2009-2014.

BACKGROUND: Granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSFs) are biological products for which the main indication of use is chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. Biosimilars of G-CSFs have been available in Europe since 2007. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the prescribing pattern of G-CSFs in five Italian centres using different healthcare policy interventions to promote the use of biosimilars in routine care. METHODS: This retrospective, population-based drug utilization study was conducted during the years 2009-2014 using the administrative databases of the Caserta, Treviso and Palermo Local Health Units (LHUs) and the Tuscany and Umbria regions. G-CSF users were characterized and the prevalence of use, proportion of biosimilar users and switching pattern of different G-CSFs were evaluated over time and across centres. RESULTS: Overall, 30,247 patients were treated with G-CSFs in the years 2009-2014, of which 29,083 (96.2 %) were naïve users. The overall prevalence of G-CSF use increased from 0.8 per 1000 inhabitants in 2009 to 1.1 per 1000 in 2014. An increase in the proportion of the use of the biosimilar filgrastim by the total G-CSF users was observed in all centres: from 0.2 % (2009) to 66.2 % (2014). However, heterogeneity across different centres was reported, with the largest increase in Treviso LHU (from 0 to 89.1 % from 2009 to 2014). During the first year of treatment, switching between different G-CSFs was frequent (20.3 %). CONCLUSIONS: Heterogeneity in the use of G-CSF and, in particular, biosimilar filgrastim across different Italian centres was observed, probably due to different regional healthcare policy interventions. During the first year of treatment, switching between different G-CSFs was frequent. Considering the impact of biological drugs on pharmaceutical expenses, it is necessary to harmonize healthcare policies promoting the use of biological drugs with the lowest cost.

Nutritional predictors of mortality after discharge in elderly patients on a medical ward.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition in elderly inpatients hospitalized on medical wards is a significant public health concern. The aim of this study was to investigate nutritional markers as mortality predictors following discharge in hospitalized medical elderly patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective observational cohort study with follow-up of 48 months. Two hundred and twenty-five individuals aged 60 and older admitted from the hospital emergency room in the past 48 h were investigated at the medical ward in the University hospital in Palermo (Italy). Anthropometric and clinical measurements, Mini-nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire, bioelectrical (BIA) phase angle (PA), grip strength were obtained all within 48 h of admission. Mortality data were verified by means of mortality registry and analysed using Cox-proportional hazard models. RESULTS: Ninety (40%) participants died at the end of follow-up. There were significant relationships between PA, MNA score, age and gender on mortality. Patients in the lowest tertile of PA (< 4·6°) had higher mortality estimates [I vs II tertile: hazard ratio (HR) = 3·40; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2·01-5·77; II vs III tertile: HR = 3·83; 95% CI: 2·21-6·64; log-rank test: χ(2) = 43·6; P < 0·001]. Similarly, the survival curves demonstrated low MNA scores (< 22) were associated with higher mortality estimates (HR = 1·85; 95% CI: 1·22-2·81 χ(2) = 8·2; P = 0·004). CONCLUSIONS: The MNA and BIA-derived phase angle are reasonable tools to identify malnourished patients at high mortality risk and may represent useful markers in intervention trials in this high-risk subgroup.

[Distance from the nearest hospital and mortality for acute miocardial infarction (AMI) in Sicily Region (Southern Italy)]. / Distanza dalle strutture ospedaliere e mortalità per infarto miocardico acuto (IMA) in Sicilia.

OBJECTIVES: to analyse the effect of distance between the Municipality of residence and the nearest hospital on out-of-hospital mortality rate of patients died for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). DESIGN: analysis of out-of-hospital mortality using a record linkage database. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Sicilian Municipalities; 4,999 deaths with acute myocardial infarction as primary cause of death, by excluding patients hospitalised within the 15 days before the death event. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: acute myocardial infarction out-of-hospital mortality in Sicilian Municipalities, with the exclusion of patients hospitalised within 15 days before the death event. RESULTS: during the years 2009-2011, 7,473 subjects died for acute myocardial infarction in Sicily. 4,999 (66.92%) patients were not hospitalised in the 15 days before the death event; 2,001 of these (40.01%) lived quite far from the nearest hospital (more than 17 minutes of traveling time). After adjustment for age, gender and socioeconomic status, the distance between the residential Municipality and the nearest hospital was significantly associated with increased mortality (27% higher risk of out-of-hospital mortality for patients living far from the nearest hospital, compared to those living in municipalities with at least one hospital). CONCLUSIONS: the distance between the residential Municipality and the nearest Municipality with at least one hospital is associated with an increase in out-of-hospital mortality rate after acute myocardial infarction. However, besides the limitations of using a distance metric (at a municipality level), the clinical history of the subjects under study is not explicitly taken into account. Further studies are needed in order to explore the reasons for this correlation and to further analyse the relationship between distance and mortality (in- and out-of-hospital). Nevertheless, the results presented provide useful information for healthcare service management policies.

[Socioeconomic disparities in mortality among older people in Sicily]. / Un indicatore comunale di posizione socioeconomica e mortalità nell'anziano in Sicilia.

OBJECTIVE: to construct a composite municipal index of socioeconomic position (SEP) and to describe socioeconomic disparities in mortality within Sicilian elderly inhabitants (age 65+). DESIGN: 2001 Sicily Census data were used to develop a 5-level SEP index for the 390 municipalities of the Region. Education, occupation, housing tenure, family composition and immigration were considered in order to perform a factor analysis. We used Sicilian Mortality Registry data to compute standardized mortality rates by gender. The SEP index was used for mortality from all causes and for most common causes of death in elderly population. Rates, with 95% confidence intervals, were computed to compare mortality in each level of SEP to the highest level. RESULTS: there were socioeconomic disparities both in overall and in cause-specific mortality. Progressively higher mortality rates with lower SEP were observed for overall mortality (ratio between extreme categories: 1.16 in men, 1.14 in women), as well for mortality from cardiovascular diseases in both genders (ratio between extreme categories: 1.12 in men, 1.09 in women), from respiratory disease in men (ratio between extreme categories: 1.20), and from endocrine glands diseases in women (ratio between extreme categories: 1.35). For deaths from cancer and from diseases of the digestive system mortalities, in both genders, we found higher risks within the lowest SEP level as compared to the highest. Cardiovascular diseases contributed the most to the socioeconomic differences in overall mortality. CONCLUSION: Within the Sicilian elderly population, socioeconomic position is associated with mortality. The highest mortality rates were observed in the most disadvantaged municipalities. Moreover, mortality rates were oddly distributed by gender.