Peripartum Exposure to Biologic Therapy Does Not Impact Postpartum Wound Healing in Women With IBD.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) commonly affects women during childbearing years and often requires antepartum therapy. Data regarding effects of biologic exposure on delivery outcomes are limited. We explored whether peripartum biologic exposure impacts wound healing following cesarean section (C-section) and vaginal delivery (VD) in IBD patients. METHODS: Pregnancy and IBD data from the IBD Preconception and Pregnancy Planning (I-PrePP) Clinic database were collected and analyzed. Primary outcome was frequency of postpartum wound infection in women receiving peripartum biologics, defined as exposure in the third trimester and up to 2 weeks postdelivery relative to nonexposed patients. Secondary outcomes included effect of peripartum biologic timing and IBD phenotype on wound healing. Descriptive statistics summarized data using frequency for categorical variables and median for continuous variables. Univariate analyses tested associations when appropriate. RESULTS: Of 100 deliveries (interquartile range, 30-35; median, 33 years old), 58 were C-sections and 42 VDs. Peripartum biologic exposure occurred in 72% (42 of 58) and 57% (24 of 42), respectively. Median time from last dose to delivery was 6 (interquartile range, 4-8) weeks; 21 (32%) received biologics within 72 hours following delivery. Seven infections occurred following C-section among 5 unique CD patients. Peripartum biologic exposure was not associated with infection (4 of 66 [6%] exposed vs 3 of 34 [8.8%] nonexposed; P = .68), nor was disease activity (P = 1.0). Crohn's disease (P = 0.02), internal penetrating phenotype (P < .001), prior IBD surgery (P = .03), and prior postpartum infection (P = .04) were associated with infection. CONCLUSIONS: Peripartum biologic exposure does not impair postpartum wound healing; however, patients with more complicated disease phenotypes require close monitoring.

No prior studies have explored risk of postpartum wound infection in women receiving biologics in the peripartum period. We found no significant increase in risk of postpartum wound infection; however, internal penetrating Crohn's phenotype may be an important risk factor.

The association between pre-colectomy thiopurine use and risk of neoplasia after ileal pouch anal anastomosis in patients with ulcerative colitis or indeterminate colitis: a propensity score analysis.

BACKGROUND: The risk of neoplasia of the pouch or residual rectum in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) who undergo total proctocolectomy (TPC) with ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) is incompletely investigated. Thiopurine use is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal neoplasia in patients with UC. We tested the hypothesis that thiopurine use prior to TPC may be associated with a reduced risk of primary neoplasia after IPAA. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of patients from a tertiary referral center from January 2008 to December 2017. Eligible patients with UC or IC underwent TPC with IPAA and had at least two pouchoscopies with biopsies ≥ 6 months after surgery. Propensity score analysis was conducted to match thiopurine exposed vs unexposed groups based on clinical covariates. Multivariable Cox regression analysis estimated the risk of neoplasia. RESULTS: A total of 284 patients with UC or IC (57.4% male, median age 35.6 years) were analyzed. Ninety-seven patients (34.2%) were confirmed to have thiopurine exposure ≥ 12 weeks immediately prior to TPC ("exposed") and 187 (65.8%) were confirmed to have no thiopurine exposure for at least 365 days prior to TPC ("non-exposed"). Compared to non-exposed patients, patients with thiopurine exposure less often had dysplasia (7.2% vs 23.0%, p = 0.001) and had lower grades of dysplasia before colectomy. After IPAA, patients with neoplasia were older (44.0 vs 34.8 years, p = 0.03), more likely to have had dysplasia as colectomy indication (44.4% vs 15.4%, p = 0.007), and more likely to require pouch excision (55.6% vs 10.2%, p < 0.0001), compared to patients without neoplasia. On propensity-matched cohort analysis, no factors were significantly associated with risk of primary neoplasia. CONCLUSION: Thiopurine exposure for at least the 12 weeks prior to TPC in patients with UC or IC does not appear to be independently associated with risk of primary neoplasia following IPAA.

Photovoice as a tool to improve patient-Provider communication in inflammatory bowel disease clinic: A feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: The emotional health of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is critical to self-management, but has been difficult to elucidate in routine care. Patients are often unsure how to communicate their preferences and concerns to their providers in ways that could directly inform shared decision making. Photovoice is an established research methodology used to give vulnerable patients a voice through photographic expression, but has not been previously used in gastroenterology or in IBD. OBJECTIVE: To determine the acceptability and feasibility of using Photovoice in an IBD clinic. PATIENT INVOLVEMENT: Patients with IBD took photos in response to open-ended prompts, participated in a focus group, and brainstormed ways to share their experience with clinicians. METHODS: Enrolled IBD patients received a digital camera, training on basic usage and 10 open-ended prompts related to management of their IBD. Participants completed one-hour in-depth interviews about their photos, which were audio-recorded and professionally transcribed. Three analysts coded transcripts for themes using qualitative analysis software QSR NVivo 11. A subset of patients participated in a focus group about their Photovoice experience. Gastroenterologists were interviewed, using patient photos as prompts, to evaluate feasibility of using Photovoice in the clinic. RESULTS: Eleven patients completed the interviews, with five participating in the focus group. Patients shared and discussed a total of 118 photographs. We identified two major themes: disease burden and patient - provider communication. Five IBD physicians reviewed select patient photos and suggested ways to incorporate Photovoice into clinical practice. DISCUSSION: Photovoice may be a feasible methodology for patients with IBD and acceptable for providers to use in a clinical setting. PRACTICAL VALUE: Photovoice may help providers identify patient concerns and make their communication more patient-centred.

Ileal Pouch Anal Anastomosis for the Management of Ulcerative Colitis Is Associated With Significant Disability.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Disability in patients with medically refractory ulcerative colitis (UC) after total proctocolectomy (TPC) with ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) is not well understood. The aim of this study was to compare disability in patients with IPAA vs medically managed UC, and identify predictors of disability. METHODS: This was a multicenter cross-sectional study performed at 5 academic institutions in New York City. Patients with medically or surgically treated UC were recruited. Clinical and socioeconomic data were collected, and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Disability Index (IBD-DI) was administered to eligible patients. Predictors of moderate-severe disability (IBD-DI ≥35) were assessed in univariable and multivariable models. RESULTS: A total of 94 patients with IPAA and 128 patients with medically managed UC completed the IBD-DI. Among patients with IPAA and UC, 35 (37.2%) and 30 (23.4%) had moderate-severe disability, respectively. Patients with IPAA had significantly greater IBD-DI scores compared with patients with medically managed UC (29.8 vs 17.9; P < .001). When stratified by disease activity, patients with active IPAA disease had significantly greater median IBD-DI scores compared with patients with active UC (44.2 vs 30.4; P = .01), and patients with inactive IPAA disease had significantly greater median IBD-DI scores compared with patients with inactive UC (23.1 vs 12.5; P < .001). Moderate-severe disability in patients with IPAA was associated with female sex, active disease, and public insurance. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with IPAA have higher disability scores than patients with UC, even after adjustment for disease activity. Female sex and public insurance are predictive of significant disability in patients with IPAA.

Identifying Patient Priorities for Preconception and Pregnancy Counseling in IBD.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) commonly affects women of reproductive age. Many patients lacking knowledge about IBD and reproduction make uninformed decisions, such as voluntary childlessness and medication cessation. Education should be individualized to the patient's knowledge base and include topics of most importance to the patient. Our study aimed to describe the priority rankings of topics selected by patients seeking preconception and pregnancy counseling. METHODS: As part of an ongoing prospective study, patients with IBD were asked to rank, in order of importance, nine a priori preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum topics they would like addressed by our specialized care team, which includes an IBD physician and a high-risk obstetrician. χ2 and Fisher's exact tests were used to assess associations between clinical and demographic characteristics and priority rankings, and a p value cutoff for significance was set as .05. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-eight women with IBD (mean (IQR) age; 32 (28-37) years) were seen in consultation, and 116 (70 (60%) CD, 43 (37%) UC, and 3 (3%) IBD-U) completed intake forms were analyzed. There were 78 (68%) women seen in the preconception stage, median age 31 (IQR 28-34), and 38 women (32%) were pregnant, median age 32 (IQR 28-33). Safety of IBD medications during pregnancy was most commonly ranked as top priority (40%) for all patients regardless of pregnancy status, followed by control of IBD disease activity and impact on pregnancy (31%), impact of IBD and surgery on fertility (19%), pregnancy outcomes for the baby (18%), mode of delivery (6%), inheritance of IBD (4%), breastfeeding (2%), nutritional health (2%), and vaccines and newborn care (1%). The impact of IBD and surgery on fertility was ranked as the number one priority more often in the preconception group (p value < 0.01) and mode of delivery in the pregnancy group (p value 0.04). CONCLUSION: Safety of IBD medications remains a priority topic for patients seeking preconception and pregnancy counseling.

Clostridioides Difficile Infection Is a Rare Cause of Infectious Pouchitis.

INTRODUCTION: The true incidence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in patients with an ileal pouch is unknown, and there is little published on its associated risk factors. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the rate and risk factors of CDI in pouch patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective review conducted at a single tertiary care inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) center. All ulcerative colitis or IBD-unspecified (IBD-U) patients who underwent total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis for medically refractory disease or dysplasia between 2008 and 2017 were identified. Symptomatic patients tested for CDI were included. Demographic, disease, and surgical characteristics were collected. Nonparametric methods were used to compare continuous outcomes, and χ2 and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare patients with and without CDI as appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 154 pouch patients had postoperative C. difficilestool testing for symptoms of fever, urgency, increased stool frequency, hematochezia, incontinence, and abdominal and/or pelvic pain. CDI was diagnosed in 11 (7.1%) patients a median of 139 days (IQR 34-1,170) after the final surgical stage. Ten patients (90.9%) received oral vancomycin for 10 days and 1 patient (9.1%) received oral metronidazole for 2 weeks. Ten patients (90.9%) reported improvement in symptoms at completion of therapy. Nine patients (81.8%) were retested for CDI for recurrent symptoms and found to be negative. No patient had CDI recurrence. There was no significant difference in demographic and surgical characteristics, previous antibiotic or proton pump inhibitor use, or previous hospital admission among the patients with and without CDI. CONCLUSIONS: CDI is a rare cause of infectious pouchitis and treatment with oral vancomycin improves symptoms.

Inflammatory Pouch Conditions Are Common After Ileal Pouch Anal Anastomosis in Ulcerative Colitis Patients.

BACKGROUND: Total proctocolectomy (TPC) with ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the gold standard surgery for ulcerative colitis (UC) patients with medically refractory disease. The aim of this study was to report the rates and risk factors of inflammatory pouch conditions. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of UC or IBD unspecified (IBDU) patients who underwent TPC with IPAA for refractory disease or dysplasia between 2008 and 2017. Pouchoscopy data were used to calculate rates of inflammatory pouch conditions. Factors associated with outcomes in univariable analysis were investigated in multivariable analysis. RESULTS: Of the 621 patients more than 18 years of age who underwent TPC with IPAA between January 2008 and December 2017, pouchoscopy data were available for 386 patients during a median follow-up period of 4 years. Acute pouchitis occurred in 205 patients (53%), 60 of whom (30%) progressed to chronic pouchitis. Cuffitis and Crohn's disease-like condition (CDLC) of the pouch occurred in 119 (30%) patients and 46 (12%) patients, respectively. In multivariable analysis, female sex was associated with a decreased risk of acute pouchitis, and pre-operative steroid use and medically refractory disease were associated with an increased risk; IBDU was associated with chronic pouchitis; rectal cuff length ≥2 cm and medically refractory disease were associated with cuffitis; age 45-54 at colectomy was associated with CDLC. Rates of pouch failure were similar in chronic pouchitis and CDLC patients treated with biologics and those who were not. CONCLUSIONS: Inflammatory pouch conditions are common. Biologic use for chronic pouchitis and CDLC does not impact the rate of pouch failure.

Automatic M1-SO Montage Headgear for Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) Suitable for Home and High-Throughput In-Clinic Applications.

OBJECTIVES: Non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the motor cortex is broadly investigated to modulate functional outcomes such as motor function, sleep characteristics, or pain. The most common montages that use two large electrodes (25-35 cm2 ) placed over the area of motor cortex and contralateral supraorbital region (M1-SO montages) require precise measurements, usually using the 10-20 EEG system, which is cumbersome in clinics and not suitable for applications by patients at home. The objective was to develop and test novel headgear allowing for reproduction of the M1-SO montage without the 10-20 EEG measurements, neuronavigation, or TMS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Points C3/C4 of the 10-20 EEG system is the conventional reference for the M1 electrode. The headgear was designed using an orthogonal, fixed-angle approach for connection of frontal and coronal headgear components. The headgear prototype was evaluated for accuracy and replicability of the M1 electrode position in 600 repeated measurements compared to manually determined C3 in 30 volunteers. Computational modeling was used to estimate brain current flow at the mean and maximum recorded electrode placement deviations from C3. RESULTS: The headgear includes navigational points for accurate placement and assemblies to hold electrodes in the M1-SO position without measurement by the user. Repeated measurements indicated accuracy and replicability of the electrode position: the mean [SD] deviation of the M1 electrode (size 5 × 5 cm) from C3 was 1.57 [1.51] mm, median 1 mm. Computational modeling suggests that the potential deviation from C3 does not produce a significant change in brain current flow. CONCLUSIONS: The novel approach to M1-SO montage using a fixed-angle headgear not requiring measurements by patients or caregivers facilitates tDCS studies in home settings and can replace cumbersome C3 measurements for clinical tDCS applications.

Pain-related distress among patients referred to a community-based palliative care program.

OBJECTIVE: Numerous studies have characterized the pain reported by patients with advanced illness in terms of descriptors such as severity, but few have measured pain-related distress. Distress may be important in the clinical approach to pain. To evaluate pain-related distress among adult patients with advanced illness and pain following enrollment in an urban, specialist-level, community-based palliative care program. METHOD: In a retrospective cross-sectional analysis, data were extracted from the electronic health records of all patients who were able to complete the pain item from the Condensed Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale at the start of care. Bivariate and multivariate analyses evaluated the associations between distress and both sociodemographics and disease-related information. RESULTS: The 506 patients completing the pain item had a mean (SD) age of 70.7 years (13.8); 64.2% were women, 32.1% were Hispanic, 32.6% were white, and 27.7% were black. Of the 503 patients who indicated some level of distress on a 0-4 scale, 221 (43.7%) had high distress, defined as a score ≥3 ("quite a bit" or "very much"). Cancer diagnosis and poor performance status (unable to care for self) were predictors of high pain-related distress (both p < 0.05).Significance of resultsAmong patients with advanced illness who reported pain at the start of care by a specialist palliative care program, high pain-related distress was common, particularly among those with cancer or poor physical function. Further studies are needed to explore the extent to which pain-related distress should inform the assessment and management of pain.

At-Home Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) With Telehealth Support for Symptom Control in Chronically-Ill Patients With Multiple Symptoms.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) delivered in multiple sessions can reduce symptom burden, but access of chronically ill patients to tDCS studies is constrained by the burden of office-based tDCS administration. Expanded access to this therapy can be accomplished through the development of interventions that allow at-home tDCS applications. Objective: We describe the development and initial feasibility assessment of a novel intervention for the chronically ill that combines at-home tDCS with telehealth support. Methods: In the developmental phase, the tDCS procedure was adjusted for easy application by patients or their informal caregivers at home, and a tDCS protocol with specific elements for enhanced safety and remote adherence monitoring was created. Lay language instructional materials were written and revised based on expert feedback. The materials were loaded onto a tablet allowing for secure video-conferencing. The telehealth tablet was paired with an at-home tDCS device that allowed for remote dose control via electronic codes dispensed to patients prior to each session. tDCS was delivered in two phases: once daily on 10 consecutive days, followed by an as needed regimen for 20 days. Initial feasibility of this tDCS-telehealth system was evaluated in four patients with advanced chronic illness and multiple symptoms. Change in symptom burden and patient satisfaction were assessed with the Condensed Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (CMSAS) and a tDCS user survey. Results: The telehealth-tDCS protocol includes one home visit and has seven patient-tailored elements and six elements enhancing safety monitoring. Replicable electrode placement at home without 10-20 EEG measurement is achieved via a headband that holds electrodes in a pre-determined position. There were no difficulties with patients' training, protocol adherence, or tolerability. A total of 60 tDCS sessions were applied. No session required discontinuation, and there were no adverse events. Data collection was feasible and there were no missing data. Satisfaction with the tDCS-telehealth procedure was high and the patients were comfortable using the system. Conclusion: At-home tDCS with telehealth support appears to be a feasible approach for the management of symptom burden in patients with chronic illness. Further studies to evaluate and optimize the protocol effectiveness for symptom-control outcomes are warranted.

Development and Field Test of an Audit Tool and Tracer Methodology for Clinician Assessment of Quality in End-of-Life Care.

CONTEXT: Quality improvement in end-of-life care generally acquires data from charts or caregivers. "Tracer" methodology, which assesses real-time information from multiple sources, may provide complementary information. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to develop a valid brief audit tool that can guide assessment and rate care when used in a clinician tracer to evaluate the quality of care for the dying patient. METHODS: To identify items for a brief audit tool, 248 items were created to evaluate overall quality, quality in specific content areas (e.g., symptom management), and specific practices. Collected into three instruments, these items were used to interview professional caregivers and evaluate the charts of hospitalized patients who died. Evidence that this information could be validly captured using a small number of items was obtained through factor analyses, canonical correlations, and group comparisons. A nurse manager field tested tracer methodology using candidate items to evaluate the care provided to other patients who died. RESULTS: The survey of 145 deaths provided chart data and data from 445 interviews (26 physicians, 108 nurses, 18 social workers, and nine chaplains). The analyses yielded evidence of construct validity for a small number of items, demonstrating significant correlations between these items and content areas identified as latent variables in factor analyses. Criterion validity was suggested by significant differences in the ratings on these items between the palliative care unit and other units. The field test evaluated 127 deaths, demonstrated the feasibility of tracer methodology, and informed reworking of the candidate items into the 14-item Tracer EoLC v1. CONCLUSION: The Tracer EoLC v1 can be used with tracer methodology to guide the assessment and rate the quality of end-of-life care.

Symptom Distress Among Diverse Patients Referred for Community-Based Palliative Care: Sociodemographic and Medical Correlates.

CONTEXT: Community-based palliative care programs are appearing in the U.S. Many of these programs, particularly those in large cities, serve highly diverse populations. Information about the sources of variation in the conditions that drive illness burden, like symptom distress, may be useful in program planning. OBJECTIVES: To characterize variation in symptom distress among highly diverse patients referred for palliative care in an urban setting. METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional survey of data obtained from patients at the time of enrollment in a community-based palliative care program. Symptom distress was measured using the Condensed Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale. Severe distress was defined as reporting either "quite a bit"/"very much" or "frequently"/"almost constantly" for one or more symptoms. Multivariate analysis evaluated the associations between symptom distress and sources of patient variability. RESULTS: Patients (n = 1532) were aged 72.2 years on average; 60.0% were women, 56.4% were African-American or Hispanic, and 30.8% were non-English speaking. Most had cancer or congestive heart failure (68.6%); 90.2% had a Karnofsky Performance Status score of 40-70. The most prevalent symptoms were fatigue (71.8%), pain (47.3%), and sadness (41.6%); the most distressing symptoms were fatigue (58.5%), worrying (54.8%), and weight loss (52.1%). In multivariate analyses, Caucasian race, non-Asian language, low Karnofsky Performance Status scores, and cancer diagnosis predicted severe symptom distress. CONCLUSION: In a diverse urban population receiving community-based palliative care, symptoms were highly prevalent and distressing, and both sociodemographic and medical factors predicted severe distress. Program planning should consider the needs of subpopulations at risk for high symptom burden.

Hospice Enrollment After Referral to Community-Based, Specialist Palliative Care: Impact of Telephonic Outreach.

CONTEXT: In the U.S., palliative care programs improve access to hospice through enhanced communication and efficiencies in hospice eligibility review and enrollment. For community-based programs, this task may begin with telephone contact. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the incidence and predictors of hospice enrollment following telephonic outreach by a nurse after referral to a community-based, specialist palliative care program. METHODS: During 2012-2014, 299 consecutive patients who were referred to a palliative care program and subsequently enrolled in hospice provided electronic health record data for a retrospective cohort study. Those who elected hospice after telephonic outreach and before the first palliative care home visit, were compared with those who enrolled in hospice after palliative care visits began, using both bivariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Mean (SD) age was 74.1 (18.7) years; 60.2% were women, 44.4% were White, 22.5% were Hispanic, 20.9% were Black, and 9.6% were Asian. In total, 177 patients (59.2%) elected hospice following telephonic outreach and 122 (40.8%) enrolled after home visits began. The former group received a mean of 4.5 calls (median = 3.0) before hospice election. In multivariate analysis, hospice enrollment following telephonic outreach alone was associated with hospital or nursing home referral, not married status, and poor performance status (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: More than half of patients electing hospice after referral to a palliative care program did so following telephonic outreach alone. Both sociodemographic and clinical characteristics predicted this outcome. Palliative care programs can improve hospice access through initial telephonic outreach by trained professionals.

A High-Touch Model of Community-Based Specialist Palliative Care: Latent Class Analysis Identifies Distinct Patient Subgroups.

CONTEXT: Community-based palliative care may support seriously ill homebound patients. Programs vary widely, and few studies have described the heterogeneity of the populations served or service delivery models. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a diverse population served by an interdisciplinary model of community-based specialist palliative care and the variation in service delivery over time and identify subgroups with distinct illness burden profiles. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study evaluated longitudinal electronic health record data from 894 patients served during 2010-2013. Illness burden was defined by measures of performance status (Karnofsky Performance Status scale), symptom distress (Condensed Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale), palliative care needs (Palliative Outcome Scale), and quality of life (Spitzer Quality of Life Index). Service utilization included the frequency of visits received and calls made or received by patients. Latent class analysis identified patient subgroups with distinct illness burden profiles, and mixed-effects modeling was used to evaluate associations between patient characteristics and service utilization. RESULTS: The mean age was 72.3 years (SD = 14.0); 56.2% were women; 67.5% were English speaking; and 22.2% were Spanish speaking. Most had congestive heart failure (36.4%) or cancer (30.4%); 98.0% had a Karnofsky Performance Status score of 40-70. Four patient subgroups were identified: very low illness burden (26.2%); low burden (39.5%); moderate burden (13.5%); and high burden (20.8%). The subgroups differed in both baseline characteristics and palliative care service utilization over time. CONCLUSION: The population served by a community-based specialist palliative care program manages patients with different levels of illness burden, which are associated with patient characteristics and service utilization.

Hospice Enrollment After Referral to Community-Based, Specialist-Level Palliative Care: Incidence, Timing, and Predictors.

CONTEXT: Referral to community-based palliative care may increase the likelihood of hospice enrollment. OBJECTIVES: This retrospective cohort study evaluated the incidence, timing, and predictors of hospice enrollment after referral to a community-based palliative care program. METHODS: Data from 1505 homebound patients referred to community-based palliative care during 2010-2013 were analyzed using multivariate linear and logistic regression. RESULTS: Mean (SD) age was 70.4 (16.7) years; 58.8% were women, and race/ethnicity was diverse (white 32.9%, black 29.8%, Hispanic 28.6%, Asian 5.4%). Patients received palliative care services for a mean (SD) of 10.2 (10.2) months (median 6.9; range 0.03-52.2 months). A total of 362 patients (24.1%) were enrolled in hospice after receiving palliative care services for a mean (SD) of 4.8 (6.8) months (median 7.9; range 0.09-25.7 months). The median hospice length of stay was approximately twice as long as other patients enrolled in hospice during the same period. The probability of hospice enrollment increased with shorter duration of palliative care, cancer diagnosis, poorer performance status, and a lower likelihood of poverty. Similarly, significant predictors of a shorter duration of palliative care services before hospice enrollment included both sociodemographic and clinical factors. CONCLUSION: Almost one-quarter of patients were enrolled in hospice while receiving community-based palliative care, and hospice length of stay was relatively long for those who did. Both sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were associated with hospice-related outcomes. Studies are needed to further explore predictors and outcomes of hospice enrollment from palliative care.