Differences in Reimbursements, Procedural Volumes, and Patient Characteristics Based on Surgeon Gender in Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have suggested there may be differences in reimbursement and practice patterns by gender. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively evaluate differences in reimbursement, procedural volume, and patient characteristics in total hip arthroplasty (THA) between men and women surgeons from 2013 to 2021. METHODS: The Medicare Physician and Other Practitioners database from 2013 to 2021 was queried. Inflation-adjusted reimbursement, procedural volume, surgeon information, and patient demographics were extracted for surgeons performing over 10 primary THAs each year. Wilcoxon, t-tests, and multivariate linear regressions were utilized to compare men and women surgeons. RESULTS: Only 1.4% of THAs billed to Medicare between 2013 and 2021 were billed by women surgeons. Men surgeons earned significantly greater reimbursement nationally in 2021 compared to women surgeons per THA ($1018.56 versus $954.17, P = 0.03), but no difference was found when assessing each region separately. Reimbursement declined at similar rates for both men and women surgeons (-18.3 versus -19.8%, P = 0.38). An increase in the proportion of women surgeons performing THA between 2013 and 2021 was seen in all regions except the South. In 2021, the proportion of all THAs performed by women surgeons was highest in the West (3.5%) and lowest in the South (1.0%). Women surgeons had comparable patient populations in terms of age, race, comorbidity status, and Medicaid eligibility to their men counterparts, but performed significantly fewer services per beneficiary (5.6 versus 8.1, P < 0.001) and fewer unique services (51.1 versus 69.6, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Average reimbursement per THA has declined at a similar rate for men and women physicians between 2013 and 2021. Women's representation in THA surgery nationwide has nearly doubled between 2013 and 2021, with the greatest increase in the West. However, there are notable differences in billing practices between genders.

Geographical Differences in Surgeon Reimbursement, Volume, and Patient Characteristics in Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in regional and national variations in reimbursement to arthroplasty surgeons, procedural volumes, and patient populations for total hip arthroplasty (THA) from 2013 to 2021. METHODS: The Medicare Physician and Other Practitioners database was queried for all billing episodes of primary THA for each year between 2013 and 2021. Inflation-adjusted surgeon reimbursement, procedural volume, physician address, and patient characteristics were extracted for each year. Data were stratified geographically based on the United States Census regions and rural-urban commuting codes. Kruskal-Wallis and multivariable regressions were utilized. RESULTS: Between 2013 and 2021, the overall THA volume and THAs per surgeon increased at the highest rate in the West (+48.2%, +20.2%). A decline in surgeon reimbursement was seen in all regions, most notably in the Midwest (-20.3%). Between 2013 and 2021, the average number of Medicare beneficiaries per surgeon declined by 12.6%, while the average number of services performed per beneficiary increased by 18.2%. In 2021, average surgeon reimbursement was the highest in the Northeast ($1,081.15) and the lowest in the Midwest ($988.03) (P < .001). Metropolitan and rural areas had greater reimbursement than micropolitan and small towns (P < .001). Patient age, race, sex, Medicaid eligibility, and comorbidity profiles differ between regions. Increased patient comorbidities, when controlling for patient characteristics, were associated with lower reimbursement in the Northeast and West (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) volume and reimbursement differ between US regions, with the Midwest exhibiting the lowest increase in volume and greatest decline in reimbursement throughout the study period. Alternatively, the West had the greatest increase in THAs per surgeon. Patient comorbidity profiles differ between regions, and increased patient comorbidity is associated with decreased reimbursement in the Northeast and the West. This information is important for surgeons and policymakers as payment models regarding reimbursement for arthroplasty continue to evolve.

Mental Health in Elite Athletes: A Systematic Review of Suicidal Behaviour as Compared to the General Population.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Previous systematic reviews on mental health in athletes have found athletes to be at a potentially increased risk for mental health diagnoses compared to the public. Multiple cross-sectional studies have examined suicide behaviour within different athlete populations, but there is a need for a comprehensive review to synthesize and identify risk factors and epidemiology regarding suicide behaviour in the elite athlete population, especially as it compares to the general population. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science from 1990 to January 2023. Inclusion criteria included original peer-reviewed research articles examining suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, or suicide completion within elite athlete populations. Exclusion criteria included athletes participating in high-school or Paralympic level sports, studies that did not report results regarding elite athletes and non-athletes separately, and non-peer reviewed work. All studies were screened for inclusion by two independent reviewers. The primary outcome variables extracted from included studies included rates, risk factors, and protective factors for suicide behaviour. The study quality and risk of bias was evaluated for each study using the Joanna-Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. RESULTS: Of the 875 unique studies identified, 22 studies, all of which were cross-sectional in nature, met the inclusion criteria. Seven studies evaluated previous athletes, 13 studies evaluated current athletes, and two studies included a combination of previous and current athletes. Seven studies involved varsity college athletes, nine involved professional athletes of various sports, and six focused on international or Olympic level athletes. The rate of suicidal ideation in professional athletes ranged from 6.9 to 18% across four studies, while the rate in collegiate athletes ranged from 3.7 to 6.5% across three studies. Ten studies compared athletes to the general population, the majority of which found athletes to be at reduced risk of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and suicide completion. Only one study found athletes to have increased rates of suicide compared to matched non-athletes. Risk factors for suicide behaviour identified across multiple studies included male sex, non-white race, older age, and depression. Player position, athletic level, sport played, and injuries showed trends of having limited effect on suicide behaviour risk. CONCLUSION: This review suggests that elite athletes generally demonstrate reduced risk of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and suicide completion compared to the general population. Coaches should remain aware of specific factors, such as male sex, non-white race, and higher athletic level, in order to better identify at-risk athletes. Limitations of this review include the heterogeneity in the methodology and athlete populations across the included studies. Therefore, future targeted research is essential to compare suicide behaviour between sports and identify sport-specific suicide risk factors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO Registration: CRD42023395990.

Functional Return-to-Sport Testing Demonstrates Inconsistency in Predicting Short-Term Outcomes Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To systematically review the relationship between functional testing at the time of return to sport (RTS) and short-term outcomes, such as second anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear and return to a preinjury level of sport, among athletes who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify studies examining athletes who underwent functional RTS testing and were followed for at least 12 months following ACLR. Studies were screened by 2 reviewers. A standardized template was used to extract information regarding study characteristics, ACLR information, functional test results, and risk factors associated with retear or reduced RTS. RESULTS: Of the 937 studies identified, 22 met the inclusion criteria. The average time between ACLR and RTS testing was 8.5 months. Single leg hop for distance performance had no association with retear risk in any study and no association with RTS rates in most studies. Quadriceps strength had conflicting results in relation to retear risk, whereas it had no relationship with RTS rates. Rates of reinjury and RTS were similar between patients who passed and did not pass combined hop and strength batteries. Asymmetric knee extension and hip moments, along with increased knee valgus and knee flexion angles, demonstrated increased risk of retear. CONCLUSIONS: Individual hop and strength tests that are often used in RTS protocols following ACLR may have limited and inconsistent value in predicting ACL reinjury and reduced RTS when used in isolation. Combined hop and strength test batteries also demonstrate low sensitivity and negative predictive value, highlighting conflicting evidence to suggest RTS testing algorithm superiority. Biomechanical assessment is promising for stratifying ACL reinjury risk, but further research is necessary. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review of Level I-IV studies.

Preliminary findings of accelerated visual memory decline and baseline brain correlates in middle-age and older adults with autism: The case for hippocampal free-water.

Research aimed at understanding cognitive and brain aging in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is growing, but critical longitudinal work is scant. Adults with ASD struggle with tasks involving visual memory compared with neurotypical adults (NT). This may be related to differences in size or integrity of the hippocampus and its' primary structural connectivity pathway, the fornix. The aim of this study was to describe preliminary findings of longitudinal aging trajectories in short- and long-term visual memory abilities in middle-age and older adults with ASD, compared with matched NT adults. We then evaluated baseline multi-modal imaging metrics of the hippocampal system, including the relatively novel metric of free-water, as potential correlates of longitudinal memory change in the ASD group. Middle-age and older adults with ASD (n = 25) and matched NT adults (n = 25) between the ages of 40 and 70 years were followed longitudinally at ~2-year intervals (range 2-5 years). Participants completed the Wechsler Memory Scale III Visual Reproduction task. Longitudinal mixed models were utilized to detect group differences in memory change with baseline age and sex as covariates. Hippocampal volume was measured via T1-weighted MRI images with FreeSurfer. Fornix fractional anisotropy and hippocampal and fornix free-water were measured from diffusion tensor imaging scans. Exploratory correlations were run between individual hippocampal system metrics and longitudinal slopes of visual memory change. There was a significant group by time interaction for long-term visual memory, such that middle-age and older adults with ASD declined faster than matched NT adults. There was no group by time interaction for short-term visual memory. Baseline hippocampal free-water was the only hippocampal system metric that correlated with long-term visual memory change in the ASD group. As one of the first longitudinal cognitive and brain aging studies in middle-age and older adults with ASD, our findings suggest vulnerabilities for accelerated long-term visual memory decline, compared to matched NT adults. Further, baseline hippocampal free-water may be a predictor of visual memory change in middle-age and older adults with ASD. These preliminary findings lay the groundwork for future prognostic applications of MRI for cognitive aging in middle-age and older adults with ASD.

Effects of age on the hippocampus and verbal memory in adults with autism spectrum disorder: Longitudinal versus cross-sectional findings.

Research studying aging in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is growing, but longitudinal work is needed. Autistic adults have increased risk of dementia, altered hippocampal volumes and fornix integrity, and verbal memory difficulties compared with neurotypical (NT) adults. This study examined longitudinal aging in middle-age adults with ASD versus a matched NT group, and compared findings with cross-sectional age effects across a broad adult age range. Participants were 194 adults with (n = 106; 74 male) and without (n = 88; 52 male) ASD, ages 18-71. Participants (n = 45; 40-70 age range) with two visits (2-3 years apart) were included in a longitudinal analysis. Hippocampal volume, fornix fractional anisotropy (FA), and verbal memory were measured via T1-weighted MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, and the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, respectively. Longitudinal mixed models were used for hippocampal system variables and reliable change index categories were used for Auditory Verbal Learning Test analyses. Multivariate regression was used for cross-sectional analyses. Middle-age adults with ASD had greater longitudinal hippocampal volume loss and were more likely to show clinically meaningful decline in short-term memory, compared with NT. In contrast, cross-sectional associations between increasing age and worsening short-term memory were identified in NT, but not autistic adults. Reduced fornix FA and long-term memory in ASD were found across the broad cross-sectional age range. These preliminary longitudinal findings suggest accelerated hippocampal volume loss in ASD and slightly higher rates of clinically-meaningful decline in verbal short-term memory. Contradictory cross-sectional and longitudinal results underscore the importance of longitudinal aging research in autistic adults. LAY SUMMARY: Autistic adults have increased risk of dementia, differences in brain memory structures, and difficulty with memory compared with neurotypical (NT) adults. However, there are no publications that follow the same middle-age autistic adults over time to see how their brain and memory change. Our preliminary findings in a small middle-age autism sample suggest a key memory brain structure, the hippocampus, may shrink faster over 2-3 years compared with NT, and short-term memory may become more challenging for some. Across a broad adult range, autistic adults also had reduced integrity of connections to the hippocampus and greater challenges with long-term memory. In our larger sample across a broad age range, the results did not hint at this aforementioned pattern of accelerated aging. This underscores the importance of more aging research in autism, and especially research where people are followed over time.