Implications of Race Adjustment in Lung-Function Equations.

BACKGROUND: Adjustment for race is discouraged in lung-function testing, but the implications of adopting race-neutral equations have not been comprehensively quantified. METHODS: We obtained longitudinal data from 369,077 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, U.K. Biobank, the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. Using these data, we compared the race-based 2012 Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI-2012) equations with race-neutral equations introduced in 2022 (GLI-Global). Evaluated outcomes included national projections of clinical, occupational, and financial reclassifications; individual lung-allocation scores for transplantation priority; and concordance statistics (C statistics) for clinical prediction tasks. RESULTS: Among the 249 million persons in the United States between 6 and 79 years of age who are able to produce high-quality spirometric results, the use of GLI-Global equations may reclassify ventilatory impairment for 12.5 million persons, medical impairment ratings for 8.16 million, occupational eligibility for 2.28 million, grading of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for 2.05 million, and military disability compensation for 413,000. These potential changes differed according to race; for example, classifications of nonobstructive ventilatory impairment may change dramatically, increasing 141% (95% confidence interval [CI], 113 to 169) among Black persons and decreasing 69% (95% CI, 63 to 74) among White persons. Annual disability payments may increase by more than $1 billion among Black veterans and decrease by $0.5 billion among White veterans. GLI-2012 and GLI-Global equations had similar discriminative accuracy with regard to respiratory symptoms, health care utilization, new-onset disease, death from any cause, death related to respiratory disease, and death among persons on a transplant waiting list, with differences in C statistics ranging from -0.008 to 0.011. CONCLUSIONS: The use of race-based and race-neutral equations generated similarly accurate predictions of respiratory outcomes but assigned different disease classifications, occupational eligibility, and disability compensation for millions of persons, with effects diverging according to race. (Funded by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.).

Healthcare resource utilization and costs among patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency with liver and/or lung disease: a longitudinal retrospective study in the USA.

Aim: To evaluate all-cause and liver-associated healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs among patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) with liver disease (LD) and/or lung disease (LgD). Materials & methods: This was a retrospective analysis of linked administrative claims data from the IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus and the IQVIA Ambulatory Electronic Medical Records (AEMR) databases from 1 July 2021 to 31 January 2022. Patients with AATD in the IQVIA PharMetrics Plus database were included with ≥1 inpatient or ≥2 outpatient medical claims ≥90 days apart with a diagnosis of AATD, or with records indicating a protease inhibitor (Pi)*ZZ/Pi*MZ genotype in the IQVIA AEMR database with linkage to IQVIA PharMetrics Plus. For a patient's identified continuous enrollment period, patient time was assigned to health states based on the initial encounter with an LD/LgD diagnosis. A unique index date was defined for each health state, and HCRU and costs were calculated per person-year (PPY). Results: Overall, 5136 adult and pediatric patients from the IQVIA PharMetrics Plus and IQVIA AEMR databases were analyzed. All-cause and liver-associated HCRU and costs were substantially higher following onset of LD/LgD. All-cause cost PPY ranged from US $11,877 in the absence of either LD/LgD to US $74,015 in the presence of both LD and LgD. Among liver transplant recipients in the AATD with LD health state, liver-associated total costs PPY were US $87,329 1-year pre-transplantation and US $461,752 1-year post-transplantation. In the AATD with LgD and AATD with LD and LgD health states, patients who received augmentation therapy were associated with higher all-cause total costs PPY and lower liver-associated total costs PPY than their counterparts who did not receive augmentation therapy. Conclusion: Patients with AATD had increased HCRU and healthcare costs in the presence of LD and/or LgD. HCRU and healthcare costs were highest in the AATD with LD and LgD health state.

Immediate Postoperative Extubation Decreases Pulmonary Complications in Liver Transplant Patients.

BACKGROUND: Fast-track anesthesia in liver transplantation (LT) has been discussed over the past few decades; however, factors associated with immediate extubation after LT surgery are not well defined. This study aimed to identify predictive factors and examine impacts of immediate extubation on post-LT outcomes. METHODS: A total of 279 LT patients between January 2014 and May 2017 were included. Primary outcome was immediate extubation after LT. Other postoperative outcomes included reintubation, intensive care unit stay and cost, pulmonary complications within 90 days, and 90-day graft survival. Logistic regression was performed to identify factors that were predictive for immediate extubation. A matched control was used to study immediate extubation effect on the other postoperative outcomes. RESULTS: Of these 279 patients, 80 (28.7%) underwent immediate extubation. Patients with anhepatic time >75 minutes and with total intraoperative blood transfusion ≥12 units were less likely to be immediately extubated (odds ratio [OR], 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.26-0.89; P = 0.02; OR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.05-0.21; P < 0.001). The multivariable analysis showed immediate extubation significantly decreased the risk of pulmonary complications (OR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.15-0.77; P = 0.01). According to a matched case-control model (immediate group [n = 72], delayed group [n = 72]), the immediate group had a significantly lower rate of pulmonary complications (11.1% versus 27.8%; P = 0.012). Intensive care unit stay and cost were relatively lower in the immediate group (2 versus 3 d; P = 0.082; $5700 versus $7710; P = 0.11). Reintubation rates (2.8% versus 2.8%; P > 0.9) and 90-day graft survival rates (95.8% versus 98.6%; P = 0.31) were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Immediate extubation post-LT in appropriate patients is safe and may improve patient outcomes and resource allocation.

Causes of death among Federal Black Lung Benefits Program beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare, 1999-2016.

BACKGROUND: Coal miners with totally disabling pneumoconiosis are eligible for benefits through the Federal Black Lung Benefits Program (FBLP). We identify the causes of death among Medicare beneficiaries with a claim for which the FBLP was the primary payer and compare these causes of death to all deceased Medicare beneficiaries to better understand elevated death and disease among miners with occupational respiratory exposures. METHODS: From 1999 to 2016 Medicare data, we extracted beneficiary and National Death Index data for 28,003 beneficiaries with an FBLP primary payer claim. We summarized the International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification 10th revision-coded underlying causes of death and entity-axis multiple causes of death for 22,242 deceased Medicare beneficiaries with an FBLP primary payer Medicare claim and compared their causes of death to the deceased Medicare beneficiary population. RESULTS: Among deceased FBLP beneficiaries, the three leading underlying causes of death were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, unspecified (J44.9, 10.1%), atherosclerotic heart disease (I25.1, 9.3%), and coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) (J60, 9.2%). All diseases of the respiratory system combined (J00-J99) were the underlying cause of death for 29.1% of all beneficiaries, with pneumoconioses (J60-J64) as the underlying cause for 11.0% of all beneficiaries. CONCLUSIONS: Coal miners enrolled in Medicare with an FBLP primary payer claim were more likely to have specific respiratory and cardiovascular diseases listed as a cause of death than deceased Medicare beneficiaries overall, and were also more likely to die from CWP or any pneumoconioses.

Preoperative physiotherapy is cost-effective for preventing pulmonary complications after major abdominal surgery: a health economic analysis of a multicentre randomised trial.

QUESTION: Is preoperative physiotherapy cost-effective in reducing postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC) and improving quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) after major abdominal surgery? DESIGN: Cost-effectiveness analysis from the hospitals' perspective within a multicentre randomised controlled trial with concealed allocation, blinded assessors and intention-to-treat analysis. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred and forty-one adults awaiting elective upper abdominal surgery attending pre-anaesthetic clinics at three public hospitals in Australia and New Zealand. INTERVENTIONS: The experimental group received an information booklet and a 30-minute face-to-face session, involving respiratory education and breathing exercise training, with a physiotherapist. The control group received the information booklet only. OUTCOME MEASURES: The probability of cost-effectiveness and incremental net benefits was estimated using bootstrapped incremental PPC and QALY cost-effectiveness ratios plotted on cost-effectiveness planes and associated probability curves through a range of willingness-to-pay amounts. Cost-effectiveness modelling utilised 21-day postoperative hospital cost audit data and QALYs estimated from Short Form-Six Domain health utilities and mortality to 12 months. RESULTS: Preoperative physiotherapy had 95% probability of being cost-effective with an incremental net benefit to participating hospitals of A$4,958 (95% CI 10 to 9,197) for each PPC prevented, given that the hospitals were willing to pay $45,000 to provide the service. Cost-utility for QALY gains was less certain. Sensitivity analyses strengthened cost-effectiveness findings. Improved cost-effectiveness and QALY gains were detected when experienced physiotherapists delivered the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative physiotherapy aimed at preventing PPCs was highly likely to be cost-effective from the hospitals' perspective. For each PPC prevented, preoperative physiotherapy is likely to cost the hospitals less than the costs estimated to treat a PPC after surgery. Potential QALY gains require confirmation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12613000664741.

Role of House Calls in the Care of Patients With Pulmonary Disease.

As the population ages, and more patients with chronic pulmonary diseases become frail and functionally impaired, the prevalence of homebound patients grows. Homebound patients have higher disease burden, inpatient utilization rates, and mortality than nonhomebound patients. Vulnerable homebound patients with pulmonary disease benefit from pulmonary expertise to evaluate and optimize their complex medication regimens; evaluate equipment such as nebulizers, home oxygen, ventilators, and suction machines; and coordinate services. We review the need and benefits of house calls for these patients, and illustrate these needs with cases. We also explore the logistics of making house calls part of pulmonary practice, including supplies needed, safety in the home, and reimbursement. Reimbursement has grown for house calls, and we review how to bill for visits, advance care planning, and care management that is often required when caring for patients with advanced illness. In addition, house calls can often be beneficial for patients who may be identified as high risk and are part of value-based agreements with payers.

The socioeconomic burden of chronic lung disease in low-resource settings across the globe - an observational FRESH AIR study.

BACKGROUND: Low-resource settings are disproportionally burdened by chronic lung disease due to early childhood disadvantages and indoor/outdoor air pollution. However, data on the socioeconomic impact of respiratory diseases in these settings are largely lacking. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the chronic lung disease-related socioeconomic burden in diverse low-resource settings across the globe. To inform governmental and health policy, we focused on work productivity and activity impairment and its modifiable clinical and environmental risk factors. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional, observational FRESH AIR study in Uganda, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan, and Greece. We assessed the chronic lung disease-related socioeconomic burden using validated questionnaires among spirometry-diagnosed COPD and/or asthma patients (total N = 1040). Predictors for a higher burden were studied using multivariable linear regression models including demographics (e.g. age, gender), health parameters (breathlessness, comorbidities), and risk factors for chronic lung disease (smoking, solid fuel use). We applied identical models per country, which we subsequently meta-analyzed. RESULTS: Employed patients reported a median [IQR] overall work impairment due to chronic lung disease of 30% [1.8-51.7] and decreased productivity (presenteeism) of 20.0% [0.0-40.0]. Remarkably, work time missed (absenteeism) was 0.0% [0.0-16.7]. The total population reported 40.0% [20.0-60.0] impairment in daily activities. Breathlessness severity (MRC-scale) (B = 8.92, 95%CI = 7.47-10.36), smoking (B = 5.97, 95%CI = 1.73-10.22), and solid fuel use (B = 3.94, 95%CI = 0.56-7.31) were potentially modifiable risk factors for impairment. CONCLUSIONS: In low-resource settings, chronic lung disease-related absenteeism is relatively low compared to the substantial presenteeism and activity impairment. Possibly, given the lack of social security systems, relatively few people take days off work at the expense of decreased productivity. Breathlessness (MRC-score), smoking, and solid fuel use are potentially modifiable predictors for higher impairment. Results warrant increased awareness, preventive actions and clinical management of lung diseases in low-resource settings from health policymakers and healthcare workers.

Cost-effectiveness of intrapleural use of tissue plasminogen activator and DNase in pleural infection: evidence from the MIST2 randomised controlled trial.

The MIST2 (Second Multicentre Intrapleural Sepsis Trial) trial showed that combined intrapleural use of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and recombinant human DNase was effective when compared with single agents or placebo. However, the treatment costs are significant and overall cost-effectiveness of combined therapy remains unclear.An economic evaluation of the MIST2 trial was performed to assess the cost-effectiveness of combined therapy. Costs included were those related to study medications, initial hospital stay and subsequent hospitalisations. Outcomes were measured in terms of life-years gained. All costs were reported in euro and in 2016 prices.Mean annual costs were lowest in the t-PA-DNase group (EUR 10 605 for t-PA, EUR 17 856 for DNase, EUR 13 483 for placebo and EUR 7248 for t-PA-DNase; p=0.209). Mean 1-year life expectancy was 0.988 for t-PA, 0.923 for DNase, and 0.969 for both placebo and t-PA-DNase (p=0.296). Both DNase and placebo were less effective, in terms of life-years gained, and more costly than t-PA. When placebo was compared with t-PA-DNase, the incremental cost per life-year gained of placebo was EUR 1.6 billion, with a probability of 0.85 of t-PA-DNase being cost-effective.This study demonstrates that combined t-PA-DNase is likely to be highly cost-effective. In light of this evidence, a definitive trial designed to facilitate a thorough economic evaluation is warranted to provide further evidence on the cost-effectiveness of this promising combined intervention.

Costs of isocyanate-related occupational diseases: A systematic review.

Although isocyanates are increasingly used in manufacturing and workplace exposure to isocyanates is widely recognized as one of the most frequent causes for occupational lung and skin diseases, little is known about the economic burden on the affected individual and the society. This study provides an overview on costs of occupational diseases related to isocyanates. We performed a systematic literature search of studies in the electronic databases of the German Institute of Medical Documentation and Information, and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. We extracted the key characteristics of the studies and performed a study quality assessment. We identified eight studies on the costs of illness, of which five focused on occupational lung diseases and three on occupational skin diseases. Further, eight studies calculated loss of income/compensation payments. Out of the 16 identified articles, only two reported costs directly attributable to isocyanate-induced diseases (asthma). Studies were hardly comparable because they differed substantially in their methodological approaches. Moreover, the quality assessment of the studies revealed substantial limitations. While a wide range of isocyanate-related costs was identified, consequences of isocyanate-related occupational diseases were considerable in terms of societal costs and loss of income. In most studies, indirect costs were the main cost driver. There is a need for high-quality cost of illness studies on isocyanate-induced diseases stratified by degree of severity and sex. Such studies provide valuable information to develop preventive strategies and set priorities for measures to lower the burden of professional health risks.

[Evaluation of permanent disability levels in occupational pulmonary diseases]. / Comment évaluer en 2019 les taux d'incapacité permanente des pathologies professionnelles pulmonaires ?

Compensation for occupational pulmonary diseases requires the establishment of guidelines based on standardized and objective criteria, in order to provide compensation that is as fair as possible to patients who suffer from them. A review of the elements necessary for the examination of an individual file was carried out by a working group. It is accepted that respiratory functional exploration is the key element in assessing the level of permanent disability in all of these conditions, with the exception of thoracic malignancies. Guiding scales have been developed for the respiratory impairment of three types of conditions: occupational asthma, thoracic malignancy, and other respiratory diseases. Additional criteria for increasing the permanent disability level are also proposed in order to take into account professional prejudice, in particular the possibility or not of continuing the occupational activity, in the same job or after changing to another. For certain respiratory diseases, a periodic reassessment of the initially attributed permanent disability level is recommended as well as the initial one at the time of definitive cessation of occupational activity.

Lung transplantation and Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion in the era of lung allocation score - a retrospective study.

This study evaluated the impact of Medicaid eligibility expansion (ME) on lung transplant (LT) listings and Medicaid coverage. Data on LT candidates aged 18-64 were obtained from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (N = 9153). The impact of ME was evaluated by comparing LT listings in 2011-2013 with listings in 2014-2016, as well as comparing states that had and had not adopted ME in 2014. LT listings increased by 7.7% nationally post-ME. In ME states, LT listings increased by 15.2%, whereas nonexpansion states decreased by 1.5%. LT candidates with Medicaid increased after ME nationally (8.3% vs. 9.9%, P = 0.006) and in ME states (9.7% vs. 11.5%, P = 0.036), but not in nonexpansion states (6.6% vs. 7.7%, P = 0.170). Following multivariable adjustment, LT listings in ME states had 58% greater odds for Medicaid compared to nonexpansion states (P < 0.001). Expansion of Medicaid provided greater healthcare access and increased LT listings, but only within states that adopted eligibility expansion.

Utilization and Cost Analysis of Lung Transplantation and Survival After 10 Years of Adapting the Lung Allocation Score.

BACKGROUND: Lungs are allocated in the United States using the lung allocation score (LAS). We investigated the effect of LAS trends on lung transplant-related costs, healthcare utilization, and mortality. METHODS: Utilization data from Mayo Clinic (Florida and Minnesota) from 2005 to 2015 were obtained from the electronic health records (N = 465). Costs were categorized as 1-year posttransplant or transplant episode and standardized using 2015 Medicare reimbursement and cost-to-charge ratios. Regression analysis was used to assess the relationship of LAS to length of stay (LOS), mortality, and cost of transplant. RESULTS: The mean LAS at transplant increased from 45.7 to 58.3 during the study period, whereas the 1-year survival improved from 88.1% to 92.5% (P < 0.0001). The proportion of patients transplanted with LAS of 60 or greater increased from 16.9% to 33.3%. Posttransplant, overall, and intensive care unit LOS increased with increasing LAS. Patients with higher LAS had substantially higher transplant episode costs. An increase of LAS at transplant by 10 points increased inflation-adjusted costs by 12.0% (95% confidence interval, 9.3%-14.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The mean LAS at transplant has significantly increased over time associated with increases in LOS, resource utilization and cost. Lung allocation score has not jeopardized overall survival, but a high LAS (>60) at transplant is associated with increased mortality.

Tobacco smoking in China: a pulmonary health crisis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: China's economy has had tremendous growth through the principle of command economy, where profitable private industries become government-owned and managed. The tobacco industry, which generates 10% of the annual governmental income from the country's over 300 million smokers, serves as a prime example. The present review takes an in-depth look at how the success of the government's tobacco industry has caused a pulmonary health crisis for the country with the world's largest population; and in turn, poses a threat to global lung health. RECENT FINDINGS: China's emergence as a world leader has allowed insight to the nation's health system. Recent studies have shown that China has the highest prevalence and the worst outcomes of smoking related pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Similarly, the rates of lung cancer have grown exponentially over the last decade with China now accounting for 36% of annual new cases globally. The burden of disease is detrimental to the health system, places financial hardship on patients, and threatens the economy and work force. SUMMARY: The present review should serve as a call for research, preventive health initiatives, and governmental policy to reform tobacco production, social acceptance, and use.

The cost of Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease in Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom: a nationally representative observational study.

BACKGROUND: Management of nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTMLD) consists of a long-term multi-drug antibiotic regimen, yet many patients do not achieve culture conversion. We estimated the NTMLD-related direct medical costs in Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom (UK) among refractory patients who were infected with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), without concomitant cystic fibrosis, tuberculosis, or HIV. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational physician survey of nationally representative samples. The survey captured anonymized information about patients' treatment histories for NTMLD-related health care resource utilization over a 24-month period. We summarized NTMLD-related resource use and estimated the total economic burden, from each country's health care payer perspective. RESULTS: In total, 59 physicians provided data on 157 patients. The average person time observed during the 24-month period was 1.7 years (SD: 0.4); 17% of patients died by the end of the study period. The major components of NTMLD-related direct medical costs among refractory patients were hospitalizations (varying from 29% of total annual costs in the UK to 69% in France), outpatient visits (8% in Canada to 51% in the UK), and outpatient testing such as post-diagnostic sputum testing, bronchial wash/lavage, spirometry, biopsies, imaging, and electrocardiograms (5% in France to 35% in Canada). In this patient cohort, the average direct medical costs per person-year, in local currencies, were approximately $16,200 (Canada), €11,600 (Germany), €17,900 (France) and £9,700 (UK). CONCLUSIONS: Based on this study's findings, we conclude that managing patients with refractory NTMLD caused by MAC is associated with a substantial economic burden.

The Cost of Complications Following Major Resection of Malignant Neoplasia.

BACKGROUND: Rising healthcare costs have led to increased focus on the need to achieve a higher "value of care." As value-maximization efforts expand to include more complex surgical patients, evidence to support meaningful implementation of complication-based initiatives is lacking. The objective of this study was to compare incremental costs of complications following major gastrointestinal (GI) resections for organ-specific malignant neoplasia using nationally representative data. METHODS: National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample data, 2001-2014, were queried for adult (≥ 18 years) patients undergoing major resections for malignant neoplasia. Based on system-based complications considered relevant to the long-term treatment of GI disease, stratified differences in risk-adjusted incremental hospital costs and complication probabilities were compared. Differences in surgical outcomes and costs over time were also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 293,967 patients were included, weighted to represent 1,408,117 patients nationwide. One fourth (26.1%; 95% CI, 25.7-26.4%) experienced ≥ 1 pre-discharge complication (range, 45.3% esophagectomy to 24.0% rectal resection). Resultant annual risk-adjusted incremental hospital costs totaled $540 million nationwide (19.5% of the overall cost of care and an average of $20,900 per patient). Costs varied substantially with both cancer/resection type and complication group, ranging from $76.7 million for colectomies with infectious complications to $0.2 million for rectal resections with urinary complications. For each resection type, infectious ($154.7 million), GI ($85.5 million), and pulmonary ($77.9 million) complications were among the most significant drivers of increased hospital cost. CONCLUSIONS: Quantifying and comparing the impact of complications on an indication-specific level in more complex patients offers an important step toward allowing providers/payers to meaningfully prioritize the design of novel and adaptation of existing value-maximization approaches.

Impact of Powered and Tissue-Specific Endoscopic Stapling Technology on Clinical and Economic Outcomes of Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery Lobectomy Procedures: A Retrospective, Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lung resections are complex procedures with a critical role played by endoscopic staplers in the transection of vessels, bronchi, and lung tissue. This retrospective, observational study compared hospital resource use, costs, and complications of VATS lobectomy procedures for whom powered versus manual endoscopic surgical staplers were used. METHODS: Patients ≥ 18 years of age undergoing elective VATS lobectomy during an inpatient admission from January 1, 2012 to September 30, 2016 were identified from the Premier Healthcare Database (first admission = index admission). Use of either powered or manual endoscopic staplers during the index admission was identified from hospital administrative records. Multivariable regression analyses adjusting for patient, hospital, and provider characteristics and hospital-level clustering were carried out to compare the following outcomes between the powered and manual stapler groups: hospital length of stay (LOS), operating room time (ORT), hospital costs, complications (bleeding and/or transfusions, air leak complications, pneumonia, and infection), discharge status, and 30-, 60-, and 90-day all-cause readmissions. RESULTS: The powered and manual stapler groups comprised 659 patients (mean age 66.1 years; 53.6% female) and 3100 patients (mean age 66.7 years; 54.8% female), respectively. In the multivariable analyses, the powered stapler group had shorter LOS (4.9 vs. 5.9 days, P < 0.001), lower total hospital costs ($23,841 vs. $26,052, P = 0.009), and lower rates of combined hemostasis complications (bleeding and/or transfusions; 8.5% vs. 16.0%, P < 0.001) and transfusions (5.4% vs. 10.9%, P = 0.002), compared with the manual stapler group. Other outcomes did not differ significantly between the study groups. Similar trends were observed in subanalyses comparing devices across predominant manufacturers in each group, and in subanalyses of patients with comorbid chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. CONCLUSION: In this analysis of VATS lobectomy procedures, powered staplers were associated with significant benefits with respect to selected types of hospital resource use, costs, and clinical outcomes when compared with manual staplers. FUNDING: Johnson & Johnson.

Associations of specific postoperative complications with costs after radical cystectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the financial impact of complications after radical cystectomy (RC) and their associations with respective 90-day costs, as RC is a morbid surgery plagued by complications and the expenditure attributed to specific complications after RC is not well characterised. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We used the Premier Hospital Database (Premier Inc., Charlotte, NC, USA) to identify 9 137 RC patients (weighted population of 57 553) from 360 hospitals between 2003 and 2013. Complications were categorised according to Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Clinical Classifications. Patients with and without complications were compared, and multivariable analysis was performed. RESULTS: An index complication increased costs by $9 262 (95% confidence interval [CI] 8 300-10 223) and a readmission complication increased costs by $20 697 (95% CI 18 735-22 660). The four most costly index complications (descending order) were venous thromboembolism (VTE), infection, wound and soft tissue complications, and pulmonary complications (P < 0.001, vs no complication). A complication increased length of stay by 4 days (95% CI 3.6-4.3). One in five patients were readmitted in 90 days and the four costliest readmission complications (descending order) were pulmonary, bleeding, VTE, and gastrointestinal complications (P < 0.001, vs no complication). Readmitted patients had multiple complications upon readmission (median of 3, interquartile range 2-4). On multivariable analysis, more comorbidities, longer surgery (>6 h), transfusions of >3 units, and teaching hospitals were associated with higher costs (P < 0.05), whilst high-volume surgeons and shorter surgeries (<4 h) were associated with lower costs (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Complications after RC increase index and readmission costs for hospitals, and can be categorised based on magnitude. Future initiatives in RC may also consider costs of complications when establishing quality improvement priorities for patients, providers, or policymakers.

Low tidal volume mechanical ventilation against no ventilation during cardiopulmonary bypass heart surgery (MECANO): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pulmonary complications are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery. There are no recommendations on mechanical ventilation associated with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) during surgery and anesthesiologists perform either no ventilation (noV) at all during CPB or maintain low tidal volume (LTV) ventilation. Indirect evidence points towards better pulmonary outcomes when LTV is performed but no large-scale prospective trial has yet been published in cardiac surgery. DESIGN: The MECANO trial is a single-center, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial comparing two mechanical ventilation strategies, noV and LTV, during cardiac surgery with CPB. In total, 1500 patients are expected to be included, without any restrictions. They will be randomized between noV and LTV on a 1:1 ratio. The noV group will receive no ventilation during CPB. The LTV group will receive 5 breaths/minute with a tidal volume of 3 mL/kg and positive end-expiratory pressure of 5 cmH2O. The primary endpoint will be a composite of all-cause mortality, early respiratory failure defined as a ratio of partial pressure of oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen <200 mmHg at 1 hour after arrival in the ICU, heavy oxygenation support (defined as a patient requiring either non-invasive ventilation, mechanical ventilation or high-flow oxygen) at 2 days after arrival in the ICU or ventilator-acquired pneumonia defined by the Center of Disease Control. Lung recruitment maneuvers will be performed in the noV and LTV groups at the end of surgery and at arrival in ICU with an insufflation at +30 cmH20 for 5 seconds. Secondary endpoints are those composing the primary endpoint with the addition of pneumothorax, CPB duration, quantity of postoperative bleeding, red blood cell transfusions, revision surgery requirements, length of stay in the ICU and in the hospital and total hospitalization costs. Patients will be followed until hospital discharge. DISCUSSION: The MECANO trial is the first of its kind to compare in a double-blind design, a no-ventilation to a low-tidal volume strategy for mechanical ventilation during cardiac surgery with CPB, with a primary composite outcome including death, respiratory failure and postoperative pneumonia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03098524 . Registered on 27 February 2017.