Outcomes Following Three-Factor Inactive Prothrombin Complex Concentrate Versus Recombinant Activated Factor VII Administration During Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To compare outcomes following inactive prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) or recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) administration during cardiac surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective propensity-matched analysis. SETTING: Academic tertiary-care center. PARTICIPANTS: Patients undergoing cardiac surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass who received either rFVIIa or the inactive 3-factor PCC. INTERVENTIONS: Outcomes following intraoperative administration of rFVIIa (263) or factor IX complex (72) as rescue therapy to treat bleeding. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In the 24 hours after surgery, propensity-matched patients receiving PCC versus rFVIIa had significantly less chest tube outputs (median difference -464 mL, 95% confidence interval [CI] -819 mL to -110 mL), fresh frozen plasma transfusion rates (17% v 38%, p = 0.028), and platelet transfusion rates (26% v 49%, p = 0.027). There were no significant differences between propensity-matched groups in postoperative stroke, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, or intracardiac thrombus. Postoperative dialysis was significantly less likely in patients administered PCC versus rFVIIa following propensity matching (odds ratio = 0.3, 95% CI 0.1-0.7). No significant difference in 30-day mortality in patients receiving PCC versus rFVIIa was present following propensity matching. CONCLUSIONS: Use of rFVIIa versus inactive PCCs was significantly associated with renal failure requiring dialysis and increased postoperative bleeding and transfusions.

Pharmacist provider status legislation: Projections and prospects.

OBJECTIVE: To compare legislation at the federal level that would recognize pharmacists as health care providers under Medicare Part B with similar state-level efforts in an attempt to identify the strengths and weaknesses of these options and forecast outcomes. SUMMARY: The current primary care provider shortage poses a significant threat to public health in the United States. The effort to achieve federal provider status for pharmacists, currently in the form of identical bills introduced in January 2015 into the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate as the Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act (H.R. 592 and S. 314), would amend the Social Security Act to recognize pharmacists as health care providers in sections of Medicare Part B that specify coverage and reimbursement. This action has budgetary implications owing to the compensation that would accrue to pharmacists caring for Medicare beneficiaries. Passage of these bills into law could improve public health by sustainably increasing access to pharmacists' patient care services in medically underserved areas. In this article, the legislation's strengths and weaknesses are analyzed. The resulting information may be used to forecast the bills' fate as well as plan strategies to help support their success. Comparison of the bills with existing, state-level efforts is used as a framework for such policy analysis. CONCLUSION: While the current political climate benefits the bills in the U.S. Congress, established legislative precedents suggest that parts of H.R. 592/S. 314, specifically those regarding compensation mechanisms, may require negotiated amendment to improve their chances of success.

Thyroid medication use and subsequent development of dementia of the Alzheimer type.

Associations between medication use and the development of Alzheimer disease have been investigated since the late 1900s. Thyroid hormone supplementation is rarely a studied medication class in this area of research. We examined data from participants enrolled in longitudinal studies at the Washington University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center for associations between thyroid disease, thyroid hormone supplementation therapy, and subsequent development of dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT). Data collected between April 1992 and June 2008 from 499 participants, 184 men and 315 women, were analyzed. Mean age was 76.9 years (SD = 9.2). At baseline, 61 participants reported thyroid medication use and 87 were identified as having a history of thyroid dysfunction. These participants progressed to a DAT diagnosis more rapidly than individuals not taking thyroid medication (hazard ratios [HR]: 1.67, 95% CI: 0.99-2.78, P = .054). Although an interesting trend was seen, baseline thyroid disease was not significantly (P = .093) associated with time to DAT diagnosis. Our findings suggest that utilization of thyroid medication may be associated with the development of DAT.