Associations of preoperative anaemia with healthcare resource use and outcomes after colorectal surgery: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative anaemia is common in patient undergoing colorectal surgery. Understanding the population-level costs of preoperative anaemia will inform development and evaluation of anaemia management at health system levels. METHODS: This was a population-based cohort study using linked, routinely collected data, including residents from Ontario, Canada, aged ≥18 yr who underwent an elective colorectal resection between 2012 and 2022. Primary exposure was preoperative anaemia (haemoglobin <130 g L-1 in males; <120 g L-1 in females). Primary outcome was 30-day costs in 2022 Canadian dollars (CAD), from the perspective of a publicly funded healthcare system. Secondary outcomes included red blood cell transfusion, major adverse events (MAEs), length of stay (LOS), days alive at home (DAH), and readmissions. RESULTS: We included 54,286 patients, with mean 65.3 (range 18-102) years of age and 49.0% females, among which 21 264 (39.2%) had preoperative anaemia. There was an absolute adjusted cost increase of $2671 per person at 30 days after surgery attributable to preoperative anaemia (ratio of means [RoM] 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.06). Compared with the control group, 30-day risks of transfusion (odds ratio [OR] 4.34, 95% CI 4.04-4.66), MAEs (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.03-1.27), LOS (RoM 1.08, 95% CI 1.07-1.10), and readmissions (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.08-1.24) were higher in the anaemia group, with reduced DAH (RoM 0.95, 95% CI 0.95-0.96). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately $2671 CAD per person in 30-day health system costs are attributable to preoperative anaemia after colorectal surgery in Ontario, Canada.

Residential surrounding greenness and the incidence of childhood asthma: Findings from a population-based cohort in Ontario, Canada.

Several epidemiological studies have investigated the possible role that living in areas with greater amounts of greenspace has on the incidence of childhood asthma. These findings have been inconsistent, and few studies explored the relevance of timing of exposure. We investigated the role of residential surrounding greenness on the risk of incident asthma using a population-based retrospective cohort study. We included 982,131 singleton births in Ontario, Canada between 2006 and 2013. Two measures of greenness, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Green View Index (GVI), were assigned to the residential histories of these infants from pregnancy through to 12 years of age. Longitudinally-based diagnoses of asthma were determined by using provincial administrative health data. The extended Cox hazards model was used to characterize associations between greenness measures and asthma (up to age 12 years) while adjusting for several risk factors. In a fully adjusted model, that included a term for traffic-related air pollution (NO2), we found no association between an interquartile range increase (0.08) of the NDVI during childhood and asthma incidence (HR = 0.99; 95 % CI = 0.99-1.01). In contrast, we found that an 0.08 increase in NDVI during childhood reduced the risk of asthma in children 7-12 years of age by 14 % (HR = 0.86, 95 % CI:0.79-0.95). Seasonal differences in the association between greenness and asthma were noted. Our findings suggest that residential proximity to greenness reduces the risk of asthma in children aged 7-12.

A quasi-experimental evaluation of the association between implementation of Quality-Based Procedures funding for hip fractures and improvements in processes and outcomes for hip fracture patients in Ontario: an interrupted time series analysis.

PURPOSE: In 2013, Ontario introduced a patient-based funding model for hip fracture care (Quality-Based Procedures [QBP]). The association of QBP implementation with changes in processes and outcomes has not been evaluated. METHODS: We conducted a quasi-experimental study using linked health data for adult hip fractures as an interrupted time series. The pre-QBP period was from 2008 to 2012 and the post-QBP period was from 2014 to 2018; 2013 was excluded as a wash-in period. We used segmented regression analyses to estimate the association of QBP implementation with changes in processes (surgery in less than two days from admission, use of echocardiography, use of nerve blocks, and provision of geriatric care) and clinical outcomes (90-day mortality, 90-day readmissions, length of stay, and days alive at home). We estimated the immediate (level) change, trend (slope) postimplementation, and total counterfactual differences. Sensitivity analyses included case-mix adjustment and stratification by hospital type and procedure. RESULTS: We identified 45,500 patients in the pre-QBP period and 41,256 patients in the post-QBP period. There was a significant total counterfactual increase in the use of nerve blocks (11.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.2 to 16.0) and a decrease in the use of echocardiography (-2.5%; 95% CI, -3.7 to -1.3) after QBP implementation. The implementation of QBP was not associated with a clinically or statistically meaningful change in 90-day mortality, 90-day readmission, length of stay, or number of days alive at home. CONCLUSION: Evaluation of the QBP program is crucial to inform ongoing and future changes to policy and funding for hip fracture care. The introduction of the QBP Hip Fracture program, supported by evidence-based recommendations, was associated with improved application of some evidence-based processes of care but no changes in clinical outcomes. There is a need for ongoing development and evaluation of funding models to identify optimal strategies to improve the value and outcomes of hip fracture care. STUDY REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework ( https://osf.io/2938h/ ); first posted 13 June 2022.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: En 2013, l'Ontario a mis en place un modèle de financement axé sur les patient·es pour les soins suivant une fracture de la hanche (procédures fondées sur la qualité [PFQ]). L'association entre la mise en œuvre des PFQ et les changements dans les processus et les devenirs n'a pas été évaluée. MéTHODE: Nous avons mené une étude quasi expérimentale en utilisant des données de santé couplées pour les fractures de la hanche chez l'adulte comme une série chronologique interrompue. La période précédant les PFQ s'étendait de 2008 à 2012, et la période subséquente à l'implantation des PFQ allait de 2014 à 2018. L'année 2013 a été exclue en tant que période de rodage. Nous avons utilisé des analyses de régression segmentées pour estimer l'association entre la mise en œuvre des PFQ avec des changements aux processus (chirurgie en moins que deux jours suivant l'admission, utilisation de l'échocardiographie, utilisation de blocs nerveux et prestation de soins gériatriques) et des issues cliniques (mortalité à 90 jours, réadmissions à 90 jours, durée de séjour et jours de vie à domicile). Nous avons estimé le changement immédiat (niveau), la tendance (pente) après la mise en œuvre et les différences contrefactuelles totales. Les analyses de sensibilité comprenaient l'ajustement et la stratification de la combinaison de cas par type d'hôpital et par procédure. RéSULTATS: Nous avons identifié 45 500 patient·es dans la période pré-PFQ et 41 256 patient·es dans la période post-PFQ. Il y a eu une augmentation contrefactuelle totale significative de l'utilisation de blocs nerveux (11,1 %; intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95 %, 6,2 à 16,0) et une diminution de l'utilisation de l'échocardiographie (−2,5 %; IC 95 %, −3,7 à −1,3) après la mise en œuvre des PFQ. La mise en œuvre des PFQ n'a pas été associée à un changement cliniquement ou statistiquement significatif de la mortalité à 90 jours, de la réadmission à 90 jours, de la durée de séjour ou du nombre de jours de vie à domicile. CONCLUSION: L'évaluation du programme de PFQ est cruciale pour guider les changements actuels et futurs aux politiques et au financement des soins suivant une fracture de la hanche. La mise en place du programme de PFQ pour les fractures de la hanche, appuyée par des recommandations fondées sur des données probantes, a été associée à une meilleure application de certains processus de soins fondés sur des données probantes, mais à aucun changement dans les devenirs cliniques. Il est nécessaire d'élaborer et d'évaluer continuellement des modèles de financement afin de déterminer les stratégies optimales pour améliorer la valeur et les devenirs des soins suivant une fracture de la hanche. ENREGISTREMENT DE L'éTUDE: Open Science Framework ( https://osf.io/2938h/ ); première publication le 13 juin 2022.

Measuring the Predictive Accuracy of Preoperative Clinical Frailty Instruments Applied to Electronic Health Data in Older Patients Having Emergency General Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare predictive accuracy of frailty instruments operationalizable in electronic data for prognosticating outcomes among older adults undergoing emergency general surgery (EGS). BACKGROUND: Older patients undergoing EGS are at higher risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality. Preoperative frailty is a common and strong perioperative risk factor in this population. Despite this, existing barriers preclude routine preoperative frailty assessment. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults above 65 undergoing EGS from 2012 to 2018 using Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) provincial healthcare data in Ontario, Canada. We compared 4 frailty instruments: Frailty Index (FI), Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS), Risk Analysis Index-Administrative (RAI), ACG Frailty-defining diagnoses indicator (ACG). We compared predictive accuracy beyond baseline risk models (age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists' score, procedural risk). Predictive performance was measured using discrimination, calibration, explained variance, net reclassification index and Brier score (binary outcomes); using explained variance, root mean squared error and mean absolute prediction error (continuous outcomes). Primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes were 365-day mortality, nonhome discharge, days alive at home, length of stay, and 30-day and 365-day health systems cost. RESULTS: A total of 121,095 EGS patients met inclusion criteria. Of these, 11,422 (9.4%) experienced death 30 days postoperatively. Addition of FI, HFRS, and RAI to the baseline model led to improved discrimination, net reclassification index, and R2 ; RAI demonstrated the largest improvements. CONCLUSIONS: Adding 4 frailty instruments to typically assessed preoperative risk factors demonstrated strong predictive performance in accurately prognosticating perioperative outcomes. These findings can be considered in developing automated risk stratification systems among older EGS patients.

Association of clinically significant obstructive sleep apnoea with risks of contracting COVID-19 and serious COVID-19 complications: a retrospective population-based study of health administrative data.

RATIONALE/OBJECTIVES: Despite plausible pathophysiological mechanisms, more research is needed to confirm the relationship between obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and the risk of COVID-19 infection or COVID-19-related serious complications. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study using provincial health administrative data (Ontario, Canada). Adults with physician-diagnosed OSA who received positive airway pressure therapy in the 5 years prepandemic (OSA group) were propensity score matched by baseline characteristics to individuals in the general population at low risk of OSA (non-OSA group) using inverse probability of treatment weighting. Weighted HRs of (1) a positive COVID-19 test and (2) COVID-19-related emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalisations, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and mortality, within 12 months of pandemic onset, were compared between groups. We also evaluated the impact of comorbid cardiometabolic or chronic airways disease. RESULTS: We identified and matched 324 029 individuals in the OSA group to 4 588 200 individuals in the non-OSA group. Compared with the non-OSA group, those in the OSA group were at a greater hazard of testing positive for COVID-19 (HR=1.17, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.21), having a COVID-19-related ED visit (HR=1.62, 95% CI 1.51 to 1.73), hospitalisation (HR=1.50, 95% CI 1.37 to 1.65) or ICU admission (HR=1.53, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.84). COVID-19-related 30-day mortality was not different (HR=0.98, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.16).We found that for the OSA group, comorbid airways disease but not cardiometabolic conditions increased the hazards of COVID-19-related outcomes, including mortality. CONCLUSION: In this large population-based study, we demonstrated that a recent diagnosis of OSA requiring treatment was associated with an increased hazard of testing positive for COVID-19 and serious COVID-19-related complications, particularly in those with co-existing chronic airways disease.

Attributable Perioperative Cost of Frailty after Major, Elective Noncardiac Surgery: A Population-based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with frailty consistently experience higher rates of perioperative morbidity and mortality; however, costs attributable to frailty remain poorly defined. This study sought to identify older patients with and without frailty using a validated, multidimensional frailty index and estimated the attributable costs in the year after major, elective noncardiac surgery. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study of all patients 66 yr or older having major, elective noncardiac surgery between April 1, 2012, and March 31, 2018, using linked health data obtained from an independent research institute (ICES) in Ontario, Canada. All data were collected using standard methods from the date of surgery to the end of 1-yr follow-up. The presence or absence of preoperative frailty was determined using a multidimensional frailty index. The primary outcome was total health system costs in the year after surgery using a validated patient-level costing method capturing direct and indirect costs. Secondary outcomes included costs to postoperative days 30 and 90 along with sensitivity analyses and evaluation of effect modifiers. RESULTS: Of 171,576 patients, 23,219 (13.5%) were identified with preoperative frailty. Unadjusted costs were higher among patients with frailty (ratio of means 1.79, 95% CI 1.76 to 1.83). After adjusting for confounders, an absolute cost increase of $11,828 Canadian dollar (ratio of means 1.53; 95% CI, 1.51 to 1.56) was attributable to frailty. This association was attenuated with additional control for comorbidities (ratio of means 1.24, 95% CI, 1.22 to 1.26). Among contributors to total costs, frailty was most strongly associated with increased postacute care costs. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with preoperative frailty having elective surgery, the authors estimate that attributable costs are increased 1.5-fold in the year after major, elective noncardiac surgery. These data inform resource allocation for patients with frailty.

Critical windows of exposure to air pollution and gestational diabetes: assessing effect modification by maternal pre-existing conditions and environmental factors.

BACKGROUND: Ambient air pollution has been associated with gestational diabetes (GD), but critical windows of exposure and whether maternal pre-existing conditions and other environmental factors modify the associations remains inconclusive. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all singleton live birth that occurred between April 1st 2006 and March 31st 2018 in Ontario, Canada. Ambient air pollution data (i.e., fine particulate matter with a diameter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3)) were assigned to the study population in spatial resolution of approximately 1 km × 1 km. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Green View Index (GVI) were also used to characterize residential exposure to green space as well as the Active Living Environments (ALE) index to represent the active living friendliness. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate the associations. RESULTS: Among 1,310,807 pregnant individuals, 68,860 incident cases of GD were identified. We found the strongest associations between PM2.5 and GD in gestational weeks 7 to 18 (HR = 1.07 per IQR (2.7 µg/m3); 95% CI: 1.02 - 1.11)). For O3, we found two sensitive windows of exposure, with increased risk in the preconception period (HR = 1.03 per IQR increase (7.0 ppb) (95% CI: 1.01 - 1.06)) as well as gestational weeks 9 to 28 (HR 1.08 per IQR (95% CI: 1.04 -1.12)). We found that women with asthma were more at risk of GD when exposed to increasing levels of O3 (p- value for effect modification = 0.04). Exposure to air pollutants explained 20.1%, 1.4% and 4.6% of the associations between GVI, NDVI and ALE, respectively. CONCLUSION: An increase of PM2.5 exposure in early pregnancy and of O3 exposure during late first trimester and over the second trimester of pregnancy were associated with gestational diabetes whereas exposure to green space may confer a protective effect.

Screening for postpartum depression and risk of suicidality with obstetrical patients: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy is a vulnerable time where the physical and social stress of the COVID-19 pandemic affects psychological health, including postpartum depression (PPD). This study is designed to estimate the prevalence and correlates of PPD and risk of suicidality among individuals who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We surveyed individuals who gave birth at The Ottawa Hospital and were ≥ 20 days postpartum, between March 17 and June 16, 2020. A PPD screen consisted of a score ≥ 13 using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. A score of 1, 2, or 3 on item 10 ("The thought of harming myself has occurred to me") indicates risk of suicidality. If a participant scores greater than ≥ 13 or ≥ 1 on item 10 they were flagged for PPD, the Principal Investigator (DEC) was notified within 24 h of survey completion for a chart review and to assure follow-up. Modified Poisson multivariable regression models were used to identify factors associated with PPD and risk of suicidality using adjusted risk ratios (aRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Of the 216 respondents, 64 (30%) screened positive for PPD and 17 (8%) screened positive for risk of suicidality. The maternal median age of the total sample was 33 years (IQR: 30-36) and the infant median age at the time of the survey was 76 days (IQR: 66-90). Most participants reported some form of positive coping strategies during the pandemic (97%) (e.g. connecting with friends and family, exercising, getting professional help) and 139 (64%) reported negative coping patterns (e.g. over/under eating, sleep problems). In total, 47 (22%) had pre-pregnancy anxiety and/or depression. Negative coping (aRR:2.90, 95% CI: 1.56-5.37) and pre-existing anxiety/depression (aRR:2.03, 95% CI:1.32-3.11) were associated with PPD. Pre-existing anxiety/depression (aRR:3.16, 95% CI:1.28-7.81) was associated with risk of suicidality. CONCLUSIONS: Almost a third of participants in this study screened positive for PPD and 8% for risk of suicidality. Mental health screening and techniques to foster positive coping skills/strategies are important areas to optimize postpartum mental health.

Initial treatment is associated with improved survival and end-of-life outcomes for patients with pancreatic cancer: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: We describe the association between initial treatment and end-of-life (EOL) outcomes among patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). METHODS: This population-based cohort study included patients with PDAC who died from April 2010-December 2017 in Ontario, Canada using administrative databases. We used multivariable models to explore the association between index cancer treatment (no cancer-directed therapy, radiation, chemotherapy, surgery alone, and surgery and chemotherapy), and primary (mortality, healthcare encounters and palliative care) and secondary outcomes (location of death, hospitalizations, and receipt of chemotherapy within the last 30 days of life). RESULTS: In our cohort (N = 9950), 56% received no cancer-directed therapy, 5% underwent radiation, 27% underwent chemotherapy, 7% underwent surgery alone, and 6% underwent surgery and chemotherapy. Compared to no cancer-directed therapy, radiation therapy (HR = 0.63), chemotherapy (HR = 0.43) surgery alone (HR = 0.32), and surgery and chemotherapy (HR = 0.23) were all associated with decreased mortality. Radiation (AMD = - 3.64), chemotherapy (AMD = -6.35), surgery alone (AMD = -6.91), and surgery and chemotherapy (AMD = -6.74) were all associated with fewer healthcare encounters per 30 days in the last 6 months of life. Chemotherapy (AMD = -1.57), surgery alone (AMD = -1.65), and surgery and chemotherapy (AMD = -1.67) were associated with fewer palliative care visits (all p-values for estimates above < 0.05). Treatment groups were associated with lower odds of institutional death and hospitalization at EOL, and higher odds of chemotherapy at EOL. CONCLUSIONS: Receiving cancer-directed therapies was associated with higher survival, fewer healthcare visits, lower odds of dying in an institution and hospitalization at EOL, fewer palliative care visits, and higher odds of receiving chemotherapy at EOL.

Anticoagulant use and associated outcomes in older patients receiving home palliative care: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The benefits and harms of anticoagulants for people near the end of life are not well understood, nor is it known what proportion of patients discontinue these medications. We aimed to characterize anticoagulant use in older recipients of home palliative care and describe patient and provider characteristics, as well as outcomes associated with anticoagulant discontinuation in this group. METHODS: Using linked administrative health databases, we conducted a population-based cohort study of patients aged 66 years and older who initiated home palliative care in Ontario from 2010 to 2018. We calculated the prevalence of anticoagulant use. We used multilevel logistic regression models to assess patient (e.g., sociodemographic, comorbidities) and physician (e.g., demographic, training, practice) factors associated with anticoagulant discontinuation after initiation of home palliative care. We defined discontinuation as either primary (no anticoagulant claim within 1.5 times the days' supply of the previous prescription) or secondary (no subsequent anticoagulant claim at any time after the index date). In secondary analyses, we used cause-specific hazards regression to explore subsequent thrombotic and bleeding events associated with anticoagulant discontinuation, and multivariable logistic regression for location of death. RESULTS: We identified 98 089 recipients of home palliative care, of whom 15.5% were taking anticoagulants at the time of the first palliative care visit. Depending on the definition of discontinuation, 18.0% to 24.4% of patients discontinued anticoagulants after the first home palliative care visit. Compared with warfarin, use of a direct oral anticoagulant (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.43-0.56) and low-molecular-weight heparin (adjusted OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.47-0.66) were associated with a lower likelihood of discontinuation. Few patient or physician characteristics - and no comorbidities or indications for therapeutic anticoagulation - were associated with discontinuation. Anticoagulant discontinuation after beginning home palliative care was associated with similar rates of thrombosis (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.06, 95% CI 0.81-1.39), lower rates of bleeding (adjusted HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.62-0.90) and a higher likelihood of a home death (adjusted OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.09-1.36) compared with continuing anticoagulation. INTERPRETATION: Among recipients of home palliative care in Ontario, anticoagulant use is common, and discontinuation is not influenced by comorbidities or indication for anticoagulation. Physician preference may play an important role; patients should be made aware of their options toward the end of life and supported in shared decision-making.

Comparing the predictive accuracy of frailty instruments applied to preoperative electronic health data for adults undergoing noncardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative frailty is associated with increased risk of postoperative mortality and complications. Routine preoperative frailty assessment is underperformed. Automation of preoperative frailty assessment using electronic health data could improve adherence to guideline-based care if an accurate instrument is identified. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults >65 yr undergoing elective noncardiac surgery between 2012 and 2018. Four frailty instruments were compared: Frailty Index, Hospital Frailty Risk Score, Risk Analysis Index-Administrative, and Adjusted Clinical Groups frailty-defining diagnoses indicator. We compared the predictive performance of each instrument added to a baseline model (age, sex, ASA physical status, and procedural risk) using discrimination, calibration, explained variance, net reclassification, and Brier score (binary outcomes); and explained variance, root mean squared error, and mean absolute prediction error (continuous outcomes). Primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes included 365-day mortality, length of stay, non-home discharge, days alive at home, and 365-day costs. RESULTS: For this study, 171 576 patients met the inclusion criteria; 1370 (0.8%) died within 30 days. Compared with the baseline model predicting 30-day mortality (area under the curve [AUC] 0.85; R2 0.08), the addition of Hospital Frailty Risk Score led to the greatest improvement in discrimination (AUC 0.87), explained variance (R2 0.09), and net reclassification (Net Reclassification Index 0.65). Brier and calibration scores were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: All four frailty instruments significantly improved discrimination and risk reclassification when added to typically assessed preoperative risk factors. Accurate identification of the presence or absence of preoperative frailty using electronic frailty instruments may improve perioperative risk stratification. Future research should evaluate the impact of automated frailty assessment in guiding surgical planning and patient-centred optimisation amongst older surgical patients.

Hospital-, anaesthetist-, and patient-level variation in peripheral nerve block utilisation for hip fracture surgery: a population-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Unwarranted variation in anaesthesia practice is associated with adverse outcomes. Despite high-certainty evidence of benefit, a minority of hip fracture surgery patients receive a peripheral nerve block. Our objective was to estimate variation in peripheral nerve block use at the hospital, anaesthetist, and patient levels, while identifying predictors of peripheral nerve block use in hip fracture patients. METHODS: After protocol registration (https://osf.io/48bvp/), we conducted a population-based cross-sectional study using linked administrative data in Ontario, Canada. We included adults >65 yr of age having emergency hip fracture surgery from April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2018. Logistic mixed models were used to estimate the variation in peripheral nerve block use attributable to hospital-, anaesthetist-, and patient-level factors with use of peripheral nerve block, quantified using the variance partition coefficient and median odds ratio. Predictors of peripheral nerve block use were estimated and temporally validated. RESULTS: Of 50 950 patients, 9144 (18.5%) received a peripheral nerve block within 1 day of surgery. Patient-level factors accounted for 14% of variation, whereas 42% and 44% were attributable to the hospital and anaesthetist providing care, respectively. The median odds ratio for receiving a peripheral nerve block was 5.73 at the hospital level and 5.97 at the anaesthetist level. No patient factors had large associations with receipt of a peripheral nerve block (odds ratios significant at the 5% level ranged from 0.86 to 1.35). CONCLUSIONS: Patient factors explain the minimal variation in peripheral nerve block use for hip fracture surgery. Interventions to increase uptake of peripheral nerve blocks for hip fracture patients will likely need to focus on structures and processes at the hospital and anaesthetist levels.

Hospital-, Anesthesiologist-, Surgeon-, and Patient-Level Variations in Neuraxial Anesthesia Use for Lower Limb Revascularization Surgery: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Although neuraxial anesthesia may promote improved outcomes for patients undergoing lower limb revascularization surgery, its use is decreasing over time. Our objective was to estimate variation in neuraxial (versus general) anesthesia use for lower limb revascularization at the hospital, anesthesiologist, surgeon, and patient levels, which could inform strategies to increase uptake. METHODS: Following protocol registration, we conducted a historical cross-sectional analysis of population-based linked health administrative data in Ontario, Canada. All adults undergoing lower limb revascularization surgery between 2009 and 2018 were identified. Generalized linear models with binomial response distributions, logit links and random intercepts for hospitals, anesthesiologists, and surgeons were used to estimate the variation in neuraxial anesthesia use at the hospital, anesthesiologist, surgeon, and patient levels using variance partition coefficients and median odds ratios. Patient- and hospital-level predictors of neuraxial anesthesia use were identified. RESULTS: We identified 11,849 patients; 3489 (29.4%) received neuraxial anesthesia. The largest proportion of variation was attributable to the hospital level (50.3%), followed by the patient level (35.7%); anesthesiologists and surgeons had small attributable variation (11.3% and 2.8%, respectively). Mean odds ratio estimates suggested that 2 similar patients would experience a 5.7-fold difference in their odds of receiving a neuraxial anesthetic were they randomly sent to 2 different hospitals. Results were consistent in sensitivity analyses, including limiting analysis to patients with diagnosed peripheral artery disease and separately to those aged >66 years with complete prescription anticoagulant and antiplatelet usage data. CONCLUSIONS: Neuraxial anesthesia use primarily varies at the hospital level. Efforts to promote use of neuraxial anesthesia for lower limb revascularization should likely focus on the hospital context.

Suicide and Self-Harm Among Physicians in Ontario, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Studies of occupation-associated suicide suggest physicians may be at a higher risk of suicide compared to nonphysicians. We set out to assess the risk of suicide and self-harm among physicians and compare it to nonphysicians. METHODS: We conducted a population-based, retrospective cohort study using registration data from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario from 1990 to 2016 with a follow-up to 2017, linked to Ontario health administrative databases. Using age- and sex-standardized rates and inverse probability-weighted, cause-specific hazards regression models, we compared rates of suicide, self-harm, and a composite of either event among all newly registered physicians to nonphysician controls. RESULTS: Among 35,989 physicians and 6,585,197 nonphysicians, unadjusted suicide events (0.07% vs. 0.11%) and rates (9.44 vs. 11.55 per 100,000 person-years) were similar. Weighted analyses found a hazard ratio of 1.05 (95% confidence interval: 0.69 to 1.60). Self-harm requiring health care was lower among physicians (0.22% vs. 0.46%; hazard ratio: 0.65, 95% confidence interval: 0.52 to 0.82), as was the composite of suicide or self-harm (hazard ratio: 0.70, 95% confidence interval: 0.57 to 0.86). The composite of suicide or self-harm was associated with a history of a mood or anxiety disorder (odds ratio: 2.84, 95% confidence interval: 1.17 to 6.87), an outpatient mental health visit in the past year (odds ratio: 3.08, 95% confidence interval: 1.34 to 7.10) and psychiatry visit in the preceding year (odds ratio: 3.87, 95% confidence interval: 1.67 to 8.95). INTERPRETATION: Physicians in Ontario are at a similar risk of suicide deaths and a lower risk of self-harm requiring health care relative to nonphysicians. Risk factors associated with suicide or self-harm may help inform prevention programs.

Giving Birth in the Early Phases of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Patient Experience.

OBJECTIVE: Obstetrical patients are at risk of complications from COVID-19 and face increased stress due to the pandemic and changes in hospital birth setting. The objective was to describe the perinatal care experiences of obstetrical patients who gave birth during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A descriptive epidemiological survey was administered to consenting patients who gave birth at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) between March 16th and June 16th, 2020. The participants reported on prenatal, in-hospital, and postpartum care experiences. COVID-19 pandemic related household stress factors were investigated. Frequencies and percentages are presented for categorical variables and median and interquartile range (IQR) for continuous variables. RESULTS: A total of 216 participants were included in the analyses. Median participants age was 33 years (IQR: 30-36). Collectively, 94 (43.5%) participants felt elevated stress for prenatal appointments and 105 (48.6%) for postpartum appointments because of COVID-19. There were 108 (50.0%) were scared to go to the hospital for delivery, 97 (44.9%) wore a mask during labour and 54 (25.0%) gave birth without a support person. During postpartum care, 125 (57.9%) had phone appointments (not offered prior to COVID-19), and 18 (8.3%) received no postpartum care at all. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 pandemic and public health protocols created a stressful healthcare environment for the obstetrical population where many were fearful of accessing services, experienced changes to standard care, or no care at all. As the pandemic continues, careful attention should be given to the perinatal population to reduce stress and improve continuity of care.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Les patients obstétriques sont à risque de complications de la COVID-19 et font face à un stress accru en raison de la pandémie et des changements dans le cadre de l'accouchement en milieu hospitalier. L'objectif était de décrire les expériences de soins périnataux des patients obstétriques qui ont accouché au cours des premières phases de la pandémie de COVID-19. MéTHODES: Un sondage épidémiologique descriptif a été menée auprès de patients qui ont accouché à L'Hôpital d'Ottawa (TOH) entre le 16 mars et le 16 juin 2020. Les participants ont fait un compte rendu de leurs expériences en matière de soins prénataux, hospitaliers et post-partum. Les facteurs de stress domestique liés à la COVID-19 ont été étudiés. Les fréquences et les pourcentages sont présentés pour les variables catégorielles et la médiane et l'écart interquartile (IQR) sont présentés pour les variables continues. RéSULTATS: Au total, 261 participants ont répondu au sondage. L'âge maternel médian était de 33 ans (IQR: 30­36). Collectivement, 94 participants (43,5%) ressentaient un stress élevé en lien avec les rendez-vous prénataux et 105 (48,6%) pour les rendez-vous post-partum en raison de la COVID-19. Il y avait 108 patients (50,0%) qui avaient peur d'aller à l'hôpital pour accoucher, 97 (44,9%) qui portaient un masque pendant leur travail et 54 (25,0%) qui ont accouché sans personne de soutien. En lien avec les soins post-partum, 125 (57,9%) ont eu des rendez-vous téléphoniques (non offerts avant la pandémie COVID-19) et 18 (8,3%) n'ont reçu aucun soin post-partum. CONCLUSION: La pandémie de COVID-19 et les politiques de santé publique ont créé un environnement de soins de santé stressant pour la population obstétrique où beaucoup avaient peur d'accéder aux services de soins, ont connu des changements dans les soins de base ou n'ont pas eu de soins du tout. Alors que la pandémie se poursuit, une attention particulière doit être accordée à la population périnatale afin de réduire le stress et améliorer la continuité des soins.

Association of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation With New Mental Health Diagnoses in Adult Survivors of Critical Illness.

Importance: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used as temporary cardiorespiratory support in critically ill patients, but little is known regarding long-term psychiatric sequelae among survivors after ECMO. Objective: To investigate the association between ECMO survivorship and postdischarge mental health diagnoses among adult survivors of critical illness. Design, Setting, and Participants: Population-based retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada, from April 1, 2010, through March 31, 2020. Adult patients (N=4462; age ≥18 years) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), and surviving to hospital discharge were included. Exposures: Receipt of ECMO. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was a new mental health diagnosis (a composite of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder; schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders; other mental health disorders; and social problems) following discharge. There were 8 secondary outcomes including incidence of substance misuse, deliberate self-harm, death by suicide, and individual components of the composite primary outcome. Patients were compared with ICU survivors not receiving ECMO using overlap propensity score-weighted cause-specific proportional hazard models. Results: Among 642 survivors who received ECMO (mean age, 50.7 years; 40.7% female), median length of follow-up was 730 days; among 3820 matched ICU survivors who did not receive ECMO (mean age, 51.0 years; 40.0% female), median length of follow-up was 1390 days. Incidence of new mental health conditions among survivors who received ECMO was 22.1 per 100-person years (95% confidence interval [CI] 19.5-25.1), and 14.5 per 100-person years (95% CI, 13.8-15.2) among non-ECMO ICU survivors (absolute rate difference of 7.6 per 100-person years [95% CI, 4.7-10.5]). Following propensity weighting, ECMO survivorship was significantly associated with an increased risk of new mental health diagnosis (hazard ratio [HR] 1.24 [95% CI, 1.01-1.52]). There were no significant differences between survivors who received ECMO vs ICU survivors who did not receive ECMO in substance misuse (1.6 [95% CI, 1.1 to 2.4] per 100 person-years vs 1.4 [95% CI, 1.2 to 1.6] per 100 person-years; absolute rate difference, 0.2 per 100 person-years [95% CI, -0.4 to 0.8]; HR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.48 to 1.53]) or deliberate self-harm (0.4 [95% CI, 0.2 to 0.9] per 100 person-years vs 0.3 [95% CI, 0.2 to 0.3] per 100 person-years; absolute rate difference, 0.1 per 100 person-years [95% CI, -0.2 to 0.4]; HR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.21 to 2.23]). There were fewer than 5 total cases of death by suicide in the entire cohort. Conclusions and Relevance: Among adult survivors of critical illness, receipt of ECMO, compared with ICU hospitalization without ECMO, was significantly associated with a modestly increased risk of new mental health diagnosis or social problem diagnosis after discharge. Further research is necessary to elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying this relationship.

Intracerebral Hemorrhage Incidence, Mortality, and Association With Oral Anticoagulation Use: A Population Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating form of stroke associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Recent epidemiological data on incidence, mortality, and association with oral anticoagulation are needed. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of adult patients (≥18 years) with ICH in the entire population of Ontario, Canada (April 1, 2009-March 30, 2019). We captured outcome data using linked health administrative databases. The primary outcome was mortality during hospitalization, as well as at 1 year following ICH. RESULTS: We included 20 738 patients with ICH. Mean (SD) age was 71.3 (15.1) years, and 52.6% of patients were male. Overall incidence of ICH throughout the study period was 19.1/100 000 person-years and did not markedly change over the study period. In-hospital and 1-year mortality were high (32.4% and 45.4%, respectively). Mortality at 2 years was 49.5%. Only 14.5% of patients were discharged home independently. Over the study period, both in-hospital and 1-year mortality reduced by 10.4% (37.5% to 27.1%, P<0.001) and 7.6% (50.0% to 42.4%, P<0.001), respectively. Use of oral anticoagulation was associated with both in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio 1.37 [95% CI, 1.26-1.49]) and 1-year mortality (hazard ratio, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.12-1.25]) following ICH. CONCLUSIONS: Both short- and long-term mortality have decreased in the past decade. Most survivors from ICH are likely to be discharged to long-term care. Oral anticoagulation is associated with both short- and long-term mortality following ICH. These findings highlight the devastating nature of ICH, but also identify significant improvement in outcomes over time.

COVID-19 pandemic and violence: rising risks and decreasing urgent care-seeking for sexual assault and domestic violence survivors.

BACKGROUND: There is little information on care-seeking patterns for sexual assault and domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this study was to examine the changes in emergency department (ED) admissions for sexual assault and domestic violence since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. METHODS: Observational ED admissions data from The Ottawa Hospital were analyzed from March 4 to May 5 (62 days) in 2020 (COVID-19 period) and compared to the same period in 2018 (pre-COVID-19). Total and mean weekly admissions were calculated for all-cause ED admissions and for sexual and domestic violence cases. A Poisson regression (without offset term) was used to calculate the weekly case count ratio and 95% confidence intervals (CI) between the two time periods. Case characteristics were compared using chi-square tests, and percent differences were calculated. RESULTS: Compared to pre-COVID-19, total ED admissions dropped by 1111.22 cases per week (32.9% reduction), and the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Program cases dropped 4.66 cases per week. The weekly case count ratio for sexual assault cases was 0.47 (95% CI 0.79-0.27), equivalent of 53.49% reduction in cases, and 0.52 (95% CI 0.93-0.29), equivalent to a 48.45% reduction in physical assault cases. The characteristics of presenting cases were similar by age (median 25 years), sex (88.57% female), assault type (57.14% sexual assault, 48.57% physical assault), and location (31.43% patient's home, 40.00% assailant's home). There was a significant increase in psychological abuse (11.69% vs 28.57%) and assaults occurring outdoors (5.19% vs 22.86%). CONCLUSION: This study found a decrease in ED admissions for sexual assault and domestic violence during COVID-19, despite societal conditions that elevate risk of violence. Trends in care-seeking and assault patterns will require ongoing monitoring to inform the provision of optimal support for individuals experiencing violence, particularly as countries begin to re-open or lock-down again.

Sepsis-Associated Mortality, Resource Use, and Healthcare Costs: A Propensity-Matched Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine long-term mortality, resource utilization, and healthcare costs in sepsis patients compared to hospitalized nonsepsis controls. DESIGN: Propensity-matched population-based cohort study using administrative data. SETTING: Ontario, Canada. PATIENTS: We identified a cohort of adults (≥ 18) admitted to hospitals in Ontario between April 1, 2012, and March 31, 2016, with follow-up to March 31, 2017. Sepsis patients were flagged using a validated International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision-coded algorithm (Sepsis-2 definition), including cases with organ dysfunction (severe sepsis) and without (nonsevere). Remaining hospitalized patients were potential controls. Cases and controls were matched 1:1 on propensity score, age, sex, admission type, and admission date. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Differences in mortality, rehospitalization, hospital length of stay, and healthcare costs were estimated, adjusting for remaining confounders using Cox regression and generalized estimating equations. Of 270,669 sepsis cases, 196,922 (73%) were successfully matched: 64,204 had severe and 132,718 nonsevere sepsis (infection without organ dysfunction). Over follow-up (median 2.0 yr), severe sepsis patients had higher mortality rates than controls (hazard ratio, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.63-1.68). Both severe and nonsevere sepsis patients had higher rehospitalization rates than controls (hazard ratio, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.50-1.55 and hazard ratio, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.40-1.43, respectively). Incremental costs (Canadian dollar 2018) in sepsis cases versus controls at 1-year were: $29,238 (95% CI, $28,568-$29,913) for severe and $9,475 (95% CI, $9,150-$9,727) for nonsevere sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: Severe sepsis was associated with substantially higher long-term risk of death, rehospitalization, and healthcare costs, highlighting the need for effective postdischarge care for sepsis survivors.

Peripheral Nerve Blocks and Potentially Attributable Adverse Events in Older People with Hip Fracture: A Retrospective Population-based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral nerve blocks are being used with increasing frequency for management of hip fracture-related pain. Despite converging evidence that nerve blocks may be beneficial, safety data are lacking. This study hypothesized that peripheral nerve block receipt would not be associated with adverse events potentially attributable to nerve blocks, as well as overall patient safety incidents while in hospital. METHODS: This was a preregistered, retrospective population-based cohort study using linked administrative data. This study identified all hip fracture admissions in people 50 yr of age or older and identified all nerve blocks (although we were unable to ascertain the specific anatomic location or type of block), potentially attributable adverse events (composite of seizures, fall-related injuries, cardiac arrest, nerve injury), and any patient safety events using validated codes. The study also estimated the unadjusted and adjusted association of nerve blocks with adverse events; adjusted absolute risk differences were also calculated. RESULTS: In total, 91,563 hip fracture patients from 2009 to 2017 were identified; 15,631 (17.1%) received a nerve block, and 5,321 (5.8%; 95% CI, 5.7 to 6.0%) patients experienced a potentially nerve block-attributable adverse event: 866 (5.5%) in patients with a block and 4,455 (5.9%) without a block. Before and after adjustment, nerve blocks were not associated with potentially attributable adverse events (adjusted odds ratio, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.97 to 1.15; and adjusted risk difference, 0.3%, 95% CI, -0.1 to 0.8). CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that nerve blocks in hip fracture patients are not associated with higher rates of potentially nerve block-attributable adverse events, although these findings may be influenced by limitations in routinely collected administrative data.