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This retrospective cohort study used Taussig Cancer Center's Myeloma Patient Registry to identify adults with multiple myeloma diagnosed between January 2017-December 2021. Electronic health records data captured time from diagnosis to initial prescription fill for oral antimyeloma medications and initiation of facility administered or oral antimyeloma treatment. We identified 720 patients with a mean age at diagnosis of 67 years ±11; 55% were male, 77% White, 22% Black, 1% other races, covered by private insurance (36%), traditional Medicare (29%), Medicare Advantage (25%), and Medicaid (8.3%). Over a third of patients (37%) resided in an area in the most disadvantaged area deprivation index (ADI) quartile. The median available follow-up was 765 days. Seventy-five percent of the cohort filled an oral antimyeloma medication prescription (excluding corticosteroids), with a median time to fill of 28 days (IQR, 15–61). In the multivariable Cox regression model, Black race (vs. White, adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.61, 95% CI, 0.42–0.87), older age at diagnosis (aHR per 1 year, 0.97, 95% CI, 0.95–0.98), diagnosis during an inpatient admission (aHR, 0.63, 95% CI, 0.43–0.92), and estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤29 ml/min/1.73 m2 (vs. ≥60, aHR, 0.46, 95% CI, 0.29–0.73) were negatively associated with prescription fill for oral antimyeloma medication at 30 days, while insurance type and ADI were not significant predictors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Effective shared decision-making (SDM) tools for use during clinical encounters are available, but, outside of study settings, little is known about clinician use of these tools in practice. Objective: To describe real-world use of an SDM encounter tool for statin prescribing, Statin Choice, embedded into the workflow of an electronic health record. Design: Cross-sectional study. Participants: Clinicians and their statin-eligible patients who had outpatient encounters between January 2020 and June 2021 in Cleveland Clinic Health System. Main Measures: Clinician use of Statin Choice was recorded within the Epic record system. We categorized each patient's 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk into low (< 5%), borderline (5–7.5%), intermediate (7.5–20%), and high (≥ 20%). Other patient factors included age, sex, insurance, and race. We used mixed effects logistic regression to assess the odds of using Statin Choice for statin-eligible patients, accounting for clustering by clinician and site. We generated a residual intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to characterize the impact of the clinician on Statin Choice use. Key Results: Statin Choice was used in 7% of 68,505 eligible patients. Of 1047 clinicians, 48% used Statin Choice with ≥ 1 patient, and these clinicians used it with a median 9% of their patients (interquartile range: 3–22%). In the mixed effects logistic regression model, patient age (adjusted OR per year: 1.04; 95%CI 1.03–1.04) and 10-year ASVCD risk (aOR for 5–7.5% versus < 5% risk: 1.28; 95%CI: 1.14–1.44) were associated with use of Statin Choice. Black versus White race was associated with a lower odds of Statin Choice use (aOR: 0.83; 95%CI: 0.73–0.95), as was female versus male sex (aOR: 0.83; 95%CI: 0.76–0.90). The model ICC demonstrated that 53% of the variation in use of Statin Choice was clinician-driven. Conclusions: Patient factors, including race and sex, were associated with clinician use of Statin Choice; half the variation in use was attributable to individual clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE Little is known about the role of social determinants of health (SDOH) in the utilization of novel treatments among patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). METHODS This retrospective cohort study used Taussig Cancer Center's Myeloma Patient Registry to identify adults with NDMM between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021. Electronic health records data captured treatment with (1) triplet or quadruplet regimen and (2) lenalidomide during the first year after NDMM, and (3) stem-cell transplant (SCT) through December 31, 2022. Multivariable logistic regression models examined associations of demographic/clinical characteristics and SDOH with care patterns. RESULTS We identified 569 patients with median age at diagnosis of 66 years (IQR, 59-73); 55% were male, 76% White, 23% Black, 1.1% other races, insured by Medicare (51%), private payer (38%), Medicaid (8.3%), and self-pay/other (1.8%). In the multivariable models, self-pay/other payers (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.15 [95% CI, 0.03 to 0.54]) was associated with lower odds of triplet or quadruplet regimen, compared with Medicare. Private insurance (AOR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.27 to 0.86]) and self-pay/other payers (AOR, 0.16 [95% CI, 0.04 to 0.74]) had lower odds of lenalidomide. Black patients (v White; AOR, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.26 to 0.85]) and patients treated at regional hospitals (v Taussig Cancer Center; AOR, 0.27 [95% CI, 0.12 to 0.57]) had lower odds of SCT. The odds of receiving triplet or quadruplet regimen, lenalidomide, and SCT also varied by the year of NDMM. CONCLUSION Care for NDMM varied based on race, insurance type, year of diagnosis, and treatment facility. It may be useful to examine the impact of insurance-related characteristics and recent policy initiatives on care disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To characterize factors associated with the receipt of anti‐obesity medication (AOM) prescription and fill. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study used electronic health records from 1 January 2015 to 30 June 2023, in a large health system in Ohio and Florida. Adults with a body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 who attended ≥1 weight‐management programme or had an initial AOM prescription between 1 July 2015 and 31 December 2022, were included. The main measures were a prescription for an AOM (naltrexone‐bupropion, orlistat, phentermine‐topiramate, liraglutide 3.0 mg and semaglutide 2.4 mg) and an AOM fill during the study follow‐up. Results: We identified 50 678 adults, with a mean body mass index of 38 ± 8 kg/m2 and follow‐up of 4.7 ± 2.4 years. Only 8.0% of the cohort had AOM prescriptions and 4.4% had filled prescriptions. In the multivariable analyses, being a man, Black, Hispanic and other race/ethnicity (vs. White), Medicaid, traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, self‐pay and other insurance types (vs. private insurance) and fourth quartile of the area deprivation index (vs. first quartile) were associated with lower odds of a new prescription. Hispanic ethnicity, being a man, Medicaid, traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage insurance types, liraglutide and orlistat (vs. naltrexone‐buproprion) were associated with lower odds of AOM fill, while phentermine‐topiramate was associated with higher odds. Among privately insured individuals, the insurance carrier was associated with both the odds of AOM prescription and fill. Conclusions: Significant disparities exist in access to AOM both at the prescribing stage and getting the prescription filled based on patient characteristics and insurance type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As patient-initiated messaging rises, identifying variation in message volume and its relationship to clinician workload is essential. Objective: To describe the association between variation in message volume over time and time spent on the electronic health record (EHR) outside of scheduled hours. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Participants: Primary care clinicians at Cleveland Clinic Health System. Main Measures: We categorized clinicians according to their number of quarterly incoming medical advice messages (i.e., message volume) between January 2019 and December 2021 using group-based trajectory modeling. We assessed change in quarterly messages and outpatient visits between October–December 2019 (Q4) and October–December 2021 (Q12). The primary outcome was time outside of scheduled hours spent on the EHR. We used mixed effects logistic regression to describe the association between incoming portal messages and time spent on the EHR by clinician messaging group and at the clinician level. Key Results: Among the 150 clinicians, 31% were in the low-volume group (206 messages per quarter per clinician), 47% were in the moderate-volume group (505 messages), and 22% were in the high-volume group (840 messages). Mean quarterly messages increased from 340 to 695 (p < 0.001) between Q4 and Q12; mean quarterly outpatient visits fell from 711 to 575 (p = 0.005). While time spent on the EHR outside of scheduled hours increased modestly for all clinicians, this did not significantly differ by message group. Across all clinicians, each additional 10 messages was associated with an average of 12 min per quarter of additional time spent on the EHR (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Message volume increased substantially over the study period and varied by group. While messages were associated with additional time spent on the EHR outside of scheduled hours, there was no significant difference in time spent on the EHR between the high and low message volume groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study's objective was to examine the percentage of patients with an initial antiobesity medication (AOM) fill who were persistent with AOM at 3, 6, and 12 months and to characterize factors associated with persistence at 12 months. Methods: This retrospective cohort study used electronic health records from January 2015 to July 2023 in a large health system in Ohio and Florida and included adults with BMI ≥30 kg/m2 who had an initial AOM prescription filled between 2015 and 2022. Results: The authors identified 1911 patients with a median baseline BMI of 38 (IQR, 34–44). Over time, 44% were persistent with AOM at 3 months, 33% at 6 months, and 19% at 12 months. Across categories of AOM, the highest 1‐year persistence was in patients receiving semaglutide (40%). Semaglutide (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.26, 95% CI: 3.04–6.05) was associated with higher odds of 1‐year persistence, and naltrexone‐bupropion (AOR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.46–1.00) was associated with lower odds, compared with phentermine‐topiramate. Among patients who were persistent at 6 months, a 1% increase in weight loss at 6 months was associated with 6% increased odds of persistence at year 1 (AOR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03–1.09). Conclusions: Later‐stage persistence with AOM varies considerably based on the drug and the weight loss at 6 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are highly effective but underutilized. Our objective was to assess racial/ethnic and other sociodemographic disparities in GLP-1RA/SGLT2i use among US adults with T2D. We conducted a retrospective analysis using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2005–March 2020. Participants were adults with T2D taking ≥1 anti-diabetic medication, excluding pregnant women and adults with probable T1D. We performed univariate analyses to examine the characteristics of patients using GLP-1RA/SGLT2i and multivariable logistic regression to assess disparities in GLP-1RA/SGLT2i use after adjusting for other patient factors. Among 4777 people with T2D (representing >18 million US adults) taking ≥1 medication, GLP-1RA/SGLT2i usage increased from 1.4% in 2005–2006 to 13.3% in 2017–2020. In univariate analyses, patients using GLP-1RA/SGLT2i vs. other T2D drugs were more likely to be White than nonwhite (72% vs. 60%, p =.001), but in multivariable analysis there was no significant difference in GLP-1RA/SGLT2i use for nonwhite vs. White patients (aOR = 0.84, 95% CI [0.61, 1.16]). GLP-1RA/SGLT2i use was higher for patients who completed some college (aOR = 1.83, 95% CI [1.06, 3.15]) or above (aOR = 2.06, 95% CI [1.28, 3.32]) vs. high school or less, and for those with an income-poverty ratio ≥4 vs. <2 (aOR = 2.11, 95% CI [1.30, 3.42]). The use of GLP-1RA/SGLT2i drugs increased over time but remained low in March 2020. Higher education and income, but not race/ethnicity, were associated with GLP-1RA/SGLT2i use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth of telehealth services has brought about direct-to-consumer telemedicine platforms, enabling patients to request antibiotics online without a virtual or face-to-face consultation. While telemedicine aims to enhance accessibility, this trend raises significant concerns regarding appropriate antimicrobial use and patient safety. In this viewpoint, we share our first-hand experience with 2 direct-to-consumer platforms, where we intentionally sought inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions for nonspecific symptoms strongly indicative of a viral upper respiratory infection. Despite the lack of clear necessity, requested antibiotic prescriptions were readily transmitted to our local pharmacy following a simple monetary transaction. The effortless acquisition of patient-selected antibiotics online, devoid of personal interactions or consultations, underscores the urgent imperative for intensified antimicrobial stewardship initiatives led by state and national public health organizations in telehealth settings. By augmenting oversight and regulation, we can ensure the responsible and judicious use of antibiotics, safeguard patient well-being, and preserve the efficacy of these vital medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a significant public health concern and a leading cause of hospitalization and inpatient antimicrobial use in the USA. However, determining the etiologic pathogen is challenging because traditional culture methods are slow and insensitive, leading to prolonged empiric therapy with extended-spectrum antibiotics (ESA) that contributes to increased hospital length of stay, and antimicrobial resistance. Two potential ways to reduce the exposure to ESA are (a) rapid diagnostic assays that can provide accurate results within hours, obviating the need for empiric therapy, and (b) de-escalation following negative bacterial cultures in clinically stable patients. Methods: We will conduct a large pragmatic 2 × 2 factorial cluster-randomized controlled trial across 12 hospitals in the Cleveland Clinic Health System that will test these two approaches to reducing the use of ESA in adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) with CAP. We will enroll over 12,000 patients and evaluate the independent and combined effects of routine use of rapid diagnostic testing at admission and pharmacist-led de-escalation after 48 h for clinically stable patients with negative cultures vs usual care. We hypothesize that both approaches will reduce days on ESA. Our primary outcome is the duration of exposure to ESA therapy, a key driver of antimicrobial resistance. Secondary outcomes include detection of respiratory viruses, treatment with anti-viral medications, positive pneumococcal urinary antigen test, de-escalation by 72 h from admission, re-escalation to ESA after de-escalation, total duration of any antibiotic, 14-day in-hospital mortality, intensive care unit transfer after admission, healthcare-associated C. difficile infection, acute kidney injury, total inpatient cost, and hospital length-of-stay. Discussion: Our study aims to determine whether identifying an etiological agent early and pharmacist-led de-escalation (calling attention to negative cultures) can safely reduce the use of ESA in patients with CAP. If successful, our findings should lead to better antimicrobial stewardship, as well as improved patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. Our findings may also inform clinical guidelines on the optimal management of CAP. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05568654. Registered on October 4, 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early recognition and treatment of bacteremia can be lifesaving. Fever is a well-known marker of bacteremia, but the predictive value of temperature has not been fully explored. Objective: To describe temperature as a predictor of bacteremia and other infections. Design: Retrospective review of electronic health record data. Setting: A single healthcare system comprising 13 hospitals in the United States. Patients: Adult medical patients admitted in 2017 or 2018 without malignancy or immunosuppression. Main Measures: Maximum temperature, bacteremia, influenza and skin and soft tissue (SSTI) infections based on blood cultures and ICD-10 coding. Key Results: Of 97,174 patients, 1,518 (1.6%) had bacteremia, 1,392 (1.4%) had influenza, and 3,280 (3.3%) had an SSTI. There was no identifiable temperature threshold that provided adequate sensitivity and specificity for bacteremia. Only 45% of patients with bacteremia had a maximum temperature ≥ 100.4˚F (38˚C). Temperature showed a U-shaped relationship with bacteremia with highest risk above 103˚F (39.4˚C). Positive likelihood ratios for influenza and SSTI also increased with temperature but showed a threshold effect at ≥ 101.0 ˚F (38.3˚C). The effect of temperature was similar but blunted for patients aged ≥ 65 years, who frequently lacked fever despite bacteremia. Conclusions: The majority of bacteremic patients had maximum temperatures below 100.4 ˚F (38.0˚C) and positive likelihood ratios for bacteremia increased with high temperatures above the traditional definition of fever. Efforts to predict bacteremia should incorporate temperature as a continuous variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hospitalized older adults spend as much as 95% of their time in bed, which can result in adverse events and delay recovery while increasing costs. Observational studies have shown that general mobility interventions (e.g., ambulation) can mitigate adverse events and improve patients' functional status. Mobility technicians (MTs) may address the need for patients to engage in mobility interventions without overburdening nurses. There is no data, however, on the effect of MT-assisted ambulation on adverse events or functional status, or on the cost tradeoffs if a MT were employed. The AMBULATE study aims to determine whether MT-assisted ambulation improves mobility status and decreases adverse events for older medical inpatients. It will also include analyses to identify the patients that benefit most from MT-assisted mobility and assess the cost-effectiveness of employing a MT. Methods: The AMBULATE study is a multicenter, single-blind, parallel control design, individual-level randomized trial. It will include patients admitted to a medical service in five hospitals in two regions of the USA. Patients over age 65 with mild functional deficits will be randomized using a block randomization scheme. Those in the intervention group will ambulate with the MT up to three times daily, guided by the Johns Hopkins Mobility Goal Calculator. The intervention will conclude at hospital discharge, or after 10 days if the hospitalization is prolonged. The primary outcome is the Short Physical Performance Battery score at discharge. Secondary outcomes are discharge disposition, length of stay, hospital-acquired complications (falls, venous thromboembolism, pressure ulcers, and hospital-acquired pneumonia), and post-hospital functional status. Discussion: While functional decline in the hospital is multifactorial, ambulation is a modifiable factor for many patients. The AMBULATE study will be the largest randomized controlled trial to test the clinical effects of dedicating a single care team member to facilitating mobility for older hospitalized patients. It will also provide a useful estimation of cost implications to help hospital administrators assess the feasibility and utility of employing MTs. Trial registration: Registered in the United States National Library of Medicine clinicaltrials.gov (# NCT05725928). February 13, 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a leading cause of hospital admissions and antimicrobial use. Clinical practice guidelines recommend switching from intravenous (IV) to oral antibiotics once patients are clinically stable. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults admitted with CAP and initially treated with IV antibiotics at 642 US hospitals from 2010 through 2015. Switching was defined as discontinuation of IV and initiation of oral antibiotics without interrupting therapy. Patients switched by hospital day 3 were considered early switchers. We compared length of stay (LOS), in-hospital 14-day mortality, late deterioration (intensive care unit [ICU] transfer), and hospital costs between early switchers and others, controlling for hospital characteristics, patient demographics, comorbidities, initial treatments, and predicted mortality. Results Of 378 041 CAP patients, 21 784 (6%) were switched early, most frequently to fluoroquinolones. Patients switched early had fewer days on IV antibiotics, shorter duration of inpatient antibiotic treatment, shorter LOS, and lower hospitalization costs, but no significant excesses in 14-day in-hospital mortality or late ICU admission. Patients at a higher mortality risk were less likely to be switched. However, even in hospitals with relatively high switch rates, <15% of very low–risk patients were switched early. Conclusions Although early switching was not associated with worse outcomes and was associated with shorter LOS and fewer days on antibiotics, it occurred infrequently. Even in hospitals with high switch rates, <15% of very low–risk patients were switched early. Our findings suggest that many more patients could be switched early without compromising outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors of this response address concerns raised by Fitch and Huett-Garcia regarding the classification of antiobesity medications (AOMs) and the inclusion of certain drug combinations in their analysis. They explain that their approach accounted for precertification criteria and followed common clinical practice. They also clarify that patients with type 2 diabetes who took injectable semaglutide and liraglutide were included in the study. The authors emphasize the need for better support for patients taking AOMs and express concern about insurance coverage restrictions. [Extracted from the article]

Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 immunity has declined with subsequent waves and accrual of viral mutations. In vitro studies raise concern for immune escape by BA.4/BA.5, and a study in Qatar showed moderate protection, but these findings have yet to be reproduced. Methods This retrospective cohort study included individuals tested for coronavirus disease 2019 by polymerase chain reaction during Delta or BA.1/BA.2 and retested during BA.4/BA.5. The preventable fraction (PF) was calculated as ratio of the infection to the hospitalization rate for initially positive patients divided by the ratio for initially negative patients, stratified by age and adjusted for age, sex, comorbid conditions, and vaccination using logistic regression. Results A total of 20 987 patients met inclusion criteria. Prior Delta infection provided no protection against BA.4/BA.5 infection (adjusted PF, 11.9% [95% confidence interval,.8%–21.8%]); P =.04) and minimal protection against hospitalization (10.7% [4.9%–21.7%]; P =.003). In adjusted models, prior BA.1/BA.2 infection provided 45.9% (95% confidence interval, 36.2%–54.1%; P <.001) protection against BA.4/BA.5 reinfection and 18.8% (10.3%–28.3%; (P <.001) protection against hospitalization. Up-to-date vaccination provided modest protection against reinfection with BA.4/BA.5 and hospitalization. Conclusions Prior infection with BA.1/BA.2 and up-to-date vaccination provided modest protection against infection with BA.4/BA.5 and hospitalization, while prior Delta infection provided minimal protection against hospitalization and none against infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) must decide between warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), a decision involving important tradeoffs. Our objective was to understand whether physicians engage patients in informed decision making for anticoagulants. Design: We performed an analysis of recorded conversations between physicians and anticoagulation-naïve patients in the Verilogue Point-of-Practice database. We assessed the presence of 7 elements of informed decision making, as well as a discussion of financial costs. Results: Of 37 encounters with 21 physicians, 92% resulted in a DOAC prescription and 8% resulted in a warfarin prescription. Seventy percent met criteria for discussion of pros and cons, 70% for discussion of the alternatives, 43% presented the decision, 30% included an assessment of patient understanding, 22% included an explanation of the patient's role in decision making, 22% included an assessment of patient preferences, and 19% included a discussion of uncertainty. Two encounters (5%) included all 7 elements and 9 (24%) included none. Physicians discussed treatment costs with patients in 43% of encounters. Limitations: We assessed informed decision making in a single encounter. Physicians and patients may have had other discussions that were not captured in our data. Conclusions: Physicians often presented the alternatives but did not generally engage patients in informed decision making. The high rate of DOAC prescriptions is likely the result of physician preferences, as patient preferences were rarely assessed. Implications: Strategies to support physicians in engaging patients in informed decision making for anticoagulation are needed. Highlights: While physicians discussed the alternatives and presented pros and cons with patients, they rarely assessed patient preferences, explained the patient's role in decision making, or addressed uncertainty. The cost of treatment with DOACs versus warfarin was discussed by physicians in less than half of encounters, limiting patients' ability to make informed decisions for anticoagulation. Only 2 encounters (5%) fulfilled all 7 elements of informed decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Previous infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) provides strong protection against future infection. There is limited evidence on whether such protection extends to the Omicron variant. Methods This retrospective cohort study included 635 341 patients tested for SARS-CoV-2 via polymerase chain reaction from 9 March 2020 to 1 March 2022. Patients were analyzed according to the wave in which they were initially infected. The primary outcome was reinfection during the Omicron period (20 December 2021–1 March 2022). We used a multivariable model to assess the effects of prior infection and vaccination on hospitalization. Results Among the patients tested during the Omicron wave, 30.6% tested positive. Protection of prior infection against reinfection with Omicron ranged from 18.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.0–22.7) for patients infected in wave 1 to 69.2% (95% CI, 63.4–74.1) for those infected in the Delta wave. In adjusted models, previous infection reduced hospitalization by 28.5% (95% CI, 19.1–36.7), whereas full vaccination plus a booster reduced it by 59.2% (95% CI, 54.8–63.1). Conclusions Previous infection offered less protection against Omicron than was observed in past waves. Immunity against future waves will likely depend on the degree of similarity between variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) have a higher risk for NASH and significant fibrosis. Presence of NASH and advanced fibrosis are associated with adverse outcomes in patients with NAFLD. Using a noninvasive method, we determined the prevalence of at-risk NASH and its association with MetS components in a large population-based analysis. We used the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and included adults = 18 years with NAFLD (controlled attenuation parameter =274 dB/m). Pregnancy, subjects with other causes of liver disease or missing data were excluded. FibroScan-AST (FAST) score was calculated using aspartate aminotransferase, liver stiffness measurement, and controlled attenuation parameter. Patients with a FAST score >0.35 were considered to have at-risk NASH, defined as NASH with NAFLD activity score = 4 and fibrosis stage =2 on liver biopsy. The sample included 687 patients. The overall prevalence of at-risk NASH was 11.6% (95% CI: 8.8-15.1) and was higher in males than females (15.8% vs. 6.5%; p < 0.001). Subjects with comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, obesity, MetS, and insulin resistance) had between 1.3 and 1.7 times higher prevalence than the general population. Among MetS components, elevated glucose/diabetes, large waist circumference, and low HDL were independent risk factors for at risk-NASH. The number of MetS components was also important--one additional component increased the odds of at-risk NASH by 2 times. The FAST score had the highest correlation with alanine aminotransferase (r= 0.70; p < 0.001). We estimated ~9 million people in the US have at-risk NASH and may benefit from active surveillance and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Some antihyperglycemic drugs can reduce cardiovascular events, slow the progression of kidney disease, and prevent death, but they are more expensive than older drugs. Objectives: (1) To estimate trends in use of antihyperglycemic drugs by cost; (2) to examine use of high-cost drugs by race/ethnicity, income, and insurance status Design: Cross-sectional analysis of the 2003–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Participants: US adults ≥18 years with type 2 diabetes Exposures: Race/ethnicity, income, and insurance status Main Measures: Low-cost noninsulin medications included any drugs that had at least one generic version approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Human regular, NPH, and premixed NPH/regular 70/30 insulins were classified as low-cost. All other noninsulin medications and insulins were considered high-cost Key Results: The sample included 7,394 patients. Prevalence of use of low-cost noninsulin drugs increased from 37% in 2003–2004 to 52% in 2017–2018. Use of high-cost noninsulin drugs decreased from 2003–2004 to 2013–2014 and then slowly increased. Use of low-cost insulin decreased from 7 to 2% while high-cost insulin rose from 4 to 16%. In multivariable analysis, non-White patients had 25–35% lower odds of receiving high-cost drugs than non-Hispanic Whites. Health insurance was associated with more than twice the odds of having high-cost drugs compared to no insurance. Patients with higher HbA1c or moderate obesity were also more likely to use high-cost drugs. Sex, income, and insurance type were not associated with receipt of high-cost drugs. Conclusions: There was a shift in utilization from high- to low-cost noninsulin drugs, but since 2013–2014 the trend has slowly reversed with increased use of newer, more expensive drug classes. High-cost insulin analogs have almost completely replaced lower cost human insulins. Disparities in receipt of diabetes drugs by race/ethnicity and insurance must be addressed to ensure that cost is not a barrier for disadvantaged populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Acamprosate, naltrexone and disulfiram are underprescribed for alcohol use disorder (AUD) with marked variability among primary care providers (PCPs). We aimed to identify differences between high and low prescribers of medications for AUD (MAUD) with regard to knowledge, experiences, prioritization and attitudes. Methods We surveyed PCPs from a large healthcare system with at least 20 patients with AUD. Prescribing rates were obtained from the electronic health record (EHR). Survey responses were scored from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). Multiple imputation was used to generate attitude scores for 7 missing subjects. PCPs were divided into groups by the median prescribing rate and attitude. Comparisons were made using Wilcoxon rank-sum and regression. Results Of the 182 eligible PCPs, 68 (37.4%) completed the survey. Most indicated willingness to attend an educational course (57.4%). Compared with low prescribers, high prescribers viewed the effectiveness of medications more favorably (short term 4.0 vs 3.7, P  = 0.02; long term 3.5 vs 3.2, P  = 0.04) and were more likely to view prescribing as part of their job (3.9 vs 3.4, P  = 0.04). PCPs with positive attitudes (72.4%, CI 60.9–83.8%) had a prescribing rate of 5.0% (CI 3.5–6.5%) compared to 1.9% (CI 0.5–3.4%) among those with negative attitudes (P  = 0.028). When stratified by attitude, belief in effectiveness was associated with higher prescribing among PCPs with positive attitudes but not those with negative attitudes. Conclusions PCPs indicated an interest in learning to prescribe MAUD. However, education alone may not be effective unless physicians have positive attitudes towards patients with AUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in primary care patients. Many patients who could benefit from anticoagulation do not receive it. The objective of this study was to describe anticoagulation prescribing by primary care physicians. We conducted an observational study in the Cleveland Clinic Health System among patients with AF and ≥ 1 primary care appointment between 2015 and 2018 and their physicians. We estimated differences in the odds of an eligible patient receiving anticoagulation versus not and a DOAC versus warfarin using two mixed effects logistic regression models, adjusted for patient sociodemographic factors, history of falls or dementia, and CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores. We categorized physicians into prescribing tertiles, based on their adjusted prescribing rate, which we included as predictors in the models. Among 5253 patients, 47% received anticoagulation. Of those, 56% received a DOAC. CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores were not associated with anticoagulation prescription. Black race was negatively associated with receiving anticoagulation overall (aOR:0.71; 95%CI:0.56–0.89) and with prescription for a DOAC (aOR:0.65; 95%CI:0.45–0.93). Among 195 physicians, the anticoagulation prescribing rate ranged from 27% to 57% and DOAC rates ranged from 34% to 69%. Physician prescribing tertile was associated with odds of a patient receiving anticoagulation overall (aOR:1.51; 95%CI: 1.13–2.01 for the highest versus lowest tertile), but not DOAC prescriptions. When prescribing anticoagulation, physicians appear not to consider risk of stroke or bleeding but patient race is an important determinant. Seeing a physician with a high anticoagulation prescribing rate was strongly associated with a patient receiving it, suggesting a lack of individualization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends 25 primary preventive services for middle-aged adults, but it can be difficult to do them all.Methods: The Personalized Disease Prevention (PDP) cluster-randomized clinical trial will evaluate whether patients and their providers benefit from an evidence-based decision tool to prioritize preventive services based on their potential to improve quality-adjusted life expectancy. The decision tool will be individualized for patient risk factors and available in the electronic health record. This Phase III trial seeks to enroll 60 primary care providers (clusters) and 600 patients aged 40-75 years. Half of providers will be assigned to an intervention to utilize the decision tool with approximately 10 patients each, and half will be assigned to usual care. Mixed-methods follow-up will include collection of preventive care utilization from electronic health records, patient and physician surveys, and qualitative interviews. We hypothesize that quality-adjusted life expectancy will increase by more in patients who receive the intervention, as compared with controls.Discussion: PDP will test a novel, holistic approach to help patients and providers prioritize the delivery of preventive services, based on patient risk factors in the electronic health record.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05463887. Registered on July 19, 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends primary care physicians refer patients at high risk for BRCA1/2 mutations to genetic testing when appropriate. The objective of our study was to describe referrals for BRCA1/2 testing in a large integrated health system and to assess factors associated with referral. Methods: This retrospective cohort study includes female patients between 18 and 50 years who had a primary care visit in the Cleveland Clinic Health System between 2010 and 2019. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate differences in the odds of a woman being referred for BRCA1/2 testing by patient factors and referring physician specialty. We also assessed variation in referrals by physicians. Results: Among 279,568 women, 5% were high risk. Of those, 22% were referred for testing. Black patients were significantly less likely to be referred than white patients (aOR 0.87; 95% CI 0.77, 0.98) and Jewish patients were more likely to be referred than non-Jewish patients (aOR 2.13; 95% CI 1.68, 2.70). Patients primarily managed by OB/GYN were significantly more likely to be referred than those cared for via Internal/Family Medicine (aOR 1.45; 95% CI 1.30, 1.61). Less than a quarter of primary care physicians ever referred a patient for testing. Conclusion: The majority of primary care patients at high risk for a BRCA1/2 mutation were not referred for testing, and over a decade, most physicians never referred a single patient. Internal/Family Medicine physicians, in particular, need support in identifying and referring women who could benefit from testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Influenza is a leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), and results of influenza tests can direct therapy. However, among adults hospitalized with CAP, little is known about the frequency and timing of influenza testing, treatment, and their associations with outcomes.Research Question: In patients with CAP, is testing for influenza associated with antiviral treatment and shorter antibiotic courses, and is early treatment associated with better clinical outcomes?Study Design and Methods: This study included adults admitted with pneumonia in 2010 to 2015 to 179 US hospitals contributing to the Premier database. We assessed influenza testing and compared antimicrobial utilization and the outcomes of test-positive, test-negative, and untested patients. Associations of early antiviral treatment (oseltamivir) with 14-day in-hospital mortality, hospital length of stay, and cost were studied.Results: Among 166,268 patients with CAP, 38,703 (23.3%) were tested for influenza, of whom 11.5% tested positive. Testing increased from 15.4% to 35.6% from 2010 to 2015 and was 28.9% during flu season (October-May) vs 8.2% in June to September. Patients testing positive for influenza received antiviral agents more often and antibacterial agents less often and for shorter courses than patients testing negative (5.3 vs 6.4 days; P < .001). Influenza-positive patients receiving oseltamivir on hospital day 1 (n = 2,585) experienced lower 14-day in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.59-0.96), lower costs (adjusted ratio of means, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.81-0.95), and shorter length of stay (adjusted ratio of means, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.84-0.93) vs patients receiving oseltamivir later or not at all (n = 1,742).Interpretation: Even during flu season, most patients with CAP in this study went untested for influenza. A positive influenza test result was associated with antiviral treatment, and early treatment was associated with lower mortality, suggesting that more widespread testing might improve patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has contributed to growing demand for mental health services, but patients face significant barriers to accessing care. Direct-to-consumer(DTC) telemedicine has been proposed as one way to increase access, yet little is known about its pre-pandemic use for mental healthcare. Objective: To characterize patients, providers, and their use of a large nationwide DTC telemedicine platform for mental healthcare. Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Setting: Mental health encounters conducted on the American Well DTC telemedicine platform from 2016 to 2018. Participants: Patients and physicians. Main Measures: Patient measures included demographics, insurance report, and number of visits. Provider characteristics included specialty, region, and number of encounters. Encounter measures included wait time, visit length and timing, out-of-pocket payment, coupon use, prescription outcome, referral receipt, where care otherwise would have been sought, and patient satisfaction. Factors associated with five-star physician ratings and prescription receipt were assessed using logistic regression. Key Results: We analyzed 19,270 mental health encounters between 6708 patients and 1045 providers. Visits were most frequently for anxiety (39.1%) or depression (32.5%), with high satisfaction (4.9/5) across conditions. Patients had a median 2.0 visits for psychiatry (IQR 1.0–3.0) and therapy (IQR 1.0–5.0), compared to 1.0 visit (IQR 1.0–1.0) for urgent care. High satisfaction was positively correlated with prescription receipt (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.54–2.32) and after-hours timing (aOR 1.18, 95% CI 1.02–1.36). Prescription rates ranged from 79.6% for depression to 32.2% for substance use disorders. Prescription receipt was associated with increased visit frequency (aOR 1.95, 95% CI 1.57–2.42 for ≥ 3 visits). Conclusions: As the burden of psychiatric disease grows, DTC telemedicine offers one solution for extending access to mental healthcare. While most encounters were one-off, evidence of some continuity in psychiatry and therapy visits—as well as overall high patient satisfaction—suggests potential for broader DTC telemental health use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Demand for systematic linkage of patients to behavioral health care has increased because of the widespread implementation of depression screening. This study assessed the impact of deploying behavioral health social workers (BHSWs) in primary care on behavioral health visits for depression or anxiety.Methods: This quasi-experimental, stepped-wedge study included adults with a primary care visit between 2016 and 2019 at Cleveland Clinic, a large integrated health system. BHSWs were deployed in 40 practices between 2017 and 2019. Patients were allocated to a control group (diagnosed before BHSW deployment) and an intervention group (diagnosed after deployment). Data were collected on behavioral health visits (i.e., to therapists and psychiatrists) within 30 days of the diagnosis. Multilevel logistic regression models identified associations between BHSW deployment period and behavioral health visit, adjusted for demographic variables and clustering within each group.Results: Of 68,659 persons with a diagnosis, 21% had a depression diagnosis, 49% an anxiety diagnosis, and 31% both diagnoses. In the period after BHSW deployment, the proportion of patients with depression who had a behavioral health visit increased by 10 percentage points, of patients with anxiety by 9 percentage points, and of patients with both disorders by 11 percentage points. The adjusted odds of having a behavioral health visit was higher in the postdeployment period for patients with depression (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=4.35, 95% confidence interval [CI]=3.50-5.41), anxiety (AOR=4.27, 95% CI=3.57-5.11), and both (AOR= 3.26, 95% CI=2.77-3.84).Conclusions: Integration of BHSWs in primary care was associated with increased behavioral health visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been shown to be highly protective against reinfection and symptomatic disease. However, effectiveness against the Delta variant and duration of natural immunity remain unknown. Methods This retrospective cohort study included 325 157 patients tested for SARS-CoV-2 via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from 9 March 2020 to 31 December 2020 (Delta variant analysis) and 152 656 patients tested from 9 March 2020 to 30 August 2020 (long-term effectiveness analysis) with subsequent testing through 9 September 2021. The primary outcome was reinfection, defined as a positive PCR test >90 days after the initial positive test. Results Among 325 157 patients tested before 31 December 2020, 50 327 (15.5%) tested positive. After 1 July 2021 (Delta dominant period), 40 (0.08%) initially positive and 1494 (0.5%) initially negative patients tested positive. Protection of prior infection against reinfection with Delta was 85.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 80.0–89.3). For the long-term effectiveness analysis, among 152 656 patients tested before 30 August 2020, 11 186 (7.3%) tested positive. After at least 90 days, 81 (0.7%) initially positive and 7167 (5.1%) initially negative patients tested positive. Overall protection of previous infection was 85.7% (95% CI, 82.2–88.5) and lasted up to 13 months. Patients aged >65 years had slightly lower protection. Conclusions SARS-CoV-2 infection is highly protective against reinfection with Delta. Immunity from prior infection lasts at least 13 months. Countries facing vaccine shortages should consider delaying vaccinations for previously infected patients to increase access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess trends in HbA1c and appropriateness of diabetes medication use by patient health status.Research Design and Methods: We conducted cross-sectional analysis of 2001-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We included older adults age ≥65 years who had ever been told they had diabetes, had HbA1c >6.4%, or had fasting plasma glucose >125 mg/dL. Health status was categorized as good, intermediate, or poor. Being below goal was defined as taking medication despite having HbA1c ≥1% below the glycemic goals of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), which varied by patient health status and time period. Drugs associated with hypoglycemia included sulfonylureas, insulin, and meglitinides.Results: We included 3,539 patients. Mean HbA1c increased over time and did not differ by health status. Medication use increased from 59% to 74% with metformin being the most common drug in patients with good or intermediate health and sulfonylureas and insulin most often prescribed to patients with poor health. Among patients taking medications, prevalence of patients below goal increased while prevalence of those above goal decreased from 2001 to 2018. One-half of patients with poor health and taking medications had below-goal HbA1c; two-thirds received drugs associated with hypoglycemia. Patients with poor health who were below goal had 4.9 (95% CI 2.3-10.4) times the adjusted odds of receiving drugs associated with hypoglycemia than healthy patients.Conclusions: In accordance with ADA's newer Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes, HbA1c goals were relaxed but did not differ by health status. Below-goal HbA1c was common among patients with poor health; many were prescribed medications associated with a higher risk of hypoglycemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pneumonia is a leading cause of hospitalization and death due to infection worldwide. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Legionella pneumophila remain among the most commonly identified bacterial pathogens. Unfortunately, more than half of all pneumonia cases today lack an etiologic diagnosis due to limitations in traditional microbiological methods like blood and sputum cultures, which are affected by poor sample collection, prior antibiotic administration, and delayed processing. Urinary antigen tests (UATs) for S. pneumoniae and L. pneumophila have emerged as powerful tools for improving the diagnosis of bacterial respiratory infections, enabling physicians to administer early directed therapy and improve antimicrobial stewardship. UATs are simple, rapid, and non-invasive diagnostic tests with high specificity (> 90%) and moderate sensitivity (< 80%). The potential impact of urinary antigen testing is especially significant for respiratory infections caused by Legionella. While all recommended community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) therapies are adequate for treating pneumococcal pneumonia, only certain antibiotics are effective against Legionella. Delayed therapy for Legionella is associated with worse clinical outcomes, which underscores the importance of rapid diagnostic methods like UATs. Despite their potential impact, current American Thoracic Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America (ATS/IDSA) guidelines argue against the routine use of urinary antigen testing for S. pneumoniae and L. pneumophila, except in patients with severe CAP and those with epidemiological risk factors for Legionella. Further research is necessary to evaluate the impact of early targeted treatment due to positive UAT results, as well as optimal strategies for UAT utilization. The purpose of this review is to summarize the UATs available for bacterial respiratory infections, describe current guidelines on their usage, and assess their impact on clinical outcomes and targeted therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common among hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). We aimed to estimate and compare the risk of AKI for various antibiotic combinations in adults hospitalized for CAP. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of the Premier Healthcare Database containing all admissions for 660 US hospitals from 2010 to 2015. We included adults aged ≥18 years hospitalized with CAP and considered 6 different antibiotic combinations based on continuous use in the first 3 hospital days. The primary outcome was incident AKI, defined by ICD-9 codes 584.5-584-9. We evaluated associations of AKI with in-hospital mortality and length-of-stay. We excluded patients who were admitted directly to the intensive care unit, had AKI codes present on admission or had dialysis in the first 2 days. We used generalized linear mixed models with the hospital as a random effect and covariate adjustment for patient demographics, comorbidities, other treatments on day 0/1, and hospital characteristics. The total sample included 449,535 patients, 3.15% of whom developed AKI. All other regimens but fluoroquinolones exhibited higher AKI odds than 3rd generation cephalosporin with or without macrolide. The combination of piperacillin/tazobactam and vancomycin with or without other antibiotics was associated with the highest AKI odds (OR = 1.89; 95% CI: 1.73–2.06). Patients with incident AKI had an increased odds of hospital mortality (OR = 6.37; 95% CI: 6.07–6.69) and longer length-of-stay (mean multiplier = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.82, 1.86). Compared to 3rd generation cephalosporin with or without macrolide, piperacillin/tazobactam, vancomycin, and their combination were associated with higher odds of developing AKI, which in turn were associated with worse clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NHANES and BRFSS/BRFSS-SMART include either the validated Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depression or its component questions.[19], [20] HRS and MEPS ask about depression symptoms during the prior 12 months or 4 weeks, respectively. BRFSS/BRFSS-SMART and NHIS also ask about sexual behavior (only 2-3 topics each). BRFSS/BRFSS-SMART and NHIS ask about hours of sleep, schedule (NHANES), snoring (BRFSS/BRFSS-SMART, NHANES), and sleep medications (NHIS). [Extracted from the article]

Background E. coli is an under-recognized cause of bacterial community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology, risk factors, and outcomes of community-acquired Escherichia coli pneumonia in comparison with other gram-negative and pneumococcal pneumonias. Methods We conducted a large retrospective cohort study of adult patients admitted with pneumonia to 173 US hospitals included in the Premier Research database from July 2010 to June 2015. Patients were included if they had a principal diagnosis code for pneumonia or a principal diagnosis of respiratory failure or sepsis with a secondary diagnosis of pneumonia and had a positive blood or respiratory culture obtained on hospital day 1. The primary outcome was in-hospital case fatality. Secondary outcomes included intensive care unit admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, and use of vasopressors. Results Of 8680 patients with pneumonia and positive blood or respiratory cultures, 1029 (7.7%) had E. coli CAP. Patients with E. coli pneumonia were older and more likely to have a principal diagnosis of sepsis. Patients with E. coli pneumonia had significantly higher case fatality than patients with pneumococcal pneumonia (adjusted odds ratio, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.23–1.97), but it was not significantly different than other gram-negative pneumonias (adjusted odds ratio, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.85–1.32). Approximately 36% of the isolates were resistant to fluoroquinolones; 9.3% were resistant to ceftriaxone. Conclusions E. coli is an important cause of severe CAP; with mortality that was higher than pneumococcal pneumonia but similar to other gram-negative pneumonias. The rate of fluoroquinolone resistance was high, and empiric fluoroquinolones should be used with caution in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]