Search

Background: To estimate the causal effect of surgery vs chemotherapy on survival in patients with T1-3NxM0 pancreatic cancer in a rigorous framework addressing selection bias and immortal time bias., Methods: We used population-based Danish health-care registries to conduct a cohort study emulating a hypothetical randomized trial to estimate the absolute difference in survival, comparing surgery with chemotherapy. We included pancreatic cancer patients diagnosed during 2008-2021. Exposure was surgery or chemotherapy initiated within a 16-week grace period after diagnosis. At the time of diagnosis, data of each patient were duplicated; one copy was assigned to the surgery protocol, and one copy to the chemotherapy protocol of the hypothetical trial. Copies were censored when the assigned treatment deviated from the observed treatment. To account for informative censoring, uncensored patients were weighted according to confounders. For comparison, we also applied a more conventional analysis using propensity score-based inverse probability weighting., Results: We included 1744 patients with a median age of 68 years: 73.6% underwent surgery, and 18.6% had chemotherapy without surgery; 7.8% received no treatment. The 3-year survival was 39.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 36.7% to 42.6%) after surgery and 22.7% (95% CI = 17.7% to 28.4%) after chemotherapy, corresponding to an absolute difference of 17.0% (95% CI = 10.8% to 23.1%). In the conventional survival analysis, this difference was 23.0% (95% CI = 17.0% to 29.0%)., Conclusion: Surgery was superior to chemotherapy in achieving long-term survival for pancreatic cancer. The difference comparing surgery and chemotherapy was substantially smaller when using the clone-censor-weight approach than conventional survival analysis., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: We aimed to identify differences in disparities among patients with a cancer in which screening is widely recommended (colorectal cancer [CRC]) and one in which it is not (esophageal cancer)., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed using 2004-2015 data from the National Cancer Database. Multivariable generalized logistic regression was used to identify potential differences in the effect of disparities in stage at diagnosis., Results: A total of 96,524 esophageal cancer patients and 361,187 CRC patients were included. Black patients, longer travel distances, and lower educational attainment were only associated with increased odds of stage IV CRC. While both Medicaid and uninsured patients were more likely to be diagnosed with stage IV esophageal and CRC, the effect was larger among CRC patients. From 2004 to 2015, the rates of stage IV esophageal cancer decreased from 42.0% to 38.2%, while the rates of stage IV CRC increased from 36.9% to 40.8% (p < 0.0001)., Conclusions: Disparities are more pronounced in CRC, compared to esophageal cancer. Equity in access to screening and cancer care should be prioritized., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The incidence of esophageal cancer has increased steadily in the last decades in the United States. The aim of this paper was to characterize disparities in esophageal cancer treatment in different racial and socioeconomic population groups and compare long-term survival among different treatment modalities. A retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Database was performed including adult patients (≥18 years old) with a diagnosis of resectable (stages I-III) esophageal cancer between 2004 and 2015. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the odds of being offered no treatment at all and surgical treatment across race, primary insurance, travel distance, income, and education levels. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare 5-year survival rates across different treatment modalities. A total of 60,621 esophageal cancer patients were included. Black patients, uninsured patients, and patients living in areas with lower levels of education were more likely to be offered no treatment. Similarly, black race, female patients, nonprivately insured patients, and those living in areas with lower median residential income and lower education levels were associated with lower rates of surgery. Patients receiving surgical treatment, compared to both no treatment and definitive chemoradiation, had significant better long-term survival in stage I, II, and III esophageal cancer. In conclusion, underserved patients with esophageal cancer appear to have limited access to surgical care, and are, in fact, more likely to not be offered any treatment at all. Considering the survival benefits associated with surgical resection, greater public health efforts to reduce disparities in esophageal cancer are needed., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Inguinal hernia repair is one of the more common procedures performed in the United States. The optimal surgical approach, however, remains controversial. We aimed to compare the postoperative outcomes and costs between laparoscopic and open inpatient inguinal hernia repairs in a national cohort. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the National Inpatient Sample during the period 2009-2015. Adult patients (≥18 years old) undergoing laparoscopic and open inguinal hernia repair were included. Multivariable logistic, generalized logistic, and linear regression were used to assess the effect of the laparoscopic approach on postoperative complications, mortality, length of stay, and hospital charges. Results: A total of 41,937 patients undergoing open inguinal hernia repair ( N  = 36,575) and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair ( N  = 5282) were included. Patients undergoing laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair were less likely to have postoperative wound complications (odds ratio [OR]: 0.64, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41-0.98), infection (OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.27-0.42), bleeding (OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.63-0.82), cardiac failure (OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.64-0.82), renal failure (OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.47-0.62), respiratory failure (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.58-0.85), and inpatient mortality (OR: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.17-0.40). On average, the laparoscopic approach reduced length of stay by 1.28 days (95% CI: -1.58 to -1.18), and decreased hospital costs by $2400 (95% CI: -$4700 to -$700). Conclusion: Laparoscopic hernia repair is associated with significantly lower rates of postoperative morbidity and mortality, shorter length of hospital stays, and lower hospital costs for inpatient repairs. The laparoscopic approach should be encouraged for the management of appropriate patients with inpatient inguinal hernias.

Background: We aimed to examine the association between acute pancreatitis, a potential early symptom of pancreatic cancer, and pancreatic cancer stage, treatment, and prognosis., Methods: We conducted a cohort study of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer during 2004-2017 using population-based registry data from Denmark and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data linked with Medicare claims from the United States (US), which include individuals aged 65 + . We ascertained information on acute pancreatitis diagnoses up to 90 days before pancreatic cancer and followed them for a maximum of five years. We assessed overall survival difference at 30 days, six months, and one, three and five years, comparing patients with and without coexistence of acute pancreatitis. Secondary outcomes were cancer stage and treatment., Results: We identified 12,522 Danish and 37,552 US patients with pancreatic cancer (median age 71 and 78 years, respectively). In the Danish cohort, 1.4 % had acute pancreatitis before pancreatic cancer vs. 5.9 % in the US cohort. After five years of follow-up, the survival difference was 6.1 % (95 % CI: [-0.4 %, 12.6 %]) in Danish and 1.7 % (95 % CI: [0.8 %, 2.7 %]) in US patients, comparing patients with and without acute pancreatitis. Patients with acute pancreatitis had lower prevalence of metastatic tumors at diagnosis (Denmark: 42.5 % vs. 48.7 %; US: 34.4 % vs. 45.9 %) and higher resection frequencies (Denmark: 20.1 % vs. 12.1 %; US: 16.1 % vs.11.3 %) than patients without acute pancreatitis., Conclusions: Pancreatic cancer patients with acute pancreatitis diagnosed up to 90 days before cancer diagnosis had earlier stage at diagnosis and better survival than patients without acute pancreatitis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Dr. Lund’s spouse is a full-time, paid employee of GlaxoSmithKline. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The effects of Medicare payment reforms aiming to improve the efficiency and quality of care by establishing greater financial accountability for providers may vary based on the extent and types of other coverage for their patient populations. Providers who are more resource constrained due to a less favorable payer mix face greater financial risks under such reforms. The impact of the expanded Medicare dialysis prospective payment system (PPS) on quality of care in independent dialysis facilities may vary based on the extent of higher payments from private insurers available for managing increased risks., Objectives: To evaluate whether anemia outcomes for dialysis patients in independent facilities differ under the Medicare PPS based on facility payer mix., Design: We examined changes in anemia outcomes for 122,641 Medicare dialysis patients in 921 independent facilities during 2009-2014 among facilities with differing levels of employer insurance (EI). We performed similar analyses of facilities affiliated with large dialysis organizations, whose practices were not expected to change based on facility-specific payer mix., Results: Among independent facilities, similar modeled trends in low hemoglobin for all 3 facility EI groups in 2009-2010 were followed by increased low hemoglobin during 2012-2014 for facilities with lower EI (P<0.01). Post-PPS standardized blood transfusion ratios were 9% higher for lower EI versus higher EI independent facilities (P<0.01). Among large dialysis organizations facilities, there was no divergence in low hemoglobin by payer mix under the PPS., Conclusions: There is evidence of poorer quality of care for anemia under the PPS in independent facilities with lower versus higher EI. Provider responses to payment reform may vary based on attributes such as payer mix that could have implications for health disparities.

Background: Data comparing outcomes following cholecystectomy and cholecystostomy tube placement (CTP) in elderly patients are lacking. We aimed to compare the post-procedural outcomes between cholecystectomy and CTP in elderly patients with acute cholecystitis., Methods: We performed a retrospective, population-based analysis using the National Inpatient Sample for the period 2000-2014. Patients ≥ 65 years old admitted with a primary diagnosis of acute cholecystitis and who underwent either cholecystectomy or CTP during their hospitalization were included. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to analyze post-procedural complications, mortality, length of stay, and total charges. The effect of procedure type on patient outcomes, stratified by acalculous and calculous cholecystitis, was also performed., Results: A total of 200,915 patients were included, of which 7516 underwent CTP and 193,399 underwent cholecystectomy. The median age of patients undergoing CTP and cholecystectomy was 80 (IQR 73-87) and 75 (IQR 70-81), respectively. Patients undergoing CTP were more likely to have post-procedural infection (OR 2.25; 95% CI 2.07, 2.45), bleeding (OR 1.28; 95% CI 1.19, 1.37), and inpatient mortality (OR 9.27; 95% CI 7.95, 10.81). On average, CTP patients stayed 1.25 days longer (95% CI 1.14, 1.37) in hospital after the procedure. The benefits of cholecystectomy were consistent in patients with acalculous and calculous cholecystitis., Conclusions: Elderly patients with both acalculous and calculous acute cholecystitis managed with CTP have higher incidences of post-procedural morbidity and mortality, and longer post-procedure length of hospital stay, as compared to cholecystectomy. Unless prohibitive surgical risks exist, elderly patients with acute cholecystitis should undergo cholecystectomy.

The optimal management of patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer remains under debate. We aimed to compare the long-term survival outcomes between definitive chemoradiation (dCR) and chemoradiation plus surgery (CRS) in patients with stage III esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Using the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program registry, adults (≥ 18 years old) with diagnosis of AJCC 6th edition stage III EAC (T3/N1, T4/N0, and T4/N1) between 2004 and 2014 were included. A multivariable Cox regression was used to assess the effect of dCR and CRS on mortality. Of the 2633 patients included, 1115 (42%) underwent Dcr, and 1518 (58%) underwent CRS. The 5-year survival rate was 13% for patients undergoing dCR and 27% for patients undergoing CRS (p < 0.0001). Our observational data suggest that patients with stage III EAC may benefit by the use of esophagectomy after chemoradiotherapy.

Background: Primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) reduce mortality in selected patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction by delivering therapies (antitachycardia pacing or shocks) to terminate potentially lethal arrhythmias; inappropriate therapies also occur. We assessed device therapies among adults receiving primary prevention ICDs in 7 healthcare systems., Methods and Results: We linked medical record data, adjudicated device therapies, and the National Cardiovascular Data Registry ICD Registry. Survival analysis evaluated therapy probability and predictors after ICD implant from 2006 to 2009, with attention to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Coverage With Evidence Development subgroups: left ventricular ejection fraction, 31% to 35%; nonischemic cardiomyopathy <9 months' duration; and New York Heart Association class IV heart failure with cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator. Among 2540 patients, 35% were <65 years old, 26% were women, and 59% were white. During 27 (median) months, 738 (29%) received ≥1 therapy. Three-year therapy risk was 36% (appropriate, 24%; inappropriate, 12%). Appropriate therapy was more common in men (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43-2.35). Inappropriate therapy was more common in patients with atrial fibrillation (adjusted HR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.68-2.87), but less common among patients ≥65 years old versus younger (adjusted HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.54-0.95) and in recent implants (eg, in 2009 versus 2006; adjusted HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.46-0.95). In Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Coverage With Evidence Development analysis, inappropriate therapy was less common with cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator versus single chamber (adjusted HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.36-0.84); therapy risk did not otherwise differ for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Coverage With Evidence Development subgroups., Conclusions: In this community cohort of primary prevention patients receiving ICD, therapy delivery varied across demographic and clinical characteristics, but did not differ meaningfully for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Coverage With Evidence Development subgroups., (© 2018 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.)

Objectives: The aim of this study is to explore incidence and incidence-based mortality trends for endometrial cancer in the USA and project future incident cases, accounting for differences by race and histological subtype., Methods: Data on age-adjusted and age-specific incidence and mortality rates of endometrial cancer were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 18 registries. Trends in rates were analyzed using Joinpoint regression, and average annual percent change (AAPC) in recent years (2006-2011) was computed for histological subtypes by race. Age, histological, and race-specific rates were applied to US Census Bureau population census estimates to project new cases from 2015 to 2040, accounting for observed AAPC trends, which were progressively attenuated for the future years., Results: The annual number of cases is projected to increase substantially from 2015 to 2040 across all racial groups. Considerable variation in incidence and mortality trends was observed both between and within racial groups when considering histology., Conclusions: As the US population undergoes demographic changes, incidence of endometrial cancer is projected to rise. The increase will occur in all racial groups, but larger increases will be seen in aggressive histology subtypes that disproportionately affect black women.

Introduction: Informed decision making has been highlighted as an important aspect of lung cancer screening programs. This study seeks to assess the efficacy of a web-based patient decision aid for lung cancer screening, www.shouldiscreen.com., Methods: A before-and-after study (August through December 2014) was conducted where participants navigated a web-based decision aid that provided information about low-dose computed tomography lung cancer screening. Using an established prediction model, the decision aid computed baseline lung cancer risk and an individual's chances of benefiting from, and risk of being harmed by, screening. Outcome measures included knowledge of lung cancer risk factors and lung cancer screening, decisional conflict, concordance, and acceptability of the decision aid. Data were collected from 60 participants who were current or former smokers, had no history of lung cancer, and had not received a chest computed tomographic scan in the previous year. Analysis took place in 2015., Results: Knowledge increased after seeing the decision aid compared with before (p<0.001), whereas the score on the Decisional Conflict Scale decreased (p<0.001). Concordance between a participant's preference to screen and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation improved after seeing the decision aid (p<0.001). Risk perceptions among the screen-ineligible group changed (n=49), contrary to those who were eligible (n=11). Ninety-seven percent of the participants reported that the decision aid was likely useful for lung cancer screening decision making., Conclusions: The web-based decision aid should be a helpful resource for individuals considering lung cancer screening, as well as for practitioners and health systems with lung cancer screening programs., (Copyright © 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Recommendations are presented for standardized imaging planes and display conventions for two-dimensional echocardiography in the dog and cat. Three transducer locations ("windows") provide access to consistent imaging planes: the right parasternal location, the left caudal (apical) parasternal location, and the left cranial parasternal location. Recommendations for image display orientations are very similar to those for comparable human cardiac images, with the heart base or cranial aspect of the heart displayed to the examiner's right on the video display. From the right parasternal location, standard views include a long-axis four-chamber view and a long-axis left ventricular outflow view, and short-axis views at the levels of the left ventricular apex, papillary muscles, chordae tendineae, mitral valve, aortic valve, and pulmonary arteries. From the left caudal (apical) location, standard views include long-axis two-chamber and four-chamber views. From the left cranial parasternal location, standard views include a long-axis view of the left ventricular outflow tract and ascending aorta (with variations to image the right atrium and tricuspid valve, and the pulmonary valve and pulmonary artery), and a short-axis view of the aortic root encircled by the right heart. These images are presented by means of idealized line drawings. Adoption of these standards should facilitate consistent performance, recording, teaching, and communicating results of studies obtained by two-dimensional echocardiography.

M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) are standard parts of the evaluation of cardiac structure and function in veterinary and human cardiology. Doppler echocardiography, although considered standard in human cardiology, is in its infancy in veterinary cardiology. It is becoming an important non-invasive component of the evaluation of cardiac patients since it adds information formerly only available from cardiac catheterization. Specifically, it can analyze blood flow direction, character, velocity, and timing. Like M-mode and 2DE, this safe, non-invasive technique is ideal for serial evaluation of patients with heart disease. Although useful in both congenital and acquired heart disease, in our hospital it has primarily been used to evaluate congenital heart defects. The purpose of this chapter is threefold. First, it will acquaint the reader with the principles of Doppler echocardiography. Second, it will give the reader an explanation of the Doppler examination. Finally, it will discuss the uses and limitations of Doppler echocardiography, with an emphasis on congenital heart disease.

The type and the severity of airway obstruction in 30 dogs with bilateral laryngeal paralysis was assessed, using tidal breathing flow-volume loop (TBFVL) analysis. The dogs had clinical evidence of mild-to-severe upper airway obstruction (ie, respiratory distress, exercise intolerance, stridor). Seventeen dogs had TBFVL consistent with a nonfixed (inspiratory) obstruction, 10 had TBFVL indicative of a fixed (inspiratory/expiratory) obstruction, and 3 had normal TBFVL. Analysis of TBFVL confirmed that dogs with laryngeal paralysis have upper airway obstruction that differs in type and severity. Use of TBFVL provided a quantitative evaluation of airway obstruction and demonstrated the effects of bilateral laryngeal paralysis on the breathing patterns of dogs.

The medical records of 23 dogs with laryngeal paralysis were reviewed. Although the condition developed mainly in old, large- or giant-breed dogs, a wide range of breeds was involved. The age of affected animals ranged from 7 months to 14 years. Respiratory distress, exercise intolerance, noisy breathing, and hoarse bark were common signs of the paralysis. Laboratory evaluations for hypothyroidism were performed on 11 dogs; only 3 were judged to have primary hypothyroidism. Males, particularly if castrated, were more frequently affected than females. A neurologic examination was performed on 6 dogs; 4 of them were found to have generalized neuromuscular disease.

Three dogs were determined to have hepatic arteriovenous fistulas. This condition is similar to a portosystemic shunt; however, cure necessitates hepatic lobectomy instead of a venous ligature. Because of this, it is useful to differentiate these 2 conditions before surgery. Ultrasonography was found to be simple, sensitive, and specific in diagnosing hepatic arteriovenous fistulas and differentiating them from portosystemic shunts.