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PURPOSE: Cerebral palsy (CP) and spina bifida (SB) are pediatric-onset disabilities. Adults living with CP/SB are in a greater need of preventive care than the general population due to their increased risk for chronic diseases. Our objective was to compare White/Black and White/Hispanic inequities in the use of preventive services. METHODS: Using 2007-2017 private claims data, we identified a total of 11,635 adults with CP/BS. Of these, 8,935 were White, 1,457 Black, and 1,243 Hispanic. We matched health-related variables (age, sex, comorbid conditions) between White adults and those in each minority subpopulation. Generalized estimating equations were used and all models were adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, income, education, and US Census divisions. Outcomes of interest were: (1) any office visit; (2) any physical/occupational therapy; (3) wellness visit; (4) bone density screening; (5) cholesterol screening; and (6) diabetes screening. RESULTS: The rate of recommended services for all subpopulations of adults with CP/SB was low. Compared with White adults, Hispanic adults had lower odds of wellness visits (odds ratio [OR] = 0.71, 95% CI, 0.53-0.96) but higher odds of diabetes screening (OR = 1.48, 95% CI, 1.13-1.93). Compared with White adults, Black adults had lower odds of wellness visits (OR = 0.50, 95% CI, 0.24-1.00) and bone density screening (OR = 0.54, 95% CI, 0.31-0.95). CONCLUSIONS: Preventive service use among adults with CP/SB was low. Large White-minority disparities in wellness visits were observed. Interventions to address physical accessibility, adoption of telehealth, and increased clinician education may mitigate these disparities, particularly if initiatives target minority populations.

Continuity of care is considered a key metric of quality healthcare. Yet, continuity of care in adults aging with congenital disability and the factors that contribute to care continuity are largely unknown. Using data from a national private administrative health claims database in the United States (2007–2018). we examined continuity of care in 8596 adults (mean age 48.6 years) with cerebral palsy or spina bifida. Logistic regression models analyzed how proximity to health care facilities, availability of care providers, and community socioeconomic context were associated with more continuous care. We found that adults aging with cerebral palsy or spina bifida saw a variety of different physician specialty types and generally had discontinuous care. Individuals who lived in areas with more hospitals and residential care facilities received more continuous care than those with limited access to these resources. Residence in more affluent areas was associated with receiving more fragmented care. Findings suggest that over and above individual factors, community healthcare resources and socioeconomic context serve as important factors to consider in understanding continuity of care patterns in adults aging with cerebral palsy or spina bifida.

Background Infection is believed to be a potential trigger for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Whether vaccination against childhood infections including measles, mumps, and rubella may reduce risk of IBD is uncertain. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using de-identified claims data from a national private payer (Optum Clinformatics Data Mart). Eligible infants were born between 2001 and 2018 and were continuously enrolled with medical and pharmacy coverage from birth for at least 2 years (n = 1 365 447). Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination or MMR is administered beginning at 12 months of age. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to compare time with incident disease in children by category of vaccination, after adjustment for sex, birth year, region of country, history of allergy to vaccines, and seizure history. Results The incidence of early pediatric IBD increased between 2001 and 2018. Ten percent (n = 141 230) of infants did not receive MMR, and 90% (n = 1 224 125) received at least 1 dose of MMR. There were 334 cases of IBD, 219 cases of Crohn’s disease, and 164 cases of ulcerative colitis. Children who had received at least 1 dose of MMR had lower risk for IBD than children who did not (hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.59-0.85). These associations did not change after further adjustment for childhood comorbid conditions, preterm birth, or older siblings affected with IBD. Similar associations were observed for MMR with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, although these did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion MMR is associated with decreased risk for childhood IBD.

To examine the risk of potentially preventable hospitalizations (PPHs) for adults (18 years or older) with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) to identify the most common types of preventable hospitalizations and their associative risk factors.Cohort study.Using 2007-2017 U.S. claims data from the Optum Clinformatics Data Mart, we identified adults (18 years or older) with diagnosis of TSCI (n=5380). Adults without TSCI diagnosis were included as controls (n=1,074,729). Using age and sex, we matched individuals with and without TSCI (n=5173) with propensity scores to address potential selection bias. Generalized linear regression was applied to examine the risk of TSCI on PPHs. Models were adjusted for age; sex; race and ethnicity; Elixhauser comorbidity count; any cardiometabolic, psychological, and musculoskeletal chronic conditions; U.S. Census Division; socioeconomic variables; and use of certain preventative care services. Adjusted odds ratios were compared within a 4-year follow-up period.Adults with and without TSCI (N=5,173).Not applicable.Any PPH and specific PPHs RESULTS: Adults with TSCI had higher risk for any PPH (odds ratio [OR], 1.67; 95% CI,1.20-2.32), as well as PPHs because of urinary tract infection (UTI) (OR, 3.78; 95% CI, 2.47-5.79), hypertension (OR, 3.77; 95% CI, 1.54-9.21), diabetes long-term complications (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.34-4.80), and pneumonia (OR, 1.71; 95% CI. 1.21-2.41). Annual wellness visit was associated with reduced PPH risk compared with cases and controls without annual wellness visit (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.46-0.71) and among people with TSCI (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.55-0.86) compared with cases without annual wellness visit.Adults with TSCI are at a heightened risk for PPH. They are also more susceptible to certain PPHs such as UTIs, pneumonia, and heart failure. Encouraging the use of preventative or health-promoting services, especially for respiratory and urinary outcomes, may reduce PPHs among adults with TSCI.

Fire and police first responders are often the first to arrive in medical emergencies and provide basic life support services until specialized personnel arrive. This study aims to evaluate rates of fire or police first responder-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) use, as well as their associated impact on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) outcomes.We completed a secondary data analysis of the MI-CARES registry from 2014 to 2019. We reported rates of CPR initiation and AED use by fire or police first responders. Multilevel modeling was utilized to evaluate the relationship between fire/police first responder-initiated interventions and outcomes of interest: ROSC upon emergency department arrival, survival to hospital discharge, and good neurologic outcome.Our cohort included 25,067 OHCA incidents. We found fire or police first responders initiated CPR in 31.8% of OHCA events and AED use in 6.1% of OHCA events. Likelihood of sustained ROSC on ED arrival after CPR initiated by a fire/police first responder was not statistically different as compared to EMS initiated CPR (aOR 1.01, CI 0.93-1.11). However, fire/police first responder interventions were associated with significantly higher odds of survival to hospital discharge and survival with good neurologic outcome (aOR 1.25, 95% CI 1.08-1.45 and aOR 1.40, 95% CI 1.18-1.65, respectively). Similar associations were see when examining fire or police initiated AED use.Fire or police first responders may be an underutilized, potentially powerful mechanism for improving OHCA survival. Future studies should investigate barriers and opportunities for increasing first responder interventions by these groups in OHCA.

Longitudinal cohort study of privately insured beneficiaries with and without traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI).Compare the incidence of and adjusted hazards for psychological morbidities among adults with and without traumatic SCI, and examine the effect of chronic centralized and neuropathic pain on outcomes.Privately insured beneficiaries were included if they had an ICD-9-CM diagnostic code for traumatic SCI (n = 9081). Adults without SCI were also included (n = 1,474,232).Incidence of common psychological morbidities were compared at 5-years of enrollment. Survival models were used to quantify unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios for incident psychological morbidities.Adults with SCI had a higher incidence of any psychological morbidity (59.1% vs. 30.9%) as compared to adults without SCI, and differences were to a clinically meaningful extent. Survival models demonstrated that adults with SCI had a greater hazard for any psychological morbidity (HR: 1.67; 95%CI: 1.61, 1.74), and all but one psychological disorder (impulse control disorders), and ranged from HR: 1.31 (1.24, 1.39) for insomnia to HR: 2.10 (1.77, 2.49) for post-traumatic stress disorder. Centralized and neuropathic pain was associated with all psychological disorders, and ranged from HR: 1.31 (1.23, 1.39) for dementia to HR: 3.83 (3.10, 3.68) for anxiety.Adults with SCI have a higher incidence of and risk for common psychological morbidities, as compared to adults without SCI. Efforts are needed to facilitate the development of early interventions to reduce risk of chronic centralized and neuropathic pain and psychological morbidity onset/progression in this higher risk population.

BackgroundPsychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs) are a type of non-hospital inpatient treatment setting for children with severe behavioral health disorders. PRTFs are a restrictive and costly form of care that can potentially be avoided with community-based behavioral health services.MethodStatewide Medicaid enrollment and claims data for 2015 to 2022 were used to describe PRTF utilization in North Carolina. We examined annual episodes of care in PRTFs and compared trends before and during the COVID-19 public health emergency.ResultsFrom 2015 to 2022, 10,038 children insured by North Carolina Medicaid entered a PRTF across 10,966 episodes of care. In the past five years (2018-2022), care in PRTFs resulted in Medicaid expenditures of over $550 million total, or over $100 million per year. In 2022, 42% of children who entered PRTFs were in foster care and 44% of children were placed in PRTFs outside of North Carolina.LimitationsAnalysis limited to data collected for administrative purposes.ConclusionsCurrent trends indicate ongoing overrepresentation of children in foster care placed in PRTFs and increased out-of-state PRTF placements. Coordinated efforts in future research, policy, and practice are needed to determine the cause of these trends and identify solutions.

Objective Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is a life altering event most often causing permanent physical disability. Little is known about the risk of developing Alzheimer disease and related dementia (ADRD) among middle-aged and older adults living with TSCI. Time to diagnosis of and adjusted hazard for ADRD was assessed. Design Cohort study. Setting Using 2007-2017 claims data from the Optum Clinformatics Data Mart, we identified adults (45+) with diagnosis of TSCI (n=7019). Adults without TSCI diagnosis were included as comparators (n=916,516). Using age, sex, race/ethnicity, cardiometabolic, psychological, and musculoskeletal chronic conditions, US Census division, and socioeconomic variables, we propensity score matched persons with and without TSCI (n=6083). Incidence estimates of ADRD were compared at 4 years of enrollment. Survival models were used to quantify unadjusted, fully adjusted, and propensity-matched unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for incident ADRD. Participants Adults with and without TSCI (N=6083). Intervention Not applicable. Main Outcomes Measures Diagnosis of ADRD. Results Both middle-aged and older adults with TSCI had higher incident ADRD compared to those without TSCI (0.5% vs 0.2% and 11.7% vs 3.3% among 45-64 and 65+ y old unmatched cohorts, respectively) (0.5% vs 0.3% and 10.6% vs 6.2% among 45-64 and 65+ y old matched cohorts, respectively). Fully adjusted survival models indicated that adults with TSCI had a greater hazard for ADRD (among 45-64y old: unmatched HR: 3.19 [95% confidence interval, 95% CI, 2.30-4.44], matched HR: 1.93 [95% CI, 1.06-3.51]; among 65+ years old: unmatched HR: 1.90 [95% CI, 1.77-2.04], matched HR: 1.77 [1.55-2.02]). Conclusions Adults with TSCI are at a heightened risk for ADRD. Improved clinical screening and early interventions aiming to preserve cognitive function are of paramount importance for this patient cohort.

BACKGROUND Individuals living with cerebral palsy or spina bifida are at heightened risk for a number of chronic health conditions, such as secondary comorbidities, that may develop or be influenced by the disability, the presence of impairment, and/or the process of aging. However, very little is known about the prevalence and/or risk of developing secondary comorbidities among individuals living with cerebral palsy or spina bifida throughout adulthood. The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of psychological, cardiometabolic, and musculoskeletal morbidity and multimorbidity among adults with and without cerebral palsy or spina bifida. METHODS Privately insured beneficiaries were included if they had an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnostic code for cerebral palsy or spina bifida (n = 29,841). Adults without cerebral palsy or spina bifida were also included (n = 5,384,849). Prevalence estimates of common psychological, cardiometabolic, and musculoskeletal morbidity and multimorbidity (≥2 conditions) were compared. RESULTS Adults living with cerebral palsy or spina bifida had a higher prevalence of all psychological disorders and psychological multimorbidity (14.6% vs. 5.4%), all cardiometabolic disorders and cardiometabolic multimorbidity (22.4% vs. 15.0%), and all musculoskeletal disorders and musculoskeletal multimorbidity (12.2% vs. 5.4%), as compared with adults without cerebral palsy or spina bifida, and differences were to a clinically meaningful extent. CONCLUSIONS Adults with cerebral palsy or spina bifida have a significantly higher prevalence of common psychological, cardiometabolic, and musculoskeletal morbidity and multimorbidity, as compared with adults without cerebral palsy or spina bifida. Efforts are needed to facilitate the development of improved clinical screening algorithms and early interventions to reduce risk of disease onset/progression in these higher risk populations. TO CLAIM CME CREDITS Complete the self-assessment activity and evaluation online at http://www.physiatry.org/JournalCME. CME OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this article, the reader should be able to: (1) List the main categories of morbidity that present with higher risk in adults with cerebral palsy and spina bifida; (2) Discuss the potential impact of multimorbidity on 'early aging' in adults living with cerebral palsy and spina bifida; and (3) Describe challenges that adults with cerebral palsy and spina bifida have in obtaining appropriate health care to address prevention and treatment of multimorbidity. LEVEL Advanced. ACCREDITATION The Association of Academic Physiatrists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.The Association of Academic Physiatrists designates this Journal-based CME activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ImportanceThere has been a paucity of research examining the risk and cost of readmission among patients with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) after a planned hospitalization for a broad set of medical and surgical procedures.ObjectiveTo examine 30-day readmission rates and episode costs, including readmission costs, for patients with ADRD compared with their counterparts without ADRD across Michigan hospitals.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis retrospective cohort study used 2012 to 2017 Michigan Value Collaborative data across different medical and surgical services stratified by ADRD diagnosis. A total of 66 676 admission episodes of care that occurred between January 1, 2012, and June 31, 2017, were identified for patients with ADRD using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) and International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) diagnostic codes for ADRD, along with 656 235 admission episodes in patients without ADRD. Using a generalized linear model framework, this study risk adjusted, price standardized, and performed episode payment winsorization. Payments were risk adjusted for age, sex, Hierarchical Condition Categories, insurance type, and prior 6-month payments. Selection bias was accounted for using multivariable logistic regression with propensity score matching without replacement using calipers. Data analysis was performed from January to December 2019.ExposurePresence of ADRD.Main Outcomes and MeasuresMain outcomes were 30-day readmission rate at the patient and county levels, 30-day readmission cost, and 30-day total episode cost across 28 medical and surgical services.ResultsThe study included 722 911 hospitalization episodes, of which 66 676 were related to patients with ADRD (mean [SD] age, 83.4 [8.6] years; 42 439 [63.6%] female) and 656 235 were related to patients without ADRD (mean [SD] age, 66.0 [15.4] years; 351 246 [53.5%] female). After propensity score matching, 58 629 hospitalization episodes were included for each group. Readmission rates were 21.5% (95% CI, 21.2%-21.8%) for patients with ADRD and 14.7% (95% CI, 14.4%-15.0%) for patients without ADRD (difference, 6.75 percentage points; 95% CI, 6.31-7.19 percentage points). Cost of 30-day readmission was $467 higher (95% CI of difference, $289-$645) among patients with ADRD ($8378; 95% CI, $8263-$8494) than those without ($7912; 95% CI, $7776-$8047). Across all 28 service lines examined, total 30-day episode costs were $2794 higher for patients with ADRD vs patients without ADRD ($22 371 vs $19 578; 95% CI of difference, $2668-$2919).Conclusions and RelevanceIn this cohort study, patients with ADRD had higher readmission rates and overall readmission and episode costs than their counterparts without ADRD. Hospitals may need to be better equipped to care for patients with ADRD, especially in the postdischarge period. Considering that any type of hospitalization may put patients with ADRD at a high risk of 30-day readmission, judicious preoperative assessment, postoperative discharge, and care planning are strongly advised for this vulnerable patient population.

OBJECTIVES: On April 6, 2015, the largest private health insurer in the United States implemented a policy requiring prior authorization for all hysterectomies except those done as outpatient vaginal. The purpose of this policy was to increase utilization of vaginal hysterectomy; however, it is unknown whether this policy had its intended effect. We sought to analyze trends in hysterectomy routes before and after implementation of the prior authorization policy to see if utilization of vaginal hysterectomy increased. METHODS: This was a retrospective study using the Optum® Clinformatics Data Mart national claims database of women enrolled in a single national private health insurer who underwent hysterectomy for any indication between January 1, 2010 and June 30, 2016. Per-quarter utilization of hysterectomy routes (abdominal, laparoscopic, vaginal, and laparoscopic-assisted vaginal) were compared between the pre- and post-policy time periods using interrupted time series analyses. RESULTS: Data for 305,139 hysterectomies were available—248,821 in the pre-policy period and 56,318 in the post-period. Outpatient vaginal hysterectomy had the greatest increase in utilization of all routes and types; the average utilization per quarter in the pre-policy period was −0.61% and this increased to 0.21% in the post-policy period (p

AIM To develop a new comorbidity index for adults with cerebral palsy (CP), the Whitney Comorbidity Index (WCI), which includes relevant comorbidities for this population and better predicts mortality than the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI). METHOD Data from the Optum Clinformatics Data Mart was used for this retrospective cohort study. Diagnosis codes were used to identify adults aged 18 years or older with CP (n=1511 females, n=1511 males; mean [SD; range] age=48y [19y 2mo; 18-89y]) and all comorbidities in the year 2014. The WCI was developed based on the comorbidities of the CCI and ECI and other relevant comorbidities associated with 2-year mortality using Cox regression and competing risk analysis. The WCI was examined as unweighted (WCIunw ) and weighted (WCIw ). The model fit and discrimination (C-statistic) of each index was assessed using Cox regression. RESULTS Twenty-seven comorbidities were included in the WCI; seven new comorbidities that were not part of the CCI or ECI were added. The WCIunw and WCIw showed a better model fit and discrimination for 1- and 2-year mortality compared to the CCI and ECI. The WCIunw and WCIw were strong predictors for 1- and 2-year mortality (C-statistic [95% confidence interval] ranging from 0.81 [0.76-0.85] to 0.88 [0.82-0.94]). INTERPRETATION The new WCI, designed to include clinically relevant comorbidities, provides a better model fit and discrimination of mortality for adults with CP. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS Common comorbidity indices exclude relevant comorbidities for adults with cerebral palsy (CP). A new comorbidity index for adults with CP was created by harmonizing clinical theory and data-driven methods. The Whitney Comorbidity Index better predicted 1- and 2-year mortality than other commonly used comorbidity indices.

Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) report barriers to accessing care, including receipt of preventive services. Potentially preventable hospitalization (PPH) is an important marker for access to, and receipt of timely care. However, few national studies have examined PPH risk in people with MS or considered the role of preventive care in reducing PPH risk among this patient population. Our objective was to examine PPH risk among adults with MS compared with their counterparts without MS.Optum® Clinformatics® Data Mart (2007-2017) was used to identify 6198 individuals with an MS diagnosis and their propensity-score matched counterparts without MS. Diagnostic and procedural codes were used to identify the presence of preventive hospitalizations, which were defined as quality indicators by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) during the 4-year follow-up period since the diagnosis of MS. Information on receipt of preventive services and office visits was also extracted. Adjusted generalized estimating equations were used to examine the association between MS diagnosis and PPHs. To examine the role of preventive services on odds of PPH amongst people with MS, we reported the adjusted marginal odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).The rate of any PPH among people with MS was double that of those without MS (131.6 vs 62.5 per 10,000). We identified higher odds of specific PPH indicators among people with MS compared to those without. Individuals with MS had 65% higher odds of hospitalization for pneumonia (OR=1.65, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.30), with similar significant findings observed for urinary tract infections (OR=4.90, 95% CI: 2.51, 9.57). In MS patients, receipt of preventive services, namely cholesterol screening (OR=0.76, 95% CI: 0.60, 0.95) and annual wellness visits were associated with lower odds of any PPH (OR=0.57, 95% CI: 0.43, 0.76).People with MS were at a higher risk for PPHs compared with their counterparts without MS. Use of appropriate preventive services reduced the risk of PPH among the general population and among those with MS. More efforts are needed to encourage and facilitate the use of preventive care among people with MS. Receipt of timely and appropriate preventive care in this population may reduce the risk for PPH.

Extended venous thromboembolism prophylaxis (eVTEp) is recommended for select patients who have undergone major abdominopelvic surgery to prevent postdischarge venous thromboembolism (pdVTE). Criteria for selection of these patients are untested for this purpose and may be ineffective. To address this gap, we investigated the effectiveness of eVTEp on pdVTE rates.A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing abdominopelvic surgery from January 2016 to February 2020 was performed using data from the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative. pdVTE was the main outcome. Our exposure variable, eVTEp, was compared dichotomously. Length of stay (LOS) was compared categorically using clinically relevant groups. Age, race, cancer occurrence, inflammatory bowel disease, surgical approach, and surgical time were covariates among other variables. Descriptive statistics, propensity score matching, and multivariable logistic regression were performed to compare pdVTE rates.A total of 45,637 patients underwent abdominopelvic surgery. Of which, 3063 (6.71%) were prescribed eVTEp. Two hundred eighty-five (0.62%) had pdVTE. Of the 285, 59 (21%) patients received eVTEp, while 226 (79%) patients did not. After propensity score matching, multivariable logistic regression analysis showed pdVTE was associated with eVTEp and LOS of 5 d or more (P 0.001). eVTEp was not associated with LOS. Further analysis showed increased risk of pdVTE with increasing LOS independent of prescription of eVTEp based on known risk factors.pdVTE was associated with increasing LOS but not with other VTE risk factors after propensity score matching. Current guidelines for eVTEp do not include LOS. Our findings suggest that LOS5 d should be added to the criteria for eVTEp.

This retrospective cohort study analyzes venous thromboembolism (VTE) incidence, morbidity, and mortality amongst postsurgical patients with and without VTE chemoprophylaxis within a quality collaborative. Postoperative thromboprophylaxis was broadly applied, yet was associated with no decrease in VTE, without affecting transfusion or mortality. Predictors of breakthrough VTE development despite evidence-based thromboprophylaxis are identified.We hypothesized that a high rate of prescription of VTE chemoprophylaxis would be associated with decreased VTE incidence and mortality.Recommendations for VTE prevention in surgical patients include chemoprophylaxis based upon preoperative risk stratification.This retrospective cohort study analyzed VTE incidence, morbidity, and mortality amongst postsurgical patients with and without VTE chemoprophylaxis between April 2013 and September 2017 from 63 hospitals within the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative. A VTE risk assessment survey was distributed to providers. Bivariate and multivariate comparisons were made, as well as using propensity score matched cohorts to determine if VTE chemoprophylaxis was associated with decreased VTE events. Hospitals were compared using risk-reliability adjusted VTE prophylaxis and postoperative VTE event rates.Within the registry, 80% of practitioners reported performing formal VTE risk assessment. Amongst 32,856 operations, there were 480 (1.46%) postoperative VTE, and an overall mortality of 609 (1.85%) patients. Using a propensity matched cohort, we found that rates of VTE were similar in those receiving unfractionated heparin or low molecular weight heparin compared to those not receiving chemoprophylaxis (1.22 vs 1.13%, P = 0.57). When stratified further by VTE risk scoring, even the highest risk patients did not have an associated lower VTE rate (3.68 vs 4.22% P = 0.092). Postoperative transfusion (8.28 vs 7.50%, P = 0.057) and mortality (2.00% vs 1.62%, P = 0.064) rates were similar amongst those receiving and those not receiving chemoprophylaxis. No correlation was found between postoperative VTE chemoprophylaxis application and hospital specific risk adjusted postoperative VTE rates.In modern day postsurgical care, VTE remains a significant occurrence, despite wide adoption of VTE risk assessment. Although postoperative VTE chemoprophylaxis was broadly applied, after adjusting for confounders, no reduction in VTE was observed in at-risk surgical patients.

Clear communication of statistical approaches can ensure healthcare research is well understood, reduce major errors and promote the advancement of science. Yet in contrast to the increasing complexity of data and analyses, published methods sections are at times insufficient for describing necessary details. Therefore, ensuring the quality, transparency and reproducibility of statistical approaches in healthcare research is essential.1 2 Such concerns are not just theoretical and have direct implications for research in the quality and safety field. For example, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program was instituted in 2012 by the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and imposed financial penalties on hospitals with high readmission rates. Subsequent studies sought to determine the extent to which this programme was successful in reducing readmissions without promoting unintended consequences, such as increased mortality. Clearly defining the success or failure of this programme is essential, but in 2018 two prominent articles using the same CMS data set presented opposing results.3 4 These conflicts are undoubtedly due to differences in analytical choices, but specific differences are challenging to reconcile given statistical code was unavailable to readers. In another recent example, a major article was retracted due to the discovery of a statistical coding error that reversed the categorisation of treatment and control groups.5 This clinical trial examined a support programme for hospitalised patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, originally reporting a lower risk of hospitalisation and emergency department visits, but in actuality demonstrating the support programme was associated with harm. Both cases demonstrate how better practices with statistical coding sharing at the time of publication may improve the quality of research. While the utility of statistical code sharing may seem self-evident, it occurs more infrequently than one would expect.2 We believe a principal barrier to statistical code sharing is …

This study examined the proportion of hospitalizations associated with adverse medication events (AMEs) for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and adults from the general population in the United States using the 2013 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) dataset of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). Adults with IDD had greater odds of having a hospitalization associated with an AME than the general adult population. Unadjusted odds ratios (95% CI) for hospitalization due to any medication for IDD was 2.47 (2.31–2.65). In the multivariate logistic regression model, IDD was significantly associated, with an odds ratio of 1.28 (1.19–1.38). Adults who have IDD are at greater risk of having a hospital admission due to an AME.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if the addition of pharmacologic prophylaxis to mechanical prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism (VTE) is associated with change in perioperative outcomes in hysterectomy for benign indications. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study SETTING: Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative (MSQC) database PATIENTS: Those who underwent hysterectomy between July 2012 and June 2015 when VTE prophylaxis data was collected. INTERVENTIONS: Patients who received mechanical prophylaxis alone were compared to those receiving dual prophylaxis (mechanical and pharmacologic). Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) included laparoscopic, vaginal, robotic-assisted, and laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy and were analyzed separately from abdominal (ABD) hysterectomy. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Propensity score matching was used to minimize confounding due to differences in demographic and perioperative characteristics. The primary outcome was estimated blood loss (EBL). Secondary outcomes were operative time, postoperative blood transfusion, VTE, surgical site infection, reoperation, readmission, and death. There were 1,803 matched pairs in the MIS analysis. In the ABD analysis, 2:1 matching was used with a total of 1,168 patients receiving mechanical prophylaxis alone matched to 616 receiving dual prophylaxis. EBL was higher by 54.5 cc (95% CI, 16.9 – 92.1) in those receiving dual prophylaxis in the ABD analysis but did not differ between groups in the MIS analysis. Operative time was significantly longer with dual prophylaxis in both MIS (18.3 mins; 95% CI, 13.8 – 22.8) and ABD (15.3 mins; 95% CI 9.0 – 21.6) surgical approaches. There were no differences in other secondary outcomes. CONCLUSION: The addition of pharmacologic prophylaxis to mechanical prophylaxis in benign hysterectomy was associated with longer operative time regardless of surgical approach and increased EBL in ABD hysterectomy. Given very low rates of VTE, no difference in other perioperative outcomes, and possible harm, it seems reasonable to encourage individualized rather than routine use of pharmacologic prophylaxis in benign hysterectomy patients receiving mechanical prophylaxis.

Complication rates after colectomy remain high. Previous work has failed to establish the relative contribution of patient comorbidities, surgeon performance, and hospital systems in the development of complications after elective colectomy.We identified all patients undergoing elective colectomy between 2012 and 2018 at hospitals participating in the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative. The primary outcome was development of a postoperative complication. We used risk- and reliability-adjusted generalized linear mixed models to estimate the degree to which variance in patient-, surgeon-, and hospital-level factors contribute to complications.A total of 15,755 patients were included in the study. The mean hospital-level complication rate was 15.8% (range, 8.7% to 30.2%). The proportion of variance attributable to the patient level was 35.0%, 2.4% was attributable to the surgeon level, and 1.8% was attributable to the hospital level. The predicted probability of complication for the least comorbid patient was 1.5% (CI 0.7-3.1%) at the highest performing hospital with the highest performing surgeon, and 6.6% (CI 3.2-12.2%) at the lowest performing hospital with the lowest performing surgeon. By contrast, the most comorbid patient in the cohort had a 66.3% (CI 39.5-85.6%) or 89.4% (CI 73.7-96.2%) risk of complication.This study demonstrated that variance from measured factors at the patient level contributed more than 8-fold more to the development of complications after colectomy compared with variance at the surgeon and hospital level, highlighting the impact of patient comorbidities on postoperative outcomes. These results underscore the importance of initiatives that optimize patient foundational health to improve surgical care.

Telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation (T-CPR) is a critical component of optimized out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) care. We assessed a pilot tool to capture American Heart Association (AHA) T-CPR measures and T-CPR coaching by telecommunicators using audio review.Using a pilot tool, we conducted a retrospective review of 911 call audio from 65 emergency medical services-treated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. Data collection included events (e.g., OHCA recognition), time intervals, and coaching quality measures. We calculated summary statistics for all performance and quality measures.Among 65 cases, the patients' mean age was 64.7 years (SD: 14.6) and 17 (26.2%) were women. Telecommunicator recognition occurred in 72% of cases (47/65). Among 18 non-recognized cases, reviewers determined 12 (66%) were not recognizable based on characteristics of the call. Median time-to-recognition was 76 seconds (n = 40; IQR:39-138), while median time-to-first-instructed-compression was 198 seconds (n = 26; IQR:149-233). In 36 cases where coaching was needed, coaching on compression-depth occurred in 27 (75%); -rate in 28 (78%); and chest recoil in 10 (28%) instances. In 30 cases where repositioning was needed, instruction to position the patient's body flat occurred in 18 (60%) instances, on-back in 22 (73%) instances, and on-ground in 22 (73%) instances.Successful collection of data to calculate AHA T-CPR measures using a pilot tool for audio review revealed performance near AHA benchmarks, although coaching instructions did not occur in many instances. Application of this standardized tool may aid in T-CPR quality review.

Chronic pain is the most commonly reported physical symptomology of cerebral palsy (CP) and spina bifida (SB) throughout the lifespan, and yet, pain is perhaps the least understood comorbidity in these populations. The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence and types of pain diagnosed among adults living with and without CP or SB. In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed data from a nationwide commercial insurance claims database. Beneficiaries were included if they had an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis code for CP or SB (n = 22,648). Adults without CP or SB were also included as controls (n = 931,623). Pain phenotypes (nociceptive, nociplastic, and neuropathic pain) and pain multimorbidity (≥2 conditions) were compared. We found that adults living with CP or SB had a higher prevalence of any pain disorders (55.9% vs 35.2%), nociceptive pain (44.0% vs 26.7%), nociplastic pain (26.1% vs 11.9%), neuropathic pain (9.6% vs 5.6%), and pain multimorbidity (21.1% vs 8.4%), as compared to adults without CP or SB, and differences were to a clinically meaningful extent. Adjusted odds ratios of nociceptive pain (odds ratio [OR]: 2.20; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.15-2.24), nociplastic pain (OR: 2.47; 95% CI: 2.41-2.53), neuropathic pain (OR: 2.71; 95% CI: 2.54-2.89), and other pain (OR: 3.92; 95% CI: 3.67-4.19) were significantly higher for adults living with CP or SB. In conclusion, adults with CP or SB have a significantly higher prevalence and odds of common peripheral, central, and neuropathic pain disorders and pain multimorbidity, as compared to adults without CP or SB.

To compare the incidence and hazard of neuropsychiatric, musculoskeletal, and cardiometabolic conditions among adults with and without vision impairment (VI).Retrospective cohort study.The sample comprised enrollees in a large private health insurance provider in the United States, including 24 657 adults aged ≥18 years with VI and age- and sex-matched controls. The exposure variable, VI, was based on low vision and blindness International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM), diagnosis codes. Physician-diagnosed incident neuropsychiatric, musculoskeletal, and cardiometabolic diseases were identified using ICD codes. Separate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the association of VI with incidence of 30 chronic conditions, adjusting for Elixhauser Comorbidity Index. Analyses were stratified by age 18-64 years and ≥65 years.In individuals with VI aged 18-64 years (n=7478), the adjusted hazard of neuropsychiatric (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.9, 2.4), musculoskeletal (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.7, 2.0), and cardiometabolic (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.7, 2.0) diseases was significantly greater than in matched controls (mean 5.5 years follow-up). Similar associations were seen between patients with VI aged ≥65 years (n=17 179) for neuropsychiatric (HR 2.4, 95% CI 2.1, 2.7), musculoskeletal (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.6, 1.9), and cardiometabolic (HR 1.7, 95% CI 1.4, 2.0) diseases. VI was associated with a higher hazard of each of the 30 conditions we assessed, with similar results in both age cohorts.Across the life span, adults with VI had an approximately 2-fold greater adjusted hazard for common neuropsychiatric, musculoskeletal, and cardiometabolic disorders compared with matched controls without VI.

Aim To examine the risk of Alzheimer disease and related dementia (ADRD) among adults with cerebral palsy (CP). Method Using administrative insurance claims data for 2007 to 2017 in the USA, we identified adults (45y or older) with a diagnosis of CP (n=5176). Adults without a diagnosis of CP were included as a typically developing comparison group (n=1 119 131). Using age, sex, ethnicity, other demographic variables, and a set of chronic morbidities, we propensity-matched individuals with and without CP (n=5038). Cox survival models were used to estimate ADRD risk within a 3-year follow up. Results The unadjusted incidence of ADRD was 9 and 2.4 times higher among cohorts of adults 45 to 64 years (1.8%) and 65 years and older (4.8%) with CP than the respective unmatched individuals without CP (0.2% and 2.0% among 45-64y and 65y or older respectively). Fully adjusted survival models indicated that adults with CP had a greater hazard for ADRD (among 45-64y: unmatched hazard ratio 7.48 [95% confidence interval {CI} 6.05-9.25], matched hazard ratio 4.73 [95% CI 2.72-8.29]; among 65y or older: unmatched hazard ratio 2.21 [95% CI 1.95-2.51], matched hazard ratio 1.73 [1.39-2.15]). Interpretation Clinical guidelines for early screening of cognitive function among individuals with CP need updating, and preventative and/or therapeutic services should be used to reduce the risk of ADRD.

BACKGROUND: Ileostomy surgery is associated with a high readmission rate, and care pathways to prevent readmissions have been proposed. However, the extent to which readmission rates have improved is unknown. This study examined rates of readmission and emergency department visits (“return to hospital”, or RTH) across hospitals in Michigan. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing colorectal surgery with ileostomy formation from July 2012 to August 2017 in twenty Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative (MSQC) hospitals. Primary outcome was RTH within 30 days of surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for RTH. RTH rates over time were calculated, and hospitals’ risk-adjusted rates were estimated using a multivariable model. Hospitals were divided into quartiles by risk-adjusted RTH rates, and RTH rates were compared between quartiles. RESULTS: Of 982 patients, 28.5% experienced RTH. Rates of RTH did not decrease over time. Adjusted hospital RTH rates ranged from 9.4% to 43.3%. The risk-adjusted rate in the best performing hospital quartile was 17.5% vs. 37.3% in the worst-performing quartile (p< 0.001). Hospitals that were outliers for ileostomy RTH were not outliers for colorectal resection RTH in general. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of RTH following ileostomy surgery are high and vary between hospitals. This suggests inconsistent or ineffective use of pathways to prevent these events and potential for improvement. There is clear opportunity to standardize care to prevent RTH after ileostomy surgery.

The randomized, controlled BRIDGE trial established a lack of efficacy for use of bridging anticoagulation in warfarin-treated patients who underwent surgical procedures. A large nation-wide insurance claims database was used to perform a retrospective interrupted time series cohort study of adult patients with atrial fibrillation treated with warfarin who underwent surgical procedures. Patients were assessed for the use of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) use as a periprocedural bridging anticoagulant between July 2015 and November 2017. The interrupted time series regression model was used to estimate the reduction in use of bridging LMWH following the publication of the BRIDGE trial in July 2015. The cohort consisted of 9,278 warfarin-treated patients with atrial fibrillation. Use of bridging LMWH declined by an estimated 6.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1% to 11.3%) to 13.0% following publication of the BRIDGE trial. The decline in bridging LMWH use was numerically larger for patients with a moderate- or high risk of stroke (8.9% decline, 95% CI 0.4% to 17.4%) than for patients at low risk for stroke (6.2% decline, 95% CI 0.7% to 11.5%). Significant predictors of bridging LMWH use include younger age and no co-morbid diabetes. In conclusion, this nation-wide, claims-based study identified a significant reduction in the use of bridging LMWH following the publication of the BRIDGE trial for warfarin-treated patients with AF.

Objective To examine the association between hearing aids (HAs) and time to diagnosis of Alzheimer disease (AD) or dementia, anxiety or depression, and injurious falls among adults, aged 66 years and older, within 3 years of hearing loss (HL) diagnosis. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting We used 2008 to 2016 national longitudinal claims data (based on office visit, inpatient, or outpatient healthcare encounters) from a large private payer. We used Kaplan-Meier curves to examine unadjusted disease-free survival and crude and adjusted Cox regression models to examine associations between HAs and time to diagnosis of three age-related/HL-associated conditions within 3 years of HL diagnosis. All models were adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, census divisions, and prior diagnosis of cardiovascular conditions, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, and diabetes. Participants The participants included 114 862 adults, aged 66 years and older, diagnosed with HL. Measurement Diagnosis of (1) AD or dementia; (2) depression or anxiety; and (3) injurious falls. Intervention Use of HAs. Results Large sex and racial/ethnic differences exist in HA use. Approximately 11.3% of women vs 13.3% of men used HAs (95% confidence interval [CI] difference = -0.024 to -0.016). Approximately 13.6% of whites (95% CI = 0.13-0.14) vs 9.8% of blacks (95% CI = 0.09-0.11) and 6.5% of Hispanics (95% CI = 0.06-0.07) used HAs. The risk-adjusted hazard ratios of being diagnosed with AD/dementia, anxiety/depression, and injurious falls within 3 years after HL diagnosis, for those who used HAs vs those who did not, were 0.82 (95% CI = 0.76-0.89), 0.89 (95% CI = 0.86-0.93), and 0.87 (95% CI = 0.80-0.95), respectively. Conclusions Use of HAs is associated with delayed diagnosis of AD, dementia, depression, anxiety, and injurious falls among older adults with HL. Although we have shown an association between use of HAs and reduced risk of physical and mental decline, randomized trials are needed to determine whether, and to what extent, the relationship is causal. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2362-2369, 2019.

Purpose: Individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) are susceptible to early development of high-burden medical conditions, which may place a considerable strain on health care resources. However, little is known about the prevalence of high-burden medical conditions or health care resource utilization among adults with CP. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of high-burden medical conditions and health care resource utilization and costs among adults with CP, as compared to adults without CP. Patients and methods: Cross-sectional data from the 2016 Optum Clinformatics® Data Mart, a de-identified nationwide claims database of beneficiaries from a single private payer in the US. ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes were used to identify all medical conditions among beneficiaries with and without CP who were between 18 and 64 years of age. Medical and outpatient pharmacy claims were used to identify annual all-cause health care resource utilization and health care costs as standardized reimbursement and patient out-of-pocket costs. Results: Adults with CP (n=5,555) had higher prevalence and odds of all medical conditions compared to adults without CP (OR=1.3-5.8; all P

The Image Gently® campaign was launched by several radiological societies in 2007 to promote safe imaging in children. A goal of the campaign was to reduce ionizing radiation exposure in children. Given the recurrent nature of kidney stones, affected children are at risk for unnecessary ionizing radiation exposure from computerized tomography. We sought to determine whether the Image Gently campaign led to a decrease in the use of computerized tomography for evaluating children with nephrolithiasis. We hypothesized that the campaign was the primary cause of a reduction in the use of computerized tomography.We analyzed medical claims data from 2001 to 2015 identifying children with nephrolithiasis covered by the same commercial insurance provider. Using a difference in differences design, we estimated changes in computerized tomography use after the campaign started among patients less than 18 years old compared to a control group age 18 years or older with nephrolithiasis.We identified 12,734 children and 787,720 adults diagnosed with nephrolithiasis. Before 2007 quarterly rates of computerized tomography use during a stone episode (per 1,000 patients) were increasing at a parallel rate in children and adults (5.1 in children vs 7.2 in adults, p = 0.123). After the Image Gently campaign started the use of computerized tomography decreased in both groups but at a slightly higher rate in adults (difference in differences 2.96, 95% CI 0.00 to 5.91, p = 0.050).Although there has been a reduction in the use of computerized tomography among children with nephrolithiasis, given a similar trend seen in adults this change cannot be primarily attributed to the Image Gently campaign.

Objective: To determine the influence of delivery hospital on the rate of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Study Design: This retrospective cohort study used claims data from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan. Women with a prior cesarean and a singleton livebirth between 2012 and 2016 were included. We calculated the hospital-specific risk-standardized VBAC rates and median odds ratio as a measure of variation. Result: Hospital-level adjusted rates varied nearly 10-fold (3.7%-35.5%). Compared to the lowest volume hospitals (1st quartile), the likelihood of VBAC increased for those in the 2nd (adjusted OR 2.75 [95% CI 1.23-6.17]), 3rd (adjusted OR 3.73 [95% CI 1.59-8.75]), and 4th quartiles (adjusted OR 2.9 [95% CI 1.11-7.72]). The median OR suggested significant variation by hospital after adjustment. Conclusion: The delivery hospital itself explains a large amount of the variation in rates of VBAC after adjustment for patient and hospital characteristics.

Background Discharge to a nonhome destination (ie, skilled nursing facility, subacute rehabilitation, or long-term care facility) after surgery is associated with increased mortality and higher costs and is less desirable to patients than discharge to home. Objective We sought to identify modifiable hospital-level factors that may reduce rates of nonhome discharge after colorectal resection. Design This was a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing colorectal resection in the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative (July 2012 to June 2015). Patient- and hospital-level characteristics were tested for association with nonhome discharge patterns. Settings Patients were identified using prospectively collected data from the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative, a statewide collaborative encompassing 63 community, academic, and tertiary hospitals. Patients Patients undergoing colon and rectal resections were included. Main outcome measure The main outcome measure was hospital use patterns of nonhome discharge. Results Of the 9603 patients identified, 1104 (11.5%) were discharged to a nonhome destination. After adjustments for patient factors associated with nonhome discharge, we identified variability in hospital use patterns for nonhome discharge. Designation as a low utilizer hospital was associated with affiliation with a medical school (p = 0.020) and high outpatient volume (p = 0.028). After adjustments for all hospital factors, only academic affiliation maintained a statistically significant relationship (OR = 4.94; p = 0.045). Limitations This study had a retrospective cohort design with short-term follow-up of sampled cases. Additionally, by performing our analysis on the hospital level, there is a decreased sample size. Conclusions This population-based study shows that there is significant variation in hospital practices for nonhome discharge. Specifically, hospitals affiliated with a medical school are less likely to discharge patients to a facility, even after adjustment for patient and procedural risk factors. This study raises the concern that there may be overuse of subacute facility discharge in certain hospitals, and additional study is warranted. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A837.