Burden Of Comorbid Conditions Research Articles

Biologic Treatment in Elderly Patients With Psoriasis: A Systematic Review.

With our aging population, an increasing number of psoriasis patients are classified as elderly. However, psoriasis treatment in older adults can be challenging, given an increased number of comorbid conditions and immunosenescence. Biologic agents present a solution to this treatment dilemma because of their high efficacy and favorable tolerability. The objective of this systematic review was to summarize the findings of clinical trial and real-world studies exploring the safety and efficacy of biologic agents in elderly patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and clinical trial databases. Studies analyzing biologics for psoriasis were included if elderly patients were the main population of interest or were a separate subgroup in their analysis. Eighteen articles met inclusion criteria after screening. Across all biologic classes, efficacy for biologics between nonelderly adult patient and elderly patients was similar. Adverse events (AEs) and infections occured at a similar frequency between both groups. However, serious AEs were more common in the elderly. The available literature on the safety and efficacy of biologic agents in elderly patients supports the use of these agents in this population. However, serious AEs and discontinuation due to AEs were more common in older patients. As elderly patients have a higher burden of comorbid conditions and an increased baseline vulnerability for AE, physicians should continue to be prudent in screening before initiating biologics and monitor patients more closely as AEs tend to be more severe.

The Epidemiology and Outcomes of Mental Disorders in Critically Ill Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Population-Based Study.

BackgroundHospitalized patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) often require critical care, and SLE is the most common autoimmune disease in the intensive care unit (ICU). Mental disorders are highly prevalent among patients with SLE and are associated with increased morbidity and premature death in this population. However, the association of mental disorders with ICU utilization among patients with SLE and their prognostic impact among those admitted to ICU is unknown.MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study, using the Texas Inpatient Public Use Data File to identify SLE hospitalizations aged ≥ 18 years during 2009 - 2014. Mental disorders were defined by the taxonomy of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s Clinical Classification Software Category 5. The patterns of ICU admission among SLE hospitalizations with and without mental disorders were examined. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to examine the association of mental disorders and short-term mortality (defined as hospital death or discharge to hospice) among ICU admissions.ResultsAmong 94,338 SLE hospitalizations 35,793 (37.9%) had mental disorders. There was no difference in the rates of ICU admission among SLE hospitalizations with and without mental disorders (37% vs. 37.2%, respectively; P = 0.5999), and similar rates of mental disorders were found among SLE hospitalizations with and without ICU admission (37.8% vs. 38%, respectively; P = 0.5408). The volume of SLE ICU admissions with and without mental disorders rose between 2009 and 2014 by 60.3% vs. 7.9%, respectively. When compared to those without mental disorders, SLE ICU admissions with mental disorders were older (age ≥ 65 years, 23.6% vs. 21.4%, respectively) and had higher burden of comorbid conditions. Unadjusted short-term mortality among SLE ICU admissions with and without mental disorders was 4.8% and 5.8%, respectively and mental disorders were associated with lower short-term mortality on adjusted analyses (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.826; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.734 - 0.930).ConclusionsThere was no difference in the frequency of mental disorders among hospitalized patients with SLE with and without ICU admission. However, the growth in the volume of ICU admissions with SLE over time involved predominantly patients with mental disorders. Among ICU admissions, mental disorders were associated with lower short-term mortality.

Peripheral Artery Disease: Its Adverse Consequences With and Without CKD

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a potent risk factor for macrovascular disease and death. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is more common in patients with CKD and is associated with lower-limb complications and mortality. We sought to compare the prevalence of PAD in and outside the setting of kidney disease and examine how PAD affects the risk for adverse health outcomes, specifically lower-limb complications, cardiovascular events, and survival. Retrospective cohort study. 453,573 adult residents of Manitoba with at least 1 serum creatinine measurement between 2007 and2014. PAD defined by hospital discharge diagnosis codes and medical claims. All-cause mortality, cardiovascular events, and lower-limb complications, including foot ulcers and nontraumatic amputations. Survival analysis using Cox proportional hazards models. The prevalence of PAD in our study population was 4.5%, and patients with PAD were older, were more likely to be male, and had a higher burden of comorbid conditions, including diabetes and CKD. PAD was associated with higher risks for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular events, and lower-limb complications in patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)≥ 60mL/min/1.73m2, those with CKD GFR categories 3 to 5 (G3-G5), and those treated by dialysis (CKD G5D). Although HRs for PAD were lower in the CKD population, event rates were higher as compared with those with eGFR≥60mL/min/1.73m2. In particular, compared with patients with eGFR≥60mL/min/1.73m2 and without PAD, patients with CKD G5D had 10- and 12-fold higher risks for lower-limb complications, respectively (adjusted HRs of 10.36 [95% CI, 8.83-12.16] and 12.02 [95% CI, 9.58-15.08] for those without and with PAD, respectively), and an event rate of 75/1,000 patient-years. Potential undercounting of PAD and complications using administrative codes and the limited ability to examine quality-of-care indicators for PAD. PAD is more common in patients with CKD G3-G5 and G5D compared with those with eGFR≥60mL/min/1.73m2 and frequently leads to lower-limb complications. Medical interventions and care pathways specifically designed to slow or prevent the development of lower-limb complications in this population are urgently needed.

Guideline-Based Referral for Septal Reduction Therapy in Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Is Associated With Excellent Clinical Outcomes

The outcome of medically refractory patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy treated according to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association consensus guideline recommendations is not known. The objectives of this study were to define the short- and long-term outcomes of medically refractory obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients undergoing alcohol septal ablation (ASA) and surgical septal myectomy (SM) with patient management in accordance with these consensus guidelines, as well as to quantify procedural risk and burden of comorbid conditions at the time of treatment. Patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy referred for either ASA or SM from 2004 to 2015 were followed for the primary end point of short- and long-term mortality and compared with respective age- and sex-matched US populations. Of 477 consecutive severely symptomatic patients, 99 underwent ASA and 378 SM. Compared with SM, ASA patients were older ( P<0.001), had a higher burden of comorbid conditions ( P<0.01), and significantly higher predicted surgical mortality ( P<0.005). Procedure-related mortality was 0.3% and similarly low in both groups (0% in ASA and 0.8% in SM). Over 4.0±2.9 years of follow-up, 95% of patients had substantial improvement in heart failure symptoms to New York Heart Association class I/II (96% in SM and 90% in ASA). Long-term mortality was similar between the 2 groups with no difference compared with age- and sex-matched US populations. Guideline-based referral for ASA and SM leads to excellent outcomes with low procedural mortality, excellent long-term survival, and improvement in symptoms. These outcomes occur in ASA patients despite being an older cohort with significantly more comorbidities.

Oral antidiabetic medication adherence and glycaemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional retrospective study in a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study is to measure the adherence rates of oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and assess the relationship of glycaemic...

Gender-Stratified Prevalence of Psychiatric and Pain Diagnoses in a Primary Care Patient Sample with Fibromyalgia.

Comorbid psychiatric and pain-related conditions are common in patients with fibromyalgia. Most studies in this area have used data from patients in specialty care and may not represent the characteristics of fibromyalgia in primary care patients. We sought to fill gaps in the literature by determining if the association between psychiatric diagnoses, conditions associated with chronic pain, and fibromyalgia differed by gender in a primary care patient population. Retrospective cohort. Medical record data obtained from 38,976 patients, ≥18 years of age with a primary care encounter between July 1, 2008, to June 30, 2016. International Classification of Diseases-9 codes were used to define fibromyalgia, psychiatric diagnoses, and conditions associated with chronic pain. Unadjusted associations between patient demographics, comorbid conditions, and fibromyalgia were computed using binary logistic regression for the entire cohort and separately by gender. Overall, 4.6% of the sample had a fibromyalgia diagnosis, of whom 76.1% were women. Comorbid conditions were more prevalent among patients with vs without fibromyalgia. Depression and arthritis were more strongly related to fibromyalgia among women (odds ratio [OR] = 2.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.50-3.13; and OR = 5.19, 95% CI = 4.62-5.84) compared with men (OR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.71-2.71; and (OR = 3.91, 95% CI = 3.22-4.75). The relationship of fibromyalgia and other diagnoses did not significantly differ by gender. Except for depression and arthritis, the burden of comorbid conditions in patients with fibromyalgia is similar in women and men treated in primary care. Fibromyalgia comorbidities in primary care are similar to those found in specialty care.

Effectiveness of Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy in Patients With Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Hepatitis C Virus Coinfection in Routine Clinical Care: A Multicenter Study.

BackgroundDirect-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy have been shown to be highly successful in clinical trials and observational studies, but less is known about treatment success in patients with a high burden of comorbid conditions, including mental health and substance use disorders. We evaluated DAA effectiveness across a broad spectrum of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection in routine clinical care, including those with psychosocial comorbid conditions.MethodsThe primary end point was sustained virologic response (SVR), defined as HCV RNA not detected or <25 IU/mL ≥10 weeks after treatment. We calculated SVR rates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in a modified intent-to-treat analysis. We repeated this analysis after multiply imputing missing SVR values.ResultsAmong 642 DAA-treated patients, 536 had SVR assessments. The median age was 55 years; 79% were men, 59% black, and 32% white. Cirrhosis (fibrosis-4 index>3.25) was present in 24%, and 17% were interferon treatment experienced; 96% had genotype 1 infection and 432 (81%) had received ledipasvir-sofosbuvir. SVR occurred in 96.5% (95% CI, 94.5%–97.9%). Patients who were black, treatment experienced, or cirrhotic all had SVR rates >95%. Patients with depression and/or anxiety, psychotic disorder, illicit drug use, or alcohol use disorder also had high SVR rates, ranging from 95.4% to 96.8%. The only factor associated with lower SVR rate was early discontinuation (77.8%; 95% CI, 52.4%–93.6%). Similar results were seen in multiply imputed data sets.ConclusionsOur study represents a large multicenter examination of DAA therapy in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients. The broad treatment success we observed across this diverse group of patients with significant comorbid conditions is highly affirming and argues for widespread implementation of DAA therapy.

Mortality in US veterans with pulmonary hypertension: a retrospective analysis of survival by subtype and baseline factors.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) occurs when the pulmonary vasculature is itself diseased or becomes affected secondarily by comorbid conditions, commonly left heart or lung disease. The high prevalence of chronic cardiopulmonary conditions among patients served by Veterans Health Administration (VHA) suggests this population may be particularly susceptible to PH. We sought to identify clinical features and outcomes in veterans diagnosed with PH. We utilized the VHA Corporate Data Warehouse to identify veterans diagnosed between January 1, 2003 and September 30, 2015, assess relevant patient characteristics and their survival time. The effects of PH subtype and baseline factors on outcome were estimated by Cox modeling. There were 110,564 veterans diagnosed with PH during the study period. These veterans were predominantly male, had median age 70.2, and had a high burden of comorbid conditions. PH was frequently due to left heart and/or lung disease. Average survival after PH diagnosis was 3.88 years. Compared with other types, PH due to left heart disease, lung disease or both had shorter survival. This large retrospective study of veterans demonstrates the significance of PH due to left heart and/or lung disease which was common and had high risk of death. Multi-comorbidity was common and added to risk. These findings underscore the need for risk assessment tools for subjects with non-Group 1 PH and novel management strategies to improve their outcome. This study details the largest retrospective cohort assembled for evaluation of secondary PH and allows hypothesis-generating inquiries into these common conditions that are rarely prospectively studied.

The Influence of the Charlson Comorbidity Index on Procedural Characteristics, VARC-2 Endpoints and 30-Day Mortality Among Patients Who Undergo Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Aortic stenosis (AS) is a common valvular abnormality and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is being increasingly used to treat patients considered too high risk for conventional surgery. We aimed to assess the prevalence of comorbid conditions in patients undergoing TAVI using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and to assess their impact on clinical and procedural outcomes. We analysed 158 patients who underwent a TAVI at our institution between June 2009 and September 2015 to define their co-morbid burden as measured with CCI, and study its impact on procedural characteristics and mortality at 30 days. One hundred fifty-eight (158) patients with a mean age of 82±8years and a mean CCI score of 2.67 underwent a TAVI. Only 12/158 patients had a CCI of 0. The commonest cardiovascular comorbidities were previous myocardial infarction (24%), congestive heart failure (15%) and diabetes mellitus (23%) whilst the commonest non-cardiovascular comorbidities were renal disease (46%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (29%). After multivariable adjustment, CCI was not independently associated with adverse clinical outcomes. The addition of CCI to scoring systems such as Logistic EuroScore (LES) and Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) risk models improved the area under the curve from 0.75 (95%CI: 0.44-1.00) and 0.83 (95%CI: 0.64-1.00) to 0.78 (95%CI: 0.53-1.00) and 0.89 (95%CI: 0.78-1.00) respectively. The burden of comorbid conditions in patients undergoing TAVI is significant. The CCI score was not independently associated with a higher risk of death but can be useful in addition to LES and STS risk models in informing decision making on the selection of patients for TAVI.

A high burden of comorbid conditions leads to decreased survival in breast cancer.

Despite our most advanced medical and surgical treatment 40,000 women die from breast cancer each year. The aging population and their increasing burden of comorbidities may not be able to realize the full benefit of treatments due to a combination of the side effects and patient frailty. The aim of this study was to characterize the comorbidities of breast cancer patients and to determine if the number of comorbidities is a significant contributor to survival. A database including patients from the year 2002 to 2012 was created to include health comorbidities from the electronic medical record. Patients were classified into groups according to their number of comorbidities. Disease free and overall survival was calculated for each patient. A one-way analysis of variance was then performed to determine if there was a difference in survival. A total of 279 patients were included: predominately African American (48.7%), female (98.6%) and late middle age (average age =56.1 years). The average number of comorbidities was 2.2 with hypertension and obesity being the most common. Significant differences were found in the number of comorbidities between African Americans (2.61) and Caucasians (1.78) (P<0.005). Disease free survival and overall survival according to number of comorbidities were both significantly different (F=2.775, P<0.008; F=3.684, P<0.001) with a threshold of decreased survival at six comorbidities. The population of women who face breast cancer is heterogeneous with a wide variety of comorbidities, which negatively impact their survival.

An evaluation of longitudinal changes in serum uric acid levels and associated risk of cardio-metabolic events and renal function decline in gout.

ObjectiveGout patients have a high burden of co-morbid conditions including diabetes mellitus (DM), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and cardiovascular disease (CVD). We sought to evaluate the association between changes in serum uric acid (SUA) levels over time and the risk of incident DM, CVD, and renal function decline in gout patients.MethodsAn observational cohort study was conducted among enrollees of private health insurance programs in the US between 2004 and 2015. Gout patients were included on the index date of a SUA measurement ≥6.8 mg/dl. The exposure of interest was cumulative change in SUA levels from baseline. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for incident DM, incident CVD, and renal function decline (≥30% reduction in glomerular filtration rate) were derived using marginal structural models with stabilized inverse probability weights accounting for baseline confounders (age, gender, co-morbidities, co-medications) and time-varying confounders (serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, glycated hemoglobin).ResultsAmong 26,341 patients with gout, the average age was 62, 75% were men, and the median baseline SUA was 8.6 mg/dl (interquartile range 7.7 to 9.5). The incidence rates/100 person-years (95% CI) were 1.63 (1.51–1.75) for DM, 0.77 (0.70–0.84) for CVD, and 4.32 (4.14–4.49) for renal function decline. The adjusted HR (95% CI) per 3 mg/dl reduction in SUA, corresponding on average to achieving the target level of <6 mg/dl in this population, was 1.04 (0.92–1.17) for DM, 1.07 (0.89–1.29) for CVD, and 0.85 (0.78–0.92) for renal function decline.ConclusionsReduction in SUA in patients with gout may be associated with a reduced risk of renal function decline, but not with DM or CVD.

Sex Differences in Diagnoses, Treatment, and Outcomes for Emergency Department Patients With Chest Pain and Elevated Cardiac Troponin.

While sex differences in the treatment and outcomes of subjects with acute coronary syndromes are well documented, little is known about the impact of cardiac troponin (cTn) levels obtained in the emergency department (ED) on the observed sex differences. We sought to determine whether cTn levels by chest pain features modify sex differences in diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes in patients presenting with chest pain suggestive of ischemia. All adults presenting to two hospitals in Vancouver, Canada, between May 2008 and March 2013 with ischemic chest pain and with cTn testing were included in the study. Outcomes were obtained through data linkage with population-based administrative data sets, including Vital Statistics (death), Discharge Abstract Database (hospitalizations), and PharmaNet (medications). Cumulative event rates for the composite major adverse cardiac event (MACE) endpoint (death, myocardial infarction [MI], incident admission for heart failure or for angina requiring diagnostic catheterization or revascularization) were estimated for each sex and cTn level using the Kaplan-Meier method; Cox models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence interval (CIs) for 1-year MACE and 7-day catheterization. Logistic models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CI for 90-day medication use. Over the 5-year study period, 25,539 patients presented to the ED with chest pain of which 7,272 (2,933 females and 4,339 males) met the inclusion criteria. Among patients with chest pain with cardiac features/history and cTn>99th percentile, females were less likely to be diagnosed with MI (46.4% vs. 57.5%). Females in the cTnI>99th percentile group had the worst outcomes with a 1-year MACE rate of 22.7% (95% CI= 18.5-27.7) versus 18.8% (95% CI= 16.2-21.6), although this difference was attenuated and not statistically significant after adjustment for baseline differences. Overall, females underwent fewer diagnostic catheterizations than males within 7 days of admission to the ED. Even when cTn was above the 99th percentile and the chest pain was cardiac in nature, 48.4% of females underwent a diagnostic catheterization compared to 64.3% of males (p<0.001). Within 90 days of discharge, females were less likely to use the evidence-based cardiac medications. The most striking sex differences were noted when cTnI levels were>99th percentile and when the chest pain was cardiac in nature; males filled 25% more prescriptions for statins than their female counterparts. Adjustment for baseline differences did not attenuate this difference. Sex differences in diagnosis and treatment after presentation to the ED with chest pain are not explained by differences in chest pain features or levels of cTn. Even when females have cardiac chest pain and cTn levels>99th percentile, they are less likely to be diagnosed with MI, less likely to undergo diagnostic cardiac catheterization within 7 days, and less likely to use evidence-based cardiac medications, but they have the highest 1-year MACE rate. The higher MACE rate appears to be driven by the higher burden of comorbid conditions.

A narrative review of the impact of medical comorbidities on stroke rehabilitation outcomes

Purpose: Medical comorbidities in stroke patients influence acute mortality, but may also affect participation of survivors in rehabilitation. There is limited research investigating the impact of comorbidities on stroke rehabilitation outcomes. The review will explore the literature on the impact of comorbidities on stroke rehabilitation outcome.Materials and methods: The literature was searched systematically, including MEDLINE database, EMBASE and PsychINFO, combining variations of the terms stroke, rehabilitation and comorbidities. Results were limited to English language publications. Included studies had a functional outcome.Results: Twenty relevant articles were identified. Fifteen small prospective or large retrospective studies using global comorbidity scales produced conflicting relationships between comorbidities and rehabilitation outcomes. Five publications addressed specific comorbidities, with three studies finding negative correlation between diabetes and rehabilitation outcomes, although effects diminished with age. In general, there were discrepancies in how comorbidities were identified. Few studies specifically focused on comorbidities and/or rehabilitation outcomes.Conclusions: There is conflicting evidence regarding the impact of comorbidities on stroke rehabilitation outcomes. However, the presence of more severe diabetes may be associated with worse outcomes. The role of comorbidities in stroke rehabilitation would be best clarified with a large cohort study, with precise comorbidity identification measured against rehabilitation specific outcomes.Implications for rehabilitationBenefit of rehabilitation after stroke in improving functional outcome is well-established.Many stroke patients have comorbid conditions which can impact rehabilitation participation, leading to less benefit obtained from rehabilitation.The burden of comorbid conditions may slow rehabilitation progress, which may warrant a longer duration of rehabilitation to obtain required functional gain to be discharged into the community.

MP68-03 UROSEPSIS FOLLOWING URETERORENOSCOPY FOR THE TREATMENT OF UROLITHIASIS OR UPPER URINARY TRACT TRANSITIONAL CELL CARCINOMA: A FOCUS ON UNDERESTIMATED AND HARMFUL POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATION

You have accessJournal of UrologyStone Disease: Surgical Therapy VI1 Apr 2017MP68-03 UROSEPSIS FOLLOWING URETERORENOSCOPY FOR THE TREATMENT OF UROLITHIASIS OR UPPER URINARY TRACT TRANSITIONAL CELL CARCINOMA: A FOCUS ON UNDERESTIMATED AND HARMFUL POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATION Luca Villa, Filippo Pederzoli, Francesco Trevisani, Alberto Briganti, Andrea Salonia, and Francesco Montorsi Luca VillaLuca Villa More articles by this author , Filippo PederzoliFilippo Pederzoli More articles by this author , Francesco TrevisaniFrancesco Trevisani More articles by this author , Alberto BrigantiAlberto Briganti More articles by this author , Andrea SaloniaAndrea Salonia More articles by this author , and Francesco MontorsiFrancesco Montorsi More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2017.02.2319AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The reported rate of infectious complications following ureterorenoscopy (URS) for the treatment of patients with either urinary stones or low-risk upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma (UUT-TCC) is reasonably low. We investigated the rate of urosepsis following URS in our series and looked for predictors of postoperative infectious events. METHODS We identified 99 patients submitted to URS with intracorporeal holmium:YAG laser lithotripsy for ureteral and/or renal stones (n=71) or with laser tumour photoablation for suspicion of UUT-TCC (n=28) throughout the last 12 consecutive months. A preoperative urine culture was routinely obtained and any concomitant urinary tract infection (UTI) was treated prior surgery. Antibiotic prophylaxis (i.e., second generation cephalosporin) was offered preoperatively. A ureteral access sheath 10/12 Fr was used when an intrarenal procedure was scheduled. Descriptive statistics was used to detail clinical features of the whole cohort of patients. Urosepsis was defined using the Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock. Chi-square and independent T-test assessed differences among patients with and without urosepsis following URS. All tests were two-sided with a significance level set at p < 0.05. RESULTS 89 patients (89.9%) had elective admission to our department, and 10 patients (10.1%) were admitted through the emergency room. Seven patients (7.1%) developed urosepsis, four (4%) advanced to septic shock, and one (1%) eventually died. Patients who developed urosepsis compared with their counterparts who did not develop urosepsis more frequently had a stone or tumour in the intrarenal cavities rather than in the ureter (100% vs. 50%, respectively), a previous history of UTI (57.1 % vs. 13%, respectively), access to our department through the emergency room (42.8% vs. 7.6%, respectively), longer hospital stay prior to surgery (mean = 6 vs. 0.5 days, respectively), and higher burden of comorbid conditions (Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥3 = 43.8% vs. 18.4%, respectively) (all p< 0.01). Conversely, the rate of urosepsis following URS for the treatment of stones and UUT-TCC did not vary significantly (5.6% and 10.7%, respectively; p=0.4). CONCLUSIONS Proper counselling of patients candidate to URS for either ureteral/renal stones or UUT-TCC who have comorbid conditions or certain clinical features is mandatory, as the risk of severe urosepsis in these categories of patients is not negligible. © 2017FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 197Issue 4SApril 2017Page: e919 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2017MetricsAuthor Information Luca Villa More articles by this author Filippo Pederzoli More articles by this author Francesco Trevisani More articles by this author Alberto Briganti More articles by this author Andrea Salonia More articles by this author Francesco Montorsi More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Sex differences in gout characteristics: tailoring care for women and men

BackgroundTo characterize the differences between women and men with gout.MethodsWe analyzed a US national cohort of gout patients cared for by rheumatologists.ResultsCompared with the 1012 men with gout, women with gout (n = 262) were older (71 vs. 61 years, p < 0.001) and had a greater burden of comorbid conditions (p < 0.001 for hypertension, diabetes, renal disease and obesity). Risk factors for gout differed with women more often taking diuretics (p < 0.001), while men more frequently had dietary triggers (p < 0.05).ConclusionsThe profiles of women and men with gout are markedly different, suggesting a need to tailor treatment recommendations.

Inflammatory Cytokines and Comorbidity Development in Breast Cancer Survivors Versus Noncancer Controls: Evidence for Accelerated Aging?

Purpose The sequelae of cancer treatment may increase systemic inflammation and create a phenotype at increased risk of functional decline and comorbidities, leading to premature mortality. Little is known about how this trajectory compares with natural aging among peers of the same age without cancer. This longitudinal study investigated proinflammatory cytokines and comorbidity development over time among breast cancer survivors and a noncancer control group. Methods Women (N = 315; 209 with breast cancer and 106 in the control group) were recruited at the time of their work-up for breast cancer; they completed the baseline questionnaire, interview, and blood draw (lipopolysaccharide-stimulated production of interleukin [IL] -6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-1β). Measures were repeated 6 and 18 months after primary cancer treatment (cancer survivors) or within a comparable time frame (control group). Results There were no baseline differences in comorbidities or cytokines between survivors and the control group. Over time, breast cancer survivors had significantly higher tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-6 compared with the control group. Survivors treated with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy accumulated a significantly greater burden of comorbid conditions and suffered greater pain associated with inflammation over time after cancer treatment than did the control group. Conclusion Survivors who had multimodal treatment had higher cytokines and comorbidities, suggestive of accelerated aging. Comorbidities were related to inflammation in this sample, which could increase the likelihood of premature mortality. Given that many comorbidities take years to develop, future research with extended follow-up beyond 18 months is necessary to examine the evidence of accelerated aging in cancer survivors and to determine the responsible mechanisms.

Dexlansoprazole: delayed-release orally disintegrating tablets for the treatment of heartburn associated with non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease and the maintenance of erosive esophagitis

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common condition afflicting millions of patients, whose prevalence continues to rise owing to the aging population and increasing burden of comorbid conditions, such as obesity. Currently, the mainstay of therapy for GERD is treatment with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which have proven efficacy, safety, and tolerability. Despite this, a considerable number of patients have refractory symptoms to PPI therapy. Dexlansoprazole is a new addition to the class of PPIs, which has a unique dual delayed drug release system, which aims to address the current limitations of acid suppressive therapy by offering extended acid suppression and improved ease of administration.Areas covered: This manuscript covers the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, clinical efficacy, and regulatory approval of dexlansoprazole. Additionally, there is further discussion concerning the current market settings and the potential future impact of dexlansoprazole.Expert commentary: Overall, dexlansoprazole offers benefits in its ease of administration and proven efficacy in the healing, maintenance of erosive esophagitis, and symptomatic non-erosive GERD. Long-term, dexlansoprazole will likely find a niche market among patients who fail other acid suppressive therapy or who desire simplified administration for compliance concerns, but will likely come at a higher out of pocket expense than comparable generic PPIs.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Versus Optimal Medical Therapy for Stable Angina in Advanced CKD: A Decision Analysis

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) use is low in the setting of stable symptomatic angina in individuals with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) despite high cardiovascular risk in this population, and PCI is frequently deferred out of concern for precipitating dialysis therapy. Whether this is appropriate is uncertain, and patient-centered data comparing the relative risks and benefits of continued medical therapy versus PCI in patients with advanced CKD and stable angina are scarce. Decision analysis. Hypothetical cohort of individuals with advanced CKD (stages 4-5 with estimated glomerular filtration rates≤ 20mL/min/1.73m2) and stable angina. A Markov model with a Monte Carlo simulation through 12 cycles, that is, 3 years of 3-month intervals, with 10,000 microsimulations predicted mean quality-adjusted life-years. PCI first, medical management, or dialysis (hemodialysis [HD]) followed by PCI. Outcomes modeled were progression to HD therapy (for those not assigned to the preemptive HD strategy), catheter infection, and death. Our analysis showed mean quality-adjusted life-years of 1.103 ± 0.69 for PCI first, 1.088±0.70 for medical management, and 0.670±0.58 for HD followed by PCI. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis found PCI as the preferred strategy > 60% of the time. Values for probabilities and utilities were estimated and/or derived from multiple sources that were not uniform in their populations in terms of age, comorbid condition burden, and degree of kidney failure, and several simplifying assumptions were made. Our analysis demonstrates that quality-adjusted life expectancy is similar for the PCI first and medical management strategies in patients with advanced CKD with stable angina and that the decision depends on patient preferences other than those incorporated in our model. Both strategies are superior to preemptive dialysis.

Ten-year trends in direct costs of asthma: a population-based study.

There is little information on recent trends in the economic burden of asthma. Our objective was to estimate the excess costs of asthma and their trend in British Columbia, Canada, from 2002 to 2011. A retrospective cohort of individuals aged 5-55 years was constructed from the provincial administrative health databases, consisting of patients with physician-diagnosed asthma and a propensity-score-matched comparison sample from the general population. Total direct medical costs were calculated as the sum of hospitalizations, outpatient visits and medication costs, adjusted to 2012 Canadian dollars ($). Excess costs were defined as the difference in costs between the asthma and comparison groups. A total of 341 457 individuals (mean age at entry 27.3, 54.1% female) were equally divided into the asthma and comparison groups. Excess costs in patients with asthma were $1028.0 (95% CI $982.7-$1073.4) per patient-year (PY). Medications contributed to the greatest share of excess costs ($471.7/PY), whereas hospitalization and outpatient costs were, respectively, $272.2/PY and $284.1/PY. Only $192.9/PY was attributable to asthma itself. There was a 2.9%/year increase in excess costs (P < 0.001), a combination of asthma-attributable costs declining by 0.8%/year while nonasthma excess costs increasing by 3.8%/year. The most dramatic trend was observed in asthma-related outpatient costs, which decreased by %6.6/year. A significant share of excess costs in asthma is not attributable to the disease itself. The pattern of costs changed significantly during the study period. The burden of comorbid conditions should be considered in developing evidence-based policies for management of patients with asthma.

Effectiveness of Inferior Vena Cava Filters without Anticoagulation Therapy for Prophylaxis of Recurrent Pulmonary Embolism.

ObjectiveThe optimal treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is anticoagulation therapy. Inferior vena cava filter (IVC) placement is another option for the prevention of pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with deep vein thrombosis. This is used mostly in patients with a contraindication to anticoagulant therapy. The purpose of the present study was to compare the two options.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of two groups of patients with DVT: patients who received an IVC filter and did not receive anticoagulation due to contraindications; and patients with DVT and similar burden of comorbidity treated with anticoagulation without IVC insertion. To adjust for a potential misbalance in baseline characteristics between the two groups, we performed matching for age, gender, and Charlson’s index, which is used to compute the burden of comorbid conditions. The primary outcome was an occurrence of a PE.ResultsWe studied 1,742 patients hospitalized with the diagnosis of DVT in our hospital;93 patients from this population received IVC filters. Charlson’s score index was significantly higher in the IVC filter group compared with the anticoagulation group. After matching of the groups of patients according to Charlson’s score index there were no significant differences in primary outcomes.ConclusionInferior vena cava filter without anticoagulation may be an alternative option for prevention of PE in patients with contraindications to anticoagulant therapy.