Matched Comparison Cohort Research Articles

Mobile Integrated Healthcare Intervention and Impact Analysis with a Medicare Advantage Population.

Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) is a patient-centered, innovative delivery model offering on-demand, needs-based care and preventive services, delivered in the patient's home or mobile environment. An interprofessional MIH clinical team delivered a care coordination program for a Medicare Advantage Preferred Provider Organization that was risk assigned prior to intervention to target the highest risk members. Using claims and eligibility data, 6 months of pre-program experience and 6 months of program-influenced experience from the intervention cohort was compared to a propensity score–matched comparison cohort to measure impact. The intervention led to a reduction in inpatient and emergency department utilization, resulting in net savings amount totals of $2.4 million over the 6 months of the program. After accounting for the costs of implementing the program, the intervention produced a return on investment of 2.97. Additionally, high patient activation and experience lend strength to this MIH intervention as a promising model to reduce utilization and costs while keeping patient satisfaction high.

Risk and Prognosis of Cancer After Lower Limb Arterial Thrombosis.

Venous thromboembolism can be a presenting symptom of cancer, but the association between lower limb arterial thrombosis and cancer is unknown. We therefore examined cancer risk and prognosis of cancer in patients with lower limb arterial thrombosis. Using nationwide population-based Danish medical registries, we identified all patients diagnosed with first-time lower limb arterial thrombosis (1994-2013) and followed them until the occurrence of any subsequent cancer diagnosis, emigration, death, or November 30, 2013, whichever came first. We computed standardized incidence ratios with 95% confidence intervals as the observed number of cancers relative to the expected number based on national incidence rates by sex, age, and calendar year. To examine the prognostic impact of lower limb arterial thrombosis on all-cause mortality after cancer, we constructed a matched comparison cohort of patients who had cancer without lower limb arterial thrombosis. Among 6600 patients with lower limb arterial thrombosis, we observed 772 subsequent cancers. The risk of any cancer was 2.5% after 6 months of follow-up, increasing to 17.9% after 20 years. During the first 6 months of follow-up, the standardized incidence ratio of any cancer was 3.28 (95% confidence interval, 2.79-3.82). The standardized incidence ratio remained elevated during 7 to 12 months (1.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-1.83) and beyond 12 months (1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-1.24). The strongest associations were found for lung cancer and other smoking-related cancers. Lower limb arterial thrombosis also was associated with increased all-cause mortality after colon, lung, urinary bladder, and breast cancer, but not after prostate cancer. Lower limb arterial thrombosis was a marker of occult cancer, especially lung cancer, and was an adverse prognostic factor for mortality in common cancers.

Use of health services in the last year of life and cause of death in people with intellectual disability: a retrospective matched cohort study

ObjectiveTo describe the cause of death together with emergency department presentations and hospital admissions in the last year of life of people with intellectual disability.MethodA retrospective matched cohort study using...

Diabetes mellitus after injury in burn and non-burned patients: A population based retrospective cohort study

ObjectiveTo compare hospitalisations for diabetes mellitus (DM) after injury experienced by burn patients, non-burn trauma patients and people with no record of injury admission, adjusting for socio-demographic, health and injury factors. MethodsLinked hospital and death data for a burn patient cohort (n=30,997) in Western Australia during the period 1980–2012 and two age and gender frequency matched comparison cohorts: non-burn trauma patients (n=28,647); non-injured people (n=123,399). The number of DM admissions and length of stay were used as outcome measures. Multivariate negative binomial regression was used to derive adjusted incidence rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals (IRR, 95%CI) for overall post-injury DM admission rates. Multivariate Cox regression models and hazard ratios (HR) were used to examine time to first DM admission and incident admission rates after injury discharge. ResultsThe burn cohort (IRR, 95%: 2.21, 1.80–2.72) and other non-burn trauma cohort (IRR, 95%CI: 1.63, 1.24–2.14) experienced significantly higher post-discharge admission rates for DM than non-injured people. Compared with the non-burn trauma cohort, the burn cohort experienced a higher rate of post-discharge DM admissions (IRR, 95%CI: 1.40, 1.07–1.84). First-time DM admissions were significantly higher during first 5-years after-injury for the burn cohort compared with the non-burn trauma cohort (HR, 95%CI: 2.00, 1.31–3.05) and non-injured cohort (HR, 95%CI: 1.96, 1.46–2.64); no difference was found >5years (burn vs. non-burn trauma: HR, 95%CI: 0.88, 0.70–1.12; burn vs non-injured: 95%CI: 1.08 0.82–1.41). No significant difference was found when comparing the non-burn trauma and non-injured cohorts (0–5 years: HR, 95%CI: 1.03, 0.71–1.48; >5years: HR. 95%CI: 1.11, 0.93–1.33). ConclusionsBurn and non-burn trauma patients experienced elevated rates of DM admissions after injury compared to the non-injured cohort over the duration of the study. While burn patients were at increased risk of incident DM admissions during the first 5-years after the injury this was not the case for non-burn trauma patients. Sub-group analyses showed elevated risk in both adult and pediatric patients in the burn and non-burn trauma. Detailed clinical data are required to help understand the underlying pathogenic pathways triggered by burn and non-burn trauma. This study identified treatment needs for patients after burn and non-burn trauma for a prolonged period after discharge.

Risk and prognosis of cancer after upper-extremity deep venous thrombosis: A population-based cohort study

IntroductionThe association between lower-extremity venous thrombosis and cancer is well-established. However, the extent to which upper-extremity deep venous thrombosis (U-DVT) is a marker of cancer and a prognostic factor for all-cause mortality remains poorly understood. We examined the risk of cancer after a diagnosis of U-DVT compared with cancer risk in the general population. Materials and methodsUsing Danish nationwide population-based medical registries, we identified all patients with first-time U-DVT during 1980–1993 and 2000–2013. Cancer incidence was ascertained using data from the Danish Cancer Registry. We computed standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) calculated as the observed number of cancers relative to the expected number based on national incidence rates by sex, age, and calendar year. We created a matched comparison cohort of cancer patients without U-DVT, to assess the impact of U-DVT on all-cause mortality. ResultsAmong 1087 patients with U-DVT, 232 patients subsequently were diagnosed with cancer, corresponding to an overall SIR of 1.69 (95% confidence interval, 1.48–1.92). During the first 6months following U-DVT, the absolute risk of any cancer was 5.4%, corresponding to a 13-fold elevated SIR. During the subsequent 6–12months and >12months, the SIR remained 2-fold and 1.3-fold elevated, respectively. U-DVT was a prognostic factor for all-cause mortality in patients with lung, prostate, and colorectal cancer during the first 6months of follow-up. ConclusionU-DVT was a marker of cancer. The clinical utility of searching for occult cancer in patients with U-DVT remains unknown.

Cardiovascular outcomes for patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease: A cohort study in The Health Improvement Network (THIN) in the UK.

Background Few data are available on risk factors and associations with outcomes in symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) populations in primary care. We assessed characteristics and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with and those without symptomatic peripheral artery disease in UK primary care, and quantified risk factors for cardiovascular outcomes in patients with peripheral artery disease. Methods Among patients in The Health Improvement Network (THIN) aged 50-89 years in 2000-2010, a symptomatic peripheral artery disease cohort ( n = 28,484) and a matched comparison cohort without peripheral artery disease ( n = 113,940) were identified using Read codes. Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for cardiovascular outcomes were calculated, adjusted for potential confounders. Results The incidence of all-cause death per 1000 person-years was 83.22 and 50.46 in the peripheral artery disease and non-peripheral artery disease cohort, respectively (HR 1.41; 95% CI 1.68-1.43). The incidence of composite cardiovascular outcome (myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke or cardiovascular-related death) per 1000 person-years was 31.87 and 14.63 in the peripheral artery disease and non-peripheral artery disease cohort, respectively (HR 1.71; 95% CI 1.65-1.77). Risk factors for composite cardiovascular outcome in patients with peripheral artery disease were older age (≥75 years vs. 50-64 years: HR 2.37; 95% CI 2.20-2.55), current smoking (1.26; 1.17-1.35), comorbid diabetes (1.42; 1.32-1.52), heart failure (1.31; 1.20-1.44), atrial fibrillation (1.32; 1.18-1.47, previous myocardial infarction (1.29; 1.20-1.39) and previous ischaemic stroke (1.77; 1.63-1.93). Conclusion Patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease in a clinical practice population have a high risk of death and cardiovascular-related outcomes. Minimising risk is important in the ongoing management of these patients.

Long term cardiovascular impacts after burn and non-burn trauma: A comparative population-based study

ObjectiveTo compare post-injury cardiovascular disease (CVD) hospital admissions experienced by burn patients with non-burn trauma patients and people with no record of injury, adjusting for socio-demographic, health and injury factors. MethodsLinked hospital and death data were analysed for a cohort of burn patients (n=30,997) hospitalised in Western Australia during the period 1980–2012 and age and gender frequency matched comparison cohorts (non-burn trauma: n=28,647; non-injured: n=123,399). The number and length of hospital stay for CVD admissions were used as outcome measures. Multivariate negative binomial regression was used to derive adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Multivariate Cox regression models and hazard ratios (HR) were used to examine first time post-injury CVD admissions. ResultsThe burn cohort had a higher rate of CVD (combined) admissions (IRR, 95%CI: 1.16: 1.08–1.24) and spent longer in hospital (IRR, 95%CI: 1.37, 1.13–1.66) than the non-burn trauma cohort. Both the burn cohort (IRR, 95%CI: 1.50, 1.40–1.60) and the non-burn trauma cohort (IRR, 95%CI: 1.29, 1.21–1.37) had higher adjusted rates of post-injury CVD admissions compared with the non-injured cohort. The burn cohort (HR, 95%CI: 2.27, 1.70–3.02) and non-burn trauma cohort (HR, 95%CI: 2.19, 1.66–2.87) experienced significantly elevated first time CVD admissions during the first 6 months after injury, decreasing in magnitude from 6 months to 5 years after injury (HR, 95%CI: burn vs. non-injured; 1.31, 1.16–1.48; non-burn trauma vs. non-injured; 1.16, 1.03–1.31); no significant difference in incident admission rates was found beyond 5 years (HR, 95%CI: burn vs. non-injured; 0.99, 0.92–1.07; non-burn trauma vs. non-injured; 1.00, 0.93–1.07). ConclusionsBurn and non-burn trauma patients experience elevated rates of post-injury CVD admissions for a prolonged period after the initial injury and are particularly at increased risk of incident CVD admissions during the first 5-years after the injury event. Detailed clinical data are required to help understand the underlying pathogenic pathways triggered by burn and non-burn trauma. This study identified treatment needs for injury patients, burn and non-burn, for a prolonged period after discharge.

Antiarrhythmic drug usage and prostate cancer: a population-based cohort study

Even though the relationship between antiarrhythmic drug usage and subsequent prostate cancer (PCa) risk has recently been highlighted, relevant findings in the previous literature are still inconsistent. In addition, very few studies have attempted to investigate the association between sodium channel blockers or potassium channel blockers for arrhythmia and the subsequent PCa risk. Therefore, this cohort study aimed to find the relationship between antiarrhythmic drug usage and the subsequent PCa risk using a population-based dataset. The data used in this study were derived from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005, Taiwan, China. We respectively identified 9988 sodium channel blocker users, 3663 potassium channel blocker users, 65 966 beta-blocker users, 23 366 calcium channel blockers users, and 7031 digoxin users as the study cohorts. The matched comparison cohorts (one comparison subject for each antiarrhythmic drug user) were selected from the same dataset. Each patient was tracked for a 5-year period to define those who were subsequently diagnosed with PCa. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, and age, Cox proportional hazard regressions found that the hazard ratio (HR) of subsequent PCa for sodium channel blocker users was 1.12 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.84–1.50), for potassium channel blocker users was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.59–1.34), for beta-blocker users was 1.08 (95% CI: 0.96–1.22), for calcium channel blocker users was 1.14 (95% CI: 0.95–1.36), and for digoxin users was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.67–1.18), compared to their matched nonusers. We concluded that there were no statistical associations between different types of antiarrhythmic drug usage and subsequent PCa risk.

Mortality risk among older Australians hospitalised with hip fracture: a population-based matched cohort study.

The aim of this study is to quantify and describe the 12-month mortality of older persons presenting to hospitals in Australia with a hip fracture. Population-based matched cohort study using linked hospital and mortality data from four Australian states (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania). Individuals aged 65years and older who had a hospital admission with a primary diagnosis of hip fracture in 2009 (n=9748) and a matched comparison cohort of non-injured individual were selected from the electoral roll (n=9748). The comparison group was matched 1:1 on age, sex, and postcode of residence. Adjusted mortality rate ratios (MRR) and attributable risk percent were calculated. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to examine the effect of risk factors on survival. The hip fracture cohort experienced significantly worse survival at the 12-month post-fracture hospitalisation (P<0.0001). Individuals with hip fracture were more than 3.5 times more likely to die within 12months compared to their non-injured counterparts (MRR 3.62 [95%CI 3.23-4.05]). Hip fracture was likely to be a contributory factor in 72% of mortality within 12months after the index hospital admission. Excess mortality risk at 12months was higher in males than that in females and in the 65-74-year age group. With an ageing population in Australia, the burden of hip fractures is expected to increase in the coming decades. Because incident hip fracture is the main predictor of subsequent mortality, the main priority for reducing excess mortality after hip fracture is primary and secondary prevention of hip fracture.

Pericarditis as a Marker of Occult Cancer and a Prognostic Factor for Cancer Mortality.

Pericarditis may be a serious complication of malignancy. Its significance as a first symptom of occult cancer and as a prognostic factor for cancer survival is unknown. Using Danish medical databases, we conducted a nationwide cohort study of all patients with a first-time diagnosis of pericarditis during 1994 to 2013. We excluded patients with previous cancer and followed up the remaining patients for subsequent cancer diagnosis until November 30, 2013. We calculated risks and standardized incidence ratios of cancer for patients with pericarditis compared with the general population. We assessed whether pericarditis predicts cancer survival by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression using a matched comparison cohort of cancer patients without pericarditis. Among 13 759 patients with acute pericarditis, 1550 subsequently were diagnosed with cancer during follow-up. The overall cancer standardized incidence ratio was 1.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-1.5), driven predominantly by increased rates of lung, kidney, and bladder cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, and unspecified metastatic cancer. The <3-month cancer risk among patients with pericarditis was 2.7%, and the standardized incidence ratio was 12.4 (95% CI, 11.2-13.7). The 3- to <12-month standardized incidence ratio of cancer was 1.5 (95% CI, 1.2-1.7), subsequently decreasing to 1.1 (95% CI, 1.0-1.2). Three-month survival after the cancer diagnosis was 80% and 86% among those with and without pericarditis, respectively, and the hazard ratio was 1.5 (95% CI, 1.3-1.8). One-year survival was 65% and 70%, respectively, corresponding to a 3- to <12-month hazard ratio of 1.3 (95% CI, 1.1-1.5). Pericarditis may be a marker of occult cancer and augurs increased mortality after a cancer diagnosis.

Sickness Absence and Disability Pension After Breast Cancer Diagnosis: A 5-Year Nationwide Cohort Study.

Purpose To explore future diagnosis-specific sickness absence and disability pension among women with breast cancer compared with women without breast cancer. Also, to examine associations with disease-related and sociodemographic factors among those with breast cancer. Methods Longitudinal register data on 3,547 women living in Sweden (age 20 to 65 years) who were first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, and a matched comparison cohort (n = 14,188), were analyzed for the annual prevalence of diagnosis-specific sickness absence and disability pension over 5 years. Logistic regressions were used to explore associations of disease-related and sociodemographic factors with future sickness absence and disability pension among women with breast cancer. Results Immediately after being diagnosed with breast cancer, the proportion of women with sickness absence was high but decreased continuously from the 1st through 5th year after diagnosis (71%, 40%, 30%, 22%, and 19%, respectively). In comparison, the range for women without breast cancer was 17% to 11%, respectively. The higher prevalence of sickness absence after breast cancer was mainly a result of breast cancer diagnosis, not a mental diagnosis, or other somatic diagnoses. Advanced cancer at diagnosis, > 90 days sickness absence before diagnosis, low education, and being born outside Sweden were associated with higher odds ratios for sickness absence and disability pension (odds ratio range, 1.40 to 6.45). Conclusion The level of sickness absence increased substantially in women with breast cancer during the first year after diagnosis and approached the level of breast cancer-free women in the following years; however, even in the first year, most women were not on sickness absence for a substantial time, and even in high-risk groups, many were not on sickness absence or disability pension in the following years. Information about relatively low future sickness absence and disability pension levels can be used by patients when planning their work, by health care professionals, and by social insurance officers. Employers and Occupational Health Services need this information to adequately handle workplace adjustments.

Maternal alcohol disorders and school achievement: a population cohort record linkage study in Western Australia

ObjectiveMaternal alcohol use disorder is a risk factor for a range of developmental outcomes in children. This study examines school achievement in children of Indigenous and non-Indigenous mothers with an...

Increased incidence of open-angle glaucoma among hypertensive patients: an 11-year nationwide retrospective cohort study.

To evaluate the risk of open-angle glaucoma (OAG) among patients with systemic hypertension (HTN). This retrospective propensity-score-matched cohort study included patients with HTN and a matched comparison cohort from the Korean National Health Insurance Service National Sample Cohort database. The HTN group was defined as patients who were prescribed antihypertensive medication, or SBP at least 140 or DBP at least 90 mmHg. The OAG group was defined as patients satisfying OAG criteria during repeated visits to an ophthalmologist. The Charlson comorbidity index was used to control for systemic conditions. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed. OAG occurred in 2.0% (n = 1961) in the HTN group, and 1.7% (n = 1692) in the comparison group (P < 0.001). The OAG incidence rates in patients with and without HTN were 19.0 and 16.4 per 10 000 person-years, respectively. HTN was associated with increased OAG incidence [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 1.16, 95% confidence interval: 1.09-1.24] from our multivariate Cox model. Participants with higher SBP (adjusted HR = 1.12 for 120-139 mmHg group; and adjusted HR = 1.20 for ≥140 mmHg group) was more likely to have subsequent OAG compared with participants with less than 120 mmHg blood pressure. Participants with higher DBP (adjusted HR = 1.11 for 80-89 mmHg group: and adjusted HR = 1.07 for ≥90 mmHg group) showed similar trends as participants with less than 80 mmHg blood pressure. Patients diagnosed with HTN are more likely to experience subsequent OAG than those without HTN.

Increased risk of active tuberculosis after cancer diagnosis

Cancer may increase risk of active tuberculosis but evidence is sparse. We therefore examined tuberculosis risk in patients with incident cancer using Danish nationwide medical databases. We conducted a matched follow-up study comparing risk of active tuberculosis in cancer-exposed individuals to that in a general population comparison cohort, matched on gender, age, and country of origin, in different follow-up intervals using Cox regression. We identified 290,944 patients with incident cancer and 871,147 matched comparison cohort members during 1 January, 2004-30 November, 2013. After adjusting for comorbidities, the overall adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for tuberculosis among cancer patients was 2.48 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.99-3.10). The highest tuberculosis risks were observed following cancers of the aerodigestive tract (aHR=8.12; 95% CI: 4.33-15.22), tobacco-related cancers (aHR=5.01; 95% CI: 3.37-7.44), and hematological cancers (aHR=4.88; 95% CI: 2.27-10.48). Tuberculosis risk was highly elevated within the first year after cancer diagnosis (aHR=4.14; 95% CI: 2.88-5.96), with a 6.78-fold increased aHR for cancer patients receiving cytostatics or radiotherapy. Beyond five years of observation, the overall aHR for tuberculosis remained at 2.66 (95% CI: 1.22-5.81). Cancer is a clinical predictor for increased risk of active tuberculosis, probably related to decreased infection barriers, immunosuppression, and shared risk factors.

Myocardial Infarction Without Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease is Not a Benign Condition (ANZACS-QI 10)

Non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) on coronary angiography after myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with a lower risk of adverse outcomes, but the prognosis may not be benign. Our aim was to assess outcomes in MI with and without obstructive CAD, and in an age and sex matched comparison cohort without known cardiovascular disease. We performed a single centre analysis of consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography for MI between 2007 and 2012. Patients were classified into those with obstructive CAD (≥50% epicardial coronary artery stenosis) and those without obstructive CAD (<50%). Myocardial infarction patient data was collected in an electronic registry and linked anonymously to national hospitalisation and mortality records. Age and sex matched patients without known CVD were identified from the community PREDICT cohort. Of the 2070 patients with MI, 302 (15%) had non-obstructive CAD. Compared to patients with obstructive disease they were younger (mean 57 v 61 years, p<0.001), more likely to be women (50% vs 23%, p<0.001), to be of Maori or Pacific vs. European ethnicity (p<0.001), more likely to be lifelong non-smokers (46% v 38%, p=0.02), non-diabetic (80v 73%, p <0.01), have no ST-segment deviation (78% v 46%, p<0.001), and have a low risk Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events acute coronary syndrome (GRACE ACS) score (54 v 35%, p<0.001). They were also less likely to receive 'triple therapy' secondary prevention medications (81% v 94%, p<0.0001). The cumulative two-year Kaplan-Maier composite outcome of mortality or non-fatal MI was 14.3% for MI with obstructive CAD, 4.6% for MI without obstructive disease, and 2.2% for patients without prior CVD (p<0.001). Myocardial infarction without obstructive coronary disease is common (∼1 in 7 patients) and is not clinically benign, with an adverse outcome rate double that of age and sex matched patients without CVD.

Incidence of and risk factors for hospitalisations due to vascular complications: A population-based type 1 diabetes cohort (n = 1316) followed into early adulthood

AimTo determine the incidence of hospitalisations and risk factors for vascular complications experienced during early adulthood in patients with childhood onset type 1 diabetes. MethodsA population-based childhood onset type 1 diabetes cohort was identified from a statewide register (1992–2012). Data linkage was used to identify a matched comparison cohort. Hospital admissions data were extracted to follow up both cohorts into early adulthood (1975–2012). ResultsThe type 1 diabetes cohort (n=1316) had a mean age of diagnosis of 9.5years, 49.5% were women and mean age at the end of follow-up was 26.3years (range 18–38). Within the type 1 diabetes cohort 32 (2.4%) were hospitalised with a vascular complication during early adulthood. Poor glycaemic control during paediatric management was associated with a significant increase in risk for ophthalmic complication with 19.4% (n=12/62) of those with a mean HbA1c >12% (108mmol/mol) diagnosed compared to 0.72% (n=5/696) of those with mean HbA1c <9% (75mmol/mol), adjusted hazard ratio 8.4 (95% CI 2.0, 34.7). ConclusionSevere vascular complications requiring hospital admission continue to be observed during early adulthood. Both women and those with poor glycaemic control are at increased risk of requiring a hospital admission for these complications during early adulthood.

Prosthetic Dislocation and Revision After Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty in Lumbar Fusion Patients: A Propensity Score Matched-Pair Analysis

BackgroundLumbar-pelvic fusion reduces the variation in pelvic tilt in functional situations by reducing lumbar spine flexibility, which is thought to be important in maintaining stability of a total hip arthroplasty (THA). We compared dislocation and revision rates for patients with lumbar fusion and subsequent THA to a matched comparison cohort with hip and spine degenerative changes undergoing only THA. MethodsWe identified patients in New York State who underwent primary elective lumbar fusion for degenerative disc disease pathology and subsequent THA between January 2005 and December 2012. A propensity score match was performed to compare 934 patients with prior lumbar fusion to 934 patients with only THA according to age, gender, race, Deyo comorbidity score, year of surgery, and surgeon volume. Revision and dislocation rates were assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months post-THA. ResultsAt 12 months, patients with prior lumbar fusion had significantly increased rates of THA dislocation (control: 0.4%; fusion: 3.0%; P < .001) and revision (control: 0.9%; fusion: 3.9%; P < .001). At 12 months, fusion patients were 7.19 times more likely to dislocate their THA (P < .001) and 4.64 times more likely to undergo revision (P < .001). ConclusionPatients undergoing lumbar fusion and subsequent THA have significantly higher risks of dislocation and revision of their hip arthroplasty than a matched cohort of patients with similar hip and spine pathology but only undergoing THA. During preoperative consultation for patients with prior lumbar fusion, orthopedic surgeons must educate the patient and family about the increased risk of dislocation and revision.

Impact of the Cincinnati Aligning Forces for Quality Multi-Payer Patient Centered Medical Home Pilot on Health Care Quality, Utilization, and Costs.

To evaluate the potential for a patient-centered medical home initiative to reduce utilization and cost while improving quality, we examined a natural experiment involving 11 primary care practices in Cincinnati, Ohio, that participated in the Aligning Forces for Quality Multi-Payer Patient Centered Medical Home pilot. Our research design involved difference-in-difference analyses, comparing changes in utilization, costs, and quality between patients attributed to pilot practices compared with those attributed to a matched comparison cohort after 2 years of active engagement by the practices. The Cincinnati pilot was associated with a reduction of ambulatory care-sensitive emergency department visits of approximately 0.7 per 1,000 member months or approximately 22.6% (p = .01). While there was a reduction in total costs of care of $7,679 per 1,000 member months, the difference did not reach statistical significance. After 2 years of the pilot, lipid testing in diabetics had increased by 2.7 percentage points (a 3.3% improvement; p < .0001). Patient-centered medical homes have the potential to improve the quality of care and reduce emergency department use but expectations for cost control in a relatively short time horizon and absent other changes may be unrealistic.

Antipsychotic Use and Risk of Hospitalization or Death Due to Pneumonia in Persons With and Those Without Alzheimer Disease

The use of antipsychotic agents has been associated with increased pneumonia risk, but although people with dementia are particularly susceptible to pneumonia, only one small study has assessed the risk of pneumonia in relation to the use of antipsychotic agents among people with Alzheimer disease (AD). We investigated whether the incident use of antipsychotic agents, or specific antipsychotic agents, are related to a higher risk of hospitalization or death due to pneumonia in the Medication and Alzheimer Disease (MEDALZ) cohort. The cohort includes all individuals with AD who received a clinically verified AD diagnosis in Finland in 2005 to 2011 (N= 60,584; incident pneumonia, n= 12,225). A matched comparison cohort without AD (N= 60,584; incident pneumonia, n= 6,195) was used to compare the magnitude of risk. Results were adjusted for a propensity score derived from comorbidities, concomitant medications, and sociodemographic characteristics. Sensitivity analyses with case-crossover design were conducted. The use of antipsychotic agents was associated with a higher risk of pneumonia (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.01; 95%CI, 1.90-2.13) in the AD cohort and a somewhat higher risk in the non-AD cohort (adjusted HR, 3.43; 95%CI, 2.99-3.93). Similar results were observed with case-crossover analyses (OR, 2.02; 95%CI, 1.75-2.34 in the AD cohort and OR, 2.59; 95%CI, 1.77-3.79 in the non-AD cohort). The three most commonly used antipsychotic agents (quetiapine, risperidone, haloperidol) had similar associations with pneumonia risk. Regardless of applied study design, treatment duration, or the choice of drug, the use of antipsychotic agents was associated with a higher risk of pneumonia. With observational data, we cannot fully rule out a shared causality between pneumonia and the use of antipsychotic agents, but the risk to benefit balance should be considered when antipsychotic agents are prescribed.

Survival after splanchnic vein thrombosis: A 20-year nationwide cohort study

IntroductionSplanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT) is a rare condition with a poorly understood prognosis. Materials and methodsWe conducted a population-based cohort study (1994–2013), using data from Danish nationwide medical registries, to examine the short- and long-term prognosis of SVT. We identified 1915 incident cases of SVT and a matched comparison cohort of 18,267 persons without SVT (matched by cancer, cirrhosis, pancreatitis, alcohol-related disease, atrial fibrillation/flutter, venous thromboembolism, heart failure, and inflammatory bowel disease). We used the Kaplan-Meier method to calculate absolute risk of death. Using stratified Cox regression, we computed mortality rate ratios (MRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), comparing SVT patients with the comparison cohort. ResultsWe identified 1,500 (78%) patients with portal vein thrombosis, 204 (11%) with hepatic vein thrombosis, and 211 (11%) with mesenteric vein thrombosis. The mortality risks were markedly higher for SVT patients than for the comparison cohort during the first 5years of follow-up (30-day risk: 20.6% vs. 0.7%; 31–364-day risk: 21.7% vs. 4.7%; and 1–5-year risk: 25.4% vs. 17.7%). The corresponding MRRs were 40.7 (95% CI: 32.4–51.1), 7.4 (95% CI: 6.4–8.6), and 2.4 (95% CI: 2.1–2.8), respectively. The 30-day mortality was higher after mesenteric vein thrombosis than portal and hepatic vein thrombosis, whereas portal vein thrombosis had a stronger impact on mortality after 30days than hepatic and mesenteric vein thrombosis. ConclusionsSplanchnic vein thrombosis has a poor short- and long-term prognosis that varies according to subtype of thrombosis. Reasons for the increased mortality in patients with SVT need further clarification.