US Military Health System Research Articles

Utilization of a Clinic-Based Hand Surgery Procedure Room in the US Military Health System: A Performance Improvement Analysis of Resource Savings and Patient Satisfaction

Recent studies examining the implementation of clinic-based procedure rooms (PRs) for wide-awake hand surgery have reported cost reduction, decreased burden on hospital systems, and improved patient satisfaction. This study evaluates other resource savings, primarily time spent by patients in the hospital. Thirty-two patients were enrolled in a PR or the operating room group for prospective evaluation. Time spent in the hospital on the day of surgery, several preprocedure appointments, complications, and cost comparisons were evaluated between the two groups. Patient-reported outcomes were also evaluated with postoperative surveys assessing anxiety, pain, and satisfaction. Significant time savings were noted between the groups. The median time spent in the hospital on the day of surgery for the patients in the operating room group was 256 minutes versus 90 minutes for the PR group, a time savings of approximately 3 hours. Eight additional preoperative clinic visits for operating room patients were generated compared with no additional preoperative visits for PR patients. Cost savings for surgeries performed in the clinic-based procedure amounted to $232,411. No postoperative complications were observed in the clinic setting. Continued utilization of the clinical PR for select hand surgery procedures will reduce the cost and time burdens for procedures while maintaining satisfaction and safety. A clinic-based PR for performing minor hand surgeries saves the patient time and ostensibly allows the operating room to be used for more complex surgeries that are not easily amenable to a wide-awake in-clinic procedure.

Hysterectomy inequities between black and white patients in the US military health system: A retrospective cohort study

ObjectiveTo evaluate multicomponent aspects of hysterectomy-related care in the US Military Health System including the probability of open hysterectomy (versus vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomy), probability of having a length of stay > 1 day, and discharge milligram morphine equivalent dose (MED). Analyses sought to identify the presence and strength of healthcare inequities between Black and white patients. MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, records of patients (N = 11,067) ages 18–65 years enrolled in TRICARE who underwent a hysterectomy between January 2017 to January 2021 in US military treatment facilities (direct care) or civilian facilities (purchased care) were included. Graphic representations illustrated provider and facility variation. Generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) evaluated inequities across outcomes. Sensitivity analyses included only direct care receipt and added a random effect for the facility. ResultsThere was significant variation in provider use of open versus vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomies, as well as provider and facility discharge MED. The GAMMs indicated Black patients were more likely to receive an open hysterectomy [log(OR) −0.54, (95 %CI −0.65, −0.43), p < 0.001] and have a length of stay > 1 day [log(OR) 0.18, (95 %CI 0.07, 0.30), p = 0.002], but had similar discharge MED [-2 mg (95% CI −7 mg, 3 mg), p = 0.51], relative to white patients. Patients receiving care in purchased care, relative to direct care, were more likely to receive a vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomy [log(OR) 0.28, (95 %CI 0.17, 0.38), p = 0.002] and received approximately 21 mg lower discharge MED (95 %CI 16–26 mg less, p < 0.001), but were more likely to have a hospital stay > 1 day [log(OR) 0.95, (95 %CI 0.83, 0.1.10), p < 0.001]. Additional gynecological conditions (e.g., uterine fibroids) and prescription receipt were associated with some, but not all outcomes. ConclusionImproving timely care receipt, especially for uterine fibroids, increasing access to vaginal and laparoscopic hysterectomies, and reducing unwarranted variation in discharge MED could improve care quality and equity in the US Military Health System.

Spinal Cord Stimulator Inequities Within the US Military Health System

ObjectivesAlthough studies have described inequities in spinal cord stimulation (SCS) receipt, there is a lack of information to inform system-level changes to support health care equity. This study evaluated whether Black patients exhaust more treatment options than do White patients, before receiving SCS. Materials and MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included claims data of Black and non-Latinx White patients who were active-duty service members or military retirees who received a persistent spinal pain syndrome (PSPS) diagnosis associated with back surgery within the US Military Health System, January 2017 to January 2020 (N = 8753). A generalized linear model examined predictors of SCS receipt within two years of diagnosis, including the interaction between race and number of pain-treatment types received. ResultsIn the generalized linear model, Black patients (10.3% [8.7%, 12.0%]) were less likely to receive SCS than were White patients (13.6% [12.7%, 14.6%]) The interaction term was significant; White patients who received zero to three different types of treatments were more likely to receive SCS than were Black patients who received zero to three treatments, whereas Black and White patients who received >three treatments had similar likelihoods of receiving a SCS. ConclusionsIn a health care system with intended universal access, White patients diagnosed with PSPS tried fewer treatment types before receiving SCS, whereas the number of treatment types tried was not significantly related to SCS receipt in Black patients. Overall, Black patients received SCS less often than did White patients. Findings indicate the need for structured referral pathways, provider evaluation on equity metrics, and top-down support.

Abstract 4209: Cancers of unknown primary: survival by histologic type, demographic features, and treatment in the US Military Health System

Abstract Background: Cancers of unknown primary (CUP), a group of heterogenous metastatic cancers lacking a known primary site, have poor prognosis. This study compared survival by histologic type, patient characteristics, and treatment in the U.S. Military Health System (MHS), which provides universal care to its members. Methods: Patients diagnosed with CUP were identified from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Automated Central Tumor Registry. Median survival with 95% confidence intervals was calculated for demographic and treatment variables by histologic type. A multivariable accelerated failure time model estimated time ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results: The study included 3,358 CUP patients. The most prevalent CUP in this study was well and moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas. Median survival varied by histologic type with squamous cell carcinoma having the longest at 25.1 months and poorly differentiated carcinomas having the shortest at 3.0 months. For each histologic type, survival was generally similar by sex and active-duty status. Younger patients tended to have longer survival than those aged 65 years or older. Women with well and moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma had longer survival than their male counterparts. Generally, there were no racial differences in survival except poorer survival for Blacks than Whites with other histologic types. Patents with chemotherapy and radiation treatment generally had improved survival whereas patients with squamous cell carcinoma who received chemotherapy had shorter survival than those without. Conclusion: Survival generally did not differ between racial groups, which may be related to equal healthcare access despite racial background. Further studies are warranted to better understand how survival in the MHS compares with that in the general U.S. population. Disclaimer: The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or policies of USUHS, HJF, the DoD or the Departments of the Army, Navy or Air Force. Mention of trade names, commercial products or organizations does not imply endorsement by the US Government. Citation Format: Julie A. Bytnar, Jie Lin, Joel T. Moncur, Craig D. Shriver, Kangmin Zhu. Cancers of unknown primary: survival by histologic type, demographic features, and treatment in the US Military Health System. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 4209.

Digoxin and Standard-of-Care Therapy for Heart Failure Patients with COVID-19: Analysis of Data from the US Military Health System (MHS) Data Repository.

Cardiac glycosides such as digoxin, digitoxin and ouabain are still used around the world to treat patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and/or atrial fibrillation (AF). However, in the US, only digoxin is licensed for treating these illnesses, and the use of digoxin for this group of patients is increasingly being replaced in the US by a new standard of care with groups of more expensive drugs. However, ouabain and digitoxin, and less potently digoxin, have also recently been reported to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 virus penetration into human lung cells, thus blocking COVID-19 infection. COVID-19 is known to be a more aggressive disease in patients with cardiac comorbidities, including heart failure. We therefore considered the possibility that digoxin might provide at least a measure of relief from COVID-19 in digoxin-treated heart failure patients. To this end, we hypothesized that treatment with digoxin rather than standard of care might equivalently protect heart failure patients with regard to diagnosis of COVID-19, hospitalization and death. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a cross-sectional study by using the US Military Health System (MHS) Data Repository to identify all MHS TRICARE Prime and Plus beneficiaries aged 18-64years with a heart failure (HF) diagnosis during the period April 2020 to August 2021. In the MHS, all patients receive equal, optimal care without regard to rank or ethnicity. Analyses included descriptive statistics on patient demographics and clinical characteristics, and logistic regressions to determine likelihood of digoxin use. We identified 14,044 beneficiaries with heart failure in the MHS during the study period. Of these, 496 were treated with digoxin. However, we found that both digoxin-treated and standard-of-care groups were equivalently protected from COVID-19. We also noted that younger active duty service members and their dependents with HF were less likely to receive digoxin compared with older, retired beneficiaries with more comorbidities. The hypothesis of equivalent protection by digoxin treatment of HF patients in terms of susceptibility to COVID-19 infection appears to be supported by the data.

Strongyloides stercoralis in the US Military Health System.

Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal nematode most commonly found in subtropical and tropical locations. Military service members are believed to be at increased risk of exposure due to their unique occupational exposures in endemic regions. Burden, clinical course, and risk factors associated with all Strongyloides infections within the US Military Health System from fiscal years 2012 to 2019 were assessed by manual chart review of records with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision/Tenth Revision codes for Strongyloides infection. Infection risk in demographic subgroups based on region of birth, military occupation, and age was quantified with univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression. We reviewed 243 charts based on diagnosis coding, yielding 210 confirmed diagnoses (86.4%). Immigrant patients born in Latin America/Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, and East Asia/Pacific regions had statistically significant increased risk ratios of infection at 34.4, 32.0, and 22.4, respectively, when compared to patients born in Europe and North America. In univariate analysis, active duty members in the healthcare occupational category had a statistically significant increased risk ratio of infection at 2.31 compared to those outside this occupation. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that occupational categories of healthcare, admininstrative/support, warfighter/combat specialist, and engineering/repair/maintenance occupations, being an immigrant patient, and age ≥65 were all associated with statistically significant increased odds ratios for infection. In the Military Health System, occupational exposures, region of birth, and age serve as risk factors for Strongyloides infection. Because infections may be chronic, the impact of targeted screening programs to complement routine medical care should be considered.

Financial and Clinical Impact of Virtual Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Difference-in-Differences Analysis

Virtual care (VC) and remote patient monitoring programs were deployed widely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Deployments were heterogeneous and evolved as the pandemic progressed, complicating subsequent attempts to quantify their impact. The unique arrangement of the US Military Health System (MHS) enabled direct comparison between facilities that did and did not implement a standardized VC program. The VC program enrolled patients symptomatic for COVID-19 or at risk for severe disease. Patients' vital signs were continuously monitored at home with a wearable device (Current Health). A central team monitored vital signs and conducted daily or twice-daily reviews (the nurse-to-patient ratio was 1:30). Our goal was to describe the operational model of a VC program for COVID-19, evaluate its financial impact, and detail its clinical outcomes. This was a retrospective difference-in-differences (DiD) evaluation that compared 8 military treatment facilities (MTFs) with and 39 MTFs without a VC program. Tricare Prime beneficiaries diagnosed with COVID-19 (Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Group 177 or International Classification of Diseases-10 codes U07.1/07.2) who were eligible for care within the MHS and aged 21 years and or older between December 2020 and December 2021 were included. Primary outcomes were length of stay and associated cost savings; secondary outcomes were escalation to physical care from home, 30-day readmissions after VC discharge, adherence to the wearable, and alarms per patient-day. A total of 1838 patients with COVID-19 were admitted to an MTF with a VC program of 3988 admitted to the MHS. Of these patients, 237 (13%) were enrolled in the VC program. The DiD analysis indicated that centers with the program had a 12% lower length of stay averaged across all COVID-19 patients, saving US $2047 per patient. The total cost of equipping, establishing, and staffing the VC program was estimated at US $3816 per day. Total net savings were estimated at US $2.3 million in the first year of the program across the MHS. The wearables were activated by 231 patients (97.5%) and were monitored through the Current Health platform for a total of 3474 (median 7.9, range 3.2-16.5) days. Wearable adherence was 85% (IQR 63%-94%). Patients triggered a median of 1.6 (IQR 0.7-5.2) vital sign alarms per patient per day; 203 (85.7%) were monitored at home and then directly discharged from VC; 27 (11.4%) were escalated to a physical hospital bed as part of their initial admission. There were no increases in 30-day readmissions or emergency department visits. Monitored patients were adherent to the wearable device and triggered a manageable number of alarms/day for the monitoring-team-to-patient ratio. Despite only enrolling 13% of COVID-19 patients at centers where it was available, the program offered substantial savings averaged across all patients in those centers without adversely affecting clinical outcomes.

Relevant Dermatoses Among U.S. Military Service Members: An Operational Review of Management Strategies and Telemedicine Utilization.

Despite skin being the largest and most exposed organ of the human body, skin issues can be challenging to diagnose in deployed military service members. Common reasons deployed soldiers seek dermatological evaluation include infections, inflammatory skin conditions, and skin growth. Due to limited access to specialized care in deployed settings, dermatological conditions are undertreated and underdiagnosed. As a result, dermatological conditions are a leading contributor to decreased combat effectiveness among deployed medical forces. To lessen the burden of dermatological diseases, military providers should promptly identify operational skin diseases and alleviate modifiable barriers faced by service members. In a post-pandemic era with novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and monkeypox infections, the duty to effectively treat operational skin lesions is ever important. The need for military dermatologists continues to rise as the global landscape continues to evolve with unprecedented infections and increased bioterrorism threats. Teledermatology offers many solutions to mitigate the high demand for dermatologists during pandemics. Dermatological consultations account for the highest number of telemedicine visits in the US Military Health System (MHS). As such, increased utilization of teledermatology will reduce infection-related dermatological sequelae and prevent the medical evacuation of service members from military operations. This review collates and categorizes relevant dermatological conditions encountered among deployed personnel. This report outlines the standard of care and modified treatments recommended according to potential barriers faced in operational settings.

Association of Race and Risk of Future Scleroderma Renal Crisis at Systemic Sclerosis Diagnosis.

Scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) is a rare and severe manifestation of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Although it is well documented that Black patients with SSc have worse morbidity and mortality than non-Black patients, racial predilection for SRC is underreported. We examine the association of race and future development of SRC in an SSc cohort. Using the electronic health record of the US Military Health System, we conducted a comprehensive chart review of each patient with SSc from 2005 to 2016. The final study cohort was comprised of 31 SRC cases and 322 SSc without SRC controls. We conducted logistic regression of SRC as the outcome variable and race (Black versus non-Black) as the primary predictor variable, adjusted for age, estimated glomerular filtration rate, hypertension, and proteinuria at SSc diagnosis. Of 353 patients, 294 had identifiable race (79 Black, 215 non-Black). Thirteen of 79 Black patients (16.5%) versus 16 of 215 (7.4%) non-Black patients developed SRC (P=0.02). On adjusted analysis, Black patients had a significantly higher risk of developing SRC than non-Black patients (odds ratio 6.4 [95% confidence interval 1.3-31.2], P=0.02). Anti-Ro antibody was present in a higher proportion of Black SRC patients versus Black patients without SRC (45% versus 14%, P=0.01). Conversely, older age, thrombocytopenia, and anti-RNA polymerase III antibody at SSc diagnosis were significantly associated with future SRC in the non-Black cohort. Black race was independently associated with a higher risk of future SRC. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms that underlie this important association.

1830. Epidemiology of Recurrent Bacterial Bloodstream Infections in the US Military Health System

Abstract Background The epidemiology of recurrent bacterial bloodstream infections (rBSI) has not been fully characterized. Evaluating rBSI represents opportunities to inform morbidity risk factors and prevention strategies. We describe the clinical and microbiological features of rBSI in the US Military Health System (MHS) in a prospective cohort study, including retired and active-duty US uniformed service members and their beneficiaries. Methods We collected data for rBSI episodes from MHS beneficiaries (Jan 2010 – Dec 2019). A rBSI is defined as growth of the same bacterial pathogen in blood culture &amp;gt;14 days after the index or previous episode. Demographics and comorbidities were collected prior to the index BSI. Microbiological data were obtained from the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center. Descriptive statistics are presented. Results A total of 12,749 beneficiaries were diagnosed with a BSI attributed to 1 of the 15 most common bacterial pathogens associated with BSI in the MHS, with 646 (5.1%) experiencing a rBSI. Escherichia coli had the largest proportion among all patients with rBSI (31% of 646); however, Enterococcus spp. accounted for the highest proportion of rBSI within a given pathogen subgroup (7.4% of 1,154 Enterococcus BSI; Table). Pseudomonas aeruginosa BSI had the shortest average time to recurrence (119 days), and Acinetobacter spp. had the highest frequency of BSI recurrences per patient (mean of 3). Male sex (59.9%) and age ≥65 years (52.9%) were most common among the rBSI patients. The updated Charlson Comorbidity index score preceding the index BSI was a median of 5.0, and chronic pulmonary disease (57.3%) and diabetes (56.6%) contributed the largest proportion of common comorbidities. A total of 88 (13%) rBSI patients had their index BSI while hospitalized following trauma where S. aureus was the most common (37.5%) bacterial pathogen. Conclusion Overall, the proportion of rBSI (5.1%) in our cohort of MHS beneficiaries was generally lower than that previously reported in the literature. Individuals with rBSI had a substantial burden of comorbid disease with 13% having trauma precede the index BSI. Identifying risk factors for recurrence may improve management strategies of primary BSI and may reduce morbidity of subsequent BSI. Disclosures John H. Powers, III, MD, Arrevus: Advisor/Consultant|Eicos: Advisor/Consultant|Evofem: Advisor/Consultant|Eyecheck: Advisor/Consultant|Gilead: Advisor/Consultant|GlaxoSmithKline: Advisor/Consultant|OPKO: Advisor/Consultant|Resolve: Advisor/Consultant|Romark: Advisor/Consultant|SpineBioPharma: Advisor/Consultant|UTIlity: Advisor/Consultant|Vir: Advisor/Consultant.

1831. Longitudinal Changes in Antimicrobial-resistant Bacterial Bloodstream Infections in the US Military Health System from 2010-2019

Abstract Background The epidemiology of antibiotic-resistant pathogens guides antimicrobial therapy for bacterial bloodstream infections (BSI). We describe changes in antimicrobial-resistant BSI pathogens over time within the US Military Health System (MHS), which prospectively captures clinical and microbiological data from both retired and active-duty US Uniformed service members and their beneficiaries. Methods The study population included MHS beneficiaries with blood cultures positive for any bacterial pathogens (Jan 2010 – Dec 2019). Microbiological data were obtained from the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center and antibiotic resistance was interpreted using CLSI breakpoints corresponding to collection year. Blood contaminants were excluded. Difficult to treat resistance (DTR) was defined in Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) as isolates with in vitro resistance to three classes of antibiotics: carbapenems, extended-spectrum cephalosporins, and fluoroquinolones. Results The 15 most frequent bacterial pathogens, representing 15,358 BSI episodes from 12,749 individuals, were subcategorized in four groups based on shared BSI clinical features. Lactose-fermenting GNB (LFGNB) were most common, accounting for 42% of BSI pathogens, following by Streptococcus/Enterococcus spp. (33%), Staphylococcus aureus (20%), and non-lactose fermenting GNB (NLGNB, 5.5%). The rate of LFGNB BSI increased from 7.57 per 100,000 beneficiaries in 2010 to 8.42 in 2019 (peak of 8.83 in 2016), resulting in an increase of 11.3% during the study period (Figure). Rates of BSI attributed to Streptococcus/Enterococcus spp., S. aureus, and NLGNB decreased 26%, 29%, and 45%, respectively, over the study period. The average annual rates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp., and DTR GNB BSI were 1.30, 0.25, and 0.05 per 100,000 beneficiaries, respectively. Over the study period, these rates decreased 58.3%, 72.4% and 24.2%, respectively. Conclusion LFGNB BSI numerically increased over time while NLGNB BSI (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp.) decreased. The burden of DTR GNB BSI also decreased, indicating that first-line antibiotics remain clinically available for most patients with BSI. Disclosures John H. Powers, III, MD, Arrevus: Advisor/Consultant|Eicos: Advisor/Consultant|Evofem: Advisor/Consultant|Eyecheck: Advisor/Consultant|Gilead: Advisor/Consultant|GlaxoSmithKline: Advisor/Consultant|OPKO: Advisor/Consultant|Resolve: Advisor/Consultant|Romark: Advisor/Consultant|SpineBioPharma: Advisor/Consultant|UTIlity: Advisor/Consultant|Vir: Advisor/Consultant.

80. SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with decreased reported physical fitness in a US military longitudinal cohort

Abstract Background COVID-19 may have deleterious effects on the fitness of active duty US military service members. We seek to understand the long-term functional consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in this critical population, and in other military healthcare beneficiaries. Methods The Epidemiology, Immunology, and Clinical Characteristics of Emerging Infectious Diseases with Pandemic Potential (EPICC) study is a longitudinal cohort study to describe the outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in US Military Health System beneficiaries. Subjects provided information about difficulties experienced with daily activities, exercise, and physical fitness performance via electronic surveys. Subjects completed surveys at enrollment and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Results 5,910 subjects completed survey fitness questions, 3,244 (55%) of whom tested SARS-CoV-2 positive at least once during the period of observation. Over 75% of subjects were young adults and over half were male (Table 1). 1,093 (34.3%) of SARS-CoV-2-positive subjects reported new or increased difficulty exercising compared to 393 (14.8%) SARS-CoV-2 negative subjects (p &amp;lt; 0.01) (Table 2). The most commonly reported symptoms related to problems with exercise and activities were dyspnea and fatigue. Among the active-duty members who answered the question about their service-mandated physical fitness test scores, 43.2% of SARS-CoV-2-positive participants reported that their scores had worsened in the study period, compared with 24.3% of SARS-CoV-2 negative participants. Among SARS-CoV-2-positive subjects, reports of difficulty exercising and performing daily activities were highest within one month of the first positive test, decreasing in prevalence among the cohort only slightly to 24% and 18%, respectively, at 12 months (Figure 1). Conclusion A substantial proportion of military service-members in this cohort have reported impairment of their service-mandated physical fitness scores after COVID-19; this proportion is significantly higher than those who are SARS-CoV-2 negative and persists to 12 months in many; similar complaints were reported among non-active duty. Further objective evaluation of post-COVID fitness impairment in this population is warranted. Disclosures Ryan C. Maves, MD, AiCuris: Grant/Research Support|Sound Pharmaceuticals: Grant/Research Support|Trauma Insights, LLC: Advisor/Consultant Julia S. Rozman, n/a, Astra Zeneca: The HJF, in support of the USU IDCRP, was funded to conduct or augment unrelated Phase III Mab and vaccine trials as part of US Govt. COVID19 response David R. Tribble, DrPH, AstraZeneca: The HJF, in support of the USU IDCRP, was funded to conduct or augment unrelated Phase III Mab and vaccine trials as part of US Govt. COVID19 response Simon Pollett, MBBS, Astra Zeneca: The HJF, in support of the USU IDCRP, was funded to conduct or augment unrelated Phase III Mab and vaccine trials as part of US Govt. COVID19 response Mark P. Simons, PhD, AstraZeneca: The HJF, in support of the USU IDCRP, was funded to conduct or augment unrelated Phase III Mab and vaccine trials as part of US Govt. COVID19 response Timothy Burgess, MD, MPH, AstraZeneca: The HJF, in support of the USU IDCRP, was funded to conduct or augment unrelated Phase III Mab and vaccine trials as part of US Govt. COVID19 response.

1334. Radiographic Features Associated with Increased Microbiology Culture Yields in Pediatric Orbital Cellulitis

Abstract Background Orbital cellulitis is an invasive infection defined by its location posterior to the orbital septum and can result in severe clinical manifestations. Computed tomography (CT) is the recommended imaging modality to assess for extent of disease and the Chandler classification system is used. It has 5 stages (CS): I is preseptal; II has inflammation beyond the orbital septum; III has subperiosteal abscess; IV has orbital abscess; and V has cavernous sinus thrombosis. There is limited data in its association with microbiology culture results. As part of a larger study to capture epidemiological and microbiological trends in pediatric orbital we hypothesize that culture yields and identification of a causative pathogen would increase as CS increases. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis using the US Military Health System database. ICD9/10 codes identified Individuals ≤ 21 years from June 2009 to September 2019 with orbital cellulitis. We excluded ophthalmia neonatorum and any cases without radiographic confirmation of orbital involvement. Demographic data, co-morbid diagnoses, imaging studies, microbiology results, and antibiotics prescribed were collected. CT reports were reviewed, and cases grouped by Chandler stage, (CS II-V). Descriptive statistics and χ 2 tests were used for categorical variables when appropriate. Results 130 cases met the inclusion criteria. 66.9% were male, the median age was 9 years old (IQR 4-17), and 55.4% had a prior diagnosis of sinusitis. 50.7% of cases were classified as CS II, 35.3% as CS III, 13.1% as CS IV, and 0.01% as CS V. Microbiology cultures were positive in 33.8% of cases. There was a significant difference between CS and any culture positivity with p = 0.011 and there was a significant trend between increasing CS and culture positivity with p &amp;lt; 0.003. Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus intermedius were the two most commonly identified pathogens, with no significant difference or trend associated with CS. Conclusion Overall, our findings demonstrated microbiology yield being low but increases with radiographic characteristics and CS stage. Identification of causative pathogens could increase the likelihood for tailored definitive antimicrobial therapy in pediatric patients with orbital cellulitis. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns and Guideline Concordance for Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections Among Adult Women in the US Military Health System

(Abstracted from JAMA Network Open 2022;5(8):e2225730) The most commonly diagnosed outpatient infection in the United States are urinary tract infections (UTIs). In 2011, increasing rate of antimicrobial resistance led the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) to update their international clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of acute uncomplicated cystitis in premenopausal women.

Prevalence of Pediatric CKD by ICD-10 Coding in the US Military Health System (MHS)

Prevalence of Pediatric CKD by ICD-10 Coding in the US Military Health System (MHS)

Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns and Guideline Concordance for Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections Among Adult Women in the US Military Health System

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most commonly diagnosed infections, and prior studies have reported discordance in antibiotic treatment with the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidelines. To assess IDSA guideline concordance rates for women with uncomplicated UTIs treated with antibiotics, and compare concordance rates between different specialty field. Retrospective cross-sectional study of health care claims data from the US Military Health System Data Repository, which contains comprehensive health care encounter and claims data for all military beneficiaries. Participants were adult women between the ages of 18 to 50 years with uncomplicated UTIs from October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2019. Data extraction and analysis were performed in 2022. Patients with diagnosis of UTI in the preceding 6 months, current pregnancy, history of pyelonephritis, history of diabetes, history of organ transplant, history of human immunodeficiency virus, immunosuppression, renal insufficiency, urinary tract abnormalities, or history of urologic procedures were excluded. Antibiotic treatment for uncomplicated UTIs. Only antibiotics received within 1 day after the diagnosis were analyzed. The IDSA recommends the following antibiotics as first-line therapy: nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, fosfomycin, pivmecillinam. The IDSA guideline concordance rates were calculated as the number of patients receiving first-line antibiotic therapy divided by the total number of cases for uncomplicated UTIs. A total of 46 793 adult women (67.3% [31 475 of 46 793] aged 18-34 years; 38.2% [31 475 of 46 793] of White race) were diagnosed with uncomplicated UTIs with 91.0% receiving guideline-concordant antibiotic treatment. In comparison with obstetrics and gynecology, IDSA guideline-concordant treatment was more likely in internal medicine (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.87; 95% CI, 2.73-3.03), family medicine (aOR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.76-1.87), surgery (aOR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.36-1.67), and emergency medicine (aOR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.32-1.39) and less likely in urology (aOR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.38-0.43). Compared with direct military care, private sector care had lower concordance rates (aOR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.62-0.64). In this cross-sectional study of antibiotic treatments for uncomplicated UTIs in a universally insured population, the IDSA guideline-concordance rate was high at 91.0% with higher rates in direct military care compared with private sector care. There were higher rates in general medical specialties, surgery, and emergency medicine and lower rates in urology and obstetrics and gynecology. These results further enhance the literature on current antibiotic prescribing practices for uncomplicated UTIs in adult women.

Soft-tissue Sarcoma Survival in the US Military Health System: Comparison With the SEER Program.

The US Military Health System (MHS) provides universal health care to beneficiaries. Few studies have evaluated the potential influence of access to universal care on survival outcomes for sarcoma. This study compared the survival of adult patients with soft-tissue sarcoma in the MHS with the US general population. MHS data were obtained from the Department of Defense Automated Central Tumor Registry (ACTUR). US population data were obtained from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry. Patients who were 25 years or older with a histologically confirmed musculoskeletal soft-tissue sarcoma were matched based on age, sex, and race. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare 5-year survival in the two groups. Adult patients in ACTUR had markedly lower 5-year mortality for soft-tissue sarcomas (hazard ratio=0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.73 to 0.92) after adjustment for potential confounders. Lower 5-year mortality was found in most demographic subgroups for ACTUR patients compared with Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results patients. Five-year survival in the MHS compared with the US general population may suggest an important role of universal health care in improving the survival of patients with soft-tissue sarcoma.

Survival among patients with multiple myeloma in the U.S. military health system compared to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program.

6524 Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy and remains incurable despite therapeutic advances. The US Military Health System (MHS) provides universal healthcare to beneficiaries and has been associated with improved survival across multiple malignancies. It is unknown whether access to universal healthcare via the MHS translates to improved survival for MM patients. We sought to answer this question by comparing survival data from the Department of Defense’s Automated Central Tumor Registry (ACTUR) and the NCI’s SEER database. Methods: Patients 18 years and older diagnosed with histologically confirmed MM between 1987-2013 were identified in ACTUR (N=1,488) and SEER (N=2,976) databases. Two SEER patients were matched to an ACTUR patient by age group, sex, race, and diagnosis year group. Five and 10-year survival was compared between ACTUR and SEER patients using Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests. Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) adjusted for potential confounders of age at diagnosis, sex, race and diagnosis year. The proportional hazards assumption for the analysis was assessed with log-log survival curves. Results: Median survival in the ACTUR patients was 47.1 months (95% CI: 43.9-50.4) compared to 33.0 months (95% CI: 32.0-35.0) in the SEER group. Five and 10-year survival was superior in patients from the ACTUR group compared to the SEER group with an aHR of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.68-0.81) and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.74-0.85) after adjustment for potential confounders, respectively. The survival advantage of ACTUR patients was preserved when stratified by age, sex, race, and diagnosis year. Conclusions: Patients treated with MM in the MHS had superior 5 and 10-year overall survival when compared to the general population. This benefit remained despite age, sex, race, and diagnosis year. Our study findings suggest the benefits of universal healthcare provided by the MHS improve survival among MM patients. Further research is warranted to delineate factors which improve survival and reduce disparity in the treatment of MM patients.[Table: see text]

Prevalence and Characteristics of CKD in the US Military Health System: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Rationale & ObjectiveThe US Military Health System (MHS) is a global health care network with a diverse population that is more representative of the US population than other study cohorts and with fewer disparities in health care access. We aimed to examine the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the MHS and within demographic subpopulations.Study DesignMultiple cross-sectional analyses of demographic and claims-based data extracted from the MHS Data Repository, 1 for each fiscal year from 2006-2015.Setting & PopulationMulticenter health care network including active-duty military, retirees, and dependents. The average yearly sample size was 3,285,348 individuals.ExposuresAge, sex, race, active-duty status, and active-duty rank (a surrogate for socioeconomic status).OutcomeCKD, defined as the presence of matching International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes on either 1 or more inpatient or 2 or more outpatient encounters.Analytical Approacht test for continuous variables and χ2 test for categorical variables; multivariable logistic regression for odds ratios.ResultsFor 2015, the mean (standard deviation) age was 38 (16). Crude CKD prevalence was 2.9%. Age-adjusted prevalence was 4.9% overall—1.9% active-duty and 5.4% non–active-duty individuals. ORs for CKD were calculated with multiple imputations to account for missing data on race. After adjustment, the ORs for CKD (all P < 0.001) were 1.63 (95% CI, 1.62-1.64) for an age greater than 40 years, 1.16 (95% CI, 1.15-1.17) for Black race, 1.15 (95% CI, 1.14-1.16) for senior enlisted rank, 0.94 (95% CI, 0.93-0.95) for women, and 0.50 (95% CI, 0.49-0.51) for active-duty status.LimitationsRetrospective study based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, coding.ConclusionsWithin the MHS, older age, Black race, and senior enlisted rank were associated with a higher risk of CKD, whereas female sex and active-duty status were associated with a lower risk.

Military Health System Opioid, Tramadol, and Gabapentinoid Prescription Volumes Before and After a Defense Health Agency Policy Release

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and health system policies to mitigate inappropriate opioid prescribing practices may have an extended impact on low-dose opioid (e.g., tramadol) and non-opioid (e.g., gabapentinoid) pain medication prescribing practices. To evaluate changes in opioid, tramadol, and gabapentinoid prescribing rates from January 2016 to February 2020 within the Military Health System, including the degree to which prescribing rates changed after release of a US Defense Health Agency Procedural Instruction. In this observational health services research study, opioid, tramadol, and gabapentin prescription dispense events of US Military Health System beneficiaries enrolled in care at military treatment facilities prior to US Defense Health Agency Procedural Instruction release (January 2016-May 2018) were used to forecast values from the post-intervention period (June 2018-February 2020). The median opioid and tramadol prescribing rates decreased from January 2016 to February 2020, aside from tramadol prescribing in Surgery Clinics, which increased. Gabapentinoid prescribing rate changes were mixed. In Bayesian time series models, the forecasted proportion of patients receiving each of the three medications, regardless of age group or clinic type, did not significantly vary from the actual prescribing rates in the post-intervention period. Overall, CPGs and policies targeting opioid prescribing practices may have provided the maximal impetus for providers to re-evaluate their prescribing practices, as the policy did not appear to change the slope in prescribing rates. However, it is unclear whether the policies mitigated the likelihood of plateaus in prescribing rates. Further work is needed to assess the degree to which providers simultaneously altered other non-opioid pain medication prescribing practices, self-management recommendations, and non-pharmacological therapy referrals.