Long-term Care Facilities in Utah: a Description of Human and Information Technology Resources Applied to Infection Control Practice

This weekly compilation of articles appearing in recently released journals and newsletters includes:

• Articles funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) or authored by AHRQ researchers.
• Articles mentioning or discussing AHRQ staff, activities, and publications/products.
• Articles related to AHRQ-funded Evidence-based Practice Centers.
• Articles related to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force or Put Prevention into Practice program.
• Articles mentioning the National Healthcare Disparities Report and National Healthcare Quality Report.
• Other research using AHRQ data or products.

AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles

American Journal of Infection Control
Jones M, Samore MH, Carter M, et al. Long-term care facilities in Utah: a description of human and information technology resources applied to infection control practice. Am J Infect Control 2012 Jun; 40(5):446-450. [Supported by grant 5 K08 HS14017-05; ); cites AHRQ-funded systematic review by Chaudhry et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2006) on the impact of health information technology on quality, efficiency, and costs of medical care, prepared by the Southern California-University of California at San Francisco Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC).] Select to access the abstract.

Arthritis and Rheumatism
Vasudevan A, DiCarlo EF, Wright T, Chen D, Figgie MP, Goldring SR, Mandl LA. Cellular response to prosthetic wear debris differs in patients with and without rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum 2012 Apr; 64(4):1005-1014. [Supported in part by U18 HS16075 (to last author).] Select to access the abstract.

Circulation. Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes
Chen SI, Dharmarajan K, Kim N, Strait KM, Li SX, Safavi KC, Lindenauer PK, et al. Procedure intensity and the cost of care. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2012 May; 5(3):308-313. [Supported in part by grant 1 R18 HS18645-01 (to seventh author); uses 2009, 2010, and 2011 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Comorbidity Software, versions 3.4, 3.5, and 3.6 (respectively), and AHRQ’s Elixhauser comorbidity measures (Elixhauser et al, Med Care, 1998).] Select to access the abstract.

Clinical Infectious Diseases
Burkholder GA, Tamhane AR, Salinas JL, et al. Underutilization of aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease among HIV-infected patients. Clin Infect Dis 2012 Aug 31; [Epub ahead of print]. [Supported by grant 5 T32 HS13852 (to first author); cites USPSTF recommendations on aspirin for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (Ann Intern Med, 2009).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia
Petrovic MA, Aboumatar H, Baumgartner WA, Ulatowski JA, Moyer J, Chang TY, Camp MS, Kowalski J, Senger CM, Martinez EA. Pilot implementation of a perioperative protocol to guide operating room-to-intensive care unit patient handoffs. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 2012 Feb; 26(1):11-16. [Supported in part by grant K08 HS13904-02.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Pediatrics
Anderson JB, Iyer SB, Schidlow DN, et al. Variation in growth of infants with a single ventricle. J Pediatr 2012 Jul; 161(1):16-21.e1; quiz 21.e2-21.e3. [Supported in part by a cooperative agreement grant HS16957.] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care Research and Review
Gresenz CR, Derose KP, Ruder T, et al. Health care experiences of Hispanics in new and traditional U.S. destinations. Med Care Res Rev 2012 Aug 28; [Epub ahead of print]. [Supported by grant R03 HS17567; uses 1996, 1997, and 2000-2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) Household Component (MEPS HC) data, citing AHRQ-authored article by Cohen, Monheit, Beauregard, Cohen, Lefkowitz, Potter, Sommers, Taylor, Arnett (current and former researchers in/directors of AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) (Inquiry, 1996-1997); cites AHRQ-authored articles by Kirby, Taliaferro, and Zuvekas (Med Care, 2006), and Dayton, Zhan, Sangl, Darby, and Moy (first and fourth authors are former and third and last authors are current researchers in AHRQ’s Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, and second author is researcher in AHRQ’s Center for Outcomes and Evidence) (Am J Med Qual, 2006), which reports findings on AHRQ’s National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR), 2005; acknowledges assistance from Ray Kuntz, Data Center Coordinator in AHRQ’s Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends.] Select to access the abstract.

Hill SC, Zuvekas SH, Zodet MW. Validity of reported Medicare Part D enrollment in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Med Care Res Rev 2012 Aug 28; [Epub ahead of print]. [Authors are researchers in AHRQ’s Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends; uses 2006-2007 MEPS data, citing AHRQ publications Design and Methods of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component, MEPS Methodology Report 1, 1997, and Sample Design of the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component, MEPS Methodology Report 2, 1997, both published on AHRQ’s MEPS Web site, and AHRQ-authored article by Cohen (researcher in AHRQ’s Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) (Med Care, 2003); cites AHRQ working paper Accuracy of Household Reports of Medicare Managed Care Enrollment in the MEPS, 2008.] Select to access the abstract.

Pediatrics
Byington CL, Reynolds CC, Korgenski K, Sheng X, Valentine KJ, Nelson RE, Daly JA, Osguthorpe RJ, James B, Savitz L, et al. Costs and infant outcomes after implementation of a care process model for febrile infants. Pediatrics 2012 Jul; 130(1):e16-e24. [Supported in part by grant R18 HS18034 (to first, third, fourth, sixth, and tenth authors); [Cites AHRQ-sponsored guideline Practice Guideline for the Management of Infants and Children 0 to 36 Months of Age with Fever Without Source, as published in article by Baraff et al. (Ann Emerg Med, 1993); cites AHRQ evidence report/technology assessment Diagnosis and Management of Febrile Infants (0-3 Months), 2012 (prepared by the University of Ottawa EPC under contract HHSA290-2007-10059-I).] Select to access the abstract.

Perspectives (Institute of Medicine)
Clancy CM. More hospitals begin to apply lessons from Seven Pillars process. Perspectives 2012 Aug; Online. [Author is the AHRQ director; discusses the AHRQ-funded extended Seven Pillars project, citing Full disclosure of Medical Errors Reduces Malpractice Claims and Claim Costs for Health System, on AHRQ’s Innovations Exchange Web site.]

AHRQ-Related Articles

Aging Health
Park J. How effective are nonpharmacological interventions for chronic pain management in the elderly? Aging Health 2012 Aug; 8(4):399-401. [Cites AHRQ publication Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses, 2008.]

Clinical Medicine and Research
Hazlehurst B, Stevens V, Mularski R, et al. CC4-01: CER-HUB: an informatics platform for conducting comparative effectiveness research with comprehensive electronic medical record data. Clin Med Res 2012 Aug; 10(3):157-158. [Describes the AHRQ-funded CER-HUB project, for which first author is principal investigator and which is one of several projects funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to develop clinical infrastructure focusing on use of comprehensive electronic medical record (EMR) systems for large-scale, multi-institutional comparative effectiveness research.] Select to access the abstract.

Clinics in Geriatric Medicine
Barnett AJ, Toms AD. Revision total hip and knee replacement. Clin Geriatr Med 2012 Aug; 28(3):431-446. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Mahomed et al. (J Bone Joint Surg Am, 2003).]

Talmo CT, Aghazadeh M, Bono JV. Perioperative complications following total joint replacement. Clin Geriatr Med 2012 Aug; 28(3):471-487. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Mahomed et al. (J Bone Joint Surg Am, 2003) and Katz et al. (J Bone Joint Surg Am, 2001).]

Westby MD. Rehabilitation and total joint arthroplasty. Clin Geriatr Med 2012 Aug; 28(3):489-508. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Zhan (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes) et al. (J Bone Joint Surg Am, 2007), which uses 2003 HCUP NIS data; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Nguyen-Oghalai et al. (J Clin Rheumatol, 2007) and Lingard et al. (Arthritis Care, 2000).]

Blum MA, Ibrahim SA. Race/ethnicity and use of elective joint replacement in the management of end-stage knee/hip osteoarthritis: a review of the literature. Clin Geriatr Med 2012 Aug; 28(3):521-532. [Mentions AHRQ’s HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) (referred to in the article as National Inpatient Survey”), citing AHRQ-funded article by Bang et al. (Am J Orthop, 2010), which uses 1996-2005 HCUP NIS data; cites AHRQ-authored article by Basu (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnerships) and Mobley (Med Care Res Rev, 2008), which uses 1997 and 2001 HCUP State Inpatient Database (SID) data); cites AHRQ-funded articles by Escalante et al. (Med Care, 2002), Katz et al. (Health Serv Res, 1996), and others.]

Evidence-based Mental Health
Elia J. Stimulant treatment in healthy young people with ADHD is not associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events. Evid Based Ment Health 2012 Aug; 15(3):56. [Summarizes and comments on AHRQ-funded article by Olfson et al. (J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 2012).]

Bültmann U. Long working hours are associated with incident depressive and anxiety symptoms in women. Evid Based Ment Health 2012 Aug; 15(3):58. [Summarizes and comments on article by Virtanen et al. (Psychol Med, 2011), which uses study cohort data from the Whitehall II study, previously funded by AHRQ.]

Thakurathi N, Henderson DC. Atypical antipsychotics are associated with incident diabetes in older adults without schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Evid Based Ment Health 2012 Aug; 15(3):61. [Summarizes and comments on article by Erickson et al. (J Am Geriatr Soc, 2012), which uses the AHRQ-funded adaptation of the Charlson comorbidity index described in AHRQ-funded article by Deyo, Cherkin, and Ciol (J Clin Epidemiol, 1992).]

Journal of Pakistan Medical Association
Siddiqui E. Emergency triage: extend of our knowledge. J Pak Med Assoc 2012 Aug; 62(8):839-842. [Cites AHRQ publication Emergency Severity Index, Version 4: Implementation Handbook, 2011, as published on the AHRQ Web site.]

New England Journal of Medicine
Gabriel SE, Normand SL. Getting the methods right – the foundation of patient-centered outcomes research. N Engl J Med 2012 Aug 30; 367(9):787-790. [Discusses release of the draft Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) draft report Our Questions, Our Decisions: Standards for Patient-centered Outcomes Research, 2012, and lists Jean Slutsky, director of AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence, as a member of the PCORI Methodology Committee.]

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)/Put Prevention Into Practice (PPIP)-Related Articles

Annals of Internal Medicine
Moyer VA; on behalf of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for chronic kidney disease: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med 2012 Aug 28; [Epub ahead of print]. [Presents USPSTF recommendations on screening for chronic kidney disease, based on AHRQ comparative effectiveness review Chronic Kidney Disease Stages 1-3: Screening, Monitoring, and Treatment, 2012, and associated USPSTF-American College of Physicians-sponsored systematic review by Fink et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2012) on screening for, monitoring, and treatment of chronic kidney disease stages 1 to 3, prepared by the Minnesota EPC under contract HHSA290-2007-10064-I.] Select to access the abstract.

Summaries for Patients. Screening for chronic kidney disease: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med 2012 Aug 28; [Epub ahead of print]. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations on screening for chronic kidney disease cited above in this section.]

Wallace EA, Schumann JH, Weinberger SE. Ethics of commercial screening tests. Ann Intern Med 2012 Aug 28; [Epub ahead of print]. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for carotid artery stenosis (Ann Intern Med, 2007) and screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (Ann Intern Med, 2005).]

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
Coburn NG, Cady B, Fulton JP, et al. Improving size, lymph node metastatic rate, breast conservation, and mortality of invasive breast cancer in Rhode Island women, a well-screened population. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2012 Oct; 135(3):831-837. [Cites USPSTF-sponsored evidence update on screening for breast cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2009).] Select to access the abstract.

Clinical Medicine and Research
Behl A, Maciosek M, Flottemesch T, et al. PS1-65: Relationships matter! Modeling segregation and social networks to evaluate prevention services for STDs. Clin Med Res 2012 Aug; 10(3):169. [Develops a model to measure the impact of screening for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis in the target populations recommended by the USPSTF, and concludes that “prevention strategies recommended by the USPSTF are cost-effective.”] Select to access the abstract.

Riggs K, Lozano P, Mohelnitzky A, et al. PS2-25: An adaptation of behavioral pediatric obesity treatment for the real world: results from the Group Health Family Wellness Program pilot trial. Clin Med Res 2012 Aug; 10(3):185. [Summarizes a program developed to implement USPSTF recommendations for intensive behavioral treatment for obese children and notes that the program's “next step will be to increase the program’s intensity to that recommended by the USPSTF (>25 contact hours).”] Select to access the abstract.

Expert Reviews in Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Feuerstein JD, Cheifetz AS, Siegel CA. Comparative effectiveness research in inflammatory bowel disease: prospects and challenges. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2012 Aug; 6(4):405-407. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for breast cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2009) and related commentary by Woolf (JAMA, 2010); mentions AHRQ receipt of comparative effectiveness research funding under the Medicare Modernization Act, the ARRA, and the Affordable Care Act (through the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute); notes AHRQ’s long-standing mission to utilize current evidence to provide guidance regarding best practices (Selker, J Gen Intern Med, 2009) and its mandate to support the USPSTF in promoting evidence-based guidelines regarding screening, counseling and preventative medicine; mentions recent controversies surrounding updated USPSTF recommendations on breast cancer screening (Ann Intern Med, 2009).]

Pediatrics
Law J, Rush R, Anandan C, et al. Predicting language change between 3 and 5 years and its implications for early identification. Pediatrics. 2012 Jul; 130(1):e132-e137. [Cites USPSTF-sponsored systematic evidence review on screening for speech and language delay in preschool children (Pediatrics, 2006).] Select to access the abstract.

[See also article by Burkholder et al. (Clin Infect Dis, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles above.]

Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles

Annals of Internal Medicine
Adam SS, McDuffie JR, Ortel TL, et al. Comparative effectiveness of warfarin and new oral anticoagulants for the management of atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med 2012 Aug 28; [Epub ahead of print]. [Uses evidence grading criteria from AHRQ publication Methods Guide for Effectiveness and Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, 2012, as published on AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
Puyat JH, Law MR, Wong ST, et al. The essential and potentially inappropriate use of antipsychotics across income groups: an analysis of linked administrative data. Can J Psychiatry 2012 Aug; 57(8):488-495. [Cites AHRQ comparative effectiveness review Efficacy and Comparative Effectiveness of Off-Label Use of Atypical Antipsychotics, 2007.] Select to access the abstract.

Evidence-based Mental Health
Brooks J 3rd. Review: no substantial differences in efficacy or effectiveness between second-generation antidepressants for major depressive disorder. Evid Based Ment Health 2012 Aug; 15(3):77. [Summarizes and comments on AHRQ-funded article by Gartlehner et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2011), which updates AHRQ comparative effectiveness review Comparative Effectiveness of Second-Generation Antidepressants in the Pharmacologic Treatment of Adult Depression, 2007.]

Reebye PN, Elbe D. Review: evidence on the comparative effectiveness and adverse effects of antipsychotics in young people is limited. Evid Based Ment Health 2012 Aug; 15(3):79. [Summarizes and comments on AHRQ-funded article by Seida et al. (Pediatrics, 2012), which is based on AHRQ comparative effectiveness report Comparative Effectiveness of Off-Label Use of Atypical Antipsychotics, 2007 (prepared by the Southern California-RAND EPC under contract 290-02-0003).]

[See also articles by Jones et al. (Am J Infect Control, 2012) and Byington et al. (Pediatrics, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles above, and article by Moyer et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2012) cited in U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)/Put Prevention Into Practice (PPIP)-Related Articles above.]

National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR)/National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR)-Related Articles

ISNA Bulletin
Neuman JS. Health care access for Hoosiers. ISNA Bulletin 2012 Aug-Oct; Online. [Mentions and cites AHRQ’s NHQR, 2010.]

[See also AHRQ-funded article by Gresenz et al. (Med Care Res Rev, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles above.]

Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

American Heart Journal
Brinjikji W, El-Sayed AM, Salka S. In-hospital mortality among patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy: A study of the National Inpatient Sample 2008 to 2009. Am Heart J 2012 Aug; 164(2):215-221. [Uses 2009-2008 HCUP NIS data.] Select to access the abstract.

Canadian Journal of Urology
Sammon J, Trinh QD, Sun M, et al. The effect of gender on nephrectomy perioperative outcomes: a national survey. Can J Urol 2012 Aug; 19(4):6337-6344. [Uses 1998-2007 HCUP NIS data and the AHRQ-funded adaptation of the Charlson comorbidity index described in AHRQ-funded article by Deyo, Cherkin, and Ciol (J Clin Epidemiol, 1992).] Select to access the abstract.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
Umscheid CA, Hanish A, Chittams J, et al. Effectiveness of a novel and scalable clinical decision support intervention to improve venous thromboembolism prophylaxis: a quasi-experimental study. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2012 Aug 31; 12(1):92. [Uses AHRQ’s  Patient Safety Indicators for postoperative pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis and the definition for venous thromboembolism, citing AHRQ publication Patient Safety Indicators Technical Specifications, Version 4.4, 2012, as published on AHRQ’s Quality Indicators Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Health Outcomes Research in Medicine
Davis-Ajami ML, Nahata MC, Reardon G, et al. Associations between joblessness and oral anti-diabetic medication adherence in US diabetic working-age adults. Health Outcomes Res Med 2012 Aug; 3(3):e139-e151. [Uses 2001-2007 MEPS data, citing AHRQ publications Medicare-MEPS Validation Study: A Comparison of Hospital and Physician Expenditures, AHRQ Working Paper 08003, 2008, and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Downloadable Data Files – Codebook, as published on AHRQ’s MEPS Web site; cites AHRQ publications Trends in the Pharmaceutical Treatment of Diabetes, 1997 to 2007, MEPS Research Findings 30, 2010, Trends in Use and Expenditures for Diabetes among Adults 18 and Older, U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population, 1996 and 2007, MEPS Statistical Brief 304, 2010, Proportion and Medical Expenditures of Adults Being Treated for Diabetes, 1996 and 2003, MEPS Statistical Brief 146, 2006, and Outpatient Prescription Drugs: Data Collection and Editing in the 1996 MEPS (HC-010A), MEPS Methodology Report 12, 2001, and AHRQ publication Research in Action: The High Concentration of US Health Care Expenditures, 2006; cites AHRQ working papers Estimating the Cost of Illness: The Case of Diabetes, 2008, and Comparison of Retail Drug Prices in the MEPS and MarketScan: Implications for MEPS Editing Rules, 2010.]

Journal of the American College of Surgeons
Wick EC, Hobson DB, Bennett JL, et al. Implementation of a surgical Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program to reduce surgical site infections. J Am Coll Surg 2012 Aug; 215(2):193-200. [Uses/implements the AHRQ-funded CUSP in a surgical setting, citing AHRQ-funded articles by Pronovost et al. (N Engl J Med, 2006), Berenholtz et al. (Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol, 2011), Sawyer et al. (Crit Care Med, 2010), and Sexton et al. (Crit Care Med, 2011).] Select to access the abstract.

[See also articles by Chen et al. (Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes, 2012), Gresenz et al. (Med Care Res Rev, 2012), Hill, Zuvekas, and Zodet (Med Care Res Rev, 2012), and Taylor et al. (Pediatrics, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles above.]