National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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Topics
- Adverse Drug Events (ADE) (11)
- Adverse Events (10)
- Antibiotics (1)
- Behavioral Health (3)
- Brain Injury (1)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (2)
- Care Management (1)
- Case Study (1)
- Children/Adolescents (4)
- Chronic Conditions (1)
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- Dementia (8)
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- Injuries and Wounds (1)
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- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (2)
- Long-Term Care (4)
- Medicare (1)
- (-) Medication (31)
- Medication: Safety (5)
- Mortality (1)
- (-) Neurological Disorders (31)
- Newborns/Infants (2)
- Nursing Homes (4)
- Nutrition (1)
- Opioids (1)
- Outcomes (6)
- Pain (3)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (5)
- Patient Adherence/Compliance (3)
- Patient Safety (6)
- Pneumonia (1)
- Practice Patterns (1)
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- Quality Improvement (1)
- Quality of Care (1)
- Quality of Life (1)
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- Stroke (1)
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- Young Adults (1)
AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 25 of 31 Research Studies DisplayedChase BA, Semenov I, Rubin S
Characteristics associated with response to subcutaneously administered anti-CGRP monoclonal antibody medications in a real-world community cohort of persons living with migraine: a retrospective clinical and genetic study.
This study’s objective was to evaluate response to anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) migraine preventives in a real-world community cohort of persons living with migraine and to identify clinical and genetic characteristics associated with efficacious response. The authors looked at users of erenumab-aooeb, fremanezumab-vrfm, and galcanezumab-gnl and their reasons for stopping or starting these medications. No difference was seen at either first or second follow-ups between galcanezumab and fremanezumab or fremanezumab and erenumab. There was a decrease in MDM at follow-up that was generally proportional to baseline MDM, larger in females, and increased with months on medication, with the reasons for switching or stopping a preventive varying between medications and was often related to cost or insurance coverage. At both follow-ups, patient tolerance and continued use were high and similar across preventives.
AHRQ-funded; HS024057.
Citation: Chase BA, Semenov I, Rubin S .
Characteristics associated with response to subcutaneously administered anti-CGRP monoclonal antibody medications in a real-world community cohort of persons living with migraine: a retrospective clinical and genetic study.
Headache 2024 Jan; 64(1):68-92. doi: 10.1111/head.14655.AHRQ-funded; HS024057..
Keywords: Neurological Disorders, Medication
Shapiro HFJ, Loder E, Shapiro DJ
Association between clinician specialty and prescription of preventive medication for young adults with migraine: a retrospective cohort study.
The purpose of this multicenter retrospective cohort study was to compare prescribing patterns of preventive medications between pediatric and adult neurologists for young adults with migraine. The primary study outcome was whether the patient received a prescription for any preventive medication during the study period. Among the 767 included patients, 37.8% were seen by a pediatric neurologist. Preventive medications were prescribed for 45.2% of patients seen by a pediatric neurologist and 43.2% of patients seen by an adult neurologist. In the mixed effects logistic regression model, clinician specialty was not related with preventive medication use Female sex and number of visits during the study period were related with receiving preventive medication. The study concluded that proportion of young adults being prescribed migraine medications did not differ according to clinician specialty.
AHRQ-funded; HS000063.
Citation: Shapiro HFJ, Loder E, Shapiro DJ .
Association between clinician specialty and prescription of preventive medication for young adults with migraine: a retrospective cohort study.
Headache 2023 Oct; 63(9):1232-39. doi: 10.1111/head.14628..
Keywords: Young Adults, Medication, Pain, Neurological Disorders
Earla JR, Li J, Hutton GJ
Comparative adherence trajectories of oral disease-modifying agents in multiple sclerosis.
This study’s objective was to compare the adherence trajectories of fingolimod (FIN), teriflunomide (TER), and dimethyl fumarate (DMF) users with multiple sclerosis (MS) as there is limited evidence regarding the comparative adherence patterns of different oral disease-modifying agents (DMAs). The authors used data from the IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims Database from 2015 to 2019. The study cohort included adults (≥18 years) with MS (International Classification of Diseases [ICD]-9/10-Clinical Modification [CM]:340/G35) diagnosis and ≥1 DMA prescription. 1913 patients with MS who were initiated with FIN (24.2%, n = 462), TER (24.0%, n = 458), and DMF (51.9%, n = 993) during 2016-2018 were included. The adherence rate among FIN, TER, and DMF users was found to be 70.8% (n = 327), 59.6% (n = 273), and 61.0% (n = 606), respectively. The Group-Based Trajectory Modeling (GBTM) grouped patients into three adherence trajectories: Complete Adherers-59.1%, Slow Decliners-22.6%, and Rapid Discontinuers-18.3%. DMF and TER users had higher odds to be rapid discontinuers than FIN users. In addition, TER users were more likely to be slow decliners compared with FIN users.
AHRQ-funded; HS028502.
Citation: Earla JR, Li J, Hutton GJ .
Comparative adherence trajectories of oral disease-modifying agents in multiple sclerosis.
Pharmacotherapy 2023 Jun; 43(6):473-84. doi: 10.1002/phar.2810..
Keywords: Medication, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Neurological Disorders
Growdon ME, Gan S, Yaffe K
New psychotropic medication use among Medicare beneficiaries with dementia after hospital discharge.
Hospital stays often trigger behavioral shifts in people with dementia (PWD), potentially leading to the prescription of psychotropic drugs despite their limited effectiveness and potential for harmful side-effects. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the prevalence of new psychotropic drug prescriptions in PWD living in the community after their discharge from the hospital, and within these new users, the percentage who continued their use for an extended duration. The researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study, utilizing a random selection of Medicare claims from 2017. The study included PWD hospital patients who were 68 years or older and covered by traditional and Part D Medicare. The primary outcome was the event of prescribing at the time of discharge psychotropic drugs including antipsychotics, sedative-hypnotics, antiepileptics, and antidepressants. The initiation was characterized as new prescriptions (from classes not utilized in the 180 days preceding admission) filled within a week of discharge from the hospital or skilled nursing facility. Extended use was defined as the percentage of new users who continued to refill the newly prescribed medications for more than 90 days post-discharge. The study population consisted of 117,022 hospitalized PWD with an average age of 81 years, with 63% being female. The study found that prior to admission, 63% were already using at least one psychotropic drug; 10% were using drugs from three or more psychotropic classes. These classes included antidepressants (44% pre-admission), antiepileptics (29%), sedative-hypnotics (21%), and antipsychotics (11%). The percentage of PWD discharged with new psychotropic prescriptions ranged from 1.9% (antipsychotics) to 2.9% (antiepileptics); 6.6% had at least one new class initiated. Among these new users, prolonged use varied from 36% (sedative-hypnotics) to 63% (antidepressants); across drug classes, prolonged use was observed in 51%. Factors associated with the initiation of new psychotropics included duration of hospital stay and delirium.
AHRQ-funded; HS026383.
Citation: Growdon ME, Gan S, Yaffe K .
New psychotropic medication use among Medicare beneficiaries with dementia after hospital discharge.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2023 Apr; 71(4):1134-44. doi: 10.1111/jgs.18161..
Keywords: Elderly, Medication, Medicare, Dementia, Neurological Disorders, Hospitalization
Treadwell JR, Kessler SK, Wu M
Pharmacologic and dietary treatments for epilepsies in children aged 1-36 months: a systematic review.
The purpose of this systematic review study was to assess the effectiveness and harms of pharmacologic and dietary treatments for epilepsy in children aged 1-36 months without infantile spasms. The researchers searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library for studies published from 1/1/1999 to 8/19/21 to identify studies reporting data on children aged 1-36 months receiving pharmacologic or dietary treatments for epilepsy. Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. The study found that Levetiracetam leads to seizure freedom in some infants but the data on 6 other medications (lamotrigine, phenytoin, rufinamide, stiripentol, topiramate, and vigabatrin) were too limited to allow conclusions about their effectiveness. Three medications (lamotrigine, levetiracetam, and topiramate) were rarely discontinued due to adverse effects, and severe events were also rare. In the category of diets, the ketogenic diet lead to seizure freedom in some infants and both the ketogenic diet and modified Atkins diet reduced average seizure frequency.
AHRQ-funded; 75Q80120D00002.
Citation: Treadwell JR, Kessler SK, Wu M .
Pharmacologic and dietary treatments for epilepsies in children aged 1-36 months: a systematic review.
Neurology 2023 Jan 3;100(1):e16-e27. doi: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000201026..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Neurological Disorders, Newborns/Infants, Medication, Nutrition, Treatments, Evidence-Based Practice
Rosenthal M, Poling J, Wec A
"Medication is just one piece of the whole puzzle": how nursing homes change their use of antipsychotic medications.
This article investigated health professionals’ experiences with decision-making during changes under the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes and its companion coalitions. These programs were introduced in 2012 for the purpose of encouraging reductions in antipsychotic use and increasing use of nonpharmacological treatments for dementia. Interviews were conducted with 40 nursing home physicians and staff in seven states. The authors found that reducing antipsychotics is more time and resource-intensive than relying on medication. However, respondents supported reductions in antipsychotic use. They indicated that with supported staffing, effective communications, and training, they could create or implement individualized treatments.
AHRQ-funded; HS023464.
Citation: Rosenthal M, Poling J, Wec A .
"Medication is just one piece of the whole puzzle": how nursing homes change their use of antipsychotic medications.
J Appl Gerontol 2022 Jan;41(1):62-72. doi: 10.1177/0733464820958919..
Keywords: Elderly, Medication, Nursing Homes, Dementia, Neurological Disorders, Long-Term Care, Shared Decision Making
Ing C, Jackson WM, Zaccariello MJ
Prospectively assessed neurodevelopmental outcomes in studies of anaesthetic neurotoxicity in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
This systematic review and meta-analysis tried to answer the question whether exposure to a single general anesthetic (GA) in early childhood causes long-term neurodevelopmental problems. Databases searched from inception to October 2019 were PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Outcomes common to at least three studies were evaluated using a random-effects meta-analyses. A total of 841 out of 1644 children who had a single exposure to GA were evaluated. Findings were that there were statistically significant increases in parent reports of behavioral problems but no difference in general intelligence.
AHRQ-funded; HS026493.
Citation: Ing C, Jackson WM, Zaccariello MJ .
Prospectively assessed neurodevelopmental outcomes in studies of anaesthetic neurotoxicity in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Br J Anaesth 2021 Feb;126(2):433-44. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2020.10.022..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Neurological Disorders, Medication, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Evidence-Based Practice, Outcomes
Feldman AG, Parsons JA, Dutmer CM
Subacute liver failure following gene replacement therapy for spinal muscular atrophy type 1.
This paper reports on two cases of transient, drug-induced liver failure after gene replacement therapy using an adeno-associated virus vector containing the survival motor neuron 1 gene.
AHRQ-funded; HS026510.
Citation: Feldman AG, Parsons JA, Dutmer CM .
Subacute liver failure following gene replacement therapy for spinal muscular atrophy type 1.
J Pediatr 2020 Oct;225:252-58.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.05.044..
Keywords: Newborns/Infants, Neurological Disorders, Genetics, Treatments, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Medication, Medication: Safety, Patient Safety, Case Study
Thomson J, Hall M, Ambroggio L
Antibiotics for aspiration pneumonia in neurologically impaired children.
The objective of the study was to compare hospital outcomes associated with commonly used antibiotic therapies for aspiration pneumonia in children with neurologic impairment (NI). The investigators concluded that anaerobic therapy appeared to be important in the treatment of aspiration pneumonia in children with NI. They suggested that while Gram-negative coverage alone was associated with worse outcomes, its addition to anaerobic therapy may not yield improved outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS025138.
Citation: Thomson J, Hall M, Ambroggio L .
Antibiotics for aspiration pneumonia in neurologically impaired children.
J Hosp Med 2020 Jul;15(7):395-402. doi: 10.12788/jhm.3338..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Pneumonia, Respiratory Conditions, Neurological Disorders, Antibiotics, Medication, Outcomes
Crystal S, Jarrín OF, Rosenthal M
National partnership to improve dementia care in nursing homes campaign: state and facility strategies, impact, and antipsychotic reduction outcomes.
This study examines the success of the national partnership campaign to reduce prescription of antipsychotic medications to elderly nursing home residents with dementia. Antipsychotic medications have been shown to increase mortality. Use of these medications had increased 23.9% in dementia patients by 2011. The campaign reduced use by 40.1% to 14.3% by the second quarter of 2019. The campaign measured progress with public reporting of quality measures, increased regulatory scrutiny, and accompanying state and facility initiatives. Sedative-hypnotic medication use also decreased in tandem with antipsychotic reduction suggesting that the campaign increased attention to the use of other risky psychotropic medications.
AHRQ-funded; HS023464; HS022406; HS023258; HS021112.
Citation: Crystal S, Jarrín OF, Rosenthal M .
National partnership to improve dementia care in nursing homes campaign: state and facility strategies, impact, and antipsychotic reduction outcomes.
Innov Aging 2020 Jun 2;4(3):igaa018. doi: 10.1093/geroni/igaa018..
Keywords: Elderly, Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Dementia, Neurological Disorders, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Medication, Mortality
Fink HA, Linskens EJ, MacDonald R
Benefits and harms of prescription drugs and supplements for treatment of clinical Alzheimer-type dementia
This is a systematic review and meta-analysis of the benefits and harms of prescription drugs and supplements for treatment of clinical Alzheimer-type dementia (CATD). Studies with low or medium risk of bias (ROB) were analyzed and rated. The analysis concluded there was a slight reduction in short-term cognitive decline with cholinesterase inhibitors and memantime, and cholinesterase inhibitors slightly reduced reported functional decline. There was mostly insufficient evidence on drug treatment of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and on supplements for all outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500008I.
Citation: Fink HA, Linskens EJ, MacDonald R .
Benefits and harms of prescription drugs and supplements for treatment of clinical Alzheimer-type dementia
Ann Intern Med 2020 May 19;172(10):656-68. doi: 10.7326/m19-3887..
Keywords: Elderly, Dementia, Neurological Disorders, Medication, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice, Outcomes, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Treatments
Pinto D, Prabhakaran S, Tipton E
Why physicians prescribe prophylactic seizure medications after intracerebral hemorrhage: an adaptive conjoint analysis.
Seizures are a morbid complication of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and increase the risk for herniation, status epilepticus, and worse patient outcomes. Prophylactic levetiracetam is administered to approximately 40% of patients with ICH. It is unclear which patients are consciously selected for treatment by physicians. In this study, the investigators sought to determine how patients are selected for treatment with prophylactic levetiracetam after ICH.
AHRQ-funded; HS023437.
Citation: Pinto D, Prabhakaran S, Tipton E .
Why physicians prescribe prophylactic seizure medications after intracerebral hemorrhage: an adaptive conjoint analysis.
J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2020 Apr;29(4):104628. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2019.104628..
Keywords: Neurological Disorders, Medication, Prevention, Cardiovascular Conditions, Stroke, Shared Decision Making
Reynolds EL, JF JF, Banerjee M
Association of out-of-pocket costs on adherence to common neurologic medications.
The objective of this training was to determine the association between out-of-pocket costs and medication adherence in 3 common neurologic diseases. The investigators concluded that higher out-of-pocket costs were associated with lower medication adherence in 3 common neurologic conditions. The investigators also observed racial/ethnic disparities and recommended that minority populations receive additional focus in future intervention efforts to improve adherence.
AHRQ-funded; HS017690; HS022258.
Citation: Reynolds EL, JF JF, Banerjee M .
Association of out-of-pocket costs on adherence to common neurologic medications.
Neurology 2020 Mar 31;94(13):e1415-e26. doi: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000009039..
Keywords: Medication, Healthcare Costs, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Neurological Disorders, Dementia
Chatterjee S, Bali V, Carnahan RM
Anticholinergic burden and risk of cognitive impairment in elderly nursing home residents with depression.
This study evaluated whether elderly nursing home residents with mild depression and intact cognition experienced cognitive impairment after using anticholinergic drugs. The study was a population-based nested case-control study using Minimum Data Set (MDS)-linked Medicare data where the base cohort were patients 65 years and older with depression who had intact cognition. Cumulative anticholinergic burden was measured within 30, 60, and 90 days preceding the event (cognitive measurement) date using the Anticholinergic Drug Scale (ADS). The end sample compared 3707 cases with mild-to-moderate cognition to 3707 matched controls with intact cognition. There was no association with cumulative anticholinergic exposure at 30 days with cognitive impairment, but the odds of cognitive impairment increased with exposure 60 and 90 days before the event date. This study concludes there should be concern in using anticholinergic drugs for longer than 30 days with elderly nursing home residents.
AHRQ-funded; HS021264.
Citation: Chatterjee S, Bali V, Carnahan RM .
Anticholinergic burden and risk of cognitive impairment in elderly nursing home residents with depression.
Res Social Adm Pharm 2020 Mar;16(3):329-35. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2019.05.020..
Keywords: Elderly, Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Depression, Behavioral Health, Medication, Neurological Disorders, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Patient Safety
Oh ES, Needham DM, Nikooie R
Antipsychotics for preventing delirium in hospitalized adults: a systematic review.
The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review evaluating the benefits and harms of antipsychotics to treat delirium in adults. Results showed that there was little evidence demonstrating neurologic harms associated with short-term use of antipsychotics for treating delirium in adult inpatients, but potentially harmful cardiac effects tended to occur more frequently. Current evidence does not support routine use of haloperidol or second-generation antipsychotics to treat delirium in adult inpatients.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500006I.
Citation: Oh ES, Needham DM, Nikooie R .
Antipsychotics for preventing delirium in hospitalized adults: a systematic review.
Ann Intern Med 2019 Oct 1;171(7):474-84. doi: 10.7326/m19-1859..
Keywords: Neurological Disorders, Medication, Hospitalization, Inpatient Care, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Evidence-Based Practice, Comparative Effectiveness, Behavioral Health, Prevention
Nikooie R, Neufeld KJ, Oh ES
Antipsychotics for treating delirium in hospitalized adults: a systematic review.
The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review evaluating the benefits and harms of antipsychotics to treat delirium in adults. Results showed that there was little evidence demonstrating neurologic harms associated with short-term use of antipsychotics for treating delirium in adult inpatients, but potentially harmful cardiac effects tended to occur more frequently. Current evidence does not support routine use of haloperidol or second-generation antipsychotics to treat delirium in adult inpatients.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500006I.
Citation: Nikooie R, Neufeld KJ, Oh ES .
Antipsychotics for treating delirium in hospitalized adults: a systematic review.
Ann Intern Med 2019 Oct 1;171(7):485-95. doi: 10.7326/m19-1860.
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Keywords: Neurological Disorders, Medication, Hospitalization, Inpatient Care, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Evidence-Based Practice, Comparative Effectiveness, Behavioral Health
Callaghan BC, Reynolds E, Banerjee M
Out-of-pocket costs are on the rise for commonly prescribed neurologic medications.
The purpose of this study was to determine out-of-pocket costs for neurologic medications in 5 common neurologic diseases. The investigators concluded that out-of-pocket costs for neurologic medications have increased considerably over the last 12 years, particularly for those in high-deductible health plans. Out-of-pocket costs vary widely both across and within conditions. They assert that to minimize patient financial burden, neurologists require access to precise cost information when making treatment decisions.
AHRQ-funded; HS022258.
Citation: Callaghan BC, Reynolds E, Banerjee M .
Out-of-pocket costs are on the rise for commonly prescribed neurologic medications.
Neurology 2019 May 28;92(22):e2604-e13. doi: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000007564.
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Keywords: Health Insurance, Healthcare Costs, Medication, Neurological Disorders
Callaghan BC, Reynolds E, Banerjee M
Longitudinal pattern of pain medication utilization in peripheral neuropathy patients.
The authors of this article investigated the pattern and utilization of neuropathic pain medications in peripheral neuropathy patients. They found that opioid initiation and transition to chronic opioid therapy were frequent in the studied population despite few patients receiving more than one guideline-recommended medication. They concluded that efforts are needed to decrease opioid utilization and to increase guideline-recommended medication use in order to improve current neuropathic pain treatment.
AHRQ-funded; HS017690.
Citation: Callaghan BC, Reynolds E, Banerjee M .
Longitudinal pattern of pain medication utilization in peripheral neuropathy patients.
Pain 2019 Mar;160(3):592-99. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001439..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Guidelines, Healthcare Utilization, Medication, Neurological Disorders, Opioids, Pain, Practice Patterns
Marcum ZA, Walker RL, Jones BL
Patterns of antihypertensive and statin adherence prior to dementia: findings from the adult changes in thought study.
Using the hypothesis that changes in medication adherence might represent an early sign of cognitive impairment, this study examined antihypertensive and statin adherence trajectories in community-dwelling older adults to compare which went on to develop dementia and which did not. Data from Adult Changes in Thought (ACT), a population-based cohort study, was analyzed; 4368 participants aged 65 years or older who had at least one follow-up visit were selected, included on the basis of whether they were prevalent users of either a statin or antihypertensive medication on the first day of follow up. Research-quality dementia diagnoses were used to identify cases. Non-dementia control visits were matched by age, sex, and study cohort that occurred at similar follow-up time as the selected case dementia onset. The authors conclude that the patterns of medication adherence that emerged may be useful to identify people with higher likelihood of developing dementia.
AHRQ-funded; HS022982.
Citation: Marcum ZA, Walker RL, Jones BL .
Patterns of antihypertensive and statin adherence prior to dementia: findings from the adult changes in thought study.
BMC Geriatr 2019 Feb 14;19(1):41. doi: 10.1186/s12877-019-1058-6..
Keywords: Dementia, Elderly, Medication, Neurological Disorders, Patient Adherence/Compliance
Carnahan RM, Daly JM, Minion S
A needs assessment of family physicians to inform development of educational resources on antipsychotic use in dementia.
The authors assessed the needs and preferred resources of Iowa physicians to inform the development of educational resources for best practice dementia care and compared the responses of nursing home medical directors with nonmedical directors. They found that medical directors and nonmedical directors had similar preferences for resources used and information needs, with preference for online resources, pocket guides, a handbook, consulting pharmacists, and facility in-services being the most commonly preferred sources of new information. Medical directors were significantly more aware of the FDA warning on antipsychotic use in dementia and treated more nursing home patients. No differences were observed between groups related to confidence in and use of nondrug strategies instead of antipsychotics to manage behavioral symptoms of dementia.
AHRQ-funded; HS019355.
Citation: Carnahan RM, Daly JM, Minion S .
A needs assessment of family physicians to inform development of educational resources on antipsychotic use in dementia.
J Prim Care Community Health 2019 Jan-Dec;10:2150132719840113. doi: 10.1177/2150132719840113..
Keywords: Education: Continuing Medical Education, Medication, Dementia, Neurological Disorders, Elderly, Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines, Long-Term Care
Barbash IJ
Cognitive impairment, anesthesia, and critical illness: learning from the past to gain perspective on the future.
This study examined the link between cognitive impairment, ICU admission and anesthesia. The author’s hypothesis was that patients with cognitive impairment would be more likely to undergo surgical procedures. However, analysis using data from the Mayo Clinical Study on Aging on 1,977 cognitive normal patients, 387 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 72 patients with established dementia found that patients with MCI were more likely to undergo anesthesia and those with dementia were less likely to undergo procedural anesthesia. The author hypothesizes this may be linked to impaired decision-making of the patient and the risk-benefit analysis of performing surgery on patients with established dementia. However, ICU admissions were increased in patients with MCI and dementia.
AHRQ-funded; HS025455.
Citation: Barbash IJ .
Cognitive impairment, anesthesia, and critical illness: learning from the past to gain perspective on the future.
Mayo Clin Proc 2018 Nov;93(11):1537-39. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2018.09.007..
Keywords: Adverse Events, Critical Care, Medication, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Neurological Disorders
Naidech AM, Beaumont J, Muldoon K
Prophylactic seizure medication and health-related quality of life after intracerebral hemorrhage.
Using a prospective cohort study design, the investigators tested the hypothesis that prophylactic levetiracetam is independently associated with differences in cognitive function health-related quality of life. They found that prophylactic levetiracetam was independently associated with lower cognitive function health-related quality of life at follow-up after intracerebral hemorrhage.
AHRQ-funded; HS023437.
Citation: Naidech AM, Beaumont J, Muldoon K .
Prophylactic seizure medication and health-related quality of life after intracerebral hemorrhage.
Crit Care Med 2018 Sep;46(9):1480-85. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000003272..
Keywords: Medication, Neurological Disorders, Quality of Life
Trivedi LU, Alvarez CA, Mansi IA
Association of statin therapy with risk of epilepsy in 2 propensity score-matched cohorts.
The objective of this study was to examine the association between statin use and epilepsy risk in a general population and in a healthy population (individuals with no severe comorbidities). The study did not demonstrate a significant beneficial or deleterious effect of statin use on risk of being diagnosed with epilepsy. The authors assert that clinicians should not withhold statins, whenever indicated, in patients with epilepsy.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Trivedi LU, Alvarez CA, Mansi IA .
Association of statin therapy with risk of epilepsy in 2 propensity score-matched cohorts.
Ann Pharmacother 2018 Jun;52(6):546-53. doi: 10.1177/1060028018756650..
Keywords: Medication, Medication: Safety, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Cardiovascular Conditions, Neurological Disorders, Risk
Mahmoud L, Zullo AR, Thompson BB
Outcomes of protocolised analgesia and sedation in a neurocritical care unit.
Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1197 mechanically ventilated patients admitted to a 12-bed neurocritical care unit (NCCU) over four years in order to evaluate the effect of an analgesia-based sedation protocol on medication use and costs in the NCCU. The protocol resulted in increased in fentanyl use and decreased in propofol use, but their findings indicate no effect on healthcare utilization, healthcare costs, or in-hospital mortality. Based on these results, the researchers suggest that similar NCCUs should consider using population-specific protocols to manage analgesia and sedation.
AHRQ-funded; HS022998.
Citation: Mahmoud L, Zullo AR, Thompson BB .
Outcomes of protocolised analgesia and sedation in a neurocritical care unit.
Brain Inj 2018;32(7):941-47. doi: 10.1080/02699052.2018.1469167..
Keywords: Care Management, Brain Injury, Critical Care, Healthcare Costs, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Medication, Neurological Disorders, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Vouri SM, Schootman M, Strope SA
Differential prescribing of antimuscarinic agents in older adults with cognitive impairment.
The objective of this study was to describe the use of oral oxybutynin versus other antimuscarinics in older adults with documented cognitive impairment. Patients with cognitive impairment were 5 percent more likely to initiate another antimuscarinic versus oral oxybutynin. The proportion of patients with cognitive impairment initiated on oral oxybutynin increased from 24.1 percent in 2008 to 41.1 percent in 2011.
AHRQ-funded; HS019455.
Citation: Vouri SM, Schootman M, Strope SA .
Differential prescribing of antimuscarinic agents in older adults with cognitive impairment.
Drugs Aging 2018 Apr;35(4):321-31. doi: 10.1007/s40266-018-0531-9.
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Keywords: Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Elderly, Medication, Neurological Disorders