National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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Topics
- Adverse Drug Events (ADE) (3)
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- Behavioral Health (1)
- Brain Injury (1)
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- Caregiving (2)
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- Cultural Competence (1)
- Dementia (7)
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- Falls (2)
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- Health Information Technology (HIT) (3)
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- Injuries and Wounds (2)
- Long-Term Care (1)
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- Medication: Safety (2)
- (-) Neurological Disorders (26)
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- Nursing Homes (2)
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- Patient Safety (3)
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- Respiratory Conditions (1)
- Risk (1)
- Screening (1)
- Shared Decision Making (1)
- Surgery (4)
- Telehealth (1)
- Treatments (1)
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) (1)
- 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 26 Research Studies DisplayedShapiro 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
Ramirez M, Duran MC, Penfold RB
STAR-Caregivers Virtual Training and Follow-up: a cultural adaptation for Latino caregivers of people with dementia.
This paper describes what is needed to adapt the STAR-Caregivers Virtual Training and Follow-up (STAR-VTF), an evidence-based intervention that teaches family caregivers how to manage behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia to Latino caregivers. This qualitative research study interviewed Spanish- and English-speaking caregivers of people with dementia who self-identify as Hispanic/Latino (N = 30) and healthcare and social service providers of older Latino clients and/or Latino family caregivers (N = 14). The authors identified three themes: (i) there was a need to increase awareness about dementia and decrease stigma; (ii) semantics mattered as certain words and phrases could be stigmatizing, offensive, or culturally inappropriate; and (iii) there was a need to incorporate into program materials the traditional family structure and nature of caregiving in Latino families. Based on findings, STAR-VTF was adapted to expand content to improve understanding of dementia, language was revised that was viewed as problematic, and cultural examples were added to reflect the range of family involvement in caring for people living with dementia and multigenerational living.
AHRQ-funded; HS026369.
Citation: Ramirez M, Duran MC, Penfold RB .
STAR-Caregivers Virtual Training and Follow-up: a cultural adaptation for Latino caregivers of people with dementia.
Transl Behav Med 2023 Sep 12; 13(9):625-34. doi: 10.1093/tbm/ibad028..
Keywords: Education: Patient and Caregiver, Cultural Competence, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Dementia, Neurological Disorders
Ramirez M, De Anda S, Jin H
Health information-seeking behavior of Latino caregivers of people living with dementia: a mixed-methods study.
This study examined the health information-seeking behavior of Latino caregivers of people living with dementia. This mixed-methods study used a structured survey and semi-structured interviews with 21 Latino caregivers in Los Angeles, California. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with six healthcare and social service providers. The results showed that caregivers sought information on what changes to expect as dementia progresses to be better prepared. The most common action they used was to search the Internet. However, those who did were concerned about the quality of information.
AHRQ-funded; HS00046,HS026369.
Citation: Ramirez M, De Anda S, Jin H .
Health information-seeking behavior of Latino caregivers of people living with dementia: a mixed-methods study.
J Appl Gerontol 2023 Aug; 42(8):1738-48. doi: 10.1177/07334648231163430..
Keywords: Caregiving, Dementia, Neurological Disorders, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Hua Y, Temkin-Greener H, Cai S
Primary care telemedicine use among assisted living residents with dementia during COVID-19: race and dual enrollment status.
The purpose of this study was to explore primary care telemedicine use among Medicare beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) who resided in Assisted Living Facilities (Als) during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on possible racial and socioeconomic differences. The study found that at the start of the pandemic in quarter 2 of 2020, Black residents were less likely to have telemedicine visits than their White counterparts. In the following two quarters, Black residents were more likely to receive primary care via telemedicine than White residents; a similar difference was observed between Hispanic and White residents, but with smaller effect sizes. Compared with nondual residents, dual residents were more likely to receive primary care via telemedicine in Q3. In addition, residents in AL communities with a higher proportion of dual residents, compared with those in low-dual ALs, were less likely to receive primary care via telemedicine throughout the study period. However, the difference in telemedicine use between higher vs lower dual ALs narrowed over time.
AHRQ-funded; HS026893.
Citation: Hua Y, Temkin-Greener H, Cai S .
Primary care telemedicine use among assisted living residents with dementia during COVID-19: race and dual enrollment status.
J Am Med Dir Assoc 2023 Aug; 24(8):1157-58.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2023.05.005..
Keywords: COVID-19, Primary Care, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Dementia, Neurological Disorders, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Elderly
Wissel BD, Greiner HM, Glauser TA
Automated, machine learning-based alerts increase epilepsy surgery referrals: a randomized controlled trial.
Researchers conducted a prospective, randomized controlled trial of a natural language processing-based clinical decision support system in the electronic health record at 14 pediatric neurology outpatient clinics to determine whether automated, electronic alerts increased referrals for epilepsy surgery. Children with epilepsy and at least two prior neurology visits were screened by the system prior to their scheduled visit to identify potential surgical candidates, and the potential candidates randomized 2:1 for their providers to receive an alert or standard of care (no alert). The results showed that patients whose providers received an alert were more likely to be referred for a presurgical evaluation. The researchers concluded that machine learning-based automated alerts may improve the utilization of referrals for epilepsy surgery evaluations.
AHRQ-funded; HS024977.
Citation: Wissel BD, Greiner HM, Glauser TA .
Automated, machine learning-based alerts increase epilepsy surgery referrals: a randomized controlled trial.
Epilepsia 2023 Jul; 64(7):1791-99. doi: 10.1111/epi.17629..
Keywords: Neurological Disorders, Surgery, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Sideman AB, Gilissen J, Harrison KL
Caregiver experiences navigating the diagnostic journey in a rapidly progressing dementia.
This mixed-methods study examined the diagnostic journey experience from the perspective of caregivers of people who died from sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (sCJD). Qualitative data were drawn from interviews with former caregivers of 12 people who had died from sCJD. Four overarching themes were identified, as well as 4 phases along the diagnostic journey. Findings suggested that more work was needed to improve clinician diagnostic knowledge and communication practices. The authors also noted that caregivers need better support during the diagnostic journey and concluded that lessons learned from studying sCJD and other rapidly progressive dementias is likely to be applicable to more common dementias.
AHRQ-funded; HS022241.
Citation: Sideman AB, Gilissen J, Harrison KL .
Caregiver experiences navigating the diagnostic journey in a rapidly progressing dementia.
J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 2023 Jul; 36(4):282-94. doi: 10.1177/08919887221135552..
Keywords: Caregiving, Dementia, Neurological Disorders
Couch E, Ashford MT, Zhang W
Psychosocial and behavioral outcomes for persons with cognitive impairment and caregivers following amyloid-β PET scan disclosure: a systematic review.
This systematic review investigated the psychosocial and behavioral outcomes for persons with cognitive impairment and caregivers following amyloid-β pet scan disclosure. The authors identified 10 papers from 7 studies. While there was little evidence of an association between disclosure and depression, persons with mild cognitive impairment and their caregivers with elevated levels of amyloid had an increased risk of distress or anxiety compared with those without elevated amyloid. They did not identify any studies measuring behavioral outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Couch E, Ashford MT, Zhang W .
Psychosocial and behavioral outcomes for persons with cognitive impairment and caregivers following amyloid-β PET scan disclosure: a systematic review.
Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2023 Jul-Sep; 37(3):246-58. doi: 10.1097/wad.0000000000000569..
Keywords: Neurological Disorders, Imaging
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
Urtecho M, Wagner B, Wang Z
A qualitative evidence synthesis of patient perspectives on migraine treatment features and outcomes.
This quality evidence synthesis examined patient perspectives on migraine treatment features and outcomes. A literature review was conducted, and 19 studies (21 publications) involving 459 patients were included. Eight themes were identified encompassing features preferred by patients in a migraine treatment process. Themes described include a treatment process that included shared decision-making, a tailored approach, trust in health-care professionals, sharing of knowledge and diversity of treatment options, a holistic approach that does not just address the headache, ease of communication especially for complex treatments, a non-undermining approach, and reciprocity with mutual respect between patient and provider. Seven themes emerged including patients' preferences for nonpharmacologic treatment, high effectiveness, rapidity of action, long-lasting effect, lower cost and more accessibility, self-management/self-delivery option that increases autonomy, and a mixed preference for abortive versus prophylactic treatments. High value treatment outcomes to patients included maintaining or improving function; avoiding side effects, potential for addiction to medications, and pain reoccurrence; and avoiding non-headache symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sounds.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500008I; 290201500013I; 290201700003C.
Citation: Urtecho M, Wagner B, Wang Z .
A qualitative evidence synthesis of patient perspectives on migraine treatment features and outcomes.
Headache 2023 Feb; 63(2):185-201. doi: 10.1111/head.14430..
Keywords: Neurological Disorders, Evidence-Based Practice, Outcomes
Coley RY, Smith JJ, Karliner L RY, Smith JJ, Karliner L
External validation of the eRADAR risk score for detecting undiagnosed dementia in two real-world healthcare systems.
Drupal date: Feb, 2023
It is estimated that half of the individuals with dementia remain undiagnosed. The electronic health record (EHR) Risk of Alzheimer's and Dementia Assessment Rule (eRADAR) was designed to detect older adults at risk of undiagnosed dementia using routinely gathered clinical information. The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to externally validate eRADAR in two real-world healthcare systems, examining its performance over time and across race/ethnicity. The study found a total of 7631 dementia diagnoses were observed at KPWA and 216 at UCSF. The area under the curve was 0.84 (95% confidence interval: 0.84-0.85) at KPWA and 0.79 (0.76-0.82) at UCSF. Using the 90th percentile as the cut point for identifying high-risk patients, sensitivity was 54% (53-56%) at KPWA and 44% (38-51%) at UCSF. Performance was consistent over time, including across the transition from International Classification of Diseases, version 9 (ICD-9) to ICD-10 codes, and across racial/ethnic groups (although small samples limited precision in some groups). The study concluded that eRADAR demonstrated strong external validity for identifying undiagnosed dementia in two healthcare systems with diverse patient populations and varying availability of external healthcare data for risk calculations. This study showed that eRADAR is generalizable from a research sample to real-world clinical populations, transportable across health systems, resilient to temporal changes in healthcare, and exhibits similar performance across major racial/ethnic groups.
It is estimated that half of the individuals with dementia remain undiagnosed. The electronic health record (EHR) Risk of Alzheimer's and Dementia Assessment Rule (eRADAR) was designed to detect older adults at risk of undiagnosed dementia using routinely gathered clinical information. The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to externally validate eRADAR in two real-world healthcare systems, examining its performance over time and across race/ethnicity. The study found a total of 7631 dementia diagnoses were observed at KPWA and 216 at UCSF. The area under the curve was 0.84 (95% confidence interval: 0.84-0.85) at KPWA and 0.79 (0.76-0.82) at UCSF. Using the 90th percentile as the cut point for identifying high-risk patients, sensitivity was 54% (53-56%) at KPWA and 44% (38-51%) at UCSF. Performance was consistent over time, including across the transition from International Classification of Diseases, version 9 (ICD-9) to ICD-10 codes, and across racial/ethnic groups (although small samples limited precision in some groups). The study concluded that eRADAR demonstrated strong external validity for identifying undiagnosed dementia in two healthcare systems with diverse patient populations and varying availability of external healthcare data for risk calculations. This study showed that eRADAR is generalizable from a research sample to real-world clinical populations, transportable across health systems, resilient to temporal changes in healthcare, and exhibits similar performance across major racial/ethnic groups.
AHRQ-funded; HS026369.
Citation: Coley RY, Smith JJ, Karliner L RY, Smith JJ, Karliner L .
External validation of the eRADAR risk score for detecting undiagnosed dementia in two real-world healthcare systems.
J Gen Intern Med 2023 Feb; 38(2):351-60. doi: 10.1007/s11606-022-07736-6..
Keywords: Dementia, Neurological Disorders, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Difazio RL, Shore BJ, Melvin P
Pneumonia after hip surgery in children with neurological complex chronic conditions.
The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to estimate rates of postoperative pneumonia in children with neurological complex chronic conditions (CCC) undergoing hip surgery, to determine the effect of pneumonia on postoperative hospital resource use, and to identify predictors. Researchers used data from the Pediatric Health Information System for children 4 years and older with a neurological CCC who had undergone hip surgery from 2016 to 2018 in U.S. children's hospitals. Findings indicate that postoperative pneumonia in children with a neurological CCC was associated with longer length-of-stay, readmissions, and higher costs. Children who had undergone pelvic osteotomies and who had multimorbidity needed additional clinical support to prevent postoperative pneumonia and to decrease resource utilization.
AHRQ-funded; HS024453.
Citation: Difazio RL, Shore BJ, Melvin P .
Pneumonia after hip surgery in children with neurological complex chronic conditions.
Dev Med Child Neurol 2023 Feb; 65(2):232-42. doi: 10.1111/dmcn.15339..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Surgery, Neurological Disorders, Pneumonia, Respiratory Conditions, Hospital Readmissions, Adverse Events
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
Nelson KE, Finlay M, Huang E
Clinical characteristics of children with severe neurologic impairment: a scoping review.
This study’s aim was to extrapolate the clinical features of children with severe neurologic impairment (SNI) based on the functional characteristics and comorbidities described in published studies. The authors searched four databases and included studies that describe clinical features of a group of children with SNI (≥20 subjects <19 years of age with >1 neurologic diagnosis and severe functional limitation) using data from caregivers, medical charts, or prospective collection. They included 102 studies, spanning 5 continents over 43 years using 41 distinct terms for SNI. Most studies (79%) described ≥3 types of functional characteristics, such as technology assistance and motor impairment. All studies noted 59 comorbidities and surgeries across 10 categories. The most common comorbidities were related to feeding, nutrition, and the gastrointestinal system, which was described in 79 studies. Studies investigated seven clinical topics, with "Gastrointestinal reflux and feeding tubes" as the most common research focus (56%). The next most common topic was “Aspiration and respiratory issues” which was included in 13 studies (13%). Most studies were retrospective cohort or case series.
AHRQ-funded; HS025138.
Citation: Nelson KE, Finlay M, Huang E .
Clinical characteristics of children with severe neurologic impairment: a scoping review.
J Hosp Med 2023 Jan; 18(1):65-77. doi: 10.1002/jhm.13019..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Neurological Disorders
Thomson J, Richardson T, Auger KA
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospitalizations of children with neurologic impairment.
The purpose of this multicenter retrospective cohort study was to explore the effect of the early COVID-19 pandemic on hospital utilization for children with neurologic impairment (NI). The study found that compared with the pre-COVID period, there was a 14.4% decrease in the weekly median number of hospitalizations in the early-COVID era. Hospitalizations decreased for both noninfectious and infectious illnesses in the early-COVID era. Researchers reported that the decrease was the largest in spring 2020 and continued throughout 2020.
AHRQ-funded; HS024735; HS025138; HS026763.
Citation: Thomson J, Richardson T, Auger KA .
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospitalizations of children with neurologic impairment.
J Hosp Med 2023 Jan; 18(1):33-42. doi: 10.1002/jhm.13021..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, COVID-19, Neurological Disorders, Hospitalization
Gagne JJ, Kesselheim AS, Choudhry NK
Comparative effectiveness of generic versus brand-name antiepileptic medications.
The objective of this study was to compare treatment persistence and rates of seizure-related events in patients who initiate antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy with a generic versus a brand-name product. It concluded that patients who initiated generic AEDs had fewer adverse seizure-related clinical outcomes and longer continuous treatment periods before experiencing a gap than those who initiated brand-name versions.
AHRQ-funded; HS018465.
Citation: Gagne JJ, Kesselheim AS, Choudhry NK .
Comparative effectiveness of generic versus brand-name antiepileptic medications.
Epilepsy Behav 2015 Nov;52(Pt A):14-8. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.08.014.
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Keywords: Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Comparative Effectiveness, Medication, Medication: Safety, Neurological Disorders, Patient Safety
Callaghan BC, Kerber KA, Pace RJ
Headache neuroimaging: routine testing when guidelines recommend against them.
The aim of this article was to determine the patient-level factors associated with headache neuroimaging in outpatient practice. It concluded that neuroimaging is routinely ordered in outpatient headache patients including populations where guidelines specifically recommend against their use (migraines, chronic headaches, no red flags).
AHRQ-funded; HS017690.
Citation: Callaghan BC, Kerber KA, Pace RJ .
Headache neuroimaging: routine testing when guidelines recommend against them.
Cephalalgia 2015 Nov;35(13):1144-52. doi: 10.1177/0333102415572918.
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Keywords: Neurological Disorders, Imaging, Shared Decision Making, Guidelines, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Fink HA, Hemmy LS, MacDonald R
Intermediate- and long-term cognitive outcomes after cardiovascular procedures in older adults: a systematic review.
This study summarized evidence about cognitive outcomes in adults aged 65 years or older at least 3 months after coronary or carotid revascularization, cardiac valve procedures, or ablation for atrial fibrillation. It concluded that intermediate- and long-term cognitive impairment in older adults attributable to the studied cardiovascular procedures may be uncommon.
AHRQ-funded; 2902007100641.
Citation: Fink HA, Hemmy LS, MacDonald R .
Intermediate- and long-term cognitive outcomes after cardiovascular procedures in older adults: a systematic review.
Ann Intern Med 2015 Jul 21;163(2):107-17. doi: 10.7326/m14-2793..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Elderly, Neurological Disorders, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Risk, Surgery
Fan T, Rossi C
AHRQ Author: Fan T
Screening for cognitive impairment in older adults.
This case study describes a 72-year-old white man comes the physician’s office for a preventive visit. He does not have any symptoms of dementia but asks whether he should be screened. Based on the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the authors ask (and answer) three questions concerning approaches to screening for cognitive impairment, risk factors for cognitive impairment or dementia in older adults, and the epidemiology of cognitive impairment in the United States.
AHRQ-authored
Citation: Fan T, Rossi C .
Screening for cognitive impairment in older adults.
Am Fam Physician 2015 Jul 15;92(2):125-6..
Keywords: Case Study, Elderly, Neurological Disorders, Screening, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)
Callaghan B, Kerber K, Langa KM
Longitudinal patient-oriented outcomes in neuropathy: importance of early detection and falls.
This study evaluated longitudinal patient-oriented outcomes in peripheral neuropathy over a 14-year time period including time before and after diagnosis. It concluded that, in older persons, differences in falls, pain, and self-rated health can be detected 3–5 years prior to peripheral neuropathy diagnosis, but only falls deteriorate more rapidly over time in neuropathy cases compared to controls.
AHRQ-funded; HS017690; HS022258.
Citation: Callaghan B, Kerber K, Langa KM .
Longitudinal patient-oriented outcomes in neuropathy: importance of early detection and falls.
Neurology 2015 Jul 7;85(1):71-9. doi: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000001714..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Neurological Disorders, Falls, Elderly, Patient Safety
Storzbach D, O'Neil ME, Roost SM
Comparing the neuropsychological test performance of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans with and without blast exposure, mild traumatic brain injury, and posttraumatic stress symptoms.
The purpose of this paper was to compare neuropsychological test performance of veterans with and without mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), blast exposure, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The authors found that, although some mild neurocognitive effects were associated with blast exposure, these neurocognitive effects might be better explained by PTSD symptom severity rather than blast exposure or MTBI history alone.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981; HS019456.
Citation: Storzbach D, O'Neil ME, Roost SM .
Comparing the neuropsychological test performance of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans with and without blast exposure, mild traumatic brain injury, and posttraumatic stress symptoms.
J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2015 May;21(5):353-63. doi: 10.1017/s1355617715000326.
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Keywords: Brain Injury, Behavioral Health, Neurological Disorders
Albrecht JS, Marcantonio ER, Roffey DM
Stability of postoperative delirium psychomotor subtypes in individuals with hip fracture.
This paper's objectives were to determine the stability of psychomotor subtypes of delirium over time and to identify characteristics associated with delirium psychomotor subtypes in individuals undergoing surgical repair of hip fracture. The Transfusion Trigger Trial for Functional Outcomes in Cardiovascular Patients Undergoing Surgical Hip Fracture Repair Cognitive Ancillary Study was conducted. Results showed that psychomotor subtypes of delirium often fluctuated from assessment to assessment, rather than representing fixed categories of delirium. Hypoactive delirium was the most common presentation of delirium but the least likely to be documented by healthcare providers.
AHRQ-funded; HS021068.
Citation: Albrecht JS, Marcantonio ER, Roffey DM .
Stability of postoperative delirium psychomotor subtypes in individuals with hip fracture.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2015 May;63(5):970-6. doi: 10.1111/jgs.13334.
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Keywords: Adverse Events, Cardiovascular Conditions, Injuries and Wounds, Neurological Disorders, Surgery
Ott BR, Daiello LA, Dahabreh IJ
Do statins impair cognition? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
The researchers aimed to synthesize randomized clinical trial (RCTs) evidence on the association between statin therapy and cognitive outcomes. Their meta-analysis of cognitive test data from 14 studies failed to show significant adverse effects of statins on all tests of cognition in either cognitively normal subjects or Alzheimer’s disease subjects.
AHRQ-funded; HS017735.
Citation: Ott BR, Daiello LA, Dahabreh IJ .
Do statins impair cognition? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
J Gen Intern Med 2015 Mar;30(3):348-58. doi: 10.1007/s11606-014-3115-3..
Keywords: Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Medication, Neurological Disorders, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Callaghan BC, Kerber KA, Burke JF
Headaches and neuroimaging—reply.
The authors of this letter, replying to two letters commenting on their earlier article on headaches and neuroimaging, find that they all share the view that neuroimaging is overused in headache presentations. They also discuss the potential downsides of interventions to reduce use, the impact of medical malpractice on overuse of tests, and the lack of consensus in defining low-value tests.
AHRQ-funded; HS017690
Citation: Callaghan BC, Kerber KA, Burke JF .
Headaches and neuroimaging—reply.
JAMA Intern Med. 2015 Feb;175(2):313-4. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.7014..
Keywords: Neurological Disorders, Healthcare Costs, Chronic Conditions, Guidelines
Aspinall SL, Zhao X, Semia TP
Epidemiology of drug-disease interactions in older veteran nursing home residents.
The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of and factors associated with potentially inappropriate drug– disease combinations according to the AGS 2012 Beers criteria that are clinically important in elderly adults residing in Veterans Affairs Community Living Centers. It found that drug-disease interactions were common in older residents with dementia or cognitive impairment or a history of falls or hip fracture.
AHRQ-funded; HS018721.
Citation: Aspinall SL, Zhao X, Semia TP .
Epidemiology of drug-disease interactions in older veteran nursing home residents.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2015 Jan;63(1):77-84. doi: 10.1111/jgs.13197..
Keywords: Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Dementia, Elderly, Falls, Injuries and Wounds, Medication, Medication: Safety, Neurological Disorders, Nursing Homes, Patient Safety