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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
26 to 50 of 324 Research Studies DisplayedChui MA, Berbakov ME, Gilson AM
Effectiveness and sustainment of a tailored over-the-counter medication safety intervention in community pharmacies: a randomized controlled trial.
This paper is a protocol of a pilot study to address a gap in medication safety and decrease misuse of over-the-counter (OTC) medications by older adults aged 65 years or older by creating a pharmacy “Senior Section”. The study will occur in three phases: adaptation, effectiveness using a randomized controlled trial, and sustainment. The study will take place within a regional Midwest integrated health system in conjunction with administration leadership and pharmacy sites. The authors hope this project will provide a road map for pharmacy organizations to tailor and adopt the Senior Section.
AHRQ-funded; HS027737.
Citation: Chui MA, Berbakov ME, Gilson AM .
Effectiveness and sustainment of a tailored over-the-counter medication safety intervention in community pharmacies: a randomized controlled trial.
Res Social Adm Pharm 2022 Nov;18(11):3953-63. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2022.06.008..
Keywords: Medication, Medication: Safety, Patient Safety, Provider: Pharmacist
Howard R, Gunaseelan V, Brummett C
New persistent opioid use after inguinal hernia repair.
The purpose of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to characterize the risk factors and incidence of new persistent use of opioids after inguinal hernia repair. During the study period of 208-2016, 59,795 patients met the inclusion criteria. The study found that 1.5% of patients continued filling their opioids prescriptions at least 3 months after their surgery. The greatest risk factor for developing new persistent opioid use after surgery was filling an opioid prescription in the 30 days before surgery. Other risk factors for new persistent opioid use after surgery included having a major postoperative complication, receiving a larger opioid prescription, having more comorbidities, and having certain mental health disorders or pain disorders.
AHRQ-funded; HS025778.
Citation: Howard R, Gunaseelan V, Brummett C .
New persistent opioid use after inguinal hernia repair.
Ann Surg 2022 Nov 1;276(5):e577-e83. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000004560..
Keywords: Opioids, Surgery, Medication, Pain
Mackie TI, Schaefer AJ, Palatucci JS
The role of formal policy to promote informed consent of psychotropic medications for youth in child welfare custody: a national examination.
The purpose of this sequential multi-method study was to propose a classification for the procedural elements of informed consent policies based upon existing child welfare policies and then explored whether formal state policies across the United States authorized these elements. The researchers conducted interviews with 58 key informants primarily from state child welfare agencies to identify a classification of procedural elements for informed consent of psychotropic medications. A legislative review of the 50 states and D.C. was then conducted to characterize whether formal policies endorsed each procedural element. Key informants reported five procedural elements in policy, and 23 states endorsed relevant legislation. Only two states specified all five procedural elements, and the content of any procedural elements varied considerably across policies.
AHRQ-funded; HS02198501; HS026001
Citation: Mackie TI, Schaefer AJ, Palatucci JS .
The role of formal policy to promote informed consent of psychotropic medications for youth in child welfare custody: a national examination.
Adm Policy Ment Health 2022 Nov;49(6):986-1003. doi: 10.1007/s10488-022-01212-3..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Vulnerable Populations, Medication, Behavioral Health, Policy
Pritchard KT, Baillargeon J, Lee WC
Trends in the use of opioids vs nonpharmacologic treatments in adults with pain, 2011-2019.
This serial cross-sectional analysis on trends in the use of prescription opioids and nonpharmacologic alternatives in treating pain used MEPS to estimate the use of outpatient services by cancer-free adults with chronic or surgical pain from 2011 to 2019. A total of unweighted 46,420 respondents, 9643 (20.4% weighted) received surgery and 36,777 (79.6% weighted) did not. The prevalence of nonpharmacologic treatments increased in 2019 for both chronic and surgical pain cohorts, especially with exclusive use compared with 2011. Chiropractors and physical therapists were the most common licensed healthcare professionals used among the cohort who used nonpharmacologic treatment.
AHRQ-funded; T32HS026133.
Citation: Pritchard KT, Baillargeon J, Lee WC .
Trends in the use of opioids vs nonpharmacologic treatments in adults with pain, 2011-2019.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 Nov;5(11):e2240612. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.40612..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Opioids, Medication, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Treatments
Gomez Lumbreras A, Reese TJ, Del Fiol G
Shared decision-making for drug-drug interactions: formative evaluation of an anticoagulant drug interaction.
This study evaluated a tool called DDInteract that was developed to enhance and support shared decision-making (SDM) between patients and physicians when both warfarin and NSAIDs are used concurrently. The study used case vignettes with physicians and patients on warfarin to conduct simulated virtual clinical encounters where they discussed the use of taking ibuprofen and warfarin concurrently and determined an appropriate therapeutic plan based on the patient’s individualized risk. Participants completed a postsession interview and SDM process survey, including the 9-item Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire (SDM-Q-9), tool usability and workload National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Task Load Index, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC) scale, System Usability Scale (SUS), and Decision Conflict Scale (DCS). A total of 12 physician-patient dyads were used, with over 91% of the patients over 50 and 75% had been taking warfarin for over 2 years. Most participants rated DDInteract higher than usual care (UC) and would be willing to use the tool for an interaction involving warfarin and NSAIDs.
AHRQ-funded; HS027099.
Citation: Gomez Lumbreras A, Reese TJ, Del Fiol G .
Shared decision-making for drug-drug interactions: formative evaluation of an anticoagulant drug interaction.
JMIR Form Res 2022 Oct 19;6(10):e40018. doi: 10.2196/40018..
Keywords: Shared Decision Making, Medication, Blood Thinners, Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Health Information Technology (HIT), Medication: Safety, Patient Safety
Assimon MM, Pun PH, Al-Khatib SM
The modifying effect of the serum-to-dialysate potassium gradient on the cardiovascular safety of SSRIs in the hemodialysis population: a pharmacoepidemiologic study.
This study’s objective was to examine if higher QT-prolonging selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) causes more cardiac risks to hemodialysis (HD) patients than lower serum-to-dialysate potassium gradient medications. The authors compared 1-year sudden cardiac death (SCD) risk among HD patients newly treated with higher (citalopram, escitalopram) versus lower (fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline) QT-prolonging potential SSRIs, overall and stratified by baseline potassium gradient. The study included 25,099 patients, with 44.3% newly prescribed higher QT-prolonging potential SSRIs and 55.7% lower QT-prolonging potential SSRIs. Overall, higher versus lower QT-prolonging potential SSRI use was not associated with SCD. However, a greater risk of SCD was associated with higher versus lower QT-prolonging potential SSRI use among patients with baseline potassium gradients ≥4 mEq/l but not among those with gradients <4 mEq/l versus 0.95.
AHRQ-funded; HS026801.
Citation: Assimon MM, Pun PH, Al-Khatib SM .
The modifying effect of the serum-to-dialysate potassium gradient on the cardiovascular safety of SSRIs in the hemodialysis population: a pharmacoepidemiologic study.
Nephrol Dial Transplant 2022 Oct 19;37(11):2241-52. doi: 10.1093/ndt/gfac214..
Keywords: Medication, Medication: Safety, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events
McNeil JC, Sommer LM, Vallejo JG
Reduced ceftaroline susceptibility among invasive mrsa infections in children: a clinical and genomic investigation.
The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency of reduced susceptibility (RS) to ceftaroline among pediatric methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. The researchers evaluated MRSA isolates at a tertiary children's hospital for ceftaroline RS. Ceftaroline RS occurred only among health care associated infections in 2.9% of isolates, and were more often clindamycin-resistant.
AHRQ-funded; HS026896.
Citation: McNeil JC, Sommer LM, Vallejo JG .
Reduced ceftaroline susceptibility among invasive mrsa infections in children: a clinical and genomic investigation.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022 Oct 18;66(10):e0074522. doi: 10.1128/aac.00745-22..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Medication, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Infectious Diseases, Genetics
Smith JT, Manickam RN, Barreda F
Quantifying the breadth of antibiotic exposure in sepsis and suspected infection using spectrum scores.
The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to apply a validated method to describe the level of antimicrobial coverage in a cohort of patients with suspected infection and sepsis. The researchers conducted the study across 21 hospitals with patients admitted to the hospital through the ED between January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2017, with suspected infection or sepsis and receiving antibiotics during hospitalization. The researchers quantified the level of antimicrobial coverage using the Spectrum Score, a numerical score from 0 to 64. Of 364,506 hospital admissions through the ED, researchers identified 43.6% with suspected infection and 56.4% with sepsis. Inpatient mortality was greater among those with sepsis (8.4%) compared to those with suspected infection (1.2%). Patients with sepsis had higher median global Spectrum Scores and additive Spectrum Scores compared to those with suspected infection. Increased Spectrum Scores were related with inpatient mortality, even after covariate adjustments. Spectrum Scores quantify the inconsistency in antibiotic level among individual patients, between suspected infection and sepsis groups, over the course of the hospitalization, and across infection sources.
AHRQ-funded; HS026725.
Citation: Smith JT, Manickam RN, Barreda F .
Quantifying the breadth of antibiotic exposure in sepsis and suspected infection using spectrum scores.
Medicine 2022 Oct 14; 101(41):e30245. doi: 10.1097/md.0000000000030245..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Sepsis, Medication
Snyder BM, Patterson MF, Gebretsadik T
Association between asthma status and prenatal antibiotic prescription fills among women in a Medicaid population.
The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between maternal asthma and outpatient prenatal antibiotic prescription fills to inform antibiotic stewardship. With data from the Tennessee Medicaid Program, findings showed that women with asthma had an increased risk of filling at least one prenatal antibiotic prescription and had an increased number of fills during pregnancy compared to women without asthma. These findings highlight that pregnant women with asthma disproportionately fill more antibiotic prescriptions during pregnancy.
AHRQ-funded; HS018454.
Citation: Snyder BM, Patterson MF, Gebretsadik T .
Association between asthma status and prenatal antibiotic prescription fills among women in a Medicaid population.
J Asthma 2022 Oct;59(10):2100-07. doi: 10.1080/02770903.2021.1993247..
Keywords: Asthma, Respiratory Conditions, Pregnancy, Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Medication, Maternal Care, Women, Chronic Conditions
Yan CH, Ramanathan S, Suda KJ
Barriers to and facilitators of opioid prescribing by dentists in the United States: a qualitative study.
In this study, a national sample of US dentists was interviewed to understand the barriers and facilitators to opioid prescribing. Findings showed that dentists' opioid decision making is influenced by a range of real-world practice experiences and patient and clinic factors. Recommendations included targeting knowledge gaps in dentistry for education, clinical guidelines, and policy interventions in order to ensure safe and appropriate prescribing of opioids.
AHRQ-funded; HS025177.
Citation: Yan CH, Ramanathan S, Suda KJ .
Barriers to and facilitators of opioid prescribing by dentists in the United States: a qualitative study.
J Am Dent Assoc 2022 Oct;153(10):957-69.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2022.05.009..
Keywords: Dental and Oral Health, Opioids, Medication
Togun AT, Karaca-Mandic P, Wurtz R
Changes in opioid marketing practices after release of the CDC guidelines.
This study investigated changes in opioid marketing practices after release of the 2016 CDC guidelines. The study’s objectives were to (1) evaluate whether the release of the guidelines was associated with changes in total monthly marketing spending received per physician, monthly marketing encounter frequency per physician, and spending per encounter during opioid marketing; and (2) evaluate whether such changes in marketing differed between specialist physicians and primary care physicians (PCPs) and between urban and rural primary care service areas (PCSAs). This retrospective observational cross-sectional study used opioid marketing spending data from the CMS Open Payments database between August 2013 and December 2017. After release of the CDC guidelines the monthly number of marketing encounters per physician and total monthly amount received per physician decreased, but the amount spent at each marketing encounter increased. There was an immediate increase in level of opioid marketing spending per encounter by $0.59 and an over-time increase in rate of spending per encounter of $0.04 per month.
AHRQ-funded; HS025164.
Citation: Togun AT, Karaca-Mandic P, Wurtz R .
Changes in opioid marketing practices after release of the CDC guidelines.
Am J Manag Care 2022 Oct;28(10):507-13. doi: 10.37765/ajmc.2022.89248..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Practice Patterns
Glynn A, Hernandez I, Roberts ET
Consequences of forgoing prescription drug subsidies among low-income Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes.
This study’s objective was to estimate the take-up of the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) among Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes and examine differences in out-of-pocket costs and prescription drug use between LIS enrollees and LIS-eligible non-enrollees. Data from the Health and Retirement Study linked to Medicare administrative data from 2008 to 2016 was used. The authors first estimated LIS take-up stratified by income (≤100% of the Federal Poverty Level [FPL] and >100% to ≤150% of FPL). Second, to assess the consequences of forgoing the LIS among near-poor beneficiaries (incomes >100% to ≤150% of FPL), they conducted propensity score-weighted regression analyses to compare out-of-pocket costs, prescription drug use, and cost-related medication non-adherence among LIS enrollees and LIS-eligible non-enrollees. Among Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes, 68.1% of those considered near-poor (incomes >100% to ≤150% of FPL) received the LIS, compared to 90.3% of those with incomes ≤100% of FPL. Among near-poor beneficiaries, LIS-eligible non-enrollees incurred higher annual out-of-pocket drug spending ($518], filled 7.3 fewer prescriptions for diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia drugs, and were 8.9 percentage points more likely to report skipping drugs due to cost. all compared to LIS enrollees.
AHRQ-funded; HS026727.
Citation: Glynn A, Hernandez I, Roberts ET .
Consequences of forgoing prescription drug subsidies among low-income Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes.
Health Serv Res 2022 Oct;57(5):1136-44. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13990..
Keywords: Medication, Diabetes, Chronic Conditions, Low-Income, Medicare, Healthcare Costs
Tisdale RL, Cusick MM, Aluri KZ
Cost-effectiveness of dapagliflozin for non-diabetic chronic kidney disease.
The purpose of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of adding dapagliflozin to standard management of patients with non-diabetic chronic kidney disease (CKD). Findings showed that adding dapagliflozin to standard care improved life expectancy by 2 years, increased discounted quality-adjusted life years, and reduced the total incidence of both kidney failure on kidney replacement therapy (KRT) and average years on KRT over the lifetime of the cohort. Further, dapagliflozin plus standard care was more effective than standard care alone while increasing lifetime costs.
AHRQ-funded; HS026128.
Citation: Tisdale RL, Cusick MM, Aluri KZ .
Cost-effectiveness of dapagliflozin for non-diabetic chronic kidney disease.
J Gen Intern Med 2022 Oct;37(13):3380-87. doi: 10.1007/s11606-021-07311-5..
Keywords: Kidney Disease and Health, Medication, Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Costs
Campbell NL, Pitts C, Corvari C
Deprescribing anticholinergics in primary care older adults: experience from two models and impact on a continuous measure of exposure.
The purpose of this study was to assess two pilot pharmacist-based advanced practice deprescribing intervention models and their impact on patients’ exposure to high-risk anticholinergics. The researchers conducted pilot studies of a collaborative clinic-based pharmacist deprescribing intervention and a telephone-based pharmacist deprescribing intervention. Deprescribing was defined as a discontinuation or dose reduction. Patients participating in the clinic-based pharmacy model were aged 55 years and older and were referred for deprescribing at a specialty clinic. Patients participating in the telephone-based pharmacy model were aged 65 years and older and called by a clinical pharmacist for deprescribing without referral. The study found that among the 24 medications deemed eligible for deprescribing for the18 patients in the clinic-based model, 23 were deprescribed. The clinic-based deprescribing model resulted in a 93% reduction in median annualized total standardized dose (TSD), 56% lowered their annualized exposure below a cognitive risk threshold, and 17% of medications were represcribed within 6 months. Among the 24 medications deemed eligible for deprescribing for the 24 patients in the telephone-based pharmacy model, 50% were deprescribed. There was no change in the median annualized TSD, the annualized TSD was lowered below a cognitive risk threshold in 46%, and no medications were represcribed within 6 months. The researchers concluded that pharmacist-based deprescribing successfully reduced exposure to high-risk anticholinergics in the study population.
AHRQ-funded; HS24384.
Citation: Campbell NL, Pitts C, Corvari C .
Deprescribing anticholinergics in primary care older adults: experience from two models and impact on a continuous measure of exposure.
Journal of the American College of Pharmacy 2022 Oct;5(10):1039-47. doi: 10.1002/jac5.1682..
Keywords: Elderly, Primary Care, Medication, Provider: Pharmacist, Medication: Safety, Patient Safety
Lusk C, Catchpole K, Neyens DM
Improving safety in the operating room: medication icon labels increase visibility and discrimination.
The purpose of this study was to assess whether the addition of icons to medication labels in an operating room setting would improve visibility and reduce medication administration errors. The multi-disciplinary team of researchers added icons to medication labels applied to vasoactive medication infusions, and the study found that participants were 1.12 times more likely to correctly identify medications with icons from farther away. In addition, when icons were present on the labels, participants were 2.16 times more likely to be more confident in their identifications.
AHRQ-funded; HS026625.
Citation: Lusk C, Catchpole K, Neyens DM .
Improving safety in the operating room: medication icon labels increase visibility and discrimination.
Appl Ergon 2022 Oct;104:103831. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103831..
Keywords: Medication: Safety, Medication, Patient Safety, Medical Errors, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events
Warren DK, Peacock KM, Nickel KB
Postdischarge prophylactic antibiotics following mastectomy with and without breast reconstruction.
The authors investigated factors associated with post-discharge prophylactic antibiotic use after mastectomy with and without immediate reconstruction and the impact on surgical-site infection (SSI). They found that anti-methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus antibiotics were associated with decreased risk of SSI for patients who had mastectomy only and those who had mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. They concluded that the high numbers needed to treat suggest that potential benefits of post-discharge antibiotics should be weighed against potential harms associated with antibiotic overuse.
AHRQ-funded; HS019455.
Citation: Warren DK, Peacock KM, Nickel KB .
Postdischarge prophylactic antibiotics following mastectomy with and without breast reconstruction.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2022 Oct;43(10):1382-88. doi: 10.1017/ice.2021.400..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Medication, Surgery, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Prevention, Women, Practice Patterns
Oke I, Badami A, Kosteva KL
Systemic barriers in receiving electronically prescribed glaucoma medications.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to quantify glaucoma medication treatment interruptions attributable to electronically prescribed medications and recommend interventions to reduce this barrier. The researchers reviewed Glaucoma medication refill requests received over a 6-week interval, and then contacted patient pharmacies 1 month after the request date to determine whether the medication was picked up by the patient. Patients who did not pick up the prescriptions were contacted and consented to participate in a survey to identify the barriers to getting the medications. The study found that a prior authorization requirement was significantly associated with patients not obtaining their medication, as well as insurance coverage (32.2%) and availability of the medication at the pharmacy (22.6%). The study concluded that due to the need for prior authorization, insurance coverage, and pharmacy availability, approximately one third of electronically prescribed glaucoma medications were not picked up by patients within one month of the refill request.
AHRQ-funded; HS000063.
Citation: Oke I, Badami A, Kosteva KL .
Systemic barriers in receiving electronically prescribed glaucoma medications.
J Glaucoma 2022 Oct;31(10):812-15. doi: 10.1097/ijg.0000000000002100..
Keywords: Medication, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Electronic Prescribing (E-Prescribing), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Vaughn VM, Ratz D, Greene MT
Antibiotic stewardship strategies and their association with antibiotic overuse after hospital discharge: an analysis of the Reducing Overuse of Antibiotics at Discharge (ROAD) home framework.
Researchers sought to understand strategies to optimize antibiotic prescribing at discharge. Surveying Michigan hospitals on their antibiotic stewardship strategies for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and urinary tract infection (UTI), they found that the more stewardship strategies a hospital reported, the lower its antibiotic overuse at discharge.
AHRQ-funded; HS026530.
Citation: Vaughn VM, Ratz D, Greene MT .
Antibiotic stewardship strategies and their association with antibiotic overuse after hospital discharge: an analysis of the Reducing Overuse of Antibiotics at Discharge (ROAD) home framework.
Clin Infect Dis 2022 Sep 29;75(6):1063-72. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciac104..
Keywords: Antimicrobial Stewardship, Antibiotics, Medication, Hospital Discharge, Transitions of Care
Dutta S, McEvoy DS, Rubins DM
Clinical decision support improves blood culture collection before intravenous antibiotic administration in the emergency department.
This paper discusses the outcomes of using a clinical decision support (CDS) tool that was implemented in emergency departments (EDs) for sepsis patients to remind healthcare staff to take blood cultures before administration of intravenous (IV) antibiotics. The study compared timely blood culture collection outcomes prior to IV antibiotics for 54,538 adult ED patients 1 year before and after a CDS intervention implementation in the electronic health record. The baseline phase found that 46.1% had blood cultures prior to IV antibiotics, compared to 58.8% after the intervention. The CDS improved blood culture collection rates without increasing overutilization.
AHRQ-funded; HS02717.
Citation: Dutta S, McEvoy DS, Rubins DM .
Clinical decision support improves blood culture collection before intravenous antibiotic administration in the emergency department.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2022 Sep 12;29(10):1705-14. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocac115..
Keywords: Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Health Information Technology (HIT), Antibiotics, Emergency Department, Medication, Sepsis
Kakiuchi S, Livorsi DJ, Perencevich EN
Days of antibiotic spectrum coverage: a novel metric for inpatient antibiotic consumption.
The purpose of this study was to develop a novel metric for antibiotic consumption, days of antibiotic spectrum coverage (DASC), to address the limitations of the current benchmarking metric days of therapy (DOT). The researchers developed their spectrum scoring system by assessing 77 antibiotics in 16 categories of antibacterial activity and creating a cumulative daily antibiotic spectrum coverage (ASC) score. To compare hospital benchmarking using DOT and DASC, the researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult patients admitted to acute care units within the Veterans Health Administration system in 2018. The study found little relationship between DOT per 1000 and DASC per DOT, suggesting that lower antibiotic consumption at a hospital does not necessarily mean more frequent use of narrow-spectrum antibiotics. The researchers concluded that DASC is a potential replacement for DOT.
AHRQ-funded; HS027472.
Citation: Kakiuchi S, Livorsi DJ, Perencevich EN .
Days of antibiotic spectrum coverage: a novel metric for inpatient antibiotic consumption.
Clin Infect Dis 2022 Sep 10;75(4):567-76. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab1034..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Medication, Antimicrobial Stewardship
Jiang Y, Mason M, Cho Y
Tolerance to oral anticancer agent treatment in older adults with cancer: a secondary analysis of data from electronic health records and a pilot study of patient-reported outcomes.
The purpose of this study was to explore the tolerance of capecitabine oral chemotherapy among older adults with cancer and investigate factors associated with related side effects and treatment changes. The researchers combined data from electronic health records and a pilot study of patient-reported outcomes, and found that older adults were more likely to experience fatigue and experienced more severe fatigue and hand-foot syndrome (HFS) than younger adults. The severity of fatigue and HFS were associated with the number of outpatient medications and the duration of treatment respectively. Female sex, breast cancer diagnosis, capecitabine monotherapy, and severe HFS were found to be associated with subsequent dose reductions. The study concluded that older adults were less likely to tolerate capecitabine treatment and had different co-occurring side effects compared to younger adults.
AHRQ-funded; HS027846.
Citation: Jiang Y, Mason M, Cho Y .
Tolerance to oral anticancer agent treatment in older adults with cancer: a secondary analysis of data from electronic health records and a pilot study of patient-reported outcomes.
BMC Cancer 2022 Sep 3;22(1):950. doi: 10.1186/s12885-022-10026-3..
Keywords: Elderly, Cancer, Medication, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Redwood R, Schulz LT, Pop-Vicas A
A perfect storm: COVID-19 and antimicrobial resistance.
The purpose of this article was to discuss key factors that contributed to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with an emphasis on lessons learned and next steps. The authors report that the pandemic strained healthcare systems worldwide and disrupted standard infection control and antimicrobial stewardship practices, which are essential to limit the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms and decrease selective pressure related to inappropriate or unnecessary antimicrobial therapy. Disruptions to these practices are compounded by the disproportionately long hospital and intensive care unit stays observed in critically ill COVID-19 patients, leading to secondary bacterial infections that are notoriously difficult to treat and increase the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, which can drive resistance. The article further states that the pandemic has led to shortages in personal protective equipment, increased workload, and staffing issues, all of which have disrupted routine antimicrobial stewardship activities. The article concludes that COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to develop new therapeutic interventions for infectious diseases that do not rely solely on antibiotics, and stresses the importance of incorporating the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic into future efforts to combat AMR.
AHRQ-funded; HS028669.
Citation: Redwood R, Schulz LT, Pop-Vicas A .
A perfect storm: COVID-19 and antimicrobial resistance.
EMJ, Microbiol Infect Dis 2022 Sep; 2022. doi: 10.33590/emjmicrobiolinfectdis/22-00082..
Keywords: COVID-19, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Antibiotics, Medication
Colditz JB, Shensa A, Kennedy AJ
Acceptability and efficacy of the SMARxT media literacy education program to counter pharmaceutical marketing influences among medical trainees.
This article looked at the results of a media literacy education program called SMARxT, whose goal was to counter pharmaceutical marketing influences among resident physicians. In 2017, the authors assessed program feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of enhancing knowledge among resident physicians at the University of Pittsburgh. The residents (n=73) responded to pre-test items assessing prior knowledge, viewed six SMARxT videos, and responded to post-test items. The residents completed a 6-month follow-up test to quantitatively assess sustained changes in knowledge and to qualitatively assess feedback about the program. The proportion of correct knowledge responses increased from pre-test to immediate post-test (31% to 64%) at baseline. Correct responses also increased from pre-test to 6-month follow-up (31% to 43%). Acceptability of the program quantitatively yielded positive scores and qualitative responses indicated participants' increased confidence in understanding and countering marketing influences due to the intervention. However, participants shared they would prefer shorter videos, feedback about test scores, and additional resources to reinforce learning objectives.
AHRQ-funded; HS022927.
Citation: Colditz JB, Shensa A, Kennedy AJ .
Acceptability and efficacy of the SMARxT media literacy education program to counter pharmaceutical marketing influences among medical trainees.
Interdiscip J Virtual Learn Med Sci 2022 Sep; 13(3):213-20. doi: 10.30476/ijvlms.2022.95137.1151..
Keywords: Health Literacy, Medication
Tracer H, Newhouse CN
AHRQ Author: Tracer H
Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease.
This Putting Prevention into Practice case study involves a 56-year-old man, a wellness visit, and aspirin usage to prevent cardiovascular disease. Three questions based on U.S. Preventative Serices Task Force recommendations are presented, followed by the answers.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Tracer H, Newhouse CN .
Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Am Fam Physician 2022 Sep;106(3):327-28..
Keywords: Medication, Cardiovascular Conditions, Prevention, Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice
Ramadan OI, Dember LM, Wang GJ
Association between anaesthesia type and arteriovenous fistula maturation.
The purpose of this study was to measure the relationship between anesthesia type and arteriovenous fistula maturation. The researchers conducted a secondary analysis of data from 602 participants of the Hemodialysis Fistula Maturation study, a prospective cohort study of advanced chronic kidney disease patients who underwent single-stage upper extremity fistula creation between 2010 and 2013. The current study found that 55.8% of patients received regional/local anesthesia and 44.2% received general anesthesia. Unassisted maturation took place in 53.1% of patients after regional/local anesthesia vs 40.3% after general anesthesia. After adjustment for patient factors and fistula type, regional/local anesthesia was related with higher odds of unassisted maturation than general anesthesia. However, after further adjustment for clinical center fixed effects, odds of unassisted maturation did not differ by anesthesia type. The researchers concluded that regional/local anesthesia was related with higher odds of fistula maturation when adjusting for patient factors and fistula type, but the relationship association did not endure after adjusting for center fixed effects.
AHRQ-funded; HS026116.
Citation: Ramadan OI, Dember LM, Wang GJ .
Association between anaesthesia type and arteriovenous fistula maturation.
BJA Open 2022 Sep;3. doi: 10.1016/j.bjao.2022.100031..
Keywords: Kidney Disease and Health, Medication