National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
Data
- Data Infographics
- Data Visualizations
- Data Tools
- Data Innovations
- All-Payer Claims Database
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
- AHRQ Quality Indicator Tools for Data Analytics
- State Snapshots
- United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)
- Data Sources Available from AHRQ
Search All Research Studies
AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Adverse Drug Events (ADE) (18)
- (-) Adverse Events (64)
- Blood Clots (1)
- Blood Thinners (10)
- Cancer (2)
- Cancer: Prostate Cancer (1)
- (-) Cardiovascular Conditions (64)
- Children/Adolescents (3)
- Chronic Conditions (3)
- Comparative Effectiveness (2)
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine (1)
- COVID-19 (1)
- Diabetes (2)
- Diagnostic Safety and Quality (2)
- Dialysis (2)
- Elderly (2)
- Emergency Department (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (7)
- Guidelines (1)
- Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) (3)
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) (2)
- Healthcare Costs (4)
- Heart Disease and Health (31)
- Hospitalization (1)
- Hospital Readmissions (2)
- Hospitals (4)
- Imaging (1)
- Injuries and Wounds (3)
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (3)
- Kidney Disease and Health (7)
- Medical Devices (7)
- Medical Errors (3)
- Medicare (1)
- Medication (18)
- Medication: Safety (9)
- Mortality (9)
- Neurological Disorders (2)
- Outcomes (7)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (2)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (10)
- Patient Safety (26)
- Payment (1)
- Pneumonia (4)
- Practice Patterns (3)
- Prevention (3)
- Provider Performance (1)
- Quality of Care (2)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (1)
- Registries (6)
- Respiratory Conditions (2)
- Risk (21)
- Sex Factors (1)
- Stroke (5)
- Surgery (30)
- Women (1)
AHRQ Research Studies
Sign up: AHRQ Research Studies Email updates
Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 25 of 64 Research Studies DisplayedMovahedi F, Kanwar MK, Antaki JF
Timelines of adverse event journeys of LVAD patients.
The objective of this study was to investigate the timelines of adverse events (AEs) in the INTERMACS database to obtain insights into the "AE journeys" of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients. The characteristics of the timelines were investigated via six descriptive research questions. The analysis revealed time-related characteristics and patterns of the AE journey after LVAD, including the most common time of occurrences, duration, and time intervals between AEs. The authors concluded that the INTERMACS Event dataset is a valuable resource for research about the timeline of AE journeys of LVAD patients and noted that future studies should consider the time-related characteristics of the dataset to choose an appropriate scope of time and time granularity.
AHRQ-funded; HS027784.
Citation: Movahedi F, Kanwar MK, Antaki JF .
Timelines of adverse event journeys of LVAD patients.
Artif Organs 2023 Oct; 47(10):1604-12. doi: 10.1111/aor.14596..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Adverse Events, Medical Devices
Wang Y, Eldridge N, Metersky ML
AHRQ Author: Eldridge N and Rodrick D
Relationship between in-hospital adverse events and hospital performance on 30-day all-cause mortality and readmission for patients with heart failure.
Researchers sought to evaluate the association between hospital performance on mortality and readmission with hospital performance on safety adverse event rates. Their cross-sectional study linked patient-level adverse events data from the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System to hospital-level, heart failure (HF)-specific, 30-day, all-cause mortality and readmissions data from CMS. The study included data on over 39,000 patients with HF from over 3000 hospitals. Patients admitted with HF to hospitals with high 30-day, all-cause mortality and readmission rates had a higher risk of in-hospital adverse events. The researchers concluded that there might be common quality issues among the measure concepts in these hospitals that produce poor performance for patients with HF.
AHRQ-funded; AHRQ-authored; 290201800005C.
Citation: Wang Y, Eldridge N, Metersky ML .
Relationship between in-hospital adverse events and hospital performance on 30-day all-cause mortality and readmission for patients with heart failure.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2023 Jul; 16(7):e009573. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.122.009573..
Keywords: Hospitals, Hospital Readmissions, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Adverse Events, Provider Performance
Marcaccio CL, Patel PB, Rastogi V
Efficacy and safety of single versus dual antiplatelet therapy in carotid artery stenting.
This study’s objective was to examine the efficacy and safety of preoperative single antiplatelet therapy (AP) therapy vs double antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients who had undergone transfemoral CAS (tfCAS) or transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR). The authors identified all patients who had undergone tfCAS or TCAR in the Vascular Quality Initiative database from 2016 to 2021. A total of 18,570 tfCAS patients were included, of which 70% had received DAPT, 5.6% no AP therapy, 10% ASA only, 8.0% ASA + AP loading dose, 4.6% P2Y12 inhibitor (P2Yi) only, and 2.9% P2Yi + AP loading dose. After adjustment, compared with DAPT, the incidence of stroke/death was higher with no AP therapy, ASA only, and ASA + AP loading dose, but was similar with P2Yi only, and P2Yi + AP loading dose. No differences were found in the incidence of bleeding rates between the treatment groups after tfCAS or TCAR. These findings support the current guidelines recommending DAPT before CAS but also suggest that P2Yi monotherapy might confer thromboembolic benefits similar to those with DAPT.
AHRQ-funded; HS027285.
Citation: Marcaccio CL, Patel PB, Rastogi V .
Efficacy and safety of single versus dual antiplatelet therapy in carotid artery stenting.
J Vasc Surg 2023 May; 77(5):1434-46.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2022.12.034..
Keywords: Blood Thinners, Medication, Medication: Safety, Cardiovascular Conditions, Stroke, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Patient Safety
Gamyroulas EM, Jones AE, Saunders JA
Trends in antiplatelet strategies 12-months following coronary stent placement in anticoagulated patients.
The guidelines for antithrombotic management in individuals undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) who also necessitate anticoagulant treatment are continually developing. The purpose of this study is to examine adjustments to antithrombotic regimens and correlated outcomes within a year following PCI in patients needing continued anticoagulation therapy. Data from patients discovered through electronic medical record searches were manually assessed to validate alterations in antithrombotic treatment from discharge up to one year post-PCI, as well as episodes of significant bleeding, clinically relevant non-major bleeding (CRNMB), major adverse cardiovascular or neurological events (MACNE), and all-cause mortality outcomes during an extra six-month follow-up period. The study found that one year after PCI, patients (n = 120) undergoing anticoagulation treatment were categorized based on their antiplatelet therapy status: no antiplatelet therapy (n = 16), single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) (n = 85), or dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) (n = 19). Between 12 and 18 months post-PCI, there were two significant bleeds, seven CRNMB events, six MACNE incidents, two venous thromboembolisms, and five fatalities. All but one bleeding occurrence transpired in the SAPT group. The likelihood of maintaining DAPT at 12 months was elevated in patients who underwent PCI for acute coronary syndrome and those who experienced MACNE within one year post-PCI; however, these associations did not reach statistical significance.
AHRQ-funded; HS027960
Citation: Gamyroulas EM, Jones AE, Saunders JA .
Trends in antiplatelet strategies 12-months following coronary stent placement in anticoagulated patients.
BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2023 Mar 8;23(1):117. doi: 10.1186/s12872-023-03161-7.
Keywords: Blood Thinners, Medication, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events
Likosky DS, Strobel RJ, Wu X
Interhospital failure to rescue after coronary artery bypass grafting.
Researchers conducted an observational study to evaluate whether interhospital variation in mortality rates for coronary artery bypass grafting was driven by complications and failure to rescue. Subjects were patients undergoing grafting surgery across 90 hospitals between 2011 and 2017. Results indicated the predicted mortality risk was similar across hospital observed:expected mortality terciles. Observed and expected failure to rescue rates were positively correlated among patients with major and overall complications. The researchers concluded that interhospital variability in successful rescue after coronary artery bypass grafting supports the importance of identifying best practices at high-performing hospitals; this includes early recognition and management of complications.
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Likosky DS, Strobel RJ, Wu X .
Interhospital failure to rescue after coronary artery bypass grafting.
J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2023 Jan;165(1):134-43.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2021.01.064..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Surgery, Hospitals, Adverse Events
Kravchenko OV, Boyce RD, Gomez-Lumbreras A
Drug-drug interaction between dexamethasone and direct-acting oral anticoagulants: a nested case-control study in the national COVID cohort collaborative (N3C).
This study examined whether there is an association between thromboembolotic events (TEEs) and concomitant use of dexamethasone with either apixaban or rivaroxaban (both direct oral anticoagulants or DOACs) during treatment for COVID-19. The authors used data from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) to conduct a nested case-control study. Eligible participants were adults over 18 years who were exposed to a DOAC for 10 or more consecutive days and exposure to dexamethasone at least 5 or more consecutive days. The study did not find a discernible association of TEE in patients concomitantly exposed to dexamethasone and a DOAC.
AHRQ-funded; HS025984.
Citation: Kravchenko OV, Boyce RD, Gomez-Lumbreras A .
Drug-drug interaction between dexamethasone and direct-acting oral anticoagulants: a nested case-control study in the national COVID cohort collaborative (N3C).
BMJ Open 2022 Dec 29; 12(12):e066846. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066846..
Keywords: COVID-19, Blood Thinners, Medication, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Cardiovascular Conditions, Medication: Safety, Patient Safety
Lai LY, Oerline MK, Caram MEV
Risk of metabolic and cardiovascular adverse events with abiraterone or enzalutamide among men with advanced prostate cancer.
Investigators examined the association between the use of abiraterone or enzalutamide and the risk of metabolic or cardiovascular adverse events while on treatment for advanced prostate cancer. They found that, compared with men not receiving abiraterone, men receiving abiraterone were at increased risk of both a major composite adverse event and a minor composite adverse event. Compared with men not receiving enzalutamide, men receiving enzalutamide were at an increased risk of a major composite adverse event but not a minor composite adverse event. They recommended careful monitoring and management of men on abiraterone or enzalutamide through team-based approaches.
AHRQ-funded; HS027507.
Citation: Lai LY, Oerline MK, Caram MEV .
Risk of metabolic and cardiovascular adverse events with abiraterone or enzalutamide among men with advanced prostate cancer.
J Natl Cancer Inst 2022 Aug 8;114(8):1127-34. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djac081..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Cancer, Risk, Adverse Events, Medication, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Medication: Safety, Patient Safety
Marcaccio CL, Patel PB, Wang S
Effect of postoperative antithrombotic therapy on lower extremity outcomes after infrapopliteal bypass for chronic limb-threatening ischemia.
This study’s goal was to examine the effects of different postoperative antithrombotic regimens on 3-year clinical outcomes after infrapopliteal bypass for chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). The authors identified patients who had undergone infrapopliteal bypass for CLTI in the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) registry from 2003 to 2017 with linkage to Medicare claims for long-term outcomes. They divided the patients into three cohorts according to the discharge antithrombotic regimen: single-antiplatelet therapy (SAPT; aspirin or clopidogrel), dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT; aspirin and clopidogrel), or anticoagulation (AC) plus any antiplatelet (AP) agent. To reduce selection bias, they restricted the analysis cohorts to patients treated by providers who discharged >50% of patients with each antithrombotic regimen. Their primary outcome was 3-year major adverse limb events (MALE; major amputation or reintervention). Among 1812 patients with a median follow-up time of >2 years, 693 (38%) were discharged with SAPT, 544 (30%) with DAPT, and 575 (32%) with AC+AP. At 3 years, MALE rates were 75% with DAPT, 74% with AC+AP, and 68% with SAPT. In adjusted analyses with SAPT as the reference group, no differences were found in 3-year MALE with DAPT or AC+AP. Across the treatment groups, we also found no differences in the individual end points of 3-year major amputation (DAPT: aHR, 0.98; AC+AP: aHR, 1.3), reintervention (DAPT: aHR, 1.0; AC+AP: aHR, 1.1), or mortality (DAPT: aHR, 1.1; AC+AP: aHR, 0.95).
AHRQ-funded; HS027285.
Citation: Marcaccio CL, Patel PB, Wang S .
Effect of postoperative antithrombotic therapy on lower extremity outcomes after infrapopliteal bypass for chronic limb-threatening ischemia.
J Vasc Surg 2022 May; 75(5):1696-706.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2022.01.011..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Medication, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Surgery, Medication: Safety
Marcaccio CL, Patel PB, Liang P
Efficacy and safety of perioperative dual antiplatelet therapy with ticagrelor versus clopidogrel in carotid artery stenting.
This study’s objective was to compare the efficacy and safety of perioperative dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin/ticagrelor vs aspirin/clopidogrel in patients undergoing transfemoral carotid artery stenting (tfCAS) or transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR). The authors identified all patients who underwent tfCAS or TCAR in the Vascular Quality Initiative registry from January 2016 to March 2021. They stratified patients by procedure and assessed outcomes using 1:3 propensity score-matched cohorts of patients who received perioperative aspirin/ticagrelor vs aspirin/clopidogrel. Among the cohort of 17,731 tfCAS patients, 593 (3.3%) received aspirin/ticagrelor and 11,404 (64%) received aspirin/clopidogrel. For the 2065 matched patients, no significant differences were found in the composite endpoint of stroke/death (aspirin/ticagrelor, 4.1%; vs aspirin/clopidogrel, 2.6%) or in the individual endpoints of stroke (2.9% vs 1.8%) or death (1.7% vs 1.1%). However, aspirin/ticagrelor was associated with a higher risk of bleeding (5.8% vs 2.8%). In a subgroup analysis of 297 tfCAS patients (14%) who received intraoperative protamine, no differences remained in stroke/death (1.5% vs 3.9%), and there was no longer a difference in bleeding (3.0% vs 2.6%). Among 17,946 TCAR patients, 453 (2.5%) received aspirin/ticagrelor and 13,696 (76%) received aspirin/clopidogrel. With the 1618 matched patients, no differences were found in stroke/death (0.7% vs 1.4%), stroke (0.2% vs 1.2%), death (0.5% vs 0.2%), or bleeding (1.2% vs 1.6%). For the 1429 TCAR patients (88%) who received protamine, no differences were found in stroke/death (0.8% vs 1.2%) or bleeding (0.6% vs 1.4%).
AHRQ-funded; HS027285.
Citation: Marcaccio CL, Patel PB, Liang P .
Efficacy and safety of perioperative dual antiplatelet therapy with ticagrelor versus clopidogrel in carotid artery stenting.
J Vasc Surg 2022 Apr; 75(4):1293-303.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2021.09.045..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Medication, Stroke, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Surgery
Blakeslee-Carter J, Beck AW, Spangler EL
Type III endoleaks in complex endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair within the Vascular Quality Initiative.
The objective of this national multicenter cohort study was to evaluate the occurrence of Type III endoleaks (T3ELs) after complex endovascular aneurysm repair (c-EVAR) for abdominal aortic aneurysm, identify potential procedural characteristics, and determine their impact on c-EVAR clinical outcomes. Investigators reviewed elective c-EVAR for nonruptured aneurysms within the Vascular Quality Initiative. The findings indicated that T3ELs in c-EVAR remain relatively uncommon and are identified predominately at index hospitalization. T3EL development was associated with higher device modularity and modification. The presence of T3ELs did not appear to have a statistically significant relationship with aortic reinterventions or survival, but the authors note that these findings are not definitive.
AHRQ-funded; HS013852.
Citation: Blakeslee-Carter J, Beck AW, Spangler EL .
Type III endoleaks in complex endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair within the Vascular Quality Initiative.
J Vasc Surg 2022 Apr; 75(4):1172-80. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2021.10.038..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Surgery, Adverse Events
Patel PB, Marcaccio CL, de Guerre L
Complications after thoracic endovascular aortic repair for ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysms remain high compared with elective repair.
This study evaluated the outcomes associated with presentation of ruptured aneurysms and outcomes after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). The Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) registry was queried for ten years (2010-2020) to identify patients who had undergone TEVAR for ruptured and intact thoracic aortic aneurysms. Primary outcome was to identify the factors associated with ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysms and secondary outcomes including perioperative mortality and morbidity, 5-year survival, and the identification of factors associated with adverse outcomes after TEVAR. The majority of the 3039 patients identified with a thoracic aortic aneurysm (92%) had undergone repair for an intact aneurysm and 8% had undergone repair for a ruptured aneurysm. Chronic kidney disease was associated with greater odds of a presentation with ruptured aneurysm. Lower odds of rupture included prior aortic aneurysm repair, prior smoker, preoperative beta-blocker therapy, and preoperative statin therapy. TEVAR for ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysms was associated with higher perioperative mortality (rupture vs intact, 27% vs 4.6%) and the composite outcome of mortality, new dialysis, paralysis, and stroke (38% vs 9.5%). The 5-year survival was significantly lower after TEVAR for ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysms (50% vs 76%). Preoperative statin therapy was associated with higher 5-year survival.
AHRQ-funded; HS027285.
Citation: Patel PB, Marcaccio CL, de Guerre L .
Complications after thoracic endovascular aortic repair for ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysms remain high compared with elective repair.
J Vasc Surg 2022 Mar; 75(3):842-50. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2021.09.047..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Surgery, Adverse Events
Mallela DP, Canner JK, Zarkowsky DS
Association between race and perioperative outcomes after carotid endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis in NSQIP.
This study investigated the association of race on carotid endarterectomy (CEA) outcomes. Perioperative outcomes (at 30 days) were compared for Black vs. White patients adjusting for age/sex, comorbidities and disease characteristics. Out of 16,764 patients from the ACS-NSQIP targeted vascular database (2011-2019), 95.2% were White and 4.8% were Black. Black patients were slightly younger and more frequently (79.5% vs 74.0%) had high-grade carotid artery stenosis compared to White patients. Comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease were all more prevalent among Black patients. Crude perioperative stroke and stroke/death were higher for Black patients, but myocardial infarction leading to death were similar. After adjusting for baseline differences between groups, the risk of perioperative stroke and stroke/death remained significantly higher for Black patients than White patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS024547.
Citation: Mallela DP, Canner JK, Zarkowsky DS .
Association between race and perioperative outcomes after carotid endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis in NSQIP.
J Am Coll Surg 2022 Jan;234(1):65-73. doi: 10.1097/xcs.0000000000000016..
Keywords: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Surgery, Cardiovascular Conditions, Stroke, Risk, Adverse Events
Vaghani V, Wei L, U
Validation of an electronic trigger to measure missed diagnosis of stroke in emergency departments.
Diagnostic errors are major contributors to preventable patient harm. In this study, the investigators validated the use of an electronic health record (EHR)-based trigger (e-trigger) to measure missed opportunities in stroke diagnosis in emergency departments (EDs). The investigators concluded that a symptom-disease pair-based e-trigger identified missed diagnoses of stroke with a modest positive predictive value, underscoring the need for chart review validation procedures to identify diagnostic errors in large data sets.
AHRQ-funded; HS017820; HS024459.
Citation: Vaghani V, Wei L, U .
Validation of an electronic trigger to measure missed diagnosis of stroke in emergency departments.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2021 Sep 18;28(10):2202-11. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocab121..
Keywords: Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions, Emergency Department, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Medical Errors, Adverse Events
Amin AP, Rao SV, Seto AH
Transradial access for high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention: implications of the risk-treatment paradox.
The study’s objective was to examine whether the association between transradial percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI; TRI) use versus transfemoral PCI (TFI) and in-hospital outcomes is influenced by baseline risk. TRI was found to reduce adverse outcomes when compared with TFI. The authors analyzed 28,005 PCIs performed in a 7-hospital system between July 2009 and April 2018. TRI use increased over time. However a risk-treatment paradox for TRI use was observed not only for bleeding risk, but for acute kidney injury (AKI) and death. The absolute risk difference between TRI and TFI increased with increasing baseline risk.
AHRQ-funded; HS022481.
Citation: Amin AP, Rao SV, Seto AH .
Transradial access for high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention: implications of the risk-treatment paradox.
Circ Cardiovasc Interv 2021 Jul;14(7):e009328. doi: 10.1161/circinterventions.120.009328..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Adverse Events, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Feng Y, Pai CW, Seiler K
Adverse outcomes associated with inappropriate direct oral anticoagulant starter pack prescription among patients with atrial fibrillation: a retrospective claims-based study.
This retrospective analysis investigated the risk for bleeding events with higher dosing of direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) in the first 1-3 weeks of treatment for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Findings showed that patients who received an inappropriate DOAC prescription were more likely to identify as Black. Rates of ED visits, hospitalizations, and deaths overall were numerically lower in patients with starter pack DOAC prescriptions. In contrast, rates of ED visits and hospitalizations related to significant bleeding were numerically higher in patients with starter pack DOAC prescriptions. Among patients with AF but without acute venous thromboembolism, those who received an inappropriate DOAC starter pack had numerically higher rates of severe bleeding leading to ED visits and hospitalizations compared to those prescribed an appropriate non-starter pack DOAC anticoagulant.
AHRQ-funded; HS026874.
Citation: Feng Y, Pai CW, Seiler K .
Adverse outcomes associated with inappropriate direct oral anticoagulant starter pack prescription among patients with atrial fibrillation: a retrospective claims-based study.
J Thromb Thrombolysis 2021 May;51(4):1144-49. doi: 10.1007/s11239-020-02358-3..
Keywords: Blood Thinners, Medication, Medication: Safety, Medical Errors, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions
Haddad DN, Shipe ME, Absi TS
Preparing for bundled payments: impact of complications post-coronary artery bypass grafting on costs.
This study examined the impact of complications on bundled payments for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for care provided from admission through 90 days post-discharge. The authors linked clinical and internal cost data for patients undergoing CABG from 2014 to 2017 at a single institution. They performed multivariable linear regression to evaluate drivers of high costs, adjusting for preoperative and intraoperative characteristics and postoperative complications. They reviewed records of 1789 patients undergoing CABG with an average of 2.7 vessels. A large proportion of patients were diabetic and obese. Factors associated with increased adjusted costs were preoperative renal failure, diabetes and body mass index, postoperative stroke, prolonged ventilation, rebleeding requiring reoperation, and renal failure with varying magnitude.
AHRQ-funded; HS026122.
Citation: Haddad DN, Shipe ME, Absi TS .
Preparing for bundled payments: impact of complications post-coronary artery bypass grafting on costs.
Ann Thorac Surg 2021 Apr;111(4):1258-63. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2020.06.105..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Surgery, Adverse Events, Healthcare Costs, Payment
Axley J, Novak Z, Blakeslee-Carter J
Long-term trends in preoperative cardiac evaluation and myocardial infarction after elective vascular procedures.
This retrospective cohort study was performed using data on elective vascular surgery procedures and evaluated long-term trends in post-operative myocardial infarction (POMI) using Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) registry data for patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA), thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), endovascular aortic repair (EVAR), open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (oAAA), suprainguinal bypass (SIB), and infrainguinal bypass (IIB). A total of 227,837 elective procedures were identified. The overall rate of POMI was 1.3% across all procedures. POMI rates from 2003-05 to 2015-17 for CEA decreased from 0.9% to 0.7%, EVAR from 2% to 7%, IIB from 3.8% to 2.4%, and oAAA from 6.8% to 5.1%. From 2009 to 2017 SIB decreased from 3.06% to 2.95%. However, TEVAR increased from 2.4% to 3.56% for the period 2006 to 2017. CEA, EVAR, IIB, oAAA all showed a significant increase in postoperative statin use.
AHRQ-funded; HS013852.
Citation: Axley J, Novak Z, Blakeslee-Carter J .
Long-term trends in preoperative cardiac evaluation and myocardial infarction after elective vascular procedures.
Ann Vasc Surg 2021 Feb;71:19-28. doi: 10.1016/j.avsg.2020.09.006..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Surgery, Adverse Events, Registries
Braet DJ, Smith JB, Bath J
Risk factors associated with 30-day hospital readmission after carotid endarterectomy.
This study looked at the risk factors associated with 30-day hospital readmission after carotid endarterectomy. Patients in the Cerner Health Facts® database were selected using ICD-9-CM procedure codes. A total of 5257 patients were identified who had undergone elective carotid endarterectomy. Readmission was associated with end-stage renal disease, hemorrhage or hematoma, procedural complications, use of bronchodilators, electrolyte abnormalities, and hypokalemia less than 3.7 mEq/L. Although protamine reduces the risk of bleeding complications, only 40% of patients received that medication.
AHRQ-funded; HS022140.
Citation: Braet DJ, Smith JB, Bath J .
Risk factors associated with 30-day hospital readmission after carotid endarterectomy.
Vascular 2021 Feb;29(1):61-68. doi: 10.1177/1708538120937955..
Keywords: Hospital Readmissions, Surgery, Cardiovascular Conditions, Risk, Adverse Events
Li K, Ferguson T, Embil J
Risk of kidney failure, death, and cardiovascular events after lower limb complications in patients with CKD.
Investigators sought to determine how interim lower limb complications modify the subsequent risk of progression to kidney failure, all-cause mortality before kidney failure, and cardiovascular events in a cohort of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages G3 to G5. Patient-level data obtained from several administrative databases from Manitoba, Canada, were analyzed. They found that interim lower limb complications were associated with an increased risk of kidney failure, all-cause mortality before kidney failure, and cardiovascular-related hospitalization. They stated that clinical trials of screening and treatment strategies for patients with CKD at risk for lower limb complications may help determine optimal strategies to manage this risk.
AHRQ-funded; HS018574.
Citation: Li K, Ferguson T, Embil J .
Risk of kidney failure, death, and cardiovascular events after lower limb complications in patients with CKD.
Kidney Int Rep 2021 Feb;6(2):381-88. doi: 10.1016/j.ekir.2020.11.010..
Keywords: Kidney Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Chronic Conditions, Risk, Adverse Events, Mortality, Outcomes
Barnes GD
Combining antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy in cardiovascular disease.
The author describes results of a number of randomized clinical trials that have explored different combinations of anticoagulation plus antiplatelet agents aimed at minimizing bleeding risk while preserving low thrombotic event rates. Findings include shorter courses with fewer antithrombotic agents as being effective, particularly when direct oral anticoagulants are combined with clopidogrel. Combined use of very low-dose rivaroxaban plus aspirin also demonstrated benefit in atherosclerotic diseases, including coronary and peripheral artery disease. Use of proton pump inhibitor therapy while patients were taking multiple antithrombotic agents had the potential to further reduce upper gastrointestinal bleeding risk in select populations. The author recommends that applying this evidence to patients with multiple thrombotic conditions will help to avoid costly and life-threatening adverse medication events.
AHRQ-funded; HS026874; HS026322.
Citation: Barnes GD .
Combining antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy in cardiovascular disease.
Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program 2020 Dec 4;2020(1):642-48. doi: 10.1182/hematology.2020000151..
Keywords: Blood Thinners, Medication, Medication: Safety, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Cardiovascular Conditions
Mentias A, Briasoulis A, Vaughan Sarrazin MS
Trends, perioperative adverse events, and survival of patients with left ventricular assist devices undergoing noncardiac surgery.
This longitudinal cohort study examined outcomes of noncardiac surgery (NCS) in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). This study examined patients enrolled in Medicare who had undergone durable LVAD implantation from January 2012 to November 2017 with follow-up through December 2017. Primary outcome after NCS was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), defined as in-hospital or 30-day all-cause mortality, ischemic stroke, or intracerebral hemorrhage. Of the 8118 patients with LVAD, 1326 underwent NCS with 75.4% emergent or urgent, and 24.6% elective. Both elective and urgent or emergent NCS was associated with higher mortality early and late compared with patients with LVAD who did not undergo NCS.
AHRQ-funded; HS023104.
Citation: Mentias A, Briasoulis A, Vaughan Sarrazin MS .
Trends, perioperative adverse events, and survival of patients with left ventricular assist devices undergoing noncardiac surgery.
JAMA Netw Open 2020 Nov 2;3(11):e2025118. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.25118..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Surgery, Medical Devices, Chronic Conditions, Outcomes, Adverse Events
Strobel RJ, Harrington SD, Hill C
Evaluating the impact of pneumonia prevention recommendations after cardiac surgery.
Pneumonia is the most prevalent healthcare-associated infection after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), but the relative effectiveness of strategies to reduce its incidence remains unclear. In this study, the investigators evaluated the relationship between healthcare-associated infection recommendations and risk of pneumonia after CABG. These pneumonia prevention recommendations may serve as effective targets for avoiding postoperative healthcare-associated infections.
AHRQ-funded; HS022535; HS022909.
Citation: Strobel RJ, Harrington SD, Hill C .
Evaluating the impact of pneumonia prevention recommendations after cardiac surgery.
Ann Thorac Surg 2020 Sep;110(3):903-10. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2019.12.053..
Keywords: Pneumonia, Cardiovascular Conditions, Surgery, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Adverse Events, Prevention, Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines, Risk
Abraham NS, Yang EH, Noseworthy PA
Fewer gastrointestinal bleeds with ticagrelor and prasugrel compared with clopidogrel in patients with acute coronary syndrome following percutaneous coronary intervention.
The goal of this study was to compare gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) rates associated with clopidogrel, prasugrel, and ticagrelor using national medical and pharmacy claims data from privately insured and Medicare Advantage enrollees. Findings showed that, in the first year following percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndrome, ticagrelor and prasugrel were associated with fewer GIB events compared with clopidogrel.
AHRQ-funded; HS025402.
Citation: Abraham NS, Yang EH, Noseworthy PA .
Fewer gastrointestinal bleeds with ticagrelor and prasugrel compared with clopidogrel in patients with acute coronary syndrome following percutaneous coronary intervention.
Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2020 Aug;52(4):646-54. doi: 10.1111/apt.15790..
Keywords: Medication: Safety, Medication, Blood Thinners, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Cardiovascular Conditions, Surgery
Wang Y, Eldridge N, Metersky ML
AHRQ Author: Eldridge N, Rodrick D
Association between Medicare expenditures and adverse events for patients with acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, or pneumonia in the United States.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether hospital-specific adverse event rates were associated with hospital-specific risk-standardized 30-day episode-of-care Medicare expenditures for fee-for-service patients discharged with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF), or pneumonia. Investigators concluded that hospitals with high adverse event rates were more likely to have high 30-day episode-of-care Medicare expenditures for patients discharged with AMI, HF, or pneumonia.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201200003C.
Citation: Wang Y, Eldridge N, Metersky ML .
Association between Medicare expenditures and adverse events for patients with acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, or pneumonia in the United States.
JAMA Netw Open 2020 Apr;3(4):e202142. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.2142..
Keywords: Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Pneumonia, Medicare, Healthcare Costs
Dhruva SS, Ross JS, Mortazavi BJ
Association of use of an intravascular microaxial left ventricular assist device vs intra-aortic balloon pump with in-hospital mortality and major bleeding among patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock.
This study examines outcomes among patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock. Two interventions are compared: intravascular microaxial left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) versus intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABPs). The American College of Cardiology’s National Cardiovascular Data Registry was used to identify patients with AMI complicated by cardiogenic shock from hospitals participating in the CathPCI and Chest Pain-MI registries and identified 28,304 patients. Over the study period (2015 to 2017), LVAD was used in 6.2% of patients and IABP in 29.9%. LVAD was shown to have higher rates of in-hospital death and major bleeding complications compared to IABP.
AHRQ-funded; HS022882; HS025402; HS025517; HS026379.
Citation: Dhruva SS, Ross JS, Mortazavi BJ .
Association of use of an intravascular microaxial left ventricular assist device vs intra-aortic balloon pump with in-hospital mortality and major bleeding among patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock.
JAMA 2020 Feb 25;323(8):734-45. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.0254..
Keywords: Medical Devices, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Mortality, Adverse Events, Registries, Patient Safety, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice