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- Access to Care (1)
- Adverse Drug Events (ADE) (1)
- Adverse Events (1)
- Antibiotics (2)
- Antimicrobial Stewardship (1)
- Back Health and Pain (1)
- Cancer (3)
- Cancer: Breast Cancer (1)
- Cancer: Prostate Cancer (1)
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- (-) Elderly (29)
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- Imaging (1)
- Long-Term Care (4)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) (1)
- Medicare (9)
- Medication (14)
- Medication: Safety (1)
- Men's Health (1)
- Nursing Homes (7)
- Opioids (6)
- Outcomes (2)
- Pain (4)
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- Patient-Centered Healthcare (1)
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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
1 to 25 of 29 Research Studies DisplayedBongiovanni T, Gan S, Finlayson E
Prolonged use of newly prescribed gabapentin after surgery.
This study investigated postoperative prolonged gabapentin use in adults 65 years and older. The authors merged a 20% sample of Medicare Carrier, MedPAR, and Outpatient Files with Part D for 2013-2018. They defined new postoperative gabapentin as fills for 7 days before surgery until 7 days after discharge. Overall, 3% of all eligible patients (n = 17,970) had a new prescription for gabapentin postsurgery. Out of those, the mean age was 73 years old and 62% were female. The most common surgeries that gabapentin was prescribed for was total knee (45%) and total hip (21%) replacements. Prolonged use occurred in 22% of patients, with women, non-White, those with concurrent prolonged opioid use, and patients having undergone emergency surgery more likely to have prolonged use.
Citation: Bongiovanni T, Gan S, Finlayson E .
Prolonged use of newly prescribed gabapentin after surgery.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2022 Dec;70(12):3560-69. doi: 10.1111/jgs.18005..
Keywords: Medication, Surgery, Pain, Elderly, Practice Patterns
Mack DS, Baek J, Tjia J
Geographic variation of statin use among US nursing home residents with life-limiting illness.
The authors described regional variation in statin use among residents with life-limiting illness. Statin usage was determined by examination of Medicare Part D claims. Findings suggested extensive geographic variation in US statin prescribing across hospital referral regions, especially for those aged 76 years or older. This variation may reflect clinical uncertainty given the largely absent guidelines for statin use in nursing home residents.
AHRQ-funded; HS026840.
Citation: Mack DS, Baek J, Tjia J .
Geographic variation of statin use among US nursing home residents with life-limiting illness.
Med Care 2021 May;59(5):425-36. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001505..
Keywords: Elderly, Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Medicare, Practice Patterns
Feder SL, Canavan ME, Wang S
Patterns of opioid prescribing among Medicare Advantage beneficiaries with pain and cardiopulmonary conditions.
This study’s objective was to compare patterns of opioid prescribing among older adults reporting pain with cardiopulmonary conditions, cancer, or both. Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare Health Outcomes Survey resource linked to Medicare Part D prescription claims was used to identify patients who self-reported moderate- to-severe pain interference with daily activities. Patients included were stratified by 1) self-reported history of cardiopulmonary conditions; 2) were within five years of cancer diagnosis; 3) had both conditions; or 4) neither. Of 10,516 patients identified, 1758 had cardiopulmonary conditions, 3383 cancer, 2861 both, and 2514 neither: with 46% aged 75 or more, 65% non-Hispanic white, and 10% non-Hispanic black. At the time of the survey, 1627 (15.5%) received opioids. Adjusted proportions of opioid use were similar for all conditions, with 14% for cardiopulmonary conditions only, 17% with cancer only, and 17% for both conditions. Patients with neither condition had a 13.1% opioid use rate.
AHRQ-funded; HS022882; HS025164.
Citation: Feder SL, Canavan ME, Wang S .
Patterns of opioid prescribing among Medicare Advantage beneficiaries with pain and cardiopulmonary conditions.
J Palliat Med 2021 Feb;24(2):195-204. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2020.0193..
Keywords: Elderly, Opioids, Medication, Practice Patterns, Medicare
Wang T, Baskin A, Miller J
Trends in breast cancer treatment de-implementation in older patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: a mixed methods study.
Guidelines allow for the omission of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and post-lumpectomy radiotherapy in women >/= 70 years of age with hormone receptor-positive (HR +) breast cancer. Despite this, national data suggest these procedures have not been widely de-implemented. The objectives of this study were to evaluate trends in SLNB and post-lumpectomy radiotherapy utilization in patients who were eligible for omission and evaluate patient preferences as a target for de-implementation of low-value care.
AHRQ-funded; HS026030.
Citation: Wang T, Baskin A, Miller J .
Trends in breast cancer treatment de-implementation in older patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: a mixed methods study.
Ann Surg Oncol 2021 Feb;28(2):902-13. doi: 10.1245/s10434-020-08823-w..
Keywords: Elderly, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Healthcare Utilization, Practice Patterns, Women
Hambley BC, Anderson KE, Shanbhag SP
Payment incentives and the use of higher-cost drugs: a retrospective cohort analysis of intravenous iron in the Medicare population.
Researchers examined prescribing patterns in the context of intravenous (IV) iron, for which multiple similarly safe and efficacious formulations exist, with wide variations in price. Using Medicare data, they found an increase in the dispensing of a higher-priced IV iron formulation associated with a shortage of a less expensive drug that persisted once the shortage ended. They concluded that their findings in IV iron have broader implications for Part B drug payment policy because the price of the drug determines the physician and health system payment.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Hambley BC, Anderson KE, Shanbhag SP .
Payment incentives and the use of higher-cost drugs: a retrospective cohort analysis of intravenous iron in the Medicare population.
Am J Manag Care 2020 Dec;26(12):516-22. doi: 10.37765/ajmc.2020.88539..
Keywords: Elderly, Medication, Medicare, Payment, Healthcare Costs, Practice Patterns
Romman AN, Hsu CM, Chou LN
Opioid prescribing to Medicare Part D enrollees, 2013-2017: shifting responsibility to pain management providers.
This study looked at trends in opioid prescribing frequency to Medicare Part D enrollees from 2013 to 2017 by medical specialty and provider type. The authors analyzed opioid claims and prescribing trends for specialties accounting for ≥1% of all opioid claims. Pain management specialists increased Medicare Part D opioid claims by 27.3% to 1,140 mean claims per provider in 2017. Physical medicine and rehabilitation providers increased claims by 16.9% to 511 mean claims per provider in 2017. All other medical specialties decreased opioid claims during this period, with emergency medicine decreasing the most (-19.9%) and orthopedic surgery (-16%) dropping opioid claims the most of all the other specialties. Overall physician decrease was -5.2%. However opioid claims among dentists (+5.6%) and nonphysician providers (+10.2%) increased during this period.
AHRQ-funded; HS020642.
Citation: Romman AN, Hsu CM, Chou LN .
Opioid prescribing to Medicare Part D enrollees, 2013-2017: shifting responsibility to pain management providers.
Pain Med 2020 Nov 7;21(7):1400-07. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnz344..
Keywords: Elderly, Opioids, Medication, Medicare, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Practice Patterns
Guo F, Lin YL, Raji M
Processes and outcomes of diabetes mellitus care by different types of team primary care models.
This study compared processes and outcomes of care provided to older patients with diabetes by primary care teams composed of only primary care physicians (PCPs) versus team care that included nurse practitioners (NPs) or physician assistants (PAs). The authors studied 3,524 primary care practices identified via social network analysis and 306,741 patients aged 66 and older diagnosed with diabetes mellitus in or before 2015 from Medicare data. Outcomes looked for was more adherence to guideline-recommended care including eye examination, hemoglobin A1c test, and nephropathy monitoring. Preventable hospitalizations and high-risk medication prescribing rates were also measured. Patients in the team care practices received more guideline-recommended diabetes care than patients in PCP only teams. Patients in team care practices had a slightly higher likelihood of being prescribed high-risk medications. The likelihood of preventable hospitalizations was similar among all types of practices.
AHRQ-funded; HS020642.
Citation: Guo F, Lin YL, Raji M .
Processes and outcomes of diabetes mellitus care by different types of team primary care models.
PLoS One 2020 Nov 5;15(11):e0241516. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241516..
Keywords: Elderly, Teams, Primary Care: Models of Care, Healthcare Delivery, Outcomes, Care Coordination, Practice Patterns
Zhou J, Calip GS, Rowan S
Potentially inappropriate medication combination with opioids among older dental patients: a retrospective review of insurance claims data.
Opioid prescribing by dentists for older patients receiving medications with potential contraindications and the subsequent impact on acute care outcomes is not well described. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the use of potentially inappropriate medication combinations (PIMCs) involving opioids prescribed by dentists according to the Beers Criteria and risks of 30-day emergency department (ED) visits and all-cause hospitalization among commercially insured dental patients ages 65 years and older.
AHRQ-funded; HS025177.
Citation: Zhou J, Calip GS, Rowan S .
Potentially inappropriate medication combination with opioids among older dental patients: a retrospective review of insurance claims data.
Pharmacotherapy 2020 Oct;40(10):992-1001. doi: 10.1002/phar.2452..
Keywords: Elderly, Opioids, Dental and Oral Health, Medication: Safety, Medication, Practice Patterns
Ramly E, Tong M, Bondar S
Workflow barriers and strategies to reduce antibiotic overuse in nursing homes.
Antibiotic overuse is a significant problem in nursing homes (NHs). Strategies to improve antibiotic prescribing practices in NHs are a critical need. In this study, the investigators analyzed antibiotic prescribing workflows to identify strategies for improving antibiotic prescribing in NHs. They found that such strategies included structured information tools, nurse and prescriber education, and organizational improvement.
AHRQ-funded; HS022465.
Citation: Ramly E, Tong M, Bondar S .
Workflow barriers and strategies to reduce antibiotic overuse in nursing homes.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2020 Oct;68(10):2222-31. doi: 10.1111/jgs.16632..
Keywords: Workflow, Antibiotics, Medication, Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Elderly, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Practice Patterns
Hu T, Decker SL, Chou SY
AHRQ Author: Decker SL
The impact of health insurance expansion on physician treatment choice: Medicare Part D and physician prescribing.
Researchers tested the effect of the introduction of Medicare Part D on physician prescribing behavior using data on physician visits from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS). Subjects were patients aged 60-69. The researchers found a 32% increase in the number of prescription drugs prescribed or continued per visit and a 46% increase in the number of generic drugs prescribed or continued for the elderly after the introduction of Medicare Part D.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Hu T, Decker SL, Chou SY .
The impact of health insurance expansion on physician treatment choice: Medicare Part D and physician prescribing.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28168448.
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Health Insurance, Medicare, Medication, Practice Patterns, Elderly
Angraal S, Nuti SV, Masoudi FA
Digoxin use and associated adverse events among older adults.
The authors describe national-level trends of digoxin use, hospitalizations for toxicity, and subsequent outcomes over the past two decades. They found that, while digoxin prescriptions have decreased, the drug is still widely prescribed. However, the rate of hospitalizations for digoxin toxicity and adverse outcomes associated with these hospitalizations have decreased. They concluded that these findings reflect the changing clinical practice of digoxin use, aligned with the changes in clinical guidelines.
AHRQ-funded; HS025164; HS025402; HS025517.
Citation: Angraal S, Nuti SV, Masoudi FA .
Digoxin use and associated adverse events among older adults.
Am J Med 2019 Oct;132(10):1191-98. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.04.022.
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Keywords: Medication, Elderly, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Hospitalization, Practice Patterns
Morden NE, Woloshin S, Brooks CG
Trends in testosterone prescribing for age-related hypogonadism in men with and without heart disease.
A study in 2010 (Basaria et al) revealed more cardiovascular events in men randomized to take testosterone than among men receiving a placebo. By 2015 the FDA had revised testosterone labels to highlight lack of efficacy evidence and possible increased cardiovascular risk. This study examines trends in testosterone use among Medicare-insured men over the age of 50 with and without coronary artery disease (CAD). A random sample was used of Medicare fee-for-service recipients from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2016 using prescription fills under Medicare Parts B and D. Results showed that testosterone use was consistently higher among men with CAD than for men without CAD. Prescription rates had lowered after the warnings in 2013 but has remained higher than in 2007 and was largely off-label.
AHRQ-funded; HS024075.
Citation: Morden NE, Woloshin S, Brooks CG .
Trends in testosterone prescribing for age-related hypogonadism in men with and without heart disease.
JAMA Intern Med 2019 Mar;179(3):446-48. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.6505..
Keywords: Elderly, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Practice Patterns, Men's Health, Medication
Zhou M, Oakes AH, Bridges JFP
Regional supply of medical resources and systemic overuse of health care among Medicare beneficiaries.
The goal of this study was to explore health care system factors associated with regional variation in overuse of resources, as measured by the Johns Hopkins Overuse Index (JHOI). Medicare fee-for-service claims data from beneficiaries age 65 was used to calculate the JHOI for 306 hospital referral regions in the U.S. Regions with a higher density of primary care physicians had a lower JHOI, which indicates less systemic overuse. Regional characteristics associated with higher JHOI included the number of acute care hospital beds per 1000 residents and number of hospital-based anesthesiologists, pathologists, and radiologists. The authors conclude that regional variations in health care resources are associated with the level of systemic overuse of health care, and that the role of primary care doctors in reducing overuse deserves further attention.
AHRQ-funded; T32 HS000029.
Citation: Zhou M, Oakes AH, Bridges JFP .
Regional supply of medical resources and systemic overuse of health care among Medicare beneficiaries.
J Gen Intern Med 2018 Dec;33(12):2127-31. doi: 10.1007/s11606-018-4638-9..
Keywords: Access to Care, Elderly, Healthcare Delivery, Healthcare Utilization, Medicare, Practice Patterns
Pulia M, Kern M, Schwei RJ
Comparing appropriateness of antibiotics for nursing home residents by setting of prescription initiation: a cross-sectional analysis.
The objective of this study was to characterize antibiotic therapy for nursing home (NH) residents and compare appropriateness based on setting of prescription initiation. The study concluded that antibiotics initiated out-of-facility for NH residents constituted a small but not trivial percent of all prescriptions and inappropriate use was high in these settings.
AHRQ-funded; HS024342; HS022465.
Citation: Pulia M, Kern M, Schwei RJ .
Comparing appropriateness of antibiotics for nursing home residents by setting of prescription initiation: a cross-sectional analysis.
Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2018 Jun 14;7:74. doi: 10.1186/s13756-018-0364-7..
Keywords: Elderly, Nursing Homes, Patient Safety, Practice Patterns
Kuo YF, Raji MA, Liaw V
Opioid prescriptions in older Medicare beneficiaries after the 2014 federal rescheduling of hydrocodone products.
The authors sought to examine how an October 2014 Drug Enforcement Administration policy reclassified hydrocodone product from schedule III to II has affected older adults. They found that the 2014 change in hydrocodone from schedule III to schedule II was associated with modest decreases in rates of opioid use in the elderly. They also found an unexpected increase in opioid-related hospitalizations without documented opioid prescriptions, which may represent an increase in illegal use.
AHRQ-funded; HS022134.
Citation: Kuo YF, Raji MA, Liaw V .
Opioid prescriptions in older Medicare beneficiaries after the 2014 federal rescheduling of hydrocodone products.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2018 May;66(5):945-53. doi: 10.1111/jgs.15332.
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Keywords: Elderly, Medicare, Opioids, Policy, Practice Patterns
McCreedy EM, Kane RL, Gollust SE
Patient-centered guidelines for geriatric diabetes care: potential missed opportunities to avoid harm.
Clinicians strive to deliver individualized, patient-centered care. However, these intentions are understudied. This research explored how patient characteristics associated with a high risk-to-benefit ratio with hypoglycemia medications affected decision making by primary care clinicians. The investigators found that primary care clinicians often chose to intensify glycemic control despite individual patient factors that warranted higher glycemic targets based on existing guidelines.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: McCreedy EM, Kane RL, Gollust SE .
Patient-centered guidelines for geriatric diabetes care: potential missed opportunities to avoid harm.
J Am Board Fam Med 2018 Mar-Apr;31(2):192-200. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2018.02.170141..
Keywords: Diabetes, Elderly, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice, Shared Decision Making, Medication, Primary Care, Practice Patterns, Provider: Physician, Provider: Clinician, Provider
McElligott M, Welham G, Pop-Vicas A
Antibiotic stewardship in nursing facilities.
The authors review the determinants of antibiotic prescribing in nursing facilities, strategies to improve antibiotic prescribing in this setting, current status of ASPs in nursing facilities, and steps that facilities can take to enhance existing ASP structure and process.
AHRQ-funded; HS022465.
Citation: McElligott M, Welham G, Pop-Vicas A .
Antibiotic stewardship in nursing facilities.
Antibiotics, Elderly, Nursing Homes, Patient Safety, Provider Practice Patterns.
Keywords: Antibiotics, Elderly, Nursing Homes, Patient Safety, Practice Patterns
Zullo AR, Dore DD, Gutman R
Metformin safety warnings and diabetes drug prescribing patterns for older nursing home residents.
Diabetes mellitus is common in US nursing homes (NHs), and the mainstay treatment, metformin, has US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) boxed warnings indicating safety concerns in those with advanced age, heart failure, or renal disease. The researchers quantified the determinants of initiating sulfonylureas over metformin with the aim of understanding the impact of FDA-labeled boxed warnings in older NH residents.
AHRQ-funded; HS022998.
Citation: Zullo AR, Dore DD, Gutman R .
Metformin safety warnings and diabetes drug prescribing patterns for older nursing home residents.
J Am Med Dir Assoc 2017 Oct;18(10):879-84.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2017.05.020..
Keywords: Elderly, Medication, Nursing Homes, Patient Safety, Practice Patterns
Dimou FM, Adhikari D, Mehta HB
Outcomes in older patients with grade III cholecystitis and cholecystostomy tube placement: a propensity score analysis.
The Tokyo Guidelines recommend initial cholecystostomy tube drainage, antibiotics, and delayed cholecystectomy in patients with grade III cholecystitis. The researchers compared mortality, readmission, and complication rates with and without cholecystostomy tube placement in a cohort of patients with grade III cholecystitis. Cholecystostomy tube placement was associated with lower rates of definitive treatment with cholecystectomy, higher mortality, and higher readmission rates.
AHRQ-funded; HS022134.
Citation: Dimou FM, Adhikari D, Mehta HB .
Outcomes in older patients with grade III cholecystitis and cholecystostomy tube placement: a propensity score analysis.
J Am Coll Surg 2017 Apr;224(4):502-11.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2016.12.021.
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Keywords: Elderly, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Surgery, Guidelines, Practice Patterns
Tsai HT, Philips G, Taylor KL
Utilization and predictors of expectant management among elderly men with low-and intermediate-risk localized prostate cancer in U.S. urological practice.
Researchers assessed the use and predictors of expectant management (EM) to understand its uptake in U.S. practice. In U.S. practice, the utilization of EM steadily increased in low-risk prostate cancer and remained low in the intermediate-risk group over time. While patients with advanced age or comorbidities were more likely to receive EM, its use varied substantially by geographic region.
AHRQ-funded; HS022915.
Citation: Tsai HT, Philips G, Taylor KL .
Utilization and predictors of expectant management among elderly men with low-and intermediate-risk localized prostate cancer in U.S. urological practice.
Urol Pract 2017 Mar;4(2):132-39. doi: 10.1016/j.urpr.2016.05.005.
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Keywords: Shared Decision Making, Elderly, Healthcare Utilization, Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Practice Patterns
Fain KM, Alexander GC, Dore DD
Frequency and predictors of analgesic prescribing in U.S. nursing home residents with persistent pain.
The purpose of this study was to quantify prescription analgesic use of elderly nursing home (NH) residents with persistent noncancer pain and to identify individual and facility traits associated with no treatment. The investigators concluded that through 2008, pain remained undertreated in NHs, especially in certain subpopulations, including cognitively impaired and older residents. The authors suggest that changes in pain management practice and policies may be necessary to target these vulnerable residents.
AHRQ-funded; HS022998.
Citation: Fain KM, Alexander GC, Dore DD .
Frequency and predictors of analgesic prescribing in U.S. nursing home residents with persistent pain.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2017 Feb;65(2):286-93. doi: 10.1111/jgs.14512..
Keywords: Care Management, Chronic Conditions, Elderly, Long-Term Care, Medication, Nursing Homes, Opioids, Pain, Practice Patterns
Fain KM, Castillo-Salgado C, Dore DD
Inappropriate fentanyl prescribing among nursing home residents in the United States.
In this cross-sectional study, the investigators quantified transdermal fentanyl prescribing in elderly nursing home residents without prior opioid use or persistent pain, and the association of individual and facility traits with opioid-naive prescribing. The investigators concluded that most nursing home residents initiating transdermal fentanyl did not have persistent pain and many were opioid-naive. They suggest that changes in prescribing practices may be necessary to ensure Food and Drug Administration warnings are followed, particularly for vulnerable subgroups, such as the cognitively impaired.
AHRQ-funded; HS018960.
Citation: Fain KM, Castillo-Salgado C, Dore DD .
Inappropriate fentanyl prescribing among nursing home residents in the United States.
J Am Med Dir Assoc 2017 Feb;18(2):138-44. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2016.08.015..
Keywords: Care Management, Chronic Conditions, Elderly, Long-Term Care, Medication, Nursing Homes, Opioids, Pain, Practice Patterns
Raji MY, Chen NW, Raji M
Factors associated with seeking physician care by Medicare beneficiaries who receive all their primary care from nurse practitioners.
The authors sought to examine rate and correlates of switching from exclusive nurse practitioner (NP) primary care to receiving some or all primary care from physicians. The study group consisted of Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes, congrestive heart failure, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The researchers found that about half of Medicare patients under exclusive NP primary care switched to physicians for some or all primary care over a 3-year period.
AHRQ-funded; HS022134; HS020642.
Citation: Raji MY, Chen NW, Raji M .
Factors associated with seeking physician care by Medicare beneficiaries who receive all their primary care from nurse practitioners.
J Prim Care Community Health 2016 Oct;7(4):249-57. doi: 10.1177/2150131916659674.
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Keywords: Elderly, Medicare, Primary Care, Practice Patterns
Govani SM, Wiitala WL, Stidham RW
Age disparities in the use of steroid-sparing therapy for inflammatory bowel disease.
The investigators compared the use of steroids and steroid-sparing therapies and rates of complications among elderly and younger patients in a national cohort of veterans with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). They found that, after starting steroids, fracture rates increased in the elderly patients with IBD, whereas increases in venous thromboembolism and infections after starting steroids affected both age groups. Additonally, elderly veterans were less likely to receive steroids and steroid-sparing medications than younger veterans.
AHRQ-funded; HS024122.
Citation: Govani SM, Wiitala WL, Stidham RW .
Age disparities in the use of steroid-sparing therapy for inflammatory bowel disease.
Inflamm Bowel Dis 2016 Aug;22(8):1923-8. doi: 10.1097/mib.0000000000000817.
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Keywords: Digestive Disease and Health, Disparities, Elderly, Medication, Practice Patterns
Dimou FM, Adhikari D, Mehta HB
Trends in follow-up of patients presenting to the emergency department with symptomatic cholelithiasis.
To better understand underuse of cholecystectomy, the researchers examined physician follow-up patterns after emergency department (ED) visits for symptomatic gallstones. They found that fewer than half of patients were evaluated by a surgeon after an initial ED visit for symptomatic gallstones. Patients who did not have physician follow-up were most likely to require emergent cholecystectomy, suggesting inappropriate ED discharge and highlighting the need for timely follow-up.
AHRQ-funded; HS022134.
Citation: Dimou FM, Adhikari D, Mehta HB .
Trends in follow-up of patients presenting to the emergency department with symptomatic cholelithiasis.
J Am Coll Surg 2016 Apr;222(4):377-84. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2015.12.011.
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Keywords: Elderly, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Practice Patterns