National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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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 66 Research Studies DisplayedBauer TM, Yaser JM, Daramola T
Cardiac rehabilitation reduces two-year mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting.
This study analyzed the outcome of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) use for patients who have undergone coronary revascularization procedures. The study looked at Medicare fee-for-service claims linked to surgical data patients discharged alive following isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) from January 2015 to October 2019. A total of 3,848/6,412 (60.0%) of patients were enrolled in CR for an average of 23.2 sessions with 770/6,412 (12.0%) completing all recommended 36 sessions. Predictors of post-discharge CR use included increasing age, discharge to home (vs extended care facility), and shorter length of stay. Unadjusted and inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) analyses showed significant reduction in 2-year mortality in CR users as compared to CR non-users (unadjusted 9.4%).
AHRQ-funded; HS027830.
Citation: Bauer TM, Yaser JM, Daramola T .
Cardiac rehabilitation reduces two-year mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting.
Ann Thorac Surg 2023 Nov; 116(5):1099-105. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2023.05.044..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Surgery, Mortality, Outcomes
Thompson MP, Hou H, Stewart JW
Relationship between community-level distress and cardiac rehabilitation participation, facility access, and clinical outcomes after inpatient coronary revascularization.
The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to assess the association between community-level distress and cardiac rehabilitation (CR) participation, access to CR facilities, and clinical outcomes. The study included a 100% sample of Medicare beneficiaries undergoing inpatient coronary revascularization between July 2016 and December 2018. Community-level distress was defined by the researchers as using the Distressed Community Index quintile at the beneficiary zip code level, with the first and fifth quintiles representing prosperous and distressed communities, respectively. The study found that any CR use was lower for beneficiaries in distressed compared with prosperous communities (26.0% versus 46.1%), which was significant after multivariable adjustment. 23.7% of beneficiaries had a CR facility within their zip code, which increased from 16.3% in prosperous communities to 26.6% in distressed communities. Any CR utilization was related with absolute reductions in mortality, all-cause hospitalization, and acute myocardial infarction hospitalization, which were comparable across each Distressed Community Index quintiles.
AHRQ-funded; HS027830.
Citation: Thompson MP, Hou H, Stewart JW .
Relationship between community-level distress and cardiac rehabilitation participation, facility access, and clinical outcomes after inpatient coronary revascularization.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2023 Nov; 16(11):e010148. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.123.010148..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Outcomes
Aklilu AM, Kumar S, Yamamoto Y
Outcomes associated with sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor use in acute heart failure hospitalizations complicated by AKI.
This retrospective study examined the association of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) use with patients who have KDIGO-defined acute kidney injury (AKI) during acute heart failure (AHF) hospitalizations and their kidney function recovery at 14 days and 30 days using time-varying multivariable Cox-regression analyses. The study looked at 3305 adults hospitalized across 5 Yale New Haven Health Systems between January 2020 and May 2022 with AHF complicated by KDIGO-defined AKI. Of those individuals hospitalized with AHF and AKI, 356 received SGLT2i following AKI diagnosis either as initiation or continuation. The rate of renal recovery was not significantly different among those exposed and unexposed to SGLT2i following AKI (adjusted HR 0.94). SGLT2i exposure was associated with lower risk of 30-day mortality (adjusted HR 0.45). Rates of renal recovery were similar between the exposed and nonexposed cohorts regardless of the proximity of SGLT2i exposure to AKI diagnosis.
AHRQ-funded; HS027626.
Citation: Aklilu AM, Kumar S, Yamamoto Y .
Outcomes associated with sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor use in acute heart failure hospitalizations complicated by AKI.
Kidney360 2023 Oct; 4(10):1371-81. doi: 10.34067/kid.0000000000000250..
Keywords: Kidney Disease and Health, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Inpatient Care, Medication, Outcomes
Derington CG, Goodrich GK, Xu S
Association of direct oral anticoagulation management strategies with clinical outcomes for adults with atrial fibrillation.
This study investigated the impact of an anticoagulation management service (AMS) on clinical outcomes of adults with atrial fibrillation (AF). This retrospective cohort study was conducted in 3 Kaiser Permanente regions, with each region taking a slightly different approach to direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) care. These approaches included (1) usual care (UC) by the prescribing clinician, (2) UC plus an automated population management tool (PMT), or (3) pharmacist-managed AMS care. The study included 44,746 adults with a diagnosis of AF who initiated DOAC or warfarin between August 2016 and January 1, 2020, 6182 in the UC model, 33,624 in the UC plus PMT care model, and 4939 in the AMS care model. Baseline characteristics (mean age, 73.1 years, 56.1% male, 67.2% non-Hispanic White, median CHA2DS2-VASc [congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes, stroke, vascular disease, age 65-74 years, female sex] score of 3 [IQR, 2-5]) were well balanced after inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). The cohort was followed over a median of 2 years, and patients who received the UC plus PMT or AMS care model did not have significantly better outcomes than those who received only UC.
AHRQ-funded; HS026156.
Citation: Derington CG, Goodrich GK, Xu S .
Association of direct oral anticoagulation management strategies with clinical outcomes for adults with atrial fibrillation.
JAMA Netw Open 2023 Jul; 6(7):e2321971. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.21971..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Blood Thinners, Medication, Outcomes, Stroke
Brown-Johnson C, Calma J, Amano A
Evaluating the implementation of patient-reported outcomes in heart failure clinic: a qualitative assessment.
This study evaluated clinician perceptions of the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire-12 (KCCQ-12), a patient reported outcome (PRO) survey that captures symptom frequency, symptom burden, physical limitations, social limitations, and quality of life. The authors conducted interviews with cardiologists from 4 institutions across the United States and Canada (n=16) and observed clinic visits at 1 institution in Northern California (n=5). They conducted 2 rounds of interviews and did a qualitative analysis on (1) rapid analysis constructed around major themes related to the aims of the study and (2) content analysis with codes derived from the rapid analysis and implementation science. Most cardiologists reported the KCCQ-12 was acceptable, appropriate, and useful in clinical care. The survey was found to improve the consistency of patient history taking, focus patient-clinician conversations, collect a more accurate account of patient quality of life, track trends in patient well-being over time, and refine clinical decision-making.
AHRQ-funded; HS026128.
Citation: Brown-Johnson C, Calma J, Amano A .
Evaluating the implementation of patient-reported outcomes in heart failure clinic: a qualitative assessment.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2023 May; 16(5):e009677. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.122.009677..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions
Marcaccio CL, Patel PB, de Guerre L
Disparities in 5-year outcomes and imaging surveillance following elective endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm by sex, race, and ethnicity.
The purpose of this study was to identify variations in 5-year outcomes and imaging surveillance after elective endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) by sex, race, and ethnicity and to examine possible mechanisms contributing to these variations. The primary outcome was 5-year aneurysm rupture. Secondary outcomes were 5-year reintervention and mortality, and having no aortic imaging follow-up from 6 to 24 months after EVAR. The study found that among 16,040 patients, 73% were White males, 18% were White females, 2.6% were Black males, 1.1% were Black females, 0.9% were Asian males, 0.2% were Asian females, 1.7% were Hispanic males, and 0.4% were Hispanic females. At 5 years, Black females had the highest rupture rates at 6.4% and white males had the lowest at 2.3%. Compared with White males, rupture rates were higher in White females, Black females, and Asian females. Among other groups, Black males had higher reintervention and both Black and Hispanic males had higher rates of no imaging follow-up. In adjusted analyses, White, Black, and Asian females remained at significantly higher risk for 5-year rupture. The researchers concluded that Black females had higher 5-year aneurysm rupture, reintervention, and mortality rates after elective EVAR as compared with White male patients, whereas White females had higher rupture, mortality and loss-to-imaging-follow-up compared to White male patients. Black males had higher reintervention and no imaging follow-up, and Asian females had higher rupture rates.
AHRQ-funded; HS027285.
Citation: Marcaccio CL, Patel PB, de Guerre L .
Disparities in 5-year outcomes and imaging surveillance following elective endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm by sex, race, and ethnicity.
J Vasc Surg 2022 Nov;76(5):1205-15.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2022.03.886..
Keywords: Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Sex Factors, Outcomes, Imaging, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions
Czosek RJ, Spar DS, Anderson JB
Predictors and outcomes of arrhythmia on stage I palliation of single ventricle patients.
This study investigated associated risks for arrhythmias in pediatric patients with single ventricle disease undergoing stage I palliation (S1P). The NPC-QIC (National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative) database was used to obtain retrospective patient, surgical, medication, and arrhythmia data. Bivariate analysis of variables associated with arrhythmias and survival was performed at the time of stage II palliation. Of the 2,048 included patients, 36% had arrhythmia noted in their S1P hospitalization, with supraventricular tachycardia (12%) and focal atrial tachycardia (11%) the most common. At discharge, 11% of patients were on an antiarrhythmic medication. Increased risk of arrhythmias were associated with heterotaxy syndrome, younger age at S1P, male sex, and additional anomalies. Increased mortality was associated with female sex, while decreased mortality was associated with antiarrhythmic medication and digoxin use.
AHRQ-funded; HS021114.
Citation: Czosek RJ, Spar DS, Anderson JB .
Predictors and outcomes of arrhythmia on stage I palliation of single ventricle patients.
JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2022 Sep;8(9):1136-44. doi: 10.1016/j.jacep.2022.06.010..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Outcomes, Children/Adolescents
Ofoma UR, Drewry AM, Maddox TM
Outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest among hospitals with and without telemedicine critical care.
This study compared survival rates for inpatients who suffered in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) who had access to Telemedicine Critical Care (TCC) during nights and weekends (off-hours) compared to those who did not. The authors identified 44,585 adults at 280 U.S. hospitals in the Get With The Guidelines® - Resuscitation registry who suffered IHCA in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or hospital ward between July 2017 and December 2019. The majority (60.6%) of IHCAs occurred in an ICU, and 32.2% participants suffered IHCA at hospitals with TCC. No difference was found in acute resuscitation survival rates or survival to discharge rates for either IHCA between TCC and non-TCC hospitals. Timing of cardiac arrest did not modify the association between TCC availability and acute resuscitation survival or survival to discharge.
AHRQ-funded; HS019455.
Citation: Ofoma UR, Drewry AM, Maddox TM .
Outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest among hospitals with and without telemedicine critical care.
Resuscitation 2022 Aug;177:7-15. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2022.06.008..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Outcomes, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Czosek RJ, Anderson JB, Baskar S
Predictors and outcomes of heart block during surgical stage I palliation of patients with a single ventricle: a report from the NPC-QIC.
This study investigated patient and surgical risks of heart block and its effect on 12-month transplant-free survival in children with a single ventricle. In total, 1423 patients were identified from the National Pediatric Cardiology Improvement Collaborative with and without heart block. One-year outcomes were analyzed. A very small percentage (2%) developed heart block during their surgical admission. Associated risk factors for block included heterotaxy syndrome and atrial flutter/fibrillation. Patients with complete heart block had lower 12-month survival, which wasn’t true for patients with second degree block. At 12 months of age, 43% of patients with heart block died and were more likely to experience mortality than patients without heart block.
AHRQ-funded; HS021114.
Citation: Czosek RJ, Anderson JB, Baskar S .
Predictors and outcomes of heart block during surgical stage I palliation of patients with a single ventricle: a report from the NPC-QIC.
Heart Rhythm 2021 Nov;18(11):1876-83. doi: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2021.05.019..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Surgery, Palliative Care, Risk, Outcomes
Mathis MR, Yule S, Wu X
The impact of team familiarity on intra and postoperative cardiac surgical outcomes.
The authors hypothesized that familiarity among cardiac surgery team members may be an important contributor to better outcomes and thus serve as a target for enhancing outcomes. They found that high team familiarity was associated with reduced cardiopulmonary bypass duration for medium-risk and high-risk patients. Increasing team familiarity was not significantly associated with the odds of major morbidity and mortality. They concluded that team familiarity, which was predictive of improved intraoperative efficiency without compromising major postoperative outcomes, may serve as a novel quality improvement target in the setting of cardiac surgery.
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Mathis MR, Yule S, Wu X .
The impact of team familiarity on intra and postoperative cardiac surgical outcomes.
Surgery 2021 Oct;170(4):1031-38. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2021.05.020..
Keywords: Teams, Surgery, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Outcomes
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
Savitz ST, Falk K, Stearns SC
Coronary revascularization outcomes in relation to skilled nursing facility use following hospital discharge.
Observational analyses comparing coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) among elderly or frail patients are likely biased by treatment selection. PCI is typically chosen for frail patients, while CABG is more common for patients with good recovery potential. In this study. The investigators hypothesized that skilled nursing facility (SNF) use after revascularization was a measure of relative frailty associated with outcomes following coronary revascularization.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Savitz ST, Falk K, Stearns SC .
Coronary revascularization outcomes in relation to skilled nursing facility use following hospital discharge.
Clin Cardiol 2021 May;44(5):627-35. doi: 10.1002/clc.23583..
Keywords: Elderly, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Surgery, Outcomes, Nursing Homes
Mody P, Pandey A, Slutsky AS
AHRQ Author: Bierman AS
Gender-based differences in outcomes among resuscitated patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
In this study, the investigators examined gender based differences in outcomes among resuscitated patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Studies examining gender-based differences in outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients have demonstrated that despite a higher likelihood of return of spontaneous circulation, women do not have higher survival. The investigators concluded that among resuscitated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients, discharge to survival was significantly lower in women compared with men especially among patients considered to have a favorable prognosis.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Mody P, Pandey A, Slutsky AS .
Gender-based differences in outcomes among resuscitated patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Circulation 2021 Feb 16;143(7):641-49. doi: 10.1161/circulationaha.120.050427..
Keywords: Sex Factors, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Outcomes
Thompson MP, Yaser JM, Hou H
Determinants of hospital variation in cardiac rehabilitation enrollment during coronary artery disease episodes of care.
Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is associated with improved outcomes for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, CR enrollment remains low and there is a dearth of real-world data on hospital-level variation in CR enrollment. In this study, the investigators sought to explore determinants of hospital variability in CR enrollment during CAD episodes of care: medical management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI-MM), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Thompson MP, Yaser JM, Hou H .
Determinants of hospital variation in cardiac rehabilitation enrollment during coronary artery disease episodes of care.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2021 Feb;14(2):e007144. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.120.007144..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Rehabilitation, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Hospitals
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
Zullo AR, Riester MR, Erqou S
Comparative effectiveness of angiotensin II receptor blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in older nursing home residents after myocardial infarction: a retrospective cohort study.
Evidence regarding differences in outcomes between angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) among older nursing home (NH) residents after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is limited. The purpose of this study was to estimate the post-AMI effects of ARBs versus ACEIs on mortality, rehospitalization, and functional decline outcomes in this important population.
AHRQ-funded; HS022998.
Citation: Zullo AR, Riester MR, Erqou S .
Comparative effectiveness of angiotensin II receptor blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in older nursing home residents after myocardial infarction: a retrospective cohort study.
Drugs Aging 2020 Oct;37(10):755-66. doi: 10.1007/s40266-020-00791-w..
Keywords: Elderly, Nursing Homes, Heart Disease and Health, Medication, Evidence-Based Practice, Comparative Effectiveness, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes
Jackson LR, Kim S, Blanco R
Discontinuation rates of warfarin versus direct acting oral anticoagulants in US clinical practice: results from Outcomes Registry for Better Informed Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation II (ORBIT-AF II).
The objective of this study was to evaluate discontinuation rates among patients on warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in clinical practice. Over 10,000 AF patients were enrolled from the ORBIT-AF II Registry as subjects. Findings showed that, in a community based atrial fibrillation cohort, adjusted rates of discontinuation at 12 months were higher in DOAC-treated versus vitamin K antagonist-treated patients. Discontinuation of oral anticoagulation was associated with increased absolute risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death.
AHRQ-funded; HS021092.
Citation: Jackson LR, Kim S, Blanco R .
Discontinuation rates of warfarin versus direct acting oral anticoagulants in US clinical practice: results from Outcomes Registry for Better Informed Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation II (ORBIT-AF II).
Am Heart J 2020 Aug;226:85-93. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2020.04.016..
Keywords: Blood Thinners, Medication, Registries, Stroke, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Outcomes
Moon J, Shen L, Likosky DS
Relationship of ventricular morphology and atrioventricular valve function to long-term outcomes following fontan procedures.
This study hypothesized that dysfunction of the single right ventricle (RV) and right atrioventricular valve regurgitation (AVVR) increases over time and adversely impacts late outcomes following a Fontan operation. Through a single-center retrospective study, findings showed that morphologic RV is negatively associated with the long-term survival following the Fontan, possibly due to a tendency toward progressive AVVR and deterioration of the single ventricle function. Additional volume overload caused by AVVR may be one of the main factors accelerating the dysfunction of the single RV, implying that early valve intervention may be warranted.
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Moon J, Shen L, Likosky DS .
Relationship of ventricular morphology and atrioventricular valve function to long-term outcomes following fontan procedures.
J Am Coll Cardiol 2020 Jul 28;76(4):419-31. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2020.05.059..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Surgery, Outcomes
Pokorney SD, Black-Maier E, Hellkamp AS
Oral anticoagulation and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation and end-stage renal disease.
The objective of this study was to describe patterns of oral anticoagulant (OAC) use in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and their associations with cardiovascular outcomes. Medicare fee-for-service 5% claims data from 2007 to 2013 was analyzed in a cohort of patients with ESRD and AF. A cohort of 8,410 patients with AF and ESRD was identified, with a total of 3,043 (36.2%) patients treated with OAC during the study period. Treatment with OAC was not associated with hospitalization for stroke, or death but was associated with increased hospitalization for bleeding and intracranial hemorrhage.
AHRQ-funded; HS021092.
Citation: Pokorney SD, Black-Maier E, Hellkamp AS .
Oral anticoagulation and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation and end-stage renal disease.
J Am Coll Cardiol 2020 Mar 24;75(11):1299-308. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2020.01.019..
Keywords: Blood Thinners, Medication, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Kidney Disease and Health, Chronic Conditions, Outcomes
Bath J, Smith JB, Kruse RL
Association of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio with outcomes after elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.
This study investigated postoperative outcomes from elective abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery (AAA) repair using neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as the predictor. Inpatients from the Cerner Health Facts database undergoing elective AAA repair from 2008 to 2015 were selected using ICD-9 procedure codes. Patients with a high postoperative NLR experienced longer hospital stays; higher rates of in-hospital death; high rates of renal failure, cardiac problems, respiratory problems, and infection compared to patients with a low postoperative NLR. The authors recommend future study of NLR to help provide clinically important risk profiles.
AHRQ-funded; HS022140.
Citation: Bath J, Smith JB, Kruse RL .
Association of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio with outcomes after elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.
J Vasc Nurs 2019 Sep;37(3):213-20. doi: 10.1016/j.jvn.2019.06.001..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Surgery, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Evidence-Based Practice
Durstenfeld MS, Katz SD, Park H
Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist use after hospitalization of patients with heart failure and post-discharge outcomes: a single-center retrospective cohort study.
The purpose of this paper was to describe contemporary mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) prescription for heart failure patients before and after the full scope of hospitalizations and the association between MRA discharge prescription and post-hospitalization outcomes. Results showed that, among hospitalized patients with heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction, 75% did not receive MRA before or after hospitalization, and nearly 90% of eligible patients did not have MRA initiated. These results suggest that hospitalization may represent an opportunity to initiate guideline-directed heart failure therapy.
AHRQ-funded; HS023683.
Citation: Durstenfeld MS, Katz SD, Park H .
Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist use after hospitalization of patients with heart failure and post-discharge outcomes: a single-center retrospective cohort study.
BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2019 Aug 9;19(1):194. doi: 10.1186/s12872-019-1175-3..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Medication, Practice Patterns, Outcomes
Parchman ML, Anderson ML, Coleman K
Assessing quality improvement capacity in primary care practices.
The Healthy Hearts Northwest (H2N) Study is part of an AHRQ initiative to build quality improvement (QI) capacity in primary care with a focus on cardiovascular risk factors. The three main risk factors are appropriate aspirin use, blood pressure control, and tobacco screening/cessation. A practice facilitator (PF) met with clinicians and staff in the participating practices to discuss the results for each item on the Quality Improvement Capacity Assessment (QICA) scale. The score was associated with prior experience managing change and moderately associated with two of the three risk factors: aspirin use and blood pressure control. The QICA was found to be a useful assessment tool to measure QI capacity within a practice.
AHRQ-funded; HS023908.
Citation: Parchman ML, Anderson ML, Coleman K .
Assessing quality improvement capacity in primary care practices.
BMC Fam Pract 2019 Jul 25;20(1):103. doi: 10.1186/s12875-019-1000-1.
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Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Evidence-Based Practice, Heart Disease and Health, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Primary Care, Quality of Care, Quality Improvement
Kundi H, Popma JJ, Reynolds MR
Frailty and related outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter valve therapies in a nationwide cohort.
In this study, the investigators sought to identify the prevalence and related outcomes of frail individuals undergoing transcatheter mitral valve repair and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Patients aged 65 and older were included in the study if they had at least one procedural code for transcatheter mitral valve repair or TAVR between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2016 in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Medicare Provider and Review database.
Citation: Kundi H, Popma JJ, Reynolds MR .
Frailty and related outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter valve therapies in a nationwide cohort.
Eur Heart J 2019 Jul 14;40(27):2231-39. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehz187.
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Keywords: Elderly, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Surgery, Outcomes, Treatments
Miller PE, Pawar S, Vaccaro B
Predictive abilities of machine learning techniques may be limited by dataset characteristics: insights from the UNOS database.
This study compared using machine learning techniques to traditional prediction models for 1-year survival rates of heart transplant patients. The Unified Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) was used to analyze data for adult patients undergoing cardiac transplantation from 1987 to 2014. The dataset was divided into 3 time periods based on geographic regions and major allocation adjustments. They used several different prediction methods including logistic regression, ridge regression, and regressions with LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) and compared them with machine learning methodologies. There was no improvement found of 1-year survival predictions with machine learning compared to traditional prediction models.
AHRQ-funded; HS023000.
Citation: Miller PE, Pawar S, Vaccaro B .
Predictive abilities of machine learning techniques may be limited by dataset characteristics: insights from the UNOS database.
J Card Fail 2019 Jun;25(6):479-83. doi: 10.1016/j.cardfail.2019.01.018..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Outcomes, Transplantation
Sharma A, Sun JL, Lokhnygina Y
Patient phenotypes, cardiovascular risk, and ezetimibe treatment in patients after acute coronary syndromes (from IMPROVE-IT).
The authors of this article performed a hierarchical cluster analysis to identify acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients at high risk for adverse clinical events. Post-ACS patients were randomized to ezetimibe+simvastatin or placebo+simvastatin. Ezetimibe's impact on outcomes across clusters; the ability of the cluster analysis to discriminate for outcomes was compared with the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score. Outcomes included cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina, or coronary revascularization at least 30 days after randomization. Compared with GRACE, cluster analysis did not provide superior outcome discrimination. Consistent ezetimibe treatment effect was identified across clusters. The authors conclude that cluster analysis identified significant difference in risk of outcomes across cluster groups.
AHRQ-funded; HS023000.
Citation: Sharma A, Sun JL, Lokhnygina Y .
Patient phenotypes, cardiovascular risk, and ezetimibe treatment in patients after acute coronary syndromes (from IMPROVE-IT).
Am J Cardiol 2019 Apr 15;123(8):1193-201. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2019.01.034..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Risk