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Search All Research Studies
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- Adverse Events (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 6 of 6 Research Studies DisplayedLikosky DS, Yang G, Zhang M
Interhospital variability in health care-associated infections and payments after durable ventricular assist device implant among Medicare beneficiaries.
The purpose of this study was to examine differences in durable ventricular assist device implantation infection rates and associated costs across hospitals. The researchers utilized clinical data for 8,688 patients who received primary durable ventricular assist devices from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (Intermacs) hospitals (n = 120) and merged that data with post-implantation 90-day Medicare claims. The primary outcome included infections within 90 days of implantation and Medicare payments. The study found that 27.8% of patients developed 3982 identified infections. The median adjusted incidence of infections (per 100 patient-months) across hospitals was 14.3 and differed according to hospital. Total Medicare payments from implantation to 90 days were 9.0% more in high versus low infection tercile hospitals. The researchers concluded that health-care-associated infection rates post durable ventricular assist device implantation varied according to hospital and were associated with increased 90-day Medicare expenditures.
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Likosky DS, Yang G, Zhang M .
Interhospital variability in health care-associated infections and payments after durable ventricular assist device implant among Medicare beneficiaries.
J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2022 Nov;164(5):1561-68. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2021.04.074..
Keywords: Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Medical Devices, Medicare, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Hospitals, Payment, Healthcare Costs
Kim KD, Funk RJ, Hou H
Association between care fragmentation and total spending after durable left ventricular device implant: a mediation analysis of health care-associated infections within a national Medicare-Society of Thoracic Surgeons INTERMACS linked dataset.
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between care fragmentation and total spending for durable left ventricular assisted device (LVAD) implant, and whether this relationship is mediated by infections. The researchers developed a measure of care fragmentation based on the number of shared medical professionals providing care to 4,987 Medicare beneficiaries undergoing LVAD implantation. The study found that the indirect effect of care fragmentation, through infections, was positive and statistically significant. The researchers concluded that higher care fragmentation associated with durable LVAD implantation is related with a greater incidence of infections and higher Medicare beneficiary payments.
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Kim KD, Funk RJ, Hou H .
Association between care fragmentation and total spending after durable left ventricular device implant: a mediation analysis of health care-associated infections within a national Medicare-Society of Thoracic Surgeons INTERMACS linked dataset.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2022 Sep;15(9):e008592. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.121.008592..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Medicare, Medical Devices, Healthcare Delivery
Pienta MJ, Shore S, Watt TMF
Patient factors associated with left ventricular assist device infections: a scoping review.
This article is a scoping review that systematically summarized all existing studies examining patient-related factors associated with infections after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Studies published between January 2006 and February 2019 were used, with 31 studies meeting inclusion criteria. All included studies were observational, and 17 focused on driveline infections. Other factors most commonly studied included body composition (n = 8), diabetes and other comorbidities (n = 8), and psychosocial/socio-economic factors (n = 6). Studies were frequently single-center, and patient race and sex did not correlate with infection risk. There was also no consistent association noted between obesity, diabetes, or psychosocial/socio-economic factors and LVAD recipient infections. Two studies did report a significant association between malnutrition and hypoalbuminemia and post implant infections.
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Pienta MJ, Shore S, Watt TMF .
Patient factors associated with left ventricular assist device infections: a scoping review.
J Heart Lung Transplant 2022 Apr; 41(4):425-33. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2022.01.011..
Keywords: Medical Devices, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions
Pienta M, Shore S, Pagani FD
Rates and types of infections in left ventricular assist device recipients: a scoping review.
This scoping review examined rates and types of infections in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients. A comprehensive literature search was done from January 2006 to February 2019. After screening 9680 titles and abstracts, 132 full text articles were included for data extraction. The most commonly studied LVAD-specific infections were driveline infections followed by pocket and pump or cannula infections. Driveline infection rates ranged from 5-56% within the first 6 months, 7-71% after the first year, and 7-65% at 2 years. Bloodstream infections were the most commonly studied LVAD-related infections with rates in the first month ranging from 2.6% to 10%, 13-20% within the first 6 months of implant, and 3-27% within 1 year of implant. Pocket infection incidence was reported in 20 studies with fairly low rates for all time periods. The authors found a substantial proportion of studies did not report according to Strengthening the Reporting of Observation Studies in Epidemiology guidelines, including demographic information of follow-up time. They also did not adhere to minimum reporting criteria and did not use standardized definitions of infections. This has implications for future investigations.
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Pienta M, Shore S, Pagani FD .
Rates and types of infections in left ventricular assist device recipients: a scoping review.
JTCVS Open 2021 Dec;8:405-11. doi: 10.1016/j.xjon.2021.08.005..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)
Chandanabhumma PP, Fetters MD, Pagani FD
Understanding and addressing variation in health care-associated infections after durable ventricular assist device therapy: protocol for a mixed methods study.
This paper discusses an ongoing AHRQ-funded study to understand and address variation in health care-associated infections (HAIs) after durable ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation surgery. This procedure is used only on patients with advanced heart failure who have a poor 1-year estimated survival rate. This is a sequential mixed methods study which is conducting a systematic review of HAI prevention studies, and an in-depth quantitative analyses using administration claims, in-depth clinical data, and organizational surveys of VAD centers. The last aim is to develop and disseminate a best practices toolkit for HAI prevention. Data analysis is currently underway.
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Chandanabhumma PP, Fetters MD, Pagani FD .
Understanding and addressing variation in health care-associated infections after durable ventricular assist device therapy: protocol for a mixed methods study.
JMIR Res Protoc 2020 Jan 7;9(1):e14701. doi: 10.2196/14701..
Keywords: Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Surgery, Medical Devices, Prevention, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Adverse Events
Thompson MP, Cabrera L, Strobel RJ
Association between postoperative pneumonia and 90-day episode payments and outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries undergoing cardiac surgery.
Postoperative pneumonia is the most common healthcare-associated infection in cardiac surgical patients, yet their impact across a 90-day episode of care remains unknown. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between pneumonia and 90-day episode payments and outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries undergoing cardiac surgery. The investigators concluded that postoperative pneumonia was associated with significantly higher 90-day episode payments and inferior outcomes at the patient and hospital level.
AHRQ-funded; HS022535.
Citation: Thompson MP, Cabrera L, Strobel RJ .
Association between postoperative pneumonia and 90-day episode payments and outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries undergoing cardiac surgery.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2018 Sep;11(9):e004818. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.118.004818..
Keywords: Elderly, Surgery, Medicare, Cardiovascular Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Pneumonia, Payment, Healthcare Costs, Outcomes, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Health Insurance