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
101 to 125 of 713 Research Studies DisplayedGuirguis-Blake JM, Evans CV, Perdue LA
Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer: updated evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.
This evidence summary reviewed the benefits and harms of aspirin in primary cardiovascular disease (CVD) and colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention to accompany the final recommendation and evidence review of the US Preventive Services Task Force. A literature review was conducted of English-language randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of low-dose aspirin compared with placebo or no intervention in primary prevention populations. Aspirin was found not to be significantly associated with reductions in CVD mortality or all-cause mortality. There was limited trial evidence on benefits for CRC, with the findings highly variable by length of follow-up and statistically significant only when considering long-term observational follow-up beyond randomized trial periods. Low-dose aspirin was associated with significant increases in total major bleeding and in site-specific bleeding.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500007I.
Citation: Guirguis-Blake JM, Evans CV, Perdue LA .
Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer: updated evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.
JAMA 2022 Apr 26;327(16):1585-97. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.3337..
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Cardiovascular Conditions, Cancer: Colorectal Cancer, Cancer, Prevention, Evidence-Based Practice
Dehmer SP, O'Keefe LR, Evans CV
Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer: updated modeling study for the US Preventive Services Task Force.
The purpose of the study was to develop, model, and report estimates of the harms from and benefits of the use of low-dose aspirin for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and colorectal cancer (CRC.) The researchers developed and used a simulation model to provide estimates for hypothetical United States cohorts of men and women between the ages of forty and seventy-nine years without a previous history of elevated bleeding risks or CVD, and up to a 20% 10-year risk for a CVD event. The model focused on the routine, lifetime use of low-dose aspirin with 5-year intervals of no use between 65 and 85 years of age. The study’s primary outcome was lifetime net benefit which was measured in life-years and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs.) Harms included an increase in nonfatal intracranial hemorrhage and gastrointestinal bleeding, and benefits included a reduction in nonfatal ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. The study found that the estimated lifetime net quality-adjusted life-years was positive for men and women with 5% or more 10-year CVD risk when they started use between the ages of 40-59 years, and for men and women with 10% or greater 10-year CVD risk when starting between the ages of 60 and 69 years. The estimated lifetime net life-years were mostly negative for those starting low-dose aspirin use between 60 and 79 years of age. Five-year intervals of stopping use between 65 and 85 years of age did not provide a significant advantage to lifetime use. The researchers concluded that the routine, lifetime use of low-dose aspirin may benefit several population groups, with the largest estimated benefit in those with greater 10-year CVD risk who begin routine, low-dose aspirin dosage at younger ages.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500007I.
Citation: Dehmer SP, O'Keefe LR, Evans CV .
Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer: updated modeling study for the US Preventive Services Task Force.
JAMA 2022 Apr 26;327(16):1598-607. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.3385..
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Prevention, Cardiovascular Conditions, Cancer: Colorectal Cancer, Cancer, Prevention, Evidence-Based Practice
Khodneva Y, Goyal P, Levitan EB
Depressive symptoms and incident hospitalization for heart failure: findings From the REGARDS Study.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether depressive symptoms are associated with incident heart failure (HF), including hospitalization for HF overall or by subtype: HF with preserved (HFpEF) or reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The study found that over a median of 9.2 years of follow-up, there were 872 incident HF hospitalizations, 526 among those without CHD and 334 among those with CHD. The age-adjusted HF hospitalization incidence rates per 1000 person-years were 4.9 for participants with depressive symptoms compared with 3.2 for participants without depressive symptoms. For overall HF, the elevated risk lessened after controlling for covariates. Among those without baseline CHD, when HFpEF was evaluated separately, after controlling for all covariates, depressive symptoms were related with incident hospitalization. In contrast, depressive symptoms were not related with incident HFrEF hospitalizations. The researchers concluded that among individuals without CHD at baseline, depressive symptoms were related with incident hospitalization for HFpEF, but not for those with baseline CHD or HFrEF.
AHRQ-funded; HS013852.
Citation: Khodneva Y, Goyal P, Levitan EB .
Depressive symptoms and incident hospitalization for heart failure: findings From the REGARDS Study.
J Am Heart Assoc 2022 Apr 5;11(7):e022818. doi: 10.1161/jaha.121.022818..
Keywords: Depression, Behavioral Health, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Hospitalization, Risk
Ahmad FS, Luo Y, Wehbe RM
Advances in machine learning approaches to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
Machine learning (ML) involves algorithms that learn from data and has the capacity to guide precision medicine techniques for complex clinical syndromes such as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF.) The purpose of this paper was to present some of the unmet needs in HFpEF and ways in which ML may be used to address these issues as well as the common pitfalls of machine learning. The authors conclude that HFpEF is a costly clinical syndrome with high morbidity, and ML is an exciting tool that may help address some of the major challenges in HFpEF and in cardiovascular medicine.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Ahmad FS, Luo Y, Wehbe RM .
Advances in machine learning approaches to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
Heart Fail Clin 2022 Apr;18(2):287-300. doi: 10.1016/j.hfc.2021.12.002..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Mihandoust S, Joseph A, Madathil KC
Comparing sources of disruptions to telemedicine-enabled stroke care in an ambulance.
This study investigated the nature and source of disruptions in an ambulance during the telemedicine-based caregiving process for stroke patients to enhance the ambulance design for supporting telemedicine-based care. Thirteen simulated telemedicine-based stroke consults were video recorded and then coded and analyzed using an existing systems-based flow disruption (FD) taxonomy. Factors that impacted disruptions included seat size, arrangement of assessment equipment, location of telemedicine equipment, and design of the telemedicine camera. The left ambulance seat zone and head of the patient bed had more environmental hazard-related disruptions, while the right zone was more prone to interruptions and communication-related disruptions.
AHRQ-funded; HS026809.
Citation: Mihandoust S, Joseph A, Madathil KC .
Comparing sources of disruptions to telemedicine-enabled stroke care in an ambulance.
HERD 2022 Apr;15(2):96-115. doi: 10.1177/19375867211054759..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions, Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Dixon DD, Xu M, Akwo EA
Depressive symptoms and incident heart failure risk in the Southern Community Cohort Study.
This study’s aim was to examine whether greater frequency of depressive symptoms associates with increased risk of incident heart failure (HF). The authors studied 23,937 Black or White Southern Community Cohort Study participants (median age: 53 years, 70% Black, 64% women) enrolled between 2002 and 2009, without prevalent HF, who were receiving Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services coverage. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) and incident HF ascertained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services International Classification of Diseases-9th Revision (ICD-9) (code: 428.x) and ICD-10 (codes: I50, I110) codes through December 31, 2016. The median CESD-10 score was 9. Over a median 11-year follow-up, 25% of participants developed HF. The strongest correlates of depressive symptoms were antidepressant medication use, age, and socioeconomic factors, rather than traditional HF risk factors. Greater frequency of depressive symptoms was associated with increased incident HF risk without variation by race or sex.
AHRQ-funded; HS026395.
Citation: Dixon DD, Xu M, Akwo EA .
Depressive symptoms and incident heart failure risk in the Southern Community Cohort Study.
JACC Heart Fail 2022 Apr;10(4):254-62. doi: 10.1016/j.jchf.2021.11.007..
Keywords: Depression, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Risk
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
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
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
Commodore-Mensah Y, Loustalot F, Himmelfarb CD CD
AHRQ Author: McNellis R
Proceedings from a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention workshop to control hypertension.
In order to address the rapid decline in hypertension control, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention convened a virtual workshop with multidisciplinary national experts. The presentations and discussions included potential reasons for the decline and challenges in hypertension control, possible "big ideas," and multisector approaches that could reverse the current trend while addressing knowledge gaps and research priorities.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Commodore-Mensah Y, Loustalot F, Himmelfarb CD CD .
Proceedings from a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention workshop to control hypertension.
Am J Hypertens 2022 Mar 8;35(3):232-43. doi: 10.1093/ajh/hpab182..
Keywords: Blood Pressure, Prevention, Evidence-Based Practice, Cardiovascular Conditions
Meng T, Trickey AM, Harris AHS
Lessons learned from the historical trends on thrombolysis use for acute ischemic stroke among Medicare beneficiaries in the United States.
The authors’ objectives were to assess and validate the change in intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) utilization in a national sample of Medicare beneficiaries and to examine the effect of patient, stroke center designation, and geography on IVT utilization. They found that, between 2007 and 2014, the frequency of IVT for patients with acute ischemic stroke increased substantially, though differences persisted in the form of less frequent treatment associated with certain characteristics.
AHRQ-funded; HS026207.
Citation: Meng T, Trickey AM, Harris AHS .
Lessons learned from the historical trends on thrombolysis use for acute ischemic stroke among Medicare beneficiaries in the United States.
Front Neurol 2022 Mar 4;13:827965. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2022.827965..
Keywords: Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions, Blood Thinners
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
Fitzgerald DC, Simpson AN, Baker RA DC, Simpson AN, Baker RA
Determinants of hospital variability in perioperative red blood cell transfusions during coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
This observational cohort study’s objective was to identify to what extent distinguishing patient and procedural characteristics can explain center-level transfusion variation during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. The study used patients from the Perfusion Measures and Outcomes Registry from 43 adult cardiac surgical programs from July 2011 through June 2017. Of the 22,272 adult patients undergoing isolate CABG surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass, 7241 (32.5%) received at least 1 U allogeneic red blood cells. Patients who received transfusions were older (68 vs 64 years), were women (41.5% vs 15.9%), and had a lower body surface area, respectively. The majority of center-level transfusion variations could not be explained through models containing both patient and intraoperative factors.
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Fitzgerald DC, Simpson AN, Baker RA DC, Simpson AN, Baker RA .
Determinants of hospital variability in perioperative red blood cell transfusions during coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2022 Mar;163(3):1015-24.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2020.04.141..
Keywords: Surgery, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Hospitals, Practice Patterns, Disparities
Yan Z, Nielsen V, Song G
Integration of regional hospitalizations, registry and vital statistics data for development of a single statewide ischemic stroke database.
The scope of population-based studies is often limited because databases rarely include detailed clinical variables and vital statistics such as death rates. The study team demonstrated a comprehensive process for integrating three clinical variable, vital statistics, and hospitalization databases into one single, statewide, ischemic stroke database. Using databases spanning 2007-2017, the authors identified and validated linkages between stroke admissions in a hospitalization database (47,713 admissions) and admissions in the stroke registry (43,487 admissions), resulting in 38,493 linked cases (80.7% of total cases) of which 95% were validated. Of the 38,493 linked cases, the authors linked 10,660 to deaths from the vital statistics database, resulting in a comprehensive assessment of cumulative mortality from ischemic strokes over a 7-year period among all registry-linked ischemic stroke hospitalization records. The authors concluded that comprehensive, accurate integration of the clinical registry, statewide hospitalizations, and vital statistics databases is achievable, and may have value for outcomes research on a larger scale.
AHRQ-funded; HS024561.
Citation: Yan Z, Nielsen V, Song G .
Integration of regional hospitalizations, registry and vital statistics data for development of a single statewide ischemic stroke database.
J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2022 Mar;31(3):106236. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2021.106236..
Keywords: Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions, Registries
Daley CN, Cornet VP, Toscos TR
Naturalistic decision making in everyday self-care among older adults with heart failure.
The purpose of this study was to explore the role of everyday decision-making on disease outcome in a group of older adults living with heart failure. The researchers describe such decisions as events of naturalistic decision-making which are influenced by factors such as the involvement of others, older adults’ social and physical environments, high stakes of the decision, and shifting goals. The researchers recruited 24 older adults with heart failure and 14 of their support persons from an ambulatory cardiology center, and conducted a qualitative field study. The study utilized a naturalistic decision-making model and critical incident technique to analyze health-related everyday decision making and determine how individuals make everyday health-related decisions. The study found that for various decisions, the decision-making of White, male, older adults aligned with the three phases of a preliminary model of naturalistic decision making: monitoring, interpreting, and acting. The researchers also determined that: health decisions are made in a context of personal variables such as emotions, priorities, and values; other people can play important roles; and the performance of the phases can be affected by barriers and strategies. The study concluded that the findings contribute to an expanded model of naturalistic decision-making with implications for not only future research, but for the design of interventions.
AHRQ-funded; HS025232.
Citation: Daley CN, Cornet VP, Toscos TR .
Naturalistic decision making in everyday self-care among older adults with heart failure.
J Cardiovasc Nurs 2022 Mar-Apr;37(2):167-76. doi: 10.1097/jcn.0000000000000778..
Keywords: Elderly, Patient Self-Management, Shared Decision Making, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions
Mota L, Marcaccio CL, Dansey KD
Overview of screening eligibility in patients undergoing ruptured AAA repair from 2003 to 2019 in the Vascular Quality Initiative.
The authors examined patients in the Vascular Quality Initiative database who underwent repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) to characterize those who are ineligible for screening under current guidelines and to evaluate the potential impact of these restrictions on their disease. They found that most patients who underwent ruptured AAA repair were ineligible for initial AAA screening or aged out of the screening window. Furthermore, ruptured AAA rates and screening ineligibility have not improved as much as expected since the passage of the Screening Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Very Efficiently (SAAAVE) Act.
AHRQ-funded; HS027285.
Citation: Mota L, Marcaccio CL, Dansey KD .
Overview of screening eligibility in patients undergoing ruptured AAA repair from 2003 to 2019 in the Vascular Quality Initiative.
J Vasc Surg 2022 Mar;75(3):884-92.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2021.09.049..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Screening, Prevention
de Loizaga SR, Schneider K, Beck AF
Socioeconomic impact on outcomes during the first year of life of patients with single ventricle heart disease: an analysis of the National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative Registry.
In a retrospective cohort analysis of infants enrolled in the National Pediatric Cardiology Improvement Collaborative, researchers investigated the impact of community-level deprivation on morbidity and mortality for infants with single ventricle heart disease in the first year of life. They found that community deprivation was associated with mortality and length of stay for patients with single ventricle congenital heart disease. While patients near the mean deprivation index had a higher hazard of one year mortality compared to those at the extremes of the deprivation index, length of stay and deprivation index were linearly associated, demonstrating the complex nature of socioeconomic factors.
AHRQ-funded; HS021114.
Citation: de Loizaga SR, Schneider K, Beck AF .
Socioeconomic impact on outcomes during the first year of life of patients with single ventricle heart disease: an analysis of the National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative Registry.
Pediatr Cardiol 2022 Mar;43(3):605-15. doi: 10.1007/s00246-021-02763-2..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Social Determinants of Health, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Cardiovascular Conditions, Registries, Outcomes
Glober N, Supples M, Persaud S
A novel emergency medical services protocol to improve treatment time for large vessel occlusion strokes.
This paper describes the outcomes of a pilot study that used novel emergency medical services (EMS) protocol to expedite transfer of patients with large vessel occlusions (LVOs) to a comprehensive stroke center (CSC). The pilot study took place from Oct. 1, 2020 to Feb. 22, 2021 with Indianapolis EMS providers. In patients with possible LVO, the providers remained at the bedside until the clinical assessment and CT angiography were complete. This 5-month mixed methods study measured case-control assessment of the protocol, number of transfers, safety during transport, and time saved in transfer compared to emergency transfers via conventional interfacility transfer agencies. The protocol was used 42 times during the study period, with four patients found to have LVOs and transferred to a CSC. Median time from decision-to-transfer to arrival at the CSC was 27.5 minutes compared to 314.5 minutes for acute non-stroke transfers during the same period.
AHRQ-funded; HS026390.
Citation: Glober N, Supples M, Persaud S .
A novel emergency medical services protocol to improve treatment time for large vessel occlusion strokes.
PLoS One 2022 Feb;17(2):e0264539. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264539..
Keywords: Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions, Critical Care
KS Cash, RE Adeoye, O
AHRQ Author: Zachrison
Estimated population access to acute stroke and telestroke centers in the US, 2019.
In order to provide an update on population-level access to stroke care, the investigators estimated the proportion of the US population with access to an ED with acute stroke capabilities and assessed the specific contribution of telestroke services to US population access. They observed a substantial increase in population access to acute stroke care in this cross-sectional study relative to previous reports using alternative methods, likely due to the extensive and ongoing work to improve stroke systems of care, including greater stroke center accreditation and expansion of telestroke capacity.
AHRQ-funded; HS024561.
Citation: KS Cash, RE Adeoye, O .
Estimated population access to acute stroke and telestroke centers in the US, 2019.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 Feb;5(2):e2145824. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.45824..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions, Critical Care, Access to Care
Patel PB, De Guerre L, Marcaccio CL
Sex-specific criteria for repair should be utilized in patients undergoing aortic aneurysm repair.
This study’s goal was determine if identifying inherent anatomic differences between sexes, aortic size index (ASI) and aortic height index (AHI) may provide an additional method for guiding treatment for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surgery. Females are more likely to undergo repair at smaller aortic diameter compared with male patients. The authors identified all patients who underwent AAA repair between 2003 and 2019 in the Vascular Quality Initiative database. The Dubois and Dubois formula was used to calculate body surface area; aortic diameter was divided by body surface area to calculate ASI, and aortic diameter was divided by height to calculate AHI. They identified 55,647 patients, of whom 12,664 were female (20%). For both types of repairs (intact and rupture), female patients were older, less likely to undergo endovascular aneurysm repair, and more likely to have comorbid conditions. Female patients underwent repair at smaller median aortic diameter compared with male patients for intact (5.4 vs 5.5 cm) and rupture repair (6.7 vs 7.7 cm). When they analyzed the cumulative distribution of rupture repair in male patients, they found that 12% of rupture repairs were performed at an aortic diameter below 5.5 cm, but to achieve the same proportion of rupture repair in female patients, the repair diameter was only 4.9 cm. When both ASI and AHI were used, female and male patients both reached 12% of rupture repair at an ASI of 2.7 cm/m(2) and an AHI of 3.0 cm/m.
AHRQ-funded; HS027285.
Citation: Patel PB, De Guerre L, Marcaccio CL .
Sex-specific criteria for repair should be utilized in patients undergoing aortic aneurysm repair.
J Vasc Surg 2022 Feb; 75(2):515-25. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2021.08.060..
Keywords: Sex Factors, Cardiovascular Conditions, Surgery
Rao BR, Merchant FM, Abernethy ER
The impact of government-mandated shared decision-making for implantable defibrillators: a natural experiment.
This study examined the impact of the 2018 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) mandate that patients considering implantation of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death undergo shared decision-making (SDM) using a decision-aid. The authors surveyed patients who underwent implantation of a primary prevention ICD within the Emory Healthcare system between 2017-2019 (pre and post SDM mandate). Survey domains included decisional conflict, knowledge about the ICD, values-choice concordance, and engagement in decision-making. Of 101 patients who completed the survey, 45 had an ICD placed before the mandate and 56 placed after. No major differences were found between any of the survey domains. Patients with ICDs after the mandate were more likely to subjectively feel more informed about the benefits of the procedure but were less likely to be able to correctly identify the frequency of complications.
AHRQ-funded; HS028558.
Citation: Rao BR, Merchant FM, Abernethy ER .
The impact of government-mandated shared decision-making for implantable defibrillators: a natural experiment.
Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 2022 Feb; 45(2):274-80. doi: 10.1111/pace.14414..
Keywords: Shared Decision Making, Medical Devices, Policy, Cardiovascular Conditions
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
Steinberg RS, Nayak A, Burke MA
Association of race and gender with primary caregiver relationships and eligibility for advanced heart failure therapies.
Caregiver support is considered necessary after heart transplant (HT) and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) for patients with end-stage heart failure (HF). Few studies have demonstrated how caregivers differ by gender and race, and whether that impacts therapy eligibility. In this study, the investigators examined caregiver relationships among 674 patients (32% women, 55% Black) evaluated at Emory University from 2011 to 2017.
AHRQ-funded; HS026081.
Citation: Steinberg RS, Nayak A, Burke MA .
Association of race and gender with primary caregiver relationships and eligibility for advanced heart failure therapies.
Clin Transplant 2022 Jan;36(1):e14502. doi: 10.1111/ctr.14502..
Keywords: Caregiving, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions
Fiscella K, He H, Sanders M
Blood pressure visit intensification in treatment (BP-Visit) findings: a pragmatic stepped wedge cluster randomized trial.
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of multimodal strategies on time between visits and on improvement in systolic BP (SBP) among patients with uncontrolled hypertension. A total of 4277 adult patients with diagnosed hypertension and two BPs ≥ 140/90 pre-randomization and at least one visit during the post-randomization control period participated. The core intervention included three clinician hypertension-based trainings, monthly clinician feedback reports, and monthly meetings with practice champions. The main outcomes desired were change in time between visits when BP was not controlled and change in SBP. The intervention did not improve time to the next visit compared with control periods. SBP was reduced by 1.13 mmHg but was not maintained during follow-up. Hypertension control in the practices improved by 5% during intervention and was sustained post-intervention 5.4%.
AHRQ-funded; HS021667.
Citation: Fiscella K, He H, Sanders M .
Blood pressure visit intensification in treatment (BP-Visit) findings: a pragmatic stepped wedge cluster randomized trial.
J Gen Intern Med 2022 Jan;37(1):32-39. doi: 10.1007/s11606-021-07016-9..
Keywords: Blood Pressure, Medication, Cardiovascular Conditions
Demianczyk AC, Bechtel Driscoll CF, Karpyn A
Coping strategies used by mothers and fathers following diagnosis of congenital heart disease.
This study’s objective was to identify parental coping strategies following diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) and compare use of coping strategies among different groups (mothers vs. fathers, prenatal vs. postnatal diagnosis). A diverse sample of 34 parents (20 mothers and 14 fathers) of young children with CHD participated in semistructured interviews. Parents described using between 1 and 10 different adaptive and maladaptive strategies measured by the COPE Inventory, an instrument that assesses common adult responses to stress. Mothers were more likely than fathers to report a focus on and venting of emotions (70% vs 21.43%) and behavioral disengagement (25% vs. 0%). Parents who had received a prenatal diagnosis described a greater variety of coping strategies compared to parents who received a postnatal CHD diagnosis (6.23 vs 4.52) and more often reported positive reinterpretation and growth, behavioral disengagement, and denial.
AHRQ-funded; HS026393.
Citation: Demianczyk AC, Bechtel Driscoll CF, Karpyn A .
Coping strategies used by mothers and fathers following diagnosis of congenital heart disease.
Child Care Health Dev 2022 Jan;48(1):129-38. doi: 10.1111/cch.12913..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Chronic Conditions