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Orthostatic hypotension is a highly prevalent medical condition that is an independent risk factor for falls and mortality. It reflects a condition in which autonomic reflexes are impaired or intravascular volume is depleted, causing a significant reduction in blood pressure upon standing. This disorder is frequently unrecognized until later in its clinical course. Symptoms like orthostatic dizziness do not reliably identify patients with orthostatic hypotension, who are often asymptomatic, leading further to the difficulty of this diagnosis. We summarize seven clinically important misconceptions about orthostatic hypotension., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Introduction: Sentinel lymph node biopsy reduces morbidity in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer who achieve axillary pathologic complete response following neoadjuvant therapy (NACT). De-escalation trials primarily addressed cN1 disease, with underrepresentation of cN2 disease. This study evaluates the role of de-escalation in patients with cN2 breast cancer., Methods: A retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Database (2013-2020) included women over 18 with T1-2 invasive breast cancer and clinical N2 disease who received NACT followed by ALND or SLNB then ALND. The primary outcome was pathologic nodal status post-NACT., Results: Of 5852 cN2 patients treated, 18.15 ​% achieved ypN0, 0.97 ​% had isolated tumor cells, 19.14 ​% were ypN1, 49.64 ​% were ypN2, and 12.20 ​% were ypN3 following NACT. Achieving ypN0 was associated with pCR in the breast, HER2-positive and triple-negative receptor status, cT2 tumors, and younger age., Conclusion: Despite some patients with cN2 disease achieving ypN0, most exhibited residual axillary disease post-NACT. These findings indicate that axillary de-escalation may not be feasible for most patients with cN2 disease, underscoring the importance of meticulous patient selection and assessment., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: The effects of non-infectious urinary catheter-related complications such as measurements of indwelling urinary catheter overuse, catheter-related trauma, and urinary retention are not well understood., Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 200 patients undergoing general surgery operations. Variables to measure urinary catheter use, trauma, and retention were developed, then surgical cases were abstracted. Inter- and intra-rater reliability were calculated for measure validation., Results: 129 of 200 (65%) had an indwelling urinary catheter placed at the time of surgery. 32 patients (16%) had urinary retention, and variation was observed in the treatment of urinary retention. 12 patients (6%) had urinary trauma. Rater reliability was high (>90% agreement for all) for the dichotomous outcomes of urinary catheter use, urinary catheter-related trauma, and urinary retention., Conclusions: This study suggests a persistent high rate of catheter use, significant rates of urinary retention and trauma, and variation in the management of retention., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Co-Author Jennifer Meddings reports a relationship with Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that includes: funding grants. Jennifer Meddings reports a relationship with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that includes: funding grants. Jennifer Meddings reports a relationship with Ralph E. Wilson Fundation that includes: funding grants. Jennifer Meddings reports a relationship with VHA Health Services Research & Development that includes: funding grants. Jennifer Meddings has patent US Patent #10279145 and Japanese Patent #6933385 issued to Jennifer Meddings. Jennifer Meddings has received royalties for “Preventing Hospital Infection” book, published by Oxford., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

β-blockers are commonly used in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), even in the absence of a compelling indication and despite the potential to cause harm. Identifying reasons for β-blocker prescription in HFpEF could permit the development of strategies to reduce unnecessary use and potentially improve medication prescribing patterns in this vulnerable population. We administered an online survey regarding β-blocker prescribing behavior to physicians trained in internal medicine or geriatrics (noncardiology physicians) and to cardiologists at 2 large academic medical centers. The survey assessed the reasons for β-blocker initiation, agreement regarding initiation and/or continuation of β-blockers by another clinician, and deprescribing behavior. The response rate was 28.2% (n = 231). Among respondents, 68.2% reported initiating β-blockers in patients with HFpEF. The most common reason for initiating a β-blocker was for treatment of an atrial arrhythmia. Notably, 23.7% of physicians reported initiating a β-blocker without an evidence-based indication. When a β-blocker was considered not necessary, 40.1% of physicians reported they were rarely or never willing to deprescribe. The most common reason for not deprescribing a β-blocker when the physician felt that a β-blocker was unnecessary was the concern about interfering with another physicians' treatment plan (76.6%). In conclusion, a significant proportion of noncardiology physicians and cardiologists report prescribing β-blockers to patients with HFpEF, even when evidence-based indications are absent, and rarely deprescribe β-blockers in these scenarios., Competing Interests: Disclosures Dr. Goyal receives personal fees for medicolegal consulting related to heart failure and has received honoraria from Akcea Therapeutics Inc and Bionest Inc. Dr. Steinman receives honoraria from UpToDate and the American Geriatrics Society. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Residents serve as access points to the health care system for the most vulnerable patients in the United States. Two large academic medical centers have identified performance gaps between resident and faculty physicians. Our intent in this study was to measure the scope of resident-faculty performance gaps in a nationwide sample and identify potential targets for intervention., Methods: This is a qualitative study of 12 residency programs representing 4 out of 5 US regions. Main measures include perceptions of population health performance in resident versus faculty populations, description of precepting model employed, perceptions of differences between resident and faculty patients, and handoff processes at the time of graduation., Results: Of the 8 programs that routinely compare resident and faculty performance, half had confirmed the presence of outcome disparities on routine population health metrics. Seven out of 12 programs employ a 1:1 preceptor:resident comanagement structure. Ten of the 12 programs perceived that resident panels were more psychosocially complex; 2 had a formal process to measure this. Four of the 12 programs had a process to monitor patient loss to follow-up after resident transition., Conclusions: Resident-faculty performance disparities may be a widespread problem nationally. Potential targets for intervention include increased preceptor engagement, improving access for empanelment in the faculty practice for vulnerable patient populations, and employing more robust handoff practices. Integrating a culture of quality improvement to continuously monitor important educational metrics such as outcome disparities, panel demographics, educational continuity, and patient loss in the resident panel should be a routine practice for academic health centers., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of ketoprofen plasters and diclofenac plasters after 3 weeks of administration in patients with osteoarthritis-related knee pain., Methods: This multicenter, randomized, active-controlled, open-label, parallel-group, noninferiority phase III study randomized 236 adults with osteoarthritis-related knee pain for 3 weeks with ketoprofen plaster 30 mg twice daily (n = 118) or diclofenac plaster 15 mg once daily (n = 118). The primary efficacy end point was the mean change from baseline to week 3 in the mean knee pain intensity score during walking, as measured by a 100-mm visual analog scale with a predefined noninferiority margin of 10.0 mm. Secondary end points included changes in knee pain intensity score during walking (weeks 1 and 2) and at rest (weeks 1, 2, and 3), Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Patient Global Impression of Improvement scale assessments, and frequency of rescue medication use after 2 and 3 weeks of treatment., Findings: A total of 223 patients (115 in the ketoprofen group and 108 in the diclofenac group) were included in the per-protocol analysis. After 3 weeks of treatment, the least squares mean change from baseline in knee pain intensity scores during walking was -35.9 (95% CI, -39.7 to -32.2) in the ketoprofen group and -31.7 (95% CI, -35.5 to -27.9) in the diclofenac group, with noninferiority found (least squares mean difference, -4.2; 95% CI, -9.6 to 1.1). Ketoprofen significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the pain intensity score at rest after 2 and 3 weeks of treatment compared with diclofenac. No statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of changes in pain intensity score during walking at weeks 1, 2, and 3. The mean Patient Global Impression of Improvement score was statistically significant (P < 0.001) in favor of ketoprofen after 2 and 3 weeks of treatment. In addition, the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score improved in both groups, and no statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of frequency of rescue medication use. The overall adverse event profile of the groups was similar, and no difference was found in skin reaction rates between the 2 groups., Implications: Ketoprofen plasters can be effectively and safely administered to patients with osteoarthritis-related knee pain., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages globally. A substantial number of observational data suggest an inverse relationship between coffee consumption and the risk for cardiovascular disease. The basis for this association is not clear. In this review, we specifically study the impact of coffee on inflammatory biomarkers as one potential mechanistic basis for this observation. Our objective was to systematically review randomized controlled trials that examined the effects of coffee consumption on selected cardiovascular biomarkers., Methods: We systematically reviewed bibliographic databases including PubMed (NCBI), Embase (Elsevier), CINAHL (EBSCO), Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (EBSCO), and CAB Abstracts (Clarivate Analytics). We searched for randomized controlled trials that studied the effect of drinking coffee on inflammatory markers of cardiovascular risk., Results: The search of electronic databases returned 1631 records. After removing duplicate records and ineligible studies, we examined a total of 40 full-text documents, 17 of which were eligible for further analysis. In our review, boiled coffee, in particular, appeared to raise total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B, but evidence suggests no similar effect for filtered coffee. One study showed a significant increase in blood interleukin 6 levels among individuals who drank caffeinated coffee, compared with individuals consuming no coffee., Conclusion: Based on our systematic review of randomized controlled studies, we cannot confidently conclude that an anti-inflammatory effect of coffee is a major contributing factor to the lower all-cause mortality reported in observational studies., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of a proposed bevacizumab biosimilar to those of the reference product in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC)., Methods: This Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind (patient- and assessor-blind), active-controlled, 2-armed, parallel-group, noninferiority trial was conducted in patients with histologically verified colorectal cancer with evidence of at least 1 metastasis. Patients with mCRC were randomized 2:1 to receive 5 mg/kg IV of either study drug plus FOLFIRI-3 (with repeated irinotecan 100 mg/m 2 60-min infusion on day 3) or the reference drug plus FOLFIRI-3 every 2 weeks for 1 year. Progression-free survival (PFS) was the primary end point, and overall survival, objective response rate, and time to treatment failure as well as safety and immunogenicity were secondary end points. The population assessable for PFS was per protocol, and the intention-to-treat population was used for sensitivity analysis. Safety was assessed based on reports of adverse events, laboratory test results, and vital sign measurements., Findings: A total of 126 patients were enrolled; PFS values in the biosimilar and reference arms were 232 days (7.7 months) and 210 days (7 months), respectively (P = 0.47). The hazard ratio of the biosimilar arm versus the reference arm was 0.79 in the per-protocol population (90% CI, 0.46-1.35; P = 0.47). The upper limit for the 2-sided 90% CI was lower than the margin of 1.44, indicating that the biosimilar drug was noninferior to the reference drug. The hazard ratio for overall survival in the intent-to-treat population was 0.99 (95% CI, 0.55-1.80; P = 0.99). The difference between other efficacy end points among the groups was not statistically significant. No significant difference was observed in the comparison of the two arms for safety. The antidrug antibody was positive in 1 patient in each arm., Implications: The proposed biosimilar BE1040V was noninferior to the reference product in terms of efficacy in the treatment of mCRC, and tolerability was comparable between the 2 drugs. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03288987., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The Enhancing Quality of Prescribing Practices for Older Veterans Discharged From the Emergency Department (EQUIPPED) program is a quality improvement initiative that combines education, clinical decision support (ie, geriatric pharmacy order sets), and in-person academic detailing coupled with audit and feedback in an effort to improve appropriate prescribing to older veterans discharged from the emergency department. Although the EQUIPPED program is effective at reducing the prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications, the reliance on in-person academic detailing may be a limitation for broader dissemination. The EQUIPPED dashboard is a passive yet continuous audit and feedback mechanism developed to potentially replace the in-person academic detailing of the traditional EQUIPPED program. We describe the development process of the EQUIPPED dashboard and the key audit and feedback components found within., Methods: The Veterans Affairs (VA) Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW) serves as the underlying data source for the EQUIPPED dashboard. SQL Server Integration Services was used to build the backend data architecture. Data were isolated from the CDW for reporting purposes using an extract, load, transform (ELT) approach. The team used SQL Server Reporting Services to produce the user interface and add interactive functionality. The team used an agile development approach when designing the user interface, engaging end users at 2 VA EQUIPPED implementation sites by providing printed screenshots of a beta version of the dashboard., Findings: The EQUIPPED dashboard ELT process executes nightly to provide dashboard end users with a near real-time data experience and the potential for daily audit and feedback. The following dashboard components were identified as necessary for the EQUIPPED dashboard to be a suitable audit and feedback tool: key performance indicators, peer-to-peer benchmarking, individual patient or encounter drill down, educational decision support, and longitudinal performance tracking., Implications: To our knowledge, the EQUIPPED dashboard is the first information display of its kind with built-in audit and feedback that has been developed for VA emergency department practitioners as the primary end users. Further investigation is warranted to determine whether the EQUIPPED dashboard is a suitable alternative to in-person academic detailing. The EQUIPPED dashboard will be leveraged in a formal implementation trial that will entail the randomization of multiple VA sites to either (1) traditional EQUIPPED with in-person academic detailing coupled with audit and feedback or (2) EQUIPPED with passive audit and feedback delivered through the EQUIPPED dashboard without in-person prescribing outreach., Competing Interests: Disclosures The authors have indicated that they have no conflicts of interest regarding the content of this article., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Public perception of whom to blame for health care costs varies. Whether there is a mismatch between the causes of rising health care costs and the blame attributed to potential culprits has emerged as a topic of debate. We sought to compare the allocation of blame for rising health care costs in lay media articles and academic literature with actual health care spending in the United States., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional systematic analysis of published lay media and academic articles. On April 10, 2018, 200 PubMed (academic) and 200 Google News (lay media) articles were collected through searches using the terms "healthcare costs" and "health care costs." Articles were included if they criticized high cost of health care in the US. We calculated descriptive statistics for area(s) of health care blamed for high costs, publication type, and primary author affiliation., Results: PubMed articles named 47 potential drivers of high cost and Google News articles named 225. Among PubMed articles, environment, lifestyle, and medical problems (n = 15/47; 32%) were the most commonly cited source of high cost of health care, followed by 'no group singled out' (n = 14/47; 30%), and drugs or devices (n = 8/47; 17%). Among Google News articles, insurers (n = 63/225; 28%) were most commonly cited as possible sources of high cost of health care, followed by 'no group singled out' (n = 46/225; 21%) and hospitals (n = 37/225; 17%)., Conclusions: Allocation of blame for high health care costs is not always in proportion with true health care spending, and certain health care drivers are under- and overrepresented by academic and lay media publications., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Whether the benefit of intensive blood pressure (BP) control reduces atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk without increasing risks of serious adverse events (SAEs) is unknown. We sought to assess differences in incident ASCVD and SAE with intensive BP control across the spectrum of 10-year ASCVD risk in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). SPRINT randomized 9,361 participants who were ≥50years old and ≥1 CVD risk factor to standard or intensive BP control (<120 or 130 to 139mm Hg). We excluded adults with clinical ASCVD or age ≥80. We included 6,875 participants. We compared hazard ratios (HR) and risk differences (RD) of incident ASCVD events or SAEs in all and across quartiles of baseline risk. Median predicted ASCVD risk was 15.9%. Intensive BP control significantly reduced ASCVD events (HR 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.58, 0.97, p = 0.03; RD -0.94; -1.8, -0.1; p = 0.03). There was no difference in effect across quartiles of ASCVD risk. There was a non-significant increase in SAE with intensive BP control (HR 1.08, 1.00, 1.17 p = 0.06; RD 2.1, -0.1, 4.4, p = 0.03), and no difference in this effect across quartiles of risk. In SPRINT participants without baseline clinical ASCVD, the benefit of intensive BP control for primary prevention of ASCVD may extend to lower risk participants without an increase in SAE. In conclusion, lower risk adults with stage 1 hypertension meeting SPRINT eligibility may benefit from initiation of antihypertensives., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Catheter exchange over a guidewire is frequently performed for malfunctioning peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs). Whether such exchanges are associated with venous thromboembolism is not known., Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study to assess the association between PICC exchange and risk of thromboembolism. Adult hospitalized patients that received a PICC during clinical care at one of 51 hospitals participating in the Michigan Hospital Medicine Safety consortium were included. The primary outcome was hazard of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (radiographically confirmed upper-extremity deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism) in those that underwent PICC exchange vs those that did not., Results: Of 23,010 patients that underwent PICC insertion in the study, 589 patients (2.6%) experienced a PICC exchange. Almost half of all exchanges were performed for catheter dislodgement or occlusion. A total of 480 patients (2.1%) experienced PICC-associated deep vein thrombosis. The incidence of deep vein thrombosis was greater in those that underwent PICC exchange vs those that did not (3.6% vs 2.0%, P < .001). Median time to thrombosis was shorter among those that underwent exchange vs those that did not (5 vs 11 days, P = .02). Following adjustment, PICC exchange was independently associated with twofold greater risk of thrombosis (hazard ratio [HR] 1.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37-2.85) vs no exchange. The effect size of PICC exchange on thrombosis was second in magnitude to device lumens (HR 2.06; 95% CI, 1.59-2.66 and HR 2.31; 95% CI, 1.6-3.33 for double- and triple-lumen devices, respectively)., Conclusion: Guidewire exchange of PICCs may be associated with increased risk of thrombosis. As some exchanges may be preventable, consideration of risks and benefits of exchanges in clinical practice is needed., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Increasing use of nurse practitioners and physician assistants is a possible solution to the shortage of primary care providers in the United States, but the quality of care they provide is not well understood., Methods: Because the scope of practice of the 3 provider types is similar in the Veterans Health Administration, we determined whether patients managed by primary care nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or physicians had similar hemoglobin A1c levels at comparable times in the natural history of diabetes. Our retrospective cohort study examined veterans with newly diagnosed diabetes in 2008, continuous primary care from 2008 to 2012, and more than 75% of primary care visits with nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or physician., Results: Of the 19,238 patients, 95.3% were male, 77.7% were white, and they had a mean age 68.5 years; 14.7%, 7.1%, and 78.2% of patients were managed by nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and physicians, respectively. Median hemoglobin A1c was comparable at diagnosis (6.6%, 6.7%, 6.7%, P > .05) and after 4 years (all 6.5%, P > .5). Hemoglobin A1c levels at initiation of the first (7.5%-7.6%) and second (8.0%-8.2%) oral medications for patients of nurse practitioners and physician assistants compared with that of physicians was also similar after adjusting for patient characteristics (all P > .05). Nurse practitioners started insulin at a lower hemoglobin A1c (9.4%) than physicians (9.7%), which remained significant after adjustment (P < .05)., Conclusions: At diagnosis and during 4 years of follow-up, diabetes management by nurse practitioners and physician assistants was comparable to management by physicians. The Veterans Health Administration model for roles of nurse practitioners and physician assistants may be broadly useful to help meet the demand for primary care providers in the United States., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Purpose: Nocturia is associated with poor sleep quality; however, little is known about the relationship between nocturia and sleep quality across different workforce-relevant age groups of adults. This has implications for developing new treatment strategies that are well tolerated across populations., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving merged data from the 2005-2006 and 2007-2008 waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants responded to validated questions on nocturia frequency and sleep from the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire General Productivity subscale (FOSQ-gp, range 1-4). Analyses included multivariable linear regression with stratification by gender to examine associations between nocturia frequency (higher worse) and the FOSQ-gp scores (lower scores indicating worse daytime function related to sleep disturbance)., Findings: Of 10,512 adults aged ≥20 years who completed the survey, 9148 (87%) had complete nocturia and FOSQ-gp data. The population age-adjusted prevalence of nocturia at least twice nightly was 21.1% among men and 26.6% among women (P < 0.001), and nocturia increased with age (P < 0.001). Compared with those with no or 1 episode of nocturia, those with nocturia at least twice nightly reported lower mean FOSQ-gp scores (3.65; 95% CI, 3.61-3.69 vs 3.19; 95% CI, 3.09-3.31 for men and 3.52; 95% CI, 3.48-3.56 vs 3.09; 95% CI, 3.02-3.16 for women). Older adults (aged >65 years) with greater nocturia frequency reported worse FOSQ-gp scores compared with younger adults with similar nocturia frequency (P < 0.001 among men and women)., Implications: In a population-based sample of community-dwelling men and women, the association between nocturia and worsened functional outcomes of sleep was greater among adults older than 65 years-a group more vulnerable to drug side effects, and in whom nocturia is typically multifactorial. Additionally, these analyses found that the association between nocturia and functional outcomes of sleep is stronger with increasing age among men. Effective treatment strategies that are well tolerated by older adults, such as multicomponent treatments that simultaneously address the combined effects of lower urinary tract and sleep dysfunction, are needed., Competing Interests: C.V.: no relevant disclosures C.F.: no relevant disclosures A.H.: no relevant disclosures T.J.: no relevant disclosures A.M.: no relevant disclosures, (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Obesity is a growing health problem in our society and its treatment has been challenging. In recent decades, several anti-obesity drugs have been withdrawn from the market because of reported and documented adverse effects. After years of interruption, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved multiple new anti-obesity drugs. The majority of these medications are taken orally, and only one is administered subcutaneously. In this article, we review the efficacy, adverse effects, and mechanism of action of all 5 FDA-approved drugs., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Whether the "July Effect" affects perspectives or has prompted changes in US Internal Medicine residency programs is unknown., Methods: We designed a survey-based study to assess views and efforts aimed at preventing harm in July. A convenience sampling strategy (email listserv and direct messages to program leaders via the Electronic Residency Application Service) was used to disseminate the survey., Results: The response rate was 16% (65/418 programs); however, a total of 262 respondents from all 50 states where residency programs are located were included. Most respondents (n = 201; 77%) indicated that errors occur more frequently in July compared with other months. The most common identified errors included incorrect or delayed orders (n = 183, 70% and n = 167, 64%, respectively), errors in discharge medications (n = 144, 55%), and inadequate information exchange at handoffs (n = 143, 55%). Limited trainee experience (n = 208, 79%), lack of understanding hospital workflow, and difficulty using electronic medical record systems (n = 194; 74% and n = 188; 72%, respectively) were reported as the most common factors contributing to these errors. Programs reported instituting several efforts to prevent harm in July: for interns, additional electronic medical record training (n = 178; 68%) and education on handoffs and discharge processes (n = 176; 67% and n = 108; 41%, respectively) were introduced. Similarly, for senior residents, teaching sessions on how to lead a team (n = 158; 60%) and preferential placement of certain residents on harder rotations (n = 103; 39%) were also reported. Most respondents (n = 140; 53%) also solicited specific "July attendings" using a volunteer system or highest teaching ratings., Conclusion: Residency programs in Internal Medicine appear to have instituted various changes to mitigate harm in July. Further evaluation to understand the impact of these interventions on trainee education and patient safety is necessary., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Disorders of taste and smell can cause an aversion to food in a sick patient and therefore affect his/her ability to maintain optimal nutrition. This can lead to a reduced level of strength, muscle mass, function, and quality of life. Additionally, reduced ability to differentiate between various intensities or concentrations of a tastant can result in increased intake of salt and sugar and exacerbation of chronic diseases such as heart failure and diabetes. These implications can be heightened in the elderly, who are particularly frail and are challenged by polypharmacy and multiple comorbid conditions. In this article, we will review the prevalence, etiology, and management of taste disorders. Additionally, we will review the association between taste and smell disorders and how disorders of smell can affect perception of taste., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Infective endocarditis is a serious infection, often resulting from injection drug use. Inpatient treatment regularly focuses on management of infection without attention to the underlying addiction. We aimed to determine the addiction interventions done in patients hospitalized with injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis., Methods: This is a retrospective review of patients hospitalized with injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis from January, 2004 through August, 2014 at a large academic tertiary care center in Boston, Massachusetts. For the initial and subsequent admissions, data were collected regarding addiction interventions, including consultation by social work, addiction clinical nurse and psychiatry, documentation of addiction in the discharge summary plan, plan for medication-assisted treatment and naloxone provision., Results: There were 102 patients admitted with injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis, 50 patients (49.0%) were readmitted and 28 (27.5%) patients had ongoing injection drug use at readmission. At initial admission, 86.4% of patients had social work consultation, 23.7% had addiction consultation, and 24.0% had psychiatry consultation. Addiction was mentioned in 55.9% of discharge summary plans, 7.8% of patients had a plan for medication-assisted treatment, and naloxone was never prescribed. Of 102 patients, 26 (25.5%) are deceased. The median age at death was 40.9 years (interquartile range 28.7-48.7)., Conclusions: We found that patients hospitalized with injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis had high rates of readmission, recurrent infective endocarditis and death. Despite this, addiction interventions were suboptimal. Improved addiction interventions are imperative in the treatment of injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Dabigatran has been shown to be superior to warfarin for stroke prevention in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) but with higher out-of-pocket costs for patients. Although dabigatran has been shown to be cost effective from a societal perspective, cost implications for individual patients and insurers are not well described. We aimed to assess cost perspectives of each payer (Medicare and patient) in relation to administration, monitoring, and adverse outcomes for dabigatran and warfarin in patients with and without prescription drug coverage. Using a Markov model, we performed a decision analysis comparing 2 treatment strategies (dose-adjusted warfarin and dabigatran 150 mg twice daily) in patients 65 years old with NVAF, CHADS2 scores ≥ 1, and Medicare insurance. Patients have a quality-adjusted life expectancy of 8.998 quality-adjusted life years with warfarin and 9.39 quality-adjusted life years with dabigatran 150 mg twice daily. From Medicare's perspective, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio comparing dabigatran with warfarin was $35,311 for patients with Part D coverage and cost saving for patients without coverage. From the patient's perspective, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio comparing dabigatran with warfarin was cost saving for patients with Part D coverage and $63,884 for those without coverage. In patients ≥ 65 years with NVAF and prescription insurance coverage, dabigatran 150 mg twice daily is both cost effective (Medicare's perspective) and cost saving (patient perspective) compared with warfarin, at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000. However, patients without prescription drug coverage have a high out-of-pocket cost burden with dabigatran therapy, leading to a reduction in its cost-effectiveness compared with warfarin therapy. In conclusion, this Markov model suggests that Medicare Part D coverage influences the cost-effectiveness of dabigatran 150 mg daily compared with dose-adjusted warfarin from multiple payer perspectives., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Peripherally inserted central catheters are associated with upper-extremity deep vein thrombosis. Whether they also are associated with lower-extremity deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism is unknown. We examined the risk of venous thromboembolism in deep veins of the arm, leg, and chest after peripherally inserted central catheter placement., Methods: We conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of 76,242 hospitalized medical patients from 48 Michigan hospitals. Peripherally inserted central catheter presence, comorbidities, venous thrombosis risk factors, and thrombotic events within 90 days from hospital admission were ascertained by phone and record review. Cox proportional hazards models were fit to examine the association between peripherally inserted central catheter placement and 90-day hazard of upper- and lower-extremity deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, adjusting for patient-level characteristics and natural clustering within hospitals., Results: A total of 3790 patients received a peripherally inserted central catheter during hospitalization. From hospital admission to 90 days, 876 thromboembolic events (208 upper-extremity deep vein thromboses, 372 lower-extremity deep vein thromboses, and 296 pulmonary emboli) were identified. After risk adjustment, peripherally inserted central catheter use was independently associated with all-cause venous thromboembolism (hazard ratio [HR], 3.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.59-3.85), upper-extremity deep vein thrombosis (HR, 10.49; 95% CI, 7.79-14.11), and lower-extremity deep vein thrombosis (HR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.02-2.15). Peripherally inserted central catheter use was not associated with pulmonary embolism (HR, 1.34; 95% CI, 0.86-2.06). Results were robust to sensitivity analyses incorporating receipt of pharmacologic prophylaxis during hospitalization., Conclusions: Peripherally inserted central catheter use is associated with upper- and lower-extremity deep vein thrombosis. Weighing the thrombotic risks conferred by peripherally inserted central catheters against clinical benefits seems necessary., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The superiority of everolimus-eluting stents (EES) over sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) for long-term clinical outcomes has not been yet firmly established. We conducted a systematic review and a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing EES directly with SES using the longest available follow-up data. We searched PubMed, the Cochrane database, and ClinicalTrials.gov for RCTs comparing outcomes between EES and SES and identified 13,434 randomly assigned patients from 14 RCTs. EES was associated with significantly lower risks than SES for definite stent thrombosis (ST), definite/probable ST, target-lesion revascularization (TLR), and major adverse cardiac events (MACE). The risks for all-cause death and myocardial infarction were similar between EES and SES. By the stratified analysis according to the timing after stent implantation, the favorable trend of EES relative to SES for ST, TLR, and MACE was consistently observed both within and beyond 1 year. The lower risk of EES relative to SES for MACE beyond 1 year was statistically significant (pooled odds ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.61 to 0.96, p = 0.02). In conclusion, the current meta-analysis of 14 RCTs directly comparing EES with SES suggested that EES provided improvement in both safety and efficacy; EES compared with SES was associated with significantly lower risk for definite ST, definite/probable ST, TLR, and MACE. The direction and magnitude of the effect beyond 1 year were comparable with those observed within 1 year., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Depression is associated with cognitive impairment and dementia, but whether treatment for depression with antidepressants reduces the risk for cognitive decline is unclear. We assessed the association between antidepressant use and cognitive decline over 6 years., Methods: Participants were 3714 adults aged 50 years or more who were enrolled in the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study and had self-reported antidepressant use. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Cognitive function was assessed at 4 time points (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010) using a validated 27-point scale. Change in cognitive function over the 6-year follow-up period was examined using linear growth models, adjusted for demographics, depressive symptoms, comorbidities, functional limitations, and antidepressant anticholinergic activity load., Results: At baseline, cognitive function did not differ significantly between the 445 (12.1%) participants taking antidepressants and those not taking antidepressants (mean, 14.9%; 95% confidence interval, 14.3-15.4 vs mean, 15.1%; 95% confidence interval, 14.9-15.3). During the 6-year follow up period, cognition declined in both users and nonusers of antidepressants, ranging from -1.4 change in mean score in those with high depressive symptoms and taking antidepressants to -0.5 change in mean score in those with high depressive symptoms and not taking antidepressants. In adjusted models, cognition declined in people taking antidepressants at the same rate as those not taking antidepressants. Results remained consistent across different levels of baseline cognitive function, age, and duration of antidepressant use (prolonged vs short-term)., Conclusions: Antidepressant use did not modify the course of 6-year cognitive change in this nationally representative sample., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

It has not been adequately addressed yet how long the excess cardiovascular event risk persists after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) compared with stable coronary artery disease. Of 10,470 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention either with sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) only or with bare-metal stent (BMS) only in the Coronary Revascularization Demonstrating Outcome Study-Kyoto Registry Cohort-2, 3,710 (SES: n = 820 and BMS: n = 2,890) and 6,760 patients (SES: n = 4,258 and BMS: n = 2,502) presented with AMI (AMI group) and without AMI (non-AMI group), respectively. During the median 5-year follow-up, the excess adjusted risk of the AMI group relative to the non-AMI group for the primary outcome measure (cardiac death or myocardial infarction) was significant (hazard ratio [HR] 1.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30 to 1.80, p <0.001). However, the excess event risk was limited to the early period within 3 months. Late adjusted risk beyond 3 months was similar between the AMI and non-AMI groups (HR 1.16, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.41, p = 0.15). The higher risk of the AMI group relative to the non-AMI group for stent thrombosis (ST) was significant within 3 months (HR 3.38, 95% CI 2.04 to 5.60, p <0.001), whereas the risk for ST was not different between the 2 groups beyond 3 months (HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.90, p = 0.70). There were no interactions between the types of stents implanted and the risk of the AMI group relative to the non-AMI groups for all the outcome measures including ST. In conclusion, patients with AMI compared with those without AMI were associated with similar late cardiovascular event risk beyond 3 months after percutaneous coronary intervention despite their higher early risk within 3 months., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The influence of preinfarction angina pectoris (AP) on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains controversial. In 5,429 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) enrolled in the Coronary Revascularization Demonstrating Outcome Study in Kyoto AMI Registry, the present study population consisted of 3,476 patients with STEMI who underwent primary PCI within 24 hours of symptom onset and in whom the data on preinfarction AP were available. Preinfarction AP defined as AP occurring within 48 hours of hospital arrival was present in 675 patients (19.4%). Patients with preinfarction AP was younger and more often had anterior AMI and longer total ischemic time, whereas they less often had history of heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and shock presentation. The infarct size estimated by peak creatinine phosphokinase was significantly smaller in patients with than in patients without preinfarction AP (median [interquartile range] 2,141 [965 to 3,867] IU/L vs 2,462 [1,257 to 4,495] IU/L, p <0.001). The cumulative 5-year incidence of death was significantly lower in patients with preinfarction AP (12.4% vs 20.7%, p <0.001) with median follow-up interval of 1,845 days. After adjusting for confounders, preinfarction AP was independently associated with a lower risk for death (hazard ratio 0.69, 95% confidence interval 0.54 to 0.86, p = 0.001). The lower risk for 5-year mortality in patients with preinfarction AP was consistently observed across subgroups stratified by total ischemic time, initial Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction flow grade, hemodynamic status, infarct location, and diabetes mellitus. In conclusion, preinfarction AP was independently associated with lower 5-year mortality in patients with STEMI who underwent primary PCI., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Living alone was reported to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. There are, however, limited data on the relation between living alone and all-cause mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The Coronary REvascularization Demonstrating Outcome Study in Kyoto (CREDO-Kyoto) AMI registry was a cohort study of patients with AMI enrolled in 26 hospitals in Japan from 2005 through 2007. For the current analysis, we included those patients who underwent PCI within 24 hours of symptom onset, and we assessed their living status to determine if living alone would be an independent prognostic risk factor. Among 4,109 patients eligible for the current analysis of 5,429 patients enrolled in the CREDO-Kyoto AMI registry, 515 patients (12.5%) were living alone at the time of hospital admission. The cumulative 5-year incidence of all-cause death was 18.3% in the living alone group and 20.1% in the not living alone group (log-rank p = 0.77). After adjusting for potential confounders, risk of the living alone group relative to the not living alone group for all-cause death was not significantly different (adjusted hazard ratio 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.65 to 1.02, p = 0.08). In a subgroup analysis stratified by age, the adjusted risk for all-cause death was also not different between the living alone group and the not living alone group both in the older population (aged ≥75 years) and the younger population (aged <75 years). In conclusion, living alone was not associated with higher long-term mortality in patients with AMI who underwent PCI., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The prevalence, intensity, safety, and efficacy of oral anticoagulation (OAC) in addition to dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in "real-world" patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have not yet been fully evaluated. In the Coronary REvascularization Demonstrating Outcome Study in Kyoto registry cohort-2, a total of 1,057 patients with AF (8.3%) were identified among 12,716 patients undergoing first PCI. Cumulative 5-year incidence of stroke was higher in patients with AF than in no-AF patients (12.8% vs 5.8%, p <0.0001). Although most patients with AF had CHADS2 score ≥2 (75.2%), only 506 patients (47.9%) received OAC with warfarin at hospital discharge. Cumulative 5-year incidence of stroke in the OAC group was not different from that in the no-OAC group (13.8% vs 11.8%, p = 0.49). Time in therapeutic range (TTR) was only 52.6% with an international normalized ratio of 1.6 to 2.6, and only 154 of 409 patients (37.7%) with international normalized ratio data had TTR ≥65%. Cumulative 5-year incidence of stroke in patients with TTR ≥65% was markedly lower than that in patients with TTR <65% (6.9% vs 15.1%, p = 0.01). In a 4-month landmark analysis in the OAC group, there was a trend for higher cumulative incidences of stroke and major bleeding in the on-DAPT (n = 286) than in the off-DAPT (n = 173) groups (15.1% vs 6.7%, p = 0.052 and 14.7% vs 8.7%, p = 0.10, respectively). In conclusion, OAC was underused and its intensity was mostly suboptimal in real-world patients with AF undergoing PCI, which lead to inadequate stroke prevention. Long-term DAPT in patients receiving OAC did not reduce stroke incidence., (Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Treatment of coronary artery disease has significantly changed over the past decade including an introduction of drug-eluting stents and a more stringent adherence to evidence-based medications. However, the impact of these advanced treatment methods on the practice patterns and long-term outcomes in patients undergoing coronary revascularization in the real world has not been yet fully evaluated. The present study population consisted of the 2 groups of patients who underwent their first coronary revascularization in the Coronary REvascularization Demonstrating Outcome Study in Kyoto Registry Cohort-1 (bare-metal stent era: January 2000 to December 2002, n = 8,986) and Cohort-2 (drug-eluting stent era: January 2005 to December 2007, n = 10,339). Compared with Cohort-1, the proportion of patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention significantly increased in Cohort-2 (73% vs 81%, p <0.001), particularly for 3-vessel disease (50% vs 61%, p <0.001) and left main disease (18% vs 36%, p <0.001). Evidence-based medications were more frequently used in Cohort-2. The cumulative 2-year incidence of and the adjusted risk for all-cause death were not significantly different between Cohort-1 and Cohort-2 (6.2% vs 6.4%, p = 0.69, and hazard ratio [HR] 0.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81 to 1.03, p = 0.15). Adjusted risks for both myocardial infarction and repeated coronary revascularization were significantly reduced in Cohort-2 compared with Cohort-1 (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.96, p = 0.02, and HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.77, p <0.001, respectively). In conclusion, despite changes in treatment methods over time, the long-term mortality of patients undergoing coronary revascularization in the real-world clinical practice has not been changed, although there was a significant reduction of myocardial infarction and repeated coronary revascularization., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) has been deemed a critical component of diabetes care in the United States. To be effective, patients must have some diabetes knowledge, glucometer proficiency, and an ability to take appropriate actions when certain readings are obtained. However, most patients take no action in response to out-of-range glucometer readings, and in many populations, SMBG practices are not associated with improved glycemic control. Thus, SMBG utilization is being reconsidered in other countries. Nonetheless, SMBG behaviors are increasingly recommended in the United States, where the Hispanic population represents the fastest-growing minority group and is disproportionately affected by suboptimal diabetes outcomes. Because a growing number of interventions aim to reduce diabetes disparities by improving glycemic control among minorities, it is essential to determine whether efforts should focus on SMBG practices. We present data on SMBG behaviors and glycemic control among participants from the Miami Healthy Heart Initiative (MHHI), a National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored trial assessing a community health worker (CHW) intervention among Hispanic patients with poorly controlled diabetes., Objective: This study examined the effects of a CHW intervention on SMBG practices, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and knowledge of appropriate responses to glucometer readings among Hispanic patients with diabetes., Methods: This study was an ancillary investigation within MHHI, a randomized, controlled trial in 300 Hispanic patients. Participants were intervention-group members who received 12 months of CHW support. Assessments were administered at baseline and poststudy to determine potential barriers to optimal health. Items from validated instruments were used to determine knowledge of appropriate responses to different glucose readings. These data were linked to HbA1c values. Means and frequencies were used to describe population characteristics and glucometer proficiency. Paired-sample t tests examined potential differences in HbA1c outcomes and SMBG practices. Qualitative data were collected from the CHWs who worked with study participants., Results: Our population was diverse, representing several countries. Mean HbA1c improved significantly, from 10% to 8.8% (P ≤ 0.001). SMBG practices did not change. At baseline, 96% of patients reported owning a glucometer and 94% reported knowing how to use it. However, quantitative assessments and qualitative data suggested that participants had suboptimal knowledge regarding actions that could cause an out-of-range reading or how to respond to certain readings., Conclusions: SMBG behaviors were not associated with glycemic control in our sample. We conclude that a CHW intervention may improve glycemic control without improving SMBG practices. Future interventions may reconsider whether efforts should be directed toward improving SMBG behaviors., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Adiponectin exhibits cardioprotective properties in experimental studies, but elevated levels have been linked to increased mortality in older adults and patients with chronic heart failure (HF). The adipokine's association with new-onset HF remains less well defined. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of total and high-molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin with incident HF (n = 780) and, in a subset, echocardiographic parameters in a community-based cohort of adults aged ≥65 years. Total and HMW adiponectin were measured in 3,228 subjects without prevalent HF, atrial fibrillation or CVD. The relations of total and HMW adiponectin with HF were nonlinear, with significant associations observed only for concentrations greater than the median (12.4 and 6.2 mg/L, respectively). After adjustment for potential confounders, the hazard ratios per SD increment in total adiponectin were 0.93 (95% confidence interval 0.72 to 1.21) for concentrations less than the median and 1.25 (95% confidence interval 1.14 to 1.38) higher than the median. There was a suggestion of effect modification by body mass index, whereby the association appeared strongest in participants with lower body mass indexes. Consistent with the HF findings, higher adiponectin tended to be associated with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and left atrial enlargement. Results were similar for HMW adiponectin. In conclusion, total and HMW adiponectin showed comparable relations with incident HF in this older cohort, with a threshold effect of increasing risk occurring at their median concentrations. High levels of adiponectin may mark or mediate age-related processes that lead to HF in older adults., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Given the huge burden of coronary artery disease and the effectiveness of medication therapy, understanding and quantifying known impacts of poor medication adherence for primary and secondary prevention is crucial. We sought to systematically review the literature on this topic area with a focus on quantified cost and clinical outcomes related to adherence., Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the literature between 1966 and November 2011 using a fixed search strategy, multiple reviewers, and a quality rating scale. We found 2636 articles using this strategy, eventually weaning them down to 25 studies that met our inclusion criteria. Three reviewers independently reviewed the studies and scored them for quality using the Newcastle Ottawa Scoring Scale., Results: We found 5 studies (4 of which focused on statins) that measured the impact of medication adherence on primary prevention of coronary artery disease and 20 articles that focused on the relationship between medication adherence to costs and outcomes related to secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. Most of these latter studies focused on antihypertensive medications and aspirin. All controlled for confounding comorbidities and sociodemographic characteristics, but few controlled for likelihood of adherent patients to have healthier behaviors ("healthy adherer effect"). Three studies found that high adherence significantly improves health outcomes and reduces annual costs for secondary prevention of coronary artery disease (between $294 and $868 per patient, equating to 10.1%-17.8% cost reductions between high- and low-adherence groups). The studies were all of generally of high quality on the Newcastle Ottawa Scale (median score 8 of 9)., Conclusions: Increased medication adherence is associated with improved outcomes and reduced costs, but most studies do not control for a "healthy adherer" effect., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The American Heart Association has proposed improving overall cardiovascular health by promoting 7 components of ideal cardiovascular health, including health behaviors (not smoking, regular exercise, and healthy diet) and health factors (ideal body mass index, cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose). The patients' knowledge of these 7 components is unknown. We performed a cross-sectional survey of patients at 4 primary care and 1 cardiology clinic. The survey measured demographic data, personal behaviors/health factors, cardiovascular disease history, and knowledge about these 7 components. A multivariate model was developed to assess patient characteristics associated with high knowledge scores. Of the 2,200 surveys distributed, 1,702 (77%) were returned with sufficient responses for analysis. Of these, 49% correctly identified heart disease as the leading cause of death, and 37% (95% confidence interval [CI] 35% to 39%) correctly identified all 7 components. The average respondent identified 4.9 components (95% CI 4.7 to 5.0). The lowest recognition rates were for exercise (57%), fruit/vegetable consumption (58%), and diabetes (63%). In a multivariate model, knowledge of all 7 components was positively associated with high school education or greater (odds ratio 2.43, 95% CI 1.68 to 3.52) and white ethnicity (odds ratio 1.78, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.50), and negatively associated with attending an urban neighborhood clinic (odds ratio 0.60, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.82). In conclusion, just >1/3 of patients could identify all 7 components of ideal cardiovascular health. Educational efforts should target patients in low socioeconomic strata and focus on improving knowledge about healthy diet and regular exercise. Although patients with diabetes were more likely than those without diabetes to recognize their risk, 1 in 5 were not aware that diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea is underdiagnosed. We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial of an online intervention to promote obstructive sleep apnea screening among members of an Internet weight-loss community., Methods: Members of an Internet weight-loss community who have never been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea or discussed the condition with their healthcare provider were randomized to intervention (online risk assessment+feedback) or control. The primary outcome was discussing obstructive sleep apnea with a healthcare provider at 12 weeks., Results: Of 4700 members who were sent e-mail study announcements, 168 (97% were female, age 39.5 years [standard deviation 11.7], body mass index 30.3 [standard deviation 7.8]) were randomized to intervention (n=84) or control (n=84). Of 82 intervention subjects who completed the risk assessment, 50 (61%) were low risk and 32 (39%) were high risk for obstructive sleep apnea. Intervention subjects were more likely than control subjects to discuss obstructive sleep apnea with their healthcare provider within 12 weeks (11% [9/84] vs 2% [2/84]; P=.02; relative risk=4.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.002-20.21). The number needed to treat was 12. High-risk intervention subjects were more likely than control subjects to discuss obstructive sleep apnea with their healthcare provider (19% [6/32] vs 2% [2/84]; P=.004; relative risk=7.88; 95% confidence interval, 1.68-37.02). One high-risk intervention subject started treatment for obstructive sleep apnea., Conclusion: An online screening intervention is feasible and likely effective in encouraging members of an Internet weight-loss community to discuss obstructive sleep apnea with their healthcare provider.

Objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States but is often undertreated. COPD often overlaps with other conditions such as hypertension and osteoporosis, which are less morbid but may be treated more aggressively. We evaluated the prevalence of these comorbid conditions and compared testing, patient knowledge, and management in a national sample of patients with COPD., Methods: A survey was administered by telephone in 2006 to 1003 patients with COPD to evaluate the prevalence of comorbid conditions, diagnostic testing, knowledge, and management using standardized instruments. The completion rate was 87%., Results: Among 1003 patients with COPD, 61% reported moderate or severe dyspnea and 41% reported a prior hospitalization for COPD. The most prevalent comorbid diagnoses were hypertension (55%), hypercholesterolemia (52%), depression (37%), cataracts (31%), and osteoporosis (28%). Only 10% of respondents knew their forced expiratory volume in 1 second (95% confidence interval [CI], 8-12) compared with 79% who knew their blood pressure (95% CI, 76-83). Seventy-two percent (95% CI, 69-75) reported taking any medication for COPD, usually a short-acting bronchodilator, whereas 87% (95% CI, 84-90) of patients with COPD and hypertension were taking an antihypertensive medication and 72% (95% CI, 68-75) of patients with COPD and hypercholesterolemia were taking a statin., Conclusion: Although most patients with COPD in this national sample were symptomatic and many had been hospitalized for COPD, COPD self-knowledge was low and COPD was undertreated compared with generally asymptomatic, less morbid conditions such as hypertension.