Search

Objectives. Although many prisoners infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) initiate and adhere to treatment regimens while incarcerated, the benefits of in-prison therapy are frequently lost after community reentry. Little information is available on the percentage of released inmates who establish community-based HIV outpatient treatment in a timely fashion. We sought to determine the proportion of HIV-infected Texas prison inmates who enrolled in an HIV clinic within 90 days after release and to identify variables associated with timely linkage to clinical care.Methods. This was a retrospective cohort study of 1,750 HIV-infected inmates who were released from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and returned to Harris County between January 2004 and December 2007. We obtained demographic and clinical data from centralized databases maintained by TDCJ and the Harris County Health District, and used logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with linkage to post-release outpatient care.Results. Only 20% of released inmates enrolled in an HIV clinic within 30 days of release, and only 28% did so within 90 days. Released inmates >/=30 years of age were more likely than their younger counterparts to have enrolled in care at the 30-and 90-day time points. Inmates diagnosed with schizophrenia were more likely to have initiated care within 30 days. Inmates who received antiretroviral therapy while incarcerated and those who received enhanced discharge planning were more likely to begin care at both time points.Conclusions. A large proportion of HIV-infected inmates fail to establish outpatient care after their release from the Texas prison system. Implementation of intensive discharge planning programs may be necessary to ensure continuity of HIV care among newly released inmates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Prevalence estimates for several liver cancer risk factors-hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and history of alcohol abuse-are substantially higher in U.S. prison populations than in the general population. However, liver cancer mortality data from these populations are lacking. The primary aims of this study were to examine trends in liver cancer mortality rates from 1992 to 2003 among male prisoners in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and to compare these rates to general population rates.Methods: TDCJ data on male decedents (N=4026) were linked with Texas Vital Statistics multiple-cause-of-death data. Crude average annual liver cancer death rates, average annual percent changes, and standardized mortality ratios were estimated.Results: Crude liver cancer death rates increased by an average annual 6.1% among male prisoners, which was considerably higher than the average annual percent change among similarly aged males in Texas (2.0%) and the U.S. (2.9%). The number of liver cancer deaths among male prisoners was 4.7 (4.0-5.6) and 6.3 (5.3-7.5) times higher than the expected number of deaths estimated using age-specific rates from these reference populations.Conclusions: From 1992 to 2003, liver cancer death rates and rate increases were elevated among Texas male prisoners. Findings support previous recommendations for targeted prevention, screening, and treatment of liver cancer risk factors in prison populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the association of ecstasy (methylenedioxy-methylamphethamine) use with psychopathology among young, low-income females who sought care at university family planning clinics in Texas between December 2001 and May 2003. Participants reported drug use history and eight problem behavior syndromes by using the Young Adult Self-Report. The prevalence of ecstasy use was approximately 15%. About 90% of ecstasy users reported having used other drugs. Overall, ecstasy users were more likely to have exhibited delinquent behaviors and thought problems than exclusive marijuana users. Ecstasy users who continued to use any illicit drugs showed the most severe psychopathology. These findings indicate that elevated rates of self-reported psychopathology among ecstasy users may be partly attributable to the use of multiple drugs. Furthermore, it will also be important for future studies to assess the extent to which delinquent behaviors and thought problems mediate the transition of marijuana use to ecstasy use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study assessed the impact of pancreatic cancer (PC) pain on associated symptoms, activities, and resource utilization from 2016 to 2020 in an online patient registry., Patients and Methods: Responses from PC patient volunteers (N = 1978) were analyzed from online surveys in a cross-sectional study. Comparisons were performed between PC patient groups reporting, (1) the presence vs. absence of pre-diagnosis PC pain, (2) high (4-8) vs. low (0-3) pain intensity scores on an 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS), and (3) year of PC diagnosis (2010-2020). Descriptive statistics and all bivariate analyses were performed using Chi-square or Fisher's Exact tests., Results: PC pain was the most frequently reported pre-diagnosis symptom (62%). Pre-diagnostic PC pain was reported more frequently by women, those with a younger age at diagnosis, and those with PC that spread to the liver and peritoneum. Those with pre-diagnostic PC pain vs. those without reported higher pain intensities (2.64 ± 2.54 vs.1.56 ± 2.01 NRS mean ± SD, respectively, P = .0039); increased frequencies of post-diagnosis symptoms of cramping after meals, feelings of indigestion, and weight loss (P = .02-.0001); and increased resource utilization in PC pain management: (ER visits N = 86 vs. N = 6, P = .018 and analgesic prescriptions, P < .03). The frequency of high pain intensity scores was not decreased over a recent 11-year span., Conclusions: PC pain continues to be a prominent PC symptom. Patients reporting pre-diagnosis PC pain experience increased GI metastasis, symptoms burden, and are often undertreated. Its mitigation may require novel treatments, more resources dedicated to ongoing pain management and surveillance to improve outcomes., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Background The opioid epidemic is a significant source of morbidity and mortality in the United States of America. Minimizing opioid prescribing after operations has become an important component of post-operative care pathways. We hypothesized that opioid prescribing has decreased over time after colorectal resections. Methods This is a retrospective study from 2012 to 2019 using the Optum Clinformatics database (Eden Prairie, MN). We included patients aged 18 years or older who had an elective colorectal resection. Our primary outcome was the rate of opioid prescription at post-operative discharge. Secondary outcomes included the rates of gabapentinoid (GABA) prescribing post-operatively. Results Of 17,900 patients, the most common procedure was sigmoid colectomy (35%). Most procedures were open (N=10,626, 59.4%). The most common indication was benign disease (N=12,439, 69.5%). Post-operative opioid prescribing decreased from 64.4% in 2012 to 46.7% in 2019. In the adjusted model, the odds of post-operative opioid prescription were 37% lower in 2019 than in 2012 (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.56-0.72; p<0.0001). At 60 days and one year post surgery, opioid prescribing decreased from 11.6% and 5.9% in 2012 to 7.2% and 5.2% in 2019 (p<0.0001). At 60 days, gabapentinoid prescribing increased from 2.3% in 2012 to 4.0% in 2019 (p=0.0016). Conclusions Our data show that opioid prescribing is common after colorectal surgery with an overall post-operative prescription rate of 55.8%. The modification of post-operative pathways to include guidance on opioid prescribing and non-opioid alternatives may curb opioid prescribing, decrease the number of new persistent opioid users, and decrease the number of opioids available for diversion., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Phatak et al.)

In this retrospective cohort study, we assessed central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and blood-culture contamination frequency during the first pandemic wave. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was significantly associated with CLABSI and blood-culture contamination. In the COVID-19 cohort, malignancy was associated with CLABSI. Black race, end-stage renal disease, and obesity were associated with blood-culture contamination.

Importance: To date, limited data exist regarding the association between Agent Orange and bladder cancer, and the Institute of Medicine concluded that the association between exposure to Agent Orange and bladder cancer outcomes is an area of needed research., Objective: To examine the association between bladder cancer risk and exposure to Agent Orange among male Vietnam veterans., Design, Setting, and Participants: This nationwide Veterans Affairs (VA) retrospective cohort study assesses the association between exposure to Agent Orange and bladder cancer risk among 2 517 926 male Vietnam veterans treated in the VA Health System nationwide from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2019. Statistical analysis was performed from December 14, 2021, to May 3, 2023., Exposure: Agent Orange., Main Outcomes and Measures: Veterans exposed to Agent Orange were matched in a 1:3 ratio to unexposed veterans on age, race and ethnicity, military branch, and year of service entry. Risk of bladder cancer was measured by incidence. Aggressiveness of bladder cancer was measured by muscle-invasion status using natural language processing., Results: Among the 2 517 926 male veterans (median age at VA entry, 60.0 years [IQR, 56.0-64.0 years]) who met inclusion criteria, there were 629 907 veterans (25.0%) with Agent Orange exposure and 1 888 019 matched veterans (75.0%) without Agent Orange exposure. Agent Orange exposure was associated with a significantly increased risk of bladder cancer, although the association was very slight (hazard ratio [HR], 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.06). When stratified by median age at VA entry, Agent Orange was not associated with bladder cancer risk among veterans older than the median age but was associated with increased bladder cancer risk among veterans younger than the median age (HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.04-1.10). Among veterans with a diagnosis of bladder cancer, Agent Orange was associated with lower odds of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (odds ratio [OR], 0.91; 95% CI, 0.85-0.98)., Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study among male Vietnam veterans, there was a modestly increased risk of bladder cancer-but not aggressiveness of bladder cancer-among those exposed to Agent Orange. These findings suggest an association between Agent Orange exposure and bladder cancer, although the clinical relevance of this was unclear.

Objective: To assess whether long-term cancer survivors (≥5 years after diagnosis) are at an increased risk of experiencing an opioid-related emergency department (ED) visit or hospitalization compared with persons without cancer., Methods: A 1:1 matched retrospective cohort study was performed using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked data sets. The analysis was conducted from October 2020 to December 2020 in persons who lived 5 years or more after a breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer diagnosis matched to noncancer controls on the basis of age, sex, race, pain conditions, and previous opioid use. Fine-Gray regression models were used to assess the relationship between cancer survivorship status and opioid-related ED visit or hospitalization., Results: The incidence of opioid-related ED visits and hospitalizations was 51.2 (95% CI, 43.5 to 59.8) and 62.2 (95% CI, 53.4 to 72.1) per 100,000 person-years among cancer survivors and matched noncancer controls, respectively. No significant association was observed between survivorship and opioid-related adverse event among opioid naive (hazard ratio, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.61 to 1.02) and non-naive (hazard ratio, 1.26; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.89) cohorts., Conclusion: Cancer survivors and noncancer controls had a similar risk of an ED visit or inpatient admission. Guidelines and policies should promote nonopioid pain management approaches especially to opioid non-naive older adults, a population at high risk for an opioid-related ED visit or hospitalization., (Copyright © 2021 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background Cardiovascular complications from COVID-19 include myocarditis, acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, and others. Population-level data is lacking about the relationship between COVID-19 and cardiovascular complications; therefore, we conducted a study to examine the incidence of myocarditis, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF) after COVID-19 infection. Methods Retrospective cohort study using de-identified data from 50 health systems across the United States. Cohort groups were created using patients ≥18 who were admitted to hospitals for respiratory illness with COVID-19 in 2020 and respiratory illness without COVID-19 for 2020 and 2019. There were 107,699 patients with COVID-19, 77,499 patients with respiratory illness in 2020, and 112,898 patients in 2019. The COVID-19 group was matched to each respiratory illness group by propensity score. Patients with prior specific cardiovascular events such as myocarditis, AMI, HF were excluded. The primary outcome was myocarditis, and secondary outcomes were AMI and HF. Results In the COVID-19 group, 79 (0.12%) patients had new-onset myocarditis compared to 29 (0.04%) patients in the non-COVID-19 control (Pneumonia/flu) group Odd's Ratio (OR), (OR 2.73, CI 95%, 1.78-4.18). In the COVID-19 group, 1512 patients developed HF compared to 2,659 patients in the non-COVID-19 group (OR 0.49, CI 95%, 0.46-0.52). 1125 patients in COVID-19 group had AMI compared to 1243 patients in non-COVID-19 group (OR 0.87, CI 95%, 0.80-0.94). Conclusion COVID-19 was associated with a 2-3-fold higher risk of myocarditis. Unexpectedly, lower rates of HF diagnosis reflect challenges faced due to the severity of lung disease leading to obscuring physical exam findings required for HF diagnosis and early mortality before a diagnosis of HF was made., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Priyadarshni et al.)

Purpose: Previous studies have reported conflicting results in the associations of testosterone replacement therapy (TTh) and statins use with prostate cancer (PCa). However, the combination of these treatments with PCa stage and grade at diagnosis and prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) and by race/ethnicity remains unclear., Methods: We identified non-Hispanic White (NHW, N = 58,576), non-Hispanic Black (NHB, n = 9,703) and Hispanic (n = 4,898) men diagnosed with PCa in SEER-Medicare data 2007-2011. Pre-diagnostic prescription of TTh and statins was ascertained for this analysis. Multivariable-adjusted logistic and Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the association of TTh and statins use with PCa stage and grade and PCSM., Results: 22.5% used statins alone, 1.2% used TTh alone, and 0.8% used both. TTh and statins were independently, inversely associated with PCa advanced stage and high grade. TTh plus statins was associated with 44% lower odds of advanced stage PCa (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.35-0.91). As expected, similar inverse associations were present in NHWs as the overall cohort is mostly comprised NHW men. In Hispanic men, statin use with or without TTh was inversely associated with aggressive PCa., Conclusions: Pre-diagnostic use of TTh or statins, independent or in combination, was inversely associated with aggressive PCa, including in NHW and Hispanics men, but was not with PCSM. The findings for use of statins with aggressive PCa are consistent with cohort studies. Future prospective studies are needed to explore the independent inverse association of TTh and the combined inverse association of TTh plus statins on fatal PCa., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Objective: People with HIV infection experience excessive mortality compared with their noninfected counterparts. It is unclear whether the impact of HIV infection on mortality varies by comorbidities or whether sex difference exists in this relationship. This study assessed the effect of newly diagnosed HIV infection on overall mortality among Medicare beneficiaries for both disabled and older adults (≥65 years old) based on their original entitlement., Methods: We constructed a retrospective matched cohort using a 5% nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries between 1996 and 2015. People with incident HIV diagnoses were individually matched to up to three controls based on demographics. Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for baseline demographics and comorbidities were used to assess the effect of HIV status on survival among four disabled groups by sex strata. Within each stratum, interactions between comorbidity variables and HIV status were examined., Results: People with HIV, especially older women, had a higher prevalence of baseline comorbidities than controls. HIV--mortality association varied according to sex in older adults (P = 0.004). Comorbidity--HIV interactions were more pronounced in disabled groups (P < 0.0001). People with HIV with more chronic conditions had a less pronounced increase in the risk of death than those with fewer conditions, compared with uninfected controls., Conclusion: Medicare enrollees with newly diagnosed HIV had more prevalent baseline comorbidities and were at higher risk of death than people without HIV. HIV infection has a more pronounced effect among those with fewer comorbidities. Sex differences in HIV--mortality association exist among older Medicare enrollees., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Older cancer survivors have high rates of long-term opioid therapy (≥90 days/year). However, the geographical and temporal variation in long-term opioid therapy rates for older cancer survivors is not known., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using SEER-Medicare data. Persons aged ≥66 years, diagnosed with breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer from 1991 to 2011, and alive ≥5 years after diagnosis were included. Persons were followed from 1/1/2008 until 12/31/2016. Persons were assigned to a census region in their state of residence each year. Individuals who were covered by an opioid prescription for at least 90 days in a calendar year were classified as having received long-term opioid therapy. Multivariable analysis was conducted using generalized estimating equations., Results: Temporal trends significantly varied by region (p < 0.0001) and opioid-naïve status (p < 0.0001). Compared to 2013, opioid-naïve cancer survivors in the south and non-naïve survivors in the south and west experienced significant declines in long-term opioid therapy in 2015 and 2016. Significant declines were observed in 2016 for opioid-naïve and non-naïve cancer survivors residing in the northeast and among opioid-naïve cancer survivors living in the Midwest., Conclusion: The annual trends in the receipt of long-term opioid therapy significantly varied by region among older cancer survivors. Variation in a clinical practice suggests the need for more research and interventions to improve efficiency, process, cost, and quality of care., (© 2021 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To compare costs associated with radical versus partial cystectomy. Prior studies noted substantial costs associated with radical cystectomy, however, they lack surgical comparison to partial cystectomy., Methods: A total of 2305 patients aged 66-85 years diagnosed with clinical stage T2-4a muscle-invasive bladder cancer from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2011 were included. Total Medicare costs within 1 year of diagnosis following radical versus partial cystectomy were compared using inverse probability of treatment-weighted propensity score models. Cox regression and competing risks analysis were used to determine overall and cancer-specific survival, respectively., Results: Median total costs were not significantly different for radical than partial cystectomy in 90 days ($73,907 vs $65,721; median difference $16,796, 95% CI $10,038-$23,558), 180 days ($113,288 vs $82,840; median difference $36,369, 95% CI $25,744-$47,392), and 365 days ($143,831 vs $107,359; median difference $34,628, 95% CI $17,819-$53,558), respectively. Hospitalization, surgery, pathology/laboratory, pharmacy, and skilled nursing facility costs contributed largely to costs associated with either treatment. Patients who underwent partial cystectomy had similar overall survival but had worse cancer-specific survival (Hazard Ratio 1.45, 95% Confidence Interval, 1.34-1.58, P < .001) than patients who underwent radical cystectomy., Conclusion: While treatments for bladder cancer are associated with substantial costs, we showed radical cystectomy had comparable total costs when compared to partial cystectomy among patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. However, partial cystectomy resulted in worse cancer-specific survival further supporting radical cystectomy as a high-value surgical procedure for muscle-invasive bladder cancer., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The association between proximity to oil refineries and cancer rate is largely unknown. We sought to compare the rate of cancer (bladder, breast, colon, lung, lymphoma, and prostate) according to proximity to an oil refinery in Texas., Methods: A total of 6 302 265 persons aged 20 years or older resided within 30 miles of an oil refinery from 2010 to 2014. We used multilevel zero-inflated Poisson regression models to examine the association between proximity to an oil refinery and cancer rate., Results: We observed that proximity to an oil refinery was associated with a statistically significantly increased risk of incident cancer diagnosis across all cancer types. For example, persons residing within 0-10 (risk ratio [RR] = 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07 to 1.19) and 11-20 (RR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.11) miles were statistically significantly more likely to be diagnosed with lymphoma than individuals who lived within 21-30 miles of an oil refinery. We also observed differences in stage of cancer at diagnosis according to proximity to an oil refinery. Moreover, persons residing within 0-10 miles were more likely to be diagnosed with distant metastasis and/or systemic disease than people residing 21-30 miles from an oil refinery. The greatest risk of distant disease was observed in patients diagnosed with bladder cancer living within 0-10 vs 21-30 miles (RR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.65), respectively., Conclusions: Proximity to an oil refinery was associated with an increased risk of multiple cancer types. We also observed statistically significantly increased risk of regional and distant/metastatic disease according to proximity to an oil refinery., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Objectives: To determine the factors associated with acute hospital discharge to the 3 most common postacute settings following total knee arthroplasty (TKA): inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), and directly back to the community., Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: Acute care hospitals submitting claims to Medicare., Participants: National cohort (N=1,189,286) of 100% Medicare Part A data files from 2009-2011., Interventions: Not applicable., Main Outcome Measures: Observed rates and adjusted odds of discharge to the 3 main postacute settings based on the clinical and facility level variables: amount of comorbidity, bilateral procedures, and facility TKA volume., Results: Using IRF discharge as the reference, patients who received a bilateral procedure had lower odds of both SNF and community discharge, patients with more comorbidity had lower odds for community discharge and higher odds for SNF discharge, and patients who received their TKA from hospitals with lower TKA volumes had lower odds of SNF and community discharge., Conclusions: Clinical populations within Medicare beneficiaries may systematically vary across the 3 most common discharge settings following TKA. This information may be helpful for a better understanding on which patient or clinical factors influence postacute care settings following TKA. Additional research including functional status, living situation, and social support systems would be beneficial., (Copyright © 2020 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Given concerns about suboptimal pain management for actively treated cancer patients following the 2014 federal reclassification of hydrocodone, we examined changes in patterns of opioid prescribing among surgical breast cancer patients., Materials and Methods: Data from a large nationally representative commercial health insurance program from 2009 to 2017 were used to identify women aged 18 years and older who were diagnosed with carcinoma in-situ or malignant breast cancer and received breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy from 2010 to 2016. Generalized linear mixed models were used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for receipt of ≥1-day, >30-day, or ≥ 90-day supply of opioids in the 12 months following surgery adjusting for demographics, cancer treatment-related characteristics, and preoperative opioid use., Results: A total of 60,080 patients were included in the study. Surgically treated breast cancer patients in 2015 (aOR = 0.90, 0.84-0.97) and 2016 (aOR = 0.80, 0.74-0.86) were less likely to receive ≥1-day supply of opioid prescriptions when compared with patients in 2013. Patients who had surgery in 2015 (aOR = 0.89, 0.81-0.98) and 2016 (aOR = 0.80, 0.73-0.87) were also less likely to receive >30-day supply of prescription opioids in the 12 months following surgery. However, only surgical breast cancer patients in 2016 were less likely to receive ≥90-day supply (aOR = 0.86, 0.76-0.98)., Conclusion: Surgically treated breast cancer patients are less likely to receive short- and long-term opioid prescriptions following the implementation of hydrocodone rescheduling. Further studies on the potential impact of federal policy on cancer patient pain management are needed., Implications for Practice: Clinicians and researchers with diverse perspectives should be included as stakeholders during policy development for restricting opioid prescriptions. Stakeholders can identify potential unintended consequences early and help identify methods to mitigate concerns, specifically as it relates to policy that influences how providers manage pain for actively treated cancer patients. This work shows how federal policy may have led to declines in opioid prescribing for breast cancer patients who underwent mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery., (© AlphaMed Press 2019.)

Importance: Earlier studies on the cost of muscle-invasive bladder cancer treatments lack granularity and are limited to 180 days., Objective: To compare the 1-year costs associated with trimodal therapy vs radical cystectomy, accounting for survival and intensity effects on total costs., Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based cohort study used the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare database and included 2963 patients aged 66 to 85 years who had received a diagnosis of clinical stage T2 to T4a muscle-invasive bladder cancer from January 1, 2002, through December 31, 2011. The data analysis was performed from March 5, 2018, through December 4, 2018., Main Outcomes and Measures: Total Medicare costs within 1 year of diagnosis following radical cystectomy vs trimodal therapy were compared using inverse probability of treatment-weighted propensity score models that included a 2-part estimator to account for intrinsic selection bias., Results: Of 2963 participants, 1030 (34.8%) were women, 2591 (87.4%) were white, 129 (4.4%) were African American, and 98 (3.3%) were Hispanic. Median costs were significantly higher for trimodal therapy than radical cystectomy in 90 days ($83 754 vs $68 692; median difference, $11 805; 95% CI, $7745-$15 864), 180 days ($187 162 vs $109 078; median difference, $62 370; 95% CI, $55 581-$69 160), and 365 days ($289 142 vs $148 757; median difference, $109 027; 95% CI, $98 692-$119 363), respectively. Outpatient care, radiology, medication expenses, and pathology/laboratory costs contributed largely to the higher costs associated with trimodal therapy. On inverse probability of treatment-weighted adjusted analyses, patients undergoing trimodal therapy had $136 935 (95% CI, $122 131-$152 115) higher mean costs compared with radical cystectomy 1 year after diagnosis., Conclusions and Relevance: Compared with radical cystectomy, trimodal therapy was associated with higher costs among patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. The differences in costs were largely attributed to medication and radiology expenses associated with trimodal therapy. Extrapolating cost figures resulted in a nationwide excess spending of $468 million for trimodal therapy compared with radical cystectomy for patients who received a diagnosis of bladder cancer in 2017.

Background: No national study has examined the epidemiology of anaphylaxis after introduction of the codes of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Health Related Problems, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10 CM). Our objective was to examine the trends in incidence and hospitalization rates in the United States utilizing ICD-9 and ICD-10 CM codes., Methods: We used the Clinformatics database from 2004 to 2016. Our outcome measures included incidence of anaphylaxis and hospitalization trends. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the predictors of anaphylaxis and hospitalization., Results: There were a total of 462,906 anaphylaxis cases. The incidence increased from 153 in 2004 to 218 in 2016 (per 100,000). Women were 1.19 (95% confidence interval, 1.18-1.20) times more likely to present with anaphylaxis. Medication-induced anaphylaxis increased 15-fold., Conclusion: This is the first population-based study that included ICD-10 CM codes to describe the epidemiology of anaphylaxis in the United States. ICD-10 codes improved the accuracy of medication-induced anaphylaxis, the most likely etiology to result in hospitalization., (© 2019 ARS-AAOA, LLC.)

Importance: Radical cystectomy is the guidelines-recommended treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer, but a resurgence of trimodal therapy has occurred. Limited comparative data are available on outcomes and costs attributable to these 2 treatments., Objective: To compare the survival outcomes and costs between trimodal therapy and radical cystectomy in older adults with muscle-invasive bladder cancer., Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based cohort study used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked database. A total of 3200 older adults (aged ≥66 years) with clinical stage T2 to T4a bladder cancer diagnosed from January 1, 2002, to December 31, 2011, and with claims data available through December 31, 2013, were included in the analysis. Patients who received radical cystectomy underwent either only surgery or surgery in combination with radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Patients who received trimodal therapy underwent transurethral resection of the bladder followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Propensity score matching by sociodemographic and clinical characteristics was used. Data analysis was performed from August 1, 2017, to March 11, 2018., Main Outcomes and Measures: Overall survival and cancer-specific survival were evaluated using the Cox proportional hazards regression model and the Fine and Gray competing risk model. All Medicare health care costs for inpatient, outpatient, and physician services within 30, 90, and 180 days of treatment were compared. The total amount spent nationwide was estimated, using 180-day medical costs between treatments, by the total number of new cases of muscle-invasive bladder cancer in the United States in 2011., Results: Of the 3200 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 2048 (64.0%) were men and 1152 (36.0%) were women, with a mean (SD) age of 75.8 (6.0) years. After propensity score matching, 687 patients (21.5%) underwent trimodal therapy and 687 patients (21.5%) underwent radical cystectomy. Patients who underwent trimodal therapy had significantly decreased overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 1.49; 95% CI, 1.31-1.69) and cancer-specific survival (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.32-1.83). No differences in costs at 30 days were observed between trimodal therapy ($15 233 in 2002 vs $18 743 in 2011) and radical cystectomy ($17 990 in 2002 vs $21 738 in 2011). However, median total costs were significantly higher with trimodal therapy than with radical cystectomy at 90 days ($80 174 vs $69 181; median difference, $8964; Hodges-Lehmann 95% CI, $3848-$14 079) and at 180 days ($179 891 vs $107 017; median difference, $63 771; Hodges-Lehmann 95% CI, $55 512-$72 029). Extrapolating these figures to the total US population revealed $335 million in excess spending for trimodal therapy compared with the less costly radical cystectomy ($492 million) for patients who received a muscle-invasive bladder cancer diagnosis in 2011., Conclusions and Relevance: Trimodal therapy was associated with significantly decreased overall survival and cancer-specific survival as well as $335 million in excess spending in 2011. These findings have important health policy implications regarding the appropriate use of high value-based care among older adults with invasive bladder cancer who are candidates for either radical cystectomy or trimodal therapy.

Objective: To develop and validate a nomogram assessing cancer and all-cause mortality following radical cystectomy. Given concerns regarding the morbidity associated with surgery, there is a need for incorporation of cancer-specific and competing risks into patient counseling and recommendations., Materials and Methods: A total of 5325 and 1257 diagnosed with clinical stage T2-T4a muscle-invasive bladder cancer from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2011 from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare and Texas Cancer Registry-Medicare linked data, respectively. Cox proportional hazards models were used and a nomogram was developed to predict 3- and 5-year overall and cancer-specific survival with external validation., Results: Patients who underwent radical cystectomy were mostly younger, male, married, non-Hispanic white and had fewer comorbidities than those who did not undergo radical cystectomy (P < .001). Married patients, in comparison with their unmarried counterparts, had both improved overall (hazard ratio 0.76; 95% confidence interval 0.70-0.83, P < .001) and cancer-specific (hazard ratio 0.76; 95% confidence interval 0.68-0.85, P < .001) survival. A nomogram developed using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data, predicted 3- and 5-year overall and cancer-specific survival rates with concordance indices of 0.65 and 0.66 in the validated Texas Cancer Registry-Medicare cohort, respectively., Conclusion: Older, unmarried patients with increased comorbidities are less likely to undergo radical cystectomy. We developed and validated a generalizable instrument that has been converted into an online tool (Radical Cystectomy Survival Calculator), to provide a benefit-risk assessment for patients considering radical cystectomy., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: This paper examines associations between high-risk gun carrying and substance use in emerging adults (ages 18-22). The coexistence of these high-risk behaviours in a general population of emerging adults can have disastrous consequences., Methods: Dating it Safe is an ongoing longitudinal (2010-2016) survey of emerging adults recruited from seven high schools in five south-east Texas-area school districts (current sample n=684). Multiple logistic regression modelling was used to examine the association between past-year use of legal and illegal substances and past-year firearm carrying for a reason other than sport or hunting., Results: 6% of emerging adults carried firearms in the past year, with most (68%) carrying for protection. Use of cocaine, hallucinogens, methamphetamine, ecstasy and prescription medications in the past year, as well as episodic heavy drinking in the past month, was associated with increased risk of carrying a firearm (p<0.05 for all). After controlling for covariates, hallucinogens (OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.00 to 7.81), ecstasy (OR 3.66, 95% CI 1.32 to 10.14) and prescription medications (OR 2.85, 95% CI 1.22 to 6.68) remained associated with firearm carrying. Episodic heavy drinking was associated with firearm carrying, but only for those who had five or more episodes/month (OR 3.61, 95% CI 1.51 to 8.66)., Conclusions: In this community-based sample of emerging adults, firearm carrying, mostly for protection, was associated with a variety of past-year substance use behaviours. These findings extend previous research and suggest directions for further exploration of the clustering of high-risk behaviours in emerging adults., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.)

Objective: Sex differences in bladder cancer survival are well known. However, the effect of type of treatment, timing to surgery when rendered, and survival outcomes according to sex have not been extensively examined. Given the relatively low incidence of bladder cancer in females, large multicenter and population-based studies are required to elucidate sex differences in survival. In this study, we sought to characterize the effect of use and timing of radical cystectomy (RC) according to sex and survival outcomes., Methods: A total of 9,907 patients aged 66 years or older diagnosed with clinical stage II to IV N0M0 bladder cancer from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2011 from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data were analyzed. We used multivariable regression analyses to identify factors predicting the use and delay of RC. Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze survival outcomes., Results: Of the 9,907 patients diagnosed with bladder cancer, 3,256 (32.9%) were females. Women were significantly more likely to undergo RC across all stages compared to their male counterparts (stage II: relative risk [RR] = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.33-1.65, P<0.001; stage III: RR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.13-1.37, P<0.001; and stage IV: RR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.19-1.49, P<0.001). Moreover, there was no significant difference in delay to RC according to sex across all clinical stages. Using propensity score matching, women had worse overall (hazard ratio = 1.07; CI: 1.01-1.14; P = 0.024), and worse cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio = 1.26; CI: 1.17-1.36, P<0.001) than men., Conclusion: Sex differences persist with women who are significantly more likely to undergo RC independent of clinical stage. However, women have significantly worse survival than men. Delay from diagnosis to surgery did not account for this decreased survival among women., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine temporal nationwide utilization patterns and predictors for use of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in comparison with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) among patients diagnosed with bladder cancer., Materials and Methods: A total of 36,855 patients aged 66 years or older diagnosed with clinical stage TI-IV, N0M0 bladder cancer from 2004 to 2011 were analyzed. We used multivariable logistic regression analyses to discern factors associated with receipt of imaging within 12 months from diagnosis. The Cochran-Armitage test for trend was used to determine changes in the proportion of patients receiving imaging after cancer diagnosis., Results: Independent of clinical stage, there was marked increase in use of PET/CT throughout the study period (2011 vs. 2004: odds ratio, 17.55; 95% confidence interval, 10.14-30.38; P < .001). Although use of CT imaging remained stable during the study period, there was significantly decreased utilization of MRI (odds ratio, 0.60; 95% confidence interval, 0.49-0.75; P < .001) in 2011 versus 2004. The mean incremental cost of PET/CT versus CT and MRI was $1040 and $612 (in 2016 dollars), respectively. Extrapolating these findings to the patients with bladder cancer in the United States results in excess spending of $11.6 million for PET/CT imaging., Conclusion: We identified rapid adoption of PET/CT imaging independent of clinical stage, resulting in excess national spending of $11.6 million for this imaging modality alone. Further value-based research discerning the clinical versus economic benefits of advanced imaging among patients with bladder cancer are needed., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Over the past decade, the use of balloon sinuplasty has increased widely in the United States. Since its introduction, no nationally representative, population-based study has examined its use among chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients., Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with CRS between 2011 and 2014, and compared the prevalence of conventional functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), balloon sinuplasty, and hybrid sinus surgery according to surgical site and calendar year., Results: Out of 11 million to 11.4 million enrollees per year, a total of 661,738 patients with the diagnosis of CRS were included in the analyses. There was an increase in the use of balloon sinuplasty as a stand-alone procedure from 5% in 2011 to 22.5% in 2014. Conventional FESS continued to be the most commonly performed sinus procedure over the study period. Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed a linear increase in balloon sinuplasty and hybrid procedures from 2011 to 2014. Compared to patients over 60 years, patients younger than 30 years had lower odds of having a balloon sinuplasty as a stand-alone procedure compared to FESS. Compared to patients in the West, patients in the South, Northeast, and Midwest were significantly more likely to have balloon sinuplasty as a stand-alone procedure. Assessment of the sinus surgery site showed that patients with additional frontal sinus surgery were more likely to have a balloon-only procedure (odds ratio [OR], 4.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.21 to 5.17) or a hybrid procedure (OR, 8.69; 95% CI, 7.48 to 10.11) than conventional FESS when compared to patients with conventional maxillary surgery only., Conclusion: From 2011 to 2014 there was an increase in the use of balloon sinuplasty and a modest decrease in the use of conventional FESS in the United States. Patients with frontal or sphenoid sinus surgical sites were more likely to have a balloon or hybrid procedure., (© 2017 ARS-AAOA, LLC.)

Objectives: Examine the effects of postacute discharge setting on unplanned hospital readmissions following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in older adults., Design: Secondary analyses of 100% Medicare (inpatient) claims files., Setting: Acute hospitals across the United States., Participants: Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries ≥66 years of age who were discharged from an acute hospital following TKA in 2009-2011 (n = 608,031)., Measurements: The outcome measure was unplanned readmissions at 30, 60, and 90 days. The independent variable of interest was postacute discharge setting: inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF), skilled nursing facility (SNF), or community. Covariates included demographic, clinical, and facility-level factors. The top 10 reasons for readmission were tabulated for each discharge setting across the 3 consecutive 30-day time periods., Results: A total of 32,226 patients (5.3%) were re-admitted within 30 days. Compared with community discharge, patients discharged to IRF and SNF had 44% and 40% higher odds of 30-day readmission, respectively. IRF and SNF discharge settings were also associated with 48% and 45% higher odds of 90-day readmission, respectively, compared with community discharge. The largest increase in readmission rates occurred within the first 30 days of hospital discharge for each discharge setting. From 1 to 30 days, postoperative and post-traumatic infections were among the top causes for readmission in all 3 discharge settings. From 31 to 60 days, postoperative or traumatic infections remained in the top 5-7 reasons for readmission in all settings, but they were not in the top 10 at 61 to 90 days., Conclusions: Patients discharged to either SNF or IRF, in comparison with those discharged to the community, had greater likelihood of readmission within 30 and 90 days. The reasons for readmission were relatively consistent across discharge settings and time periods. These findings provide new information relevant to the delivery of postacute care to older adults following TKA., (Copyright © 2017 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Statins are 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors primarily used for treatment of hyperlipidemia. Recently, they have been shown to inhibit proliferation of uterine fibroid cells and inhibit tumor growth in fibroid animal models., Objective: We sought to examine the association between statin use and the risk of uterine fibroids and fibroid-related symptoms in a nationally representative sample of commercially insured women diagnosed with hyperlipidemia., Study Design: We performed a nested case-control study of >190,000 women enrolled in one of the nation's largest commercial health insurance programs. From a cohort of women aged 18-65 years diagnosed with hyperlipidemia from January 2004 through March 2011, we identified 47,713 cases (women diagnosed with uterine fibroids) and 143,139 controls (women without uterine fibroids) matched at a 1:3 ratio on event/index date (month and year) and age (±1 year). We used conditional and unconditional logistic regression to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the risk of uterine fibroids and fibroid-related symptoms associated with prior use of statins., Results: Exposure to statins within 2 years before the event/index date was associated with a decreased risk of uterine fibroids (odds ratio, 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.83-0.87). In a separate subanalysis restricted to cases, statin users had a lower likelihood of having menorrhagia (odds ratio, 0.88; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.91), anemia (odds ratio, 0.84; 95% confidence interval, 0.79-0.88), or pelvic pain (odds ratio, 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.81-0.91) and of undergoing myomectomy (odds ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.66-0.87) compared to nonusers., Conclusion: The use of statins was associated with a lower risk of uterine fibroids and fibroid-related symptoms. Further studies, including randomized controlled trials, may be warranted., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Management of perioperative antiplatelet medications in gastrointestinal (GI) surgery is challenging. The risk of intraoperative and postoperative bleeding is associated with perioperative use of antiplatelet medication. However, cessation of these drugs may be unsafe for patients who are required to maintain antiplatelet use due to cardiovascular conditions. The objective of this systematic review was to compare the risk of intraoperative or postoperative bleeding among patients who had GI surgery while on continuous antiplatelet therapy (aspirin, clopidogrel, or dual therapy) with the risk among those not taking continuous antiplatelet medication., Study Design: We reviewed articles published between January 2000 and July 2015 from the Medline Ovid and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases. Studies involving any GI procedures were included if the articles met our inclusion criteria (listed in Methods). The following key words were used for the search: clopidogrel, Plavix, aspirin, antiplatelet, bleeding, hemorrhage, and digestive system surgical procedures. Quality of the studies was assessed, depending on their study design, using the Newcastle-Ottawa score or the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias., Results: Twenty-two studies were eligible for inclusion in the systematic review. Five showed that the risk of intraoperative bleeding or postoperative bleeding among patients who had GI surgery while on continuous antiplatelet therapy was higher compared that for those not on continuous therapy. The remaining 17 studies reported that there was no statistically significant difference in the risks of bleeding between the continuous antiplatelet therapy group and the group without continuous antiplatelet therapy., Conclusions: The risk of bleeding associated with GI procedures in patients receiving antiplatelet therapy was not significantly higher than in patients with no antiplatelet or interrupted antiplatelet therapy., (Copyright © 2016 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction/purpose: Anterior cruciate ligament injuries often incur major consequences for athletes. Elevated estrogen levels are likely increase the risk for injury. This risk may be partially or fully mitigated by the use of oral contraceptives. The purpose of this study was to determine if women undergoing anterior cruciate ligament surgical reconstruction were less likely to use oral contraceptives than matched noninjured population., Methods: This is a case-control study utilizing national insurance claims data from 2002 TO 2012. Participants included women age 15-39 yr. Cases were defined as those receiving surgical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament between 2002 and 2012. Controls were matched 3/1 to cases. Exposure to oral contraceptives was defined as the presence of any prescription fill for oral contraceptives during the previous 12 months to index date. Conditional multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios for the use of oral contraceptives., Results: Women age 15-19 yr undergoing surgical repair of the anterior cruciate ligament were 18% less likely to use oral contraceptives than matched controls (adjusted odds ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.75-0.91; P < 0.0001). Cases among two older age groups, 25-29 and 30-34 yr, were more likely to use oral contraceptives than controls with adjusted odds ratios of 1.15 (95% CI, 1.02-1.30; P < 0.05) and 1.16 (95% CI, 1.04-1.31; P < 0.05), respectively., Conclusions: The use of oral contraceptives potentially modifies anterior cruciate ligament injury risk in young women. Despite reports that athletes, who are more prone to anterior cruciate ligament injury, use oral contraceptives at about twice the rate of nonathletes, these data suggest that women ages 15-19 yr undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction used oral contraceptives at a lower rate than the general population.

Background: The prevalence of food allergy has steadily increased, especially in children. Reflux disease, a very common problem in children, is often treated with gastric acid suppressive (GAS) medications which may alter the processing of food allergens, thereby affecting oral mucosal tolerance., Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if use of GAS medications is associated with the occurrence of food allergies in children., Methods: Using a large national commercial insurance database, we identified 4724 children aged 0-18 yrs who were diagnosed with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and treated with GAS medications between January 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009. We then matched 4724 children with GERD not treated with GAS medications and 4724 children without GERD and not treated with GAS medications, at a 1:1 ratio, on age, gender and number of atopic risk factors. Patients were followed for 12 months., Results: In comparison to the referent (children without GERD who received no GAS medications), children with GERD who were treated with GAS were more likely to be diagnosed with a food allergy (Hazard ratio (HR): 3.67, 95% CI 2.15-6.27), as were children with GERD diagnosis but who were not treated with GAS medications (HR: 2.15, 95% CI: 1.21-3.81). A direct comparison of the two GERD cohorts showed that children with GERD who were treated with GAS had a greater risk of food allergy than those with GERD who were untreated (HR, 1.68, 95%CI, 1.15-2.46)., Conclusion: Treatment with GAS medications is associated with the occurrence of food allergy, an effect not apparently related to a diagnosis of GERD alone., (© 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Given the rapid growth and aging of the US prison population in recent years, the disease profile and health care needs of inmates portend to have far-reaching public health implications. Although numerous studies have examined infectious disease prevalence and treatment in incarcerated populations, little is known about the prevalence of non-infectious chronic medical conditions in US prison populations. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of selected non-infectious chronic medical conditions among inmates in the Texas prison system. The study population consisted of the total census of inmates who were incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for any duration from September 1, 2006 through August 31, 2007 (N=234,031). Information on medical diagnoses was obtained from a system-wide electronic medical record system. Overall crude prevalence estimates for the selected conditions were as follows: hypertension, 18.8%; asthma, 5.4%; diabetes, 4.2%; ischemic heart disease, 1.7%; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 0.96%; and cerebrovascular disease, 0.23%. Nearly one quarter (24.5%) of the study population had at least one of the selected conditions. Except for asthma, crude prevalence estimates of the selected conditions increased monotonically with age. Nearly two thirds (64.6%) of inmates who were >or=55 years of age had at least one of the selected conditions. Except for diabetes, crude prevalence estimates for the selected conditions were lower among Hispanic inmates than among non-Hispanic White inmates and African American inmates. Although age-standardized prevalence estimates for the selected conditions did not appear to exceed age-standardized estimates from the US general population, a large number of inmates were affected by one or more of these conditions. As the prison population continues to grow and to age, the burden of these conditions on correctional and community health care systems can be expected to increase.

Objectives: We sought to assess appropriateness of medication prescribing for older Texas prisoners., Methods: In this 12-month cross-sectional study of 13 117 prisoners (aged > or = 55 years), we assessed medication use with Zhan criteria and compared our results to prior studies of community prescribing. We assessed use of indicated medications with 6 Assessing Care of Vulnerable Elders indicators., Results: Inappropriate medications were prescribed to a third of older prisoners; half of inappropriate use was attributable to over-the-counter antihistamines. When these antihistamines were excluded, inappropriate use dropped to 14% (> or = 55 years) and 17% (> or = 65 years), equivalent to rates in a Department of Veterans Affairs study (17%) and lower than rates in a health maintenance organization study (26%). Median rate of indicated medication use for the 6 indicators was 80% (range = 12%-95%); gastrointestinal prophylaxis for patients on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories at high risk for gastrointestinal bleed constituted the lowest rate., Conclusions: Medication prescribing for older prisoners in Texas was similar to that for older community adults. However, overuse of antihistamines and underuse of gastrointestinal prophylaxis suggests a need for education of prison health care providers in appropriate prescribing practices for older adults.

Purpose: The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is high among adult incarcerated populations, but HCV-related mortality data are lacking. The study purpose was to assess HCV-related mortality over time and across racial/ethnic categories from 1994 through 2003 among male prisoners in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ)., Methods: TDCJ decedent data were linked with Texas Vital Statistics multiple-cause-of-death data. Crude annual HCV death rates, age- and race-adjusted summary rates, and average annual percent changes were estimated. The proportion of deaths due to chronic liver disease/cirrhosis, liver cancer, hepatitis B, and HIV for which HCV was identified as an intervening or contributing cause of death was calculated., Results: Among Texas male prisoners, HCV death rates were high and increased over the 10-year study period by an average 21% annually, with the largest increase occurring among Hispanic prisoners. HCV was identified as an intervening or contributing cause of death in 15% of chronic liver disease/cirrhosis deaths, 33% of liver cancer deaths, 81% of hepatitis B deaths, and 7% of HIV deaths., Conclusions: Because HCV-related deaths among Texas male prisoners are high and increasing, particularly among Hispanics, targeted prevention, screening, and treatment of HCV infections should be among the priorities of U.S. correctional healthcare systems.

Psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and depression have long been associated with risk behaviors for HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). The US prison population is reported to have elevated rates of HIV, hepatitis and most psychiatric disorders. This study examined the association of six major psychiatric disorders with HIV mono-infection, HIV/HCV co-infection and HIV/HBV co-infection in one of the nation's largest prison populations. The study population consisted of 370,511 Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmates who were incarcerated for any duration between January 1, 2003 and July 1, 2006. Information on medical conditions and sociodemographic factors was obtained from an institution-wide electronic medical information system. Offenders diagnosed with HIV mono-infection, HIV/HCV, HIV/HBV and all HIV combined exhibited elevated rates of major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, non-schizophrenic psychotic disorder and any psychiatric disorder. In comparison to offenders with HIV mono-infection, those with HIV/HCV co-infection had an elevated prevalence of any psychiatric disorder. This cross-sectional study's finding of positive associations between psychiatric disease and both HIV infection and hepatitis co-infection among Texas prison inmates holds both clinical and public health relevance. It will be important for future investigations to examine the extent to which psychiatric disorders serve as a barrier to medical care, communication with clinicians and adherence to prescribed medical regimens among both HIV-mono-infected and HIV/hepatitis-co-infected inmates.

Purpose: To determine how palliative and end-of-life care can best be incorporated into the training of pediatric residents., Methods: From 2001 to 2002, we surveyed 246 directors and 235 residents of pediatric residency programs. We elicited responses regarding (1) perceived relevance of pediatric palliative care, (2) residents' exposure to palliative medicine, (3) competency of faculty and matriculating residents in palliative care, (4) core palliative medicine competencies, and (5) the best teaching/learning format for palliative care., Results: Fifty-five directors (22.4%) and 98 residents (42.0%) responded. More than three quarters of directors (78.1%) agreed with the statement that palliative care as a competency is "somewhat" to "very" important. Approximately one third (32.7%) agreed with the statement that their residents were not clinically exposed to end-of-life care; 99.0% of the residents indicated participation in such care. Almost one third of directors (27.3%) indicated that they had no faculty available to teach palliative care. Only 38.2% agreed with the statement that matriculating residents are competent in palliative medicine while many residents indicated having limited or no training in core palliative care competencies., Discussion/conclusions: For palliative care principles to be better incorporated into pediatric practice, they must be incorporated into residency education, optimally through informal teaching and during rounds. Finding ways to teach residents palliative medicine during clinical "teachable moments" and standardizing didactic curricula should become a priority in palliative and end-of-life care education.

Objective: This study describes the incidence, correlates and subsequent morbidities of hyperglycemia, a highly prevalent condition in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants., Study Design: A retrospective chart review of 169 infants with birth weight (BW)<1000 g was conducted. Hyperglycemia was defined as plasma glucose level > or =150 mg/dl during the first 2 weeks of life. Data were analyzed by logistic regression, multivariate analysis and Fisher exact test., Results: Overall, 88% of the study sample developed hyperglycemia in the first 2 weeks of life. Both gestational age (GA) (odds ratio (OR) 0.11, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.01-0.89) and chorioamnionitis (OR 0.10, 95% CI=0.01-0.64) were inversely associated with hyperglycemia, whereas BW, sepsis and postnatal steroid exposure were not. After adjusting for GA, BW and postnatal steroids, hyperglycemia was associated with a statistically significant increase in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) (OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.12-18.9). No association was found with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, intraventricular hemorrhage, death or prolonged hospital stay., Conclusion: Lower GA was identified as the main factor associated with hyperglycemia in ELBW infants during the first 2 weeks of life. Hyperglycemia was associated with an increased incidence of ROP; further studies need to determine if this association is causal.

Objective: To assess the prevalence and correlates of hepatitis C virus infection in a sample of detained adolescents., Design/setting/participants: Cross-sectional prevalence study with 10- to 18-year-old adolescents who were consecutively admitted to a juvenile detention center in San Antonio, Tex., Main Outcome Measures: The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection and associated risk factors., Results: Of the 1002 participants, 75% were Hispanic and the mean age was 15 years. Twenty adolescents had laboratory data consistent with hepatitis C virus infection, giving an overall prevalence of 2.0% (95% confidence interval, 1.2-3.1). All adolescents infected with hepatitis C virus were Hispanic (13 boys and 7 girls). Although a high proportion of the participants reported having had intranasal drug use (55.6%), tattooing (50.5%), or body piercing (25.3%), the only factor significantly associated with hepatitis C virus infection was having a history of injection drug use. Injection drug use was reported by 5.3% of the participants but by 95% (19/20) of those infected with the hepatitis C virus., Conclusions: This study indicates that injection drug use was linked with the majority of hepatitis C virus infections in this population of detained adolescents, similar to findings in adults. These adolescents reported a high frequency of other behaviors that could potentially pose a risk for contracting bloodborne infections. Effective prevention and awareness programs in a detention setting need to be comprehensive and include screening, hepatitis A and B immunizations, and risk-reduction counseling.

Objective: Current guidelines of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education have restricted the amount of intensive care experience obtained during pediatric residency. The impact on performing procedures has not been evaluated. To determine the current level of competency in 1 common procedure, we investigated the proficiency of pediatric residents in performing neonatal endotracheal intubation during the academic years 1998-1999 and 2000-2001., Methods: Indication for intubation, number of attempts, and achievement of success were recorded by the respiratory therapist present for the procedure. Each intubation was scored according to the attempt on which intubation was successful. Indications for intubation were categorized as respiratory failure, delivery room resuscitation, and meconium-stained amniotic fluid. Competency was defined as a successful intubation occurring on the first or second attempt >or=80% of the time. Intubation scores were compared between residents at various stages of training and analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis for significance. Comparisons were then performed to determine percentage success with confidence intervals. We also surveyed previous graduates of the training program not included in the observations for this study and asked them to indicate how frequently they perform intubation in current practice and to assess their own competence in the procedure., Results: A total of 449 resident procedures were observed during the study periods: 192 by postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1) residents, 126 by PGY-2 residents, and 131 by PGY-3 residents. A total of 35% (160 of 449) of intubation procedures were never successful by pediatric house officers. Intubation was successful on the first or second attempt for 50% of PGY-1 residents (95% confidence interval [CI]: 42.6-56.8), 55% of PGY-2 residents (95% CI: 46-63.5), and 62% of PGY-3 residents (95% CI: 53.9-70.7). The third-year residents exhibited a significantly higher likelihood of performing a successful intubation compared with first-year residents. The first-year residents in 1998-1999 showed no improvement by their third year in 2000-2001. Surveys were sent to 56 graduates of our residency program (1998-2000). Completed surveys were received from 31 (66%) of 47. A total of 71% of the respondents are practicing general pediatrics, and 36% attend deliveries or perform intubations. A total of 87% reported that their level of confidence with endotracheal intubation was good or excellent after completion of residency training., Conclusions: We provide objective and subjective data concerning the proficiency of pediatric residents in performing neonatal endotracheal intubation. None of our resident groups met the specified definition of technical competence, although there was improvement with advancing training level in bivariate analyses. However, graduates of our training program felt confident with their intubation skills in contrast to our objective findings. As exposure to these important skills becomes limited, methods to ensure attainment of technical competency during training may need to be redefined.

This is an evaluation of an Alcohol Treatment Unit with a focus on a comparison of Mexican-American and Anglo-American outcomes. Social adjustment on a target cohort of 75 was measured on a standard rating instrument (SAI) 2 years after discharge from the hospital. The overall successfulness of the program was 39%; the validity of the Treatment Difficulty Scale (a composite index of anticipated treatment difficulty) was demonstrated for both ethnic groups and both first and second year outcome results; and the average stability of first year findings of SAI components as compared to second year results was shown to be 79%. Use of a standardized index of pretreatment patient characteristics was recommended to facilitate comparative program evaluation research.

This article describes the development of an alcohol treatment unit in a Veterans Hospital. The focus is on therapeutic philosophy, staffing patterns, and a critical evaluation and examination of issues related to program evaluation. About March of 1975 the administrative staff of the Audie Murphy Veterans Administration Hospital began tooling up for a new psychiatric unit to deal exclusively with the problem of alcohol abuse. The unit was officially opened in June of 1975. This article provides a short descriptive overview of the development of the program, with a focus on its staffing pattern and the operationalization of its treatment philosophy. It presents an evaluation of the program, describing the methodology of evaluation preferred for this type of operation as developed from previous experience of the senior author.

Evaluated presumably therapeutic components within a therapeutic community in terms of perceived helpfulness by patients and staff of an alcohol treatment unit. Eighteen male patients and 18 staff members participated. A nonparametric statistic was used as an index of treatment philosophy articulation or degree of value-sharing. A core of activities valued congruently by patients and staff was identified.