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Background: Scalable and safe approaches for heart failure guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) optimization are needed., Objectives: The authors assessed the safety and effectiveness of a virtual care team guided strategy on GDMT optimization in hospitalized patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF)., Methods: In a multicenter implementation trial, we allocated 252 hospital encounters in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40% to a virtual care team guided strategy (107 encounters among 83 patients) or usual care (145 encounters among 115 patients) across 3 centers in an integrated health system. In the virtual care team group, clinicians received up to 1 daily GDMT optimization suggestion from a physician-pharmacist team. The primary effectiveness outcome was in-hospital change in GDMT optimization score (+2 initiations, +1 dose up-titrations, -1 dose down-titrations, -2 discontinuations summed across classes). In-hospital safety outcomes were adjudicated by an independent clinical events committee., Results: Among 252 encounters, the mean age was 69 ± 14 years, 85 (34%) were women, 35 (14%) were Black, and 43 (17%) were Hispanic. The virtual care team strategy significantly improved GDMT optimization scores vs usual care (adjusted difference: +1.2; 95% CI: 0.7-1.8; P < 0.001). New initiations (44% vs 23%; absolute difference: +21%; P = 0.001) and net intensifications (44% vs 24%; absolute difference: +20%; P = 0.002) during hospitalization were higher in the virtual care team group, translating to a number needed to intervene of 5 encounters. Overall, 23 (21%) in the virtual care team group and 40 (28%) in usual care experienced 1 or more adverse events (P = 0.30). Acute kidney injury, bradycardia, hypotension, hyperkalemia, and hospital length of stay were similar between groups., Conclusions: Among patients hospitalized with HFrEF, a virtual care team guided strategy for GDMT optimization was safe and improved GDMT across multiple hospitals in an integrated health system. Virtual teams represent a centralized and scalable approach to optimize GDMT., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures Funding was provided by the Brigham Health Care Redesign Incubator and Startup Program, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Mass General Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts. Dr Varshney has received consulting fees from Broadview Ventures. Dr Claggett has received consulting fees from Cardurion, Corvia, Cytokinetics, Intellia, and Novartis. Dr Eaton is employed at Brigham and Women’s hospital, but is also employed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Dr Cunningham has received consulting fees from Roche Diagnostics and Occlutech. Dr Choudhry has received research grant support to Brigham and Women‘s Hospital from Merck, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, CVS Health, and Medisafe. Dr Solomon has received research grants from Actelion, Alnylam, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bellerophon, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celladon, Cytokinetics, Eidos, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Ionis, Lilly, Mesoblast, MyoKardia, National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Neurotronik, Novartis, NovoNordisk, Respicardia, Sanofi Pasteur, Theracos, and US2.AI; and has consulted for Abbott, Action, Akros, Alnylam, Amgen, Arena, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Cardior, Cardurion, Corvia, Cytokinetics, Daiichi Sankyo, GlaxoSmithKline, Lilly, Merck, Myokardia, Novartis, Roche, Theracos, Quantum Genomics, Cardurion, Janssen, Cardiac Dimensions, Tenaya, Sanofi-Pasteur, Dinaqor, Tremeau, CellProThera, Moderna, American Regent, and Sarepta. Dr Vaduganathan has received research grant support from, served on advisory boards for, or had speaker engagements with American Regent, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Baxter Healthcare, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Cytokinetics, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pharmacosmos, Relypsa, Roche Diagnostics, Sanofi, and Tricog Health; and participates on clinical trial committees for studies sponsored by AstraZeneca, Galmed, Novartis, Bayer, Occlutech, and Impulse Dynamics. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Study occurrence and consequences of deductibles and medical debt among privately insured under the Affordable Care Act., Methods: Analysis of 2012-2016 National Health Interview Survey data on privately insured adults younger than age 65 on the effect of deductibles on medical debt, deferred medical care, and office visits, by demographic characteristics, and treatable chronic diseases., Results: Rates of medical debt and deferred care decreased. Medical debt is greater for those with any type of high deductible (HD) insurance, and among those more vulnerable (lower income, minority, treatable chronic diseases). Medical debt with HD's increased deferred needed medical care 6 fold and is highest for those with more treatable chronic diseases., Conclusion: While medical debt and deferred care decreased for all privately insured, those HD-insured and vulnerable report higher medical debt rates markedly increasing deferred needed medical care. Highdeductible insurance risks adverse health and social consequences for those vulnerable.

Rates of insurance coverage in high deductible health plans (HDHP) and deductible size have been increasing. Over-time, financial barriers can lead to a substantial reduction in opportunities for health promotion and care coordination. We investigated the impact of different types of HDHPs on primary and specialty services utilization and receipt of preventive services among adult (18-64 years) privately insured respondents using pooled 2011-2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The sample (n = 25,965) was divided into four insurance types (1) no deductible (ND) (2) low deductible (LD), (3) high deductible with health savings account (HD-HSA), and (4) high deductible without health savings account (HD-NoHSA). Multivariable regression models were estimated, adjusting for demographic characteristics and health status. Number of visits to primary care physicians and specialists were lowest for persons in the HD-NoHSA group (IRR 0.88 95% CI [0.81-0.96]). HD-NoHSA beneficiaries had lower rates of receiving hypertension screening (IRR 0.97 95% CI [0.94-0.99]) and flu vaccination (IRR 0.92 95% CI [0.86-1.00]) when compared to ND enrollees. Female respondents in the HD-NoHSA group were 7% less likely to receive mammograms (IRR 0.93 95% CI [0.89-0.98]) compared to the ND group. There was no significant association between insurance type and the other preventive service measures. Higher deductibles significantly decrease opportunities for early detection and management of chronic diseases, immunizations and care coordination. Fiscal barriers to essential medical care should be eliminated at least for those most vulnerable.

Objective: To contrast the effect of private insurance and deductibles (by size) on medical service use, health status, and medical debt for adult respondents with diabetes with low and high incomes., Research Design and Methods: Using the 2011-2013 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, bivariate and regression analyses were conducted to compare demographic characteristics, medical service use, diabetes care, and health status among privately insured adult respondents with diabetes, aged 18-64 years (N = 1,461) by lower (<200% of the federal poverty level) and higher (≥200% of the federal poverty level) income and deductible vs. no deductible (ND), low deductible ($1,000/$2,400) (LD), and high deductible (>$1,000/$2,400) (HD). The National Health Interview Survey 2012-2014 was used to analyze differences in medical debt and delayed/avoided needed care among adult respondents with diabetes (n = 4,058) by income., Results: Compared with privately insured respondents with diabetes with ND, privately insured lower-income respondents with diabetes with an LD report significant decreases in service use for primary care, checkups, and specialty visits (27%, 39%, and 77% lower, respectively), and respondents with an HD decrease use by 42%, 65%, and 86%, respectively. Higher-income respondents with an LD report significant decreases in specialty (28%) and emergency department (37%) visits. Diabetes care measures are similar by income and insurance; there were no changes in physical health status. Medical debt is similar by income, but deferred service use is two times greater for those indebted and with lower income., Conclusions: Private insurance with a deductible substantially and problematically reduces medical service use for lower-income insured respondents with diabetes who have an HD; these patients are more likely to report forgoing needed medical services., (© 2017 by the American Diabetes Association.)

Background. Finding a usual source of care (USC) is difficult for certain populations. This analysis determines how insurance type and having a USC affect the settings in which patients seek care. Methods. In this cross-sectional study of the 2000-2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys, we assessed the percentage of low-income persons with half or more of their ambulatory visits to the emergency department (ED). Respondents were stratified based on insurance type and presence of a USC. Results. In 2011, among Medicaid enrollees without USCs, 21.6% had half or more of their ambulatory visits to EDs compared to 8.1% for those with USCs. Among the uninsured without USCs, 24.1% went to an ED for half or more of their ambulatory visits compared to 8.8% for those with USCs in 2011. Among the privately insured without USCs, 7.8% went to an ED for half or more of their ambulatory visits compared to 5.0% for those with USCs in 2011. These differences remained in multivariate analyses. Conclusions. Those who lack USCs, particularly the uninsured and Medicaid enrollees, are more likely to rely on EDs.

Purpose: We sought to project the number of primary care physicians required to meet US health care utilization needs through 2025 after passage of the Affordable Care Act., Methods: In this projection of workforce needs, we used the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to calculate the use of office-based primary care in 2008. We used US Census Bureau projections to account for demographic changes and the American Medical Association's Masterfile to calculate the number of primary care physicians and determine the number of visits per physician. The main outcomes were the projected number of primary care visits through 2025 and the number of primary care physicians needed to conduct those visits., Results: Driven by population growth and aging, the total number of office visits to primary care physicians is projected to increase from 462 million in 2008 to 565 million in 2025. After incorporating insurance expansion, the United States will require nearly 52,000 additional primary care physicians by 2025. Population growth will be the largest driver, accounting for 33,000 additional physicians, while 10,000 additional physicians will be needed to accommodate population aging. Insurance expansion will require more than 8,000 additional physicians, a 3% increase in the current workforce., Conclusions: Population growth will be the greatest driver of expected increases in primary care utilization. Aging and insurance expansion will also contribute to utilization, but to a smaller extent.

Study Objective: To test the hypothesis that sibling pairs, who share genes and environmental exposures, might have similar phenotypic expressions of sarcoidosis beyond what would be expected by chance alone., Design: Multicenter family study with study subjects recruited from 11 clinical centers., Subjects: Subjects were African-American sibling pairs with sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis and organ pattern involvement were defined according to specific criteria. Fifteen different organ systems were evaluated., Results: For full-sibling pairs, ocular involvement was found in both siblings more often than expected by chance alone (p < 0.05), but the concordance was weak (kappa = 0.18). When analyzing full-sibling and half-sibling pairs, ocular and liver involvement showed a significant concordance between sibling pairs (p < 0.05), but again the agreement was poor (kappa = 0.16 for both). Concordance in pulmonary function change over time was also weak. Clinical outcomes of sibling pairs were not significantly correlated except for whether treatment was prescribed, and this level of agreement was poor (kappa = 0.14 for full-sibling and half-sibling pairs; kappa = 0.15 for full-sibling pairs only). Modeling phenotypic expression in sibling pairs using logistic regression did show that the presence of ocular and liver sarcoidosis in the first affected sibling conferred a statistically significant increased risk to the second affected sibling for having those organs involved (odds ratio [OR], 3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7 to 5.4 for ocular; OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.5 to 7.4 for liver)., Conclusions: The phenotypic features and clinical outcomes of sarcoidosis in sibling pairs show minimal concordance, with the possible exception that the presence of ocular or liver involvement in the first sibling with a diagnosis of sarcoidosis makes involvement of these organs more likely in other affected siblings.

Sarcoidosis, a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology, likely results from an environmental insult in a genetically susceptible host. In the US, African Americans are more commonly affected with sarcoidosis and suffer greater morbidity than Caucasians. We searched for sarcoidosis susceptibility loci by conducting a genome-wide, sib pair multipoint linkage analysis in 229 African-American families ascertained through two or more sibs with a history of sarcoidosis. Using the Haseman-Elston regression technique, linkage peaks with P-values less than 0.05 were identified on chromosomes 1p22, 2p25, 5p15-13, 5q11, 5q35, 9q34, 11p15 and 20q13 with the most prominent peak at D5S2500 on chromosome 5q11 (P=0.0005). We found agreement for linkage with the previously reported genome scan of a German population at chromosomes 1p and 9q. Based on the multiple suggestive regions for linkage found in our study population, it is likely that more than one gene influences sarcoidosis susceptibility in African Americans. Fine mapping of the linked regions, particularly on chromosome 5q, should help to refine linkage signals and guide further sarcoidosis candidate gene investigation.

Background: Sarcoidosis, a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology, likely results from an environmental insult in a genetically susceptible host. In the United States of America, African Americans have a higher sarcoidosis incidence and suffer greater morbidity than Caucasians., Methods: A sarcoidosis genetic linkage study consortium was established to recruit African-American affected sib pair (ASP) families to identify chromosomal regions that may harbor sarcoidosis susceptibility genes and to determine if environmental factors modify any genetic effects., Results: We successfully met our goal of enrolling 359 ASPs using a multifaceted recruitment approach. In the total 559 sib pairs that were enrolled, genetic analyses revealed incorrectly specified relationships that required reclassification or removal from the analysis dataset of 10.4% of reported full and 1.4% of reported half sib pairs. The final study sample comprised 415 full and 104 half sib pairs with complete data. This included 338 ASPs. Within sib pairs, affection status was not associated with sex. Only 15 per cent of the 229 families had three or more affected sibs, but they contributed 42 per cent of the ASP total., Conclusions: The SAGA study experience should provide useful lessons and information to serve others in conducting genetic studies of complex diseases in African-American families.

Aim: To assess lung involvement and the association of demographic and psychosocial factors with respiratory health in 736 persons with sarcoidosis at enrollment in A Case Control Etiologic Study of Sarcoidosis (ACCESS)., Methods: 736 patients with biopsy diagnosis of sarcoidosis within 6 months of enrollment were studied at 10 US centers. Lung involvement was evaluated by chest radiography, spirometry and dyspnea questionnaire. Demographics, number of involved extrathoracic organ systems, comorbidities, and health-related quality of life (HRQL) were assessed., Results: 95% of patients had lung involvement. 8% were Scadding Stage 0, 40% I, 37% II, 10% III, and 5% IV 51% reported dyspnea. Increasing radiographic lung stage was associated with decreasing Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) (p < 0.01). Patients with higher stages had more airways obstruction and dyspnea. 46% of cases and 27% of controls had Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) scores of 9 or greater, (p < 0.001). Age > or = 40, African-American race, body mass index > or = 30kg/m2, and CES-D scores > 9 were associated with decreased FVC and greater dyspnea. Impaired spirometry and greater dyspnea were associated with poorer quality of life., Conclusion: A "global" approach to the sarcoidosis patient, including careful assessment of dyspnea and health related quality of life, as well as of lung function and radiographic changes, and any extrathoracic involvement, is important, not only in management of the individual patient, but should also prove beneficial in assessing outcomes in clinical trials in the future.

Objectives: To determine whether specific occupations and industries may be associated with sarcoidosis., Methods: A Case Control Etiologic Study of Sarcoidosis (ACCESS) obtained occupational and environmental histories on 706 newly diagnosed sarcoidosis cases and matched controls. We used Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) to assess occupational contributions to sarcoidosis risk., Results: Univariable analysis identified elevated risk of sarcoidosis for workers with industrial organic dust exposures, especially in Caucasian workers. Workers for suppliers of building materials, hardware, and gardening materials were at an increased risk of sarcoidosis as were educators. Work providing childcare was negatively associated with sarcoidosis risk. Jobs with metal dust or metal fume exposures were negatively associated with sarcoidosis risk, especially in Caucasian workers., Conclusions: In this study, we found that exposures in particular occupational settings may contribute to sarcoidosis risk.

Past research suggests that environmental factors may be associated with sarcoidosis risk. We conducted a case control study to test a priori hypotheses that environmental and occupational exposures are associated with sarcoidosis. Ten centers recruited 706 newly diagnosed patients with sarcoidosis and an equal number of age-, race-, and sex-matched control subjects. Interviewers administered questionnaires containing questions regarding occupational and nonoccupational exposures that we assessed in univariable and multivariable analyses. We observed positive associations between sarcoidosis and specific occupations (e.g., agricultural employment, odds ratio [OR] 1.46, confidence interval [CI] 1.13-1.89), exposures (e.g., insecticides at work, OR 1.52, CI 1.14-2.04, and work environments with mold/mildew exposures [environments with possible exposures to microbial bioaerosols], OR 1.61, CI 1.13-2.31). A history of ever smoking cigarettes was less frequent among cases than control subjects (OR 0.62, CI 0.50-0.77). In multivariable modeling, we observed elevated ORs for work in areas with musty odors (OR 1.62, CI 1.24-2.11) and with occupational exposure to insecticides (OR 1.61, CI 1.13-2.28), and a decreased OR related to ever smoking cigarettes (OR 0.65, CI 0.51-0.82). The study did not identify a single, predominant cause of sarcoidosis. We identified several exposures associated with sarcoidosis risk, including insecticides, agricultural employment, and microbial bioaerosols.

To determine relationships among social predictors and sarcoidosis severity at presentation, demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, and barriers to care, A Case-Control Etiologic Study of Sarcoidosis (ACCESS) was set up. Patients self-reported themselves to be Black or White and were tissue-confirmed incident cases aged > or =l8-yrs-old (n=696) who had received uniform assessment procedures within one of 10 medical centres and were studied using standardised questionnaires and physical, radiographical, and pulmonary function tests. Severity was measured by objective disease indicators, subjective measures of dyspnoea and short form-36 subindices. The results of the study showed that lower income, the absence of private or Medicare health insurance, and other barriers to care were associated with sarcoidosis severity at presentation, as were race, sex, and age. Blacks were more likely to have severe disease by objective measures, while women were more likely than males to report subjective measures of severity. Older individuals were more likely to have severe disease by both measures. In conclusion, it was found that low income and other financial barriers to care are significantly associated with sarcoidosis severity at presentation even after adjusting for demographic characteristics of race, sex, and age.

A cohort of 215 sarcoidosis patients from the ACCESS study underwent a clinical evaluation at study enrollment and two years later. Approximately 80% of subjects had an improved or stable FVC, FEV1, chest radiograph determined by Scadding stage, and dyspnea scale. African-Americans had less improvement in FVC than Caucasians (p = 0.04). Patients with erythema nodosum at presentation were more likely to have improvement in the chest radiograph at two-year follow-up (p = 0.007). Patients with a lower annual family income were more likely to worsen with respect to dyspnea (p = 0.01) and more likely to have new organ involvement at two-year follow-up (p = 0.045). The development of new organ involvement over the two year follow-up period was more common in African-Americans compared to Caucasians (p = 0.002) and more likely in those with extrapulmonary involvement at study entry (p = 0.003). There was an excellent concordance between changes in FVC and FEV1 over the two-year period. However, changes in FVC alone were inadequate to describe the change in pulmonary status of the patients, as changes in chest radiographic findings or the level of dyspnea did often but not always move in the same direction as FVC. In conclusion, data from this heterogeneous United States sarcoidosis population indicate that sarcoidosis tends to improve or remain stable over two years in the majority of patients. Several factors associated with improved or worse outcome over two years were identified.

Purpose: To examine the time from the first physician visit to the diagnosis of sarcoidosis., Hypotheses: The time required to diagnose sarcoidosis is dependent on the initial symptoms, socioeconomic status, referral to a specialist, race, and severity of pulmonary involvement., Methods: Patients were recruited from the Case Control Etiology of Sarcoidosis Study (ACCESS) and had biopsy-confirmed sarcoidosis. Subjects were asked to recall the date of onset of symptoms of sarcoidosis, their first physician visit, number of physician visits, and types of physicians seen., Results: One hundred eighty-nine patients were enrolled. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis was made on the first physician visit in only 15.3% of cases. The presence of pulmonary symptoms was associated with prolonged time (> 6 months vs < or = 6 months, p = 0.02) until diagnosis, and the presence of skin symptoms with a shorter time (< or = 6 months vs > 6 months, p = 0.02) until diagnosis. Patients with pulmonary symptoms had more physician visits (mean +/- SEM) until the diagnosis was made compared to those without pulmonary symptoms (4.84 +/- 0.38 visits vs 3.15 +/- 0.24 visits, p = 0.0002). The mean baseline FEV(1) was greater in those diagnosed < or = 6 months from the first physician visit than those diagnosed > 6 months (87.3 +/- 1.52% predicted vs 81.2 +/- 2.5% predicted, p = 0.04). There was a significant delay in diagnosis (> 6 months vs < or = 6 months) from first physician visit with higher Scadding stages (stage 4 vs stage 2, or stage 3 vs stage 0 or 1, p = 0.04)., Conclusions: The diagnosis of sarcoidosis is often delayed and seems to be more a factor of disease presentation than patient or physician characteristics. The presence of pulmonary symptoms or higher radiographic stages is associated with a prolonged time until diagnosis. The presence of skin symptoms is associated with less delay in diagnosis. It is likely that the delay in diagnosis of pulmonary sarcoidosis relates to the fact that pulmonary symptoms and parenchymal involvement are nonspecific and are often regarded as manifestations of other pulmonary diseases.

Despite reports of familial clustering of sarcoidosis, little empirical evidence exists that disease risk in family members of sarcoidosis cases is greater than that in the general population. To address this question, we estimated sarcoidosis familial relative risk using data on disease occurrence in 10,862 first- and 17,047 second-degree relatives of 706 age, sex, race, and geographically matched cases and controls who participated in the multicenter ACCESS (A Case-Control Etiology Study of Sarcoidosis) study from 1996 to 1999. Familial relative risk estimates were calculated using a logistic regression technique that accounted for the dependence between relatives. Sibs had the highest relative risk (odds ratio [OR] = 5.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.1-15.9), followed by avuncular relationships (OR = 5.7; 95% CI = 1.6-20.7), grandparents (OR = 5.2; 95% CI = 1.5-18.0), and then parents (OR = 3.8; 95% CI = 1.2-11.3). In a multivariate model fit to the parents and sibs data, the familial relative risk adjusted for age, sex, relative class, and shared environment was 4.7 (95% CI = 2.3-9.7). White cases had a markedly higher familial relative risk compared with African-American cases (18.0 versus 2.8; p = 0.098). In summary, a significant elevated risk of sarcoidosis was observed among first- and second-degree relatives of sarcoidosis cases compared with relatives of matched control subjects.

Sarcoidosis may be affected by sex, race, and age. A Case Control Etiologic Study of Sarcoidosis (ACCESS) enrolled 736 patients with sarcoidosis within 6 mo of diagnosis from 10 clinical centers in the United States. Using the ACCESS sarcoidosis assessment system, we determined organ involvement for the whole group and for subgroups differentiated by sex, race, and age (less than 40 yr or 40 yr and older). The study population was heterogeneous in terms of race (53% white, 44% black), sex (64% female, 36% male), and age (46% < 40 yr old, 54% > or = 40 yr old). Women were more likely to have eye and neurologic involvement (chi(2) = 4.74, p < 0.05 and chi(2) = 4.60, p < 0.05 respectively), have erythema nodosum (chi(2) = 7.28, p < 0.01), and to be age 40 yr or over (chi(2) = 6.07, p < 0.02) whereas men were more likely to be hypercalcemic (chi(2) = 7.38, p < 0.01). Black subjects were more likely to have skin involvement other than erythema nodosum (chi(2) = 5.47, p < 0.05), and eye (chi(2) = 13.8, p < 0.0001), liver (chi(2) = 23.3, p < 0.0001), bone marrow (chi(2) = 18.8, p < 0.001), and extrathoracic lymph node involvement (chi(2) = 7.21, p < 0.01). We conclude that the initial presentation of sarcoidosis is related to sex, race, and age.

Several chronic diseases are more severe in persons who are Black, of low socioeconomic status (SES), and underinsured. The authors ask if this is true for sarcoidosis. Associations among sarcoidosis disease severity, SES, insurance coverage, and functional limitations were analysed. Back and White sarcoidosis patients (n=110) of a municipal and university hospital sarcoidosis registry were interviewed by telephone. Data on disease severity were abstracted from patient charts. Most patients reported good or excellent health by demographic characteristics. Low SES and no or public insurance were associated with worse health status and more severe dyspnoea. More advanced radiographic stage was associated with lower income, and forced vital capacity impairment with less education. Physical and social activity limitations due to physical and emotional disability were related to no or public insurance and lower income, but not education. Sarcoidosis severity is associated with socioeconomic status and insurance indicators; no or public insurance and low income are associated with functional limitations. Sarcoidosis-associated limitations are substantial, emphasizing the social significance of sarcoidosis. Lack of private insurance may inhibit the use of medical care, contributing to disease severity and impairment.

Charts and radiographs of sarcoidosis patients seen at a private university hospital and at a municipal hospital were reviewed to determine whether there was a difference in the severity of disease retrospectively. A standardized abstract form was used to identify and abstract information on new and continuing sarcoidosis patients seen at either Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) or District of Columbia General Hospital (DCGH) during a 2-year period. Because there were too few white sarcoidosis patients for comparison, analysis was done for African-American patients only. African-American patients at GUMC were slightly older, with a higher percentage of women. For GUMC patients, 76% had private insurance and 21% had public insurance, and for DCGH patients, one-half had public insurance and 29% had no insurance. Significantly fewer GUMC patients (7% versus 36%) reported moderate to severe dyspnea. Chest radiographs showed a larger percentage of patients with stage 1 disease at GUMC and more patients with stage 4 disease at DCGH. Spirometry showed more impairment of forced expired volume in one second (FEV1) in GUMC patients, but diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) values were significantly lower among DCGH patients. Less than 8% of GUMC patients showed disease progression compared with almost one-third of DCGH patients. These results demonstrate that substantially less severe pulmonary sarcoidosis was seen in African-American patients treated at a private, nonprofit university hospital compared with a municipal hospital. Factors that determine the use of municipal hospitals, such as limited financial access to care and sources of patients, may have played a major role in the differences seen.

Effective clinical prevention practice is the objective of the long journey from laboratory and epidemiologic studies to clinical understanding, interventions, and prevention practice with individual patients. The ability to ask ever more fundamental questions about the molecular basis of disease, as is rapidly being developed by NIH's Human Genome Project, promises to make this journey even longer and more complicated, but eventually to make screening and intervention for preventable disease even more amenable to clinical intervention. As we expect in the future, much of what we currently do in clinical prevention practice had its genesis in earlier federal support for basic and clinical research. We comment on the content and major points of the papers on the federal role in prevention research. These papers, in addition to describing the past accomplishment, current state, and future opportunities for prevention research, raise questions about the ultimate application of the enormous and successful national investment in prevention research. A fault line exists among the increasing knowledge of prevention practice, the rapid changes in the way services are delivered, and demonstration of the effectiveness of prevention procedures applied for the good of the whole population. The federal agencies most concerned with the application of prevention knowledge are those most limited in their research budgets: the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The National Institutes of Health (NIH), with the greatest research dollars for investment, also has the broadest mandate for investment in research. Meeting all the demands to fund high-quality research is challenging; however, NIH may have review procedures that disadvantage clinical researchers and, among these, applied prevention researchers. The restructuring of the health care system by managed care promises opportunity for more effectiveness research. However, the same competition that fosters the development of managed care may limit the extent of prevention experimentation and the dissemination of results. Current national concerns for the weakening of support for clinical research are in part due to the reduced availability of patient care revenue to support clinical research brought about by managed care. The academic and practice communities that share concern for prevention research should recognize the increasing gap between basic and applied prevention knowledge. Those committed to the clinical application of this knowledge should encourage increased federal research support to assure that what we think we know is indeed so, that what is efficacious is available to all in the society that so generously supports research.

Background and Hypothesis: No information is available regarding the significance of ventricular ectopic activity induced during dipyridamole nuclear scintigraphic stress testing. This study tested the hypothesis that dipyridamole-induced ventricular ectopy predicts a thallium-201 or technetium-99m sestamibi perfusion defect., Methods: A group of 186 consecutive patients with premature ventricular contractions and/or couplets occurring during dipyridamole stress testing (ventricular tachycardia did not occur) was compared with a control group of 194 patients without ventricular ectopy during dipyridamole stress testing., Results: The results indicated that ventricular ectopy induced during dipyridamole infusion occurred more frequently in patients demonstrating either a fixed or reversible perfusion defect on scintigraphic imaging (p < 0.01). The higher frequency of perfusion defects in this group of patients was attributable to a higher frequency of "fixed" compared with "reversible" defects (p < 0.05). This finding is consistent with the additional observation that ventricular ectopy induced by dipyridamole was associated with the presence of Q waves on the resting ECG (p < 0.05). The positive and negative predictive values of the presence of ventricular ectopy in predicting a fixed myocardial perfusion defect were 59 and 54%, respectively., Conclusions: Ventricular ectopy induced during dipyridamole infusion suggests the presence of a fixed myocardial perfusion defect.

Objective: To determine whether office-based interventions increase primary care physicians' risk assessment of and counseling practices for patients regarding sexually transmitted diseases and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)., Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial., Setting: Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Statistical Area., Study Participants: Office-based primary care physicians (family or general practice, internal medicine, and obstetrics-gynecology)., Intervention: Mailed educational materials alone or coupled with a simulated patient instructor office visit., Measurements: Self-reported and observed frequency of assessing and counseling patients regarding their risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infection. Participants were interviewed by telephone before and after the intervention (n = 757). A subset of participants (n = 194) was also observed after the intervention by simulated patient evaluators in blinded office visits., Results: 89% of physicians who received both educational materials and a simulated patient instructor visit reported that they reviewed the educational materials compared with 53% of those who only received the educational materials (P < or = 0.001). Physicians in the combined intervention group had higher self-reported and observed rates for several risk assessment questions and counseling recommendations than did physicians in the control group or the group that only received educational materials. Seventy-three percent of physicians of the combined intervention group reported an increase in counseling patients about reducing risky sexual behavior compared with 53% of the group receiving only educational materials and 42% of the control group (P < or = 0.001)., Conclusions: Mailed educational materials combined with an office visit by a simulated patient instructor for role-play and feedback on clinical performance increased the frequency of office-based physicians' risk assessment and risk reduction counseling of patients for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infection.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine how the method of assessment affects patient report of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risks., Methods: Patients at a sexually transmitted disease clinic randomly received either a written self-administered questionnaire or an audio self-administered questionnaire delivered by cassette player and headset. These questionnaires were followed by face-to-face interviews., Results: Audio questionnaires had fewer missing responses than written questionnaires. Audio questionnaires also identified more unprotected vaginal intercourse and sexual partners suspected or known to have HIV infection or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome than did written questionnaires. Although both the audio and written questionnaires identified more risks than the face-to-face interviews, the difference in the mean number of reported risks between the audio questionnaires and the face-to-face interviews was greater than that between the written questionnaires and the face-to-face interviews., Conclusions: Audio questionnaires may obtain more complete data and identify more HIV risk than written questionnaires. Research is warranted about whether audio questionnaires overcome barriers to the completion and accuracy of HIV risk surveys. This study emphasizes the need to elucidate the relative strengths and weaknesses of written questionnaires, audio questionnaires, and face-to-face interviews for HIV risk assessment.

Objective: To determine the knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and practices of obstetricians-gynecologists regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention., Methods: Office-based obstetricians-gynecologists in the Washington, DC metropolitan area who reported providing primary care were interviewed by telephone. The survey response rate was 62% (N = 268)., Results: The percentages of obstetricians-gynecologists who reported regularly assessing the HIV risk of new adolescent and adult patients were 67 and 40%, respectively. Seventy-two percent reported regularly counseling patients at risk to use condoms for vaginal intercourse, and 60% regularly counseled patients at risk to limit their number of sexual partners. The level of general risk-factor assessment and confidence in the ability to reduce patients' HIV risk were the strongest correlates of the frequency and thoroughness of HIV risk assessment and counseling., Conclusions: The percentage of obstetricians-gynecologists who assess and counsel patients about HIV risks is below the 75% goal for the year 2000 established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Continuing medical education for obstetricians-gynecologists is needed to improve their knowledge and skills in HIV prevention.

A case-control study compared home health care (HHC) users from the 1984 Supplement on Aging to users of other community services and of no community service, matched on age and gender. Examination of specific activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and sociodemographic variables showed that HHC users were significantly more limited than controls in every ADL and IADL. In multivariate analyses, HHC use was significantly associated with three ADLs (dressing, going outside, bathing), two IADLs (shopping, heavy housework), and poor health status.

Background: Simulated patients are used with increased frequency for medical students and residents, but have not been used very often with practicing physicians. We hypothesized that educational materials could improve primary care physicians sexual practices history taking and counseling as assessed by a simulated patient in the physician's office., Methods: Simulated patient (SP) visits were made to 232 (75% of eligible) primary care physicians. The patient simulated was a sexually active young woman with vaginitis and sexually transmitted disease/human immunodeficiency virus risk behaviors. In advance of the visit, physicians were provided educational materials (monograph, pamphlet, and audiotape) developed for the study, including a risk assessment questionnaire that could be used with patients., Results: Most physicians randomly allocated to the intervention participated. Twenty-one percent of physicians refused to schedule an SP visit. Physicians who received an SP rated the experience highly. Physicians who prepared for the visit with the educational materials performed significantly better than those who did not. About two thirds of physicians reviewed the materials, many for the second time, after the SP visit. Physicians who used the study risk assessment questionnaire performed better. Many physicians (24.9% to 39.8%) did not meet each of the four goals for the visit, as assessed subjectively by the SP. Physician performance was better for measures of general patient interaction than for measures of sexual practices history taking and counseling techniques., Conclusion: The SP visit was acceptable to most physicians practicing in a community and was evaluated by them as an appealing and an effective educational experience. The SP, however, has limited feasibility because of cost. The SP led to review of materials by nearly all physicians either before or after the visit. Physicians who prepared before the visit performed better on every dimension, eliciting more information, displaying better patient interaction skills, and meeting more of the educational goals. Even with educational preparation, however, many physicians were not perceived as being effective counselors.

Studies describing sexually transmitted disease (STD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention practices of primary care physicians have relied on physician or patient reports. This study describes physician STD/HIV prevention practices as observed by unannounced simulated patient evaluators (SPEs). SPEs visited sixty-five primary care physicians. Each SPE portrayed a sexually active female, new to the area, requesting a consultation on STD prevention. One-third of the physicians in the study asked no risk questions, and over 80% failed to ask the SPE specifically about her sexual practices. Most physicians discussed the risks of STDs and HIV and covered basic recommendations (use condoms and know partners better); however, few physicians provided any individualized information or advice about safer sexual practices and the specifics of condom use, such as how to use them or what kind to use. These observations support the low rates of STD/HIV prevention indicated in physicians' self-report and further identify specific deficiencies in the thoroughness of their risk assessment and preventive counseling practices.

A 62-year-old man who presented with gross hematuria was found to have a severe and prolonged coagulopathy. The workup involved mixing studies, which suggested an acquired factor deficiency, and specific factor assays, which demonstrated isolated defects in vitamin K-dependent factors. With vitamin K deficiency excluded, and serum warfarin levels undetectable, so-called superwarfarin ingestion was suspected. This diagnosis was subsequently proved by biochemical evidence (an increase in the serum vitamin K epoxide-vitamin K ratio) and compatible history. This case illustrates how a logical workup can lead to a diagnosis of superwarfarin ingestion, even without a history of such an ingestion. New serum assays for specific superwarfarins are also mentioned. This case report should increase clinicians' awareness of long-acting rodenticide ingestions.

The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all primary care physicians assess the sexually transmitted disease/human immunodeficiency virus (STD/HIV) risk of all adolescent and adult patients. To determine whether factors amenable to change through continuing medical education are associated with frequent and thorough STD/HIV risk assessment, a telephone survey of primary care physicians in the Washington, DC metropolitan area was conducted (n = 961). Thirty-seven percent of physicians reported regularly asking new adult patients about their sexual practices; 60% asked new adolescent patients. STD/HIV risk questioning was associated with physicians' confidence in their ability to help prevent HIV, comfort with discussing patients' sexual practices, and perception of a large STD/HIV problem in their practice. These findings suggest that continuing medical education should target improvement in physicians' sexual practice questioning skills.

In 1989, an expert panel appointed by the Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine proposed minimum curricular content requirements for health promotion-disease prevention, including recommendations for timing, duration, and course sequencing during medical school. Making clinical preventive medicine an integral part of a primary care rotation is a central feature of the proposal. The panel presents recommendations for using the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, which assesses the effectiveness of 169 types of prevention interventions, in both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. Recommendations for incorporating the guide into the undergraduate medical school curriculum are outlined. The recommendations include options for using the guide as part of a curriculum in quantitative skills, in clinical preventive medicine, in a primary care rotation, as a health services and community dimension curriculum, and as part of continuing self-education. Recognizing that teaching methods and curriculum structures are varied in preventive medicine, the panel designed the recommendations to be adaptable to all medical schools' programs. The recommendations are aimed at achieving the goal of making preventive medicine an integral part of the education, training, and practice of physicians.

The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic has drawn attention to screening for sexually transmitted diseases by primary care physicians. A telephone survey of primary care physicians in an area with a high incidence of STDs (Washington, DC) to ascertain the determinants and the extent of screening and counseling for STDs was completed in 1987. Ninety-nine physicians (33 internists, 38 obstetrician/gynecologists, and 28 family/general practitioners), representing 61% of those eligible, completed the interview. One third (39.4%) were screening for gonorrhea, more than one half (57.5%) for syphilis, and almost all (94%) had tested at least one individual for human immunodeficiency virus infection. Analysis suggested that concomitant screening for hepatitis B was significantly and positively associated with screening for gonorrhea and syphilis. Less than half (45.9%) of the physicians asked new patients about their sexual practices. Physicians should take histories of sexual practices and do more preventive counseling.

Fragmented medical care is especially harmful for chronically ill elderly patients. Intervention designed to educate them about their diseases and available resources may result in increased self-care and decreased rates of institutionalization.

To document the volume and kinds of ambulatory care, particularly primary care, being provided in a medically self-contained community, a survey was conducted in a county in a Middle Atlantic State during the summer of 1974 at all sites where physicians provided ambulatory care. These sites included not only physicians' offices, but also the emergency room, public health clinics, and physician-patient telephone encounters. Primary care was found to constitute 77 percent of all ambulatory care in the county and to account for 96 percent of all visits to primary care physicians. It also accounted for more than 50 percent of the visits to all physicians except the surgical subspecialists. Most of the primary care visits were for common disorders, common procedures, and common preventive measures. Distinct patterns were observed in the primary care morbidity treated by primary care physicians and that treated by specialists--patterns that seemed appropriate for those practices. The specialties of the physicians who were available to the population may have influenced morbidity patterns in the community surveyed. The primary care provided by primary care specialists appeared to differ in some functional aspects from that provided by other specialists.

Home care has been promoted as an alternative to acute and long-term care in hospitals and nursing homes in the interests of controlling the high and rising costs of institutional care. This has resulted in legislative and regulatory changes to public programs, of which the elderly are the main beneficiaries. Consequently, there has been major growth and change in the home care industry with Medicare being the largest third-party payor and primary income source for many home care agencies. The industry is now coming under closer scrutiny as a result of the increasing public expenditures, and concerns regarding public accountability and the cost-effectiveness of care delivered by this fragmented and relatively unregulated sector have been expressed. There is now increasing evidence that industry expectations of future growth may not be met from publicly funded home care programs for the elderly as currently conceived, regulated, and reimbursed. Changes are likely to result in an expanded role for the physician in home health care planning and supervision.

Medical programs which provide services for low-income persons who have high medical needs have been criticized for high costs and have raised questions about overuse of physician services. A Baltimore SMSA household interview of use of health services permitted comparison of use of physician and preventive services controlled for morbidity by Medicaid recipients and two other income groups. Medicaid recipients were sickest and had higher physician use. They were more likely to have visits suggested by a physician, to be asked to return, and to be given injections. Physician visit rates were higher for each morbidity category, particularly for Medicaid healthy, who also used more preventive services in two weeks. Higher use of services by Medicaid recipients is accounted for by higher morbidity and increased need and demand for preventive services. Constraints on the use of physician services now most directly affect use of preventive services by those of low income without Medicaid benefits in the Baltimore SMSA.

A household survey investigated the nonprescribed medicine use of 3,481 persons in the Baltimore SMSA in 1968-69. Of respondents, 30 per cent used a nonprescribed morbidity-related medicine in two days. Rates of use are higher for adults, females and whites in all economic classes, and do not increase with increasing severity of morbidity in any economic class. A hypothesis that nonprescribed substitute for prescribed medicines is supported: ill nonprescribed medicine users are less likely to use prescribed medicines or to have visited a physician than nonusers; rates of nonprescribed medicine use are lower for those with a physician visit, and use of both prescribed and nonprescribed medicines for the same purpose is negligible. Lower out-of-pocket costs for visits and prescribed medicines do not lower rates of use. Nonprescribed medicine use is high among healthy and ill suggesting that physicians should inquire into patients' use when evaluating symptoms and before prescribing.

The subsequent misuse and abuse of sedatives and hypnotics prescribed to 190 patients of the family practice program at the Medical University of South Carolina was investigated by medical record abstract and patient interviews. Results indicated little misuse and no abuse, with most respondents indicating they took fewer doses than directed. Concerns about dependence were widespread and were most likely in patients who said they never took fewer doses than directed. These patients were also more likely to have side effects. Ten percent of respondents said they had shared their sedative or hypnotic with others, usually relatives. Because of the nature of the population, mostly female and with an average age of 50 years, the results are likely to underrepresent misuse and abuse and to overrepresent concerns with dependence as compared with the general patient population. The results indicate the need for a prospective study to determine the process of becoming a misuser and factors associated with dependency fears.