RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To study neutropenia hospitalization (NH) incidence and risk factors in a population-based sample of older adults with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and evaluate the validity of inferences from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked databases. METHODS: NHL cases receiving first-course chemotherapy were identified from Iowa SEER-Medicare. Survival methods evaluated NH risk factors. Medical record and Medicare claims data on chemotherapy and NH were compared. RESULTS: Of 761 subjects, 165 (21.7%, 95% CI: 18.8, 24.6) were hospitalized for neutropenia. Of those hospitalized, 41% were hospitalized in cycle 1 and 22% in cycle 2. Significant multivariable risk factors for NH were diffuse large cell histology, renal disease, Charlson comorbidity index, and anthracycline chemotherapy but not patient age. Medicare and medical records agreed on month of chemotherapy initiation 95% of the time and chemotherapy type 95% of the time. ICD-9 code 288.0 sensitivity for NH was 80%. CONCLUSIONS: Neutropenia hospitalizations were common in the first 2 chemotherapy cycles, especially among older adults with comorbidity. Findings conflict with a prior medical records study in which age was a risk factor for NH and dose intensity a negative confounder. Valid inferences about age effects on chemotherapy toxicity require more clinical detail than is available in administrative data.
Asunto(s)
Antineoplásicos/efectos adversos , Hospitalización/estadística & datos numéricos , Linfoma no Hodgkin/tratamiento farmacológico , Neutropenia/inducido químicamente , Adulto , Anciano , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Medicare , Factores de Riesgo , Programa de VERFRESUMEN
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To estimate the costs of hospitalization for neutropenia among chemotherapy-treated patients with newly diagnosed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and to assess baseline patient factors associated with these costs. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. DATA SOURCE: Linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program-Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project databases for Iowa from 1993-1998. PATIENTS: Patients with newly diagnosed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who received all inpatient care at Iowa hospitals during their first course of chemotherapy. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Neutropenia-related hospitalization costs were estimated from discharge abstracts found within the earliest of the following: 6 months after the diagnosis month, the date of bone marrow transplantation, or date of death. We performed univariate tests of differences in neutropenia-related hospitalization costs in all patients in the sample, as well as tests for neutropenia-related hospitalization costs, length-of-stay, and cost/inpatient day for patients with at least one hospitalization for neutropenia. We modeled total inpatient charges over the period for patients with at least one neutropenia-related hospitalization (multiple regression). A total of 1636 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma had chemotherapy in Iowa and met inclusion criteria; of these, 316 had at least one hospitalization for neutropenia. The 316 patients had 418 stays. Patients with advanced stage (vs limited stage), previous anemia (vs no anemia), positive Charlson comorbidity score (vs score of 0), and diffuse large cell histology (vs follicular) had higher mean neutropenia-related hospitalization cost/patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (p<0.05). Among those with neutropenia-related hospitalizations, a longer length of stay was associated with nonfollicular histologies, previous anemia, and positive Charlson score (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: When estimating expected payments for neutropenia-related hospitalization in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, payers need to be aware of the distribution of clinical characteristics in these patients.
Asunto(s)
Antineoplásicos/efectos adversos , Costos de Hospital , Linfoma no Hodgkin/tratamiento farmacológico , Linfoma no Hodgkin/economía , Neutropenia/economía , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Anciano , Estudios de Cohortes , Comorbilidad , Bases de Datos Factuales , Femenino , Humanos , Pacientes Internos , Iowa , Linfoma no Hodgkin/patología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Neutropenia/inducido químicamente , Estudios Retrospectivos , Programa de VERF , Factores SexualesRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To test the effect of pharmaceutical case management (PCM) on medication safety and health care utilization. DESIGN: Prospective cohort design with 9-month follow-up period (enrollment from October 1, 2000, through July 1, 2001, with follow-up through July 1, 2002). SETTING: Iowa Medicaid program. PARTICIPANTS: 2,211 noninstitutionalized, continuously eligible Iowa Medicaid patients taking four or more chronic medications including at least one agent commonly used in at least 1 of 12 specific diseases who were cared for by pharmacists in 117 pharmacies. INTERVENTIONS: Reimbursement for PCM services (initial patient assessment, written recommendations to physician, follow-up assessments and communication of progress and new problems to physician). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Use of high-risk medications, Medication Appropriateness Index (MAI) score, health care utilization. RESULTS: Pharmacists in 114 pharmacies had eligible patients during at least one quarter during the study period; 28 pharmacies were classified as high intensity based on the number of PCM patients they managed. A total of 524 of the eligible patients received 1,599 PCM services; 90% of claims were filed by pharmacists, and the remainder by physicians. Nearly one half (46.1%) of medications and 92.1% of patients had at least one medication problem before PCM. By closeout, the percentage of medications with problems decreased in 8 of 10 MAI domains for those who received PCM. Compared with baseline, mean MAI score improved significantly from 9.4 to 8.3 among PCM recipients (P < .001). Percentage of PCM recipients using high-risk medications decreased significantly compared with PCM eligibles who did not receive the service. In the 28 pharmacies that adopted the new service most intensely, patients had a significant decrease in high-risk medication use, compared with patients of low-intensity pharmacies (P < .001). No difference was observed between PCM recipients and PCM eligibles who did not receive PCM in health care utilization or charges, even after including reimbursements for PCM. CONCLUSION: Medication safety problems were prevalent in this high-risk population. The PCM program improved medication safety during a 9-month follow-up period.
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Manejo de Caso/estadística & datos numéricos , Recursos en Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Medicaid/estadística & datos numéricos , Farmacias/estadística & datos numéricos , Adulto , Anciano , Manejo de Caso/organización & administración , Niño , Estudios de Evaluación como Asunto , Femenino , Humanos , Iowa , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Polifarmacia , Estudios Prospectivos , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Veterans of the first Gulf War have higher rates of medical and psychiatric symptoms than nondeployed military personnel. METHODS: To assess the prevalence of and risk factors for current anxiety disorders in Gulf War veterans, we administered a structured telephone interview to a population-based sample of 4886 military personnel from Iowa at enlistment. Participants were randomly drawn from Gulf War regular military, Gulf War National Guard/ Reserve, non-Gulf War regular military, and non-Gulf War National Guard/Reserve. Medical and psychiatric conditions were assessed through standardized interviews and questionnaires in 3695 subjects (76% participation). Risk factors were assessed using multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: Veterans of the first Gulf War reported a markedly higher prevalence of current anxiety disorders than nondeployed military personnel (5.9% vs. 2.8%; odds ratio = 2.1; 95% confidence interval = 1.3-3.1), and their anxiety disorders are associated with co-occurring psychiatric disorders. Posttraumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder were each present at rates nearly twice expected. In our multivariate model, predeployment psychiatric treatment and predeployment diagnoses (posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, or anxiety) were independently associated with current anxiety disorder. Participation in Gulf War combat was independently associated with current posttraumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Current anxiety disorders are relatively frequent in a military population and are more common among Gulf War veterans than nondeployed military personnel. Predeployment psychiatric difficulties are robustly associated with the development of anxiety. Healthcare providers and policymakers need to consider panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, in addition to posttraumatic stress disorder, to ensure their proper assessment, treatment, and prevention in veteran populations.
Asunto(s)
Trastornos de Ansiedad/epidemiología , Síndrome del Golfo Pérsico/epidemiología , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático/epidemiología , Veteranos/psicología , Adulto , Trastornos de Ansiedad/etiología , Comorbilidad , Humanos , Iowa/epidemiología , Masculino , Personal Militar , Prevalencia , Factores de Riesgo , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Identify the point-in-time relationship between Parkinson's disease (PD) signs and symptoms and measures of health-related quality of life (HRQL). BACKGROUND: Clinical measures used in PD assessments traditionally emphasize physical signs and symptoms. We hypothesized that these measures would be strongly associated with the physical function dimensions of HRQL that reflect mental symptoms. DESIGN/METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 193 neurology clinic PD patients employed self-administered in-clinic and take-home questionnaires and in-person clinical examinations and interviews. RESULTS: The variance explained by PD physical signs and symptoms was substantial for physical function, but only modest for all other HRQL dimensions. Mental symptoms explained a larger proportion of variance than physical symptoms for 12 of the 14 HRQL measures. CONCLUSION: PD patients' well-being, general health perceptions, health satisfaction and overall HRQL are strongly influenced by mental health symptoms and more weakly influenced by physical symptoms. Clinical evaluation of PD patients should include mental health and self-reported HRQL assessment.
Asunto(s)
Estado de Salud , Salud Mental , Enfermedad de Parkinson/fisiopatología , Enfermedad de Parkinson/psicología , Calidad de Vida , Anciano , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana EdadRESUMEN
The objective of this study was to investigate the relation between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and perceived physical health. Participants included 3,682 Gulf War veterans and control subjects of the same era who completed a telephone survey about their health status. PTSD was assessed using the PTSD Checklist-Military Version. Veterans screening positive for PTSD reported significantly more physical health symptoms and medical conditions than did veterans without PTSD. They were also more likely to rate their health status as fair or poor and to report lower levels of health-related quality of life. The results of this study are consistent with studies of other combat veterans and provide further support for an association between PTSD and adverse physical health outcomes. Stressful or traumatic life events, such as those encountered during a rapid military deployment and conflict, are associated with a variety of adverse health effects. These health effects may manifest themselves in both psychological and physical outcomes. Health care providers must be attentive to recognize and evaluate both of these dimensions.
Asunto(s)
Trastornos de Combate/diagnóstico , Estado de Salud , Síndrome del Golfo Pérsico/diagnóstico , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático/diagnóstico , Adulto , Trastornos de Combate/epidemiología , Trastornos de Combate/psicología , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Síndrome del Golfo Pérsico/epidemiología , Síndrome del Golfo Pérsico/psicología , Prevalencia , Calidad de Vida , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático/epidemiología , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático/psicología , Veteranos/psicología , Veteranos/estadística & datos numéricosRESUMEN
The Gulf War's impact on veterans' health-related quality of life (HRQL) remains unclear. The authors examined the HRQL of military personnel deployed to the Gulf War Theater compared with those not deployed. In 1995-1996, a structured, population-based telephone survey was conducted 5 years postconflict among a cohort originally from Iowa on active duty during the conflict. The sample included 4,886 eligible subjects stratified by deployment and military status and proportionately distributed within five substrata. The Medical Outcome Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) assessed HRQL, and multivariable linear regression identified pre- and perideployment risk factors. A total of 3,695 respondents (76%) participated. Nondeployed participants reported excellent health more often than deployed participants (31% vs. 21%, p < 0.01). SF-36 scores for deployed participants were poorer than those for nondeployed controls across all health domains. Modifiable factors such as smoking and military preparedness, and other factors such as predeployment physical and mental health morbidity, were independent risk factors for poorer HRQL after deployment. Deployed veterans reported slightly poorer HRQL even after the authors adjusted for other risk factors. Further investigation of factors influencing postdeployment HRQL is needed. Routine collection of health information by using standardized instruments pre- and perideployment should be implemented.