Kirsten Hall Long

Hospitalizations After Heart Failure Diagnosis: A Community Perspective

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to determine the lifetime burden and risk factors for hospitalization after heart failure (HF) diagnosis in the community. BACKGROUND Hospitalizations in patients with HF represent a major public health problem; however, the cumulative burden of hospitalizations after HF diagnosis is unknown, and no consistent risk factors for hospitalization have been identified. METHODS We validated a random sample of all incident HF cases in Olmsted County, Minnesota, from 1987 to 2006 and evaluated all hospitalizations after HF diagnosis through 2007. International Classification of Diseases-9th Revision codes were used to determine the primary reason for hospitalization. To account for repeated events, Andersen-Gill models were used to determine the predictors of hospitalization after HF diagnosis. Patients were censored at death or last follow-up. RESULTS Among 1,077 HF patients (mean age 76.8 years, 582 [54.0%] female), 4,359 hospitalizations occurred over a mean follow-up of 4.7 years. Hospitalizations were common after HF diagnosis, with 895 (83.1%) patients hospitalized at least once, and 721 (66.9%), 577 (53.6%), and 459 (42.6%) hospitalized > or =2, > or =3, and > or =4 times, respectively. The reason for hospitalization was HF in 713 (16.5%) hospitalizations and other cardiovascular in 936 (21.6%), whereas over one-half (n = 2,679, 61.9%) were noncardiovascular. Male sex, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, anemia, and creatinine clearance <30 ml/min were independent predictors of hospitalization (p < 0.05 for each). CONCLUSIONS Multiple hospitalizations are common after HF diagnosis, though less than one-half are due to cardiovascular causes. Comorbid conditions are strongly associated with hospitalizations, and this information could be used to define effective interventions to prevent hospitalizations in HF patients.

Lifetime Costs of Medical Care After Heart Failure Diagnosis

Background— Heart failure (HF) care constitutes an increasing economic burden on the health care system, and has become a key focus in the health care debate. However, there are limited data on the lifetime health care costs for individuals with HF after initial diagnosis. Methods and Results— Olmsted County residents with incident HF from 1987 to 2006 were identified. Direct medical costs incurred from the time of HF diagnosis until death or last follow-up were obtained using population-based administrative data through 2007. Costs were inflated to 2008 US dollars using the general Consumer Price Index. Inpatient, outpatient, and total costs were estimated using a 2-part model with adjustment for right censoring of data. Predictors of total costs were examined using a similar model. A total of 1054 incident HF patients were identified (mean age, 76.8 years; 46.1% men). After a mean follow-up of 4.6 years, 765 (72.6%) patients had died. The estimated total lifetime costs were

Economic implications of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder for healthcare systems

109 541 (95% confidence interval,

Cost Modeling of Preoperative Axillary Ultrasound and Fine-Needle Aspiration to Guide Surgery for Invasive Breast Cancer

100 335 to 118 946) per person, with the majority accumulated during hospitalizations (mean,

The Economic Implications of a Multimodal Analgesic Regimen for Patients Undergoing Major Orthopedic Surgery: A Comparative Study of Direct Costs

83 980 per person). After adjustment for age, year of diagnosis, and comorbidity, diabetes mellitus and preserved ejection fraction (≥50%) were associated with 24.8% (P=0.003) and 23.6% (P=0.041) higher lifetime costs, respectively. Higher costs were observed at initial HF diagnosis and in the months immediately before death in those surviving >12 months after diagnosis. Conclusions— HF imposes a significant economic burden, primarily related to hospitalizations. Variations in cost over a lifetime can help identify strategies for efficient management of patients, particularly at the end of life.

Intermittent Hemodialysis Versus Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy for Acute Renal Failure in the Intensive Care Unit: An Observational Outcomes Analysis:

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common chronic conditions of childhood, with adverse consequences that persist through adolescence into adulthood. Thus, the burden of illness associated with ADHD is high for affected individuals, their families, and society at large. This article reviews available information about ADHD-associated utilisation of healthcare resources, direct medical costs, and the costs or cost effectiveness of pharmacological interventions.Published estimates suggest that direct medical costs for youth with ADHD are approximately double those for youth without ADHD. Cross-sectional studies suggest that ADHD-associated incremental costs are highest for mental health services and pharmaceutical costs, and are greatest for youth with comorbid psychiatric conditions and for those being treated with stimulant medication. To guide relevant clinical and health policy, additional research is warranted on the following: source of increased costs observed among persons with ADHD; patient characteristics of those accruing high medical costs; and the long-term effect of ADHD treatment on direct and indirect costs.

The economic burden of complications during percutaneous coronary intervention

PurposePreoperative axillary lymph node ultrasound (US) and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy can identify a proportion of node-positive patients and avoid sentinel lymph node (SLN) surgery and direct surgical treatment. We compared the costs with preoperative US/FNA to without US/FNA (standard of care) for invasive breast cancer.MethodsUsing decision-analytic software we constructed a model to assess the costs associated with the two preoperative strategies. Diagnostic test sensitivities and specificities were obtained from literature review. Costs were derived from Medicare payment rates and actual resource utilization. Base-case results were fully probabilistic to capture parameter uncertainty in economic results.ResultsBase-case results estimate total mean costs per patient of

Eptifibatide vs abciximab as adjunctive therapy during primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction.

10,947 (“

Medical care costs associated with traumatic brain injury over the full spectrum of disease: A controlled population-based study

” indicates US dollars throughout) with the US/FNA strategy and

Direct medical costs in patients with fibromyalgia: Cost of illness and impact of a brief multidisciplinary treatment program.

10,983 with standard of care, an incremental cost savings of