Patricia B. Burns

Excess Mortality Among Blacks and Whites in the United States

BACKGROUND Although the general relations between race, socioeconomic status, and mortality in the United States are well known, specific patterns of excess mortality are not well understood. METHODS Using standard demographic techniques, we analyzed death certificates and census data and made sex-specific population-level estimates of the 1990 death rates for people 15 to 64 years of age. We studied mortality among blacks in selected areas of New York City, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Alabama (in one area of persistent poverty and one higher-income area each) and among whites in areas of New York City, metropolitan Detroit, Kentucky, and Alabama (one area of poverty and one higher-income area each). Sixteen areas were studied in all. RESULTS When they were compared with the nationwide age-standardized annual death rate for whites, the death rates for both sexes in each of the poverty areas were excessive, especially among blacks (standardized mortality ratios for men and women in Harlem, 4.11 and 3.38; in Watts, 2.92 and 2.60; in central Detroit, 2.79 and 2.58; and in the Black Belt area of Alabama, 1.81 and 1.89). Boys in Harlem who reached the age of 15 had a 37 percent chance of surviving to the age of 65; for girls, the likelihood was 65 percent. Of the higher-income black areas studied, Queens--Bronx had the income level most similar to that of whites and the lowest standardized mortality ratio (men, 1.18; women, 1.08). Of the areas where poor whites were studied, Detroit had the highest standardized mortality ratios (men, 2.01; women, 1.90). On the Lower East Side of Manhattan, in Appalachia, and in Northeast Alabama, the ratios for whites were below the national average for blacks (men, 1.90; women, 1.95). CONCLUSIONS Although differences in mortality rates before the age of 65 between advantaged and disadvantaged groups in the United States are sometimes vast, there are important differences among impoverished communities in patterns of excess mortality.

The levels of evidence and their role in evidence-based medicine

As the name suggests, evidence-based medicine (EBM), is about finding evidence and using that evidence to make clinical decisions. A cornerstone of EBM is the hierarchical system of classifying evidence. This hierarchy is known as the levels of evidence. Physicians are encouraged to find the highest level of evidence to answer clinical questions. Several papers published in Plastic Surgery journals concerning EBM topics have touched on this subject. 1–6 Specifically, previous papers have discussed the lack of higher level evidence in PRS and need to improve the evidence published in the journal. Before that can be accomplished, it is important to understand the history behind the levels and how they should be interpreted. This paper will focus on the origin of levels of evidence, their relevance to the EBM movement and the implications for the field of plastic surgery as well as the everyday practice of plastic surgery.

Validity and responsiveness of the Michigan hand questionnaire in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A multicenter, international study†

Millions of patients experience the disabling hand manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), yet few hand‐specific instruments are validated in this population. Our objective was to assess the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Michigan Hand Questionnaire (MHQ) in patients with RA.

A multicenter clinical trial in rheumatoid arthritis comparing silicone metacarpophalangeal joint arthroplasty with medical treatment.

PURPOSE Metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint deformities caused by rheumatoid arthritis can be treated using silicone metacarpophalangeal joint arthroplasty (SMPA). There is no consensus as to whether this surgical procedure is beneficial. The purpose of the study was to prospectively compare outcomes for a surgical and a nonsurgical cohort of rheumatoid arthritis patients. METHODS The prospective study was conducted from January 2004 to May 2008 at 3 referral centers in the United States and England. Over a 3-year period, 70 surgical and 93 nonsurgical patients were recruited. One year data are available for 45 cases and 72 controls. All patients had severe ulnar drift and/or extensor lag of the fingers at the MCP joints. The patients all had 1-year follow-up evaluations. Patients could elect to have SMPA and medical therapy or medical therapy alone. Outcomes included the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ), Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales, grip and pinch strength, Jebson-Taylor test, and ulnar deviation and extensor lag measurements at the MCP joints. RESULTS There was no difference in the mean age for the surgical group (60) when compared to the nonsurgical group (62). There was also no significant difference in race, education, and income between the 2 groups. At 1-year follow-up, the mean overall MHQ score showed significant improvement in the surgical group but no change in the nonsurgical group, despite worse MHQ function at baseline in the surgical group. Ulnar deviation and extensor lag improved significantly in the surgical group, but the mean Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales scores and grip and pinch strength showed no significant improvement. CONCLUSIONS This prospective study demonstrated significant improvement for RA patients with poor baseline functioning treated with SMPA. The nonsurgical group had better MHQ scores at baseline, and their function did not deteriorate during the 1-year follow-up interval.

The Outcomes of Outcome Studies in Plastic Surgery : A Systematic Review of 17 Years of Plastic Surgery Research

Background: The authors assessed the state of outcomes studies in plastic surgery since the initiation of the modern outcomes movement in 1988 and propose future research directions. Methods: A systematic review of health outcomes research in plastic surgery was conducted. Studies were extracted from the journals Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Annals of Plastic Surgery from 1988 to 2004, yielding 3520 articles, 1670 of which did not meet the inclusion criteria; thus, 1850 articles were reviewed. Studies were analyzed with respect to topic of interest, category of outcome study, study design, endpoint of results, and level of impact on health outcomes, rated on a scale of 1 to 4 using a revised version of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s outcomes impact scale. A level 4 study demonstrates the greatest direct impact on patient outcomes. Results: Ninety percent of studies had a level 1 impact; 10 percent had a level 4 impact. Breast surgery was most represented, constituting 26 percent of studies. Morbidity and objective clinical outcomes were the most frequent endpoints, cited in 52 percent and 32 percent of studies, respectively. Economic analyses were the least frequently encountered outcome study category, represented in only 0.6 percent of studies. Conclusions: Most studies in this review had a level 1 impact, signifying that most outcomes studies in plastic surgery do not show a direct policy impact in patient outcomes. However, they are important in confirming the effectiveness of interventions already in clinical practice and raising new research questions. There is a need for more economic analysis research in plastic surgery outcomes studies.

Development of a brief, 12-item version of the Michigan Hand Questionnaire.

Background: The Michigan Hand Questionnaire is one of the most widely used hand-specific surveys that measure health status relevant to patients with acute and chronic hand disorders. However, item redundancy exists in the original version, and an abbreviated survey could minimize responder burden and offer broader applicability. Methods: Patients (n = 422) with four specific hand conditions—rheumatoid arthritis (n = 162), thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis (n = 31), carpal tunnel syndrome (n = 97), and distal radius fracture (n = 132)—completed the Michigan Hand Questionnaire at two time points. Correlation analysis identified two items from each of six domains (i.e., function, activities of daily living, work, pain, aesthetics, and satisfaction). The Brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire score was calculated as the sum of the responses to the 12 items. Psychometric analysis was performed to describe the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire. Results: The Brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire includes 12 items that were highly correlated with the summary Michigan Hand Questionnaire score (r = 0.99, p < 0.001). The Brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire scores were highly correlated between the two time periods (r = 0.78, p < 0.001) and by disease type. Responsiveness of the Brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire was high for all diseases and similar to that of the original Michigan Hand Questionnaire. Conclusions: The 12-item Brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire is an efficient and versatile outcomes instrument specific to hand disability that retains the psychometric properties of the original Michigan Hand Questionnaire. The Brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire is an important tool with which to measure patient outcomes and the quality of care in hand surgery. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic, I. Figure. No caption available.

Long-term followup for rheumatoid arthritis patients in a multicenter outcomes study of silicone metacarpophalangeal joint arthroplasty.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) often results in deformities at the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints. Patients with severe deformities can be treated by silicone metacarpophalangeal joint arthroplasty (SMPA). The objective of the study is to prospectively compare long‐term outcomes for an SMPA surgical and a nonsurgical cohort of RA patients.

An outcome study for ulnar neuropathy at the elbow: A multicenter study by the surgery for ulnar nerve (SUN) study group

BACKGROUND Many instruments have been developed to measure upper extremity disability, but few have been applied to ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE). OBJECTIVE We measured patient outcomes following ulnar nerve decompression to (1) identify the most appropriate outcomes tools for UNE and (2) to describe outcomes following ulnar nerve decompression. METHODS Thirty-nine patients from 5 centers were followed prospectively after nerve decompression. Outcomes were measured preoperatively and at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively. Each patient completed the Michigan Hand Questionnaire (MHQ), Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (CTQ), and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaires. Grip, key-pinch strength, Semmes-Weinstein monofilament, and 2-point discrimination were measured. Construct validity was calculated by using Spearman correlation coefficients between questionnaire scores and physical and sensory measures. Responsiveness was assessed by standardized response means. RESULTS Key-pinch (P = .008) and Semmes-Weinstein monofilament testing of the ulnar ring (P < .001) and small finger (radial: P = .004; ulnar: P < .001) improved following decompression. Two-point discrimination improved significantly across the radial (P = .009) and ulnar (P = .007) small finger. Improved symptoms and function were noted by the CTQ (preoperative CTQ symptom score 2.73 vs 1.90 postoperatively, P < .001), DASH (P < .001), and MHQ: function (P < .001), activities of daily living (P = .003), work (P = .006), pain (P < .001), and satisfaction (P < .001). All surveys demonstrated strong construct validity, defined by correlation with functional outcomes, but MHQ and CTQ symptom instruments demonstrated the highest responsiveness. CONCLUSION Patient-reported outcomes improve following ulnar nerve decompression, including pain, function, and satisfaction. The MHQ and CTQ are more responsive than the DASH for isolated UNE treated with decompression.

Properties of the International Classification for Functioning, Disability and Health in assessing hand outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES Variables from a study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis were linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Set for rheumatoid arthritis. The purpose of this analysis was to evaluate the ICF Core Sets for rheumatoid arthritis for assessing the functional outcomes of the rheumatoid hand. DESIGN Prospective cohort. SUBJECTS A total of 142 subjects with rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS Patients who elected to have or not have arthroplasty were linked with the ICF Core Sets. Study variables were assigned into one of the Core Set blocks that compose the ICF model. The blocks were then entered into multiple regression models to determine the contribution of each block in explaining the variation in hand outcome at enrollment, as well as the change in hand outcome after one year. RESULTS Seventy percent of the reported hand outcome at enrollment was explained by the ICF Core Set blocks. For change in hand outcome at one year, the ICF Core Set blocks measured at enrollment explained 18% of the variance. CONCLUSION The components of the ICF Core Set for rheumatoid arthritis explained much of the variation in hand functioning for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, but were not predictive of the change in hand functioning after one year.

A Guide to Planning and Executing a Surgical Randomized Controlled Trial

Evidence-based medicine requires that treatments given to patients demonstrate effectiveness. The randomized controlled trial (RCT) has become the preeminent study design to assess the efficacy of treatments. Randomized controlled trials are frequently used to evaluate pharmaceutical treatments but are less often used in surgery. The lack of surgical RCTs is partly due to ethical and methodological concerns associated with surgical interventions. We provide a guide to planning and conducting a surgical RCT.