Few studies have characterized recent population trends in the incidence and outcomes of myocardial infarction.
We identified patients 30 years of age or older in a large, diverse, community-based ...population who were hospitalized for incident myocardial infarction between 1999 and 2008. Age- and sex-adjusted incidence rates were calculated for myocardial infarction overall and separately for ST-segment elevation and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Patient characteristics, outpatient medications, and cardiac biomarker levels during hospitalization were identified from health plan databases, and 30-day mortality was ascertained from administrative databases, state death data, and Social Security Administration files.
We identified 46,086 hospitalizations for myocardial infarctions during 18,691,131 person-years of follow-up from 1999 to 2008. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence of myocardial infarction increased from 274 cases per 100,000 person-years in 1999 to 287 cases per 100,000 person-years in 2000, and it decreased each year thereafter, to 208 cases per 100,000 person-years in 2008, representing a 24% relative decrease over the study period. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction decreased throughout the study period (from 133 cases per 100,000 person-years in 1999 to 50 cases per 100,000 person-years in 2008, P<0.001 for linear trend). Thirty-day mortality was significantly lower in 2008 than in 1999 (adjusted odds ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.65 to 0.89).
Within a large community-based population, the incidence of myocardial infarction decreased significantly after 2000, and the incidence of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction decreased markedly after 1999. Reductions in short-term case fatality rates for myocardial infarction appear to be driven, in part, by a decrease in the incidence of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and a lower rate of death after non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.
To evaluate 25-year physical activity (PA) trajectories from young to middle age and assess associations with the prevalence of coronary artery calcification (CAC).
This study includes 3175 ...participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study who self-reported PA by questionnaire at 8 follow-up examinations over 25 years (from March 1985-June 1986 through June 2010-May 2011). The presence of CAC (CAC>0) at year 25 was measured using computed tomography. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to identify PA trajectories with increasing age.
We identified 3 distinct PA trajectories: trajectory 1, below PA guidelines (n=1813; 57.1%); trajectory 2, meeting PA guidelines (n=1094; 34.5%); and trajectory 3, 3 times PA guidelines (n=268; 8.4%). Trajectory 3 participants had higher adjusted odds of CAC>0 (adjusted odds ratio OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 0.95-1.70) vs those in trajectory 1. Stratification by race showed that white participants who engaged in PA 3 times the guidelines had higher odds of developing CAC>0 (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.21-2.67). Further stratification by sex showed higher odds for white males (OR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.16-2.98), and similar but nonsignificant trends were noted for white females (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 0.79-3.71). However, no such higher odds of CAC>0 for trajectory 3 were observed for black participants.
White individuals who participated in 3 times the recommended PA guidelines over 25 years had higher odds of developing coronary subclinical atherosclerosis by middle age. These findings warrant further exploration, especially by race, into possible biological mechanisms for CAC risk at very high levels of PA.
The natural history of Chiari I malformation in children remains unclear. A population-based retrospective cohort study was therefore conducted. Radiology reports from all head and spine magnetic ...resonance imaging scans ( n = 5248) performed among 741,815 children under age 20 within Kaiser Northern California, 1997-1998, were searched for Chiari I. Medical records and imaging studies were reviewed to determine clinical and radiographic predictors of significant neurologic symptoms, defined as moderate to severe headache, neck pain, vertigo, or ataxia. The 51 patients identified with Chiari I represented 1% of the children who had head or spine magnetic resonance imaging scans performed during the study period. Headache (55%) and neck pain (12%) were the most common symptoms. Syringomyelia was present in 6 patients (12%) at initial diagnosis; no new syrinxes developed during follow-up. Older age at time of diagnosis was associated with increased risk of headache (odds ratio OR = 1.3, 95% confidence interval CI = 1.1-1.5) and significant neurologic symptoms (OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.04-1.4). Chiari I, an underrecognized cause of headaches in children, is also frequently discovered incidentally in children without symptoms. Larger and longer-term studies are needed to determine the prognosis and optimal treatment of pediatric Chiari I.
To determine the relationship between diagnosed and treated COPD and the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) hospitalization and mortality.
Retrospective matched cohort study.
Northern ...California Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program (KPNC), a comprehensive prepaid integrated health-care system.
Case patients (n = 45,966) were all KPNC members with COPD who were identified during a 4-year period from January 1996 through December 1999. An equal number of control subjects without COPD were selected from KPNC membership and were matched for gender, year of birth, and length of KPNC membership.
Follow-up conducted for hospitalization and mortality from CVD end points through December 31, 2000. CVD study end points included cardiac arrhythmias, angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure (CHF), stroke, pulmonary embolism, all of the aforementioned study end points combined, other CVD, and all CVD end points. The mean follow-up time was 2.75 years for case patients and 2.99 years for control subjects. The risk of hospitalization was higher in COPD case patients than in control subjects for all CVD hospitalization and mortality end points. The relative risk (RR) for hospitalization for the composite measure of all study end points was 2.09 (95% confidence interval CI, 1.99 to 2.20) after adjustment for gender, preexisting CVD study end points, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes, and ranged from 1.33 (stroke) to 3.75 (CHF). The adjusted RR for mortality for the composite measure of all study end points was 1.68 (95% CI, 1.50 to 1.88), ranging from 1.25 (stroke) to 3.53 (CHF). Younger patients (ie, age < 65 years) and female patients had higher risks than older and male participants.
COPD was a predictor of CVD hospitalization and mortality over an average follow-up time of nearly 3 years. The finding of a stronger relationship of COPD to CVD outcomes in patients < 65 years of age suggests that CVD risk should be monitored and treated with particular care in younger adults with COPD.
Heart disease and stroke remain among the leading causes of death nationally. We examined whether differences in recent trends in heart disease, stroke, and total mortality exist in the United States ...and Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC), a large integrated healthcare delivery system.
The main outcome measures were comparisons of US and KPNC total, age-specific, and sex-specific changes from 2000 to 2015 in mortality rates from heart disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, and all causes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research data system was used to determine US mortality rates. Mortality rates for KPNC were determined from health system, Social Security vital status, and state death certificate databases.
Declines in age-adjusted mortality rates were noted in KPNC and the United States for heart disease (36.3% in KPNC vs 34.6% in the United States), coronary heart disease (51.0% vs 47.9%), stroke (45.5% vs 38.2%), and all-cause mortality (16.8% vs 15.6%). However, steeper declines were noted in KPNC than the United States among those aged 45 to 65 years for heart disease (48.3% KPNC vs 23.6% United States), coronary heart disease (55.6% vs 35.9%), stroke (55.8% vs 26.0%), and all-cause mortality (31.5% vs 9.1%). Sex-specific changes were generally similar.
Despite significant declines in heart disease and stroke mortality, there remains an improvement gap nationally among those aged less than 65 years when compared with a large integrated healthcare delivery system. Interventions to improve cardiovascular mortality in the vulnerable middle-aged population may play a key role in closing this gap.
Abstract Background Combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs) place women at increased risk of venous thromboembolic events (VTEs) and arterial thrombotic events (ATEs), including acute myocardial ...infarction and ischemic stroke. There is concern that three recent CHC preparations drospirenone-containing pills (DRSPs), the norelgestromin-containing transdermal patch (NGMN) and the etonogestrel vaginal ring (ETON) may place women at even higher risk of thrombosis than other older low-dose CHCs with a known safety profile. Study Design All VTEs and all hospitalized ATEs were identified in women, ages 10–55 years, from two integrated health care programs and two state Medicaid programs during the time period covering their new use of DRSP, NGMN, ETON or one of four low-dose estrogen comparator CHCs. The relative risk of thrombotic and thromboembolic outcomes associated with the newer CHCs in relation to the comparators was assessed with Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusting for age, site and year of entry into the study. Results The hazards ratio for DRSP in relation to low-dose estrogen comparators among new users was 1.77 (95% confidence interval 1.33–2.35) for VTE and 2.01 (1.06–3.81) for ATE. The increased risk of DRSP was limited to the 10–34-year age group for VTE and the 35–55-year group for ATE. Use of the NGMN patch and ETON vaginal ring was not associated with increased risk of either thromboembolic or thrombotic outcomes. Conclusions In new users, DRSP was associated with higher risk of thrombotic events (VTE and ATE) relative to low-dose estrogen comparator CHCs, while the use of the NGMN patch and ETON vaginal ring was not.
The long-term downward national U.S. trend in heart disease-related mortality slowed substantially during 2011-2014 before turning upward in 2015. Examining mortality trends in the major subgroups of ...heart disease may provide insight into potentially more targeted and effective prevention and treatment approaches to promote favorable trajectories. We examined national trends between 2000 and 2015 in mortality attributed to major heart disease subgroups including ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and all other types of heart disease.
Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) data system, we determined national trends in age-standardized mortality rates attributed to ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and other heart diseases from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2011, and from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2015. Annual rate of changes in mortality attributed to ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and other heart diseases for 2000-2011 and 2011-2015 were compared.
Death attributed to ischemic heart disease declined from 2000 to 2015, but the rate of decline slowed from 4.96% (95% confidence interval 4.77%-5.15%) for 2000-2011 to 2.66% (2.00%-3.31%) for 2011-2015. In contrast, death attributed to heart failure and all other causes of heart disease declined from 2000 to 2011 at annual rates of 1.94% (1.77%-2.11%) and 0.64% (0.44%-0.82%) respectively, but increased from 2011 to 2015 at annual rates of 3.73% (3.21% 4.26%) and 1.89% (1.33-2.46%). Differences in 2000-2011 and 2011-2015 decline rates were statistically significant for all 3 endpoints overall, by sex, and all race/ethnicity groups except Asian/Pacific Islanders (heart failure only significant) and American Indian/Alaskan Natives.
While the long-term decline in death attributed to heart disease slowed between 2011 and 2014 nationally before turning upward in 2015, heterogeneity existed in the trajectories attributed to heart disease subgroups, with ischemic heart disease mortality continuing to decline while death attributed to heart failure and other heart diseases switched from a downward to upward trend. While systematic efforts to prevent and treat ischemic heart disease continue to be effective, urgent attention is needed to address the challenge of heart failure.
Limited data have been reported on bariatric surgery within a large, high-volume regional multicenter integrated healthcare delivery system.
Review clinical characteristics and short- and ...intermediate-term outcomes and adverse events from a bariatric surgery program within an integrated healthcare delivery system.
Single high-volume, multicenter regional integrated healthcare delivery system.
Adult patients who underwent primary bariatric surgery during 2010-2011 were reviewed. Clinical characteristics, outcomes, and weight loss results were extracted from the electronic medical record.
A total of 2399 patients were identified within the study period. The 30-day rates of clinical outcomes for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB; n = 1313) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG; n = 1018) were 2.9% for readmission, 3.0% for major complications, .8% for reoperation, and 0% for mortality. One-year and 2-year weight loss results were as follows: percent weight loss (%WL) was 31.4 (±SD 8.5) and 34.2±12.0% for SG and 34.1±9.3 and 39.1±11.9 for RYGB; percent excess weight loss (%EBWL) was 64.2±18.0 and 69.8±23.7 for SG and 68.0±19.3 and 77.8±23.7 for RYGB; percent excess body mass index loss (%EBMIL) was 72.9±21.0 and 77.7±22.4 for SG and 76.6±22.1% and 85.6±21.6 for RYGB. Follow-up for each procedure at 1 year was 76% for SG (n = 778) and 80% for RYGB (n = 1052) and at 2 years was 65% for SG (n = 659) and 67% for RYGB (n = 875).
A large regional high-volume multicenter bariatric program within an integrated healthcare delivery system can produce excellent short-term results with low rates of short- and intermediate-term adverse outcomes.
Abstract Accurate projections of future demand require constant updates of current data. This article reviews the most recent usage data for primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA) in a ...community-based hospital system with 3.2 million members. We used administrative databases to determine plan membership, surgical volume, and age-adjusted incidence rates for TJA from 1996 through 2009. The annual growth rate in surgical volume peaked in 2002 at 18% and decreased to 3% by 2009. The annual growth rate for age-adjusted incidence rates peaked in 2002 at 13% and declined to 2% in 2009. In our population, the incidence of TJA continues to rise but at a much slower pace than in recent years.
Failure to expeditiously diagnose atrial fibrillation (AF) as the cause of ischemic stroke has unclear consequences. We studied the association between detection of AF after discharge and the risk of ...recurrent stroke. We followed a prospectively assembled cohort of patients hospitalized for stroke for 1 year for new diagnoses of AF and recurrent stroke. We compared rates of recurrent stroke in patients with a new diagnosis of AF and those without a new diagnosis of AF after discharge using Kaplan‒Meier survival statistics. We conducted Cox proportional hazards analysis of the diagnosis and timing of AF and recurrent stroke after adjustment for age, sex, race, preexisting AF, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, previous stroke, and use of antithrombotic and statin medications. Among 5575 patients with stroke, 113 (2.0%) received a new diagnosis of AF after discharge, and 221 (4.0%) had recurrent stroke. At 1 year, the Kaplan‒Meier rate of recurrent stroke was 18.9% in those with a new diagnosis of AF and 4.5% in others, including those with AF diagnosed before or during the index hospitalization ( P = .001). The association between a new diagnosis of AF and stroke recurrence persisted after adjustment for potential confounders (hazard ratio, 5.6; 95% confidence interval, 3.4-9.1). A new diagnosis of AF after discharge for stroke is associated with an increased risk of recurrent stroke, even compared with patients with known AF. These findings identify a subset of patients at high risk for recurrent stroke and highlight the importance of timely detection of AF in patients with stroke.