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Biomedical subjects

Joe V Selby

Publications and source records attributed to Joe V Selby.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

A cohort study of the incidence of serious acute liver injury in diabetic patients treated with hypoglycemic agents.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of acute liver failure or serious liver injury in diabetic patients is needed to evaluate the safety of hypoglycemic drug therapy. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 5 health maintenance organizations. Study patients were 171,264 health plan members 19 years or older when they received oral hypoglycemic drugs or insulin between April 1, 1997, and June 30, 1999. We searched for hospital discharge diagnoses and procedures potentially indicative of acute liver injury and reviewed the full-text medical records. Acute liver failure was defined as acute liver disease and (1) hepatic encephalopathy, (2) prothrombin time prolongation greater than 3 seconds or international normalized ratio greater than 1.5, and (3) a total bilirubin level greater than 3.0 mg/dL (>51 micro mol/L). Acute liver injury was diagnosed in individuals who did not meet 1 or more of the criteria for acute liver failure but had alanine transaminase or aspartate transaminase levels greater than 500 U/L. RESULTS: We identified 35 cases of acute liver failure or injury not clearly attributable to a known cause other than use of hypoglycemic agents. The age- and sex-standardized incidence per 1000 person-years was 0.15 for insulin users, 0.08 for sulfonylurea users, 0.12 for metformin users, and 0.10 for troglitazone users. The incidence was higher (on the order of 0.3 per 1000) during the first 6 months of exposure to all hypoglycemic agents. CONCLUSIONS: Acute liver failure or injury not clearly attributable to other known causes occurred on the order of 1 per 10,000 person-years among diabetic patients treated with oral hypoglycemic drugs or insulin.

Acute Disease↗

Determining the value of disease management programs.

BACKGROUND: Increasing prevalence, rising costs, and persisting deficiencies in quality of care for chronic diseases pose economic and policy challenges to providers and purchasers. Disease management (DM) programs may address these challenges, but neither purchasers nor providers can assess their value. The potpourri of current quality indicators provides limited insight into the actual clinical benefit achieved. A conference sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and held in October 2002 explored new approaches to measuring and reporting the value of DM for diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: Quantifying the value of DM requires measuring clinical benefit and net impact on health care costs for the entire population with diabetes. If quality is measured with indicators that are clearly linked to outcomes, clinical benefit can be estimated. Natural history models combine the expected benefits of improvements in multiple indicators to yield a single, composite measure, the quality-adjusted life-year. Such metrics could fairly express, in terms of survival and complications prevention, relatively disparate DM programs' benefits. Measuring and comparing health care costs requires data validation and appropriate case-mix adjustment. Comparing value across programs may provide more accurate assessments of performance, enhance quality improvement efforts within systems, and contribute generalizable knowledge on the utility of DM approaches. CONCLUSIONS: Conference attendees recommended pilot projects to further explore use of natural history models for measuring and reporting the value of DM.

Chronic Disease↗

Factor V Leiden and risk of ischemic stroke in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: the AnTicoagulation and Risk Factors in Atrial Fibrillation (ATRIA) Study.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation is a major cause of cardioembolic stroke. Since atrial and venous pressures are similar, genetic variants that promote venous thromboembolism may increase the risk of atrial thrombi and subsequent stroke in atrial fibrillation. METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study of the association between the presence of factor V Leiden polymorphism and incident ischemic stroke within a prospective cohort of 13,559 adult patients with diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation between July 1, 1996 and December 31, 1997. Incident cases with ischemic strokes were identified through August 31, 1999 and matching stroke-free controls were enrolled. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-seven case patients with incident stroke and 214 controls were enrolled. Cases were older, more likely to be women, and more likely to have a prior stroke, heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, and coronary disease. The factor V Leiden polymorphism was present in 5.8% of cases and 3.7% of controls (P = 0.36). Among non-anticoagulated patients, 7/96 (7.3%) case patients and 3/81 (3.6%) control subjects were heterozygous for factor V Leiden (Odds Ratio 2.1 [95% CI: 0.5-8.4]). Adjustment for known stroke risk factors did not significantly change the observed association in non-anticoagulated patients (adjusted OR 1.9 [0.5-8.0]). CONCLUSIONS: Within a large nested case-control sample of patients with atrial fibrillation, factor V Leiden was not significantly associated with risk of stroke. However, given the suggestive nature of our findings, further study in even larger numbers of patients is needed to clarify the impact of factor V Leiden on stroke risk in atrial fibrillation.

Aged↗

Ethnic and racial differences in diabetes care: The Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes and its complications disproportionately affect African Americans and Hispanics. Complications could be prevented with appropriate medical care. We compared five processes of care and three outcomes of care among African Americans, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic whites. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We used data from the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study (1993-1998) of participants with known diabetes. African Americans and Hispanics were compared with non-Hispanic whites from the same region. Five process measures (treatment of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, albuminuria, and coronary artery disease) and three outcome measures (control of diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia) were evaluated. RESULTS: Comparison groups were similar in baseline characteristics. African Americans and Hispanics were equally likely as their non-Hispanic white comparison group to receive treatment for diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, albuminuria, and coronary artery disease, although treatment rates for hyperlipidemia and albuminuria were poor for all groups. African Americans were more likely to have poorly controlled diabetes (HbA(1c) >8.0%: OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.26-3.94). Both African American and Hispanics were significantly more likely to have borderline or poorly controlled hypertension than non-Hispanic whites (blood pressure >130-140/85-90 or >140/90 mmHg: African American/non-Hispanic white OR 3.22, 95% CI 1.57-6.59; Hispanic/non-Hispanic white 3.14, 1.35-7.3). CONCLUSIONS: The rates of treatment for diabetes and associated comorbidities are similar across all three ethnic groups. Few individuals in any ethnic group received treatment for hyperlipidemia and albuminuria. Ethnic disparities exist in control of diabetes and hypertension. Programs should be tested to improve overall quality of care and eliminate these disparities.

Alcohol Drinking↗

Use of antibiotics is not associated with decreased risk of myocardial infarction among patients with diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between exposure to antibiotic treatment and risk of subsequent myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A case-control design was used to assess the effect of previous antibiotic exposure in diabetes patients with acute, nonfatal or fatal MI (case subjects) and individually matched control subjects (four control subjects to one case subject, matched on sex, age, and index date). Subjects were sampled from the Northern California Kaiser Permanente Diabetes Registry, a well-characterized, ethnically diverse diabetic population from Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, Northern California Region. MI events were ascertained during a 2-year observation period (1998-1999). Separate conditional logistic regression models were specified to assess antibiotic exposure history (cephalosporins only, penicillins only, macrolides only, quinolones only, sulfonamides only, tetracyclines only, as well as more than one, any, or no antibiotic) for three nested windows before the index date (0-6 months, 0-12 months, 0-24 months), facilitating assessment of whether the potential effect was dependent on the timing of the exposure. RESULTS: A total of 1,401 MI case subjects were observed. Odds ratios were calculated in models adjusted for age, sex, race, education attainment, time since diabetes diagnosis, diabetes type and treatment, use of diet and exercise, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride levels, hypertension, elevated urinary albumin excretion, serum creatinine, BMI, and smoking. We found no evidence of a protective effect of any of these therapeutic classes of antibiotics during any of the three time frames. CONCLUSIONS: Our study does not support the hypothesis that use of antibiotics has a protective effect for prevention of coronary heart disease in diabetic patients.

Aged↗

Ethnic disparities in diabetic complications in an insured population.

CONTEXT: Higher rates of microvascular complications have been reported for minorities. Disparate access to quality health care is a common explanation for ethnic disparities in diabetic complication rates in the US population. Examining an ethnically diverse population with uniform health care coverage may be useful. OBJECTIVE: To assess ethnic disparities in the incidence of diabetic complications within a nonprofit prepaid health care organization. DESIGN AND SETTING: Longitudinal observational study conducted January 1, 1995, through December 31, 1998, at Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in northern California. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 62 432 diabetic patients, including Asians (12%), blacks (14%), Latinos (10%), and whites (64%). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incident myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, congestive heart failure (CHF), and nontraumatic lower extremity amputation (LEA), defined by primary hospitalization discharge diagnosis, procedures, or underlying cause of death; and end-stage renal disease (ESRD), defined as renal insufficiency requiring renal replacement therapy or transplantation for survival or by underlying cause of death. RESULTS: Patterns of ethnic differences were not consistent across complications and frequently persisted despite adjustment for a wide range of demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral, and clinical factors. Adjusted hazard ratios (relative to that of whites) were 0.56, 0.68, and 0.68 for blacks, Asians, and Latinos, respectively (P<.001), for MI; 0.76 and 0.72 for Asians and Latinos, respectively (P<.01), for stroke; 0.70 and 0.61 for Asians and Latinos, respectively (P<.01), for CHF; 0.40 for Asians (P<.001) for LEA; and 2.03, 1.85, and 1.46 for blacks, Asians, and Latinos, respectively (P<.01), for ESRD. There were no statistically significant black-white differences for stroke, CHF, or LEA and no Latino-white differences for LEA. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms previous reports of elevated incidence of ESRD among ethnic minorities, despite uniform medical care coverage, and provides new evidence that rates of other complications are similar or lower relative to those of whites. The persistence of ethnic disparities after adjustment suggests a possible genetic origin, the contribution of unmeasured environmental factors, or a combination of these factors.

Amputation, Surgical↗

Complications of screening flexible sigmoidoscopy.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) is recommended for mass screening for colorectal cancer (CRC), yet little is known about the risk of adverse events when FS is used in general clinical practice. We aimed to determine the incidence of gastrointestinal complications and acute myocardial infarction (MI) after screening FS. METHODS: Northern California Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program members of average risk for CRC (n = 107,704) who underwent screening FS during 1994 to 1996 (109,534 FS), as part of the Colorectal Cancer Prevention (CoCaP) program. The main outcome measure was hospitalization for gastrointestinal complications or acute MI within 4 weeks of FS. RESULTS: The mean age of subjects was 61 years, and 48.8% were female. Nongastroenterologist physicians, nurses, or physician assistants performed 72% of FS. Overall, 24 persons were hospitalized for a gastrointestinal complication. Of these, 7 were serious (2 perforations, 2 episodes of diverticulitis requiring surgery, 2 cases of bleeding requiring transfusion, and 1 episode of unexplained colitis). In multivariate models, complications were significantly more common in men than in women (odds ratio, 3.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34-10.13). MI occurred in 33 persons within 4 weeks of FS, but the incidence for this period was similar to that in the subsequent 48 weeks (rate ratio, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.6-1.2). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of serious complications after screening FS in this setting appears to be modest. Although MI occurs after FS, the risk during the 4 weeks after the procedure appears to be similar to expectations for persons of screening age.

Aged↗

Racial/ethnic variation in asthma status and management practices among children in managed medicaid.

OBJECTIVE: Racial/ethnic disparities in hospitalization rates among children with asthma have been documented but are not well-understood. Medicaid programs, which serve many minority children, have markedly increased their use of managed care in recent years. It is unknown whether racial/ethnic disparities in health care use or other processes of care exist in managed Medicaid populations. This study of Medicaid-insured children with asthma in 5 managed care organizations aimed to 1) compare parent-reported health status and asthma care processes among black, Latino, and white children and 2) test the hypothesis that racial/ethnic variations in processes of asthma care exist after adjusting for socioeconomic status and asthma status. METHODS: This cross-sectional study collected data via telephone interviews with parents and computerized records for Medicaid-insured children with asthma in 5 managed care organizations in California, Washington, and Massachusetts. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Children's Health Survey for Asthma was used to measure parent-reported asthma status. We used multivariate models to evaluate associations between race/ethnicity and asthma status while controlling for other sociodemographic variables. We evaluated racial/ethnic variations in selected processes of asthma care while controlling for other demographic variables and asthma status. RESULTS: The response rate was 63%. Of the 1658 children in the respondent group, 38% were black, 19% were Latino, and 31% were white. Black children had worse asthma status than white children on the basis of the AAP asthma physical and emotional health scores, symptom-days, and school days missed in the past 2 weeks. Latino children had equivalent AAP scores but missed more school days than white children. On the basis of the AAP asthma physical health score, the black-white disparity persisted after adjusting for other sociodemographic variables. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables and asthma status, black and Latino children were less likely to be using inhaled antiinflammatory medication than white children (relative risk for blacks: 0.69; relative risk for Latinos: 0.58). They were more likely to have home nebulizers. Other processes of asthma care, including ratings of providers and asthma care, use of written management plans, use of preventive visits and specialists, and having no pets or smokers at home, were equal or better for minority children compared with white children. CONCLUSIONS: Black and Latino children had worse asthma status and less use of preventive asthma medications than white children within the same managed Medicaid populations. Most other processes of asthma care seemed to be equal or better for minorities in the populations that we studied. Increasing the use of preventive medications is a natural focus for reducing racial disparities in asthma.

Black or African American↗

Choice of a primary care physician and its relationship to adherence among patients with diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between selecting one's own primary care physician and adherence to treatment regimens as measured by patients' report of self-care behaviors and objective records of adherence to recommended prevention behaviors. STUDY DESIGN: A mail survey of physicians and their patients with diabetes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty physicians and 1200 of their patients with diabetes (30 per physician) from 3 health centers of Kaiser Permanente in Northern California were surveyed. The questionnaires asked about satisfaction, treatment adherence, and physician behavior. Data from the Kaiser Permanente Diabetes Registry of Northern California were used to assess whether patients had undergone recommended prevention tests and screenings. RESULTS: Patients who chose their primary care physicians reported significantly greater adherence to their treatment regimens (P < .01) than those assigned to a primary care physician, and this relationship remained significant after controlling for possible confounding factors (eg, physician gender, patient gender, length of relationship). Objective records of prevention behaviors indicated that patients who chose their physicians were significantly more likely to have had a retinal exam (P < .02) and tests for total cholesterol (P < .001), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < .03), and glycosylated hemoglobin (P < .02) during the past 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the manner in which patients are linked with primary care physicians is associated with patient behavior; therefore, HMOs might increase opportunities for patients to choose their doctors, while determining those factors that affect patient choice and why choice makes a difference.

Adult↗

Effect of primary health care orientation on chronic care management.

PURPOSE: It has been suggested that the best way to improve chronic illness care is through a redesign of primary care emphasizing comprehensive, coordinated care as espoused by the Chronic Care Model (CCM). This study examined the relationship between primary care orientation and the implementation of the CCM in physician organizations. METHODS: The relationship between measures of primary care orientation and the CCM was examined in a sample of 957 physician organizations from the National Study of Physician Organizations, a cross-sectional telephone survey of all US medical groups and independent practice associations with 20 or more physicians (response rate, 70%). RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, 6 of 8 measures of primary care orientation were associated with physician organizations' adoption of 11 elements of CCM chronic care management. These 6 measures were severity of chronic illness treated in primary care, health promotion activity, health education activity, any accepted financial risk for hospitalization, required reporting, and presence of an electronic standardized problem list. Presence of an electronic medical record and the 5-year primary care physician turnover rate were not associated. CONCLUSIONS: Organizations that have adopted 6 core attributes of primary care, representing comprehensive health service delivery and a commitment to overall patient health, appear to use more chronic care management practices. Policy makers and other stakeholders may wish to focus on creating an improved primary care home in their quest to close the "quality chasm" in chronic illness care.

Chronic Disease↗