Prevalence and Risk Factors for Fecal Incontinence in Home Hospice

Introduction: We sought to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with fecal incontinence (FI) in the home hospice setting. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients served by a hospice agency. Data on patient characteristics were extracted from hospice medical records. The primary outcome, FI, was assessed routinely during clinical visits to the patient’s home. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize patient characteristics. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was estimated for FI to examine associations with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients. Results: A total of 15 432 patients were eligible. Patients were female (59.0%) and 75 years or older (23.5% were 75-84; 39.9% were 85+). Most patients with FI indicated incontinence at the time of hospice admission (64.5%; n = 4314), with the average onset period being approximately 18 days from admission (mean = 17.9, standard deviation = 50.6). Increasing age represented a risk factor for FI (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.01 [confidence interval, CI = 1.01-1.01]). The absence of a health-care proxy was associated with an increased risk of FI (HR = 1.11 [CI = 1.04-1.19]). Greater risk of FI was observed among patients with dementia (HR = 1.34 [1.24-1.46]) and stroke (HR = 1.42 [1.26-1.60]) compared to patients with cancer. Patients referred to hospice from settings other than the hospital also had a greater risk of FI compared to those referred from the hospital (HR = 1.17 [1.11-1.23]). Conclusion: Fecal incontinence is a highly prevalent condition among home hospice patients and most patients indicated FI upon admission (median time to detection = 18 days). Further studies are needed to identify modifiable risk factors for FI detection and its symptom management in this patient population.

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A contemporary survival analysis of individuals with cystic fibrosis: a cohort study

European Respiratory Journal ◽

10.1183/09031936.00119714 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 45 (3) ◽

pp. 670-679 ◽

Cited By ~ 91

Author(s):

Anne L. Stephenson ◽

Melissa Tom ◽

Yves Berthiaume ◽

Lianne G. Singer ◽

Shawn D. Aaron ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cystic Fibrosis ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Patient Characteristics ◽

Population Based ◽

Forced Expiratory Volume ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards Models ◽

Increased Risk

Previously established predictors of survival may no longer apply in the current era of cystic fibrosis (CF) care. Our objective was to identify risk factors associated with survival in a contemporary CF population.We used the Canadian CF Registry, a population-based cohort, to calculate median age of survival and summarise patient characteristics from 1990 to 2012. Clinical, demographic and geographical factors, and survival were estimated for a contemporary cohort (2000–2012) using Cox proportional hazards models.There were 5787 individuals in the registry between 1990 and 2012. Median survival age increased from 31.9 years (95% CI 28.3–35.2 years) in 1990 to 49.7 years (95% CI 46.1–52.2 years) in the most current 5-year window ending in 2012. Median forced expiratory volume in 1 s improved (p=0.04) and fewer subjects were malnourished (p<0.001) over time. Malnourished patients (hazard ratio (HR) 2.1, 95% CI 1.6–2.8), those with multiple exacerbations (HR 4.5, 95% CI 3.2–6.4) and women with CF-related diabetes (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2–2.7) were at increased risk of death.Life expectancy in Canadians with CF is increasing. Modifiable risk factors such as malnutrition and pulmonary exacerbations are associated with an increased risk of death. The sex gap in CF survival may be explained by an increased hazard for death in women with CF-related diabetes.

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Air Pollution Is Associated with Cognitive Deterioration of Alzheimer’s Disease

Gerontology ◽

10.1159/000515162 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Feng Cheng Lin ◽

Chih Yin Chen ◽

Chung Wei Lin ◽

Ming Tsang Wu ◽

Hsuan Yu Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Social Engagement ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Rank Test ◽

Cognitive Deterioration ◽

Clinical Dementia Rating ◽

Severe Stage ◽

Increased Risk

Introduction: Dementia is one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people worldwide. Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia among the elderly, has great impact on the health-care system of developed nations. Several risk factors are suggestive of an increased risk of AD, including APOE-ε4, male, age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and low social engagement. However, data on risk factors of AD progression are limited. Air pollution is revealed to be associated with increasing dementia incidence, but the relationship between air pollution and clinical AD cognitive deterioration is unclear. Methods: We conducted a case-control and city-to-city study to compare the progression of AD patients in different level of air-polluted cities. Clinical data of a total of 704 AD patients were retrospectively collected, 584 residences in Kaohsiung and 120 residences in Pingtung between 2002 and 2018. An annual interview was performed with each patient, and the Clinical Dementia Rating score (0 [normal] to 3 [severe stage]) was used to evaluate their cognitive deterioration. Air pollution data of Kaohsiung and Pingtung city for 2002–2018 were retrieved from Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration. Annual Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) and concentrations of particulate matter (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO) were obtained. Results: The PSI was higher in Kaohsiung and compared with Pingtung patients, Kaohsiung patients were exposed to higher average annual concentrations of CO, NO2, PM10, and SO2. AD patients living in Kaohsiung suffered from faster cognitive deterioration in comparison with Pingtung patients (log-rank test: p = 0.016). When using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, higher levels of CO, NO2, PM10, and SO2 exposure were associated with increased risk of AD cognitive deterioration. Among all these air pollutants, high SO2 exposure has the greatest impact while O3 has a neutral effect on AD cognitive deterioration. Conclusions: Air pollution is an environment-related risk factor that can be controlled and is associated with cognitive deterioration of AD. This finding could contribute to the implementation of public intervention strategies of AD.

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Improvement of Abandonment of Therapy in Pediatric Patients with Cancer in Guatemala

Journal of Global Oncology ◽

10.1200/jgo.2016.004648 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2 (3_suppl) ◽

pp. 76s-76s ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Elysia Alvarez ◽

Midori Seppa ◽

Kevin Messacar ◽

John Kurap ◽

E. Alejandro Sweet-Cordero ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Psychosocial Intervention ◽

Intervention Program ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Population Based ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Middle Income ◽

Targeted Interventions ◽

Increased Risk

Abstract 59 Background: Abandonment of therapy is a major cause of therapeutic failure in the treatment of childhood cancer in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC). This study examines factors associated with increased risk of therapy abandonment in Guatemalan children with cancer and the rates of therapy abandonment before and after implementation of a multidisciplinary psychosocial intervention program. Methods: A retrospective population-based study was performed to identify risk factors for abandonment of therapy in Guatemalan children, ages 0-18, with cancer who were seen at UNOP from 2001-2008. Patient data was collected from the Pediatric Oncology Networked Database (POND4Kids). Abandonment was defined as a lapse of 4 weeks in planned treatment or failure to begin treatment for a potentially curable cancer. Cox proportional hazards analysis identified the effect of age, sex, year of diagnosis, distance travelled to UNOP, ethnicity, and principal diagnosis on abandonment of therapy. Kaplan Meier analysis was used to evaluate survival. Results: A retrospective analysis of 1,789 charts was performed and 367 patients abandoned therapy. The rate of abandonment decreased from 27% in 2001 to 7% in 2008 following a multidisciplinary psychosocial intervention program. Greater distance to UNOP (p = 0.00), younger age (p = 0.02) and earlier year of diagnosis (p = 0.00) were associated with increased risk of abandonment. Abandonment of therapy correlated with decreased survival. The cumulative survival at 8.3 years was 0.57 ± 0.02 (survival±SE) for those who completed therapy vs 0.06 ± 0.02 for those who abandoned and refused therapy (p=0.000) in an abandonment sensitive analysis. Conclusion: This study identified distance, age, and year of diagnosis as risk factors for abandonment of therapy for pediatric cancer in Guatemala. This study highlights risk factors for abandonment of therapy and the role of targeted interventions in altering rates of abandonment that could be replicated in other LMIC countries. AUTHORS' DISCLOSURES OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: No COIs from the authors.

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Risk Evaluation of Denosumab And Zoledronic Acid For Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of The Jaw In Patients With Bone Metastases: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-693498/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hiroaki Ikesue ◽

Kohei Doi ◽

Mayu Morimoto ◽

Masaki Hirabatake ◽

Nobuyuki Muroi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Zoledronic Acid ◽

Bone Metastasis ◽

Propensity Score ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Significant Risk ◽

Patient Characteristics ◽

Osteonecrosis Of The Jaw ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Close Monitoring ◽

Patients With Cancer

Abstract Purpose: This study evaluated the risk of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) in patients with cancer who received denosumab or zoledronic acid (ZA) for treating bone metastasis.Methods: The medical records of patients were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who did not undergo a dental examination at baseline were excluded. The primary endpoint was a comparison of the risk of developing MRONJ between the denosumab and ZA groups. Propensity score matching was used to control for baseline differences between patient characteristics and compare outcomes for both groups.Results: Among the 799 patients enrolled, 58 (7.3%) developed MRONJ. The incidence of MRONJ was significantly higher in the denosumab group than in the ZA group (9.6% [39/406] vs. 4.8% [19/393], p = 0.009). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that denosumab treatment (hazard ratio [HR], 2.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.65–5.25; p < 0.001) and tooth extraction after starting ZA or denosumab (HR, 4.26; 95% CI, 2.38–7.44; p < 0.001) were significant risk factors for MRONJ. Propensity score-matched analysis confirmed that the risk of developing MRONJ was significantly higher in the denosumab group than in the ZA group (HR, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.17–5.01; p = 0.016). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that denosumab poses a significant risk for developing MRONJ in patients treated for bone metastasis, and thus these patients require close monitoring.

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Abstract 140: Association Between Epilepsy and the Risk of Ischemic Stroke or Myocardial Infarction

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.48.suppl_1.140 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Matthew A Mercuri ◽

Alexander E Merkler ◽

Neal S Parikh ◽

Michael E Reznik ◽

Hooman Kamel

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Myocardial Infarction ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Elderly Patients ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Predictor Variable ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Vascular Events ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Acute Mi

Background: Vascular brain injury can result in epilepsy. It is posited that seizures in elderly patients might reflect subclinical vascular disease and thus herald future clinical vascular events. Hypothesis: Seizures in elderly patients are associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke or myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: We obtained inpatient and outpatient claims data from 2008-2014 on a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries ≥66 years of age. The predictor variable was epilepsy, defined as two or more inpatient or outpatient claims with a diagnosis of seizure. The primary outcome was a composite of ischemic stroke or acute MI. The predictors and outcomes were all ascertained with previously validated ICD-9-CM code algorithms. Survival statistics and Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the relationship between epilepsy and incident ischemic stroke or MI while adjusting for demographic characteristics and vascular risk factors. Patients were censored at the first occurrence of a stroke or MI, at the time of death, or on December 31, 2014. Results: Among 1,548,556 beneficiaries with a mean follow-up of 4.4 (±1.8) years, 15,055 (1.0%) developed epilepsy and 121,866 (7.9%) experienced an ischemic stroke or acute MI. Patients with seizures were older (76.1 versus 73.7 years) and had a significantly higher burden of vascular comorbidities than the remainder of the cohort. The annual incidence of stroke or acute MI was 3.28% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.10-3.47%) in those with seizures versus 1.79% (95% CI, 1.78-1.80%) in those without (unadjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.89; 95% CI, 1.78-2.00). After adjustment for demographics and risk factors, epilepsy had a weak association with the composite outcome (adjusted HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.29-1.44), a stronger association with ischemic stroke (adjusted HR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.65-1.90), and no association with acute MI (adjusted HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.86-1.04). Conclusions: We found an association between epilepsy in elderly patients and future ischemic stroke but not acute MI. Therefore, seizures might signify occult cerebrovascular disease but not necessarily occult disease in other vascular beds.

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Loneliness and Risk of Dementia

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/gby112 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 75 (7) ◽

pp. 1414-1422 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Angelina R Sutin ◽

Yannick Stephan ◽

Martina Luchetti ◽

Antonio Terracciano

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Genetic Risk ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Genetic Risk Factors ◽

Cognitive Status ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Dementia Risk ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Modifiable Factor

Abstract Objective The present study tests whether loneliness is associated with risk of dementia in the largest sample to date and further examines whether the association is independent of social isolation, a related but independent component of social integration, and whether it varies by demographic factors and genetic vulnerability. Method Participants from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 12,030) reported on their loneliness, social isolation, and had information on clinical, behavioral, and genetic risk factors. Cognitive status was assessed at baseline and every 2 years over a 10-year follow-up with the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICSm). A TICSm score of 6 or less was indicative of dementia. Results Cox proportional hazards regression indicated that loneliness was associated with a 40% increased risk of dementia. This association held controlling for social isolation, and clinical, behavioral, and genetic risk factors. The association was similar across gender, race, ethnicity, education, and genetic risk. Discussion Loneliness is associated with increased risk of dementia. It is one modifiable factor that can be intervened on to reduce dementia risk.

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Frailty in Older Adults With Multiple Myeloma: A Study of US Veterans

JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics ◽

10.1200/cci.19.00094 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 117-127

Author(s):

Bindiya G. Patel ◽

Suhong Luo ◽

Tanya M. Wildes ◽

Kristen M. Sanfilippo

Keyword(s):

Multiple Myeloma ◽

Administrative Data ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Frailty Index ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Frailty Status ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Hazard Ratios ◽

Increased Risk

PURPOSE Age-associated cumulative decline across physiologic systems results in a diminished resistance to stressors, including cancer and its treatment, creating a vulnerable state known as frailty. Frailty is associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes in patients with cancer. Identification of frailty in administrative data can allow for assessment of prognosis and facilitate control for confounding variables. The purpose of this study was to assess frailty from claims-based data using the accumulation of deficits approach in veterans with multiple myeloma (MM). METHODS From the Veterans Administration Central Cancer Registry, we identified patients who were diagnosed with MM between 1999 and 2014. Using the accumulation of deficits approach, we calculated a Frailty Index (FI) using 31 health-associated deficits and categorized scores into five groups: nonfrail (FI, 0 to 0.1), prefrail (FI, 0.11 to 0.20), mild frailty (FI, 0.21 to 0.30), moderate frailty (FI, 0.31 to 0.40), and severe frailty (FI, > 0.4). We used Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to assess association between FI score and mortality while adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS We calculated an FI for 3,807 veterans age 65 years or older. Among the cohort, 28.7% were classified as nonfrail, 41.3% prefrail, 21.6% mildly frail, 6.6% moderately frail, and 1.7% severely frail. Frailty was strongly associated with mortality independent of age, race, MM treatment, body mass index, or statin use. Higher FI score was associated with higher mortality with hazard ratios of 1.33 (95% CI, 1.21 to 1.47), 1.97 (95% CI, 1.70 to 2.20), 2.86 (95% CI, 2.45 to 3.34), and 3.22 (95% CI, 2.46 to 4.22) for prefrail, mildly frail, moderately frail, and severely frail, respectively. CONCLUSION Frailty status is a significant predictor of mortality in older veterans with MM. Assessment of frailty status using the readily available electronic medical records data in administrative data allows for assessment of prognosis.

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Impact of peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis on PD discontinuation and mortality: A population-based national cohort study

Peritoneal Dialysis International ◽

10.1177/08968608211018949 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 089686082110189

Author(s):

Mu-Chi Chung ◽

Tung-Min Yu ◽

Ming-Ju Wu ◽

Ya-Wen Chuang ◽

Chih-Hsin Muo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Peritoneal Dialysis ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Female Gender ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Time Dependent ◽

Long Term Outcomes ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Impact

Background: The impact of peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis (PD peritonitis) on long-term outcomes is uncertain. This nationwide retrospective study was conducted in Taiwan to understand the incidence, risk factors and long-term outcomes of PD peritonitis. Methods: A total of 11,202 incident adult peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients from 2000 to 2010 were collected from a Longitudinal Health Insurance Database and followed up until the end of 2011. Definition of peritonitis, the primary outcome, simultaneously met the diagnosis of peritonitis (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification 567) and antibiotic use. Secondary outcomes included the impact of peritonitis on PD discontinuation and survival. Cox proportional hazards models with and without time-dependent variables were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: There were 7634 peritonitis episodes in 4245 patients during the follow-up period. The overall incidence of peritonitis was 0.18 episodes per patient-year. Peritonitis-associated risk factors included older age, female gender, chronic heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, liver cirrhosis and lower monthly income. In an adjusted Cox hazard proportional regression with the time-dependent model, peritonitis patients had a higher risk of PD discontinuation (HR 2.71, 95% CI 2.52–2.92) and mortality (HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.57–1.81) compared to patients without peritonitis. The adjusted HRs for mortality increased with each prior episode: one episode, two episodes and more than two episodes (all p < 0.05). The adjusted HRs for PD discontinuation also increased with the frequency of peritonitis. These negative effects were greatest during the first year and persisted significantly after 5 years. In a sensitivity analysis in which peritonitis within 30 days of death or PD discontinuation was excluded, peritonitis patients still had significantly increased risk of PD discontinuation and mortality compared to patients without peritonitis. Conclusions: Although peritonitis incidence was low, our findings reveal that peritonitis carried acute and long-term sequelae of higher PD discontinuation and lower patient survival.

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History of premorbid depression is a risk factor for COVID-related mortality: Analysis of a retrospective cohort of 1,387 COVID+ patients

10.1101/2020.12.17.20248362 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sean Clouston ◽

Benjamin J Luft ◽

Edward Sun

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards Models ◽

Risk Of Mortality ◽

Increased Risk ◽

History Of ◽

History Of Depression ◽

Related Mortality

Background: The goal of the present work was to examine risk factors for mortality in a 1,387 COVID+ patients admitted to a hospital in Suffolk County, NY. Methods: Data were collated by the hospital epidemiological service for patients admitted from 3/7/2020-9/1/2020. Time until final discharge or death was the outcome. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate time until death among admitted patients. Findings: In total, 99.06% of cases had resolved leading to 1,179 discharges and 211 deaths. Length of stay was significantly longer in those who died as compared to those who did not p=0.007). Of patients who had been discharged (n=1,179), 54 were readmitted and 9 subsequently died. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression revealed that in addition to older age, male sex, and heart failure, a history of premorbid depression was a risk factor for COVI-19 mortality. Interpretation: While an increasing number of studies have shown effects linking cardiovascular risk factors with increased risk of mortality in COVID+ patients, this study reports that history of depression is a risk factor for COVID mortality.

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Abstract TMP112: Subsequent Hemorrhage in Children With Untreated Brain Arteriovenous Malformation: Higher Risk With Unbalanced Inflow and Outflow Angioarchitecture

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.48.suppl_1.tmp112 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Li Ma ◽

Yu Chen ◽

Yuanli Zhao

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Multivariable Analysis ◽

Venous Drainage ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Arteriovenous Shunt ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Potential Risk Factors ◽

Venous Ectasia

Instruction: Children with brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVM) are at risk of life-threatening hemorrhage in their early lives. Our aim was to analyze various angiographic features of bAVM in conjunction with other morphological risk factors to predict the risk of subsequent hemorrhage during follow-up in children. Methods: We identified all consecutive children admitted to our institution for bAVMs between July 2009 and September 2015. Children with at least 1 month of treatment-free follow-up after diagnosis were included in further analysis. The effects of bAVM features on hemorrhagic presentation were studied. Annual rates of AVM rupture as well as several potential risk factors for subsequent hemorrhage were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analyses and Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: We identified 110 patients with a mean follow-up period of 2.1 years (range, 1 month-15.4 years). The average annual risk of hemorrhage from untreated AVMs was 4.3%. Risk factors predicting hemorrhagic presentation in multivariable analysis were no generalized venous ectasia, deep venous drainage, fast arteriovenous shunt, and deep location. No generalized venous ectasia in conjunction with fast arteriovenous shunt was predictive of subsequent hemorrhage (RR, 7.55; 95%CI, 1.96-29.06). The annual rupture risk was 11.1% in bAVMs without generalized venous ectasia but with fast arteriovenous shunt. Conclusions: bAVM angiographic features suggesting unbalanced inflow and outflow might be helpful to identify children at higher risk for hemorrhage. No generalized venous ectasia and fast artriovenous shunt might be associated with an increased risk for hemorrhagic presentation and subsequent hemorrhage in pediatric patients with untreated bAVM.

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