Perioperative Venous Thromboembolism Risk in Patients Undergoing Hysterectomy for Fibroids: A US Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) occurs in 0.4%-0.7% of benign hysterectomies. Pelvic vascular compression secondary to fibroids may elevate VTE risk. We aimed to evaluate the incidence and timing of VTE among individuals undergoing hysterectomy for fibroids and other benign indications. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent a hysterectomy for fibroid and non-fibroid indications from January 2015 to December 2021. Main outcome measure was VTE consisting of pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis diagnosed during 3 periods: (1) preoperative (1 year before surgery until day before surgery), (2) early postoperative (surgery date through 6 weeks after surgery), and (3) late postoperative (6 weeks to 1 year after surgery). Demographics, comorbidities, surgical characteristics, and VTE rates were compared by indication. RESULTS: A total of 263 844 individuals with fibroids and 203 183 without were identified. In total, 1.1% experienced VTE. On multivariable regression (adjusted demographic confounders and route of surgery), the presence of fibroids was associated with increased odds of preoperative (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.12; 95% CI 1.03-1.22, P = 0.011) and reduced odds of late postoperative VTE (aOR 0.81; 95% CI 0.73-0.91, P < 0.001). For individuals with fibroids, uterine weight ≥250 g and undergoing laparotomy were independently associated with preoperative (aOR 1.29; 95% CI 1.09-1.52, P = 0.003 and aOR 2.32; 95% CI 2.10-2.56, P < 0.001) and early postoperative VTE (aOR 1.32; 95% CI 1.08-1.62, P = 0.006 and aOR 1.72; 95% CI 1.50-1.96, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with fibroids were at increased odds of having VTE 1 year before hysterectomy. For those with fibroids, elevated uterine weight and laparotomy were associated with greater risk of preoperative and early postoperative VTEs.

Insurance-based Disparities in Outcomes and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Utilization for Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to examine insurance-based disparities in mortality, nonhome discharges, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation utilization in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. METHODS: Using a national database of U.S. academic medical centers and their affiliated hospitals, the risk-adjusted association between mortality, nonhome discharge, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation utilization and (1) the type of insurance coverage (private insurance, Medicare, dual enrollment in Medicare and Medicaid, and no insurance) and (2) the weekly hospital COVID-19 burden (0 to 5.0%; 5.1 to 10%, 10.1 to 20%, 20.1 to 30%, and 30.1% and greater) was evaluated. Modeling was expanded to include an interaction between payer status and the weekly hospital COVID-19 burden to examine whether the lack of private insurance was associated with increases in disparities as the COVID-19 burden increased. RESULTS: Among 760,846 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, 214,992 had private insurance, 318,624 had Medicare, 96,192 were dually enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid, 107,548 had Medicaid, and 23,560 had no insurance. Overall, 76,250 died, 211,702 had nonhome discharges, 75,703 were mechanically ventilated, and 2,642 underwent extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The adjusted odds of death were higher in patients with Medicare (adjusted odds ratio, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.21 to 1.35]; P < 0.0005), dually enrolled (adjusted odds ratio, 1.39 [95% CI, 1.30 to 1.50]; P < 0.0005), Medicaid (adjusted odds ratio, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.20 to 1.36]; P < 0.0005), and no insurance (adjusted odds ratio, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.26 to 1.62]; P < 0.0005) compared to patients with private insurance. Patients with Medicare (adjusted odds ratio, 0.47; [95% CI, 0.39 to 0.58]; P < 0.0005), dually enrolled (adjusted odds ratio, 0.32 [95% CI, 0.24 to 0.43]; P < 0.0005), Medicaid (adjusted odds ratio, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.62 to 0.79]; P < 0.0005), and no insurance (adjusted odds ratio, 0.40 [95% CI, 0.29 to 0.56]; P < 0.001) were less likely to be placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation than patients with private insurance. Mortality, nonhome discharges, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation utilization did not change significantly more in patients with private insurance compared to patients without private insurance as the COVID-19 burden increased. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with COVID-19, insurance-based disparities in mortality, nonhome discharges, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation utilization were substantial, but these disparities did not increase as the hospital COVID-19 burden increased.

Reduction in preterm birth among COVID-19-vaccinated pregnant individuals in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Most studies investigating preterm birth and COVID-19 vaccination have suggested no difference in preterm birth rates between vaccinated and unvaccinated pregnant individuals; however, 1 recent study suggested a protective effect of COVID-19 vaccination on preterm birth rates in Australia. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine whether a similar association and protective effect of COVID-19 vaccination on preterm birth would be found in our multistate, US cohort. STUDY DESIGN: A cohort study was conducted using the Vizient Clinical Database, which included data from 192 hospitals in 38 states. Pregnant individuals who delivered between January 2021 and April 2022 were included. Propensity score matching was used to match a "treated" group of pregnant individuals with any COVID-19 vaccination (incomplete or complete vaccination) to a group that had not received any COVID-19 vaccination (the "untreated" group). A complete vaccination series of ≥2 doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines or at least 1 dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was considered. An incomplete series was receipt of 1 dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. We examined the association between COVID-19 vaccination status and preterm birth at <28, <34, and <37 weeks of gestation. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to adjust for potential confounders, with adjusted odds ratios as the measure of treatment effect. RESULTS: Matching with replacement was performed for 5749 treated participants. After propensity score matching, there was no difference in maternal demographics of age, race, insurance status, parity, or comorbid conditions. Vaccinated individuals were 26% less likely to deliver at <37 weeks of gestation (adjusted odds ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.73-0.75; P<.001), 37% less likely to deliver at <34 weeks of gestation (adjusted odds ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.61-0.64; P<.001), and 43% less likely to deliver at <28 weeks of gestation (adjusted odds ratio, 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.55-0.60; P<0.001) than unvaccinated individuals. CONCLUSION: Vaccination against COVID-19 may be protective against preterm birth.

Factors Associated with Acute Injurious Falls in Elderly Hospitalized Patients: A Multicenter Descriptive Study.

BACKGROUND: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital-Acquired Conditions (CMS-HAC) links Medicare payments to health care quality. Experiencing a serious disability or death associated with a fall in a health care facility based on diagnosis codes has been identified as an opportunity for improvement. Multiple factors contribute to an inpatient fall, including medications that affect cognition in older adults. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the commonly prescribed classes of medications on the CMS-HAC falls and trauma definition in US hospitals in a large inpatient database from 2019 to 2021. METHODS: The authors analyzed data from 835 hospitals in the Vizient Clinical Data Base between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2021, on patients ≥ 65 years of age with CMS-HAC patient falls and trauma codes. Using logistic regression and stepwise Poisson regression analysis, the authors identified demographic, clinical, and hospital-related variables associated with falls meeting the CMS-HAC definition. The top 20 prescribed drug classes in these patients were also identified. RESULTS: Among 11,064,024 patient encounters, 5,978 met the CMS-HAC definition of a serious fall. Patients who experienced a serious fall were significantly more likely to be > 79 years of age (p < 0.001, odds ratio [OR] 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.23-1.37), have a history of prior falls (p < 0.001, OR 2.30, 95% CI 2.11-2.50), have a code for dementia (p < 0.001, OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.40-1.60), and have higher anticholinergic cognitive burden (ACB) scores (p < 0.001, OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.13-1.14). Specific medication classes associated with CMS-HAC falls were first-generation antihistamines (p < 0.00, OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.09-1.35), second-generation antihistamines (p ≤ 0.001, OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.13-1.19), and atypical antipsychotics (p < 0.001, OR 1.18, CI 1.13-1.29). CONCLUSION: Patients who experience a fall meeting the CMS-HAC fall definition are significantly more likely to have a prior history of falling, dementia, and a higher ACB score. Results from this study may inform future quality improvement work aimed at reducing injurious falls.

The relationship between COVID-19 vaccination status in pregnancy and birthweight.

BACKGROUND: Despite findings that maternal COVID-19 infection in pregnancy is associated with low birthweight (weight of ≤2500 g), previous studies demonstrate no difference in low birthweight risk between COVID-19 vaccinated and unvaccinated pregnant persons. Few studies, however, have examined the association between unvaccinated, incomplete vaccination, and complete vaccination on low birthweight, and they have been limited by small sample sizes and lack of adjustment for covariates. OBJECTIVE: We sought to address key limitations of prior work and evaluate this association between unvaccinated, incomplete, and complete COVID-19 vaccination status in pregnancy and low birthweight. We predicted a protective association of vaccination on low birthweight that varies by number of doses received. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a population-based retrospective study using the Vizient clinical database, which included data from 192 hospitals in the United States. Our sample included pregnant persons who delivered between January 2021 and April 2022 at hospitals that reported maternal vaccination data and birthweight at delivery. Pregnant persons were categorized into 3 groups as follows: unvaccinated; incompletely vaccinated (1 dose of Pfizer or Moderna); or completely vaccinated (1 dose of Johnson & Johnson or ≥2 doses of Moderna or Pfizer). Demographics and outcomes were analyzed using standard statistical tests. We performed multivariable logistic regression to account for potential confounders between vaccination status and low birthweight in the original cohort. Propensity score matching was used to reduce bias related to the likelihood of vaccination, and the multivariable logistic regression model was then applied to the propensity score-matched cohort. Stratification analysis was performed for gestational age and race and ethnicity. RESULTS: Of the 377,995 participants, 31,155 (8.2%) had low birthweight, and these participants were more likely to be unvaccinated than those without low birthweight (98.8% vs 98.5%, P<.001). Incompletely vaccinated pregnant persons were 13% less likely to have low birthweight neonates compared to unvaccinated persons (odds ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.73-1.04), and completely vaccinated persons were 21% less likely to have low birthweight neonates (odds ratio, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, 0.79-0.89). After controlling for maternal age, race or ethnicity, hypertension, pregestational diabetes, lupus, tobacco use, multifetal gestation, obesity, use of assisted reproductive technology, and maternal or neonatal COVID-19 infections in the original cohort, these associations remained significant for only complete vaccination (adjusted odds ratio, 0.80; 95% confidence interval, 0.70-0.91) and not incomplete vaccination (adjusted odds ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-1.04). In the propensity score-matched cohort, pregnant persons who were completely vaccinated against COVID-19 were 22% less likely to have low birthweight neonates compared to unvaccinated and incompletely vaccinated individuals (adjusted odds ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.76-0.79). CONCLUSION: Pregnant persons who were completely vaccinated against COVID-19 were less likely to have low birthweight neonates compared to unvaccinated and incompletely vaccinated individuals. This novel association was observed among a large population after adjusting for confounders of low birthweight and factors influencing the likelihood of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Association Between the COVID-19 Pandemic and Insurance-Based Disparities in Mortality After Major Surgery Among US Adults.

Importance: The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions in surgical care. Whether these disruptions disproportionately impacted economically disadvantaged individuals is unknown. Objective: To evaluate the association between the COVID-19 pandemic and mortality after major surgery among patients with Medicaid insurance or without insurance compared with patients with commercial insurance. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used data from the Vizient Clinical Database for patients who underwent major surgery at hospitals in the US between January 1, 2018, and May 31, 2020. Exposures: The hospital proportion of patients with COVID-19 during the first wave of COVID-19 cases between March 1 and May 31, 2020, stratified as low (≤5.0%), medium (5.1%-10.0%), high (10.1%-25.0%), and very high (>25.0%). Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was inpatient mortality. The association between mortality after surgery and payer status as a function of the proportion of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 was evaluated with a quasi-experimental triple-difference approach using logistic regression. Results: Among 2 950 147 adults undergoing inpatient surgery (1 550 752 female [52.6%]) at 677 hospitals, the primary payer was Medicare (1 427 791 [48.4%]), followed by commercial insurance (1 000 068 [33.9%]), Medicaid (321 600 [10.9%]), other payer (140 959 [4.8%]), and no insurance (59 729 [2.0%]). Mortality rates increased more for patients undergoing surgery during the first wave of the pandemic in hospitals with a high COVID-19 burden (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.13; 95% CI, 1.03-1.24; P = .01) and a very high COVID-19 burden (AOR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.24-1.53; P < .001) compared with patients in hospitals with a low COVID-19 burden. Overall, patients with Medicaid had 29% higher odds of death (AOR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.22-1.36; P < .001) and patients without insurance had 75% higher odds of death (AOR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.55-1.98; P < .001) compared with patients with commercial insurance. However, mortality rates for surgical patients with Medicaid insurance (AOR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.82-1.30; P = .79) or without insurance (AOR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.47-1.54; P = .60) did not increase more than for patients with commercial insurance in hospitals with a high COVID-19 burden compared with hospitals with a low COVID-19 burden. These findings were similar in hospitals with very high COVID-19 burdens. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study, the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a higher risk of mortality after surgery in hospitals with more than 25.0% of patients with COVID-19. However, the pandemic was not associated with greater increases in mortality among patients with no insurance or patients with Medicaid compared with patients with commercial insurance in hospitals with a very high COVID-19 burden.

Association Between the COVID-19 Pandemic and Disparities in Access to Major Surgery in the US.

Importance: Racial minority groups account for 70% of excess deaths not related to COVID-19. Understanding the association of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS's) moratorium delaying nonessential operations with racial disparities will help shape future pandemic responses. Objective: To evaluate the association of the CMS's moratorium on elective operations during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic among Black individuals, Asian individuals, and individuals of other races compared with White individuals. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study assessed a 719-hospital retrospective cohort of 3 470 905 adult inpatient hospitalizations for major surgery between January 1, 2018, and October 31, 2020. Exposure: The first wave of COVID-19 infections between March 1, 2020, and May 31, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was the association between changes in monthly elective surgical case volumes and the first wave of COVID-19 infections as a function of patient race, evaluated using negative binomial regression analysis. Results: Among 3 470 905 adults (1 823 816 female [52.5%]) with inpatient hospitalizations for major surgery, 70 752 (2.0%) were Asian, 453 428 (13.1%) were Black, 2 696 929 (77.7%) were White, and 249 796 (7.2%) were individuals of other races. The number of monthly elective cases during the first wave was 49% (incident rate ratio [IRR], 0.49; 95% CI, 0.486-0.492; P < .001) compared with the baseline period. The relative reduction in unadjusted elective surgery cases for Black (unadjusted IRR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.97-1.01; P = .36), Asian (unadjusted IRR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.03-1.14; P = .001), and other race individuals (unadjusted IRR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95-1.00; P = .05) during the surge period compared with the baseline period was very close to the change in cases for White individuals. After adjustment for age, sex, comorbidities, and surgical procedure, there was still no evidence that the first wave of the pandemic was associated with disparities in access to elective surgery. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study, the CMS's moratorium on nonessential operations was associated with a 51% reduction in elective operations. It was not associated with greater reductions in operations for racial minority individuals than for White individuals. This evidence suggests that the early response to the pandemic did not increase disparities in access to surgical care.

Socioeconomic and Racial Disparity in Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy Access.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is changing the paradigm in hematologic malignancies, but disparities in access exist in the real-world setting. Efforts to address and eliminate these disparities will ensure availability of this life-saving therapy. This study aimed to determine patterns of racial/ethnic distribution, socioeconomic strata, insurance coverage, and travel time of CAR T cell recipients. We used the Vizient Clinical Database (CDB) to capture and analyze elective encounters for CAR T administration as well as encounters for any reason other than CAR T administration (non-CAR T) in patients with lymphoma, myeloma, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Travel time and median household income were calculated based on ZIP code of residence. We found that African Americans (AA) were less likely than other racial/ethnic groups to receive CAR T cell therapy. In addition, AA and Hispanic participants were underrepresented in clinical trials. Among the patients with myeloma, all of whom received CAR T cell therapy on a clinical trial, only 1% were African American and 5.4% were Hispanic, and only 7.3% of CAR T cell therapy-related admissions were of patients from neighborhoods with a mean income <$40,000. Almost one-third of the CAR T cell recipients lived >2 hours away from the center in which they were treated; the majority of these patients were from the higher socioeconomic stratum (P < .001). There were fewer patients with Medicare and uninsured patients in the CAR T cell group. Our data indicate that socioeconomic stratum and insurance coverage are important underlying determinants of the identified disparities. Low clinical trial enrollment of minorities also feeds the inequity. Strategies to improve access need to be framed around addressing the causes for the observed disparities.

Perioperative outcomes in a nationwide sample of patients undergoing surgical treatment of ovarian endometriomas.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the perioperative outcomes of premenopausal women undergoing cystectomy or oophorectomy for ovarian endometriomas (OMAs) and other benign neoplasms. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Clinical database containing information from 580 US hospitals. PATIENT(S): Women 18 to 50 years old who underwent ovarian cystectomy or oophorectomy for benign indications between 2010 and 2020. INTERVENTION(S): We compared procedure route, length of hospital stay, and complication rates by surgical indication (OMA vs. other benign neoplasms) and surgical procedure (cystectomy vs. oophorectomy). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Thirty-day perioperative adverse events following adnexal surgery, including conversion to laparotomy, blood transfusion, ileus, urinary tract injury, bowel injury, readmission, and death. RESULT(S): We identified 120,208 ovarian cystectomies (28,182 OMAs and 92,026 other indications) and 53,476 oophorectomies (8,622 OMAs and 44,854 other indications). During cystectomy, patients with OMAs more commonly experienced conversion to laparotomy (5.1% vs. 3.1%) and readmission (8.5% vs. 7.1%). For oophorectomies, patients with OMAs less frequently had minimally invasive surgery (55.8% vs. 64.8%) or outpatient procedures (33.8% vs. 41.8%). Urinary tract and bowel injuries were rare. Multivariable logistic regression demonstrated that the presence of OMA predicted composite complications during cystectomy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18-1.28) but not during oophorectomy (aOR 1.05, 95% CI 0.99-1.12). Patients with OMAs had 1.37 times the odds of a composite complication during oophorectomy than during cystectomy (95% CI 1.28-1.47). CONCLUSION(S): Patients undergoing ovarian cystectomy for OMAs had higher rates of perioperative adverse events than patients undergoing ovarian cystectomy for other benign neoplasms. Laparotomies were performed more often during oophorectomies for OMAs than for other benign indications.

Association Between COVID-19 Diagnosis and In-Hospital Mortality in Patients Hospitalized With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

IMPORTANCE: There has been limited research on patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: To compare characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of patients with STEMI with vs without COVID-19 infection. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective cohort study of consecutive adult patients admitted between January 2019 and December 2020 (end of follow-up in January 2021) with out-of-hospital or in-hospital STEMI at 509 US centers in the Vizient Clinical Database (N = 80 449). EXPOSURES: Active COVID-19 infection present during the same encounter. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Patients were propensity matched on the likelihood of COVID-19 diagnosis. In the main analysis, patients with COVID-19 were compared with those without COVID-19 during the previous calendar year. RESULTS: The out-of-hospital STEMI group included 76 434 patients (551 with COVID-19 vs 2755 without COVID-19 after matching) from 370 centers (64.1% aged 51-74 years; 70.3% men). The in-hospital STEMI group included 4015 patients (252 with COVID-19 vs 756 without COVID-19 after matching) from 353 centers (58.3% aged 51-74 years; 60.7% men). In patients with out-of-hospital STEMI, there was no significant difference in the likelihood of undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention by COVID-19 status; patients with in-hospital STEMI and COVID-19 were significantly less likely to undergo invasive diagnostic or therapeutic coronary procedures than those without COVID-19. Among patients with out-of-hospital STEMI and COVID-19 vs out-of-hospital STEMI without COVID-19, the rates of in-hospital mortality were 15.2% vs 11.2% (absolute difference, 4.1% [95% CI, 1.1%-7.0%]; P = .007). Among patients with in-hospital STEMI and COVID-19 vs in-hospital STEMI without COVID-19, the rates of in-hospital mortality were 78.5% vs 46.1% (absolute difference, 32.4% [95% CI, 29.0%-35.9%]; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Among patients with out-of-hospital or in-hospital STEMI, a concomitant diagnosis of COVID-19 was significantly associated with higher rates of in-hospital mortality compared with patients without a diagnosis of COVID-19 from the past year. Further research is required to understand the potential mechanisms underlying this association.

Characteristics and Outcomes Among US Patients Hospitalized for Ischemic Stroke Before vs During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Importance: After the emergence of COVID-19, studies reported a decrease in hospitalizations of patients with ischemic stroke (IS), but there are little to no data regarding hospitalizations for the remainder of 2020, including outcome data from a large cohort of patients with IS and comorbid COVID-19. Objective: To assess hospital discharge rates, demographic factors, and outcomes of hospitalization associated with the COVID-19 pandemic among US patients with IS before vs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used data from the Vizient Clinical Data Base on 324 013 patients with IS at 478 nonfederal hospitals in 43 US states between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020. Patients were eligible if they were admitted to the hospital on a nonelective basis and were not receiving hospice care at the time of admission. A total of 41 166 discharged between January and March 2020 were excluded from the analysis because they had unreliable data on COVID-19 status, leaving 282 847 patients for the study. Exposure: Ischemic stroke and laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. Main Outcomes and Measures: Monthly counts of discharges among patients with IS in 2020. Demographic characteristics and outcomes, including in-hospital death, among patients with IS who were discharged in 2019 (control group) were compared with those of patients with IS with or without comorbid COVID-19 (COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 groups, respectively) who were discharged between April and December 2020. Results: Of the 282 847 patients included in the study, 165 912 (50.7% male; 63.4% White; 26.3% aged ≥80 years) were allocated to the control group; 111 418 of 116 935 patients (95.3%; 51.9% male; 62.8% White; 24.6% aged ≥80 years) were allocated to the non-COVID-19 group and 5517 of 116 935 patients (4.7%; 58.0% male; 42.5% White; 21.3% aged ≥80 years) to the COVID-19 group. A mean (SD) of 13 846 (553) discharges per month among patients with IS was reported in 2019. Discharges began decreasing in February 2020, reaching a low of 10 846 patients in April 2020 before returning to a prepandemic level of 13 639 patients by July 2020. A mean (SD) of 13 492 (554) discharges per month was recorded for the remainder of 2020. Black and Hispanic patients accounted for 21.4% and 7.0% of IS discharges in 2019, respectively, but accounted for 27.5% and 16.0% of those discharged with IS and comorbid COVID-19 in 2020. Compared with patients in the control and non-COVID-19 groups, those in the COVID-19 group were less likely to smoke (16.0% vs 17.2% vs 6.4%, respectively) and to have hypertension (73.0% vs 73.1% vs 68.2%) or dyslipidemia (61.2% vs 63.2% vs 56.6%) but were more likely to have diabetes (39.8% vs 40.5% vs 53.0%), obesity (16.2% vs 18.4% vs 24.5%), acute coronary syndrome (8.0% vs 9.2% vs 15.8%), or pulmonary embolus (1.9% vs 2.4% vs 6.8%) and to require intubation (11.3% vs 12.3% vs 37.6%). After adjusting for baseline factors, patients with IS and COVID-19 were more likely to die in the hospital than were patients with IS in 2019 (adjusted odds ratio, 5.17; 95% CI, 4.83-5.53; National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale adjusted odds ratio, 3.57; 95% CI, 3.15-4.05). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, after the emergence of COVID-19, hospital discharges of patients with IS decreased in the US but returned to prepandemic levels by July 2020. Among patients with IS between April and December 2020, comorbid COVID-19 was relatively common, particularly among Black and Hispanic populations, and morbidity was high.

Impact of COVID-19 on the hospitalization, treatment, and outcomes of intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the outcomes of adult patients with spontaneous intracranial and subarachnoid hemorrhage diagnosed with comorbid COVID-19 infection in a large, geographically diverse cohort. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis using the Vizient Clinical Data Base. We separately compared two cohorts of patients with COVID-19 admitted April 1-October 31, 2020-patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and those with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)-with control patients with ICH or SAH who did not have COVID-19 admitted at the same hospitals in 2019. The primary outcome was in-hospital death. Favorable discharge and length of hospital and intensive-care stay were the secondary outcomes. We fit multivariate mixed-effects logistic regression models to our outcomes. RESULTS: There were 559 ICH-COVID patients and 23,378 ICH controls from 194 hospitals. In the ICH-COVID cohort versus controls, there was a significantly higher proportion of Hispanic patients (24.5% vs. 8.9%), Black patients (23.3% vs. 20.9%), nonsmokers (11.5% vs. 3.2%), obesity (31.3% vs. 13.5%), and diabetes (43.4% vs. 28.5%), and patients had a longer hospital stay (21.6 vs. 10.5 days), a longer intensive-care stay (16.5 vs. 6.0 days), and a higher in-hospital death rate (46.5% vs. 18.0%). Patients with ICH-COVID had an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 2.43 [1.96-3.00] for the outcome of death and an aOR of 0.55 [0.44-0.68] for favorable discharge. There were 212 SAH-COVID patients and 5,029 controls from 119 hospitals. The hospital (26.9 vs. 13.4 days) and intensive-care (21.9 vs. 9.6 days) length of stays and in-hospital death rate (42.9% vs. 14.8%) were higher in the SAH-COVID cohort compared with controls. Patients with SAH-COVID had an aOR of 1.81 [1.26-2.59] for an outcome of death and an aOR of 0.54 [0.37-0.78] for favorable discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with spontaneous ICH or SAH and comorbid COVID infection were more likely to be a racial or ethnic minority, diabetic, and obese and to have higher rates of death and longer hospital length of stay when compared with controls.

Impact of COVID-19 on Outcomes in Ischemic Stroke Patients in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown worse outcomes in patients with comorbid ischemic stroke (IS) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but have had small sample sizes. METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients in the Vizient Clinical Data Base® with IS as a discharge diagnosis. The study outcomes were in-hospital death and favorable discharge (home or acute rehabilitation). In the primary analysis, we compared IS patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 (IS-COVID) discharged April 1-July 31, 2020 to pre-COVID IS patients discharged in 2019 (IS controls). In a secondary analysis, we compared a matched cohort of IS-COVID patients to patients within the IS controls who had pneumonia (IS-PNA), created with inverse-probability-weighting (IPW). RESULTS: In the primary analysis, we included 166,586 IS controls and 2086 IS-COVID from 312 hospitals in 46 states. Compared to IS controls, IS-COVID were less likely to have hypertension, dyslipidemia, or be smokers, but more likely to be male, younger, have diabetes, obesity, acute renal failure, acute coronary syndrome, venous thromboembolism, intubation, and comorbid intracerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage (all p<0.05). Black and Hispanic patients accounted for 21.7% and 7.4% of IS controls, respectively, but 33.7% and 18.5% of IS-COVID (p<0.001). IS-COVID, versus IS controls, were less likely to receive alteplase (1.8% vs 5.6%, p<0.001), mechanical thrombectomy (4.4% vs. 6.7%, p<0.001), to have favorable discharge (33.9% vs. 66.4%, p<0.001), but more likely to die (30.4% vs. 6.5%, p<0.001). In the matched cohort of patients with IS-COVID and IS-PNA, IS-COVID had a higher risk of death (IPW-weighted OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.33-1.82) and lower odds of favorable discharge (IPW-weighted OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.54-0.73). CONCLUSIONS: Ischemic stroke patients with COVID-19 are more likely to be male, younger, and Black or Hispanic, with significant increases in morbidity and mortality compared to both ischemic stroke controls from 2019 and to patients with ischemic stroke and pneumonia.

Impact of medicaid expansion on disparities in revascularization in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction.

INTRODUCTION: Blacks are more likely to live in poverty and be uninsured, and are less likely to undergo revascularization after am acute myocardial infarction compared to whites. The objective of this study was to determine whether Medicaid expansion was associated with a reduction in revascularization disparities in patients admitted with an acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: Retrospective analysis study using data (2010-2018) from hospitals participating in the University Health Systems Consortium, now renamed the Vizient Clinical Database. Comparative interrupted time series analysis was used to compare changes in the use of revascularization therapies (PCI and CABG) in white versus non-Hispanic black patients hospitalized with either ST-segment elevation (STEMI) or non-ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarctions (NSTEMI) after Medicaid expansion. RESULTS: The analytic cohort included 68,610 STEMI and 127,378 NSTEMI patients. The percentage point decrease in the uninsured rate for STEMIs and NSTEMIs was greater for blacks in expansion states compared to whites in expansion states. For patients with STEMIs, differences in black versus white revascularization rates decreased by 2.09 percentage points per year (95% CI, 0.29-3.88, P = 0.023) in expansion versus non-expansion states after adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics. Black patients hospitalized with STEMI in non-expansion states experienced a 7.24 percentage point increase in revascularization rate in 2014 (95% CI, 2.83-11.7, P < 0.001) but did not experience significant annual percentage point increases in the rate of revascularization in subsequent years (1.52; 95% CI, -0.51-3.55, P = 0.14) compared to whites in non-expansion states. Medicaid expansion was not associated with changes in the revascularization rate for either blacks or whites hospitalized with NSTEMIs. CONCLUSION: Medicaid expansion was associated with greater reductions in the number of uninsured blacks compared to uninsured whites. Medicaid expansion was not associated, however, with a reduction in revascularization disparities between black and white patients admitted with acute myocardial infarctions.

Endovascular thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke patients with COVID-19: prevalence, demographics, and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare the outcome of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients who received endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) with confirmed COVID-19 to those without. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis using the Vizient Clinical Data Base and included hospital discharges from April 1 to July 31 2020 with ICD-10 codes for AIS and EVT. The primary outcome was in-hospital death and the secondary outcome was favorable discharge, defined as discharge home or to acute rehabilitation. We compared patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 to those without. As a sensitivity analysis, we compared COVID-19 AIS patients who did not undergo EVT to those who did, to balance potential adverse events inherent to COVID-19 infection. RESULTS: We identified 3165 AIS patients who received EVT during April to July 2020, in which COVID-19 was confirmed in 104 (3.3%). Comorbid COVID-19 infection was associated with younger age, male sex, diabetes, black race, Hispanic ethnicity, intubation, acute coronary syndrome, acute renal failure, and longer hospital and intensive care unit length of stay. The rate of in-hospital death was 12.4% without COVID-19 vs 29.8% with COVID-19 (P<0.001). In mixed-effects logistic regression that accounted for patient clustering by hospital, comorbid COVID-19 increased the odds of in-hospital death over four-fold (OR 4.48, 95% CI 3.02 to 6.165). Comorbid COVID-19 was also associated with lower odds of a favorable discharge (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.61). In the sensitivity analysis, comparing AIS patients with COVID-19 who did not undergo EVT (n=2139) to the AIS EVT patients with COVID-19, there was no difference in the rate of in-hospital death (30.6% vs 29.8%, P=0.868), and AIS EVT patients had a higher rate of favorable discharge (32.4% vs 47.1%, P=0.002). CONCLUSION: In AIS patients treated with EVT, comorbid COVID-19 infection was associated with in-hospital death and a lower odds of favorable discharge compared with patients without COVID-19, but not compared with AIS patients with COVID-19 who did not undergo EVT. AIS EVT patients with COVID-19 were younger, more likely to be male, have systemic complications, and almost twice as likely to be black and over three times as likely to be Hispanic.

A Rapid Decrease in Stroke, Acute Coronary Syndrome, and Corresponding Interventions at 65 United States Hospitals Following Emergence of COVID-19.

Background Following the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), early reports suggested a decrease in stroke and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We sought to provide descriptive statistics for stroke and ACS from a sample of hospitals throughout the United States, comparing data from March 2020 to similar months pre-COVID. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 65 academic and community hospitals in the Vizient Clinical Data Base. The primary outcome is monthly count of stroke and ACS, and acute procedures for both, from February and March in 2020 compared to the same months in 2018 and 2019. Results are aggregated for all hospitals and reported by Census Region. Results We identified 51,246 strokes (42,780 ischemic, 8,466 hemorrhagic), 1,043 mechanical thrombectomies (MT), 836 tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) administrations, 36,551 ACS, and 3,925 percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) for ACS. In February 2020, relative to February 2018 and 2019, hospitalizations with any discharge diagnosis of stroke and ACS increased by 9.8% and 12.1%, respectively, while in March 2020 they decreased 18.5% and 7.5%, relative to March 2018 and 2019. When only including hospitalizations with the primary discharge diagnosis of stroke or ACS, in March 2020 they decreased 17.6% and 25.7%, respectively. In March 2020, tPA decreased 3.3%, MT increased 18.8%, although in February 2020 it had increased 36.8%, and PCI decreased 14.7%. These decreases were observed in all Census regions. Conclusions Following greater recognition of the risks of COVID-19, hospitalizations with stroke and ACS were markedly diminished in a geographically diverse sample of United States hospitals. Because the most likely explanation is that some patients with stroke and ACS did not seek medical care, the underlying reasons for this decrease warrant additional study to inform public health efforts and clinical care during this and future pandemics.