Association of Positive Airway Pressure Use With Acute Care Utilization and Costs.

Study Objectives: The current value-based medical climate has led to scrutiny of all medical costs. Given the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and many significant comorbid medical conditions, treating patients with OSA via positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy might reduce health care expenditures. Our goal was to determine the relationship between PAP use and acute care utilization and costs.

Timing of Palliative Care Consultation and the Impact on Thirty-Day Readmissions and Inpatient Mortality.

Background: Inpatient palliative care consultation (PCC) may reduce 30-day readmissions and inpatient mortality among seriously ill patients.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of timing of PCC on 30-day readmissions and inpatient mortality.

Design: Retrospective, observational study comparing risk-adjusted, observed-to-expected (O/E) 30-day readmissions and inpatient mortality among patients receiving inpatient PCC to all other inpatients.

The effects of sedentary behavior on metabolic syndrome independent of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness.

Background: To date, no longitudinal studies have examined the influence of sedentary behavior on metabolic syndrome development while accounting for cardiorespiratory fitness.

Purpose And Methods: This prospective study examined the relationship between sedentary behavior and incident metabolic syndrome while considering the effects of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness on the association among 930 men enrolled in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study.

Results: A total of 124 men developed metabolic syndrome during 8974 person-years of exposure.

Drug cost implications for antibiotic prophylaxis for dental procedures.

Objective: To determine the potential economic impact from the practice of antibiotic prophylaxis for dental procedures.

Study Design: We estimated the prevalence of patients in the United States with 15 medical conditions and devices. We multiplied the prevalence for each patient population by the percentage of specialists recommending prophylaxis, then by the estimated number of dental office visits per year, and then by an average pharmacy cost to arrive at a total estimated range of annual cost for this practice.

Examining the impact of 45 minutes of daily physical education on cognitive ability, fitness performance, and body composition of African American youth.

Object: Increased importance on academic achievement has resulted in many school districts focusing on improved academic performance leading to reductions in physical education time. The purpose was to examine the effects of 45 minutes of daily physical education on the cognitive ability, fitness performance and body composition of African American elementary and middle school youth.

Methods: Participants completing the informed consent in grades 2nd to 8th were included in the study.

Associations between sociodemographic characteristics and perceptions of the built environment with the frequency, type, and duration of physical activity among trail users.

Introduction: Rail trails are elements of the built environment that support the Task Force on Community Preventive Services' recommendation to create, or enhance access to, places for physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between sociodemographic characteristics and perceptions of the built environment with the frequency, type, and duration of PA among users of an urban, paved rail trail segment.

Methods: Interviewers conducted intercept surveys with 431 rail trail users and analyzed data by using logistic regression to estimate odds ratios between sociodemographic characteristics and perceptions of the built environment on the frequency, type, and duration of PA performed on the trail.

The association of natural elements with physical activity intensity during trail use by older adults.

Background: Public health efforts to promote trail use among older adults could be an effective strategy for increasing physical activity among older adults. However, research is needed to better understand factors that influence older adults' use of trails.

Purpose: To examine the association between variations in natural elements (ie, season, weather, temperature) and older adults' overall trail use and physical activity intensity during trail use.

Features and amenities of school playgrounds: a direct observation study of utilization and physical activity levels outside of school time.

Background: A significant amount of research has examined whether park or playground availability is associated with physical activity. However, little research has examined whether specific features or amenities of parks or playgrounds, such as the number of unique types of playground equipment or the safety of the equipment is associated with utilization of the facility or physical activity levels while at the facility. There are no studies that use direct observation and a detailed park assessment to examine these associations.

Fitness and adiposity as predictors of functional limitation in adults.

Background: This study examined the associations of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) with incident functional limitation (IFL) in adults.

Methods: Patients (n = 2400), 30+ years [mean age, 45.2 (SD, 8.

Youth physical activity resource use and activity measured by accelerometry.

Objectives: To examine whether use of physical activity resources (eg, parks) was associated with daily physical activity measured by accelerometry.

Methods: One hundred eleven adolescents completed a travel diary with concurrent accelerometry. The main exposure was self-reported use of a physical activity resource (none /1+ resources).

Muscular strength is inversely related to prevalence and incidence of obesity in adult men.

The purpose of the study was to determine the relation between quintiles of muscular strength after adjustment for age and body weight, and excessive body fat (EBF) and excessive abdominal fat (EAF) when controlling for cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and other potential confounders. A two-phased cross-sectional and longitudinal study was conducted assessing the prevalence and incidence of EBF and EAF across quintiles of muscular strength. The sample included 3,258 men (mean age = 42.

Muscular strength and incident hypertension in normotensive and prehypertensive men.

Unlabelled: The protective effects of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) on hypertension (HTN) are well known; however, the association between muscular strength and incidence of HTN has yet to be examined.

Purpose: This study evaluated the strength-HTN association with and without accounting for CRF.

Methods: Participants were 4147 men (age = 20-82 yr) in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study for whom an age-specific composite muscular strength score was computed from measures of a one-repetition maximal leg and a one-repetition maximal bench press.