Calibration Factors for STS Risk Model Predictions: Why, How and When They Are Used.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Adult Cardiac Surgery Database is the world's premier adult cardiac surgery outcomes registry. This tutorial explains the following: how STS updates the risk models that are used to calculate the predicted risks of adverse events in the registry; why STS on a quarterly basis adjusts or "calibrates" the observed-to-expected ratios to equal 1 (O/E = 1), thereby effectively making the annual number of adverse events predicted by the model match the annual number of adverse events observed in the entire registry; the differences between the calibrated and uncalibrated O/E ratios; and how and when to use each.

The STS Participant-Level, Multiprocedural Composite Measure for Adult Cardiac Surgery.

Background: Composite performance measures for the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Adult Cardiac Surgery Database participants (typically hospital departments or practice groups) are currently available only for individual procedures. To assess overall participant performance, STS has developed a composite metric encompassing the most common adult cardiac procedures.

Methods: Analyses included 1-year (July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019) and 3-year (July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2019) time windows.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Composite Measure: 2021 Methodology Update.

Background: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) original coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) composite measure uses a 1-year analytic cohort and 98% credible intervals (CrI) to classify better than expected (3-star) performance or worse than expected (1-star) performance. As CABG volumes per STS participant (eg, hospital or practice group) have decreased, it has become more challenging to classify performance categories using this approach, especially for lower volume programs, and alternative approaches have been explored.

Methods: Among 990 STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database participants, performance classifications for the CABG composite were studied using various analytic cohorts: 1 year (current approach, 2017); 3 years (2015 to 2017); last 450 cases within 3 years; and most recent year (2017) plus additional cases to 450 total.

Failure to Rescue: A New Society of Thoracic Surgeons Quality Metric for Cardiac Surgery.

Background: Failure to rescue (FTR) focuses on the ability to prevent death among patients who have postoperative complications. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Quality Measurement Task Force has developed a new, risk-adjusted FTR quality metric for adult cardiac surgery.

Methods: The study population was taken from 1118 STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database participants including patients who underwent isolated CABG, aortic valve replacement with or without CABG, or mitral valve repair or replacement with or without CABG between January 2015 and June 2019.

Continuous Monitoring of Risk-Adjusted Outcomes: Excess Deaths vs Lives Saved.

Reporting of risk-adjusted surgical outcomes is commonly used to compare providers and track changes over time. Preferred graphical methods use the relationship of the observed to the expected values of outcome events, including their ratio (O/E), and the cumulative sum (CUSUM) of their differences over time, called Risk-Adjusted CUSUM (RA-CUSUM) or Variable Life Adjusted Display (VLAD). We demonstrate these methods using operative mortality data for 7255 isolated coronary artery bypass graft patients from January 2014 to June 2017.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 2021 Adult Cardiac Surgery Risk Models for Multiple Valve Operations.

Background: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Quality Measurement Task Force has developed risk models and composite performance measures for isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR), isolated mitral valve replacement or repair (MVRR), AVR+CABG, and MVRR+CABG. To further enhance its portfolio of risk-adjusted performance metrics, STS has developed new risk models for multiple valve operations ± CABG procedures.

Methods: Using July 2011 to June 2019 STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database data, risk models for AVR+MVRR (n = 31,968) and AVR+MVRR+CABG (n = 12,650) were developed with the following endpoints: Operative Mortality, major morbidity (any 1 or more of the following: cardiac reoperation, deep sternal wound infection/mediastinitis, stroke, prolonged ventilation, and renal failure), and combined mortality and/or major morbidity.

Costs Associated With Lobectomy for Lung Cancer: An Analysis Merging STS and Medicare Data.

Background: Costs related to care of patients who undergo lobectomy for lung cancer may vary depending on patient, disease, and treating facility characteristics. We aimed to identify underlying case mix factors that contribute to variability of 90-day costs of lobectomy for early-stage lung cancer.

Methods: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database was queried for lobectomy for clinical stage I lung cancer (2008-2013).

Initial and Longitudinal Cost of Surgical Resection for Lung Cancer.

Background: The longitudinal cost of treating patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing surgical resection has not been evaluated. We describe initial and 4-year resource use and cost for NSCLC patients aged 65 years of age or greater who were treated surgically between 2008 and 2013.

Methods: Using clinical data for NSCLC resections from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database linked to Medicare claims, resource use and cost of preoperative staging, surgery, and subsequent care through 4 years were examined ($2017).

Equivalent Survival Between Lobectomy and Segmentectomy for Clinical Stage IA Lung Cancer.

Background: The oncologic efficacy of segmentectomy is controversial. We compared long-term survival in clinical stage IA (T1N0) Medicare patients undergoing lobectomy and segmentectomy in The Society of Thoracic Surgeons database.

Methods: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database was linked to Medicare data in 14,286 lung cancer patients who underwent segmentectomy (n = 1654) or lobectomy (n = 12,632) for clinical stage IA disease from 2002 to 2015.

Fifteen-minute Frequency of Glucose Measurements and the Use of Threshold Alarms: Impact on Mitigating Dysglycemia in Critically Ill Patients.

Background: The use of near-continuous blood glucose (BG) monitoring has the potential to improve glycemic control in critically ill patients. The MANAGE IDE trial evaluated the performance of the OptiScanner (OS) 5000 in a multicenter cohort of 200 critically ill patients.

Methods: An Independent Group reviewed the BG run charts of all 200 patients and voted whether unblinded use of the OS, with alarms set at 90 and 130 to 150 mg/dL to alert the clinical team to impending hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, respectively, would have eliminated episodes of dysglycemia: hypoglycemia, defined as a single BG <70 mg/dL; hyperglycemia, defined as >4 hours of BG >150 mg/dL; severe hyperglycemia, defined as >4 hours of BG >200 mg/dL and increased glucose variability (GV), defined as coefficient of variation (CV) >20%.

Lack of correlation between short- and long-term performance after lung cancer surgery.

Objective: Outcomes for lung cancer surgery are currently measured according to perioperative morbidity and mortality. However, the oncologic efficacy of the surgery is reflected by long-term survival. We examined correlation between measures of short-term and long-term performance for lung cancer surgery.

Penetration, Completeness, and Representativeness of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database for Lobectomy.

Background: Not all surgeons performing lobectomy in the United States report outcomes to The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database (STS GTSD). We examined penetration, completeness, and representativeness of the STS GTSD for lobectomy in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) patient population.

Methods: The STS GTSD lobectomies from 2002 to 2013 were linked and matched to CMS data using a deterministic matching algorithm.

Minimally Invasive Lung Cancer Surgery Performed by Thoracic Surgeons as Effective as Thoracotomy.

Purpose The prevalence of minimally invasive lung cancer surgery using video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has increased dramatically over the past decade, yet recent studies have suggested that the lymph node evaluation during VATS lobectomy is inadequate. We hypothesized that the minimally invasive approach to lobectomy for stage I lung cancer resulted in a longitudinal outcome that was not inferior to thoracotomy. Patients and Methods Patients > 65 years of age who had undergone lobectomy for stage I lung cancer between 2002 and 2013 were analyzed within the Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database, which had been linked to Medicare data, as part of a retrospective-cohort, noninferiority study.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 2018 Adult Cardiac Surgery Risk Models: Part 1-Background, Design Considerations, and Model Development.

Background: The last published version of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (ACSD) risk models were developed in 2008 based on patient data from 2002 to 2006 and have been periodically recalibrated. In response to evolving changes in patient characteristics, risk profiles, surgical practice, and outcomes, the STS has now developed a set of entirely new risk models for adult cardiac surgery.

Methods: New models were estimated for isolated coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG [n = 439,092]), isolated aortic or mitral valve surgery (n = 150,150), and combined valve plus CABG procedures (n = 81,588).

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 2018 Adult Cardiac Surgery Risk Models: Part 2-Statistical Methods and Results.

Background: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) uses statistical models to create risk-adjusted performance metrics for Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (ACSD) participants. Because of temporal changes in patient characteristics and outcomes, evolution of surgical practice, and additional risk factors available in recent ACSD versions, completely new risk models have been developed.

Methods: Using July 2011 to June 2014 ACSD data, risk models were developed for operative mortality, stroke, renal failure, prolonged ventilation, mediastinitis/deep sternal wound infection, reoperation, major morbidity or mortality composite, prolonged postoperative length of stay, and short postoperative length of stay among patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (n = 439,092), aortic or mitral valve surgery (n = 150,150), or combined valve plus coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (n = 81,588).

Differential effects of operative complications on survival after surgery for primary lung cancer.

Objective: Complications adversely affect survival after lung cancer surgery. We tested the hypothesis that effects of complications after lung cancer surgery on survival vary substantially across the spectrum of postoperative complications.

Methods: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database was linked to Medicare data for lung cancer resections from 2002 through 2013.

Prediction of Long-Term Survival After Lung Cancer Surgery for Elderly Patients in The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database.

Background: Prior risk models using the STS General Thoracic Surgery database (STS-GTSD) have been limited to 30-day outcomes. We have now linked STS data to Medicare data and sought to create a risk prediction model for long-term mortality after lung cancer resection in patients older than 65 years.

Methods: The STS-GTSD was linked to Medicare data for lung cancer resections from 2002 to 2013 as previously reported.

Surgically Managed Clinical Stage IIIA-Clinical N2 Lung Cancer in The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database.

Background: The role of surgical resection in patients with clinical stage IIIA-N2 positive (cIIIA-N2) lung cancer is controversial, partly because of the variability in short- and long-term outcomes. The objective of this study was to characterize the management of cIIIA-N2 lung cancer in The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database (STS-GTSD).

Methods: The STS-GTSD was queried for patients who underwent operations for cIIIA-N2 lung cancer between 2002 and 2012.

Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve Durability: A Meta-Regression of Published Studies.

To compare structural valve deterioration (SVD) among bioprosthetic aortic valve types, a PubMed search found 54 papers containing SVD-free curves extending to at least 10 years. The curves were digitized and fit to Weibull distributions, and the mean times to valve failure (MTTF) were calculated. Twelve valve models were collapsed into four valve types: Medtronic (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) and Edwards (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) porcine; and Sorin (Sorin Group [now LivaNova], London, United Kingdom) and Edwards pericardial.

Results of a multicenter prospective pivotal trial of the first inline continuous glucose monitor in critically ill patients.

Background: We have previously demonstrated that tight glycemic control (80-120 mg/dL) improves outcome in critically injured patients. However, many centers have gotten away from aggressive glucose control due to the workload and risk of hypoglycemia. The objective of this pivotal trial is to evaluate the first in human continuous inline glucose monitor (OptiScanner) in critically ill patients.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Mitral Valve Repair/Replacement Plus Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Composite Score: A Report of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Quality Measurement Task Force.

Background: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Quality Measurement Task Force has developed a composite performance measure for mitral repair/replacement (MVRR) with concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: Data were acquired from the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database for 26,463 patients undergoing MVRR + CABG operations between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2014. Established STS risk models were applied, along with modifications enabling the inclusion of patients with concomitant closures of atrial septal defects and patent foramen ovale, surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation, and tricuspid valve repair (TVR).

Performing Concomitant Tricuspid Valve Repair at the Time of Mitral Valve Operations Is Not Associated With Increased Operative Mortality.

Background: The performance of concomitant tricuspid valve repair (TVr) at the time of mitral valve repair or replacement (MVRR) has previously been associated with elevated short-term risk. Outcomes were assessed at incremental grades of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) to quantify the contemporary risk of concomitant TVr.

Methods: Between July 2011 and June 2014, 88,473 patients undergoing MVRR were examined using The Society of Thoracic Surgeons database.

Failure to Rescue Rates After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: An Analysis From The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database.

Background: Failure to rescue (FTR) is increasingly recognized as an important quality indicator in surgery. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Database was used to develop FTR metrics and a predictive FTR model for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: The study included 604,154 patients undergoing isolated CABG at 1,105 centers from January 2010 to January 2014.

Longitudinal Follow-up of Lung Cancer Resection From the Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database in Patients 65 Years and Older.

Background: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) General Thoracic Surgery Database (GTSD) does not capture long-term survival after lung cancer surgery. Our objective was to provide longitudinal follow-up to the STS GTSD through linkage to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) data for patients 65 years of age or older.

Methods: Lung cancer operations reported in the STS GTSD from 2002 through 2012 were linked to CMS data for patients 65 years of age or older using variables common to both databases with a deterministic matching algorithm.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Mitral Repair/Replacement Composite Score: A Report of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Quality Measurement Task Force.

Background: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Quality Measurement Task Force is developing a portfolio of composite performance measures for the most commonly performed procedures in adult cardiac surgery. We now describe the fourth in this series, the STS composite measure for mitral valve repair/replacement (MVRR).

Methods: We examined all patients undergoing isolated MVRR, with or without concomitant performance of tricuspid valve repair, surgical arrhythmia ablation, or repair of atrial septal defect, between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2014.