Predicting hospitalizations for patients with chronic kidney disease.

Objectives: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at higher risk of being admitted to the hospital than the general population. Hospitalizations in patients with CKD are associated with higher medical costs and increased morbidity and mortality. Identification of patients with CKD who are at greatest risk of hospitalization may hold promise to improve clinical outcomes and enable judicious allocation of health care resources.

Real-World Effectiveness and Immunogenicity of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines in Patients on Hemodialysis.

Background: Patients on hemodialysis have an elevated risk for COVID-19 but were not included in efficacy trials of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective, observational study to estimate the real-world effectiveness and immunogenicity of two mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in a large, representative population of adult hemodialysis patients in the United States. In separate, parallel analyses, patients who began a vaccination series with BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 in January and February 2021 were matched with unvaccinated patients and risk for outcomes were compared for days 1-21, 22-42, and ≥43 after first dose.

Association of Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan With Hospitalization and Mortality Among Patients With End-Stage Kidney Disease.

Importance: While several studies have demonstrated the benefit of enrollment in chronic condition special needs plans (C-SNPs) for other chronic diseases (eg, diabetes), there is no evaluation of the association of C-SNPs with outcomes among patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD).

Objective: To examine whether and to what degree C-SNP enrollment was associated with improved clinical outcomes and quality of life in patients with ESKD.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This multicenter cohort study included 2718 patients who were newly enrolled in an ESKD C-SNP between January 1, 2013, and September 30, 2017, and receiving dialysis from DaVita Kidney Care.

Anemia and mortality in patients with nondialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease.

Background: A combination of safety concerns and labeling changes impacted use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in renal anemia. Data regarding contemporary utilization in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) are lacking.

Methods: Electronic healthcare records and medical claims data of pre-dialysis CKD patients were aggregated from a large US managed care provider (2011-13).

Vocational activity and health insurance type among patients with end-stage renal disease: association with outcomes.

It is widely thought that patients with end-stage renal disease who remain vocationally active and/or commercially insured following dialysis initiation have better clinical outcomes and higher quality of life than those who do not. However, scientifically robust data are lacking. Here, we examined whether vocational status (active, N = 1848; inactive, N = 10,001) and, separately, insurance status (commercial, N = 4858; Medicare/self-pay, N = 13,329; Medicaid, N = 3528) were associated with clinical outcomes and Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL) scores among a cohort of patients who initiated dialysis at a large US dialysis organization during 2015-2016.

Spectrum and Burden of Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agent Hyporesponsiveness Among Contemporary Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: Hemodialysis patients with erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) hyporesponsiveness have been a topic of active research. However, there have been no studies of ESA hyporesponsiveness among US patients following the dramatic change in anemia management that resulted from the 2011 changes in ESA product labeling and bundling of dialysis remuneration.

Study Design: Retrospective observational study.

Association between Serum Potassium and Outcomes in Patients with Reduced Kidney Function.

Background And Objectives: Patients with CKD are more likely than others to have abnormalities in serum potassium (K(+)). Aside from severe hyperkalemia, the clinical significance of K(+) abnormalities is not known. We sought to examine the association of serum K(+) with mortality and hospitalization rates within narrow eGFR strata to understand how the burden of hyperkalemia varies by CKD severity.

Persistence with biologic therapies in the Medicare coverage gap.

Objectives: To describe persistence with teriparatide and other biologic therapies in Medicare Part D plans with and without a coverage gap.

Study Design: Retrospective (2006) cohort study of Medicare Part D prescription drug plan beneficiaries from a large benefits company. Two plans with a coverage gap (defined as "basic") were combined and compared with a single plan with coverage for generic and branded medications (defined as "complete").

Impact of metformin-induced gastrointestinal symptoms on quality of life and adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aims: Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are common in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study assesses the impact of 1) metformin on GI symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and 2) metformin-associated GI symptoms on medication adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes newly beginning therapy.

Methods: Patients with T2DM aged>or=18 years starting metformin from January to June 2007 who filled their prescriptions for >or=3 months were identified from a health benefits company database.

Impact of an antidepressant management program on medication adherence.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of mail-based physician and member educational interventions on patient adherence to antidepressant medications.

Study Design: The randomized controlled prospective design included patients followed for 6 months after filling a new prescription for an antidepressant. A pharmacy claims database was used to identify patients and track medication adherence.