Identification of Substance-Exposed Newborns and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Using ICD-10-CM - 15 Hospitals, Massachusetts, 2017.

Opioid use disorder and neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) increased in Massachusetts from 1999 to 2013 (1,2). In response, in 2016, the state passed a law requiring birth hospitals to report the number of newborns who were exposed to controlled substances to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH)* by mandating monthly reporting of International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) diagnostic codes related to maternal dependence on opioids (F11.20) or benzodiazepines (F13.

Molecular profiling of rheumatoid arthritis patients reveals an association between innate and adaptive cell populations and response to anti-tumor necrosis factor.

Background: The goal of this study is to use comprehensive molecular profiling to characterize clinical response to anti-TNF therapy in a real-world setting and identify reproducible markers differentiating good responders and non-responders in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Whole-blood mRNA, plasma proteins, and glycopeptides were measured in two cohorts of biologic-naïve RA patients (n = 40 and n = 36) from the Corrona CERTAIN (Comparative Effectiveness Registry to study Therapies for Arthritis and Inflammatory coNditions) registry at baseline and after 3 months of anti-TNF treatment. Response to treatment was categorized by EULAR criteria.

One-year risk of serious infection in patients treated with certolizumab pegol as compared with other TNF inhibitors in a real-world setting: data from a national U.S. rheumatoid arthritis registry.

Background: Registry studies provide a valuable source of comparative safety data for tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) used in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but they are subject to channeling bias. Comparing safety outcomes without accounting for channeling bias can lead to inaccurate comparisons between TNFi prescribed at different stages of the disease. In the present study, we examined the incidence of serious infection and other adverse events during certolizumab pegol (CZP) use vs other TNFi in a U.

Cluster-Randomized Trial of a Behavioral Intervention to Incorporate a Treat-to-Target Approach to Care of US Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: To assess the feasibility and efficacy of implementing a treat-to-target approach versus usual care in a US-based cohort of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Methods: In this behavioral intervention trial, rheumatology practices were cluster-randomized to provide treat-to-target care or usual care. Eligible patients with moderate/high disease activity (Clinical Disease Activity Index [CDAI] score >10) were followed for 12 months.

Clinical and demographic factors associated with change and maintenance of disease severity in a large registry of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: We examined models to predict disease activity transitions from moderate to low or severe and associated factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Data from RA patients enrolled in the Corrona registry (October 2001 to August 2014) were analyzed. Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) definitions were used for low (≤10), moderate (>10 and ≤22), and severe (>22) disease activity states.

Benefit of biologics initiation in moderate versus severe rheumatoid arthritis: evidence from a United States registry.

Objectives: To compare clinical outcomes and treatment patterns among patients with moderate vs severe RA following biologic DMARD initiation.

Methods: Biologics-naive patients with moderate to severe RA [Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) >10] who initiated a biologic DMARD were selected from the Corrona registry (2001-13). CDAI, functional status [modified HAQ (mHAQ)] and patterns of drug use were compared at 1 and 2 years post-initiation between patients with moderate (CDAI >10⩽22) vs severe (CDAI >22) baseline disease activity.

Comparative effectiveness of biologic monotherapy versus combination therapy for patients with psoriatic arthritis: results from the Corrona registry.

Objectives: To characterise the comparative effectiveness of combination therapy (a tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) and a conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (csDMARD) such as methotrexate) and monotherapy (TNFi only) for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) from a large US registry.

Methods: The analysis included adult patients with PsA who were enrolled in the Corrona database (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01402661), had initiated a TNFi, were biologic naïve, and had a follow-up visit ≥90 days after drug initiation.

Impact of Treatment With Biologic Agents on the Use of Mechanical Devices Among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients in a Large US Patient Registry.

Objective: To assess trends and predictors of mechanical devices/aids use by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients since the introduction of biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

Methods: Sociodemographic characteristics, disease characteristics, and mechanical aid use (assessed using the Health Assessment Questionnaire) were compared among RA patients ages >17 years at diagnosis, enrolled in the Consortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America (CORRONA) registry during January 2001 to December 2003 and January 2010 to December 2012. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictors of mechanical aid use among patients in both cohorts.

Effectiveness of Rituximab for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Patients with Prior Exposure to Anti-TNF: Results from the CORRONA Registry.

Objective: To characterize the real-world effectiveness of rituximab (RTX) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: Clinical effectiveness at 12 months was assessed in patients who were prescribed RTX based on the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI). Change in CDAI was calculated (CDAI at 12 mos minus at initiation).

Identifying factors associated with concordance with the American College of Rheumatology rheumatoid arthritis treatment recommendations.

Background: Factors associated with care concordant with the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) recommendations for the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are unknown.

Methods: We identified a national cohort of biologic-naive patients with RA with visits between December 2008 and February 2013. Treatment acceleration (initiation or dose escalation of biologic and nonbiologic DMARDs) in response to moderate to high disease activity (using the Clinical Disease Activity Index) was assessed.

The rheumatoid arthritis treat-to-target trial: a cluster randomized trial within the Corrona rheumatology network.

Background: The treat-to-target (T2T) approach to the care of patients with rheumatoid arthritis involves using validated metrics to measure disease activity, frequent follow-up visits for patients with moderate to high disease activity, and escalation of therapy when patients have inadequate therapeutic response as assessed by standard disease activity scores. The study described is a newly launched cluster-randomized behavioral intervention to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the T2T approach in US rheumatology practices. It is designed to identify patient and provider barriers to implementing T2T management.

A comparison of the malignancy incidence among patients with psoriatic arthritis and patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a large US cohort.

Objective: To compare the incidence rates of malignancy among patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the Consortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America (CORRONA) registry.

Methods: We analyzed 2,970 patients with PsA (7,133 patient-years of followup) and 19,260 patients with RA (53,864 patient-years of followup). Using a standardized adjudication process, we identified 40 confirmed malignancies in the patients with PsA and 307 confirmed malignancies in those with RA.

Birthplace, years of residence in the United States, and obesity among Mexican-American adults.

Objective: To evaluate the association between birthplace (Mexico or U.S.) and obesity in men and women and to analyze the relationship between duration of U.

Effects of nativity, age at migration, and acculturation on smoking among adult Houston residents of Mexican descent.

Objectives: We investigated differences in smoking behaviors between US-and Mexican-born ever smokers and examined the influence of US culture on smoking initiation.

Methods: Participants were 5030 adults of Mexican descent enrolled in an ongoing population-based cohort in Houston, Tex.

Results: More men than women reported current smoking; rates among US-born women were higher than those among Mexican-born women.

Training future pharmacists at a minority educational institution: evaluation of the Rx for change tobacco cessation training program.

Objectives: To estimate the impact of Rx for Change, an 8-h tobacco cessation training program on pharmacy students' perceived counseling skills, confidence for counseling, and future counseling of patients for tobacco cessation.

Methods: Unlinked, pre- and post-training surveys were administered to 142 pharmacy students enrolled at Texas Southern University, a primarily minority and historically black educational institution.

Results: Post-training counseling abilities were significantly improved over pretraining values for each of the five key components of tobacco cessation counseling (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange), overall counseling abilities, and confidence for counseling (P < 0.