Association of Race and Ethnicity With High Longevity Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation Under the US Kidney Allocation System.

Rationale & Objective: The US Kidney Allocation System (KAS) prioritizes candidates with a≤20% estimated posttransplant survival (EPTS) to receive high-longevity kidneys defined by a≤20% Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI). Use of EPTS in the KAS deprioritizes candidates with older age, diabetes, and longer dialysis durations. We assessed whether this use also disadvantages race and ethnicity minority candidates, who are younger but more likely to have diabetes and longer durations of kidney failure requiring dialysis.

Chicago Neighborhood Context and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Maternal Diabetes.

Objectives: To determine if rates of maternal diabetes vary by race, ethnicity, and neighborhood hardship.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of live births in Chicago from 2010 to 2017. Our sample was restricted to Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic Black, Mexican, Non-Hispanic Asian, and Other Hispanic mothers between the ages of 15 and 50, with singleton births.

Prediction of chronic kidney disease progression using recurrent neural network and electronic health records.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive loss in kidney function. Early detection of patients who will progress to late-stage CKD is of paramount importance for patient care. To address this, we develop a pipeline to process longitudinal electronic heath records (EHRs) and construct recurrent neural network (RNN) models to predict CKD progression from stages II/III to stages IV/V.

Frailty and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Adults With CKD: Findings From the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study.

Rationale & Objective: Frailty is common in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and increases the risk of adverse outcomes in adults with kidney failure requiring dialysis. However, this relationship has not been thoroughly evaluated among those with non-dialysis-dependent CKD.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

A Pilot Efficacy Trial to Educate Muslim Americans about the Islamic Bioethical Perspectives in End-of-Life Healthcare.

In the US, end-of-life health care (EOLHC) is often intensive and invasive, and at times may involve care that is inconsistent with patient values. US Muslims may not receive appropriate religious support, experience uncertainty around end-of-life decision-making, and under-utilize palliative and hospice care. As technological advancements and treatment options rise in EOLHC, Muslim American patients and their families need to understand more about the treatment options that are consistent with their beliefs.

Workforce diversity in cardiothoracic surgery: An examination of recent demographic changes and the training pathway.

Introduction: The purpose of our study was to examine changes in the demographic makeup of resident physicians in integrated 6-year cardiothoracic surgery and traditional thoracic surgery residency programs from 2013 to 2022 compared with other surgical subspecialties and determine potential leaks in the training pathway.

Methods: Data from US Graduate Medical Education reports from 2013 to 2022 and medical student enrollment data from the Association of American Medical Colleges were obtained. Average percentages of women and underrepresented minorities were calculated in 2 5-year intervals: 2013 to 2017 and 2018 to 2022.

Assessment of Demographic Changes of Workforce Diversity in Otolaryngology, 2013 to 2022.

Importance: Given the growth of minoritized groups in the US and the widening racial and ethnic health disparities, improving diversity remains a proposed solution in the field of otolaryngology. Evaluating current trends in workforce diversity may highlight potential areas for improvement.

Objective: To understand the changes in gender, racial, and ethnic diversity in the otolaryngology workforce in comparison with changes in the general surgery and neurosurgery workforces from 2013 to 2022.

Assessing knowledge of end-stage kidney disease and treatment options in hospitalized African American patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Objective: African Americans are more likely to develop end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) than whites and face multiple inequities regarding ESKD treatment, renal replacement therapy (RRT), and overall care. This study focused on determining gaps in participants' knowledge of their chronic kidney disease and barriers to RRT selection in an effort to identify how we can improve health care interventions and health outcomes among this population.

Methods: African American participants undergoing hemodialysis were recruited from an ongoing research study of hospitalized patients at an urban Midwest academic medical center.

Utility of geriatric assessments in evaluation of older adults for kidney transplantation.

Background: While kidney transplantation has favorable outcomes in patients aged 65 years and older, many are not referred for evaluation despite having no contraindications. We wanted to determine whether incorporating geriatrics and geriatric assessments (GA), as part of kidney transplant evaluation at the University of Chicago Medicine, would help identify suitable candidates and improve transplantation outcomes among older adults.

Methods: Between 2012 and 2016, as part of their multi-disciplinary transplant evaluation, 171 patients underwent an initial GA with the study geriatrician, who rated them on a five-point scale from "poor" to "excellent," and presented their cases to multidisciplinary transplant review meetings.

Content Validity Assessment of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire in CKD Using Qualitative Methods.

Background: The Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) measures individuals' unique perceptions of their illness. While psychometric properties of the IPQ-R have been demonstrated in many disease populations, its content validity has not been extensively studied in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD). Unique features of CKD (e.

Evaluating the Thematic Nature of Microaggression among Racial and Ethnic Minority Surgeons.

Background: It is well documented that surgeons who identify as racial and ethnic minorities experience discrimination while navigating the surgical environment. There is evidence to suggest that the most prevalent form of discrimination experienced is microaggressions. This study sought to identify common microaggressions experienced in the surgical workplace by racial and ethnic minority surgeons with the use of a validated scale.

Self-reported Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Events in Adults With CKD: Findings From the CRIC (Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort) Study.

Rationale & Objective: In the general population, there is an association between higher levels of physical activity and lower risk for cardiovascular events and mortality, but this relationship has not been well evaluated in chronic kidney disease (CKD). We investigated the association between self-reported physical activity and outcomes in a CKD cohort.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Health Disparities in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) in the United States.

Background And Objectives: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) occurs at conception and is often diagnosed decades prior to kidney failure. Nephrology care and transplantation access should be independent of race and ethnicity. However, institutional racism and barriers to health care may affect patient outcomes in ADPKD.

"Can i donate a kidney?" Common questions and simplified answers to the prospective kidney donor.

For individuals with end stage kidney disease (ESKD), kidney transplantation is associated with reduced morbidity, mortality, and decreased health care costs. African Americans have higher rates of end stage kidney disease (ESKD) and reduced access to transplantation compared to their White counterparts. One way to improve access to transplantation is by increasing the number of living donors.

Emergency Department/Urgent Care as Usual Source of Care and Clinical Outcomes in CKD: Findings From the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study.

Rationale & Objective: Having a usual source of care increases use of preventive services and is associated with improved survival in the general population. We evaluated this association in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Study Design: Prospective, observational cohort study.

Muslim Americans' Views on Making Organ Donation Decisions in the Department of Motor Vehicles Setting.

Organ donation-related education is offered, and decisions are made at state Department of Motor Vehicles; however, little is known about Muslim Americans' attitudes toward these common practices. Are participants comfortable learning about deceased organ donation in the Department of Motor Vehicles setting? Are participants prepared to make deceased organ donation-related decisions at the Department of Motor Vehicles? A survey of Muslim Americans attending an educational workshop at 4 mosques in two US cities. Primary study outcomes were self-reported (a) preparedness to make deceased donation-related decisions and (b) comfort with receiving organ donation education in the license renewal setting.

Race, Genetic Ancestry, and Estimating Kidney Function in CKD.

Background: The inclusion of race in equations to estimate the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) has become controversial. Alternative equations that can be used to achieve similar accuracy without the use of race are needed.

Methods: In a large national study involving adults with chronic kidney disease, we conducted cross-sectional analyses of baseline data from 1248 participants for whom data, including the following, had been collected: race as reported by the participant, genetic ancestry markers, and the serum creatinine, serum cystatin C, and 24-hour urinary creatinine levels.

Hospitalization Trajectories and Risks of ESKD and Death in Individuals With CKD.

Introduction: Management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) entails high medical complexity and often results in high hospitalization burden. There are limited data on the associations of longitudinal hospital utilization patterns with adverse clinical outcomes in individuals with CKD.

Methods: We derived cumulative all-cause hospitalization trajectory groups using latent class trajectory analysis in 3012 participants of the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study who were alive and did not reach end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) within 4 years of study entry.

Spheres of Influence and Strategic Advocacy for Equity in Medicine.

As the extent of health disparities in the USA has been revealed, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, physicians have increasingly attended to their roles as advocates for their patients and communities. This article presents "spheres of influence" as a concept that can help physicians think strategically about how to build upon their clinical work and expertise to promote equity in medicine. The physician's primary sphere of influence is in direct patient care.

Association of Post-discharge Service Types and Timing with 30-Day Readmissions, Length of Stay, and Costs.

Background: Although early follow-up after discharge from an index admission (IA) has been postulated to reduce 30-day readmission, some researchers have questioned its efficacy, which may depend upon the likelihood of readmission at a given time and the health conditions contributing to readmissions.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between post-discharge services utilization of different types and at different timepoints and unplanned 30-day readmission, length of stay (LOS), and inpatient costs.

Design, Setting, And Participants: The study sample included 583,199 all-cause IAs among 2014 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries that met IA inclusion criteria.