Antibiotics potentially used in response to bioterrorism and the risk of major congenital malformations.

This study was designed to assess the association between pregnancy-related exposures to antibiotics recommended for use in the event of a bioterrorism attack and major congenital malformations. A retrospective cohort study included 30 049 infants from Tennessee Medicaid born between 1985 and 2000 identified from computerised state databases. Infants with fetal exposures to ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, doxycycline and amoxicillin (antibiotics recommended for potential bioterrorism attacks) (n = 24 521) and erythromycin (included as a positive control) (n = 2128) were compared with infants with no fetal exposure to any antibiotics (n = 3400).

Computerized definitions showed high positive predictive values for identifying hospitalizations for congestive heart failure and selected infections in Medicaid enrollees with rheumatoid arthritis.

Purpose: Computerized definitions are used to identify serious infections and congestive heart failure leading to hospitalizations in studies of medication safety. However, information on their accuracy is limited. We evaluated the ability of computerized definitions to identify these conditions as the reason for admission among patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Validation of ICD-9 codes with a high positive predictive value for incident strokes resulting in hospitalization using Medicaid health data.

Purpose: To validate ICD 9 codes with a high positive predictive value (PPV) for incident strokes. The study population consisted of Tennessee Medicaid enrollees aged from 50 to 84 years.

Methods: We identified all patients who were hospitalized with a discharge diagnosis of stroke between 1999 and 2003 using highly specific codes (ischemic stroke ICD 9-CM codes 433.

Major congenital malformations after first-trimester exposure to ACE inhibitors.

Background: Use of angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy is contraindicated because of their association with an increased risk of fetopathy. In contrast, first-trimester use of ACE inhibitors has not been linked to adverse fetal outcomes. We conducted a study to assess the association between exposure to ACE inhibitors during the first trimester of pregnancy only and the risk of congenital malformations.