Rule-based natural language processing to examine variation in worsening heart failure hospitalizations by age, sex, race and ethnicity, and left ventricular ejection fraction.

Background: Prior studies characterizing worsening heart failure events (WHFE) have been limited in using structured healthcare data from hospitalizations, and with little exploration of sociodemographic variation. The current study examined the impact of incorporating unstructured data to identify WHFE, describing age-, sex-, race and ethnicity-, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)-specific rates.

Methods: Adult members of Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) with a HF diagnosis between 2014 and 2018 were followed through 2019 to identify hospitalized WHFE.

Data driven approach to characterize rapid decline in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a genetic kidney disease with high phenotypic variability. Furthering insights into patients' ADPKD progression could lead to earlier detection, management, and alter the course to end stage kidney disease (ESKD). We sought to identify patients with rapid decline (RD) in kidney function and to determine clinical factors associated with RD using a data-driven approach.

Initial antiretroviral therapy regimen and risk of heart failure.

Objectives: Heart failure risk is elevated in people with HIV (PWH). We investigated whether initial antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens influenced heart failure risk.

Design: Cohort study.

Safety Net Program to Improve Statin Initiation Among Adults With High Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol.

Introduction: Despite their effectiveness in reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk, high-intensity statins are underutilized among adults with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥190 mg/dL. This study determined whether a safety net program (SureNet) facilitating medication and laboratory test orders improved statin initiation and laboratory test completions after (SureNet period: April 2019-September 2021) and before implementation (pre-SureNet period: January 2016-September 2018).

Methods: Kaiser Permanente Southern California members aged 20-60 years with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥190 mg/dL and no statin use in previous 2-6 months were included in this retrospective cohort study.

Identification of recurrent atrial fibrillation using natural language processing applied to electronic health records.

Aims: This study aimed to develop and apply natural language processing (NLP) algorithms to identify recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) episodes following rhythm control therapy initiation using electronic health records (EHRs).

Methods And Results: We included adults with new-onset AF who initiated rhythm control therapies (ablation, cardioversion, or antiarrhythmic medication) within two US integrated healthcare delivery systems. A code-based algorithm identified potential AF recurrence using diagnosis and procedure codes.

Association of Kidney Function With Risk of Adverse Effects of Therapies for Atrial Fibrillation.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is treated with rate control medications, antiarrhythmic medications, as well as anticoagulation and procedures, each of which have associated risks. We aimed to evaluate the association of CKD status with the risks of adverse effects after initiation of AF therapies.

Methods: This was a cohort study of community-based adults who newly initiated rate control medications, antiarrhythmic medications, warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) or received AF procedures in the 1 year after diagnosis of AF.

Incident Atrial Fibrillation and Risk of Dementia in a Diverse, Community-Based Population.

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common, clinically relevant arrhythmia in adults and associated with ischemic stroke and premature death. However, data are conflicting on whether AF is independently associated with risk of dementia, particularly in diverse populations. Methods and Results We identified all adults from 2 large integrated health care delivery systems between 2010 and 2017 and performed a 1:1 match of incident AF: no AF by age at index date, sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate category, and study site.

Comparison of Blood Pressure Measurements from Clinical Practice and a Research Study At Kaiser Permanente Southern California.

Background: Accurate blood pressure (BP) measurement is essential to identify and manage hypertension. Prior studies have reported a difference between BP measured in routine patient care and in research studies. We aimed to investigate the agreement between BP measured in routine care and research-grade BP in Kaiser Permanente Southern California, a large, integrated healthcare system with initiatives to standardize BP measurements during routine patient care visits.

Health Disparities in Kidney Failure Among Patients With Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Rationale & Objective: Understanding potential differences in patterns of kidney failure among patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) may provide insights into improving disease management. We sought to characterize patients with ADPKD and kidney failure across different race/ethnicities.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Blood Pressure Control Among Black and White Adults Following a Quality Improvement Program in a Large Integrated Health System.

Importance: A higher percentage of non-Hispanic Black (hereinafter, Black) adults vs non-Hispanic White (hereinafter, White) adults with hypertension have uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) contributing to racial and ethnic disparities in cardiovascular disease. In 2010, Kaiser Permanente Southern California began implementing quality improvement (QI) strategies aimed at reducing this disparity.

Objective: To examine the change in BP control between Black and White patients before and after the implementation of a QI program.

Thromboembolism after treatment with 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate or plasma for warfarin-related bleeding.

Limited data exist in large, representative populations about whether the risk of thromboembolic events varies after receiving four-factor human prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC) versus treatment with human plasma for urgent reversal of oral vitamin K antagonist therapy. We conducted a multicenter observational study to compare the 45-day risk of thromboembolic events in adults with warfarin-associated major bleeding after treatment with 4F-PCC (Kcentra®) or plasma. Hospitalized patients in two large integrated healthcare delivery systems who received 4F-PCC or plasma for reversal of warfarin due to major bleeding from January 1, 2008 to March 31, 2020 were identified and were matched 1:1 on potential confounders and a high-dimensional propensity score.

Human immunodeficiency virus infection and risks of morbidity and death in adults with incident heart failure.

Aims: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) increases the risk of heart failure (HF), but whether it influences subsequent morbidity and mortality remains unclear.

Methods And Results: We investigated the risks of hospitalization for HF, HF-related emergency department (ED) visits, and all-cause death in an observational cohort of incident HF patients with and without HIV using data from three large US integrated healthcare delivery systems. We estimated incidence rates and adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) by HIV status at the time of HF diagnosis for subsequent outcomes.

Changes in Fall Rates From Before to During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings From the Prospective AMBROSIA Study.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) social distancing policies resulted in reductions in community movement, however, fall rates during this time have not been described.

Methods: This prospective study included adults ≥65 years old participating in the Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Older Adults (AMBROSIA) cohort and who completed ≥1 monthly falls calendar (August 2019-March 2021; n = 250). Months were grouped to correspond to the fall 2020 phased reopening (August-October) and the shelter-in-place policy during the winter 2020 surge (November-January) in Los Angeles, California and compared to the same months, 1 year earlier (ie, before the pandemic).

Multimorbidity Burden and Incident Heart Failure Among People With and Without HIV: The HIV-HEART Study.

Objective: To examine the association between multimorbidity burden and incident heart failure (HF) among people with HIV (PWH) and people without HIV (PWoH).

Patients And Methods: The HIV-HEART study is a retrospective cohort study that included adult PWH and PWoH aged 21 years or older at Kaiser Permanente between 2000 and 2016. Multimorbidity burden was defined by the baseline prevalence of 22 chronic conditions and was categorized as 0-1, 2-3, and 4 or more comorbidities on the basis of distribution of the overall population.

Rates of Acute Myocardial Infarction During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: During the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic pandemic, stay-at-home orders and fear of acquiring COVID-19 may have led to an avoidance of care for medical emergencies, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We evaluated whether a decline in rates of AMI occurred during the COVID-19 stay-at-home order.

Methods: Rates of AMI per 100,000 member-weeks were calculated for Kaiser Permanente Southern California patients from January 1 to March 3, 2020 (prepandemic period) and from March 20 to July 31, 2020 (pandemic period), and during the same periods in 2019.

Representativeness of the GALACTIC-HF Clinical Trial in Patients Having Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Background Randomized clinical trials in populations with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction may not be reflective of the general population with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Our study assessed the representativeness of the GALACTIC-HF (Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac Outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure) patient population in Kaiser Permanente Southern California. Methods and Results We identified 9770 patients with a diagnosis of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction from 2014 to 2018 using electronic health records.

Potentially Harmful Medication Dispenses After a Fall or Hip Fracture: A Mixed Methods Study of a Commonly Used Quality Measure.

Background: High-risk medication dispenses to patients with a prior fall or hip fracture represent a potentially dangerous disease-drug interaction among older adults. The research team quantified the prevalence, identified risk factors, and generated patient and provider insights into high-risk medication dispenses in a large, community-based integrated health system using a commonly used quality measure.

Methods: This was a mixed methods study with a convergent design combining a retrospective cohort study using electronic health record (EHR) data, individual interviews of primary care physicians, and a focus group of patient advisors.

Diagnostic Yield, Outcomes, and Resource Utilization With Different Ambulatory Electrocardiographic Monitoring Strategies.

Accurate diagnosis of arrhythmias is improved with longer monitoring duration but can risk delayed diagnosis. We compared diagnostic yield, outcomes, and resource utilization by arrhythmia monitoring strategy in 330 matched adults (mean age 64 years, 40% women, and 30% non-White) without previously documented atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter (AF/AFL) who received ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring by 14-day Zio XT (patch-based continuous monitor), 24-hour Holter, or 30-day event monitor (external loop recorder) between October 2011 and May 2014. Patients were matched by age, gender, site, likelihood of receiving Zio XT patch, and indication for monitoring, and subsequently followed for monitoring results, management changes, clinical outcomes, and resource utilization.

Laboratory monitoring to reduce adverse drug-related events: a mixed methods study.

Therapy with angiotensinconverting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) requires laboratory monitoring to avoid hyperkalemia and acute kidney failure. To assess the frequency of recommended annual serum potassium and creatinine monitoring and determine potential factors associated with care gaps among adults dispensed an ACEI or ARB. This mixed-methods study integrated findings from a retrospective cohort study and individual patient interviews.

Management of Adults with Newly Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation with and without CKD.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is highly prevalent in CKD and is associated with worse cardiovascular and kidney outcomes. Limited data exist on use of AF pharmacotherapies and AF-related procedures by CKD status. We examined a large "real-world" contemporary population with incident AF to study the association of CKD with management of AF.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Variation in Heart Failure Risk by Age, Sex, and Ethnicity: The HIV HEART Study.

Objectives: To evaluate the risk of heart failure (HF) linked to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, how risk varies by demographic characteristics, and whether it is explained by atherosclerotic disease or risk factor treatment.

Patients And Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of persons with HIV (PWHs) from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2016, frequency-matched 1:10 to persons without HIV on year of entry, age, sex, race/ethnicity, and treating facility. We evaluated the risk of incident HF associated with HIV infection, overall and by left ventricular systolic function, and whether HF risk varied by demographic characteristics.

Risk of hospitalization and mortality associated with uncontrolled blood pressure in patients with hypertension and COVID-19.

Objective: The role of uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) in COVID-19 severity among patients with hypertension is unclear. We evaluated the association between uncontrolled BP and the risk of hospitalization and/or mortality in patients with hypertension from a large US integrated healthcare system.

Methods: We identified patients with hypertension and a positive RT-PCR test result or a diagnosis of COVID-19 between March 1 - September 1, 2020 from Kaiser Permanente Southern California.

COVID-19 morbidity and mortality associated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers use among 14,129 patients with hypertension from a US integrated healthcare system.

Objective: Although recent evidence suggests no increased risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes associated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) use, the relationship is less clear among patients with hypertension and diverse racial/ethnic groups. This study evaluates the risk of hospitalization and mortality among patients with hypertension and COVID-19 in a large US integrated healthcare system.

Methods: Patients with hypertension and COVID-19 (between March 1- September 1, 2020) on ACEIs or ARBs were compared with patients on other frequently used antihypertensive medications.