Risk of Arterial and Venous Thrombotic Events Among Patients with COVID-19: A Multi-National Collaboration of Regulatory Agencies from Canada, Europe, and United States.

Purpose: Few studies have examined how the absolute risk of thromboembolism with COVID-19 has evolved over time across different countries. Researchers from the European Medicines Agency, Health Canada, and the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration established a collaboration to evaluate the absolute risk of arterial (ATE) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the 90 days after diagnosis of COVID-19 in the ambulatory (eg, outpatient, emergency department, nursing facility) setting from seven countries across North America (Canada, US) and Europe (England, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain) within periods before and during COVID-19 vaccine availability.

Patients And Methods: We conducted cohort studies of patients initially diagnosed with COVID-19 in the ambulatory setting from the seven specified countries.

Understanding COVID-19 Health Disparities With Birth Country and Language Data.

Introduction: Understanding of COVID-19-related disparities in the U.S. is largely informed by traditional race/ethnicity categories that mask important social group differences.

Risk of admission to hospital with arterial or venous thromboembolism among patients diagnosed in the ambulatory setting with covid-19 compared with influenza: retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To measure the 90 day risk of arterial thromboembolism and venous thromboembolism among patients diagnosed with covid-19 in the ambulatory (ie, outpatient, emergency department, or institutional) setting during periods before and during covid-19 vaccine availability and compare results to patients with ambulatory diagnosed influenza.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Four integrated health systems and two national health insurers in the US Food and Drug Administration's Sentinel System.

Evaluation of Preferred Language and Timing of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Disease Outcomes.

Importance: Beyond traditional race and ethnicity demographic characteristics, additional discrete data variables are needed for informed health interventions in the US.

Objective: To examine whether COVID-19 vaccine uptake patterns and associated disease outcomes differ among language preference groups.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A cohort study of 851 410 individuals aged 18 years or older in a large multispecialty health system in Minnesota and western Wisconsin was conducted between December 15, 2020, and March 31, 2022.

Identification of cancer chemotherapy regimens and patient cohorts in administrative claims: challenges, opportunities, and a proposed algorithm.

Background: Real-world evidence is a valuable source of information in healthcare. This study describes the challenges and successes during algorithm development to identify cancer cohorts and multi-agent chemotherapy regimens from claims data to perform a comparative effectiveness analysis of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) use.

Methods: Using the Biologics and Biosimilars Collective Intelligence Consortium's Distributed Research Network, we iteratively developed and tested a de novo algorithm to accurately identify patients by cancer diagnosis, then extract chemotherapy and G-CSF administrations for a retrospective study of prophylactic G-CSF.

Association of COVID-19 vs Influenza With Risk of Arterial and Venous Thrombotic Events Among Hospitalized Patients.

Importance: The incidence of arterial thromboembolism and venous thromboembolism in persons with COVID-19 remains unclear.

Objective: To measure the 90-day risk of arterial thromboembolism and venous thromboembolism in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 before or during COVID-19 vaccine availability vs patients hospitalized with influenza.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Retrospective cohort study of 41 443 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 before vaccine availability (April-November 2020), 44 194 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during vaccine availability (December 2020-May 2021), and 8269 patients hospitalized with influenza (October 2018-April 2019) in the US Food and Drug Administration Sentinel System (data from 2 national health insurers and 4 regional integrated health systems).

Unique Considerations for the Management of Gout in the Hmong Population: Examining Tertiary Encounters at a Large Regional Health Care System.

Objective: To evaluate demographic characteristics, care encounters, comorbidities, and clinical differences in Hmong and non-Hmong patients with gout.

Methods: Using retrospective chart review, all inpatient encounters (Hmong versus non-Hmong) were reviewed from 2014 to 2017. Acute or chronic gout was the primary or secondary diagnosis for the encounter.

ACL Tears in School-Aged Children and Adolescents Over 20 Years.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are thought to occur with increasing frequency in young patients. No study has shown increased incidence over time. We hypothesized the incidence of ACL tears in young patients has increased over the past 20 years.

Validity of diabetes self-reports in the Women's Health Initiative.

Objective: This study aims to determine the positive and negative predictive values of self-reported diabetes during the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trials.

Methods: All WHI trial participants from four field centers who self-reported diabetes at baseline or during follow-up, as well as a random sample of women who did not self-report diabetes, were identified. Women were surveyed regarding diagnosis and treatment.

Effect of country of origin, age, and body mass index on prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in a US immigrant and refugee population.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) (25-hydroxyvitamin D level <20 ng/mL) and severe VDD (25[OH]D level <10 ng/mL) in a Minnesota immigrant and refugee population.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective study evaluated a cohort of adult immigrants and refugees seen at Health Partners Center for International Health in St Paul, Minnesota. Study participants were all patients seen from August 1, 2008, through July 31, 2009, with a first vitamin D screen (N=1378).

Delays in filling clopidogrel prescription after hospital discharge and adverse outcomes after drug-eluting stent implantation: implications for transitions of care.

Background: Adjuvant clopidogrel therapy is essential after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. The frequency with which patients delay filling a clopidogrel prescription after DES implantation and the association of this delay with adverse outcomes is unknown.

Methods And Results: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients discharged after DES implantation from 3 large integrated health care systems.

Cardiovascular disease risks in Hmong refugees from Wat Tham Krabok, Thailand.

No epidemiological studies on cardiovascular disease (CVD) were conducted on Hmong refugees arriving to the U.S. from 1970s to 1990s.

Provider management of menopause after the findings of the Women's Health Initiative.

Objective: A survey was conducted to determine current provider behaviors and concerns related to menopause management.

Design: All gynecology, internal medicine, and family medicine providers (both physicians and nurse practitioners) within a large Midwestern integrated health system were surveyed about current approaches to menopause management, frequency and reasons for hormone therapy (HT) use, approaches to HT discontinuation, treatments for symptom control, bone mineral density testing, and concerns related to menopause management. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were performed to examine frequencies and differences based on gender, specialty, and years in practice.

Case series of 148 tongue-tied newborn babies evaluated with the assessment tool for lingual frenulum function.

Objective: the Assessment Tool for Lingual Frenulum Function (ATLFF) is the only available tool designed to assess newborn babies for the severity of tongue-tie. The aim of this study was to describe the ATLFF scores obtained on a series of 148 tongue-tied newborn babies.

Design: prospective case series.

Hormone use and patient concerns after the findings of the Women's Health Initiative.

Objective: To assess behaviors and concerns related to hormone therapy after the findings of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).

Design: A survey was mailed to a random sample of 1,200 women identified through the pharmacy database as taking one of two estrogen + progestogen therapies (EPT) during the 6-month period before the publication of WHI findings. Questions included hormone use history, changes in usage, an assessment of symptoms, symptom changes, health behavior changes, use of alternative therapies, and demographics.

Maternal postpartum health care utilization and the effect of Minnesota early discharge legislation.

Purpose: To describe maternal postdischarge follow-up and health care utilization in the context of Minnesota's early discharge legislation, which mandates coverage for a home visit for a mother and baby who voluntarily leave the hospital early.

Methods: Claims data from a large managed care organization were used to identify 22,944 women giving birth from January 1995 through February 1999. Study variables included home or clinic visits within 1 week of discharge (early follow-up), readmissions within 1 month of discharge, and urgent care or emergency department visits within 2 months of discharge.

Cholesterol levels and statin use in patients with coronary heart disease treated in primary care settings.

Introduction: Therapy with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, or statins, has proven to be effective in the treatment of lipid disorders. However, statin therapy continues to be underused, even though statins are a relatively safe and well-tolerated class of agents. In this study, we assessed trends in lipid control in patients with heart disease who receive most of their health care in primary care clinics.

Newborn tongue-tie: prevalence and effect on breast-feeding.

Objective: The purposes of this study were: (1) to determine whether breast-fed infants with tongue-tie have decreased rates of breast-feeding at 1 week and 1 month of age, (2) to determine the prevalence of tongue-tie, and (3) to test the usefulness of the Assessment Tool for Lingual Frenulum Function (ATLFF) in assessing the severity of tongue-tie in breast-feeding newborns.

Methods: A case-control design was used. All infants in the Regions Hospital newborn nursery were examined for tongue-tie.

Incompleteness of reporting of laboratory-confirmed chlamydial infection by providers affiliated with a managed care organization, 1997-1999.

Background: Surveillance for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) depends on the receipt of positive STD test results from laboratories or reports of STD diagnoses from clinicians to local or state health departments.

Goal: The goal of this study was to evaluate incompleteness of reporting of chlamydial infection in a large staff-model managed care organization (MCO) using laboratory data and provider-based reports.

Methods: All cases of chlamydial infection in 2 databases, one from the MCO during January 1997 through June 1999 and the other from the state STD registry, were compared by using a standard algorithm alone that included patient's name, sex, and date of specimen collection, and by using the standard algorithm together with the patient's medical record number.

Books and babies: clinical-based literacy programs.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to assess parental response to a clinic-based literacy program at a health maintenance organization. It was hypothesized that participation would be associated with increased literacy orientation by children.

Method: This randomized community trial took place at a Midwestern health maintenance organization.

Newborn length of stay, health care utilization, and the effect of Minnesota legislation.

Objective: To describe newborn length of stay, postdischarge follow-up, and health care utilization in the context of Minnesota's early discharge legislation.

Design And Setting: Retrospective study using claims data from a large managed care organization.

Participants: Term newborns born from January 1995 through February 1999 (N = 22 944).

Pharmaceutical care and health care utilization in an HMO.

Context: The belief that expanding the role of pharmacists in patient care could improve the safety and efficacy of drug therapy is growing. Specifically, pharmaceutical care programs through which pharmacists provide direct and ongoing counseling to patients have been introduced. Whether such programs reduce medication-related problems or health care utilization is unknown.