BackgroundTo date, claims data have not been used to study outcome differences between low and high socioeconomic status (SES) patients surviving ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non... Show moreBackgroundTo date, claims data have not been used to study outcome differences between low and high socioeconomic status (SES) patients surviving ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) in the Netherlands.AimTo evaluate STEMI and NSTEMI care among patients with low and high SES in the referral area of three Dutch percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) centres, using claims data as a source.MethodsSTEMI and NSTEMI patients treated in 2015–2017 were included. Patients’ SES scores were collected based on their postal code via an open access government database. In patients with low (SES1) and high (SES4) status, revascularisation strategies and secondary prevention medication were compared.ResultsA total of 2065 SES1 patients (age 68 ± 13 years, 58% NSTEMI) and 1639 SES4 patients (age 68 ± 13 years, 63% NSTEMI) were included. PCI use was lower in SES1 compared to SES4 in both STEMI (80% vs 84%, p < 0.012) and NSTEMI (42% vs 48%, p < 0.002) patients. Coronary artery bypass grafting was performed more often in SES1 than in SES4 in both STEMI (7% vs 4%, p = NS) and NSTEMI (11% vs 7%, p < 0.001) patients. Optimal medical therapy use in STEMI patients was higher in SES1 compared to SES4 (52% vs 46%, p = 0.01) but comparable among NSTEMI patients (39% vs 40%, p = NS). One-year mortality was comparable in SES1 and SES4 patients following STEMI (14% vs 16%, p = NS) and NSTEMI (10% vs 11%, p = NS).ConclusionCombined analysis of claims data and area-specific socioeconomic statistics can provide unique insight into how to improve myocardial infarction care for low and high SES patients. Show less
Aims Persistence with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) has become a concern in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients, but whether this affects prognosis is rarely studied. We... Show moreAims Persistence with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) has become a concern in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients, but whether this affects prognosis is rarely studied. We investigated the persistence with oral anticoagulants (OACs) and its association with prognosis among a nationwide cohort of NVAF patients.Methods and results DOAC-naive NVAF patients who started to use DOACs for ischaemic stroke prevention between 2013 and 2018 were included using Dutch national statistics. Persistence with OACs was determined based on the presence of a 100-day gap between the last prescription and the end of study period. In 93 048 patients, 75.7% had a baseline CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score of >= 2. The cumulative incidence of persistence with OACs was 88.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) 87.9-88.3%], 82.6% (95% CI 82.3-82.9%), 77.7% (95% CI 77.3-78.1%), and 72.0% (95% CI 71.5-72.5%) at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years after receiving DOACs, respectively. Baseline characteristics associated with better persistence with OACs included female sex, age range 65-74 years, permanent atrial fibrillation, previous exposure to vitamin K antagonists, stroke history (including transient ischaemic attack), and a CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score >= 2. Non-persistence with OACs was associated with an increased risk of the composite outcome of ischaemic stroke and ischaemic stroke-related death [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.79, 95% CI 1.49-2.15] and ischaemic stroke (aHR 1.58, 95% CI 1.29-1.93) compared with being persistent with OACs.Conclusion At least a quarter of NVAF patients were non-persistent with OACs within 4 years, which was associated with poor efficacy of ischaemic stroke prevention. The identified baseline characteristics may help identify patients at risk of non-persistence. Show less
Aims Persistence with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) has become a concern in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients, but whether this affects prognosis is rarely studied. We... Show moreAims Persistence with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) has become a concern in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients, but whether this affects prognosis is rarely studied. We investigated the persistence with oral anticoagulants (OACs) and its association with prognosis among a nationwide cohort of NVAF patients.Methods and results DOAC-naive NVAF patients who started to use DOACs for ischaemic stroke prevention between 2013 and 2018 were included using Dutch national statistics. Persistence with OACs was determined based on the presence of a 100-day gap between the last prescription and the end of study period. In 93 048 patients, 75.7% had a baseline CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score of >= 2. The cumulative incidence of persistence with OACs was 88.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) 87.9-88.3%], 82.6% (95% CI 82.3-82.9%), 77.7% (95% CI 77.3-78.1%), and 72.0% (95% CI 71.5-72.5%) at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years after receiving DOACs, respectively. Baseline characteristics associated with better persistence with OACs included female sex, age range 65-74 years, permanent atrial fibrillation, previous exposure to vitamin K antagonists, stroke history (including transient ischaemic attack), and a CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score >= 2. Non-persistence with OACs was associated with an increased risk of the composite outcome of ischaemic stroke and ischaemic stroke-related death [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.79, 95% CI 1.49-2.15] and ischaemic stroke (aHR 1.58, 95% CI 1.29-1.93) compared with being persistent with OACs.Conclusion At least a quarter of NVAF patients were non-persistent with OACs within 4 years, which was associated with poor efficacy of ischaemic stroke prevention. The identified baseline characteristics may help identify patients at risk of non-persistence. Show less
Neonatal health care is provided with medication and protocols for almost all morbidities. Before the use of these medicines is allowed, they are extensively studied and tested for efficacy and... Show moreNeonatal health care is provided with medication and protocols for almost all morbidities. Before the use of these medicines is allowed, they are extensively studied and tested for efficacy and safety. As patient population and knowledge on specific diseases changes with time, repeated evaluation of efficacy and safety of current used policies is of paramount importance. In this thesis six __Neonatal Pearls__ are presented: six relatively rare clinical conditions, of which a retrospective study evaluates the efficacy, safety and/or long term consequences of the current protocol. Despite their retrospective design and relatively small sample size, they are all of significant value and may serve as potential foundations for future protocol adjustments and randomized controlled trials. The evaluated clinical conditions and policies include: -Fetal, neonatal and developmental outcomes of lithium exposed pregnancies -Neonatal outcome in allo-immune thrombocytopenia after maternal treatment with antenatal intravenous immunoglobulin - Repeated courses of ibuprofen for closure of a patent ductus arteriosus - Use of rifampin in persistent coagulase negative staphylococcal bacteremia in neonates - Outcome and management in neonatal thrombocytopenia due to maternal idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura - Short and long term outcome of neonatal hyperglycemia in very preterm infants Show less
Gerven, N.M.F. van; Verwer, B.J.; Witte, B.I.; Hoek, B. van; Coenraad, M.J.; Erpecum, K.J. van; ... ; Bouma, G. 2013
