Carolinas Healthcare System

Abstract Background Stroke remains a leading cause of mortality and disability, with hypertension (HTN) and atrial fibrillation (AF) being two major risk factors. While both conditions contribute to stroke incidence, their impact on mortality and outcomes differs due to variations in pathophysiology, treatment responses, and secondary complications. Purpose This study utilizes CDC WONDER data to compare mortality and outcomes in HTN-related stroke versus AF-related stroke. By analyzing trends across demographics, geographic regions, and age groups, the findings aim to identify high-risk populations and inform targeted interventions for reducing stroke burden and improving patient outcomes. Methods Using CDC WONDER data, we calculated AAMRs per 100,000 individuals aged 35+ who died from stroke with hypertension (I10, I11.9, I12.9, I13.9) or atrial fibrillation (I48) as multiple causes of death (MCD). HTN-related stroke deaths included ischemic and hemorrhagic subtypes (I60.8, I60.9, I61.8, I61.9, I63.0-I63.9, I64), while AF-related stroke deaths encompassed cerebral infarctions (I63.0-I63.9, I64). Data were analyzed across ten-year age groups. Joinpoint regression assessed APC and AAPC in mortality trends. Results From 1999 to 2020, age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) for atrial fibrillation-related stroke (AF-stroke) fluctuated between 9.88 and 11.37, peaking at 11.04 in 2020 (AAPC: -0.39, 95% CI: -0.74 to -0.03). AAMRs for hypertension-related stroke (HTN-stroke) declined from 34.28 in 2000 to 21.2 in 2019, rising to 24.44 in 2020 (AAPC: -2.3, 95% CI: -3.6 to -0.94). AAMR for HTN-stroke was higher in both genders (Males = 25.2, Females = 25.39) than AF-stroke (Males = 10.08, Females = 10.8). Non-Hispanics (NH) had a higher AAMR than Hispanics in both the categories. AAMR was the highest in HTN-stroke (NHs = 25.76, Hispanics = 10.8) and lowest in AF- stroke (NHs = 24.18, Hispanics = 6.43) Among census regions, South had the highest overall AAMR in AF-Stroke (12.3) and HTN-Stroke (28.01) while Northeast had the lowest overall AAMR in AF-Stroke (9,91) as well as HTN-Stroke (20.74). Crude mortality rates rose across all age groups, peaking in the 85+ group (AF-Stroke: 180.24, HTN-Stroke: 320.15), with most deaths in California in both groups. Mortality Rates were higher in metropolitan areas (AF-Stroke: 316,389. HTN-Stroke: 777,158) than non-metropolitan areas (AF-Stroke: 80,194, HTN-Stroke: 191,406). Conclusion Hypertension-related stroke had consistently higher mortality than atrial fibrillation-related stroke from 1999 to 2020, with both declining until 2019 and rising in 2020. Mortality was highest in the South, among those aged 85+, and in metropolitan areas. The greater burden of hypertension-related stroke underscores the need for enhanced prevention and management strategies in high-risk populations. Regional and demographic disparities highlight the importance of targeted public health interventions.

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (MD) type R2 (LGMDR2, formerly LGMD2B) is an autosomal recessive form of MD caused by variants in the dysferlin gene, DYSF. It leads to slow proximal and distal muscle weakening that generally results in loss of ambulation around early adulthood but without the lethal cardiorespiratory dysfunction observed in the more severe Duchenne MD. How loss of dysferlin causes muscle fibre death is poorly understood, but recent evidence suggests a link between muscle wasting and loss of muscle cholesterol homeostasis with circulating lipoprotein abnormalities in many forms of MD. Cross-sectional circulating total cholesterol (CHOL), high-density lipoprotein-associated cholesterol (HDL-C), non-HDL-C, creatine kinase (CK), transaminase levels and bilirubin were collected as part of the Jain Clinical Outcomes Study of Dysferlinopathy, a large multicentre LGMDR2 patient cohort (N = 188), along with ambulatory function values. We report that 43%, 49% and 50% of male patients were found to have abnormal circulating CHOL, HDL-C and non-HDL-C levels, respectively, whereas in female patients 39%, 37% and 30% of values were in the abnormal range. Overall, 68% of the total cohort had at least one abnormal cholesterol value (78% of males and 60% of females) and 89% of male CHOL/HDL-C ratios were in the suboptimal range (above 3.5). Although most patients were ambulant, the severity of circulating lipid abnormalities did not correlate with early loss of ambulation. Transaminase levels were lower in late-stage LGMDR2 samples, whereas bilirubin remained unchanged, suggesting a low muscular mass rather than hepatic origin and the absence of major liver damage. Data from the largest natural history cohort of LGMDR2 patients support the concept that dyslipidemia is a comorbidity of LGMDR2, and the causal role of cholesterol abnormalities in muscle death should be further investigated.

Degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis is a common cause of back and leg pain influenced by factors like instability, disc degeneration, facet arthropathy, and psychosocial phenotype. Patients' experience of high-severity pain is complex, with significant implications for surgical planning. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of back pain catastrophizing on long-term outcomes following lumbar spondylolisthesis surgery. This study uses the Quality Outcomes Database (QOD) lumbar spondylolisthesis dataset and includes prospectively collected data from the 12 highest-enrolling clinical sites participating in the QOD lumbar module. The authors reviewed patients undergoing single-segment surgery for grade 1 degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. Severe baseline numeric rating scale for back pain (NRS-BP) scores (≥ 8) were classified as "catastrophizing," and mild to moderate pain scores (< 8) were classified as "non-catastrophizing." Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) were compared for catastrophizing versus non-catastrophizing patients at 60 months. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the impact of catastrophizing on PROs, with multivariate analysis controlling for variables initially reaching a p value < 0.10. Of the 608 patients in this analysis, 260 (42.8%) experienced catastrophizing while 348 (57.2%) did not. Catastrophizing patients were significantly younger (59.9 ± 12.2 years vs 63.9 ± 11.7 years, p < 0.001), less often had ≥ 4 years of college education (31.2% vs 42.5%, p = 0.004), and more often used private insurance (58.8% vs 47.7%, p = 0.01). The catastrophizing cohort also had higher rates of depression (24.6% vs 17.0%, p = 0.02) and back pain predominance (45.4% vs 32.2%, p < 0.001). Surgical and perioperative characteristics did not significantly differ between cohorts. Although catastrophizing patients typically reported worse PRO scores at both baseline and 60 months, they demonstrated significantly greater improvement and minimal clinically important difference (MCID) achievement across almost all PROs at 60 months (p < 0.05). However, North American Spine Society (NASS) satisfaction scores at 60 months did not differ significantly between cohorts. Multivariate analysis found that catastrophizing significantly predicted 60-month NRS-BP change (β -1.45, 95% CI -1.81 to -1.09; p < 0.001) and MCID achievement (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.52-2.58; p < 0.001) but not mean NRS-BP score or other metrics, including NASS satisfaction. Despite presenting with worse baseline symptoms, patients with pain catastrophizing experienced substantial and clinically meaningful improvement following surgery for degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. Patient satisfaction was comparable between cohorts, reflecting a nuanced balance between greater absolute improvement and persistence of residual symptoms. These findings underscore that catastrophizing should not be viewed as a barrier to surgical success, while pointing to the need for proactive expectation setting and shared decision-making.

Coexisting medical conditions are increasingly prevalent in surgical populations. The impact of multiple comorbidities on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and endotypes of frequently co-occurring conditions for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) remain unclear. This study explores whether CSM patients with multimorbidity have worse baseline and postoperative PROs and less functional improvement after surgery compared to those with few or no comorbidities. The authors also investigated whether distinct comorbidity endotypes exist among CSM surgical patients and whether they influence postoperative outcomes. The prospective Quality Outcomes Database (QOD) was used to assess patients undergoing surgery for CSM. Multimorbidity was defined as ≥ 2 chronic conditions, including diabetes, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, arthritis, chronic renal disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, depression, and anxiety. Baseline characteristics and 24-month PROs were assessed across multiple-comorbidity status, including modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA), Neck Disability Index (NDI), visual analog scale for neck and arm pain, EQ-5D, and patient satisfaction scores. Clusters were identified from the full cohort using k-medoids, revealing subgroups with similar comorbidity endotypes. The final cohort included 1141 CSM patients (83.1% reaching 24-month follow-up), with 761 (66.7%) having 0 or 1 comorbidity and 380 (33.3%) ≥ 2 comorbidities. The multimorbidity cohort was older (mean age 62.6 ± 11.2 vs 59.5 ± 12.0 years, p < 0.001), more likely to be female (52.9% vs 44.7%, p = 0.011), and had a higher BMI (mean 31.1 ± 6.7 vs 29.7 ± 6.2 kg/m2, p < 0.001). Multimorbidity patients exhibited worse mJOA, NDI, and EQ-5D scores at baseline and 24 months (p < 0.05). On multivariable analysis, the total number of comorbidities was not significantly associated with any PRO measures. Four comorbidity clusters were identified: low burden, arthritis, diabetes, and high burden. On one-way ANOVA, the baseline mJOA score was significantly different across clusters (p = 0.003). At 24 months, the mJOA score was significantly lower in the diabetes and high-burden endotypes. Twenty-four-month score change and minimal clinically important difference (MCID) achievement of all PROs remained similar across clusters (p > 0.05). While patients with multimorbidity have worse baseline and postoperative PROs, they achieve similar functional and pain-related improvements following CSM surgery. Similarly, the comorbidity endotypes identified in this QOD cohort suggest that certain patterns of coexisting chronic conditions, such as overlapping diabetes and arthritis, are associated with different levels of disability but may not diminish the effectiveness of surgical intervention.

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) shows varying levels of improvement after surgical treatment. While some patients improve soon after surgery, others may take months to years to show any signs of improvement. The goal of this study was to evaluate postoperative improvement, patient-reported outcomes, and patient satisfaction up to 2 years after surgical treatment for CSM, which will help optimize the current treatment strategies and effectively manage patient expectations. This was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data using the Quality Outcomes Database. The primary outcomes of interest were achievement of the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the numeric rating scale for neck and arm pain, modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association, Neck Disability Index, and EQ-5D scores and postoperative satisfaction (North American Spine Society scale). Early and sustained improvement was defined as MCID achievement in at least one patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) at the 3-, 12-, and 24-month follow-ups. Transient improvement was defined as MCID achievement only at the 3-month and/or 12-month follow-up but not at the 24-month follow-up. Late improvement was defined as MCID achievement in at least one PROM only at the 24-month follow-up. There were 630 patients included in the comparative analysis. A total of 463 (73.5%) patients achieved early and sustained improvement, 105 (16.7%) patients experienced transient improvement with subsequent decline, 25 (4.0%) patients reported late improvement, and 37 (5.9%) patients did not report any clinically meaningful improvement after surgery. Patients with an anterior approach were more likely to be in the early and sustained improvement group. African American patients (OR 2.98, 95% CI 1.14-7.76; p = 0.03) were more likely to report late improvement when compared with White patients. The overall satisfaction rate at the 24-month follow-up was 87.8%. These findings indicate that 73.5% of patients achieve early and sustained improvement, and 87.8% of patients are satisfied with surgery 24 months postoperatively.

Background: Administration of antimicrobial prophylaxis close to incision time is recommended as an essential practice to prevent surgical site infections (SSI). Despite guideline recommendations, adherence to preoperative intravenous antibiotic guidelines is variable. We aim to assess perioperative factors associated with guideline concordant (GC), guideline second line (GSL) and non-guideline concordant (NGC) antibiotic choice and timing and impact on odds of SSI. Methods: 3173 patients at 9 hospitals with National Health Safety Network (NHSN) procedure codes for colon surgery and abdominal hysterectomy between January 1, 2023, and October 31, 2023, were identified from the electronic medical record. Data on preoperative intravenous antibiotic choice and timing, history of allergy and methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) history was collated. SSI were identified using NHSN definitions by trained infection preventionists. SSI identified as present at the time of surgery were excluded. Antibiotic choice and timing were compared to institutional guidelines and patients were categorized as having received GC, GSL or NGC antibiotic choice, and GC or NGC antibiotic timing. Descriptive statistics were used to describe clinical data for patient population and subgroups who received GC, GSL and NGC antibiotics. Univariate logistic regression was performed to assess the association of procedural and clinical factors with the likelihood of an SSI. Results: GC was high overall for both antibiotic choice (94%) and timing (94%). (Table 1) NGC and GSL antibiotic choice were more common in colon surgery, urgent/emergent cases, patients with beta lactam allergies and those with a recent history of MRSA. GSL antibiotic choice was more frequent in inpatients. (Table 2). GC antibiotic timing was more common with GC antibiotic choice (98%) than with NGC (37%) or GSL (51$) antibiotic choice. Odds of SSI were lower in patients who were GC for both antibiotic choice and timing (OR 0.4, p &lt; 0 .001) and increased in patients who received GSL antibiotic choice (OR 5.7 compared to GC, p &lt; 0 .001), underwent urgent/emergent surgeries (OR 4.6, p &lt; 0 .001) or had a history of MRSA in the past year (OR 8.4, p &lt; 0 .001). We found a non-significant trend toward lower infections in patients with GC antibiotic timing (OR 0.5, p 0.08). (Table 3) Conclusion: Combined GC for antibiotic choice and timing was high and associated with lower odds of SSI. NGC and GSL antibiotic choice were associated with patient level factors such as history of MRSA and emergent procedures which may also impact risk of SSI.

The Quality Outcomes Database (QOD) was established in 2012 by the NeuroPoint Alliance, a nonprofit organization supported by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Currently, the QOD has launched six different modules to cover a broad spectrum of neurosurgical practice-namely lumbar spine surgery, cervical spine surgery, brain tumor, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), functional neurosurgery for Parkinson's disease, and cerebrovascular surgery. This investigation aims to summarize research efforts and evidence yielded through QOD research endeavors. The authors identified all publications from January 1, 2012, to February 18, 2023, that were produced by using data collected prospectively in a QOD module without a prespecified research purpose in the context of quality surveillance and improvement. Citations were compiled and presented along with comprehensive documentation of the main study objective and take-home message. A total of 94 studies have been produced through QOD efforts during the past decade. QOD-derived literature has been predominantly dedicated to spinal surgical outcomes, with 59 and 22 studies focusing on lumbar and cervical spine surgery, respectively, and 6 studies focusing on both. More specifically, the QOD Study Group-a research collaborative between 16 high-enrolling sites-has yielded 24 studies on lumbar grade 1 spondylolisthesis and 13 studies on cervical spondylotic myelopathy, using two focused data sets with high data accuracy and long-term follow-up. The more recent neuro-oncological QOD efforts, i.e., the Tumor QOD and the SRS Quality Registry, have contributed 5 studies, providing insights into the real-world neuro-oncological practice and the role of patient-reported outcomes. Prospective quality registries are an important resource for observational research, yielding clinical evidence to guide decision-making across neurosurgical subspecialties. Future directions of the QOD efforts include the development of research efforts within the neuro-oncological registries and the American Spine Registry-which has now replaced the inactive spinal modules of the QOD-and the focused research on high-grade lumbar spondylolisthesis and cervical radiculopathy.