2020
Disability and Recovery After Hospitalization for Medical Illness Among Community‐Living Older Persons: A Prospective Cohort Study
Dharmarajan K, Han L, Gahbauer EA, Leo‐Summers L, Gill TM. Disability and Recovery After Hospitalization for Medical Illness Among Community‐Living Older Persons: A Prospective Cohort Study. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2020, 68: 486-495. PMID: 32083319, PMCID: PMC7735402, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.16350.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAcute medical illnessProspective cohort studyMedical illnessNew disabilityCohort studySelf-managing health conditionsCommunity-living older personsHealth conditionsImmediate transitional periodCommunity-living personsPost-discharge careChronic health conditionsMean recovery timeSubgroup of personsMobility activitiesIncident disabilityHospital dischargePeriod of vulnerabilityMonth 2Follow-up interviewHospitalizationDisability prevalenceOlder personsPrior monthIllness
2019
Home Health Care After Skilled Nursing Facility Discharge Following Heart Failure Hospitalization
Weerahandi H, Bao H, Herrin J, Dharmarajan K, Ross JS, Jones S, Horwitz LI. Home Health Care After Skilled Nursing Facility Discharge Following Heart Failure Hospitalization. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2019, 68: 96-102. PMID: 31603248, PMCID: PMC6964248, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.16179.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSkilled nursing facilitiesHF hospitalizationReadmission ratesReadmission riskHeart failure readmission ratesDays of dischargeHeart failure hospitalizationRetrospective cohort studyHospital discharge practicesMore functional impairmentHome health careFailure hospitalizationHF patientsUnplanned readmissionCohort studyHospital dischargePrimary outcomeRestorative therapySNF stayFunctional impairmentHome healthcare servicesService Medicare dataAdjusted modelCox modelNursing facilitiesPost Hospital Syndrome: Is the Stress of Hospitalization Causing Harm?
Caraballo C, Dharmarajan K, Krumholz HM. Post Hospital Syndrome: Is the Stress of Hospitalization Causing Harm? Revista Española De Cardiología (English Edition) 2019, 72: 896-898. PMID: 31175070, DOI: 10.1016/j.rec.2019.04.010.BooksAssociation Between Insurance Status and Access to Hospital Care in Emergency Department Disposition
Venkatesh AK, Chou SC, Li SX, Choi J, Ross JS, D’Onofrio G, Krumholz HM, Dharmarajan K. Association Between Insurance Status and Access to Hospital Care in Emergency Department Disposition. JAMA Internal Medicine 2019, 179: 686-693. PMID: 30933243, PMCID: PMC6503571, DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.0037.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultAgedAsthmaCritical CareCross-Sectional StudiesDatabases, FactualEmergency Service, HospitalFemaleHealth Services AccessibilityHospitalizationHumansInsurance CoverageInsurance, HealthLung DiseasesMaleMedicaidMedically UninsuredMiddle AgedPatient DischargePatient TransferPneumoniaPulmonary Disease, Chronic ObstructiveUnited StatesConceptsNational Emergency Department SampleEmergency Department SampleCommon medical conditionsUninsured patientsCritical care capabilitiesED dischargeED visitsED transfersPulmonary diseaseCare capabilitiesInsurance statusHigher oddsMedicaid beneficiariesMedical conditionsChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseAcute pulmonary diseaseEmergency department transfersAdult ED visitsHospital admission ratesObstructive pulmonary diseaseEmergency department dispositionPatient insurance statusPatient case mixHospital ownership statusIntensive care capabilities
2018
Admission diagnoses among patients with heart failure: Variation by ACO performance on a measure of risk-standardized acute admission rates
Benchetrit L, Zimmerman C, Bao H, Dharmarajan K, Altaf F, Herrin J, Lin Z, Krumholz HM, Drye EE, Lipska KJ, Spatz ES. Admission diagnoses among patients with heart failure: Variation by ACO performance on a measure of risk-standardized acute admission rates. American Heart Journal 2018, 207: 19-26. PMID: 30404047, DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2018.09.006.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAccountable Care OrganizationsAgedAlgorithmsAnalysis of VarianceCardiovascular DiseasesComorbidityFemaleHeart FailureHospitalizationHumansInternational Classification of DiseasesMaleMedicare Part AMedicare Part BPatient AdmissionPatient DischargePatient-Centered CareSex DistributionTime FactorsUnited StatesConceptsHeart failureAccountable care organizationsMean admission rateAdmission ratesAdmission typeAcute admission ratesNoncardiovascular conditionsAdmission diagnosisCause admission ratesMedicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care OrganizationsRate of hospitalizationPrincipal discharge diagnosisProportion of admissionsType of admissionNoncardiovascular causesHF admissionsHF patientsPerson yearsDischarge diagnosisPatient populationPatientsAdmissionKey quality metricDiagnosisSubstantial proportionAssociation of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program With Mortality During and After Hospitalization for Acute Myocardial Infarction, Heart Failure, and Pneumonia
Khera R, Dharmarajan K, Wang Y, Lin Z, Bernheim SM, Wang Y, Normand ST, Krumholz HM. Association of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program With Mortality During and After Hospitalization for Acute Myocardial Infarction, Heart Failure, and Pneumonia. JAMA Network Open 2018, 1: e182777. PMID: 30646181, PMCID: PMC6324473, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.2777.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHospital Readmissions Reduction ProgramAcute myocardial infarctionPostdischarge mortalityHeart failureHRRP announcementReadmissions Reduction ProgramMedicare beneficiariesRisk-adjusted ratesMyocardial infarctionService Medicare beneficiariesReduction programsInterrupted time series frameworkHospital mortalityReduced readmissionsCohort studyPneumonia hospitalizationsReadmission ratesMAIN OUTCOMEPneumoniaMedicare dataHospitalizationHospitalMortalityReadmissionConcomitant harmIs Posthospital Syndrome a Result of Hospitalization-Induced Allostatic Overload?
Goldwater DS, Dharmarajan K, McEwan BS, Krumholz HM. Is Posthospital Syndrome a Result of Hospitalization-Induced Allostatic Overload? Journal Of Hospital Medicine 2018, 13 PMID: 29813141, DOI: 10.12788/jhm.2986.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPosthospital syndromeAllostatic overloadAutonomic nervous systemMultiple organ systemsHospital dischargeInflammatory markersAdverse eventsHospital readmissionAdrenal axisAdverse outcomesPlausible etiologyPathophysiologic consequencesElevated riskNervous systemNarrative reviewOrgan systemsEnhanced vulnerabilityElevated levelsHospital environmentTraditional hospital environmentSyndromeMaladaptive statesOverloadOutcomesPossible mechanismReply to Soo Hoo and Esquinas: Risk Trajectories of Readmission and Death in the First Year after Hospitalization for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Don’t Shortchange Noninvasive Ventilation
Lindenauer PK, Dharmarajan K, Krumholz HM. Reply to Soo Hoo and Esquinas: Risk Trajectories of Readmission and Death in the First Year after Hospitalization for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Don’t Shortchange Noninvasive Ventilation. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2018, 198: 283-284. PMID: 29566340, PMCID: PMC6058983, DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201803-0426le.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2017
Risk Trajectories of Readmission and Death in the First Year after Hospitalization for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Lindenauer PK, Dharmarajan K, Qin L, Lin Z, Gershon AS, Krumholz HM. Risk Trajectories of Readmission and Death in the First Year after Hospitalization for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2017, 197: 1009-1017. PMID: 29206052, PMCID: PMC5909167, DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201709-1852oc.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseSame respective groupsObstructive pulmonary diseaseVentilator supportPulmonary diseaseRisk of readmissionRisk of hospitalizationGeneral elderly populationGeneral Medicare populationRisk of deathDaily riskRespective groupsReadmission ratesHospital readmissionAbsolute riskMedicare populationReadmissionElderly populationMedicare beneficiariesHospitalizationClinical servicesFirst monthProlonged riskDeathLongitudinal outcomesRegional variation in hospitalisation and mortality in heart failure: comparison of England and Lombardy using multistate modelling
Bottle A, Ventura CM, Dharmarajan K, Aylin P, Ieva F, Paganoni AM. Regional variation in hospitalisation and mortality in heart failure: comparison of England and Lombardy using multistate modelling. Health Care Management Science 2017, 21: 292-304. PMID: 28755175, DOI: 10.1007/s10729-017-9410-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHeart failureClinical practice differencesMedium-term mortalityHospital administrative databaseSerious chronic conditionsNon-hospital settingsSet of patientsHF admissionsCommon comorbiditiesFirst admissionLondon patientsDeath RegisterHigh morbidityChronic conditionsAdministrative databasesDisease progressionPatientsLower mortalityMortalityAdmissionPractice differencesShort stayLong stayHealthcare systemHospitalisationAssociation of Changing Hospital Readmission Rates With Mortality Rates After Hospital Discharge
Dharmarajan K, Wang Y, Lin Z, Normand ST, Ross JS, Horwitz LI, Desai NR, Suter LG, Drye EE, Bernheim SM, Krumholz HM. Association of Changing Hospital Readmission Rates With Mortality Rates After Hospital Discharge. JAMA 2017, 318: 270-278. PMID: 28719692, PMCID: PMC5817448, DOI: 10.1001/jama.2017.8444.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRisk-adjusted readmission ratesRisk-adjusted mortality ratesAcute myocardial infarctionHeart failureReadmission ratesMortality rateMyocardial infarctionMedicare feeService beneficiariesHospital readmission ratesMean hospitalHospital mortalityPostdischarge mortalityHospital dischargeHospital readmissionRetrospective studyAffordable Care ActReadmission reductionMAIN OUTCOMEPneumoniaHospitalSecondary analysisWeighted Pearson correlation coefficientMortalityCare Act
2016
Pathway from Delirium to Death: Potential In‐Hospital Mediators of Excess Mortality
Dharmarajan K, Swami S, Gou RY, Jones RN, Inouye SK. Pathway from Delirium to Death: Potential In‐Hospital Mediators of Excess Mortality. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2016, 65: 1026-1033. PMID: 28039852, PMCID: PMC5435507, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.14743.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAgedAged, 80 and overDeliriumFemaleGeriatric AssessmentHospitalizationHumansIatrogenic DiseaseMaleMortalityRestraint, PhysicalConceptsNoxious insultsIncident deliriumAssociation of deliriumDelirium prevention interventionDay of admissionHospitalized older adultsLarge academic hospitalPotential downstream mediatorsDevelopment of hospitalsUsual careHospital admissionBivariable analysisClinical trialsAcademic hospitalExcess mortalityIncreases mortalityDeliriumPrevention interventionsHigh riskPatientsMortalityInverse probabilityOlder adultsInsultDownstream mediatorRelationship Between Age and Trajectories of Rehospitalization Risk in Older Adults
Dharmarajan K, Hsieh A, Dreyer RP, Welsh J, Qin L, Krumholz HM. Relationship Between Age and Trajectories of Rehospitalization Risk in Older Adults. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2016, 65: 421-426. PMID: 27874977, PMCID: PMC5310961, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.14583.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTrajectories of Risk for Specific Readmission Diagnoses after Hospitalization for Heart Failure, Acute Myocardial Infarction, or Pneumonia
Krumholz HM, Hsieh A, Dreyer RP, Welsh J, Desai NR, Dharmarajan K. Trajectories of Risk for Specific Readmission Diagnoses after Hospitalization for Heart Failure, Acute Myocardial Infarction, or Pneumonia. PLOS ONE 2016, 11: e0160492. PMID: 27716841, PMCID: PMC5055318, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160492.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAcute myocardial infarctionRisk of readmissionHeart failureReadmission diagnosesHospital dischargeReadmission riskTiming of riskMyocardial infarctionImmediate post-discharge periodDiagnostic categoriesPhysiologic systemsRisk of rehospitalizationGeneral elderly populationRisk of deathPost-discharge periodPost-discharge interventionsTrauma/injuryHospitalization riskHospitalizationTrajectories of riskElderly populationMedicare feePneumoniaRehospitalizationService beneficiariesTreatment for Multiple Acute Cardiopulmonary Conditions in Older Adults Hospitalized with Pneumonia, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or Heart Failure
Dharmarajan K, Strait KM, Tinetti ME, Lagu T, Lindenauer PK, Lynn J, Krukas MR, Ernst FR, Li SX, Krumholz HM. Treatment for Multiple Acute Cardiopulmonary Conditions in Older Adults Hospitalized with Pneumonia, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or Heart Failure. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2016, 64: 1574-1582. PMID: 27448329, PMCID: PMC4988873, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.14303.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdrenal Cortex HormonesAgedAged, 80 and overAnti-Bacterial AgentsCardiotonic AgentsCohort StudiesComorbidityCross-Sectional StudiesDiureticsDrug Therapy, CombinationFemaleHeart FailureHospitalizationHumansMalePneumoniaPulmonary Disease, Chronic ObstructiveRetrospective StudiesUnited StatesVasodilator AgentsConceptsChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseAcute cardiopulmonary conditionsObstructive pulmonary diseaseHeart failureCardiopulmonary conditionsOlder adultsPulmonary diseasePremier Research DatabaseEpisodes of pneumoniaRetrospective cohort studyReal-world treatmentHF hospitalizationCohort studyHospital daysPneumonia hospitalizationsCOPD hospitalizationsClinical syndromeAcute conditionsPneumoniaDiagnostic uncertaintyResearch DatabaseHospitalizationDiagnostic categoriesU.S. hospitalsAdults
2015
Variation in care and outcome following myocardial infarction
Dharmarajan K. Variation in care and outcome following myocardial infarction. The BMJ 2015, 351: h4133. PMID: 26254446, DOI: 10.1136/bmj.h4133.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBalloon animals, guitars, and fewer blood draws: applying strategies from pediatrics to the treatment of hospitalized adults.
O'Brien MR, Rosenthal MS, Dharmarajan K, Krumholz HM. Balloon animals, guitars, and fewer blood draws: applying strategies from pediatrics to the treatment of hospitalized adults. Annals Of Internal Medicine 2015, 162: 726-7. PMID: 25984849, DOI: 10.7326/m14-2219.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBlood drawPatients need safer hospitals, every day of the week
Dharmarajan K, Kim N, Krumholz HM. Patients need safer hospitals, every day of the week. The BMJ 2015, 350: h1826. PMID: 25877669, DOI: 10.1136/bmj.h1826.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsFemaleHospitalizationHumansIatrogenic DiseaseMaleMedical ErrorsPostoperative ComplicationsTrajectories of risk after hospitalization for heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, or pneumonia: retrospective cohort study
Dharmarajan K, Hsieh AF, Kulkarni VT, Lin Z, Ross JS, Horwitz LI, Kim N, Suter LG, Lin H, Normand SL, Krumholz HM. Trajectories of risk after hospitalization for heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, or pneumonia: retrospective cohort study. The BMJ 2015, 350: h411. PMID: 25656852, PMCID: PMC4353309, DOI: 10.1136/bmj.h411.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAcute myocardial infarctionRetrospective cohort studyHeart failureRisk of deathMyocardial infarctionFirst readmissionAbsolute riskOlder patientsCohort studyRelative riskMedicare feeService beneficiariesRisk of readmissionGeneral elderly populationGeneral older populationRisk trajectoriesHigh-risk periodHospital dischargeHospital admissionDischarge diagnosisAdverse outcomesReadmissionHospitalizationTrajectories of riskElderly populationIntravenous Fluids in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure
Bikdeli B, Strait KM, Dharmarajan K, Li SX, Mody P, Partovian C, Coca SG, Kim N, Horwitz LI, Testani JM, Krumholz HM. Intravenous Fluids in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure. JACC Heart Failure 2015, 3: 127-133. PMID: 25660836, PMCID: PMC4438991, DOI: 10.1016/j.jchf.2014.09.007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCohort StudiesDatabases, FactualFemaleFluid TherapyHeart FailureHospital MortalityHospitalizationHumansInfusions, IntravenousIntensive Care UnitsIntubation, IntratrachealIsotonic SolutionsMaleMiddle AgedRenal Replacement TherapyRetrospective StudiesRinger's SolutionSaline Solution, HypertonicSodium Potassium Chloride Symporter InhibitorsUnited StatesYoung AdultConceptsAcute decompensated heart failureDecompensated heart failureHeart failureIntravenous fluidsRetrospective cohort studyCritical care admissionRenal replacement therapyDays of hospitalizationProportion of hospitalizationsHalf-normal salineWarrants further investigationOnly diureticsCare admissionHospital deathHospital outcomesCohort studyLoop diureticsPatient groupReplacement therapyWorse outcomesNormal salineInpatient careMedian volumePatientsHospitalization