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William Amin Ghali: Influence Statistics

OBJECTIVES: Implementation of the International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision (ICD-10) coding system presents challenges for using administrative data. Recognizing this, we conducted a multistep process to develop ICD-10 coding algorithms to define Charlson and Elixhauser comorbidities in administrative data and assess the performance of the resulting algorithms.

METHODS: ICD-10 coding algorithms were developed by "translation" of the ...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: We conducted a systematic review to determine changes in the worldwide incidence and prevalence of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) in different regions and with time.

METHODS: We performed a systematic literature search of MEDLINE (1950-2010; 8103 citations) and EMBASE (1980-2010; 4975 citations) to identify studies that were population based, included data that could be used to calculate incidence and prevalence, and reported separate data on UC ...

BACKGROUND: Although Kaplan-Meier survival analysis is commonly used to estimate the cumulative incidence of revision after joint arthroplasty, it theoretically overestimates the risk of revision in the presence of competing risks (such as death). Because the magnitude of overestimation is not well documented, the potential associated impact on clinical and policy decision-making remains unknown.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We performed a meta-analysis to answer the following questions: (1) To ...

CONTEXT: Symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) after total or partial knee arthroplasty (TPKA) and after total or partial hip arthroplasty (TPHA) are proposed patient safety indicators, but its incidence prior to discharge is not defined.

OBJECTIVE: To establish a literature-based estimate of symptomatic VTE event rates prior to hospital discharge in patients undergoing TPHA or TPKA.

DATA SOURCES: Search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library (1996 to 2011), supplemented by ...

BACKGROUND: The optimal approach to revascularization in patients with kidney disease has not been determined. We studied survival by treatment group (CABG, percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI], or no revascularization) for patients with 3 categories of kidney function: dialysis-dependent kidney disease, non-dialysis-dependent kidney disease, and a reference group (serum creatinine <2.3 mg/dL).

METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were derived from the Alberta Provincial Project for Outcomes ...

BACKGROUND: Recent observational studies suggest that the risk for stroke may be high in the first 90 days after transient ischemic attack (TIA). This finding may, however, not be consistent across existing studies assessing stroke risk after TIA. The objectives of our study were to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies estimating the risk of stroke at 2, 30, and 90 days after TIA and to explore clinical and methodological factors that may explain ...

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to examine the use of cardiovascular medications and outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF) and renal dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: Renal insufficiency is associated with poorer outcomes in patients with HF, but the mechanisms are uncertain. In particular, the degree of therapeutic nihilism in these patients, and whether it is appropriate, is unclear.

METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study with a one-year follow-up.

RESULTS: In 6,427 patients ...

BACKGROUND: Morbidity due to cardiovascular disease is high among First Nations people. The extent to which this may be related to the likelihood of coronary angiography is unclear. We examined the likelihood of coronary angiography after acute myocardial infarction (MI) among First Nations and non-First Nations patients.

METHODS: Our study included adults with incident acute MI between 1997 and 2008 in Alberta. We determined the likelihood of angiography among First Nations and ...

CONTEXT: Observational studies have suggested an association between active smoking and the incidence of type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis of studies assessing the association between active smoking and incidence of type 2 diabetes.

DATA SOURCES: A search of MEDLINE (1966 to May 2007) and EMBASE (1980 to May 2007) databases was supplemented by manual searches of bibliographies of key retrieved articles, reviews of abstracts from scientific ...

OBJECTIVES: To determine the accuracy of CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc tools for predicting ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) and death in patients without a history of atrial fibrillation or flutter (AF).

METHODS: The study included 20 970 patients without known AF enrolled in the Alberta Provincial Project for Outcomes Assessment in Coronary Heart disease (APPROACH) prospective registry who were discharged after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) between 2005 and 2011. The ...

BACKGROUND: Although there have been substantial medical advances that improve the outcomes following cardiac ischemic events, gender differences in the treatment and course of recovery for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) continue to exist. There is a general paucity of data comparing the health related quality of life (HRQOL) in men and women undergoing treatment for CAD. The purpose of this study was to compare HRQOL outcomes of men and women in Alberta, at one-year ...

BACKGROUND: Although bilateral internal thoracic artery (BITA) grafting in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is associated with low morbidity and good long-term results, controversy exists about the age after which BITA grafting is no longer beneficial. We sought to determine if such an age cutoff point exists.

METHODS: The study cohort consisted of 5,601 consecutive patients from a cardiac surgery registry who underwent isolated CABG (1,038 [19%] BITA grafts, 4,029 [72%] single ...

BACKGROUND: Elderly patients with ischemic heart disease are increasingly referred for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, reports of poor outcomes in the elderly have led to questions about the benefit of these strategies. We studied survival by prescribed treatment (CABG, PCI, or medical therapy) for patients in 3 age categories: <70 years, 70 to 79 years, and > or =80 years of age.

METHODS AND RESULTS: The Alberta Provincial ...