CHEST Guidelines-Hospitalization-Risk-for-Medicare-Beneficiaries-Wi

Hospitalization-Risk-for-Medicare-Beneficiaries-Wi

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This study examines the hospitalization risk associated with nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older. NTM-PD is a rare, chronic condition that impairs lung function and increases healthcare utilization. Utilizing a retrospective nested case-control study design, the research compared all-cause hospitalizations in 35,444 NTM-PD patients with 65,467 control subjects matched by age and sex, spanning data from 2007 to 2015.<br /><br />The results indicate that NTM-PD patients have a significantly higher risk of hospitalization than their counterparts. Specifically, 65.7% of NTM-PD patients were hospitalized compared to 44.9% of controls. Furthermore, these patients had a higher annual hospitalization rate and a shorter time to hospitalization. Adjusted analyses revealed that NTM-PD patients were 1.23 times more likely to experience all-cause hospitalization than controls. The probability of a sooner hospitalization was also elevated, with a 46% greater hazard for those with NTM-PD.<br /><br />Comorbidities, particularly pulmonary ones such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis, were significantly more prevalent in the NTM-PD cohort, contributing to the heightened hospitalization rates. Despite the robust findings, the study acknowledges limitations related to the low sensitivity of ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes for case identification, potentially leading to underdiagnosis.<br /><br />This study's findings indicate a considerable healthcare burden among elderly NTM-PD patients, underscoring the need for improved medical management to mitigate excess hospitalizations. The study's comprehensive analysis offers critical insights into the health challenges faced by older NTM-PD patients, highlighting areas for intervention and resource allocation in healthcare planning.

Keywords

nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease

NTM-PD

hospitalization risk

Medicare beneficiaries

chronic condition

retrospective study

comorbidities

healthcare burden

elderly patients

medical management