JAMA network open
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Clinical researchers are obligated to present results objectively and accurately to ensure readers are not misled. In studies in which primary end points are not statistically significant, placing a spin, defined as the manipulation of language to potentially mislead readers from the likely truth of the results, can distract the reader and lead to misinterpretation and misapplication of the findings. ⋯ This study suggests that in reports of cardiovascular RCTs with statistically nonsignificant primary outcomes, investigators often manipulate the language of the report to detract from the neutral primary outcomes. To best apply evidence to patient care, consumers of cardiovascular research should be aware that peer review does not always preclude the use of misleading language in scientific articles.
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Observational Study
Association of Hospitalization and Mortality Among Patients Initiating Dialysis With Hemodialysis Facility Ownership and Acquisitions.
Mergers and acquisitions among health care institutions are increasingly common, and dialysis markets have undergone several decades of mergers and acquisitions. ⋯ Acquisition of independently owned dialysis facilities by larger dialysis organizations was associated with slower decreases in mortality and hospitalization rates, as nonacquired facilities appeared to experience more rapid improvements in outcomes over time.
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Observational Study
Sex Disparities in Receipt of Bystander Interventions for Students Who Experienced Cardiac Arrest in Japan.
Bystander interventions are a factor for improving survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), but it is hypothesized that girls and women experiencing OHCA may be less likely to receive bystander interventions than boys and men. ⋯ Among students who experienced OHCA in schools in Japan, female sex was associated with lower odds of receiving public-access AED pad application compared with male sex.
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Observational Study
Association of Frailty and Postoperative Complications With Unplanned Readmissions After Elective Outpatient Surgery.
Ambulatory surgery in geriatric populations is increasingly prevalent. Prior studies have demonstrated the association between frailty and readmissions in the inpatient setting. However, few data exist regarding the association between frailty and readmissions after outpatient procedures. ⋯ These findings suggest that frailty is a significant risk factor for unplanned readmission after elective outpatient surgery both independently and when partially mediated through increased complications. Screening for frailty might inform the development of interventions to decrease unplanned readmissions, including those for outpatient procedures.
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The Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) was recently expanded to penalize excessive readmissions after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). These are the first surgical procedures to be included in the HRRP. ⋯ These results appear to be consistent with hospitals responding to the future possibility of penalties by reducing readmissions after surgical procedures targeted by the HRRP.