IU Indianapolis ScholarWorks :: Browsing by Author "Sweitzer, Nancy K."

Browsing by Author "Sweitzer, Nancy K."

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Association Between the Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion and Receipt of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy by Race and Ethnicity
(American Heart Association, 2022) Mwansa, Hunter; Barry, Ibrahim; Knapp, Shannon M.; Mazimba, Sula; Calhoun, Elizabeth; Sweitzer, Nancy K.; Breathett, Khadijah; Medicine, School of Medicine
Background: Black and Hispanic patients are less likely to receive cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) than White patients. Medicaid expansion has been associated with increased access to cardiovascular care among racial and ethnic groups with higher prevalence of underinsurance. It is unknown whether the Medicaid expansion was associated with increased receipt of CRT by race and ethnicity. Methods and Results: Using Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Data State Inpatient Databases from 19 states and Washington, DC, we analyzed 1061 patients from early‐adopter states (Medicaid expansion by January 2014) and 745 patients from nonadopter states (no implementation 2013–2014). Estimates of change in census‐adjusted rates of CRT with or without defibrillator by race and ethnicity and Medicaid adopter status 1 year before and after January 2014 were conducted using a quasi‐Poisson regression model. Following the Medicaid expansion, the rate of CRT did not significantly change among Black individuals from early‐adopter states (1.07 [95% CI, 0.78–1.48]) or nonadopter states (0.79 [95% CI, 0.57–1.09]). There were no significant changes in rates of CRT among Hispanic individuals from early‐adopter states (0.99 [95% CI, 0.70–1.38]) or nonadopter states (1.01 [95% CI, 0.65–1.57]). There was a 34% increase in CRT rates among White individuals from early‐adopter states (1.34 [95% CI, 1.05–1.70]), and no significant change among White individuals from nonadopter states (0.77 [95% CI, 0.59–1.02]). The change in CRT rates among White individuals was associated with the timing of the Medicaid implementation (P=0.003). Conclusions: Among states participating in Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Data State Inpatient Databases, implementation of Medicaid expansion was associated with increase in CRT rates among White individuals residing in states that adopted the Medicaid expansion policy. Further work is needed to address disparities in CRT among Black and Hispanic patients.
Genetic Architecture of Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Individuals of African and European Ancestry
(American Medical Association, 2023) Jordan, Elizabeth; Kinnamon, Daniel D.; Haas, Garrie J.; Hofmeyer, Mark; Kransdorf, Evan; Ewald, Gregory A.; Morris, Alanna A.; Owens, Anjali; Lowes, Brian; Stoller, Douglas; Tang, W. H. Wilson; Garg, Sonia; Trachtenberg, Barry H.; Shah, Palak; Pamboukian, Salpy V.; Sweitzer, Nancy K.; Wheeler, Matthew T.; Wilcox, Jane E.; Katz, Stuart; Pan, Stephen; Jimenez, Javier; Fishbein, Daniel P.; Smart, Frank; Wang, Jessica; Gottlieb, Stephen S.; Judge, Daniel P.; Moore, Charles K.; Mead, Jonathan O.; Hurst, Natalie; Cao, Jinwen; Huggins, Gordon S.; Cowan, Jason; Ni, Hanyu; Rehm, Heidi L.; Jarvik, Gail P.; Vatta, Matteo; Burke, Wylie; Hershberger, Ray E.; DCM Precision Medicine Study of the DCM Consortium; Medical and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine
Importance: Black patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) have increased familial risk and worse outcomes than White patients, but most DCM genetic data are from White patients. Objective: To compare the rare variant genetic architecture of DCM by genomic ancestry within a diverse population of patients with DCM. Design: Cross-sectional study enrolling patients with DCM who self-identified as non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, or non-Hispanic White from June 7, 2016, to March 15, 2020, at 25 US advanced heart failure programs. Variants in 36 DCM genes were adjudicated as pathogenic, likely pathogenic, or of uncertain significance. Exposure: Presence of DCM. Main outcomes and measures: Variants in DCM genes classified as pathogenic/likely pathogenic/uncertain significance and clinically actionable (pathogenic/likely pathogenic). Results: A total of 505, 667, and 26 patients with DCM of predominantly African, European, or Native American genomic ancestry, respectively, were included. Compared with patients of European ancestry, a lower percentage of patients of African ancestry had clinically actionable variants (8.2% [95% CI, 5.2%-11.1%] vs 25.5% [95% CI, 21.3%-29.6%]), reflecting the lower odds of a clinically actionable variant for those with any pathogenic variant/likely pathogenic variant/variant of uncertain significance (odds ratio, 0.25 [95% CI, 0.17-0.37]). On average, patients of African ancestry had fewer clinically actionable variants in TTN (difference, -0.09 [95% CI, -0.14 to -0.05]) and other genes with predicted loss of function as a disease-causing mechanism (difference, -0.06 [95% CI, -0.11 to -0.02]). However, the number of pathogenic variants/likely pathogenic variants/variants of uncertain significance was more comparable between ancestry groups (difference, -0.07 [95% CI, -0.22 to 0.09]) due to a larger number of non-TTN non-predicted loss of function variants of uncertain significance, mostly missense, in patients of African ancestry (difference, 0.15 [95% CI, 0.00-0.30]). Published clinical case-based evidence supporting pathogenicity was less available for variants found only in patients of African ancestry (P < .001). Conclusion and relevance: Patients of African ancestry with DCM were less likely to have clinically actionable variants in DCM genes than those of European ancestry due to differences in genetic architecture and a lack of representation of African ancestry in clinical data sets.
Group Dynamics and Allocation of Advanced Heart Failure Therapies-Heart Transplants and Ventricular Assist Devices-By Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Group
(American Heart Association, 2023) Breathett, Khadijah; Yee, Ryan; Pool, Natalie; Thomas Hebdon, Megan C.; Knapp, Shannon M.; Herrera-Theut, Kathryn; de Groot, Esther; Yee, Erika; Allen, Larry A.; Hasan, Ayesha; Lindenfeld, JoAnn; Calhoun, Elizabeth; Carnes, Molly; Sweitzer, Nancy K.; Medicine, School of Medicine
Background: US regulatory framework for advanced heart failure therapies (AHFT), ventricular assist devices, and heart transplants, delegate eligibility decisions to multidisciplinary groups at the center level. The subjective nature of decision‐making is at risk for racial, ethnic, and gender bias. We sought to determine how group dynamics impact allocation decision‐making by patient gender, racial, and ethnic group. Methods and Results: We performed a mixed‐methods study among 4 AHFT centers. For ≈ 1 month, AHFT meetings were audio recorded. Meeting transcripts were evaluated for group function scores using de Groot Critically Reflective Diagnoses protocol (metrics: challenging groupthink, critical opinion sharing, openness to mistakes, asking/giving feedback, and experimentation; scoring: 1 to 4 [high to low quality]). The relationship between summed group function scores and AHFT allocation was assessed via hierarchical logistic regression with patients nested within meetings nested within centers, and interaction effects of group function score with gender and race, adjusting for patient age and comorbidities. Among 87 patients (24% women, 66% White race) evaluated for AHFT, 57% of women, 38% of men, 44% of White race, and 40% of patients of color were allocated to AHFT. The interaction between group function score and allocation by patient gender was statistically significant (P=0.035); as group function scores improved, the probability of AHFT allocation increased for women and decreased for men, a pattern that was similar irrespective of racial and ethnic groups. Conclusions: Women evaluated for AHFT were more likely to receive AHFT when group decision‐making processes were of higher quality. Further investigation is needed to promote routine high‐quality group decision‐making and reduce known disparities in AHFT allocation.
Imbalance in Heart Transplant to Heart Failure Mortality Ratio Among African-American, Hispanic, and White Patients
(American Heart Association, 2021) Breathett, Khadijah; Knapp, Shannon M.; Carnes, Molly; Calhoun, Elizabeth; Sweitzer, Nancy K.; Medicine, School of Medicine
Imbalance in Heart Transplant to Heart Failure Mortality Ratio by Sex
(American Heart Association, 2021) Breathett, Khadijah; Knapp, Shannon M.; Carnes, Molly; Calhoun, Elizabeth; Sweitzer, Nancy K.; Medicine, School of Medicine
Is the Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion Associated with Receipt of Heart Failure Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy By Race and Ethnicity?
(Elsevier, 2022) Breathett, Khadijah K.; Xu, Haolin; Sweitzer, Nancy K.; Calhoun, Elizabeth; Matsouaka, Roland A.; Yancy, Clyde W.; Fonarow, Gregg C.; DeVore, Adam D.; Bhatt, Deepak L.; Peterson, Pamela N.; Medicine, School of Medicine
Background: Uninsurance is a known contributor to racial/ethnic health inequities. Insurance is often needed for prescriptions and follow-up appointments. Therefore, we determined whether the Affordable Care Act(ACA) Medicaid Expansion was associated with increased receipt of guideline-directed medical treatment(GDMT) at discharge among patients hospitalized with heart failure(HF) by race/ethnicity. Methods: Using Get With The Guidelines-HF registry, logistic regression was used to assess odds of receiving GDMT(HF medications; education; follow-up appointment) in early vs non-adopter states before(2012 - 2013) and after ACA Medicaid Expansion(2014 - 2019) within each race/ethnicity, accounting for patient-level covariates and within-hospital clustering. We tested for an interaction(p-int) between GDMT and pre/post Medicaid Expansion time periods. Results: Among 271,606 patients(57.5% early adopter, 42.5% non-adopter), 65.5% were White, 22.8% African American, 8.9% Hispanic, and 2.9% Asian race/ethnicity. Independent of ACA timing, Hispanic patients were more likely to receive all GDMT for residing in early adopter states compared to non-adopter states (P <.0001). In fully-adjusted analyses, ACA Medicaid Expansion was associated with higher odds of receipt of ACEI/ARB/ARNI in Hispanic patients [before ACA:OR 0.40(95%CI:0.13,1.23); after ACA:OR 2.46(1.10,5.51); P-int = .0002], but this occurred in the setting of an immediate decline in prescribing patterns, particularly among non-adopter states, followed by an increase that remained lowest in non-adopter states. The ACA was not associated with receipt of GDMT for other racial/ethnic groups. Conclusions: Among GWTG-HF hospitals, Hispanic patients were more likely to receive all GDMT if they resided in early adopter states rather than non-adopter states, independent of ACA Medicaid Expansion timing. ACA implementation was only associated with higher odds of receipt of ACEI/ARB/ARNI in Hispanic patients. Additional steps are needed for improved GDMT delivery for all.
Pilot test of a Multi-Component Implementation Strategy for Equity in Advanced Heart Failure Allocation
(Elsevier, 2023) Breathett, Khadijah; Yee, Ryan H.; Pool, Natalie; Hebdon, Megan C.; Knapp, Shannon M.; Calhoun, Elizabeth; Sweitzer, Nancy K.; Carnes, Molly; Medicine, School of Medicine
Advanced heart failure (AHF) therapy allocation is vulnerable to bias related to subjective assessments and poor group dynamics. Our objective was to determine whether an implementation strategy for AHF team members could feasibly contribute to organizational and culture change supporting equity in AHF allocation. Using a pretest-posttest design, the strategy included an 8-week multicomponent training on bias reduction, standardized numerical social assessments, and enhanced group dynamics at an AHF center. Evaluations of organizational and cultural changes included pretest-posttest AHF team member surveys, transcripts of AHF meetings to assess group dynamics using a standardized scoring system, and posttest interviews guided by a framework for implementing a complex strategy. Results were analyzed with qualitative descriptive methods and Brunner-Munzel tests for relative effect (RE, RE >0.5 signals posttest improvement). The majority of survey metrics revealed potential benefit with RE >0.5. REs were >0.5 for 5 of 6 group dynamics metrics. Themes for implementation included (1) promoting equitable distribution of scarce resources, (2) requiring a change in team members' time investment to correct bias and change the meeting structure, (3) slowing and then accelerating the allocation process, and (4) adaptable beyond AHF and reinforceable with semi-annual trainings. An implementation strategy for AHF equity demonstrated the feasibility for organizational and culture changes.
Relationships Between 2018 UNOS Heart Policy and Transplant Outcomes In Metropolitan, Micropolitan, and Rural Settings
(Elsevier, 2022) Breathett, Khadijah; Knapp, Shannon M.; Addison, Daniel; Johnson, Amber; Shah, Rashmee U.; Flint, Kelsey; Van Spall, Harriette G. C.; Sweitzer, Nancy K.; Mazimba, Sula; Medicine, School of Medicine
Background: In 2018, United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) extended the radius for which a heart transplant candidate can match with a donor, and outcomes across population densities are unknown. We sought to determine whether the policy change was associated with differences in heart transplant waitlist time or death post-transplant for patients from rural, micropolitan, and metropolitan settings. Methods: Using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, we evaluated U.S. adult patients listed for heart transplant from Janurary 2017 to September 2019 with follow-up through March 2020. Patients were stratified by home zip-codes to either metropolitan, micropolitan, or rural settings. Fine and Gray and Cox models were respectively used to estimate Sub-distribution hazard ratios (SHR) of heart transplant with death or removal from transplant list as a competing event, and HR of death post-transplant within population densities after versus before the UNOS policy change date, October 18, 2018. Analyses were adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, and labs. Results: Among 8,747 patients listed for heart transplant, 84.7% were from metropolitan, 8.6% micropolitan, and 6.6% rural settings. The 2018 UNOS policy was associated with earlier receipt of heart transplant for metropolitan [SHR 1.56 (95% CI: 1.46-1.66)] and micropolitan [SHR 1.48 (95% CI: 1.21-1.82)] populations, but not significantly for rural [SHR 1.20 (95% CI: 0.93-1.54)]; however, the interaction between policy and densities was not significant (p = .14). Policy changes were not associated with risk of death post-transplant [metropolitan: HR 1.04 (95% CI: 0.80-1.34); micropolitan: HR 1.10 (95% CI: 0.55-2.23); rural: HR 1.04 (95% CI: 0.52-2.08); interaction p = .99]. Conclusions: The 2018 UNOS heart transplant policy was associated with earlier receipt of heart transplant and no difference in post-transplant survival within population densities. Additional follow-up is needed to determine whether improvements are sustained.
Sex Disparities in Organ Donation: Finding an Equitable Donor Pool
(American Heart Association, 2021) Yee, Erika; Hosseini, Seyedeh Maryam; Duarte, Bianca; Knapp, Shannon M.; Carnes, Molly; Young, Bessie; Sweitzer, Nancy K.; Breathett, Khadijah; Medicine, School of Medicine
Background: The majority of living organ donors are women, but few are deceased organ donors, which increases risks associated with sex mismatched organs. We sought to identify reasons for sex disparities in organ donation and strategies for equity. Methods and Results: Using Amazon's Mechanical Turk, we examined US adults' perceptions regarding donation in a mixed‐methods survey study. Results were compared by sex with Fisher's exact test and T‐tests for quantitative results and qualitative descriptive analyses for write‐in responses. Among 667 participants (55% women), the majority of men (64.8%) and women (63.4%) self‐identified as registered donors. Women's willingness to donate their own organs to family members (P=0.03) or strangers (P=0.03) was significantly higher than men. Donors from both sexes were guided by: desire to help, personal experience, and believing organs would be useless to deceased donors. Non‐donors from both sexes were guided by: no reason, medical mistrust, contemplating donation. When considering whether to donate organs of a deceased family member, women were equally guided by a family member's wishes and believing the family member had no further use for organs. Men had similar themes but valued the family member's wishes more. Among non‐donors, both sexes would consider donation if more information was provided. Conclusions: In a national survey, both sexes had similar reasons for becoming and not becoming an organ donor. However, compared with men, women were more willing to donate their organs to family members and strangers. Improving education and communicating wishes regarding organ donation with direct relatives may increase sex equity in deceased organ donation.

Browsing by Author "Sweitzer, Nancy K."

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