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Introduction: The rate of preoperative osteoporosis in lower extremity arthroplasty is 33%. The prevalence of osteoporosis in shoulder arthroplasty patients is inadequately studied. The purpose of this study was to (1) determine the prevalence of osteoporosis in patients undergoing elective shoulder arthroplasty, (2) report the percentage of patients having dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) testing before surgery, and (3) determine the percentage of patients who have been prescribed osteoporosis medications within 6 months before or after surgery. Methods: This retrospective case series included all adults aged 50 years and older who underwent elective shoulder arthroplasty at a single tertiary care center over an 8-year period. National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) criteria for screening and treatment were applied. Results: Two hundred fifty-one patients met the inclusion criteria; 171 (68%) met the criteria for DEXA testing, but only 31 (12%) had this testing within 2 years preoperatively. Eighty patients (32%) met the NOF criteria for receipt of pharmacologic osteoporosis treatment, and 17/80 (21%) received a prescription for pharmacotherapy. Discussion: Two-thirds of elective shoulder arthroplasty patients meet the criteria to have bone mineral density measurement done, but less than 20% have this done. One in three elective shoulder arthroplasty patients meet the criteria to receive osteoporosis medications, but only 20% of these patients receive therapy.

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Introduction Advanced directives (ADs) provide a framework from which families may understand patient’s wishes. However, end-of-life planning may not be prioritized by everyone. This analysis aimed to determine what populations have ADs and how they affected trauma outcomes. Methods Adult trauma patients recorded in the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) from 2013-2015 were included. The primary outcome was presence of an AD. Secondary outcomes included mortality, length of stay (LOS), mechanical ventilation, ICU admission/LOS, withdrawal of life-sustaining measures, and discharge disposition. Multivariable logistic regression models were developed for outcomes. Results 44 705 patients were included in the analyses. Advanced directives were present in 1.79% of patients. The average age for patients with ADs was 77.8 ± 10.7. African American (operating room (OR) .53, confidence intervals [CI] .36-.79) and Asian (OR .22, CI .05-.91) patients were less likely to have ADs. Conversely, Medicaid (OR 1.70, CI 1.06-2.73) and Medicare (OR 1.65, CI 1.25-2.17) patients were more likely to have ADs as compared to those with private insurance. The presence of ADs was associated with increased hospital mortality (OR 2.84, CI 2.19-3.70), increased transition to comfort measures (OR 2.87, CI 2.08-3.95), and shorter LOS (CO −.74, CI −1.26-.22). Patients with ADs had an increased odds of hospice care (OR 4.24, CI 3.18-5.64). Conclusion Advanced directives at admission are uncommon, particularly among African Americans and Asians. The presence of ADs was associated with increased mortality, use of mechanical ventilation, admission to the ICU, withdrawal of life-sustaining measures, and hospice. Future research should target expansion of ADs among minority populations to alleviate disparities in end-of-life treatment.

Two main procedures are performed on patients suffering from colonic perforation, diverting colostomy and primary tissue repair. We investigated patient race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES) that predicted surgical outcomes after blunt or penetrating trauma. A retrospective analysis was performed using data from the National Trauma Data Bank for three years (2013–2015). We identified patients who presented with primary colonic injury and subsequent colon operation (n = 5431). Operations were grouped into three classes: colostomy, ileostomy, and nonostomy. Multiple linear and logistic regressions were performed to assess how race and insurance status are associated with the primary outcome of interest (ostomy formation) and secondary outcomes such as length of stay, time spent in ICU, and surgical site infection. Neither race/ethnicity nor insurance status proved to be reliable predictors for the formation of an ostomy. Patients who received either a colostomy or ileostomy were likely to have longer stays (OR [odds ratio]: 5.28; 95% CI [confidence interval]: 3.88–6.69) (OR: 11.24; 95% CI: 8.53–13.95), more time spent in ICU (2.73; 1.70–3.76) (7.98; 6.10–9.87), and increased risk for surgical site infection (1.32; 1.03–1.68) (2.54; 1.71–3.78). Race/ethnicity and SES were not reliable predictors for surgical decision-making on the formation of an ostomy after blunt and penetrating colonic injury. However, the severity of the injury as calculated by Injury Severity Score and the number of abdominal injuries were both associated with higher rates of colostomy and ileostomy. These data suggest that surgical decision-making is dependent on perioperative patient presentation and, not on race, ethnicity, or SES.