CONCLUSIONS Our arthroplasty care practitioner service allowed us to identify increased pain and stop using the ASR XL over 3 years before the implant was recalled. The revised patients had similar functional outcome to those unrevised. Poorly performing implants need to be identified earlier.Background Recent American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Primary Prevention Guidelines recommended considering low-dose aspirin therapy only among adults 40-70 years of age who are at higher atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk but not at high risk of bleeding. However, it remains unclear how these patients are best identified. The present study aimed to assess the value of coronary artery calcium (CAC) for guiding aspirin allocation for primary prevention using 2019 aspirin meta-analysis data on CVD relative risk reduction (RRR) and bleeding risk. Methods The study included 6,470 participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). ASCVD risk was estimated using the Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE) and 3 strata were defined 20% estimated ASCVD risk to define "higher risk". Benefit/harm calculations were restricted to aspirin-naïve participants less then 70 years not at high risk of bleeding (N=3,540). The overall NNT5 with aspirin to prevent one CVD event was 476 and the NNH5 was 355. The NNT5 was also greater than or similar to the NNH5 among estimated ASCVD risk strata. Conversely, CAC≥100 and CAC≥400 identified subgroups in which NNT5 was lower than NNH5. This was true both overall (for CAC≥100, NNT5=140 vs NNH5=518) as well as within ASCVD risk strata. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/a1874.html Also, CAC=0 identified subgroups in which the NNT was much higher than the NNH5 (overall, NNT5=1,190 vs NNH5=567). Conclusions CAC may be superior to the PCE to inform allocation of aspirin in primary prevention. Implementation of current 2019 ACC/AHA guideline recommendations together with the use of CAC for further risk assessment may result in a more personalized, safer allocation of aspirin in primary prevention. Confirmation of these findings in experimental settings is needed.BACKGROUND The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been associated with increased heart transplant listings among blacks, who are disproportionately uninsured. It is unclear whether the ACA is also associated with increased ventricular assist device implantation in blacks. METHODS Using Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Data State Inpatient Databases from 19 states and Washington DC, we analyzed 1157 patients from early-adopter states (ACA Medicaid expansion by January 2014) and 785 patients from nonadopter states (no implementation from 2013 to 2014). Piecewise Poisson regression with a discontinuity was used to estimate change in census-adjusted rates of ventricular assist device implants by race and ACA adopter status 1 year before and after January 2014. RESULTS Following the ACA Medicaid expansion, the proportional change in rate increased significantly among blacks from early adopter (1.40 [95% CI, 1.12-1.75], pre 0.57/100 000 to post-ACA 0.80/100 000) but not nonadopter states (1.25 [95% CI, 0.98-1.58], pre 0.40/100 000 to post-ACA 0.50/100 000). However, the early and nonadopter changes in implantation rates were not statistically different from each other (P=0.50). There were no immediate changes in whites in either state group following the ACA Medicaid expansion (early adopter, 1.12 [95% CI, 0.98-1.29], pre 0.27/100 000 to post-ACA 0.30/100 000; nonadopter, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.82-1.16], pre 0.27/100 000 to post-ACA 0.26/100 000). CONCLUSIONS Among eligible states participating in Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Data State Inpatient Databases, the ACA was not associated with immediate changes in ventricular assist device implantation rates by race. Although a significant increase in implantation rate was observed among blacks from early-adopter states, the change was not statistically different from the change seen in nonadopter states.Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between insurance status and patient-reported pain both before and after upper extremity surgical procedures. We hypothesized that patients with Medicaid payer status would report higher levels of pre- and postoperative pain and report less postoperative pain relief. Methods In all, 376 patients who underwent upper extremity procedures by a single surgeon at an academic ambulatory surgery center were identified. Patient information, including insurance status and Visual Analog Scale pain score (VAS-pain) at baseline, 2 weeks, and 1, 3, and 6 months, were collected. VAS-pain scores were compared with t-tests and linear regression. Results Preoperatively and at 2-week, 1-month, and 3-month follow-up, Medicaid patients reported statistically significant higher pain levels than patients with Private insurance, finding a mean adjusted increase of 0.51 preoperatively, 0.39 at 1 month, and 0.79 at 3 months. Preoperatively and at 3-month follow-up, Medicaid patients reported statistically significant higher pain than patients with Medicare, finding increases in VAS-pain of 0.99 preoperatively and 0.94 at 3 months. There was no difference in pain improvement between any insurance types at any time point (all P values > .05). Conclusions Patients with Medicaid report higher levels of preoperative pain and early postoperative pain, but reported the same improvement in pain as patients with other types of insurance. As healthcare systems are becoming increasingly dependent on patient-reported outcomes, including pain, it is important to consider that differences may exist in subjective pain depending on insurance status.This paper describes the design of an enhanced, plane channel, flowcell and its use for testing large-scale coated plates (0.6 m × 0.22 m) in fully developed flow, over a wide range of Reynolds numbers, with low uncertainty. Two identical, hydraulically smooth plates were experimentally tested. Uniform biofilms were grown on clean surfaces to test skin friction changes resulting from different biofilm thickness and densities. A velocity survey of the flowcell measurement section, using laser Doppler anemometry, showed a consistent velocity profile and low turbulence intensity in the central flow channel. The skin friction coefficient was experimentally determined using a pressure drop method. Results correlate closely to previously published regression data, particularly at higher speeds. Repeated measurements indicated very low uncertainty. This study demonstrates this flowcell's applicability for representing consistent frictional drag of ship hull surfaces, enabling comparability of hydrodynamic drag caused by surface roughness to the reference surface measurements.