Does Living near Trees and Other Vegetation Affect the Contemporaneous Odds of Asthma Exacerbation among Pediatric Asthma Patients?

2022

2022 Apr 25

1468-2869

<p>Vegetation may influence asthma exacerbation through effects on aeroallergens, localized climates, air pollution, or children's behaviors and stress levels. We investigated the association between residential vegetation and asthma exacerbation by conducting a matched case-control study based on electronic health records of asthma patients, from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Our study included 17,639 exacerbation case events and 34,681 controls selected from non-exacerbation clinical visits for asthma, matched to cases by age, sex, race/ethnicity, public payment source, and residential proximity to the CHOP main campus ED and hospital. Overall greenness, tree canopy, grass/shrub cover, and impervious surface were assessed near children's homes (250&nbsp;m) using satellite imagery and high-resolution landcover data. We used generalized estimating equations to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between each vegetation/landcover measure and asthma exacerbation, with adjustment for seasonal and sociodemographic factors-for all cases, and for cases defined by diagnosis setting and exacerbation frequency. Lower odds of asthma exacerbation were observed in association with greater levels of tree canopy near the home, but only for children who experienced multiple exacerbations in a year (OR = 0.94 per 10.2% greater tree canopy coverage, 95% CI = 0.90-0.99). Our findings suggest possible protection for asthma patients from tree canopy, but differing results by case frequency suggest that potential benefits may be specific to certain subpopulations of asthmatic children.</p>

10.1007/s11524-022-00633-7

J Urban Health

35467328

Associations between high ambient temperatures and asthma exacerbation among children in Philadelphia, PA: a time series analysis.

2022

2022 Mar 04

1470-7926

<p><strong>OBJECTIVES: </strong>High ambient temperatures may contribute to acute asthma exacerbation, a leading cause of morbidity in children. We quantified associations between hot-season ambient temperatures and asthma exacerbation in children ages 0-18 years in Philadelphia, PA.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We created a time series of daily counts of clinical encounters for asthma exacerbation at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia linked with daily meteorological data, June-August of 2011-2016. We estimated associations between mean daily temperature (up to a 5-day lag) and asthma exacerbation using generalised quasi-Poisson distributed models, adjusted for seasonal and long-term trends, day of the week, mean relative humidity,and US holiday. In secondary analyses, we ran models with adjustment for aeroallergens, air pollutants and respiratory virus counts. We quantified overall associations, and estimates stratified by encounter location (outpatient, emergency department, inpatient), sociodemographics and comorbidities.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>The analysis included 7637 asthma exacerbation events. High mean daily temperatures that occurred 5 days before the index date were associated with higher rates of exacerbation (rate ratio (RR) comparing 33°C-13.1°C days: 1.37, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.82). Associations were most substantial for children ages 2 to &lt;5 years and for Hispanic and non-Hispanic black children. Adjustment for air pollutants, aeroallergens and respiratory virus counts did not substantially change RR estimates.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>This research contributes to evidence that ambient heat is associated with higher rates of asthma exacerbation in children. Further work is needed to explore the mechanisms underlying these associations.</p>

10.1136/oemed-2021-107823

Occup Environ Med

35246484

Why Is the Electronic Health Record So Challenging for Research and Clinical Care?

2021

2021 Jul 19

2511-705X

<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong> The electronic health record (EHR) has become increasingly ubiquitous. At the same time, health professionals have been turning to this resource for access to data that is needed for the delivery of health care and for clinical research. There is little doubt that the EHR has made both of these functions easier than earlier days when we relied on paper-based clinical records. Coupled with modern database and data warehouse systems, high-speed networks, and the ability to share clinical data with others are large number of challenges that arguably limit the optimal use of the EHR OBJECTIVES:  Our goal was to provide an exhaustive reference for those who use the EHR in clinical and research contexts, but also for health information systems professionals as they design, implement, and maintain EHR systems.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong> This study includes a panel of 24 biomedical informatics researchers, information technology professionals, and clinicians, all of whom have extensive experience in design, implementation, and maintenance of EHR systems, or in using the EHR as clinicians or researchers. All members of the panel are affiliated with Penn Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and have experience with a variety of different EHR platforms and systems and how they have evolved over time.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong> Each of the authors has shared their knowledge and experience in using the EHR in a suite of 20 short essays, each representing a specific challenge and classified according to a functional hierarchy of interlocking facets such as usability and usefulness, data quality, standards, governance, data integration, clinical care, and clinical research.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSION: </strong> We provide here a set of perspectives on the challenges posed by the EHR to clinical and research users.</p>

10.1055/s-0041-1731784

Methods Inf Med

34282602

Effects of Ambient Air Pollution on Childhood Asthma Exacerbation in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Region, 2011 - 2014.

2021

110955

2021 Mar 04

1096-0953

<p>Fine particulate matter (PM) and ozone (O) air pollutants are known risk factors for asthma exacerbation. We studied the association of these air pollutants with pediatric asthma exacerbation in the Philadelphia metropolitan region, and evaluated potential effect modification by children's characteristics (e.g., race/ethnicity, atopic conditions) and environmental factors (e.g., neighborhood tree canopy, meteorological factors, aeroallergens). We conducted a time-stratified case-crossover study of 54,632 pediatric (age ≤18 years) asthma exacerbation cases occurring from 2011-2014, identified through electronic health records (EHR) of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) health system. We applied conditional logistic regression to estimate associations between air pollution and asthma exacerbation, using daily census-tract level pollutant concentrations estimated from the EPA Fused Air Quality Surface Using Downscaling (FAQSD) files. The associations were estimated within warm (Apr - Sep) and cold (Oct - Mar) months for unlagged exposure and for cumulative effects up to 5 days after exposure, with adjustment for temperature, relative humidity, and holidays. We found small increases in odds of asthma exacerbation with higher pollutant concentrations, with positive associations (OR, comparing concentrations of 75 to 25 percentile) observed for PM during both warm (1.03, 95% CI: 0.98 - 1.08) and cold months (1.05, 95% CI: 1.02 - 1.07), and for O during cold months (1.08, 95% CI: 1.02 - 1.14). The exposure-response relationship with PM during the cold months was essentially linear, whereas thresholds of effect were observed for the other associations at low-medium pollutant concentrations. Results were robust to multi-pollutant modeling and adjustment for additional covariates. We found no effect modification by most children's characteristics, while effect sizes were higher on days with detected tree and grass pollens during warm months. Our results suggest that even small decreases in pollutant concentrations could potentially reduce risk of childhood asthma exacerbation - an important finding, given the high burden of childhood asthma and known disparities in asthma control.</p>

10.1016/j.envres.2021.110955

Environ Res

33676951

Comparative Neurological Safety of Fluoroquinolones vs. Therapeutic Alternatives.

2021

2021 Mar 03

1099-1557

<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Fluoroquinolones, one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotic classes, have been implicated in cases of central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) adverse events, which highlights the need for epidemiologic studies of the neurological safety of fluoroquinolones.</p>

<p><strong>PURPOSE: </strong>To evaluate the safety of fluoroquinolones with regard to risk of diagnosed neurological dysfunction.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We conducted a propensity score-matched inception cohort study using claims data from a commercially insured population (OptumInsight). Our study included adults prescribed an oral fluoroquinolone or comparator antibiotic between January 2004 and September 2015 for acute bacterial sinusitis, acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, uncomplicated urinary tract infection, or acute bronchitis. Our outcomes were CNS dysfunction, and four separate but complementary PNS dysfunction outcomes. Cox proportional hazards models were estimated after matching on propensity scores fitted using the variables age, sex, epilepsy, hereditary peripheral neuropathy, renal dysfunction, diabetes, gabapentinoid use, statin use, isoniazid use, and chemotherapy use.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Our cohort contained 976,568 individuals exposed to a fluoroquinolone antibiotic matched 1:1 with a comparator. Matching produced balance (standardized mean difference &lt; 0.1) on all variables included in the propensity score. The hazard ratio associated with fluoroquinolone exposure was 1.08 (95% confidence interval 1.05-1.11) for CNS dysfunction, and 1.09 (95% CI 1.07-1.11) for the most commonly occurring PNS dysfunction outcome.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Fluoroquinolone antibiotic use was associated with the development of neurological dysfunction versus comparator antibiotic use in the adult population.</p>

10.1002/pds.5219

Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf

33655544

Ambient daily pollen levels in association with asthma exacerbation among children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

2020

106138

2020 Sep 19

1873-6750

<p>Pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds can trigger asthma exacerbation in sensitized individuals. However, there are gaps in knowledge about the effects, such as the relative risks from different plant taxa and threshold levels of effect. We aimed to describe the local association between pollen and asthma exacerbation among children in the City of Philadelphia, and to evaluate whether effects are modified by children's characteristics and clinical factors (e.g., child's age, race/ethnicity, comorbidities). We conducted a time-stratified case-crossover study of pediatric (age &lt;18 years) asthma exacerbation, with cases identified through electronic health records (EHR) of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) health system from March through October in the years 2011-2016. Daily pollen counts were obtained from the local National Allergy Bureau certified pollen counter. We applied conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between the pollen level (vs. none detected) and odds of asthma exacerbation, adjusting for temperature, relative humidity, and holidays. We estimated same-day exposure effects, as well as effects from exposure lagged by up to 5 days. There were 35,040 asthma exacerbation events during the study period, with the majority occurring among black, non-Hispanic children (81.8%) and boys (60.4%). We found increased odds of asthma exacerbation among Philadelphia children in association with tree pollen, both for total tree pollen and most individual tree types. Increased odds from total tree pollen were observed at the lowest levels studied (≤5 grains/m, unlagged, OR&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.06, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.10), and exhibited a positive exposure-response pattern of effect; tree pollen levels above 1000 grains/m (unlagged) were associated with 64% increased odds of asthma exacerbation (95% CI: 1.45, 1.84). Grass pollen was associated with asthma exacerbation only at levels above the 99 percentile (52 grains/m), which occurred, on average, two days per year during the study period (with 2-day lag, OR&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.38, 95% CI: 1.19, 1.60). There was an inverse association (reduced asthma exacerbation) with ragweed pollen that was consistent across analyses. Pollen from other weeds was associated with increased odds of asthma exacerbation, without a clear exposure-response pattern (2-day lag, significant increases ranging from 8% to 19%). Increased odds from tree pollen and weeds (other than ragweed) were higher among children with allergic rhinitis. While there are known benefits from urban vegetation for human health, there are risks as well. It is important to note, however, that pollen is released during a limited time frame each year, and advisories informed by local data can enable susceptible individuals to avoid outdoor exposure on high-risk days.</p>

10.1016/j.envint.2020.106138

Environ Int

32961469

Variability in Diagnosed Asthma in Young Children in a Large Pediatric Primary Care Network.

2020

2020 Feb 07

1876-2867

<p><strong>OBJECTIVES: </strong>Our objectives were to (1) quantify the frequency of wheezing episodes and asthma diagnosis in young children in a large pediatric primary care network and (2) assess the variability in practice-level asthma diagnosis, accounting for common asthma risk factors and comorbidities. We hypothesized that significant variability in practice-level asthma diagnosis rates would remain after adjusting for associated predictors.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We generated a retrospective longitudinal birth cohort of children who visited one of 31 pediatric primary care practices within the first 6 months of life from 1/2005-12/2016. Children were observed for up to 8 years or until the end of the observation window. We used multivariable discrete time survival models to evaluate predictors of asthma diagnosis by 3-month age intervals. We compared unadjusted and adjusted proportions of children diagnosed with asthma by practice.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Of the 161,502 children in the cohort, 34,578 children (21%) received at least one asthma diagnosis. In multivariable modeling, male gender, minority race/ethnicity, gestational age &lt;34 weeks, allergic rhinitis, food allergy, and prior wheezing episodes were associated with asthma diagnosis. After adjusting for variation in these predictors across practices, the cumulative incidence of asthma diagnosis by practice by age 6 years ranged from 11-47% (interquartile range (IQR): 24-29%).</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Across pediatric primary care practices, adjusted incidence of asthma diagnosis by age 6 years ranged widely, though variation gauged by the IQR was more modest. Potential sources of practice-level variation, such as differing diagnosis thresholds and labeling of different wheezing phenotypes as "asthma", should be further investigated.</p>

10.1016/j.acap.2020.02.003

Acad Pediatr

32044466

Changes in Cardiovascular Biomarkers With Breast Cancer Therapy and Associations With Cardiac Dysfunction.

2020

e014708

2020 Jan 21

2047-9980

<p><strong>Background</strong> We examined the longitudinal associations between changes in cardiovascular biomarkers and cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) in patients with breast cancer treated with cardotoxic cancer therapy.</p>

<p><strong>Methods and Results</strong> Repeated measures of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide), myeloperoxidase, placental growth factor, and growth differentiation factor 15 were assessed longitudinally in a prospective cohort of 323 patients treated with anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab followed over a maximum of 3.7&nbsp;years with serial echocardiograms. CTRCD was defined as a ≥10% decline in left ventricular ejection fraction to a value &lt;50%. Associations between changes in biomarkers and left ventricular ejection fraction were evaluated in repeated-measures linear regression models. Cox regression models assessed the associations between biomarkers and CTRCD. Early increases in all biomarkers occurred with anthracycline-based regimens. hs-cTnT levels &gt;14&nbsp;ng/L at anthracycline completion were associated with a 2-fold increased CTRCD risk (hazard ratio, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.00-4.06). There was a modest association between changes in NT-proBNP and left ventricular ejection fraction in the overall cohort; this was most pronounced with sequential anthracycline and trastuzumab (1.1% left ventricular ejection fraction decline [95% CI, -1.8 to -0.4] with each NT-proBNP doubling). Increases in NT-proBNP were also associated with CTRCD (hazard ratio per doubling, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.32-1.84). Increases in myeloperoxidase were associated with CTRCD in patients who received sequential anthracycline and trastuzumab (hazard ratio per doubling, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.04-1.58).</p>

<p><strong>Conclusions</strong> Cardiovascular biomarkers may play an important role in CTRCD risk prediction in patients with breast cancer who receive cardiotoxic cancer therapy, particularly in those treated with sequential anthracycline and trastuzumab therapy. Clinical Trial Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/. Unique identifier: NCT01173341.</p>

10.1161/JAHA.119.014708

J Am Heart Assoc

31959034