Health care utilization and mortality among elderly patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mortality in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is high, and patients are likely to require hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits, and transfusions. The relationships between these events and the MDS complications of anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia are not well understood.

Patients and methods

A total of 1864 patients registered in the United States' Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program and aged ≥ 66 years old when diagnosed with MDS in 2001 or 2002 were included. Medicare claims were used to identify MDS complications and utilization (hospitalizations, ED visits, and transfusions) until death or the end of 2005. Mortality was based on SEER data. Kaplan-Meier incidence rates were estimated and multivariable Cox

SUBMITTER: Lindquist KJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3082156 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature