Age younger than 40 years significantly increased risk of chronic anal fistula or recurrent anal sepsis after a first-time episode of perianal abscess. Patients with diabetes may have a decreased risk compared with nondiabetic patients. Gender, smoking history, perioperative antibiotic treatment, and HIV status were not risk factors for chronic anal fistula or recurrent anal sepsis.

Longer duration of clopidogrel use was associated with a lower incidence of death or MI in both the BMS and DES groups. Among clopidogrel nonusers, the incidence of death/MI or death did not differ by stent type.

No abstract

African Americans have the highest incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States. To understand the basis of this disparity, we examined data from a prepaid, integrated health system for this retrospective cohort study of members who had one or more serum creatinine tests performed over a 9-year period. The cohort included 182,959 adults (8% black) with stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease based on their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Competing-risk methods were used to determine the incidence of ESRD and death prior to ESRD. At all follow-up times and from any entry eGFR, the cumulative incidence of ESRD was significantly greater in blacks. The age and genderadjusted hazard ratios for ESRD and death prior to ESRD in blacks compared to non-blacks were 1.83 and 1.15, respectively. Increased survival free of ESRD was found in blacks 70 years and older with eGFR stage 4. The hazard ratio for the combined outcomes of ESRD or death was 1.31 in blacks as compared to non-blacks. Despite equivalent health insurance benefits, blacks with chronic kidney disease were at increased risk for ESRD and death prior to ESRD. Compared to non-blacks, blacks with chronic kidney disease were twice as likely to enter into ESRD as to die prior to ESRD.

In an insured racially/ethnically patient population, the testing rate exceeded 90% in 2006. Achieving and sustaining these high testing levels has public health implications.