BackgroundStatins may be underutilized in certain vulnerable populations, but the effect of cumulative vulnerabilities within 1 individual is not well described. We sought to determine the likelihood of receiving statins with an increasing number of vulnerabilities in an individual, after controlling for factors known to influence health services utilization.Methods and ResultsWe identified 18 216 participants from the REGARDS (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) study who had a statin indication or who were taking statins, as verified by pill bottle review. Statin use was assessed with respect to 5 major vulnerability domains alone and in combination: older age, black race, female sex, high area‐level poverty, and lack of health insurance. The study included 5286 white men, 4180 black men, 2791 white women, and 4194 black women; 5.6% of the sample had no vulnerabilities, 20.6% had 1 vulnerability, 29.2% had 2 vulnerabilities, 27.3% had 3 vulnerabilities, and 17.3% had 4 or 5 vulnerabilities. All race–sex groups were less likely than white men to use statins; prevalence of use was 0.80 in black women with reference to white men (P<0.0001). In both unadjusted and adjusted models, as the number of vulnerabilities increased, statin use steadily decreased. After adjusting for factors that influence health services utilization, compared with those without any vulnerabilities, statin use prevalence was 0.91, 0.83, 0.74 and 0.68 (P<0.0001) in those with 1, 2, 3, and 4 or 5 vulnerabilities, respectively.ConclusionsParticipants with more simultaneously occurring vulnerabilities experienced the greatest disparities in statin use. Black women and those without health insurance were at particularly high risk of underutilization.

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Pulmonary rehabilitation results in significant improvement in quality of life, dyspnea, and functional capacity independent of baseline disease burden.

Every year, Influenza infection contributes to significant morbidity and mortality carrying a huge economic burden. Extra-pulmonary manifestations are increasingly being recognized. We present a 29-year-old woman with acute pericarditis and cardiac tamponade requiring emergent pericardiocentesis secondary to Influenza B infection. Although very rare in relation to Influenza B infection, the pericardial disease can occur during the acute infection or as a post-viral syndrome. Considering pericardial disease in patients with chest pain and any viral infection may facilitate timely diagnosis and prevent unnecessary life-threatening complications.

Introduction: Statins reduce the incidence of major cardiovascular disease events, but many individuals do not receive them. The AHRQ National Healthcare Disparities Report identifies several vulnerable populations, but few studies have examined statin use from the perspective of the presence of multiple vulnerabilities in the same individual. Hypothesis: A greater number of vulnerabilities is associated with lower statin use. Methods: This study used data from the REGARDS study, which included 30,239 adults of age 45 and older recruited between 2003 and 2007 from the 48 contiguous US states. Baseline data included a 45-minute telephone interview and an in-home visit. Vulnerabilities included older age, black race, being a woman, rural/small city residence, area level poverty, Southeastern residence, and lack of health insurance. Prevalence ratios were estimated from Poisson models and adjusted for factors influencing health services utilization (education, awareness of hyperlipidemia, medication adherence, cigarette smoking, depressive symptoms, obesity, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, physical functioning and Adult Treatment Panel III Framingham Risk Group). Results: The study sample included 18,047 individuals of mean age 65.8 years with indications for statin therapy; 41.7% were black, 50.8% were women, 8.7% lived in a rural area/small city, 25.2% lived in areas with >25% of residents living below the Federal poverty line, 55.0% lived in the Southeastern states and 6% did not have health insurance. Older age, being black, being a woman, area level poverty, and health insurance were significantly associated with lower statin use. Statin use decreased as the number of vulnerabilities increased. Conclusions: A greater burden of healthcare disparity vulnerabilities was associated with a graded pattern of lower statin use. Individuals with multiple vulnerabilities have the greatest risk of under treatment and should be targeted for intervention.