Klabunde et al developed a comorbidity index for males with prostate cancer based on analysis of Medicare data. This can help identify a patient who may benefit from more aggressive management. The authors are from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.
Data was available from:
(1) inpatient Medicare claims
(2) physician Medicare claims
This data was analyzed to determine coefficients for common comorbid conditions.
Comorbid Condition |
Inpatient Claim Coefficients |
Physician Claim Coefficients |
cerebrovascular disease |
0.32 |
0.42 |
chronic pulmonary disease |
0.74 |
0.50 |
congestive heart failure |
0.73 |
0.86 |
dementia |
0.12 |
0.90 |
diabetes mellitus, uncomplicated |
0.39 |
0.30 |
diabetes with complications |
0.53 |
0.89 |
liver disease, mild |
0.89 |
1.80 |
myocardial infarction, acute |
0.23 |
1.22 |
myocardial infarction, old |
0.09 |
0.17 |
paralysis |
0.61 |
0.95 |
peptic ulcer disease |
-0.34 |
0.51 |
peripheral vascular disease |
0.34 |
0.40 |
renal disease, moderate to severe |
0.72 |
1.11 |
rheumatologic disease |
1.01 |
0.35 |
where:
• The coefficient for moderate or severe liver disease is not given. It should be higher than for mild liver disease, but the coefficient for mild disease will be used until a better value is known.
For each type of claim (inpatient or physician), identify all of the comorbid conditions present and list the corresponding coefficients.
sum of coefficients =
= SUM(coefficients for all comorbid conditions present)
chances of patient dying within 2 years when compared to a patient of similar age with similar disease but with no comorbid condition =
= EXP(sum of coefficients)
Purpose: To estimate the impact of comorbid conditions on survival in a male with prostate cancer using the comorbidity index of Klabunde et al.
Objective: selection, comorbid conditions
ICD-10: C61,