In a study conducted in the database of a large commercial healthcare insurer, we previously demonstrated that use of a commercial pharmacogenetic assay for individuals with mood disorders was associated with decreased resource utilization and cost in the 6 month period following use compared to propensity-score matched controls. We conducted a post hoc analysis to understand variables associated with high cost savings.

The results and methods of the initial study have previously been described. Cases were individuals with mood and anxiety disorders who received a commercial pharmacogenetic assay (Genomind, King of Prussia PA) to inform pharmacotherapy. 817 tested individuals (cases) with mood and/or anxiety disorders were matched to 2745 controls. Overall costs were estimated to be $1,948 lower in the tested group. The differences were largely the result of lesser emergency room and inpatient utilization for cases. In the present analysis, cost difference for cases compared to their matched controls was rank ordered by decile. High cost savers were arbitrarily defined a priori as the top 20% of savers. Using multivariable modeling techniques, an ordinal logistic regression model was generated in which baseline or follow-up variables were statistically tested for independent associations with high, low, and no cost savings.

606 (74%) of cases were net cost savers compared to their controls (cost difference <0). High cost savers (n=121) saved on average $10,690 compared to their matched controls. They were statistically more likely to have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder (n=33/121) than low cost savers (n=57/485) or non-savers (n=31/211), and had a lower Charlson Comorbidity index. High cost savers had fewer mean number of antidepressants in the baseline period (mean=3.16) compared to non-savers (3.73) but more than low cost savers (2.72) (p<0.05 across groups). In a multivariable model, bipolar, count of antidepressants, outpatient visits, and inpatient visits were statistically associated with being a high cost saver; antidepressant count and all-cause inpatient and outpatient visits in the baseline period were inversely associated with cost savings.

Use of a pharmacogenetic assay was associated with cost-savings in the database of a large commercial insurer. Patients with bipolar disorder were more likely to be high cost savers than individuals with other mood and anxiety disorders.

Genomind

Investigation of personality traits and pathology in large, generalizable clinical cohorts has been hindered by inconsistent assessment and failure to consider a range of personality disorders (PDs) simultaneously.

We applied natural language processing (NLP) of electronic health record notes to characterize a psychiatric inpatient cohort. A set of terms reflecting personality trait domains were derived, expanded, and then refined based on expert consensus. Latent Dirichlet allocation was used to score notes to estimate the extent to which any given note reflected PD topics. Regression models were used to examine the relationship of these estimates with sociodemographic features and length of stay.

Among 3623 patients with 4702 admissions, being male, non-white, having a low burden of medical comorbidity, being admitted through the emergency department, and having public insurance were independently associated with greater levels of disinhibition, detachment, and psychoticism. Being female, white, and having private insurance were independently associated with greater levels of negative affectivity. The presence of disinhibition, psychoticism, and negative affectivity were each significantly associated with a longer stay, while detachment was associated with a shorter stay.

Personality features can be systematically and scalably measured using NLP in the inpatient setting, and some of these features associate with length of stay. Developing treatment strategies for patients scoring high in certain personality dimensions may facilitate more efficient, targeted interventions, and may help reduce the impact of personality features on mental health service utilization.

An increased incidence of brain white-matter hyperintensities has been described in major depressive disorder, but the impact of such hyperintensities on treatment outcome is still controversial.

To investigate the relationship of brain white-matter hyperintensities with cardiovascular risk factors and with treatment outcome in younger people with major depressive disorder.

We assessed brain white-matter hyperintensities and cardiovascular risk factors in 84 people with major depressive disorder prior to initiating antidepressanttreatment. We also assessed hyperintensities in 35 matched controls.

We found no significant difference in the prevalence of white-matter hyperintensities between the depression and the control groups. Left-hemisphere subcortical hyperintensities correlated with lower rates of treatment response. We found no correlation between global hyperintensity measures and clinical outcome. Brain white-matter hyperintensities correlated with hypertension and age and with total cardiovascular risk score.

Subcortical white-matter hyperintensities in the left hemisphere (but not in other brain areas) may be associated with poor response to antidepressant treatment in major depression.