Journal of insurance medicine (New York, N.Y.)最新文献

The life insurance industry is transitioning towards precision underwriting driven by increased data availability and access to advanced analytical tools. Effectively utilizing diverse data sources in life insurance underwriting presents an opportunity for medical directors to fully leverage their skillset in this evolving environment. By navigating these changes, balancing the value of data against its limitations, and fostering collaborative approaches to enhance risk assessment and underwriting processes, medical directors can maintain a pivotal role in the life insurance companies of tomorrow.

Context.—: As the Covid-19 pandemic continues into its 4th year, reports of long-term morbidity and mortality are now attracting attention. Recent studies suggest that Covid-19 survivors are at increased risk of common illnesses, such as myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus and autoimmune disorders. Mortality may also be increased. This article will review the evidence that supports some of these observations and provide an opinion about their validity and their relevance to insured cohorts.

Recent artificial intelligence (AI) advancements in cardiovascular medicine offer potential enhancements in diagnosis, prediction, treatment, and outcomes. This article aims to provide a basic understanding of AI enabled ECG technology. Specific conditions and findings will be discussed, followed by reviewing associated terminology and methodology. In the appendix, definitions of AUC versus accuracy are explained. The application of deep learning models enables detecting diseases from normal electrocardiograms at accuracy not previously achieved by technology or human experts. Results with AI enabled ECG are encouraging as they considerably exceeded current screening models for specific conditions (i.e., atrial fibrillation, left ventricular dysfunction, aortic stenosis, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). This could potentially lead to a revitalization of the utilization of the ECG in the insurance domain. While we are embracing the findings with this rapidly evolving technology, but cautious optimism is still necessary at this point.

Background: .-Laryngeal malignancy, "voice box" cancer, is uncommon with 12,620 estimated new cases and 3770 deaths in the United States in 2021,1 and represents only 6.2% of all respiratory system malignancies. The most significant risk factors are alcohol and tobacco consumption. Almost all cases (98%) of laryngeal cancer arise in the squamous epithelium, and in this analysis more than 75% are of well-or-moderately differentiated histopathology (Grades I&II). Local stage cancer (SEER Historic Staging) was more common than regional and distant stages combined (55.3% vs 44.7%). Tumors may arise above, below or at the level of the vocal folds and are described as supraglottic (encompassing the epiglottis, false vocal cords, ventricles, aryepiglottic fold and arytenoids), the glottis (encompassing the true vocal cords and the anterior and posterior commissures), and the subglottic region. In the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, End-Results (NCI-SEER) Data Research, 9 Registries, Nov 2019 Sub (1975-2017),2 laryngeal cancer occurred more commonly in men than in women, 80.7% vs 19.3%, respectively with a 4.2 to 1 ratio. Additionally, there are racial disparities with African Americans presenting at a younger age and having a higher incidence and mortality than Caucasians. In the 1975-2017 period, overall median patient age was 64.4 years with White Americans-64.8 years and Black Americans-61.5 years. Unfortunately, the 5-year relative survival rate has declined 4%, and excess death rate has risen 13% since 1975 with overall incidence declining.As a consequence, observed median survival is approximately 6.5-years for the total study-period pinpointing the need for further specialty research. This study follows the World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases for Oncology-3rd Edition (ICD-O-3)3 topographical identification, coding, labeling and listing of 43,103 patient-cases accessible for analysis in the United States National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results program (NCI SEER Research Data, 9 Registries, 1975-2017). These are located in 6 primary anatomical sites: C32.0-Glottis, C32.1-Supraglottis, C32.2-Subglottis, C32.3-Laryngeal cartilage, C32.8-Overlapping lesion of larynx, C32.9-Larynx, NOS.

Objectives: .-To update short- and long-term mortality and survival indices, and identify changing risk patterns for laryngeal cancer patients in a retrospective US population-based analysis, 1975-2017, using prognostic data stratified by ICD-O-3 Primary Site, age, sex, race, stage, histologic grade, two cohort entry time-periods (1975-1996 to 1997-2017), and disease duration to 20-years.

Methods: .-SEER*Stat v8.3.94 software (built March 12, 2021) was used to access SEER Research Data, 9 Registries, Nov. 2019 submission (1975-2017). For displaying risk, general methods and standard double decrement life table methodolog

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and its associated physical and mental conditions is the most prevalent congenital impairment causing developmental and intellectual disability worldwide. Like alcohol abuse, FASD is typically undiagnosed by primary care providers. And like alcohol abuse, life underwriters and medical directors need to be aware of the signs, symptoms, and behaviors associated with FASD to accurately detect, identify, evaluate and assess the mortality risk. Three cases of suspected undiagnosed FASD that were underwritten for life expectancies in legal matters are discussed in this report. Not only were these patients' risks for excess mortality elevated due to their initial neurologic injury due to prenatal exposure to alcohol, but these cases demonstrate the importance of the stability and care needed to make them insurable. The following paper discusses the clinical and social settings at birth that may give underwriters and medical directors some clue to a potential case of the child having FASD and then to assess their statistical and lifestyle mortality risks.