I have to admit,this does not look good.I have a few thoughts on this, but I would like to hear your opinion on this first,tj1.
I found these sections to be very interesting:
"Studies of patient charts with the 088.81 code found that 37.9% in Maryland and 55.2% in Wisconsin were classified after chart review as noncases according to the surveillance case definition (12,20). Thus, we cannot exclude the possibility that some of the ≈329,000 patients in whom LD was diagnosed were not infected with B. burgdorferi."
"However, some discrepancies were also noted. Specifically, incidence of clinician-diagnosed LD was higher than expected among women 15–44 years of age. A study of records with the 088.81 code using Maine’s statewide electronic database of inpatient and outpatient encounters also found a higher percentage female patients compared with surveillance data (26). This finding might be attributable to differential overdiagnosis of LD in these groups, variations in insurance coverage and health care–seeking behavior, or other factors. Studies in Europe have found sex discrepancies in risk for tick bites and clinical presentation of LD that should be explored further in US research studies (27,28)."
I agree with you GC,the numbers seem a little overstated.Nice post,lots of good info,thanks.
Very Interesting,so many cases and yet Texas does not really provide good medical care for Lyme and the Doctors here act like it does not happen in Texas(Lyme disease) as are the insurance companies . I have now bin given Doctors all out of the state of Texas and will try to go this route .
A few months back the Colorado Health Department contacted me re: my Lyme. I think it came to them via an IME appointment needed to continue my prior employer’s provided (I pay) disability insurance.
With all the treachery that exists, I chose not to return the call. Point - this study and so many others are flawed and slanted in favor of those against post Lyme, chronic Lyme, and whatever name. I’m confident there are hundreds more like me that are ‘afraid’ to tell the truth to possible the wrong person or group.