Internal Medicine Commons^™

The Effect Of Heparinoid As Systemic Prophylactic Anticoagulants On Covid-19 Patient Mortality And Its Safety Profiles: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Ariska Deffy Anggarany, Rani Sauriasari, Muhammad Alkaff, Famila Takhwifa, Hayatun Nufus, Diana Paramita

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Coagulopathy is one of the complications of COVID-19 and is associated with a higher risk of mortality. However, evidence regarding the effectiveness and safety of anticoagulant therapy in various doses among COVID-19 patients is limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to review and explore the effect of using heparinoids as a systemic anticoagulant at prophylactic doses on mortality in COVID-19 patients. Systematic searches were conducted of various databases (Pubmed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Scopus, and ProQuest) covering the period 2019-2021. We assessed the quality of the articles using the STROBE checklist. Studies with a high risk of bias were excluded before …

Consultation/Liaison Psychiatry During Covid-19, Robert Frierson, Steven B Lippmann

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Consultation/liaison psychiatrists care for people with co-existing medical and psychologic difficulties. The coronavirus pandemic is stressful for patients and their psychiatric caregivers. Patients have lost support systems and harbor fears about exposing family to the virus. COVID-19 sometimes exacerbates previous psychiatric conditions, while diminishing intimacy with physicians. Everyone is oversaturated with COVID-19-related news focusing on rising concerns about the illness and about jobs, school, and housing insecurities.

The psychiatrist maintains a hospital presence despite fear of contracting the disease. Challenges include addressing staff morale, evidencing empathy despite telecommunication devices, and treating anxiety, depression, sleep phobias, post intubation flashbacks, COVID-19-induced cognitive …

The Role Of Coronary Artery Disease In Demand Mediated Myocardial Infarction: A Retrospective Study From A Community Hospital, Amr Salama, Nikhil Mehta, Abdullah Abdullah, Ruth Kouides, Jeremiah Depta, Ryan Hoefen, Richard Alweis

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Type 2 Myocardial Infarction (T2MI) is an increasingly recognized clinical entity due to the availability of highly sensitive troponin assays for patients admitted due to common medical diagnoses. However, there is little epidemiological data on the significance and long-term prognosis of T2MI, which occurs secondary to an increase in myocardial oxygen demand and/or a decrease in myocardial blood flow. Arrhythmia, hypoxia, and sepsis are the major etiologies for T2MI. Therefore, sepsis was the identified area of interest for the study giving how common it is in a community hospital. We studied the cardiac workup of patients with elevated troponin in …

Cost-Effectiveness Of Recombinant Zoster Vaccine For Vaccinating Immunocompromised Adults Against Herpes Zoster In The United States, Desmond Curran, Ahmed Salem, Stephane Lorenc, Brandon Patterson, Justin Carrico, Katherine A. Hicks, Elizabeth M. La, Sara Poston, Christopher F. Carpenter

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Background. Individuals who are immunocompromised (IC) due to disease or therapy are at increased risk of herpes zoster (HZ), with HZ cases in IC populations also resulting in increased health care resource use and costs as compared with the immunocompetent population. This study assesses the cost-effectiveness of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) versus no vaccine for the prevention of HZ in IC adults aged ≥ 18 years in the United States (US). Methods. A Markov model with a one-year cycle length was developed to follow a hypothetical cohort of one million IC individuals for a 30-year time horizon. The model estimates …

A Research Framework For Evaluating Next Generation Sequencing In Community-Acquired Pneumonia, Ashley M. Wilde, Elena Swingler, Sarah E. Moore Pharmd, Brian C. Bohn Pharmd, Matthew Song Pharmd, Bcidp, Ruth Carrico, Julio A. Ramirez

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

The Compounding Effect Of Rurality On Health Disparities Among Black Patients With Covid-19, Jessica E. Johnson, Ruchi Bhandari, Allison Lastinger, Rebecca Reece

Journal of Appalachian Health

Background: West Virginia had garnered national attention for its vaccination rollout against coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Outcomes of this mostly rural population, however, have been underreported. As the pandemic continues, identifying high risk populations remains important to further epidemiologic information and target vaccines.

Purpose: The objective of this study is to examine the effects of COVID-19 and the influence of race and rurality on hospitalization and outcomes in Appalachians.

Methods: In this retrospective study, data from patients who tested positive and were admitted for COVID-19 and seen within the state’s largest health system (West Virginia University Health System) between March …

Conference Proceedings: Select Abstracts Presented At 2021 Advocate Aurora Health Scientific Day

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Abstracts published within this supplement were presented at the 47th annual Advocate Aurora Health Scientific Day, held virtually on May 26, 2021. This research symposium provides a forum for disseminating results from studies conducted by faculty, fellows, residents, and other allied health professionals associated with Midwest-based health system Advocate Aurora Health, which publishes the Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews.

Using A Single Tablet Regimen Of Darunavir, Cobicistat, Emcitrabine, And Tenofovir Alafenamide In Virally Suppressed Hiv-1 Patients Is An Adequate Treatment Option For Controlling Hiv, Priya Kathuria

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

Orkin C, Molina JM, Negredo E, et al. Efficacy and safety of switching from boosted protease inhibitors plus emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate regimens to single-tablet darunavir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide at 48 weeks in adults with virologically suppressed HIV-1 (EMERALD): a phase 3, randomised, non-inferiority trial. Lancet HIV. 2018;5(1):e23-e34. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-3018(17)30179-0

for a patient with viriologically suppressed HIV-1.

Long-Term Survival Of Older Patients Hospitalized For Covid-19. Do Clinical Characteristics Upon Admission Matter?, Michał Chojnicki, Agnieszka Neumann-Podczaska, Mikołaj Seostianin, Zofia Tomczak, Hamza Tariq, Jerzy Chudek, Sławomir Tobis, Iwona Mozer-Lisewska, Aleksandra Suwalska, Andrzej Tykarski, Piotr Merks, Sylwia Kropińska, Małgorzata Sobieszczańska, Frank Romanelli, Katarzyna Wieczorowska-Tobis

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

Older adults are particularly susceptible to COVID-19 in terms of both disease severity and risk of death. To compare clinical differences between older COVID-19 hospitalized survivors and non-survivors, we investigated variables influencing mortality in all older adults with COVID-19 hospitalized in Poznań, Poland, through the end of June 2020 (n = 322). In-hospital, post-discharge, and overall 180-day mortality were analyzed. Functional capacity prior to COVID-19 diagnosis was also documented. The mean age of subjects was 77.5 ± 10.0 years; among them, 191 were females. Ninety-five (29.5%) died during their hospitalization and an additional 30 (9.3%) during the post-discharge period …

University Of Louisville International Travel Clinic: Pivoting During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Dawn Balcom, Subathra Marimuthu, Leslie A Wolf, Luanne Didelot, Sarah Tan, Daniel Hall, Ruth Carrico

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Intestinal Dysbiosis – A New Treatment Target In The Prevention Of Colorectal Cancer, Florinela-Andrada Dumitru, Sergiu Ioan Micu, Roxana Emanuela Popoiag, Marilena Musat, Andreea Daniela Caloian, Valentin Calu, Vlad Denis Constantin, Daniela Gabriela Balan, Cornelia Nitipir, Florin Enache

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

The gastrointestinal microbiome contains at least 100 trillion microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi), whose distribution varies from the mouth to the rectum spatially and temporally throughout one's lifetime. The microbiome benefits from advancing research due to its major role in human health. Studies indicate that its functions are immunity, metabolic processes and mucosal barrier. The disturbances of these functions, dysbiosis, influence physiology, lead to diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity and colon tumorigenesis. The third most common form of cancer, colorectal cancer, is the result of many factors and genes, and although the link between dysbiosis and this type of cancer is …

Stemi In A Young Patient With Covid-19; Too Great A Burden?, Naman Upadhyay, Md, Gillian Naro, Md, Med, Gregary Marhefka, Md

The Medicine Forum

Myocardial infarcts (MIs) can be especially devastating when their pathogenesis stems from a coronary artery occlusion by an intracoronary thrombus (ICT). ICTs are most frequently a result of an underlying atherosclerotic plaque rupture, however, can also be a result of emboli, vasospasm, hypercoagulable states, among other etiologies. Patients suffering from the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) appear to be in both a hypercoagulable and proinflammatory state resulting in an increased risk of clot formation, endothelial damage, and plaque destabilization, thus increasing the ICT burden in infected patients.1 The literature does reflect an increase in ICT ST-segment elevation …

Association Of Lung Cancer With Pneumonia And Chlamydia Pneumoniae Infection, Johnny Zakhour Md, Daniel Muller, Alex Glynn, Jose Bordon

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: The degree of association and type of causal versus non-causal relationship between pneumonia and lung cancer (LC) are evolving discussions. We reviewed English publications on the degree of association between pneumonia and subsequent LC.

Methods: We searched the PubMed database using key words for pneumonia, LC, and chlamydia infection. We selected peer-reviewed studies of patients with pneumonia and LC. Case reports and other literature reviews were excluded from this review.

Results: Five studies examined the incidence and/or risk of LC for a total of 415,750 patients, and four studies examined cases with Chlamydia pneumoniae chronic infection at the time …

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Of Recombinant Zoster Vaccine For The Prevention Of Herpes Zoster In Immunocompromised Adults Diagnosed With Select Cancers In The United States, Desmond Curran, Brandon Patterson, Justin Carrico, Ahmed Salem, Elizabeth La, Stephane Lorenc, Katherine Hicks, Sara Poston, Christopher Carpenter

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Introduction / Background / Significance: Immunocompromised (IC) populations diagnosed with cancer are at increased risk for herpes zoster (HZ) due to their underlying disease and/or therapy. This risk is highest among individuals receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) to treat multiple myeloma, lymphomas, or other diseases. HZ is characterized by a painful vesicular rash. IC populations with HZ are also at increased risk of developing HZ-related complications such as postherpetic neuralgia, a persistent pain that can last for months or years. This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) versus no vaccine for the prevention of HZ in …

Pulmonary Inflammation And Injury Triggered By Spine Surgery In Recovered Covid-19 Patients Demand Consideration, Luciano Rodrigo Lopes, Silvana Kertzer Kasinski

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Infective Endocarditis Secondary To Mycoplasma Pneumoniae, Huzaifa Dawood, Saad Nasir, Reem M. Khair, Mustafa Dawood

Section of Internal Medicine

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is a gram-positive bacterium most commonly associated with community-acquired pneumonia in adults. It can also involve other systems of the body. Cardiovascular complications include pericarditis, myocarditis, congestive cardiac failure, and, rarely, infective endocarditis. We report a case of infective endocarditis secondary to MP infection in an adult. We treated our patient with doxycycline, which showed significant improvement.

Why Should People Use Face Masks In The Time Of Covid? The Jri Position, Jose Bordon, Alex Glynn, Forest W. Arnold

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Clinical Features And Outcomes Of Critically Ill Patients With Elizabethkingia Meningoseptica: An Emerging Pathogen, Abdullah Umair, Nosheen Nasir

Department of Medicine

Background: Elizabethkingia meningoseptica, formerly known as Chryseobacterium meningosepticum, is a non-motile, non-fastidious, catalase and oxidase-positive, aerobic, glucose-non-fermentative, Gram-negative bacillus that was first defined by Elizabeth O. King in 1959. It has emerged as an opportunistic pathogen that has infected patients in extreme age groups and immunocompromised individuals, especially in intensive care settings. There has been an increased interest in this pathogen due to its increasing occurrence around the world, ubiquitous nature, and inherent capacity for antimicrobial resistance.
Methods: We describe an observational study at a tertiary care center in Karachi, Pakistan, based on patients admitted between January 2013 and December …

Impact Of Duration Of Antibiotic Prophylaxis On Rates Of Surgical Site Infection (Ssi) In Patients Undergoing Mastectomy Without Immediate Reconstruction, Comparing A Single Prophylactic Dose Versus Continued Antibiotic Prophylaxis Postoperatively: A Multicentre, Double-Blinded Randomised Control Trial Protocol, Abida K. Sattar, Nida Zahid, Hania Shahzad, Rufina Soomro, Omema Saleem, Syed Faisal Mahmood

Department of Surgery

Introduction: In breast surgeries, prophylactic antibiotics given before the surgical incision as per Joint Commission Surgical Care Improvement Project guidelines have been shown to decrease the rate of postoperative infections. There is, however, no clear consensus on postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis in patients undergoing mastectomy with indwelling drains. This trial protocol proposes to study the difference in rates of surgical site infection (SSI) with or without continuation of postoperative antibiotics in patients undergoing mastectomy without immediate reconstruction and with indwelling drains.
Methods and analysis: In this multicentre, double-blinded clinical trial, all patients undergoing mastectomy (without immediate reconstruction) will receive a single …

Anal Cancer Screening At Truman Health Services, Peter D. Tran, Harshdeep Babbar

Quality Improvement/Patient Safety Symposium

Anal Papanicoloau Screening at Truman Clinic

Anal cancer is a squamous cell cancer associated with human papillomavirus (HPV), the same virus that is associated with cervical cancer. Although vaccination against HPV has been shown to be effective in reducing overall rates of infection, the number of new anal cancer cases has been rising for many years. In HIV-infected men and women, the incidence is even higher of anal cancer than in the general population. Current rates in an HIV-infected MSM population have been estimated to be as high as 70-144 per 100,000, with some studies of HIV-infected individuals showing that …

Clinical Characteristics And Outcomes Of Covid-19: Experience At A Major Tertiary Care Center In Pakistan, Nosheen Nasir, Kiren Habib, Iffat Khanum, Naveera Khan, Zehra Abdul Muhammad, Syed Faisal Mahmood

Section of Internal Medicine

Introduction: Limited data exist on clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in low-middle income countries. We aimed to describe the clinical spectrum and outcomes of hospitalized COVID-19 patients at a tertiary-care center in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methodology: We conducted an observational study of adult COVID-19 patients hospitalized between February-June 2020. Patients with a discharge diagnosis of COVID-19 and PCR positivity were included. We created logistic regression models to understand association of clinical characteristics with illness severity and in-hospital mortality.
Results: The study population comprised 445 patients [67% males, median age 53 (IQR 40-64) years]. Majority of patients (N = …

Streptococcus Anginosus Lung Infection And Empyema: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature, Nishita Tripathi, Kuldeep Ghosh, Anupama Raghuram

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Streptococcus milleri group (SMG) also referred to as the Streptococcus anginosus group. These are Gram-positive, variable hemolysis, catalase negative, microaerophilic, non-motile facultative anaerobes which have been known to cause abscesses in humans. We report a case of empyema caused by Streptococcus anginosus in a patient with an unresolved pneumonia for over a month. In early October 2018, the patient presented to an emergency room with the complaints of shortness of air, productive cough, chills, subjective fever and weight loss for 4 weeks. A chest X-ray revealed a left lower lobe pneumonia. He was treated with 250 mg of azithromycin for …

Characterization Of Age-Associated Gut Microbial Dysbiosis And Plasma Metabolite Alterations In People Living With Hiv (Plwh)., R. Sighal, Smita Ghare, Vaughn Bryant, Sabina Gautam, Chanakya Charan Tirumala, Andrea Reyes-Vega, Craig J. Mcclain, Ronald Cohen, Varand Govind, R L. Cook, Shirish Barve

Faculty Scholarship

Background: HIV-1 infection and aging are independently associated with gut microbial dysbiosis and neurocognitive impairment. However, the interactive effects of HIV-infection and aging on the development of specific pathogenic features of gut microbial dysbiosis and consequent metabolic abnormalities associated with neurocognitive dysfunction remain largely undetermined and were examined in the present study

Hepatic Candidiasis In An Immunocompetent Patient: A Diagnostic Challenge, Zorays Moazzam, Amman Yousaf, Zahid Iqbal, Ahmad Tayyab, Muhammad Hashim Hayat

Medical College Documents

Hepatic candidiasis is a manifestation of disseminated candidiasis, which typically presents in immunocompromised patients. Focal hepatic candidiasis in immunocompetent patients, however, is infrequent/extremely rare. We present the case of an immunocompetent female patient who presented with respiratory distress and right-sided pleural effusion. The pleural fluid tap did not grow anything, and a contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a right liver lobe subcapsular collection. CT-guided aspiration and culture resulted in Candida albicans growth. The patient responded to oral fluconazole, and a follow-up CT scan demonstrated resolution of the collection. Although hepatic candidiasis rarely occurs in immunocompetent patients, it should be …

Knowledge And Attitude Towards Identification And Management Of Sepsis Among Resident Physicians In A Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital In Pakistan, Ainan Arshad, Abdul Aziz, Ahmed Ayaz, Syed Maaz Salahuddin, Bushra Jamil

Section of Internal Medicine

This study was conducted to determine the compliance and knowledge of sepsis guidelines among resident physicians in a tertiary care hospital of a developing country. A self-structured validated questionnaire was prepared to evaluate compliance and knowledge of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) guidelines. A total of 76 resident physicians completed the questionnaire; out of these, 51 (67%) were from Internal Medicine department and 25 (33%) were from Emergency Medicine department of the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. A total of 71 (93%) participants claimed to be aware of the SSC guidelines but only 20 (26%) considered themselves very knowledgeable on …

Epidemiology And Outcomes Of Hospitalized Adults With Sars-Cov-2 Community-Acquired Pneumonia In Louisville, Kentucky, Julio A. Ramirez, T'Shura Ali, Thomas Chandler, Stephen P. Furmanek, Daniya Sheikh, Vidyulata Salunkhe, Steven Gootee, Mohammad Tahboub, William A. Mattingly, Demetra Antimisiaris, Jiapeng Huang, Jose Bordon, Rodrigo Cavallazzi, Paul Schulz, William P. Mckinney, Dawn Balcom, Mark Burns, Ruth Carrico, Forest W. Arnold, Cerid Covid-19 Study Group

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: During the ongoing pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), SARS-CoV-2 community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has been the primary cause of hospitalization. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of 1,013 patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 CAP from September 2020 through March 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of 1,013 patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 CAP at eight of the adult hospitals in the city of Louisville from September 2020 through March 2021. Patients with 1) a positive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2, 2) fever, cough, or …

Antibiotic Stewardship In Skin And Soft Tissue Infections, Shah Z. Ali, Jose Campo Maldonado

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Antibiotic use during inpatient hospitalizations have a significant impact on both patient care and healthcare costs. Using data collected over a one month period in 2019 from inpatient hospitalizations, we aim to determine the most common indicated uses for vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam, along with the average days of therapy for their use in treating skin and soft tissue infections.