Digital Commons Network^™

Modulation Of Hedgehog Signaling By Kappa Opioids To Attenuate Osteoarthritis, Alexander E Weber, Omid Jalali, Sean Limfat, Ruzanna Shkhyan, Robert Van Der Horst, Siyoung Lee, Yucheng Lin, Liangliang Li, Erik N Mayer, Liming Wang, Nancy Q Liu, Frank A Petrigliano, Jay R Lieberman, Denis Evseenko

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: Inhibition of hedgehog (HH) signaling prevents cartilage degeneration and promotes repair in animal models of osteoarthritis (OA). This study, undertaken in OA models and in human OA articular cartilage, was designed to explore whether kappa opioid receptor (KOR) modulation via the inhibition of HH signaling may have therapeutic potential for achieving disease-modifying activity in OA.

METHODS: Primary human articular cartilage and synovial tissue samples from patients with knee OA undergoing total joint replacement and from healthy human subjects were obtained from the National Disease Research Interchange. For in vivo animal studies, a partial medial meniscectomy (PMM) model of knee …

The Brief Case: "Not Positive" Or "Not Sure"-Covid-19-Negative Results In A Symptomatic Patient, Bijal A Parikh, Thomas C Bailey, Patrick G Lyons, Neil W Anderson

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Pathophysiology Of Hyperkalemia Presenting As Brugada Pattern On Electrocardiogram (Ecg), Benjamin Doty, Elaine Kim, Jeremiah T. Phelps, Peter Akpunonu

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND Brugada phenocopies (BrP) are clinical and electrocardiographic (ECG) entities elicited by reversible medical conditions speculated to have pathogenesis rooted in ion current imbalances or conduction delays within the myocardial wall. During an inciting pathologic condition, it produces ECG patterns identical to those of congenitally-acquired Brugada syndrome and subsequently returns to normal ECG patterns upon resolution of the medical condition. This case report describes a 26-year-old man presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) for suspected heroin overdose with a rare ECG consistent with BrP secondary to acute hyperkalemia.

CASE REPORT A 26-year-old man with a history of substance abuse and …

Association Of Interleukin 7 Immunotherapy With Lymphocyte Counts Among Patients With Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19), Pierre Francois Laterre, Bruno François, Christine Collienne, Philippe Hantson, Robin Jeannet, Kenneth E. Remy, Richard S. Hotchkiss

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Maternal Knowledge Of The Risk Of Vertical Transmission And Offspring Acquisition Of Hepatitis B., Mauricio Lisker-Melman, Mandana Khalili, Steven H Belle, Norah A Terrault, Hsing-Hua S Lin, Coleman I Smith, Raymond T Chung, Naoky Tsai, Natalie H Bzowej, Tram T Tran, Sarah Jane Schwarzenberg, Hepatitis B Research Network (Hbrn)

Open Access Publications

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Universal vaccination at birth and in infancy is key to the elimination of chronic hepatitis B infection. We aimed to assess hepatitis B immune-prophylaxis and perinatal transmission knowledge, in a large and ethnically diverse cohort of previously pregnant North American women, chronically infected with hepatitis B.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Hepatitis B Research Network (HBRN) is comprised of 28 Clinical Centers in the United States and Canada. Female cohort participants were administered a questionnaire to assess: (1) their assertion of knowledge regarding HBV prophylaxis at birth, testing, and diagnosis of hepatitis B in their children, and (2) …

Impact Of Vancomycin-Induced Changes In The Intestinal Microbiota On The Pharmacokinetics Of Simvastatin, Jung Sunwoo, Sang Chun Ji, Andrew Hyoungjin Kim, Kyung-Sang Yu, Joo-Youn Cho, In-Jin Jang, Seunghwan Lee

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of drugs are affected in several ways by interactions with microbiota. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of oral vancomycin on the gut microbiota and, consequently, on the PKs of simvastatin. An open-label, single arm, sequential crossover study was conducted in six healthy Korean male subjects. After 6 days on a control diet, simvastatin 40 mg was orally administered to the subjects before and after 1 week of oral vancomycin treatment. Blood samples for PK analysis and fecal samples for metagenomic and metabolomic analyses were collected. After vancomycin treatment, the richness of …

Combined Lenvatinib And Pembrolizumab As Salvage Therapy In Advanced Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma, Sara Bedrose, Kevin Charles Miller, Lina Altameemi, Mohamed S Ali, Sameh Nassar, Naveen Garg, Marilyne Daher, Keith D Eaton, Jeffrey Thomas Yorio, Davey B Daniel, Matthew Campbell, Keith C Bible, Mabel Ryder, Ashish V Chintakuntlawar, Mouhammed Amir Habra

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: There is no effective systemic therapy for metastatic adrenal cortical carcinoma (ACC) after failure of platinum-based chemotherapy. The efficacies of single-agent oral multikinase inhibitors (MKIs) or salvage immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) have been very limited. It is unknown whether combining CPIs, such as pembrolizumab (PEM), with other therapies, such as MKIs, could yield higher response rates in ACC, yet this combination has shown promise in other cancers. Herein, we describe the first case series using PEM in combination with the MKI lenvatinib (LEN) in patients with progressive, metastatic ACC.

METHODS: A retrospective case series describing the use of LEN/PEM …

Prevalence, Incidence, And Clearance Of Human Papillomavirus Types Covered By Current Vaccines In Men With Human Immunodeficiency Virus In The Sun Study, Pragna Patel, Tim Bush, Lois Conley, Elizabeth R Unger, Teresa M Darragh, Keith Henry, Gerome Escota, John T Brooks, Erna Milunka Kojic

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: High-risk anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is prevalent among men living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); the association between 9-valent (9v) high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) vaccine types and abnormal cytology has not been well characterized.

METHODS: We followed a prospective cohort study of persons with HIV at 7 HIV clinics in 4 US cities from March 2004 through June 2012. Annually, providers collected separate anal swabs for HPV detection and cytopathologic examination. Among men, we examined prevalence, incidence, and clearance of 9v HR-HPV vaccine types, compared with other HR types, and associations with abnormal cytology to assess potential vaccine impact. …

Relationships Of P16 Immunohistochemistry And Other Biomarkers With Diagnoses Of Cervical Abnormalities: Implications For Last Terminology, Philip E. Castle, Rachael Adcock, Jack Cuzick, Nicolas Wentzensen, Norah E. Torrez-Martinez, Salina M. Torres, Mark H. Stoler, Brigitte M. Ronnett, Nancy E. Joste, Teresa M. Darragh, Patti E. Gravitt, Mark Schiffman, William C. Hunt, Walter K. Kinney, Cosette M. Wheeler

Pathology Research and Scholarship

CONTEXT.—: Lower Anogenital Squamous Terminology (LAST) standardization recommended p16

OBJECTIVE.—: To describe the relationships of p16 IHC and other biomarkers associated with cervical cancer risk with biopsy diagnoses.

DESIGN.—: A statewide, stratified sample of cervical biopsies diagnosed by community pathologists (CPs), including 1512 CIN2, underwent a consensus, expert pathologist panel (EP) review (without p16 IHC results), p16 IHC interpretation by a third pathology group, and human papillomavirus (HPV) genotyping, results of which were grouped hierarchically according to cancer risk. Antecedent cytologic interpretations were also available.

RESULTS.—: Biopsies were more likely to test p16 IHC positive with increasing severity of CP …

Prediction Of Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole Resistance In Community-Onset Urinary Tract Infections, Madeline Demarsh, P Brandon Bookstaver, Caroline Gordon, Juanne Lim, Nicole Griffith, Nicole K. Bookstaver, Julie Ann Justo, Joseph Kohn, Majdi N. Al-Hasan

Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to predict trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (SXT) resistance in patients with community-onset urinary tract infection (UTI) due to Enterobacteriaceae based on patient-specific risk factors. METHODS: This was a retrospective case-control study in Prisma Health facilities in central South Carolina, USA, including three community hospitals, affiliated emergency departments and ambulatory clinics, including adult patients with community-onset UTI due to Enterobacteriaceae (1 April 2015 to 29 February 2016). Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine risk factors for SXT resistance. RESULTS: Among 351 unique patients with community-onset UTI, 71 (20.2%) had SXT-resistant Enterobacteriaceae urinary isolates. Overall, median age was 64 years …

Maternal Viral Load Monitoring: Coverage And Clinical Action At 4 Kenyan Hospitals., Matthew Sandbulte, Melinda Brown, Catherine Wexler, May Maloba, Brad Gautney, Kathy Goggin, Elizabeth Muchoki, Shadrack Babu, Nicodemus Maosa, Sarah Finocchario-Kessler

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Kenya's guidelines for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) recommend routine viral load (VL) monitoring for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

METHOD: We assessed PMTCT VL monitoring and clinical action occurring between last menstrual period (LMP) and 6 months postpartum at 4 Kenyan government hospitals. Pregnant women enrolled in the HIV Infant Tracking System from May 2016-March 2018 were included. We computed proportions who received VL testing within recommended timeframes and who received clinical action after unsuppressed VL result.

RESULTS: Of 424 participants, any VL testing was documented for 305 (72%) women and repeat VL testing was documented for …

Characteristics Of Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infections At A Midwestern Tertiary Hospital: A Retrospective Study Of 365 Patients., Claire E Hannah, Bradley A Ford, Jina Chung, Dilek Ince, Karolyn A Wanat

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

Background: The prevalence of infections due to nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is increasing worldwide, yet little is known about the epidemiology and pathophysiology of these ubiquitous environmental organisms. Pulmonary disease due to Mycobacterium avium complex is most prevalent, but many other NTM species can cause disease in virtually any organ system. As NTM becomes an increasingly common cause of morbidity and mortality, more information is needed about the epidemiology of NTM disease.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients with cultures that grew NTM at a Midwestern tertiary hospital from 1996 to 2017. Information on demographics, medical history, …

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Endemicity In United Arab Emirates, 2019, Jeremy V. Camp, Dafalla O. Kannan, Babiker Mohammed Osman, Moayyed Sher Shah, Brigitte Howarth, Tamer Khafaga, Pia Weidinger, Noushad Karuvantevida, Jolanta Kolodziejek, Hessa Mazrooei, Nadine Wolf, Tom Loney, Norbert Nowotny

All Works

© 2020 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All rights reserved. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) in dromedary camels and attached ticks at 3 locations in the United Arab Emirates. Results revealed a high prevalence of CCHFV-reactive antibodies in camels and viral RNA in ticks and camel serum, suggesting the virus is endemic in this country.

Associations Between Food Insecurity And Psychotropic Medication Use Among Women Living With Hiv In The United States, Henry J. Whittle, William R. Wolfe, Lila A. Sheira, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Kartika Palar, Daniel Merenstein, Tracey E. Wilson, Adebola Adedimeji, Mardge H. Cohen, Eryka L. Wentz, Phyllis C. Tien, Sheri D. Weiser

Faculty Publications

AIMS: Psychotropic prescription rates continue to increase in the United States (USA). Few studies have investigated whether social-structural factors may play a role in psychotropic medication use independent of mental illness. Food insecurity is prevalent among people living with HIV in the USA and has been associated with poor mental health. We investigated whether food insecurity was associated with psychotropic medication use independent of the symptoms of depression and anxiety among women living with HIV in the USA. METHODS: We used cross-sectional data from the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), a nationwide cohort study. Food security (FS) was the primary …

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis For Preventing Acquisition Of Hiv: A Cross-Sectional Study Of Patients, Prescribers, Uptake, And Spending In The United States, 2015-2016, Stephanie S. Chan, Andre R. Chappel, Karen E. Joynt Maddox, Karen W. Hoover, Ya-Lin A. Huang, Weiming Zhu, Stacy M. Cohen, Pamela W. Klein, Nancy De Lew

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: In 2015, there were approximately 40,000 new HIV diagnoses in the United States. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective strategy that reduces the risk of HIV acquisition; however, uptake among those who can benefit from it has lagged. In this study, we 1) compared the characteristics of patients who were prescribed PrEP with individuals newly diagnosed with HIV infection, 2) identified the specialties of practitioners prescribing PrEP, 3) identified metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) within the US where there is relatively low uptake of PrEP, and 4) reported median amounts paid by patients and third-party payors for PrEP.

METHODS AND …

The Impact Of Dental Caries On Oral Health Related Quality Of Life Amongst Adult Population In Lahore, Pakistan, Hazik Bin Shahzad, Faiza Awais, Um-E-Rubab Shirazi, Hanna Abdul Majeed, Aqeela Rafique, Maliha Shahbaz

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Dental caries in adults is a public health problem. A comprehensive assessment of the association between caries and Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) measures is essential for understanding how it impacts the daily life of people and for assessing their oral health needs.

Methods: The survey was conducted at Rashid Latif Dental Hospital, from March-June 2019. A total of 373 adults aged 18-80 years were randomly enrolled in the study. Dental caries was the main exposure, measured clinically. The OHRQoL was measured through Oral Impacts on Daily performance (OIDP) questionnaire. Caries was dichotomized and the relationship to …

Drug Resistance Of Previously Treated Tuberculosis Patients With Diabetes Mellitus In Shandong, China, Wan-Mei Song, Yi-Fan Li, Jin-Yue Liu, Ning-Ning Tao, Yao Liu, Qian-Yun Zhang, Ting-Ting Xu, Shi-Jin Li, Qi-Qi An, Si-Qi Liu, Chun-Bao Yu, Lei Gao, Cui-Xiang Yu, Min Zhang, Huai-Chen Li

Pathology Research and Scholarship

BACKGROUND: Although the association between diabetes mellitus (DM) and tuberculosis (TB) has been well-documented for centuries, evidence of the link between diabetes and drug resistance among previously treated TB patients remains limited and inconsistent.

METHODS: An observational study was performed that involved 1791 retreated TB-no DM patients (refers to TB cases without diabetes) and 93 retreated TB-DM patients (refers to TB cases with diabetes) in Shandong, China from 2004 to 2017. Baseline data including demographic and clinical characteristics, drug susceptibility test (DST) results, and diabetes status were collected. Categorical baseline characteristics were compared by Fisher's exact or Pearson Chi-square test. …

Protocols, Practices, And Needs For Investigating Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths, Carri Cottengim, Sharyn Parks, Dale Rhoda, Tom Andrew, Kurt B. Nolte, John Fudenberg, Mary Ann Sens, Jennifer Brustrom, Betsy Payn, Carrie K. Shapiro-Mendoza

Pathology Research and Scholarship

Understanding case identification practices, protocols, and training needs of medical examiners and coroners (MEC) may inform efforts to improve cause-of-death certification. We surveyed a U.S.-representative sample of MECs and described investigation practices and protocols used in certifying sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUID). We also identified MEC training and resource needs. Of the 377 respondents, use of the SUID Investigation Reporting Form or an equivalent was 89% for large, 87% for medium, and 52% for small jurisdictions. Routine completion of infant medical history, witness interviews, autopsy, photos or videos, and family social history for infant death investigations was ≥80%, but routine …

The Safety Of Combined Triple Drug Therapy With Ivermectin, Diethylcarbamazine And Albendazole In The Neglected Tropical Diseases Co-Endemic Setting Of Fiji: A Cluster Randomised Trial, Myra Hardy, Josaia Samuela, Mike Kama, Meciusela Tuicakau, Lucia Romani, Margot J. Whitfeld, Christopher L. King, Gary J. Weil, Anneke C. Grobler, Leanne J. Robinson, John M. Kaldor, Andrew C. Steer

Open Access Publications

Lymphatic filariasis has remained endemic in Fiji despite repeated mass drug administration using the well-established and safe combination of diethylcarbamazine and albendazole (DA) since 2002. In certain settings the addition of ivermectin to this combination (IDA) remains a safe strategy and is more efficacious. However, the safety has yet to be described in scabies and soil-transmitted helminth endemic settings like Fiji. Villages of Rotuma and Gau islands were randomised to either DA or IDA. Residents received weight-based treatment unblinded with standard exclusions. Participants were actively found and asked by a nurse about their health daily for the first two days …

Comparison Of Microneutralization And Histo-Blood Group Antigen-Blocking Assays For Functional Norovirus Antibody Detection, Robert L Atmar, Khalil Ettayebi, B Vijayalakshmi Ayyar, Frederick H Neill, Ralph P Braun, Sasirekha Ramani, Mary K Estes

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The development of an in vitro cultivation system for human noroviruses allows the measurement of neutralizing antibody levels.

METHODS: Serum neutralizing antibody levels were determined using a GII.4/Sydney/2012-like virus in human intestinal enteroids in samples collected before and 4 weeks after administration of an investigational norovirus vaccine and were compared with those measured in histo-blood group antigen (HBGA)-blocking assays.

RESULTS: Neutralizing antibody seroresponses were observed in 71% of 24 vaccinated adults, and antibody levels were highly correlated (r = 0.82, P < .001) with those measured by HBGA blocking.

CONCLUSIONS: HBGA-blocking antibodies are a surrogate for neutralization in human noroviruses.

Covid-19 Psychosis: A Potential New Neuropsychiatric Condition Triggered By Novel Coronavirus Infection And The Inflammatory Response?, S. J. Ferrando, L. Klepacz, S. Lynch, M. Tavakkoli, R. Dornbush, R. Baharani, Y. Smolin, A. Bartell

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Hepatitis B Seroprevalence In The U.S. Military And Its Impact On Potential Screening Strategies, Paul T. Scott, Robert L. Cohen, David Brett-Major, Shilpa Hakre, Jennifer A. Malia, Jason F. Okulicz, Charmagne G. Beckett, Jason M. Blaylock, Michael A. Forgione, Stephen A. Harrison, Clinton K. Murray, Francisco J. Rentas, Roland L. Fahie, Adam W. Armstrong, Aatif M. Hayat, Laura A. Pacha, Peter Dawson, Beth Blackwell, Angelia A. Eick-Cost, Hala H. Maktabi, Nelson L. Michael, Linda L. Jagodzinski, Steven B. Cersovsky, Sheila A. Peel

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

INTRODUCTION: Knowledge of the contemporary epidemiology of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among military personnel can inform potential Department of Defense (DoD) screening policy and infection and disease control strategies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: HBV infection status at accession and following deployment was determined by evaluating reposed serum from 10,000 service members recently deployed to combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in the period from 2007 to 2010. A cost model was developed from the perspective of the Department of Defense for a program to integrate HBV infection screening of applicants for military service into the existing screening program of screening …

Structural Equation Modeling To Detect Correlates Of Childhood Vaccination: A Moderated Mediation Analysis, Abraham Degarege, Karl Krupp, Vijaya Srinivas, Boubakari Ibrahimou, Purnima Madhivanan

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

OBJECTIVES: This study used a health belief theory derived framework and structural equation model to examine moderators, mediators, and direct and indirect predictors of childhood vaccination.

METHODS: A secondary analysis was conducted using data collected from a cross-sectional survey of a random sample of 1599 parents living in urban and rural areas of Mysore district, India. Applying two-stage probability proportionate-to-size sampling, adolescent girls attending 7th through 10th grades in 23 schools were selected to take home a questionnaire to be answered by their parents to primarily assess HPV vaccine intentions. Parents were also asked whether their children had received one …

Deployment And Travel Medicine Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, And Outcomes Study (Kapos): Malaria Chemoprophylaxis Prescription Patterns In The Military Health System, Patrick W. Hickey, Indrani Mitra, Jamie Fraser, David Brett-Major, Mark S. Riddle, David R. Tribble

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

The Deployment and Travel Medicine Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Outcomes Study (KAPOS) examines the integrated relationship between provider and patient inputs and health outcomes associated with travel and deployments. This study describes malaria chemoprophylaxis prescribing patterns by medical providers within the U.S. Department of Defense's Military Health System and its network of civilian healthcare providers during a 5-year period. Chemoprophylaxis varied by practice setting, beneficiary status, and providers' travel medicine expertise. Whereas both civilian and military facilities prescribe an increasing proportion of atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline remains the most prevalent antimalarial at military facility based practices. Civilian providers dispense higher rates of …

Parasitic Infections Represent A Significant Health Threat Among Recent Immigrants In Chicago, Jesica A. Herrick, Monica Nordstrom, Patrick M. Maloney, Miguel Rodriguez, Kevin Naceanceno, Gloria Gallo, Rojelio Mejia, Ron Hershow

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Parasitic infections are likely under-recognized among immigrant populations in the USA. We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate if such infections have health impacts among recent immigrants in Chicago and to identify predictive factors for parasitic infections. A total of 133 recent immigrants were enrolled, filling out a standardized medical questionnaire and providing blood and stool samples. Appriximately 12% of subjects (15/125) who provided a blood or stool sample for testing were found to have evidence of current or prior infection with a pathogenic parasite, of which Toxocara spp. (8 subjects, 6.4%) and Strongyloides stercoralis (5 subjects, 4%) were most …

Diagnostic Performance Of Two Molecular Assays For The Detection Of Vaginitis In Symptomatic Women, Alexandra Thompson, Karen Timm, Noelle Borders, Liz Montoya, Karissa Culbreath

Pathology Research and Scholarship

The three main causes of vaginitis are bacterial vaginosis (BV), vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), and trichomoniasis (TV). Two multiplex assays are commercially available for detection of DNA from organisms associated with vaginitis: BD Affirm™ VPIII Microbial Identification Test (Affirm) and BD MAX™ Vaginal Panel (MAX VP). Here, the performance of MAX VP was compared to that of Affirm, which was considered the standard of care. Four vaginal swabs were collected from each subject with the following: BD Affirm™ VPIII Ambient Temperature Transport System (ATTS), BD MAX™ UVE Specimen Collection Kit, Hologic Aptima® Vaginal Swab Specimen Collection Kit, and BD ESwab™ collection …

A Multicenter Evaluation Of A Sample To Answer Real-Time Pcr Assay For Toxigenic C. Difficile In Symptomatic Subjects, Preeti Pancholi, Steve Young, R Widen, Suzane Silbert, B Schmitt, R Dunn, A Drain, S A. Weissfeld

Pathology Research and Scholarship

We evaluated the performance of the Luminex ARIES® C. difficile Assay on 984 stool specimens prospectively collected from patients being tested for CDI at 4 clinical laboratories in the United States. Results were compared to direct and enriched toxigenic culture. Positive percent agreement (PPA) of the ARIES® C. difficile Assay was 98.1% versus direct toxigenic culture, and sensitivity versus direct plus enriched toxigenic culture was 90.5%. Negative percent agreement (NPA) of the ARIES® C. difficile Assay against direct culture was 92.6%, and specificity versus direct plus enriched toxigenic culture was 95.8%. The ARIES® C. difficile Assay was also compared to …

Development And Validation Of A Model For Individualized Prediction Of Hospitalization Risk In 4,536 Patients With Covid-19, Lara Jehi, Xinge Ji, Alex Milinovich, Serpil Erzurum, Amy Merlino, Steve Gordon, James B. Young, Michael W. Kattan

All publications

Background: Coronavirus Disease 2019 is a pandemic that is straining healthcare resources, mainly hospital beds. Multiple risk factors of disease progression requiring hospitalization have been identified, but medical decision-making remains complex.

Objective: To characterize a large cohort of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, their outcomes, develop and validate a statistical model that allows individualized prediction of future hospitalization risk for a patient newly diagnosed with COVID-19.

Design: Retrospective cohort study of patients with COVID-19 applying a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression algorithm to retain the most predictive features for hospitalization risk, followed by validation in a temporally …

Implementation Of A Medical Student-Run Telemedicine Program For Medications For Opioid Use Disorder During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Marcus Castillo, Brianna Conte, Sam Hinkes, Megan Mathew, C J Na, Ainhoa Norindr, David P. Serota, David W. Forrest, Amar R. Deshpande, Tyler S. Bartholomew, Hansel E. Tookes

All publications

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of the IDEA syringe services program medical student-run free clinic in Miami, Florida. In an effort to continue to serve the community of people who inject drugs and practice compassionate and non-judgmental care, the students transitioned the clinic to a model of TeleMOUD (medications for opioid use disorder). We describe development and implementation of a medical student-run telemedicine clinic through an academic medical center-operated syringe services program.

Methods: Students advertised TeleMOUD services at the syringe service program on social media and created an online sign-up form. They coordinated appointments and interviewed patients …

Systemic Th17 Response In The Presence Of Periodontal Inflammation, Lina J Suárez, Daniel E Vargas, Adriana Rodríguez, Roger M Arce, Nelly S Roa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The relationship between periodontitis and the pathogenesis of other inflammatory diseases, such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and obesity has been an important topic of study in recent decades. The Th17 pathway plays a significant role in how local inflammation can influence systemic inflammation in the absence of systemic pathology.

OBJECTIVE: To determine Th17 biased-cells in systemically healthy patients in the presence of generalized chronic periodontitis.

METHODOLOGY: A total of 28 patients were recruited without systemic inflammatory pathology, which was determined by clinical history, the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and rheumatoid factor detection. Of these patients, 13 were diagnosed as …