Digital Commons Network^™

Are Drains After Trauma Splenectomy Associated With Organ Space Surgical Site Infections?, Stephanie Martinez Ugarte, Mokunfayo O Fajemisin, Seokhun Kim, William D Rieger, Renee W Green, Gabrielle E Hatton, Lillian S Kao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Left upper quadrant (LUQ) drain use after trauma splenectomy varies, with minimal existing data to guide practice. We aimed to investigate the association of LUQ drains with organ space surgical site infection (OS-SSI) after splenectomy. We hypothesized that LUQ drains after trauma splenectomy are associated with increased odds of OS-SSI.

Patients and methods: A retrospective study of adult blunt trauma patients who underwent splenectomy from 7/2018 to 6/2024 was performed. We excluded patients who survived < 5 days after operation, and those with an intraoperatively identified pancreatic injury. Demographics, surgical details, and drain information were abstracted from the medical record. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to balance variables between patients who did and did not receive an LUQ drain after splenectomy. Multivariable logistic regression with IPTW was performed to estimate the association of LUQ drains with OS-SSI.

Results: Of 179 patients, 68% (n = 121) were male, the median age was 38 years (interquartile range 28, 55), and 27% (n = …

An Assessment Of Green Plasma: The In Vitro Hemostatic Superiority Of A Currently Discarded Blood Product, Samantha C Redden, David J Sun, Yao-Wei W Wang, Elizabeth Hartwell, Jessica C Cardenas, Scott D Olson, Bryan A Cotton

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Recent studies have linked trauma patient outcomes to the plasma donor's sex, with premenopausal females associated with improved survival and lower organ failure. Currently, green-colored plasma (due to oral contraceptive use) is removed from the donor pool. We set out to evaluate the hemostatic potential of green plasma.

Study design & methods: We obtained 90 units of plasma from our regional blood center: 30 units of visible green plasma and 60 units of standard-color plasma divided between male and female donors. We collected clinical data such as age, sex, ethnicity, and number of pregnancies. We then assessed the hemostatic …

Long Covid Persistence And Surveillance Gaps Across 58 Us Hospitals, Jiazi Tian, Alaleh Azhir, Matthew Decaro, Ngan Chau, Jonas Hügel, Michele Morris, Jingya Cheng, Pedram Fard, Ingrid V Bassett, Douglas S Bell, Elmer V Bernstam, Shyam Visweswaran, Jeffrey G Klann, Shawn N Murphy, Hossein Estiri

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: Surveillance of postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) depends on diagnostic coding systems that capture fewer than one-half of affected individuals, rendering millions invisible to health systems and policymakers.

Objective: To quantify the gap between true PASC burden and diagnostic code-based estimates, determine the proportion representing chronic disease, and characterize organ system heterogeneity and temporal trends across diverse populations.

Design, setting, and participants: This retrospective cohort study used electronic health record data from 58 hospitals and affiliated clinics in 4 US regions, from 2017 to 2025. Adults (aged ≥18 years) with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection or a COVID-19 diagnosis code …

Psychotropic Medications And Their Interactions With Subcortical Brain Volume In Bipolar Disorder: An Enigma Mega-Analysis, Sinead King, John O'Connor, Emma Corley, Giulia Tronchin, Elisa Fontana, Leila Nabulsi, Melody J Y Kang, Joaquim Radua, Brian Hallahan, Christoph Abé, Martin Alda, Dag Alnæs, Silvia Alonso-Lana, Silvia Amoretti, Jochen Bauer, Francesco Benedetti, Klaus Berger, Michael Berk, Erlend Bøen, Joscha Böhnlein, Birgitte Boye, Beatrice Bravi, Erick J Canales-Rodríguez, Udo Dannlowski, Caroline Demro, Annabella Di Giorgio, Ana M Diaz-Zuluaga, Torbjørn Elvsåshagen, Pauline Favre, Tracy Erwin-Grabner, María Florencia Forte, Janice M Fullerton, Lisa S Furlong, Susan L Rossell, David C Glahn, Benjamin I Goldstein, Ian H Gotlib, Roberto Goya-Maldonado, Melissa J Green, Dominik Grotegerd, Oliver Gruber, Bartholomeus C M Haarman, Tim Hahn, Tomas Hajek, Leonie Hater, Marco Hermesdorf, Josselin Houenou, Fleur M Howells, James A Karantonis, Kody G Kennedy, Tilo Kircher, Anna Luisa Klahn, Maximilian Konowski, Bernd Krämer, Elijah Lahud, Rayus Kuplicki, Mikael Landén, Carlos López-Jaramillo, Bradley J Macintosh, Hannah Meinert, Susanne Meinert, Elisa M T Melloni, Philip B Mitchell, Benson Mwangi, Igor Nenadić, Bronwyn J Overs, Nadine Parker, Godfrey Pearlson, Edith Pomarol-Clotet, James J Prisciandaro, Yann Quidé, Gloria Roberts, Amanda Rodrigue, Elena Rodríguez-Cano, Lisa Rauer, Matthew D Sacchet, Raymond Salvador, Fabio Sambataro, Theodore D Satterthwaite, Jonathan Savitz, Freda Scheffler, Navid Schürmeyer, Chen Shen, Kang Sim, Jair C Soares, Aleix Solanes, Márcio Gerhardt Soeiro-De-Souza, Scott R Sponheim, Dan J Stein, Frederike Stein, Henk S Temmingh, Lea Teutenberg, Sophia I Thomopoulos, Snezana Urosevic, Tamsyn E Van Rheenen, Eduard Vieta, Lars T Westlye, Daniel H Wolf, Mon-Ju Wu, Lakshmi N Yatham, Giovana B Zunta-Soares, Dara M Cannon, Paul M Thompson, Ole A Andreassen, Christopher R K Ching, Colm Mcdonald

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

MRI studies in bipolar disorder (BD) have yielded inconsistent findings, partly due to the varied use of psychotropic medications. This study utilised a mega-analysis approach, accounting for concurrent medication status (syndrome-based and Neuroscience-based Nomenclature (NbN) classifications), in order to assess the association of medication status with subcortical brain volumes in BD. Data from 2,664 BD patients and 4,065 controls (CN) were pooled from 34 research groups as part of the ENIGMA Bipolar Disorder Working Group. Standardized ENIGMA protocols were used to measure subcortical brain volumes. Linear-mixed-effects regression evaluated the association between psychotropic medications and subcortical volumes, and moderation analyses explored …

Structural Brain Differences Associated With Panic Disorder: An Enigma-Anxiety Working Group Mega-Analysis Of 4924 Individuals Worldwide, Laura K M Han, Willem B Bruin, Janna Marie Bas-Hoogendam, Nynke A Groenewold, Kevin Hilbert, Anderson M Winkler, Andre Zugman, Takeshi Asami, Jacques P Barber, Francesco Benedetti, Robert J R Blair, Joscha Böhnlein, Paolo Brambilla, Fabian Breuer, Randy L Buckner, Robin Bülow, Monica E Calkins, Natalia Chechko, Udo Dannlowski, Katharina Dohm, Katharina Domschke, Thomas Dresler, Angelika Erhardt-Lehmann, Gregory A Fonzo, Andreas J Forstner, Hans J Grabe, Dominik Grotegerd, Raquel E Gur, Ruben C Gur, Catherine Harmer, David Hofmann, Odile A Van Den Heuvel, Neda Jahanshad, Tilo T J Kircher, Katharina Koch, Max A Laansma, Till Langhammer, Sang-Hyuk Lee, Elisabeth J Leehr, Eleonora Maggioni, Claire E Marino, Susanne Meinert, Hannah Meinert, Barbara Milrod, Benson Mwangi, Jared A Nielsen, Patricia Ohrmann, Spiro P Pantazatos, Martin P Paulus, Brenda W J H Penninx, Sara Poletti, Andrea Reinecke, Isabelle C Ridderbusch, Pavel Rjabtsenkov, Philipp G Sämann, Theodore D Satterthwaite, Lianne Schmaal, Elisabeth Schrammen, Jair C Soares, Nili Solomonov, Murray B Stein, Benjamin Straube, Thomas Straube, Benjamin Suarez-Jimenez, Jordan W Smoller, Ardesheer Talati, Sophia I Thomopoulos, Carlos E Vazquez, Henry Völzke, Katharina Wittfeld, Mon-Ju Wu, Yunbo Yang, Giovana B Zunta Soares, Ulrike Lueken, Paul M Thompson, Daniel S Pine, Dan J Stein, Nic J A Van Der Wee, Dick J Veltman, Moji Aghajani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Neuroanatomical findings on panic disorder (PD) are typically difficult to replicate, with inconsistent effects. These concerns prompted a paradigm shift towards large-scale collaborations, focused on harmonized data extraction and processing for robust examination of PD brain correlates. Hence, leveraging the largest-ever multi-site neuroimaging database on PD (Age: 10–66 years; global sites: 28), compiled by the ENIGMA-Anxiety Working Group, we report on cortical and subcortical differences in individuals with PD (N = 1146) versus healthy controls (HC: N = 3778). The analyses revealed lower thickness and smaller cortical surface area within fronto-temporo-parietal regions in PD (Cohen’s ds: −0.08–0.13), along with lower …

Intravenous Buprenorphine Reversed Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression Without Precipitating Withdrawal In Emergency Department Patients, Anthony Spadaro, Nicholas Imperato, Jaclyn Scalgione, Cynthia Santos

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Buprenorphine is a high-affinity partial agonist that can displace full opioid agonists and could be used to reverse opioid-induced respiratory depression. There is scant evidence to support the use of buprenorphine in an acute opioid overdose to reverse respiratory depression in the era of high fentanyl prevalence in the drug supply. This is a case series of four patients with signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose who showed clinical improvement after receiving intravenous buprenorphine.

Method: A case series of adult emergency department patients treated at a single urban academic medical center was reviewed by the authors, who determined …

High-Penetrance Rare Variants Underlying Familial Lung Cancer Risk: Insights From Genetic Epidemiology Of Lung Cancer Consortium, Yanhong Liu, Yafang Li, Jinyoung Byun, Vikram R Shaw, Claudio Pikielny, Bo Peng, Chao Cheng, Spiridon Tsavachidis, Xiangjun Xiao, Dakai Zhu, Younghun Han, Ivan P Gorlov, Olga Y Gorlova, Michael Cole, Colette R Gaba, Erin L Crawford, Kristen Purrington, Ellen L Goode, Ping Yang, James Mckay, John K Field, Geoffrey Liu, Rayjean J Hung, Jun Xia, Jiyeon Choi, Matthew B Schabath, Jaclyn Lopiccolo, David C Christiani, Joan Bailey-Wilson, Ann G Schwartz, James C Willey, Diptasri Mandal, Susan M Pinney, Christopher I Amos

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Rare, deleterious germline variants are key contributors to inherited lung cancer (LC) risk. The Genetic Epidemiology of LC Consortium (GELCC) has curated valuable high-risk LC families and is uniquely positioned to uncover rare, high-penetrance variants underlying familial LC (FLC).

Methods: We performed whole-genome and exome sequencing on germline DNA from 120 high-risk LC families (177 FLC cases, 309 unaffected relatives). We prioritized rare (allele frequency < 1% in the genome aggregation database), potentially deleterious variants present in two or more FLC cases. These variants were then validated in 10,085 sporadic LC (SLC) cases and 612,970 controls.

Results: We identified 118 candidate variants, 28 of which were validated in SLC with strong statistical support. We discovered a novel pathogenic axis of three truncating variants in GALNT6, MUC4, and ERBB3 genes, which …

Robot-Assisted Resection Of Diaphragmatic And Hepatorenal Recess Peritoneal Endometriosis: Two Cases And A Narrative Review, Xiaoming Guan, Qiannan Yang, Daniel Y Lovell, Chunhua Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In this report, we describe two cases of diaphragmatic endometriosis with concurrent hepatorenal recess peritoneal involvement managed using robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery with the da Vinci Xi platform. In both patients, diaphragmatic implants and hepatorenal recess peritoneal lesions were excised en bloc, followed by resection of additional pelvic and abdominal lesions. Case 1 involved a 45-year-old woman whose pathology confirmed endometriosis in 28 of 46 sites, including the diaphragm, umbilicus, bowel, hepatorenal recess peritoneum, and pelvic peritoneum. Case 2 involved a 32-year-old woman with histopathologic evidence of endometriosis in 26 of 34 resected sites, including the appendix, diaphragm, hepatorenal recess peritoneum, …

Plasma Proteins Associated With Psychosocial Factors And Heart Disease: The Jackson Heart Study, Sara N O'Brien, Madeline G Gillman, Michael D Green, Daniel E Cruz, James S Floyd, Susan Hankinson, Daniel H Katz, Xiaojuan Liu, Michelle C Odden, Bruce M Psaty, Alexander P Reiner, Jerome I Rotter, Stephen S Rich, Robert E Gerszten, Amil Shah, Mario Sims, Usman A Tahir, Lesley F Tinker, Alexis C Wood, Bing Yu, Anthony S Zannas, Laura M Raffield, Láshauntá M Glover

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Knowledge of proteomic mechanisms explaining the link between psychosocial stress and cardiovascular disease is limited. This study aimed to (1) identify plasma proteins associated with psychosocial factors and (2) assess associational pathways between psychosocial factors, identified proteins, and incident cardiovascular disease events in a discovery cohort, JHS (Jackson Heart Study), and 2 replication cohorts, the CHS (Cardiovascular Health Study), and the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).

Methods: JHS participants from exam 1 (2000-2004) with SomaScan 1.3k platform proteomics data were included (n=2143, mean age=55.3). Depressive symptoms and perceived stress scores were measured via the 20-item Center for Epidemiological Studies …

Seroprevalence Of Helicobacter Pylori Infection Among Asymptomatic Patients Served By A Safety-Net Healthcare System, Aaron P Thrift, Peyman Dinarvand, Luis Juarez, Jourdan Brown, Daniel Avila, Jennifer Mistica Zafiro Garcia-Villanueva, Lisa C Danek, Hammad Mahmood, Thomas Porter, Ann Gotschall, Noreen F Pirzada, Jaime J Rueda, Lee B Lu, Afroze Ali, Ijeoma Anyakorah, Sanjana J Bhattarai, Anees Fatima, Jessica Garcia, Hung V Nguyen, Bharat Joshi, Malvika Juneja, Misba S Lateef, Najda Mujtaba, Preethi V Nambi, Jay S Orr, Huma Rahman, Stephanie Nguyen, Amna Waqar, Yanyan Chen, David Y Graham, Hashem B El-Serag, Mimi C Tan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background & aims: Helicobacter pylori screening and eradication is a cost-effective strategy for primary gastric cancer prevention in high-risk populations outside the United States. There is a paucity of population-based H pylori seroprevalence data available in high-risk U.S. groups, particularly data for low-income, uninsured patient populations.

Methods: We used data from a cross-sectional study of a largely underserved, immigrant, and minority patient population. Inclusion criteria included asymptomatic individuals 30-65 years of age without prior H pylori testing or treatment. Consented patients completed a study survey and a blood draw to screen for H pylori using IgG serology. We calculated seroprevalence …

2-Aminobutyrate Mediates The Impact Of Air Pollution On Blood Biomarkers Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Anum Saeed, Chris Mckennan, Jane E Clougherty, Peidi Zhou, Sheila Tripathy, Ellen J Kinnee, Jiaxuan Duan, Kevin Kip, Xuemei Zeng, Victor Villemagne, Tharick Pascoal, Mark Mapstone, Eric A Whitsel, Oscar I Lopez, Christie Ballantyne, Thomas K Karikari, Bing Yu, Steven Reis, Annie Cohen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: We examined the impact of mid-life metabolites on late-life Alzheimer's disease (AD) plasma biomarkers and whether these metabolites mediate air pollution effects.

Methods: In the Heart Strategies Concentrating on Risk Evaluation (Heart SCORE) cohort, we applied high-dimensional regression and meditation models, adjusting for observed and latent confounders, with replication in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Exposures included mid-life fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon, metals, and metabolites. Outcomes were: late-life plasma p-tau(181, 217, and 231) and amyloid beta 42/40 (Simoa assays).

Results: In the Heart SCORE study, seven lipid- and amnio acid-pathway metabolites measured in mid-life were …

A Smoking-Related Plasma Protein Score And Smoking-Related Cancer Risk And Mortality In The Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study, Meng Ru, Christopher Douville, Aghiles Guenoun, Hana Zahed, Christie M Ballantyne, Kenneth R Butler, Josef Coresh, David J Couper, Panagis Galiatsatos, Marc J Gunter, Ron C Hoogeveen, Mattias Johansson, Corinne E Joshu, P Martijn Kolijn, Christina M Lill, Jiayun Lu, Michael T Marrone, Giovanna Masala, David C Muller, Anna E Prizment, Raul Zamora-Ros, Nilanjan Chatterjee, Adrienne Tin, Elizabeth A Platz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Self-reported smoking may not fully capture individualized risk of smoking-related cancer, but circulating proteins may reflect biological consequences of smoking. Thus, we developed a score based on smoking-related proteins and evaluated its association with smoking-related cancer.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included 10 563 participants aged 47-70 years in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. Plasma proteins were measured using the SomaScan Platform (SomaLogic Operating Co, Inc). The score was constructed from proteins associated with current smoking, pack-years, or recent quitting identified by linear regression and elastic net regression. Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios and …

Protecting Minors From Medical Malpractice Act: Implications For Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Shiven Sharma, Margo K Mckenna, Julina Ongkasuwan, Michael J Brenner

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Crispr-Cas9 Cd33-Deleted Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation With Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin Maintenance In Aml: A Phase 1/2 Trial, John F Dipersio, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Patients with high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are likely to relapse despite allogenic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Post-HCT preventative maintenance can be limited by toxicity toward the normal donor cells. Tremtelectogene empogeditemcel (trem-cel) is a CRISPR-Cas9 gene-edited allogeneic HCT product lacking CD33, designed to shield the donor graft from cytotoxicity of subsequent CD33-targeted therapies such as gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO). In this multicenter, phase 1/2a, open-label study, adult patients with AML/MDS with high relapse risk received trem-cel after myeloablative conditioning followed by GO maintenance (0.5-2.0 mg m

Multicenter Comparison Of Modern Plating Options In Fibula, Scapula, And Osteocutaneous Radial Forearm Free Flaps, Craig A Bollig, Amit Walia, Patrik J Pipkorn, Ryan S Jackson, Sidharth V Puram, Jason T Rich, Randal C Paniello, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the association of plating strategies with hardware removal and operative time, after adjusting for relevant clinical variables.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective Review.

SETTING: Multiple Academic Medical Centers.

METHODS: Patients undergoing osseous free flap reconstruction stratified based on the plating strategy [conventional plating with a hand-bent plate, precontoured plate, and virtual surgical planning (VSP) with patient-specific hardware and cutting guides]. Variables associated with hardware removal were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. To evaluate the effect of plating strategy on operative time, a multivariable linear regression model was created. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.

RESULTS: …

Targeted Epigenome Sequencing Of Eosinophils Reveals Cpg Sites And Regulatory Variants Associated With Asthma., Rébecca Dionne-Gagné, Anne-Marie Madore, Anne-Marie Boucher-Lafleur, Tomi Pastinen, Catherine Laprise

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Eosinophils are pro-inflammatory cells that play a central role in asthmatic inflammation. However, few studies have examined their methylation profiles in asthma, all relying on microarray-based approaches. Here, an epigenome-wide association study in 183 purified eosinophil samples from the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean asthma family cohort was performed using a custom sequencing panel targeting 4,609,564 CpGs in immune regulatory regions. Two CpG sites in MAEA and SLC9A2 genes, known to be involved in immune function, were significantly associated with asthma, while five additional sites showed suggestive associations. Integration with genotype data (7,829,429 variants) and expression counts (17,513 genes) identified significant quantitative trait loci-mediated …

Treatment Of Haemophilia A Without Inhibitors: Real-World Treatment Patterns And Clinical Outcomes In The Us., Allison P. Wheeler, Lauren Amos Md, Shveta Gupta, Sylvie Bozzi, Gandarvaka Miles, Kalyani Hawaldar, Andrew Wilson, Gillian Hanson, Emily Cibelli, Amanda Wilson, Siddhi Umarje, Anne-Laure Tardy, Jennifer Dumont, Graham Neill, Alix Arnaud

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

INTRODUCTION: Despite available prophylactic therapies for haemophilia A, breakthrough bleeding and consequent pain and joint damage still occur.

AIM: To provide insights into the unmet treatment needs of people with moderate-to-severe haemophilia A in the US.

METHODS: For this descriptive, observational cohort study, eligible participants diagnosed with moderate-to-severe haemophilia A were enrolled in the PicnicHealth database on or before 3 October 2022. Three patient groups were established to identify: (1) treatment patterns; (2) clinical outcomes by therapy class (standard half-life [SHL] factor VIII [FVIII]; extended half-life FVIII [EHL]; emicizumab); (3) health-related quality of life (HRQoL) using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measuring …

Clinical And Demographic Characteristics Of Hospitalized Patients With Xylazine-Related Wounds, Elizabeth Novick, Nikhil Seval, Dagan Coppock, Mollie Tucker, Daniel Taupin, John Zurlo, Carolyn Kramer

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: Little is known about the demographic and clinical features of patients with xylazine-related wounds. We sought to characterize hospitalized patients with substance use disorder (SUD) and xylazine-related wounds seen for infectious diseases consultation.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 193 patients diagnosed with SUD at 3 Philadelphia hospitals between October 2023 and January 2024. Patients were identified as either being diagnosed with (n=73) or without (n=120) xylazine-related wounds. We compared the demographic and clinical features between the 2 groups.

RESULTS: Patients diagnosed with wounds were younger ( P < 0.001), more likely to be White or Hispanic and less likely to be Black/AA ( P < 0.001), more likely to have tested positive for fentanyl ( P < 0.001), amphetamines ( P < 0.001), and cocaine ( P 0.001), more likely to acknowledge injection ( P < 0.001), and more likely to leave the hospital by patient-directed discharge (PDD) ( P < 0.001). Most patients had multiple wounds (75%), and more than half (53%) had at least one wound greater than 10 cm at its widest dimension. Although most patients diagnosed with wounds received antibiotics, many did not have symptoms or signs of infection.

CONCLUSIONS: Xylazine-related wounds are highly associated with illicitly manufactured …

Culturally Tailored Materials For Smoking Cessation And Hiv Care Adherence Among Hispanic Adults: Protocol For Content Development And Formative Evaluation, Lorra Garey, Jacqueline J Charles, Ashley L Ruiz, Rodrigo Castillo-Avilés, Virmarie Correa-Fernández, Marshall K Cheney, Thomas P Giordano, Michael J Zvolensky

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Hispanic people with HIV who smoke cigarettes experience unique stressors (eg, stigma), which contribute to health disparities. Anxiety sensitivity (AS) may worsen mood management problems, which are a leading barrier to smoking cessation. Interventions targeting AS can improve HIV-specific outcomes and smoking cessation. However, no prior research has culturally tailored an AS reduction program to improve quality of life among Hispanic people with HIV who smoke. The research team previously developed a mobile health (mHealth) intervention addressing AS reduction, smoking cessation, and HIV care management for Black people with HIV who smoke. Building on this work, this study represents …

A Novel Approach To Defining Progression In Mds And Precursor Myeloid Conditions In The Mds Natural History Study, Amy E Dezern, Matthew Walter, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Patients at risk for progression from myeloid precursor states (idiopathic cytopenia of undetermined significance [ICUS] and clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance [CCUS]) to myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are not well defined. Epidemiologic risk factors, clonal changes for MDS development, and evolution from one MDS state to another were available in the MDS Natural History Study (NHS), a prospective cohort enrolled at diverse US sites. Extensive clinical data and biospecimens were collected at baseline and follow-up. A total of 1177 (56%) individuals with MDS or MDS-related precursor conditions (ICUS/idiopathic dysplasia of undetermined significance [IDUS], CCUS, and MDS/myeloproliferative neoplasm overlap) were enrolled and …

Familial Healthy Aging And Longevity: The Role Of Spouses, Søren Netra, Angéline Galvin, Matthew Keys, Katrine Lawaetz Kristensen, Jacob Krabbe Pedersen, Bharat Thyagarajan, Svetlana Ukraintseva, Mary K Wojczynski, Dorret I Boomsma, Kaare Christensen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Families with exceptional longevity often experience delayed onset of age-related diseases and reduced mortality across generations-a pattern influenced by shared genetic and behavioral factors. While several studies have focused on the members of longevity-enriched families (LEF), little is known about the health trajectories of the spouses marrying into these families. Given prior evidence of substantially reduced mortality among spouses of LEF members, determining whether this advantage reflects selection, shared environments, or behavioral convergence is essential for understanding the mechanisms that underlie intergenerational health transmission.

METHODS: We conducted a multigenerational, retrospective matched cohort study using nationwide Danish civil and health …

High Concordance Of Physician-Attestation With Manual Data Abstraction For Sickle Cell Type: An Ash Rc Data Hub Study, Alexis Thompson, Ashima Singh, Donna Neuberg, Amanda Brandow, Allison King, Sophie Lanzkron, Emily Semmel, Sam Walters, Susan Rogers, Kathleen Torres, William Wood

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States. The American Society of Hematology Research Collaborative (ASH RC) has built an SCD Data Hub (DH) to facilitate research and quality improvement using real-world data. To our knowledge, we report here the first analyses from the DH, focusing on cohort demographics and accurate identification of SCD diagnosis type. DH sites have data use agreements with ASH RC to extract and transfer electronic health record (EHR) data at least quarterly. Principal investigators (PI) provided additional attestation of SCD diagnosis based on existing local data sources deemed …

Serum Metabolites Associated With Depression And Anxiety In The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study Of Latinos, Xinye Qiu, Yu Zhang, Yogesh Purushotham, Qibin Qi, Bing Yu, Jan Bressler, Krista M Perreira, Humberto Parada, Martha L Daviglus, Alejandra Cid Vega, Carmen R Isasi, Linda C Gallo, Tamar Sofer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Omics signatures for psychiatric conditions have been under-investigated. In this study, we used data from a representative observational cohort study of Hispanic/Latino adults to identify serum metabolites associated with symptoms of depression or anxiety and to develop and assess metabolite risk scores (MRSs) of these phenotypes. We conducted a metabolome-wide association study of 768 metabolites with depression and anxiety symptoms, using two separate assay batches measured from baseline samples collected between June 2008 and July 2011 for discovery (batch 1: n = 4002 adults) and replication (batch 2: n = 2178 adults). We estimated the associations via survey-based generalized linear …

Microarray Analysis Of Human Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm With Emphasis On Cardiovascular Genes Revealed Differentially Expressed Genes, Song Lu, Li Ping Li, John V. White, Xiaoying Zhang, Ifeyinwa Nwaneshiudu, Adaobi Nwaneshiudu, Nectaria Ntaoula, John Gaughan, Dimitri S. Monos, Wan-Lu Lin, Charalambos C. Solomides, Emilia L. Oleszak, Chris D. Platsoucas

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND/AIM: We examined gene expression profiles in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) lesions vs. normal aortas by cDNA microarray and real-time quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Phosphorus (³²P)-labeled cDNA from AAA specimens (mean AAA size 6.65 cm) and normal aortas were hybridized with a 588-gene microarray primarily of the cardiovascular system. The results were validated by qRT-PCR.

RESULTS: A total of 35 out of the 588 genes were differentially expressed, with either log₂ ratio of AAAs/controls ≥1 (upregulated; 20 genes) or ≤-1 (downregulated; 15 genes) in AAA lesions vs. normal aorta, and …

High Concordance Of Physician-Attestation With Manual Data Abstraction For Sickle Cell Type: An Ash Rc Data Hub Study, Alexis A Thompson, Ashima Singh, Donna S Neuberg, Amanda M Brandow, Allison A King, Sophie Lanzkron, Emily A Semmel, Sam Walters, Susan Rogers, Kathleen Torres, William A Wood

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States. The American Society of Hematology Research Collaborative (ASH RC) has built an SCD Data Hub (DH) to facilitate research and quality improvement using real-world data. To our knowledge, we report here the first analyses from the DH, focusing on cohort demographics and accurate identification of SCD diagnosis type. DH sites have data use agreements with ASH RC to extract and transfer electronic health record (EHR) data at least quarterly. Principal investigators (PI) provided additional attestation of SCD diagnosis based on existing local data sources deemed …

How Survivors Of Exploitation Who Use Drugs Navigate Systems Of Care: An Analysis Of Survivor Insights Using The Intersectional Risk Environment, Theresa Anasti, Hilary Thibodeau, Nathaniel A Dell, Kathleen Preble, Lauren Grimes, Lindsay B Gezinski

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Drug-related risks such as adverse health outcomes, overdose, and violent victimization vary across populations due to the marginalization of identities, structural inequities, and differing environments. Discrimination and criminalization exacerbate drug-related risks specifically for survivors of sexual exploitation who use drugs. This study aims to understand how survivors who are not currently utilizing intensive treatment services perceive their risk environment, including available resources, and identify possible mechanisms to address health equity. Emphasizing the role of harm reduction and the expertise of lived experience, this paper encourages innovative approaches to supporting survivors.

METHODS: A research team conducted seventeen semi-structured interviews with …

Out-Of-Pocket Costs And Antihypertensive Medication Use Among Veterans: A Natural Experiment, Alexander R. Zheutlin, Alexander Chaitoff, Daniel Addo, Joshua A. Jacobs, Catherine G. Derington, Eric L. Stulberg, Peter A. Glynn, Bernardo Modenesi, Jordana B. Cohen, Adam P. Bress

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Blood pressure (BP) control remains suboptimal in the United States despite available low-cost antihypertensive medications. Even small out-of-pocket medication costs may contribute to adherence. We determined whether $0 versus >$0 out-of-pocket costs for antihypertensive medications is associated with differences in adherence, discontinuation, BP control, and cardiovascular outcomes.

METHODS: We included veterans with newly diagnosed hypertension who initiated antihypertensive medication in the Veterans Health Administration from 2004 to 2022. A fuzzy regression discontinuity design with 2-stage residual inclusion leveraged differences in medication copay policy at a 50% service-connected disability threshold (≥50% service-connected disability: $0 out-of-pocket cost versus < 50%: $8 monthly cost). Outcomes included 1-year medication nonadherence (proportion of days covered < 80%), 1-year medication discontinuation (no medication in the final 90 days of the study year), 1-year BP control (systolic BP/diastolic BP < 140/90 mm Hg and < 130/80 mm Hg) and cardiovascular disease events (myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, peripheral artery disease, or stroke).

RESULTS: Among 417 …

Perceived Inadequate Neighborhood Food Shopping And Cardiovascular Disease Risk: The Multi-Ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis, Amier Haidar, Ghadi Ghanem, Rishi Rikhi, Karol E Watson, Shreela V Sharma, Michael D Shapiro

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Individuals with access to healthy food have healthier diets, improved cardiometabolic risk profiles, and decreased cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, previous studies have focused on the neighborhood food environment as distance to and density of food retailers. Our study examines the association between an individual's perceived adequacy of neighborhood food shopping and incident CVD.

Methods: We analyzed data from 6814 participants in the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis), a prospective cohort study of individuals aged 45 to 84 who were enrolled in the study between 2000 and 2002 and followed longitudinally. Cox proportional hazards models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for …

Natural History Of 15 Patients With Autosomal Dominant Wfs1 Pathogenic Variants Associated With Sensorineural Hearing Loss And Optic Atrophy, Jessica P Roberts, Abby F Tang, Daniela Hernandez, Brianna Carman, Liam Oiknine, Cris Brown, Stacy Hurst, Yunshuo Tang, Fumihiko Urano

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: Autosomal dominant pathogenic variants in WFS1 cause a spectrum of disorders with phenotypic manifestations including low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss, optic nerve atrophy accompanied by low- to mid-frequency sensorineural hearing loss, non-syndromic diabetes mellitus, and early-onset cataracts. These conditions are generally milder than autosomal recessive Wolfram syndrome, except for Hattersley-Urano syndrome. Despite growing recognition of these disorders, data on clinical progression and long-term outcomes remain limited. This study aims to expand knowledge on disease severity and progression in autosomal dominant WFS1-related disorders. APPROACH: Clinical data were obtained from the Washington University International Registry and Clinical Study for Wolfram Syndrome and …

A Machine-Learning-Based Tool For Stroke Risk Prediction In Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury: Development And Preliminary Evaluation, Victoria Wagner, Joshua D Preston, Alejandro De Leon Castro, William F Mueller, Jonathan Nguyen, Manuel Garcia-Toca, Elizabeth R Benjamin, S Rob Todd, Jason D Sciarretta

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Stroke risk correlates with the Biffl grading system in blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI). Although anti-thrombotic therapy is the mainstay of stroke prevention, no point-of-care clinical decision-support tool exists to guide timing for therapy. We sought to develop an interactive online calculator that incorporates patient-specific demographic and injury characteristics to estimate stroke risk and risk reduction with anti-thrombotic (AT) administration.

Methods: Data from BCVI patients (n = 1,197) at a Level I Trauma Center were retrospectively collected. Six machine learning methods were employed to predict stroke risk with and without AT therapy. Class imbalance was addressed using downsampling and/or class …