Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Treatment Options For Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome, Barbara Bowman

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

With the high incidence of Lyme disease in the endemic areas of North America, it is important to appropriately diagnosis and treat this condition to prevent post treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). Background information regarding Lyme disease is given. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the treatment options available for those patients that fit the case definition of PTLDS. A literature review was conducted using several different electronic databases finding peer reviewed research articles pertaining to the treatment options available for PTLDS. Extended antibiotic use is shown to be not beneficial in most cases. Alternative treatment options listed …

Aspirin Use Following Preeclampsia To Prevent Future Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes, Kristi Bohlig

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Introduction: Preeclampsia during pregnancy warrants therapy with low dose aspirin. The purpose of this review is to investigate if these women are at increased future risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and if aspirin therapy prevents future cardiovascular events.

• Research Questions: Do women who had preeclampsia during pregnancy have increased future cardiovascular morbidity and mortality? • Does continued aspirin use in postpartum women, who had preeclampsia during pregnancy; decrease future cardiovascular morbidity and mortality?

• Research Methods: Literature review was conducted utilizing CINAHL, Dynamed plus and PubMed databases.

• Discussion: Many studies have found that preeclampsia does increase …

Comparison Of Rivaroxaban And Warfarin In The Prevention Of Recurrent Venous Thromboembolism, Philip J. Heiden

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

The purpose of this systematic literature review is to determine the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban (Xarelto) compared to warfarin (Coumadin), for the long term prophylaxis of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE). Rivaroxaban was chosen as the primary representative of factor Xa inhibitors because of its simplistic once a day dosing regimen. The PubMed database was extensively searched, using a variety of key terms, from September 10 to November 30, 2018. Works chosen include propensity-matched cohorts, retrospective studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. All of which were published within the last 10 years; sources dated prior to 10 years were excluded. Studies …

Early Aggressive Insulin Therapy In Type 2 Diabetes, Bryan Johnson

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Metformin has been proven beneficial for the first-line treatment of type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) due to its efficacy and low adverse effect profile. Current US guidelines do not address the use of early intensive insulin use in T2DM. Treatment plans are slowly adjusted over the months until the A1C goal is met. Insulin is initiated several years after the time of T2DM diagnosis and utilized as second-line therapy. Dual therapy of insulin and metformin have shown regression of T2DM in certain patient populations. However, the linear relationship between diabetes and cardiovascular disease does not show greater improvement with dual …

Benefits Of 3d Breast Tomosynthesis Combined With 2d Digital Mammography In Screening Women For Breast Cancer, Danielle M. Swanson

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Breast cancer screening imaging options have progressed greatly over • the years in sensitivity, specificity, and image quality. According to DynaMed Plus, in 2012 there were 522,000 deaths by breast cancer and 1,677,000 total cases of breast cancer documented (Dynamed, 2018). For years, traditional screening for breast cancer involved 2D digital mammography which obtains two views of each breast. With advances in technology, the use of 3D breast tomosynthesis has become an advantageous addition to routine breast cancer screening protocols at many health care facilities.

• My literature review of articles was found in PubMed, DynaMed Plus, Cochrane Library, …

Comparison Of Pharmacologic Treatments For Postmenopausal Osteoporosis, Kaitlyn Wirtz

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• The prevalence of osteoporosis in the United States in adults > 50 years of age is “more than 10 million people overall and 33 million have low bone mineral density (BMD) at the hip” (DynaMed Plus, 2018).

• To combat postmenopausal osteoporosis, two treatment options include bisphosphonates and the anti-receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa β ligand (RANKL) agent (denosumab).

• The purpose of this scholarly project is to determine if there is a statistical significance regarding safety, efficacy, and preference between bisphosphonates and denosumab.

• Three databases were searched: PubMed, CINAHL, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Topics researched …

Intermittent Fasting In Weight Management, Alyse Engen

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Obesity is associated with a variety of medical conditions that adversely affect metabolic and cardiovascular health. In order for health care providers to adequately educate and promote weight management, they need to be aware of the various dietary regimens and the efficacy and adverse effects associated with each. This literature review assesses the efficacy, metabolic benefits, and cardiovascular benefits of both intermittent energy restriction and continuous energy restriction from ten articles found on various databases within the past five years. The findings indicate that although not proven superior or inferior, intermittent energy restriction provides statistically similar results to continuous energy …

Comparing Screening And Treatment Of Bacterial Vaginosis And Pregnancy Outcomes, Stephanie Severson

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Evidence shows that bacterial vaginosis (BV) can lead to poor perinatal outcomes.

• The goal of this project is to answer the question of which pregnant patients should be screened for BV and does identification and treatment of BV during pregnancy improve perinatal outcomes.

• Due to variability in a multitude of factors, a generalized recommendation is difficult to make. Lack of recommendations are largely due to harm of treatment in those who were misdiagnosed.

• The development of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has the capability to reduce misdiagnosis.

• Newer studies have shown benefit of early screening and …

Embolus Prevention: Anticoagulant Therapy In Comparison To Watchman's Procedure In Patients With Atrial Fibrillation, Erik Fladmo

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Atrial fibrillation or A-fib is a common cardiac disease that occurs as individuals get older.

• A risk factor of atrial fibrillation is blood clot formation and dislodgement or ‘embolus’ in the left atrium.

• Current treatment methods to prevent clot formation include anticoagulants, as well as a left atrial appendage closure device, The Watchman’s device is the only FDA approved left atrial appendage closure device.

• Study results confirm the rising efficacy and cost effectiveness of Watchman’s device versus long term anticoagulant therapy as well as their adverse effects regarding placement and post procedure; however further randomized control …

Is A Varicocelectomy Beneficial In The Era Of Assisted Reproductive Technologies, Chukwuka Oscar Nnoli

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Clinical varicoceles are the most frequent physical finding associated with infertile men and impaired semen parameters. There is evidence that suggests varicocele repair improves semen parameter and increases the chances of natural pregnancy. Today, varicocele repair is often combined with assisted reproductive techniques (ART) such as intrauterine insemination (IUI), in Vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In this literature review, data examining whether varicocelectomy before ART leads to improved pregnancy outcomes is reviewed. Current data suggest that there is a significant clinical benefit when correcting a varicocele in oligospermic men before IVF/ICSI. Similarly, men with non-obstructive azoospermia also …

Platelets To The Rescue? A Literature Review Of The Safety And Efficacy Of Platelet-Rich Plasma For Symptomatic Osteoarthritis Of The Knee, Timothy Simonich

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Osteoarthritis of the knee is one of the most common joint disorders in the United States with rising prevalence due to obesity and an aging population. Regarding non-surgical approaches to management, there has been growing interest in the use of intra-articular injections with Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP).

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1s Compared To Sulfonylureas In The Treatment Of Adults Diagnosed With Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus In Primary Care, Tracy Kirchner

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent disease in our country. Bullard et al. (2018) report approximately 21 million adults have T2DM in the United States. “The total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in 2017 is $327 billion, including $237 billion in direct medical costs and $90 billion in reduced productivity” (Yang et al., 2018). Treatment of T2DM is individualized to each patient based on their co-morbidities, fiscal responsibility, and route of administration options. Sulfonylureas and Glucagon-like Peptide-1s (GLP-1) are two classes of antidiabetic drugs that are available for use as second line treatment options after metformin. This review …

Comparing Rates Of Macrosomia And Neonatal Hypoglycemia Of Differing Treatment Modalities Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Ashleigh Milbrath

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a known potential complication that can occur during pregnancy. Unmanaged GDM can result in maternal hyperglycemia, which can cause increased neonatal complications, two of which are macrosomia and neonatal hypoglycemia. To prevent maternal hyperglycemia, treatment of GDM typically begins with dietary changes, home glucose monitoring, increased exercise patterns and other lifestyle modifications. However, if maternal hyperglycemia persists after two weeks of maternal lifestyle modifications, there are not current best practice guidelines established for the treatment of GDM. Historically, subcutaneous multiple daily dosed insulin (MDI) has been the gold standard for treatment after lifestyle modification. However, …

Delaying Diabetes In The Native American Population, Seth Tramm

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Diabetes is a debilitating disease process caused by the body’s inability to control blood glucose levels. With over 30 million diabetics in the United States and another 85 million prediabetics, the effects of this disease are wide-spread and far-reaching. Native American/Alaska Native populations have a nearly two-fold increase in prevalence of diabetes when compared to non-native populations. Risk factors for diabetes in all populations include modifiable risks such as obesity, diet, and physical inactivity as well as non-modifiable factors such as age, family history, and ethnicity. Studies have shown that early identification of symptoms, coupled with proper and intentional treatment …