Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Modifiable Risk Factors And Hearing Loss: The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2020, Yulu Zheng, Tingting Li, Zhiyuan Wu, Yahong Zhu, Zheng Guo, Xingang Li

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To explore the associations between major modifiable risk factors and hearing loss.

Methods: This serial cross-sectional study was conducted within the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2020 in the United States. Associations were assessed using modified Poisson regression and within-sample population attributable fraction (PAF).

Results: Eight thousand seven hundred and seventy adults aged 40–85 years were included in the analyses, the mean (SD) age was 58.0 (11.7) years, with 4002 men (45.6%). Hearing loss was associated with low educational attainment with prevalence ratio 1.23, 95% confidence interval (1.15, 1.31); low income 1.11 (1.04, 1.19); diabetes 1.10 (1.03, 1.18); …

Nurses' Perceptions Of Their Non-Technical Skills In Recognising And Responding To Clinical Deterioration In Hospital Settings: A Systematic Review, Darlene Archer, Amineh Rashidi, Rajbeer Kaur, Allison Roderick, Olivia Gallagher

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: To understand nurses' perceptions of non-technical skills in recognising and responding to clinical deterioration in hospital settings.

Design: A mixed methods systematic review was undertaken, guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis.

Methods: A systematic search of the primary research literature published between 2012 and October 2025 was undertaken. A convergent integrated approach to synthesis, without meta-analysis, was undertaken.

Data Sources: The MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, PsychInfo and Embase electronic databases were searched. Reference lists of full-text articles retrieved were reviewed for additional data sources.

Results: Twenty-four primary studies were included. Narrative synthesis resulted in six main …

Pain In People With Dementia Is A Significant Contributor To Increased Professional Caregiver Burden: Results Of An Observation Study, Kreshnik Hoti, Ipsit Vahia, Paola Chivers, Jeffery Hughes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: To investigate the association between the presence of neuropsychological symptoms, professional caregiver burden and pain intensity.

Methods: Eleven neuropsychiatric symptoms reportedly associated with caregiver burden which are included within the PainChek® pain assessment tool were identified: aggressiveness, inappropriate behavior, distressed, verbally offensive, confusion, restlessness, pacing and wandering, crying, screaming, altered sleep and resisting care. A caregiver burden score based on binary scoring of the presence of these indicators was calculated (summative score range from 0 to 11). Generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate the relationships between (1) pain score and sum of caregiver indicators present and (2) pain …

Pharmacist-Led Educational Intervention To Improve Knowledge, Medication Adherence, And Asthma Control Among Asthma Patients At Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital: A Protocol For Randomized Controlled Trial, Mekuriaw Dereje Tekele, Goitom Belay Kassa, Yainu Welegerima Welekidane, Derbew Fikadu Berhe, Abadi Kahsu Gebre, Afewerki Gebremeskel Tsadik

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a pharmacist-led educational intervention on medication knowledge, adherence, and asthma control among adult asthma patients at Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia.

Methods: A single-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial will be conducted. All eligible adult asthma patients on active follow-up at the chest clinic of Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital will be included. Participants will be randomly assigned via a computer-generated sequence to an intervention group (structured pharmacist-led education using teach-back, illustrated pamphlets, a follow-up phone call and SMS) or a control group (routine care). Outcome assessors will be blinded to group allocation. Outcomes will be …

Relationships Between Physical Performance Characteristics And Match Characteristics Of English Academy Soccer Players, B. Dickinson, P. Jones, P. Comfort

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The aim of this study was to determine the relationships between physical performance and match characteristics of Elite academy soccer players using pooled data across U15, U16, U18, U23 age groups. Sixty elite academy soccer players including u15 (Subject: N = 15; age: 14.64 ± 0.25; mass: 59.88 ± 9.12 kg; height: 171 ± 6.69 cm), u16 (Subject: N = 15; age: 15.42 ± 0.36; mass: 65.11 ± 8.70 kg; height: 175 ± 7.21 cm), u18 (Subject: N = 15; age: 17.00 ± 1.00; mass: 72.85 ± 7.43 kg; height: 179 ± 6.43 cm), u23 (Subject: N = 15; age: …

Restricting Outdoor Advertising Of Unhealthy Food: Feasibility Of Using A Nutrition Classification System In Australia, Claire E. Pulker, Frith Klug, Georgina S.A. Trapp, Ainslie Sartori, Michelle Mcintosh, Alexia Bivoltsis, Catrina Mcstay, Clare Whitton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: Exposure to food advertising is associated with consumption. Globally, most outdoor food advertisements feature unhealthy foods or beverages. As Australian local government areas (LGAs) begin developing restriction policies, the feasibility of applying nutrient-based Nutrition Classification Systems to outdoor advertising requires evaluation.

Design: Observational study on 1) types of food business advertisements outdoors and 2) availability of quantitative nutrition and/or ingredient information for featured products. 178 outdoor advertisements were analysed, from a 500m audit around schools in 16 stratified LGAs (2019), along with bus shelter audits in four LGAs (2022). Advertisements were categorised as featuring ‘branded packaged products’, ‘food service …

Single Joint Assessment Of Isometric Plantarflexor Force Characteristics Using Portable Force Plates: A Systematic Review Of Methods And Reliability, James Williams, Paul Comfort, Nicholas J. Ripley, Jack T. Fahey, Ritchie Barber, Christopher Bramah

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The aim of this systematic review was to (1) identify differences in isometric force plate testing procedures for the ankle plantarflexors and (2) determine the reliability of existing methods to inform minimum reporting standards. A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, MEDLINE and CINAHL was conducted from inception to 2025, for peer-reviewed studies using portable force plates to assess isometric plantarflexor force. PRISMA guidelines were followed. Two independent reviewers assessed methodological quality using the COSMIN Risk of Bias tool and Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, with discrepancies resolved collaboratively. Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria, revealing methodological variations …

The Contribution Of Nursing And Midwifery To Achieving The Sustainable Development Goals: A Bibliometric Analysis, David C. Benton, Andrew D. Benton, Kate Buchanan, Gemma Doleman, Karen Strickland, Lisa Whitehead

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Nurses and midwives are central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the largest regulated sector of the global health workforce and as professions explicitly encouraged by the International Council of Nurses and the World Health Organization to advance the 2030 Agenda. This paper updates a 2016 bibliometric analysis to examine changes in nursing and midwifery scholarly engagement with the SDGs.

Methods: A bibliometric analysis of Scopus, CINAHL Ultimate, and PubMed was undertaken for publications from 2000 to 2025 containing Millennium Development Goal (MDG) or Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) terminology in nursing and midwifery literature. VOSviewer was used …

The Evolution Of Match-Play In Major League Soccer From 2018 To 2023, Callum J. Mccaskie, Christopher Wing

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Major League Soccer (MLS) has experienced significant growth since its establishment 30 years ago. However, no research has investigated the on-field performance trends. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the evolution of MLS match-play via technical and tactical key performance indicators, and investigate the differences between teams according to league finishing position. MLS on-field performance indicators were obtained across six seasons from open-source website FBref. Mean game values were collected from 21 match performance indicators for every MLS team over six seasons. Teams were also classified according to their league finishing position at the conclusion of each …

The Role Of Physical Therapy Across The Transplant Trajectory In Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, A Systematic Review And Clinical Framework, Houssem Ben Jemia, Rebecca Catterina, Marialaura Calonghi, Maria Anna Dossena, Stefano Giuseppe Lazzarini, Francesco Bettariga, Michele Malagola, Enrico Morello

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) increasingly involves older and medically complex patients, in whom impaired pulmonary function and high comorbidity burden adversely affect survival and long-term outcomes. Rehabilitation and exercise interventions are biologically plausible strategies to mitigate deconditioning along the transplant trajectory, but their role in allo-HSCT has not been systematically organized within a phase-specific clinical framework. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted according to Cochrane guidance and PRISMA 2020, with prospective registration in PROSPERO. PubMed, Embase, PEDro, Web of Science, CENTRAL and Scopus were searched from inception to early 2025, with an updated PubMed …

Lysine Demethylase 4a Is A Centrosome-Associated Protein Required For Centrosome Integrity And Genomic Stability, Pratim Chowdhury, Xiaoli Wang, Richard I Han, Manga Motrapu, Ashley G Boice, Yuya Nakatani, Sofia Vargas-Hernandez, Julia F Love, Claude Chew, Sandra L Grimm, Dereck Mezquita, Frank M Mason, Elisabeth D Martinez, Cristian Coarfa, Cheryl L Walker, Anna-Karin Gustavsson, Ruhee Dere

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Centrosomes play a fundamental role in nucleating and organizing microtubules in the cell and are vital for faithful chromosome segregation and maintenance of genomic stability. Loss of structural or functional integrity of centrosomes causes genomic instability and is a driver of oncogenesis. Here we identify lysine demethylase 4A (KDM4A), an epigenetic 'eraser' of chromatin methyl marks, as a centrosome-localized protein, visualized at the nanometer-scale resolution. We additionally uncovered that KDM4A demethylase enzymatic activity is required to maintain centrosome homeostasis and integrity; a previously unknown functionality unlinked to altered expression of genes regulating centrosome number. We find that KDM4A interacts with …

Prevalence Of Substance Use In Northwest Syria: A Cross-Sectional Study, Isabel Draper, Dania Albaba, Heba Mesbah, Huda Taktak, Nidhal Saadoun, Mohammad Alhusein, Elharit Alissa, Anas Barbour, Zaher Sahloul, Nidal Moukaddam

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Syria has undergone significant socio-political turmoil since 2011 as internal conflict displaced portions of the population, destroyed infrastructure, and destabilized the economy. In the context of multilevel healthcare system disruptions, there have been increasing reports of substance use. This study seeks to evaluate patterns of substance use in Northwestern Syria.

Methods: Trained staff administered questionnaires to community members in Azaz, Syria. Questions focused on the substance use prevalence, societal and public health impacts, and perspectives on treatment availability.

Results: 480 individuals were surveyed (80·88% male, 19·12 % female; 43·39% were 18-25 yrs, 11·5% reported personal substance use). H-booz (amphetamines), …

Variability In Documentation Of Neurological And Psychiatric Examinations Among Emergency Department Patients With Behavioral Health-Related Presentations: A Retrospective Study, Heba Mesbah, Payton Kim, Jide Oluwadare, Abdulelah Almanie, Inaara Malick, Nidal Moukaddam

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Emergency departments (EDs) serve as a critical safety net for individuals experiencing acute behavioral health crises, a population that faces substantial medical morbidity and well-documented disparities in healthcare delivery. Thorough physical and neuropsychiatric assessment is essential in this setting to identify medical conditions that may mimic or exacerbate psychiatric symptoms. Incomplete documentation of these assessments may reflect gaps in care processes and represent a potential marker of inequity.

Objective: To characterize the completeness of documented neurological and psychiatric examinations among adult ED patients presenting with primary behavioral health-related chief complaints and to assess whether documentation patterns suggest persistent gaps …

Gender-Specific Behavior Reductions In Spontaneous Locomotive And Rearing In A Rat Model Of Paclitaxel-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: A Pilot Study, Serena Jiyeon Kim, Kevin Cao, Patrick M Dougherty, Kathleen E Mcdonough, Saba Javed

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) from agents like paclitaxel causes sensory loss and functional impairment, with limited treatment options. To better model patient-relevant outcomes, we used open field video tracking in rodents to assess gait, anxiety, and exploratory behavior. This approach provides a more comprehensive assessment of CIPN-related deficits beyond pain responses.

Methods and materials: Adult male and female Sprague Dawley rats were given paclitaxel (Taxol; 24 mg/kg cumulative dose) or a vehicle over 8 days. Their distance traveled, time spent in the center and outer zones of the OF test, and rearing behaviors were recorded using a PhenoTyper 4500 …

Beyond Drugs And Surgery: Superselective Adrenal Artery Embolization Redefines Primary Aldosteronism Management-A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Kimia Darmiani, Mehrad Zare, Alisa Mohebbi, Mohammad Mirza-Aghazadeh-Attari, Mohammad Ghasemi Rad, Afshin Mohammadi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a leading cause of secondary hypertension associated with increased cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk. Superselective adrenal artery embolization (SAAE) has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to adrenalectomy and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs). This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the efficacy and safety of SAAE in PA management.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library through June 2026 for studies enrolling patients with PA treated by SAAE. Outcomes of interest were changes in blood pressure (BP), biochemical markers (serum potassium, aldosterone, renin activity, and aldosterone-to-renin ratio), clinical and biochemical response rates, daily …

When Targeted Gene Testing Falls Short: Case Report Of A Novel Slc4a3 F347s Genetic Variant Associated With Short Qt Syndrome, Chelsea A Boyd, Tyler J Novy, Taylor A Beecroft-Dawson, Connor A Bell, Emily M Bland, Christina Y Miyake

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Astrocytic Sox9 Overexpression In Alzheimer’S Disease Mouse Models Promotes Aβ Plaque Phagocytosis And Preserves Cognitive Function, Dong-Joo Choi, Sanjana Murali, Wookbong Kwon, Junsung Woo, Eun-Ah Christine Song, Yeunjung Ko, Debosmita Sardar, Brittney Lozzi, Yi-Ting Cheng, Michael R Williamson, Teng-Wei Huang, Kaitlyn Sanchez, Joanna Jankowsky, Benjamin Deneen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Astrocytes play essential roles in the brain, and their dysfunction is associated with nearly every form of neurological disease. Despite their ubiquity, knowledge of how astrocytes contribute to disease pathogenesis is incomplete; accordingly, harnessing their biology toward therapeutics remains a major challenge. Here we show that the transcription factor Sox9 plays a context-specific role in maintaining astrocyte function and circuit activity in the aging hippocampus and Alzheimer's disease (AD) models. We found that Sox9 overexpression in astrocytes in AD models clears existing amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and preserves cognitive function. Mechanistically, Sox9 promotes the phagocytosis of Aβ plaques by astrocytes …

Combinatorial Effects Of Multi-Site Stimulation On Depression-Related Brain Regions: Clinical Data Analysis And Predictive Modeling, Atefeh Ghazavi, Koorosh Mirpour, Masoud Soroush, Eleonora Bartoli, Nisha Giridharan, Denise Oswalt, Nicole R Provenza, Anusha Allawala, Wayne Goodman, Sameer A Sheth, Nader Pouratian

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Despite growing evidence supporting deep brain stimulation (DBS) for treatment- resistant depression (TRD), how stimulation delivered across hemispheres or across multiple targets interact to shape large-scale network activity remains poorly characterized.

Objective: Using a unique opportunity to simultaneously stimulate the subcallosal cingulate (SCC) and ventral capsule/ventral striatum (VC/VS) in subjects with TRD while recording neural activity across putative prefrontal networks underlying depression via intracranial electrodes, we investigated whether bilateral or multi-target stimulation has additive, synergistic/super-additive, or antagonistic/sub-additive effects on power modulation across depression-related brain networks.

Methods: Four DBS leads, and ten stereo-electroencephalography (sEEG) leads were implanted in depression-related prefrontal …

Time Pressures And Sociocultural Constraints Affecting Access To Early Abortion Care Under Texas' "6-Week" Ban, Kari White, Whitney Arey, Anna Chatillon, Anitra D Beasley, Cecili Chadwick, Asha Dane'el, Ophra Leyser-Whalen, Tracy A Weitz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: In 2021, Texas Senate Bill 8 (SB8) prohibited abortion after detection of embryonic cardiac activity and was often referred to as a "6-week ban." Limited evidence exists about how these laws intersect with people's processes seeking pregnancy confirmation and navigating barriers to abortion care.

Methods: Between October 2021 and August 2022, we recruited Texans ≥ 15 years of age who were seeking abortion using online ads and flyers placed in out-of-state abortion-providing facilities. Participants completed in-depth interviews, and we coded transcripts using inductive and deductive coding. This analysis explores participants' discussions of time needed for pregnancy confirmation, decision making, …

Dynamic Progression Of Ectopic Lymphoid Structure Formation In Lacrimal Glands Of A Sjögren’S Disease Murine Model, Sara Abdelhamid, Alison V Ramirez, Emre Aksan, Elizaveta A Demianova, Cintia S De Paiva, Maria C Edman, J Andrew Mackay, Sarah F Hamm-Alvarez

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Sjögren's Disease (SjD) is a chronic autoimmune condition characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of lacrimal glands (LG) and salivary glands (SG). In SG, these immune structures have properties of ectopic lymphoid structures (ELS) and appear to play a critical role in disease pathology. While the presence of ELS in patients' SG biopsies is linked to disease severity, their presence and composition in LG has not been well characterized.

Methods: The properties and time course of apparent ELS development in LG from the male non-obese diabetes free (NOR) sub-strain of the Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD) mice was investigated at stages encompassing early …

Utilizing A Culture System For Horizontal Cells To Study Neural Circuit Assembly In The Developing Mouse Retina, Ross M Perez, Yong H Park, Ajeet Singh, Collin Todora, Marlon F Mattos, Daniela Becerril, Rajashree Venkatraman, Arlene A Hirano, Nicholas C Brecha, Rinki Ratnapriya, Benjamin J Frankfort, Elizabeth Zuniga-Sanchez

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The precise wiring of the nervous system relies on neurons extending their processes at the right time and place to find their appropriate synaptic partner. The mechanisms that determine when and where neurons extend their neurites during synaptogenesis remains a central question in the field. In the present study, we used a cell culture system coupled with live imaging to investigate the wiring mechanisms in the developing mouse retina. We focused on horizontal cells which are a class of interneurons in the outer mouse retina known to synapse selectively to the distinct types of photoreceptors. Previous research has shown horizontal …

Updates In Mycobacterial Keratitis Diagnosis And Treatment, Uma L Balakrishnan, Ryan T Wallace, Patricia Chévez-Barrios, Alejandro Arboleda, Masih U Ahmed

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Mycobacterial keratitis is an uncommon but challenging form of infectious keratitis, often associated with postsurgical eyes. Clinical presentation is variable and may be difficult to recognize, resulting in delays in diagnosis and challenges in management. Traditional diagnostic techniques from corneal scrapings are limited by slow organism growth and may yield negative results. Treatment is challenging due to antimicrobial resistance and typically requires prolonged multidrug therapy. Advances in diagnostic modalities, antimicrobial therapies, surgical approaches, and adjunctive treatments such as corneal crosslinking have improved clinicians' ability to mitigate or avoid severe visual consequences. Despite these developments, optimal management strategies remain incompletely defined, …

Unraveling Posttranslational Modification Complexity: Advances In Quantitative Histone Proteoform Mass Spectrometry, Karl F Poncha, Alyssa T Paparella, Nicolas L Young

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Histone proteins and their posttranslational modifications are central to chromatin structure and function. These modifications often occur in combinations, generating a diverse array of histone proteoforms that contribute to the dynamic regulation of chromatin architecture. Advancements in mass spectrometry-based proteomics, particularly top-down and middle-down approaches, have significantly enhanced our ability to characterize these proteoforms and elucidate PTM crosstalk. This review provides an analysis of the epigenetic machinery involved in the addition, recognition, and removal of histone PTMs, emphasizing the complexity introduced by histone variants and combinatorial PTM patterns. We examine the challenges and limitations of traditional antibody-based methods for PTM …

In Vivo Volumetric Visualization And Quantification Of Cumulus Expansion In Mice With Intravital Optical Coherence Tomography, Kohei Umezu, Frank J Brooks, Irina Larina

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Ovulation is preceded by a critical physiological process known as cumulus expansion, during which the cumulus cell layer surrounding the oocyte undergoes structural remodeling. Despite the recognized importance of this process for reproductive success, live quantitative imaging of cumulus expansion has not been previously achieved due to limitations of current imaging technologies for deeply located ovaries. In this study, we employed intravital optical coherence tomography for three-dimensional visualization of mouse follicles containing cumulus-oocyte complexes (COC) within the physiological context of the ovary, both ex vivo and in vivo. This method enabled time-lapse measurement of cumulus layer thickness and COC …

Survodutide For Treatment Of Obesity: Baseline Characteristics Of Participants In A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 3 Trial (Synchronize™-1), Carel W Le Roux, Sean Wharton, Biykem Bozkurt, Elke Platz, Gabriele Bleckert, Samina Ajaz Hussain, Martina Brueckmann, Elena Startseva, Isabel M Kloer, Lee M Kaplan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aims: Survodutide, a novel glucagon receptor and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor dual agonist, elicited significant weight loss in a phase 2 trial in individuals with obesity without type 2 diabetes (T2D). Two multinational phase 3 trials are investigating survodutide for obesity management in individuals with or without T2D. We report the baseline characteristics of participants in the SYNCHRONIZE-1 trial in adults with obesity without T2D (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06066515).

Materials and methods: Participants aged ≥18 years with BMI ≥30 or ≥27 kg/m2 with ≥1 obesity complication without T2D were randomized 1:1:1 to double-blind, once-weekly, subcutaneous injections of survodutide (up-titrated to 3.6 …

Esophageal Myotomy And Risk Of Esophageal Cancer And Mortality In Achalasia: Real-World Cohort Study, Fouad Jaber, Mohamad Ali Ibrahim, Mohammed Jaber, Youssef Soliman, Mai A Khalaf, Tara Keihanian, Fares Ayoub, Mohamed O Othman, Salmaan Jawaid

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and study aims: Achalasia is associated with increased risk of esophageal cancer, particularly squamous cell carcinoma. Although esophageal myotomy improves dysphagia, its impact on cancer risk and mortality remains unclear.

Patients and methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX research network, including adults (≥ 18 years) with achalasia confirmed by esophageal manometry. Patients were categorized based on treatment of those undergoing esophageal myotomy (peroral endoscopic myotomy [POEM] or laparoscopic Heller myotomy [LHM]) and those managed without myotomy. Patients with prior esophagectomy or malignancies associated with increased esophageal cancer risk were excluded. The primary outcome was incident …

Findings And Recommendations From The State Of The Art (Sota) Conference On Nursing Research To Improve Veteran Outcomes, Amelia E Schlak, Sarah Krein, Laura A Petersen, David Atkins, Catherine Battaglia, Elizabeth Burkhart, Renee Colsch, Marguerite Daus, Heather Gilmartin, Nipa Kamdar, Melissa Knox, Ann Kutney-Lee, Christine M Olney, Kathryn Rugen, Tracy Weistreich, Sheila Cox Sullivan, On Behalf The Nursing Sota Planning Committee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the largest employer of nurses in the United States, has more than 120,000 nursing personnel providing care to over 9 million Veterans across diverse settings. Despite nursing's central role in delivering and sustaining care, research on strengthening the nursing workforce and optimizing nursing practice has remained underdeveloped in VHA. To address this gap, VHA's Office of Research and Development, in partnership with the Office of Nursing Services, convened a State of the Art (SOTA) conference in November 2023 focused on nursing. The Nursing SOTA brought together nurses, researchers, operational leaders, and other stakeholders to review …

Long Covid And Cardiovascular Diseases Among U.S. Adults: Results From The U.S. Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, Geoffrey Y Zhang, John C Lin, Dang Nguyen, Sameed Ahmed M Khatana, Thomas P Giordano

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Long COVID is associated with persistent symptoms including cardiovascular complications; however, the epidemiology and directionality of this association remain unclear.

Methods: Utilizing a retrospective cohort study design with cross-sectional analyses, 8,332 respondents aged 18 and older from the 2022 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) who had a prior COVID-19 infection, were analyzed to determine the temporal association between long COVID and cardiovascular disease (CVD), modeling each as both outcome and exposure in separate analyses.

Results: Long COVID was associated with any CVD diagnosis (OR 1.37; 95% CI: 1.05-1.80), specifically angina (OR 1.81; 95% CI: 1.18-2.77) and myocardial infarction (OR …

Hypothyroidism Is Associated With Higher Healthcare Utilisation And Higher Need For Blood Transfusion After Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty (Tka) In Patients With Osteoarthritis: A National Inpatient Sample Analysis, Sumanth R Chandrupatla, Kranti C Rumalla, Jasvinder A Singh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: To examine the association of hypothyroidism with primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) outcomes in adults with primary underlying diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: We identified a prospective cohort of patients in the 2016-2020 national inpatient sample (NIS) that received primary TKA with an underlying diagnosis of OA, identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Common Modification (ICD-10-CM) and Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) codes in the primary procedure and diagnosis positions, respectively. We performed multivariable-adjusted regression analyses for healthcare utilisation (length of hospital stay, hospital charges and discharge destination) and clinical outcomes (blood transfusion; prosthetic fracture, dislocation or infection; …

The ‘Obesity Paradox’ In Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation. A Specialized Narrative Review, Johao Escobar, Iqra Riaz, Muzamil Khawaja, Hafeez Ul Hassan Virk, Joshua Hahn, Fu''Ad Al-Azzam, Zhen Wang, Mahboob Alam, Markus Strauss, Chayakrit Krittanawong

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Obesity has long been identified as a noteworthy risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, including aortic stenosis. Nevertheless, an unexplained phenomenon known as the obesity paradox has arisen in the context of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), inquiring conventional beliefs. The obesity paradox refers to better clinical outcomes observed in obese individuals undergoing TAVI. These include reduced all-cause mortality, lower rates of procedural complications, and improved long-term survival rates compared to their lean counterparts. Several theories have been proposed to explain the obesity paradox in TAVI. One of the most popular is the adipose tissue-mediated cardioprotective effect hypothesis. It is known …