Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Unintentional Drowning In Florida: An Analysis Of Demographic And Water Type Associations Among Youth And Young Adults, Michelle Sterling

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Unintentional drowning is a leading cause of preventable injury fatalities among youth and young adults in the United States. Despite the preventability, drowning continues to affect specific populations disproportionately. Limited research has examined demographic and environmental factors that contribute to drowning fatalities among individuals aged 5 to 25 years old in Florida. Understanding these patterns is key to informing targeted prevention strategies. This quantitative, retrospective study explored the relationship between demographic characteristics (i.e., gender, race, and ethnicity), environmental context (i.e., water type), and drowning fatalities of 5- to 25-year-olds in Florida from 2018 to 2022. Data for this study, which …

Oncology Nurse Self-Assessment Of Caring Behaviors Following Telehealth And In-Person Visits, Maryann Connor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Oncology nurses coordinate care, ensure the safe administration of treatments, manage symptoms, and support those newly diagnosed with cancer. Traditionally, oncology care included in-person visits, but the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth, transforming how oncology care is delivered. The purposes of this study, guided by Watson’ theory of human caring, were to determine (a) if there is a difference in oncology RNs’ self-assessments of applying caring behaviors during in-person visits compared to oncology RNs’ self-assessments of applying caring behaviors of telehealth visits with newly diagnosed cancer patients, and (b) if there is a difference in self-assessment of caring …

Improving Staff Knowledge Of Insulin Protocols, Farzana Dalal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A midwestern inpatient hospital experienced a rise in insulin-induced hypoglycemic events on an acute medical-surgical floor as evidenced by 6-23 incidences per month between September 2024 to February 2025. A gap in practice revealed deficiencies in knowledge on the use of insulin protocols, which led to the project question addressing if nursing education on the use of insulin protocols would improve nursing staff knowledge as measured by pre- and post-educational surveys, thus resulting in decreased hypoglycemic events. This educational project utilized the ADDIE pedagogy, the John Hopkins evidence-based practice (JHEBP) model, and the Walden University's DNP Project Process Guide. This …

An Alternative Neural Basis Underlying Leptin Resistance, Hongli Li, Cunjin Su, Yuanzhong Xu, Mette Q Ludwig, Jon Davis, Qingchun Tong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Overconsumption of a palatable Western diet, a condition linked to central leptin resistance, contributes extensively to the current obesity epidemic. In this context, intensive efforts have focused on detailing the molecular mechanisms underlying leptin resistance. Here, we demonstrate that chronic inhibition of hypothalamic arcuate GABAergic neurons (ArcGABA) effectively reduced diet-induced obesity (DIO). Interestingly, palatable food exposure increased the activity level of ArcGABA neurons, which do not express the leptin receptor (non-LepR neurons; nonresponsive to leptin). Chronic activation of ArcGABA non-LepR neurons led to massive obesity, which was associated with normal leptin-induced pSTAT3 signaling but phenotypic leptin resistance; i.e., high leptin …

Longitudinal Analysis Of Gut Microbiome And Metabolome Correlates Of Response And Toxicity With Idecabtagene Vicleucel, Satabdi Saha, Lubna Rehman, Abdur Rehman, Faezeh Darbaniyan, Donna M Weber, Melody Becnel, Mahmoud Gaballa, Sheeba K Thomas, Hans C Lee, Chia-Chi Chang, Reetakshi Arora, Meghan Menges, Salvatore Corallo, Marco L Davila, Frederick L Locke, Mark R Tanner, Sattva S Neelapu, Elizabeth J Shpall, Christopher R Flowers, Robert Z Orlowski, Robert R Jenq, Michael D Jain, Christine Peterson, Doris K Hansen, Neeraj Y Saini, Krina K Patel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Increasing evidence suggests that the gut microbiome may influence the responses and toxicities associated with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy. We conducted whole-genome shotgun sequencing on stool samples (N = 117) collected at various times from patients with multiple myeloma (n = 33) who underwent idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel) anti-B-cell maturation antigen CAR-T therapy. We observed a significant decrease in bacterial diversity after ide-cel infusion, along with significant differences in the bacterial composition linked to therapy response and toxicities. Specifically, we found significant enrichment of Flavonifractor plautii, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Blautia fecis, and Dysosmobacter species in ide-cel responders. A notable finding …

Belumosudil Reduces Oral Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease Tissue Inflammation And Fibrosis: A Rockstar Companion Study, Rubina Sharma, Noa G Holtzman, Iskra Pusic, Corey Cutler, Nathaniel Treister, Rohtesh S Mehta, Amin S Alousi, Nadarajah Vigneswaran, Ayesha Javaid, Francis Boksa, Drashty P Mody, Ana C Costa-Da-Silva, Olivier Schueller, Sandrine Macé, Yu Yao, Ran Ji, Beifang Hu, Kathy Marshall, Bruce R Blazar, Stephanie J Lee, Steven Z Pavletic, Jacqueline W Mays

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Belumosudil (KD025), an oral, selective, Rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) inhibitor, is approved for third-line treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Previous studies demonstrated that ROCK2 inhibition reduces blood interleukin-17 (IL-17) activity and promotes regulatory T-cell (Treg cell) recovery. However, these studies did not evaluate immune responses within cGVHD-affected tissues. This study assessed tissue-level immune dynamics in 20 patients with oral cGVHD from the phase 2 ROCKstar trial, before and after 6 months of belumosudil treatment, focusing on key effector sites (oral mucosa [OM], minor salivary glands [MSGs], and skin) and the peripheral blood. After belumosudil treatment, reduction in …

Detection Of Oncogenic Fusions In Colorectal Cancer Using A Partner-Agnostic Next-Generation Sequencing Approach, Andrew J Pellatt, Reagan M Barnett, Sante Gnerre, Kristin Edwards, Jason A Willis, Michael J Overmann, Kanwal Raghav, Christine M Parseghian, Arvind Dasari, M Pia Morelli, Alisha Bent, Madhulika Eluri, Nicholas Hornstein, Leylah M Drusbosky, Scott Kopetz, Van K Morris

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Gene fusions exist with low prevalence in colorectal cancer (CRC), and the clinical utility of fusion testing in advanced CRC remains unclear. We sought to identify oncogenic fusions in patients with advanced CRC using a fusion partner-agnostic circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assay to better understand their clinical relevance.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis using de-identified data from 18,558 patients with advanced CRC who underwent ctDNA next-generation sequencing with Guardant360® from 2017 to 2022. These samples were subsequently reanalyzed with a partner-agnostic bioinformatics method to identify both clonal and non-clonal fusions. We analyzed for associations between fusions and MSI-H …

Role Of Progesterone Action In Inguinal Hernia Formation Via Skeletal Muscle Fibrosis And Atrophy, Tianming You, Mehrdad Zandigohar, Tanvi Potluri, Natalie Piehl, John S Coon V, Elizabeth Baker, Maya Kafali, Yang Dai, Jonah J Stulberg, David J Escobar, Richard L Lieber, Hong Zhao, Serdar E Bulun

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

More than 1 in 4 men will undergo surgery for inguinal hernia, which is commonly associated with fibrotic degeneration of the lower abdominal muscle (LAM) in the groin region. Utilizing a male mouse model expressing the human aromatase gene (Aromhum), previous studies showed that locally produced estradiol acting via estrogen receptor α in LAM fibroblasts leads to fibrosis, myofiber atrophy, and hernia development. Here, we found that upregulation of progesterone receptor (PGR) in a LAM fibroblast population mediates this estrogenic effect. A PGR-selective progesterone antagonist in Aromhum mice decreased LAM fibrosis and atrophy, preventing hernia formation and stopping progression of …

Effects Of Elicitation Method On Functionally Relevant Item Selection In Spanish And English Monolinguals And Bilinguals, Dallin J. Bailey, Esther Barahona Wilkes

Faculty Publications

Purpose: One important decision speech language pathologists make when planning anomia treatment is the identification and selection of the specific vocabulary items to target during therapy. However, this process is not entirely straightforward. Although ‘functional relevance’ has high face validity for the identification of target items, interpretations differ, which may impact which words are selected for therapy. As such, target item selection methods vary, with resulting items impacted by the specific method used. There are also many person-level variables that may impact the functional relevance of specific items, such as the heritage language of the patient or their bilingualism status. …

Impact Of Posttransplant Cyclophosphamide-Based Gvhd Prophylaxis In Patients 70 Years And Older: An Update From Bmt Ctn 1703., Sameem Abedin, Michael J Martens, Javier Bolaños-Meade, Monzr M Al Malki, Qinghua Lian, Lyndsey Runaas, Hany Elmariah, Mahasweta Gooptu, Karilyn T Larkin, Brian C Shaffer, Alison W Loren, Melhem Solh, Amin M Alousi, Omer H Jamy, Miguel-Angel Perales, Andrew Rezvani, Ami Bhatt, Najla El Jurdi, Janny M Yao, Kristy Applegate, Leslie S Kean, Yvonne A Efebera, Ran Reshef, William Clark, Eric Leifer, Wael Saber, Mary M Horowitz, Richard J Jones, Shernan G Holtan, Mehdi Hamadani

Oncology Articles

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) is underutilized in adults aged ≥70 years. Morbidity, often driven by graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), is considered a major barrier to its use. The BMT CTN 1703 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03959241) randomly assigned adults with hematologic malignancies undergoing allo-HCT after reduced intensity conditioning to receive either posttransplant cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil, and tacrolimus (PTCy) or tacrolimus and methotrexate (Tac/MTX) for GVHD prophylaxis. Overall study results revealed superior GVHD-free, relapse-free survival (GRFS) with PTCy-based prophylaxis. This analysis explored the impact of PTCy in patients aged ≥70 years enrolled in BMT CTN 1703. We analyzed outcomes for 96 patients …

Precision Care In Screening, Surveillance, And Overall Management Of Barrett's Esophagus, Yeshaswini Reddy, Madhav Desai, Bernadette Tumaliuan, Nirav Thosani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Barrett's esophagus (BE), a metaplastic transformation of an esophageal squamous epithelium into an intestinal-type columnar epithelium, is the primary precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Traditional management strategies have relied heavily on selective screening, tailored surveillance intervals, and early dysplasia detection and treatment algorithms. However, the heterogeneity in progression risk among BE patients necessitates a more nuanced, personalized approach involving precision care, tailoring decisions to individual patient characteristics, promises to enhance outcomes in BE through more targeted screening, personalized surveillance intervals, and risk-based therapeutic strategies. This review explores the current landscape and emerging trends in precision medicine for Barrett's esophagus, highlighting …

A Whole-Brain Voxel-Based Analysis Of Structural Abnormalities In Ptsd: An Enigma-Pgc Study, Cheryl R Z See, Evan M Gordon, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit smaller regional brain volumes in commonly reported regions including the amygdala and hippocampus, regions associated with fear and memory processing. In the current study, we have conducted a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) meta-analysis using whole-brain statistical maps with neuroimaging data from the ENIGMA-PGC PTSD working group.

METHODS: T1-weighted structural neuroimaging scans from 36 cohorts (PTSD

RESULTS: PTSD patients exhibited smaller GM volumes across the frontal and temporal lobes, and cerebellum, with the most significant effect in the left cerebellum (Hedges'

CONCLUSIONS: PTSD patients exhibited widespread, regional differences in brain volumes where greater regional …

Timing Of Nodal Metastasis In Patients With Eyelid Sebaceous Carcinoma And Implications For Surveillance And Survival, Tracy Lu, Casey Anthony, Xinyang Jiang, Jing Ning, Ryan Goepfert, Bita Esmaeli

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/aims: Sebaceous carcinoma (SC) is a rare cancer with periocular predilection. Studies focused on patterns and timing of nodal metastasis are scarce.Our aim is to report patterns of regional nodal metastasis in patients with eyelid SC, including results of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB).

Methods: All consecutive patients with eyelid SC treated during 1999-2023 were retrospectively reviewed.All subjects had standard of care surgery for eyelid SC and regional lymph node evaluation using physical examination and ultrasonography (US) at baseline and during the surveillance period. 38 patients with negative findings on US had SLNB to rule out microscopic metastasis.The frequency and …

The Adaptation And Translation Of A Transition Readiness Scale For Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Antonio F Pagán, Katherine A Loveland, Ron Acierno

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Autistic young adults often face significant challenges during the transition to adulthood, yet few tools exist to assess their readiness in a developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive manner. This study presents the development and initial validation of the Transition Readiness Scale for Autistic Adolescents and Adults (TRS-A), a brief caregiver- and self-report measure designed to assess key domains of transition readiness. Guided by qualitative input from Latino families, community stakeholders, and clinicians, the TRS-A was piloted with 114 autistic young adults, 66 Spanish-speaking parents, and 48 English-speaking parents. Psychometric analyses supported the scale's internal consistency and construct validity, mirroring the …

Participant Engagement In A National Longitudinal Study Of Covid-19: Insights From The Inspire Study, Kris Pui Kwan Ma, Tracy Stober, Michael Gottlieb, Rachel E. Geyer, Kristin L. Rising, Sharon Saydah, Michelle Santangelo, Kristyn Gatling, Dylan Grau, Ralph C. Wang, Juan Carlos Montoy, Ahamed Idris, Samuel Macdonald, Mandy J. Hill, Ryan Huebinger, Maria G. Prado, Nicole L. Gentile, Erica Spatz, Caitlin Maliki, Jocelyn Dorney, Joann G. Elmore, Michelle L'Hommedieu, Robert A Weinstein, Arjun K. Venkatesh, Kari A. Stephens

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: To examine participants' motivations and their experiences throughout a decentralized, longitudinal COVID-19 study in the U.S.

METHODS: We recruited 355 participants from the Innovative Support for Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infections Registry (INSPIRE) between November 2022 - March 2023 to answer five qualitative survey questions anonymously. We used an inductive content analysis approach to analyze the data.

RESULTS: We identified five key themes from the analysis, which reflected participants' a) motivations to join the study, b) study benefits, c) perceptions of survey questions, d) experiences with the research process, and e) preferences for disseminating research findings. Participants were motivated to …

Experience Matters: An Application Of The Operative Value Index For Lumbar Fusions, Danyal Quraishi, Advith Sarikonda, D. Mitchell Self, Steven R. Glener, Arbaz A. Momin, Emily L. Isch, Ashmal K. Sami, Matthews Lan, Nicholas Clark, Ashwini Sharan, Srinivas Prasad, Jack Jallo, Joshua Pelta-Heller, Alex R. Vaccaro, James Harrop, Ahilan Sivaganesan

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: As healthcare systems transition to value-based care models, it is critical to understand factors influencing costs and outcomes in neurosurgery. This study utilizes Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing (TDABC) to assess the impact of surgeon experience and case volume on costs, clinical outcomes, and operative value in lumbar fusions. While TDABC has been applied in various surgical specialties, its use in neurosurgery, particularly in analyzing surgeon-specific factors, remains limited.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single center, analyzing lumbar instrumented arthrodesis procedures from 2017 to 2019. Primary variables included surgeon experience (years) and case volume (annual procedures). Confounding …

Belumosudil Reduces Oral Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease Tissue Inflammation And Fibrosis: A Rockstar Companion Study, Rubina Sharma, Iskra Pusic, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Belumosudil (KD025), an oral, selective, Rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) inhibitor, is approved for third-line treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Previous studies demonstrated that ROCK2 inhibition reduces blood interleukin-17 (IL-17) activity and promotes regulatory T-cell (Treg cell) recovery. However, these studies did not evaluate immune responses within cGVHD-affected tissues. This study assessed tissue-level immune dynamics in 20 patients with oral cGVHD from the phase 2 ROCKstar trial, before and after 6 months of belumosudil treatment, focusing on key effector sites (oral mucosa [OM], minor salivary glands [MSGs], and skin) and the peripheral blood. After belumosudil treatment, reduction in …

The Effect Of An Educational Intervention On Pre-Licensure Nursing Students Using The Theory Of Cultural Humility, Margaret Curry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The American population has become more racially and ethnically diverse. Pre-licensure nursing students must have the knowledge, skill, and attitude to meet the needs of this diverse patient population. The purpose of this study was to educate pre-licensure nursing students on the concept of cultural humility using standardized patients from diverse cultural backgrounds in simulation experiences. The 27 students in this study were enrolled in a traditional nursing program in the southern U.S. This one-group quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design used Foronda’s Cultural Humility Scale. These students completed this scale (pretest), participated in simulation experiences with standardized patients from diverse cultural backgrounds, …

Enhancing Hypertension Management In Correctional Facilities: Educating Advanced Practice Providers On Effective Strategies, Kimbreya E. Otey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Hypertension is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease and remains a significant public health concern, particularly within correctional facilities where access to consistent guideline-based care is often limited. Incarcerated individuals experience higher rates of chronic conditions, including hypertension, yet standardized approaches to management are frequently lacking. To address this gap, an evidence-based educational program was developed for nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) working in the correctional setting. Grounded in the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) guidelines, the program was developed to enhance awareness and knowledge among NPs and PAs regarding evidence-based hypertension management practices using the International …

The Protective Factors Of Trauma-Informed Care For Parents With Autistic Children, Carolynn J. Redd-Recksiek

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this current phenomenological study is to understand the experience of parents with autistic children and their lack of trauma-informed care from direct care providers in Northern Utah. This study is guided by trauma-informed theory, which is a model of care delivery created by Maxine Harris and Roger D. Fallot (2001). Trauma-informed care recognizes how adverse experiences can impact a person and have a negative impact on the health and well-being of that person and how those negative experiences have a direct impact on the health and well-being of the family, which directly impacts the health and well-being …

Biblical Servant Leadership And Physical Therapists' Clinical Decision Making For Breast Cancer Patients After Breast Cancer Surgery: A Correlational Study, Cleve Carter Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to determine whether a relationship exists between physical therapists’ (PTs’) perceptions of their manager’s or director’s application of BSL and the clinical decision-making of the PT when treating patients of varying socioeconomic status (SES) and race after breast cancer surgery (e.g., mastectomy, lumpectomy) in the United States (U.S.). This study utilized case-based vignettes for a patient population seeking skilled physical therapy services after breast cancer surgery within the U.S. healthcare system context. The sample population consisted of PTs from across the U.S. who actively evaluate and treat patients following breast cancer (BC) …

The Impact Of Trauma-Informed Care Education On Healthcare Providers And Staff In An Outpatient Clinic: A Holistic Approach To Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion, Ngozi Azu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Trauma is an emotional response that an individual may experience due to exposure to an event beyond their ability to manage. Trauma-informed care (TIC) is essential in health care for creating a supportive and safe atmosphere for individuals with a trauma history, but many health providers and staff lack proper training in TIC. The purpose of this project was to design, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive education program focused on TIC for health care providers and staff in an outpatient clinic setting. A quasi-experimental methodology and the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice were used. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected …

Nurse Preceptors' Perceptions Of Effectiveness Precepting Senior Baccalaureate Nursing Students: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Kelly Anne Arraf

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore how clinical nurse preceptors perceive their effectiveness when working with senior baccalaureate nursing students in East Texas. The study was guided by two theories: Invitational Education Theory, introduced by Purkey and Novak, used to understand how preceptors teach, and Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, used to understand how preceptees learn. The central research question was: What is the lived experience of being a nurse preceptor to senior baccalaureate nursing students in East Texas? Data were collected from semistructured virtual interviews, field and journal notes, and a demographic survey. Braun and Clarke’s …

The Relationship Of Worship Drumming On Christian Spiritual Well-Being: A Qualitative Case Study, Micah Joseph Holland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to bridge the knowledge gap and discover the relationship between worship drumming and Christian spiritual well-being. It also examined the spiritual disciplines developed from worship drumming that impact Christian spiritual well-being. The theory guiding this study was the religious attribution theory, as it is used to describe how people use religious explanations to understand events that cannot be explained by natural causes. The theoretical framework that falls under the religious attribution theory was the Feedback Loop Model for Religious Worship Experiences, which showed the dynamic of how music and the environment can provoke …

Providing Evidenced Based Practice Interventions To Direct Care Providers In Long-Term Facilities To Increase Knowledge Of Mental Health Care In Older Adults: An Educational Toolkit, Chelisa Ann Crabtree

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this scholarly project is to increase the knowledge of mental health (MH) care among direct care providers in long-term facilities by developing an educational toolkit focused on evidence-based education and training, with the goal of enhancing staff competencies in MH care, improving the management of residents’ MH needs, and ultimately optimizing care and quality of life. With the increasing number of younger and sicker individuals, particularly those with MH issues, residing in long-term facilities and lack of specialized training for direct care providers which leads to inadequate/complicated care and poor patient outcomes, there is a pressing need …

Fractional Flow Reserve From Coronary Ct: Evidence, Applications, And Future Directions, Arta Kasaeian, Mohadese Ahmadzade, Taylor Hoffman, Mohammad Ghasemi-Rad, Anoop Padoor Ayyappan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has emerged as the leading noninvasive imaging modality for the assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD), offering high-resolution visualization of the coronary anatomy and plaque characterization. The development of fractional flow reserve derived from CCTA (FFR-CT) has further transformed the diagnostic landscape by enabling the simultaneous evaluation of both anatomical stenosis and lesion-specific ischemia. FFR-CT has demonstrated diagnostic accuracy comparable to invasive FFR. The combined use of CCTA and FFR-CT is now pivotal in a broad range of clinical scenarios, including the evaluation of stable and acute chest pain, assessment of high-risk and complex plaque …

No Evidence Of Pitavastatin Effect On Muscle Area Or Density Among People With Hiv, Kristine M Erlandson, Triin Umbleja, Heather J Ribaudo, Michael T Lu, Jana Taron, Marissa R Diggs, Pamela S Douglas, Kathleen V Fitch, Carl J Fichtenbaum, Markella V Zanni, Judith A Aberg, Maria C Rodriguez-Barradas, Katharine Breaux, Rosalba Gomez Morones, Craig A Sponseller, Judith S Currier, Gerald S Bloomfield, Sarah M Chu, Alex B Lu, Carlos D Malvestutto, Steven K Grinspoon, Todd T Brown

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Skeletal muscle area (MA) and muscle density (MD) are key determinants of physical function and typically decline with increasing age. Statins have well-known musculoskeletal effects but whether statins impact MA or MD is not well established, especially in the setting of randomized treatment.

Methods: REPRIEVE is a double-blind randomized trial evaluating the effect of pitavastatin for primary prevention of major adverse cardiovascular events in people with HIV (PWH). Thoracic paraspinal, pectoralis, and infraspinatus MA and MD were assessed among Mechanistic Substudy participants with CT at baseline and month 24.

Results: Of 804 substudy participants, 510 remained on study treatment …

No Evidence Of Pitavastatin Effect On Muscle Area Or Density Among People With Hiv, Kristine M Erlandson, Triin Umbleja, Heather J Ribaudo, Michael T Lu, Jana Taron, Marissa R Diggs, Pamela S Douglas, Kathleen V Fitch, Carl J Fichtenbaum, Markella V Zanni, Judith A Aberg, Maria C Rodriguez-Barradas, Katharine Breaux, Rosalba Gomez Morones, Craig A Sponseller, Judith S Currier, Gerald S Bloomfield, Sarah M Chu, Alex B Lu, Carlos D Malvestutto, Steven K Grinspoon, Todd T Brown

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy (Rapid ART) is a key strategy for the Ending the HIV Epidemic inititative. In Harris County, Texas, a priority Ending the HIV Epidemic jurisdiction, 57% of persons with HIV receive care at 1 of 5 public agencies that receive funding from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program is administered by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, and HIV/AIDS Bureau. This program administers grants to clinics and local/state programs to deliver medical and support services (Part A) for low-income persons with HIV. In 2019, …

No Evidence Of Pitavastatin Effect On Muscle Area Or Density Among People With Hiv, Kristine M Erlandson, Triin Umbleja, Heather J Ribaudo, Michael T Lu, Jana Taron, Marissa R Diggs, Pamela S Douglas, Kathleen V Fitch, Carl J Fichtenbaum, Markella V Zanni, Judith A Aberg, Maria C Rodriguez-Barradas, Katharine Breaux, Rosalba Gomez Morones, Craig A Sponseller, Judith S Currier, Gerald S Bloomfield, Sarah M Chu, Alex B Lu, Carlos D Malvestutto, Steven K Grinspoon, Todd T Brown

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Skeletal muscle area (MA) and muscle density (MD) are key determinants of physical function and typically decline with increasing age. Statins have well-known musculoskeletal effects but whether statins impact MA or MD is not well established, especially in the setting of randomized treatment.

Methods: REPRIEVE is a double-blind randomized trial evaluating the effect of pitavastatin for primary prevention of major adverse cardiovascular events in people with HIV (PWH). Thoracic paraspinal, pectoralis, and infraspinatus MA and MD were assessed among Mechanistic Substudy participants with CT at baseline and month 24.

Results: Of 804 substudy participants, 510 remained on study treatment …

A Whole-Brain Voxel-Based Analysis Of Structural Abnormalities In Ptsd: An Enigma-Pgc Study, Cheryl R Z See, Shuqing Si, C Lexi Baird, Courtney C Haswell, Ahmed Hussain, Miranda Olff, Dick J Veltman, Jessie L Frijling, Mirjam Van Zuiden, Saskia B J Koch, Laura Nawijn, Li Wang, Ye Zhu, Gen Li, Yuval Neria, Xi Zhu, Benjamin Suarez-Jimenez, Sigal Zilcha-Mano, Amit Lazarov, Jennifer S Stevens, Kerry Ressler, Negar Fani, Tanja Jovanovic, Sanne J H Van Rooij, Milissa L Kaufman, Lauren A M Lebois, Isabelle M Rosso, Elizabeth A Olson, Justin T Baker, Scott R Sponheim, Seth G Disner, Nicholas D Davenport, Amit Etkin, Adi Maron-Katz, Murray B Stein, Martha E Shenton, Dan J Stein, Jonathan Ipser, Sheri-Michelle Koopowitz, Soraya Seedat, Stefan Du Plessis, Leigh L Van Den Heuvel, Shmuel Lissek, Hannah Berg, Thomas Straube, David Hofman, Lee A Baugh, Gina L Forster, Raluca M Simons, Jeffrey S Simons, Vincent A Magnotta, Kelene A Fercho, Xin Wang, Andrew S Cotton, Erin N O'Leary, Hong Xie, Daniel W Grupe, Jack B Nitschke, Richard J Davidson, Christine L Larson, Terri A Deroon-Cassini, Carissa W Tomas, Jacklynn M Fitzgerald, Jennifer Urbano Blackford, Bunmi O Olatunji, Evan M Gordon, Geoffrey May, Steven M Nelson, Ruth Lanius, Jean Théberge, Maria Densmore, Richard W J Neufeld, Chadi G Abdallah, Christopher L Averill, Ilan Harpaz-Rotem, Ifat Levy, John H Krystal, Elbert Geuze, Remko Van Lutterveld, Emily L Dennis, David F Tate, David X Cifu, William C Walker, Elisabeth A Wilde, Nic J A Van Der Wee, Robert R J M Vermeiren, Steven J A Van Der Werff, Katie Mclaughlin, Kelly Sambrook, Matthew Peverill, Joaquim Radua, Lauren E Salminen, Neda Jahanshad, Sophia I Thomopoulos, Anthony James, Lucia Valmaggia, Paul M Thompson, Rajendra A Morey, Matthew J Kempton

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit smaller regional brain volumes in commonly reported regions including the amygdala and hippocampus, regions associated with fear and memory processing. In the current study, we have conducted a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) meta-analysis using whole-brain statistical maps with neuroimaging data from the ENIGMA-PGC PTSD working group.

Methods: T1-weighted structural neuroimaging scans from 36 cohorts (PTSD n = 1309; controls n = 2198) were processed using a standardized VBM pipeline (ENIGMA-VBM tool). We meta-analyzed the resulting statistical maps for voxel-wise differences in gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes between PTSD patients and …