Diseases Commons^™

Always Remember To Floss... Or Else, Arunmozhi (Sankavi) Aravagiri Md, Muhammad Zain Md, Rajesh Gulati Md

Internal Medicine

No abstract provided.

Is The Thomas Ring An Effective Approach To Prevent Recurrence Of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation With Advanced Atrial Fibrosis?, Ruifang Yang Md, Jose Luis Henao Md, David Goldgrab Do, Sokol Kalaveshi Md, Stephen Mester Md, Christian Perzanowski Md

Cardiology

Introduction | Objectives: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with the Thomas ring (TR, single ring posterior wall isolation) has been shown to reduce recurrence of primarily paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). Atrial fibrosis, as an important pathophysiological contributor, is directly linked to AF recurrence and resistance to therapy. The effect of TR ablation on outcomes of persistent AF (peAF) with advanced atrial fibrosis has not been adequately studied.

Methods: Observational series of three peAF patients (Tab.) who underwent TR. The degree of atrial fibrosis was determined by electroanatomic bipolar voltage mapping (CARTO, Diamond Bar, CA, USA). The reduced voltage areas (Fig.) reflected …

Ablation Of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Substrate In Sinus Rhythm Does Not Lead To An Underestimation Of Fibrotic Atrial Myopathy: A Pilot Study, David Goldgrab Do, Sokol Kalaveshi Md, Jose Luis Henao Md, Ruifang Yang Md, Jearim Craig, Stephen Mester Md, Christian Perzanowski Md

Cardiology

Introduction | Objectives: Ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation (peAF) is associated with a worse outcome. Fibrotic atrial myopathy (FAM) is thought to play a role in the progression of AF. Estimation of left atrial voltage can vary significantly based on whether mapping is performed in fibrillatory conduction or sinus rhythm (SR). Selection of a voltage scale (VS) may lead to an over/under estimation of FAM. We determined the prevalence of advanced atrial myopathy (FAM > = 2) in SR compared to historical cohort ablated in peAF.

Methods: A homogenous group of peAF patients who underwent ablation in SR following cardioversion were …

Cardioversion Of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Before High Energy Ablation Does Not Improve Outcomes In Short Term Follow Up: Preliminary Analysis, Ruifang Yang Md, Sokol Kalaveshi Md, David Goldgrab Do, Jose Luis Henao Md, Stephen Mester Md, Christian Perzanowski Md

Cardiology

Introduction | Objectives: The optimal approach of ablating persistent Atrial Fibrillation (peAF) has yet to be defined. By convention, mapping/ablation of peAF is most often performed in AF. The success of ablation hinges on catheter contact and achieving lesion transmurality. We theorized that ablation efficacy would improve during sinus rhythm (SR) given stability and predictability of catheter contact.

Methods: Non‐randomized comparison of peAF patients who underwent ablation in SR under a new practice protocol versus a cohort of peAF ablated in AF. The lesion set was the same for both groups, WACA ± BOX. Study group was treated with higher …

Retrospective Study Of Fmol Health System Utilization Using Geospatial Information, Deekshith Mandala

LSU Master's Theses

Medicaid Expansion and closing of Emergency Departments (ED) like Earl K. Long, Baton Rouge General Mid-City ED, and Champion Medical Center changed the health care landscape in East Baton Rouge Parish (EBRP). In this research study, a Geographical Information System (GIS) is used to analyze the impact of the expansion of Medicaid and the inauguration of Our Lady of the Lake North Baton Rouge ED (OLOL NBR ED) over the utilization of Franciscan Missionaries of our Lady Health System (FMOLHS) for both emergency and non-emergency health care services. This study is performed across the 58 neighborhoods of EBRP. Overutilization of …

Social Values For Health Technology Assessment In Canada: A Scoping Review Of Hepatitis C Screening, Diagnosis And Treatment, Caroline O'Keefe-Markman, Kristina Dawn Lea, Christopher Mccabe, Elaine Hyshka, Tania M. Bubela

Office of the Provost

Background: Health care system decision makers face challenges in allocating resources for screening, diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C. Approximately 240,000 individuals are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Canada. Populations most affected by HCV include Indigenous people, people who inject drugs, immigrants and homeless or incarcerated populations as well as those born between 1946 and 1965. Curative but expensive drug regimens of novel direct acting antivirals (DAAs) are available. We aim to identify social values from academic literature for inclusion in health technology assessments.
Methods: We conducted a scoping review of academic literature to identify and analyze …

Evidence For The Misfolding Of The A1 Domain Within Multimeric Von Willebrand Factor In Type 2 Von Willebrand Disease, Alexander Tischer, Maria A Brehm, Venkata R Machha, Laurie Moon-Tasson, Linda M Benson, Katelynn J Nelton, Rachel R Leger, Tobias Obser, Marina Martinez-Vargas, Steven T Whitten, Dong Chen, Rajiv K Pruthi, H Robert Bergen, Miguel A Cruz, Reinhard Schneppenheim, Matthew Auton

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Von Willebrand factor (VWF), an exceptionally large multimeric plasma glycoprotein, functions to initiate coagulation by agglutinating platelets in the blood stream to sites of vascular injury. This primary hemostatic function is perturbed in type 2 dysfunctional subtypes of von Willebrand disease (VWD) by mutations that alter the structure and function of the platelet GPIbα adhesive VWF A1 domains. The resulting amino acid substitutions cause local disorder and misfold the native structure of the isolated platelet GPIbα-adhesive A1 domain of VWF in both gain-of-function (type 2B) and loss-of-function (type 2M) phenotypes. These structural effects have not been explicitly observed in A1 …

Calcium Alkali Thiazide Syndrome, Mehboob A. Rehan Md, Asma Rashid Md, Reema Singh Md, Gabutti Cristina, Luma Mohsin Md, Tausha Allen Md, Paul Stanford Md, James Thomson Md

Internal Medicine

No abstract provided.

Flexor Tenotomy For The Treatment Of Hallux Ulcers, Nathalia Esmeral, Val E. Haddon, Chase G. Dahl, Erin Lewis, David Khakshoor

Podiatry

Aims: To assess and evaluate the relationship between flexor tenotomies in a clinical setting and the time course for healing neuropathic, diabetic and structural deformity hallux ulcers.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzes the medical files of 1,471 patients treated for digital foot ulcers by flexor tenotomies between September 2011 and January 2019. For the intent of this particular research, focus was preserved towards the effect of flexor tenotomy on healing time to address hallux ulcers. A total of 97 patients between the ages of 41 and 86 years old underwent flexor tenotomy for the treatment of hallux ulcers with a …

Diverse Approaches To Predicting Drug-Induced Liver Injury Using Gene-Expression Profiles, G. Rex Sumsion, Michael S. Bradshaw Iii, Jeremy T. Beales, Emi Ford, Griffin R. G. Caryotakis, Daniel J. Garrett, Emily D. Lebaron, Ifeanyichukwu O. Nwosu, Stephen R. Piccolo

Faculty Publications

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a serious concern during drug development and the treatment of human disease. The ability to accurately predict DILI risk could yield significant improvements in drug attrition rates during drug development, in drug withdrawal rates, and in treatment outcomes. In this paper, we outline our approach to predicting DILI risk using gene-expression data from Build 02 of the Connectivity Map (CMap) as part of the 2018 Critical Assessment of Massive Data Analysis CMap Drug Safety Challenge.

Planning A ‘Dancing At The Vatican’ Screening To Celebrate The Global Huntington's Disease Community's Journey, Kenneth P. Serbin

At Risk for Huntington's Disease

No abstract provided.

Postpartum Depression! One Iv And I Am Back To Happy!, Gabrielle Dubruille

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Updates On Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv), Eduardo Martinez Sanchez

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Updates On Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv), Jose Ojeda

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Spotlight On Icosapent Ethyl For Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: Evidence To Date, Xiaoming Jia, Stephanie Koh, Mahmoud Al Rifai, Roger S. Blumenthal, Salim S. Virani

Office of the Provost

Icosapent ethyl is a highly purified formulation of eicosapentaenoic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid contained in fish oil. While omega-3 fatty acids have long been thought to have cardioprotective benefits, the Reduction of Cardiovascular Events with EPA-Intervention Trial (REDUCE-IT) has helped to establish icosapent ethyl as an evidence-based therapy for risk reduction of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). REDUCE-IT, however, was by no means an overnight success story. Close examination of the evidence shows that the trial was a culmination of many lessons learned from previous studies. The purpose of this manuscript is to review contemporary evidence of icosapent …

Pluronic Polymer-Based Ormeloxifene Nanoformulations Induce Superior Anticancer Effects In Pancreatic Cancer Cells, Neeraj Chauhan, Amber Kruse, Hilary Newby, Meena Jaggi, Murali M. Yallapu, Subhash C. Chauhan

School of Medicine Publications

Utilization of safe cytotoxic agents with precise anticancer activity is considered as the prime focus of cancer therapeutics research. A greater incentive for such agents arises from the molecules/drugs that are already being used for other indications. Ormeloxifene (ORM) is a nonsteroidal, nonhormonal selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), which has been in human use for contraception purposes. Although in the recent past, many reports have suggested its emerging role as an anticancer agent, no significant attention was paid toward generating simple and safe nanoformulation( s) for improved therapeutic activity and tumor cell-specific delivery. Our aim is to develop nanoformulation(s) of …

Older Adults Hospitalized For Pneumonia In The United States: Incidence, Epidemiology, And Outcomes., Forest W. Arnold, Andrea Reyes-Vega, Vidyulata Salunkhe, Stephen P. Furmanek, Christian Furman, Laura Morton, Anna Johan Faul, Pam Yankeelov, Julio A. Ramirez

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

OBJECTIVES: To define the current incidence, epidemiology, and mortality of older adult patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Louisville, KY and thus estimate the burden of CAP in the older adult population of the United States. To define risk factors associated with early and late outcomes. DESIGN: This was a secondary analysis of older adults (aged ≥65 years) from the University of Louisville Pneumonia Study, a prospective population-based cohort study of all hospitalized adults with CAP between June 1, 2014, and May 31, 2016. SETTING: The study took place in all nine acute care hospitals for adults in Louisville, …

Highly Efficient Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Reprogramming Of Cryopreserved Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines, Satish Kumar, Joanne E. Curran, Erika C. Espinoza, David C. Glahn, John Blangero

School of Medicine Publications

Tissue culture based in-vitro experimental modeling of human inherited disorders provides insight into the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved and the underlying genetic component influencing the disease phenotype. The breakthrough development of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology represents a quantum leap in experimental modeling of human diseases, providing investigators with a self-renewing and thus unlimited source of pluripotent cells for targeted differentiation into functionally relevant disease specific tissue/cell types. The existing rich bio-resource of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) immortalized lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) repositories generated from a wide array of patients in genetic and epidemiological studies worldwide, many of them …

End-Of-Life Healthcare Use Of Medicare Patients With Melanoma Based On Patient Characteristics And Year Of Death, Rebecca N. Hutchinson, F. Lee Lucas, Kathleen Fairfield

Journal of Maine Medical Center

Background: Many cancer patients receive overly-intensive care at end-of-life (EOL), despite recognition that this is a marker of poor quality. There is limited knowledge about care received by patients dying with melanoma.

Objective: We characterized healthcare utilization during EOL and patient characteristics associated with variations in care. We also described how utilization changed over time.

Methods: We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare database to identify 9099 melanoma patients aged 65+ at diagnosis between 2000 and 2009, who died by 12/31/2010. We included patients enrolled in Medicare part A and B six-months prior to diagnosis and not in managed …

Prevalence Of Sensorineural Hearing Loss In Children With Palliated Or Repaired Congenital Heart Disease., Lalitha Gopineti, Mane Paulpillai, Andrea Rosenquist, Andrew H. Van Bergen

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at increased risk of neurodevelopmental deficits, and the presence of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) may further lead to poor language skills acquisition and speech delays. Prevalence of SNHL in the general pediatric population is estimated to be 0.2% at birth to 0.35% during adolescence. Very few studies have attempted to estimate SNHL prevalence in children who have undergone congenital heart surgery. Methods This retrospective study aimed to estimate SNHL prevalence in children who underwent congenital heart surgery in our institution and were followed up in our high-risk pediatric cardiology clinics for four …

A&P Workshop Summary—Uniting Anatomy And Physiology Through Case Studies, Angela Horner, Stuart Sumida, Tomasz Owercowicz

Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy

Introducing problem-solving based methods of pedagogy is one approach to engage students early in their careers with developing analytic and diagnostic skills. PBL approaches in anatomy and medical teaching are a logical extension of clinical case studies, wherein an example of a pathology or clinical procedure is provided, and students must ascertain the anatomical and/or physiological basis for it. Students report a deeper understanding of material presented in clinical case studies, as the ‘real world’ relevance and importance is immediately clear (Cliff and Wright, 1996).

Molecular Genetic Cancer Screening: Role Of Prediction Of Colorectal Disease In The Clinic Setting, Samantha Spinks

DNP Research Projects

Colorectal Cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women and the second leading cause of cancer related deaths (ACS, 2019). Colonoscopy screening can prevent colon cancer by early detection and removal of adenomatous colon polyps. The ACS has been lowered from age 50 to 45 due to an increase in the prevalence of colon cancer in people below the age of 50 years of age. Molecular genetic screening is a tool that providers can use to identify patients who are at risk for premature adenomas. People who have a genetic variant are more likely to develop adenomas …

The Observational Investigation Of Vitamin D And The Effect On Hypertension (Oiveh) Study, Warren Burke

DNP Research Projects

Background

It is uncertain if vitamin D supplementation improves cardiovascular health, more specifically, the systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and the data from previous trials investigating supplementation and the effects on the blood pressure are limited.

Methods

The following scholarly project was a retrospective observational study, examining randomly selected participants with chronic kidney disease and hypertension from a local nephrology practice. The Student’s t-test, Pearson’s r correlation, and ANOVA statistical tests were utilized to determine if vitamin D supplementation improved the systolic and diastolic blood pressures.

Results

A total of 260 participants were examined. The mean systolic blood pressure …

Reducing Hypertension Through Faith Community Nursing, Michelle White

DNP Research Projects

Hypertension affects approximately 31.1% of adults (1.39 million) worldwide. It continues to be a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and strokes, the leading causes of death in the United States (Mills, Stefanescu, & He, 2020). Hypertension is expected to increase due to the aging population and unhealthy lifestyle choices of the American people (American Heart Association [AHA], 2018a). Therefore, effective strategies are required to manage hypertension in order to decrease stroke and cardiovascular events that can save the lives of many Americans. National programs such as Healthy People 2020 are working to achieve blood pressure control within the United …

Sé Un Héroe Tú También, Samantha S. Rohe, Sophie Cemaj

Books: Pediatrics

This children's book explains COVID-19 and how to decrease the incidence of transmissions.

Ectopic Pregnancy In A Woman With T9 Ais A Paraplegia Secondary To High-Grade Spinal Cord Pilocytic Astrocytoma, Elisabeth K. Acker

Graduate Medical Education (GME) Resident and Fellow Research Day Posters

Ectopic pregnancy in a woman with T9 AIS A (motor complete, sensory complete) paraplegia secondary to a high-grade spinal cord pilocytic astrocytoma

Background

In the United States, 20,000 women of childbearing age have a spinal cord injury (SCI). While SCI induces transient amenorrhea immediately after injury, women generally have normal reproductive function after SCI, and their fertility is unimpaired. Medications that commonly manage complications of SCI should be avoided or discontinued during pregnancy. Complications inherent to SCI, including urologic issues, are often exacerbated during pregnancy.

Methods

This is a case report on a female Veteran who initially presented to the …

Prevalence Of The Hypervirulent Nap1/Bi/027 Strain Of C. Difficile In Southwestern Virginia And Risk Factors Associated With Infection, Andrew O. Hanna, Anthony Baffoe-Bonnie, Shikha Vasudeva

Graduate Medical Education (GME) Resident and Fellow Research Day Posters

C. difficile infection (CDI) incidence has increased over the last several decades. The BI/NAP1/027 ribotype was discovered in 2005 and has since been responsible for multiple outbreaks in the US and Canada. This subtype of C. Difficile is known to be more virulent in vivo and produce more severe disease. Limited regional data of the prevalence of this ribotype is available, which could help guide treatment. Using infection control data from a large regional hospital and a VA medical center, this study documented the prevalence of the 027 ribotype in Southwest Virginia. Patients were included if they were tested at …

Age And Functional Outcomes Post-Neurologic Insult In Patients Attending Inpatient Rehabilitation, Jonathan Bowman Spt, Elena Crooks Pt, Dpt, Phd, Doug Weeks Phd, Kimberly Honn Phd

2020 Symposium Posters

Introduction

Neurologic insults such as strokes and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) affect over 1 million Americans every year. The lack of current knowledge informing accurate prognoses causes victims and their loved ones distress, and is a focus of much research. The purpose of this study was to determine whether patient age at time of insult could predict change in functional outcomes during inpatient rehabilitation.

Methods

Subjects were patients of an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) post-stroke or TBI. The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) assessed functional independence and cognitive status at admission and discharge from the IRF. The Montebello Rehabilitation Factor Score …

Literature Review Of Covid-19 Biochemistry, Alexandra Allen

2020 Symposium Posters

SARS-CoV-2 is the virus responsible for the current pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 is a betacoronavirus with a genome that is 79.5% identical to SARS-CoV. The virus enters T lymphocytes using its spike protein with the human angiotension-converting enzyme 2 as its receptor. SARS-CoV-2 was found to have a unique peptide sequence that could contribute to the proteolytic cleavage of the spike protein, therefore potentially impacting host range and transmissibility. COVID-19 is diagnosed through a nasal swab SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR assay and the most common symptoms appear to be fever, cough, and fatigue. The median amount of time an individual will be contagious with …

The Importance Of Early Detection For Alzheimer's Disease, Mariah Mckenzie

Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

More Americans are suffering from late diagnoses of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the U.S. each year. Therefore, there is a need for more access toward early detection of this disease to sustain optimal quality of life and treatments for individuals. AD is one of the leading causes of deaths and with the lack of funds for research, individuals diagnosed with AD is expected to continue to increase. Medicare, Medicaid, and National Institute of Health services are providing funds for the current issues; however, it is not enough. There are many forms of poor access to services for individuals to seek …